Improvements in Variable Speed Chainless Driving Gear for Cycles or the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1899-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1899.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Variable Speed Chainless Driving Gear for Cycles
or the like.
I, REGINALD HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co., of 18, Bucking-
ham Street, Strand, W.C., London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by Ludwig Oberhammer,
of Dachnerstrasse 12, Munich, Contractor, and Max Gerstendörfe, of Mathilden-
strasse 22, Fürth, Manufacturer, both in the Empire of Germany, to be as
follows:-
Chainless bicycles hitherto known, having devices for altering the gear whilst in
movement have the disadvantage that the parts affecting this change do not always
work surely and are not constructed in such a simple manner as to guarantee
their proper function.
The object of the present invention is to provide means for altering the gear
of chainless vehicles whilst in movement by which the above described dis-
advantages are avoided.
On the stay connecting the pedal crank axle bearing with the bearing of the
hind (driving) wheel is a sleeve on the front end of which is the bevelled wheel
driven by means of the crank axle. At the back end of the sleeve the device for
altering the gear is arranged.
In a two speed gear on the sleeve two toothed bevelled wheels are loosely
seated. They are suitably seated on balls both towards the sleeve and also
towards the collar retaining them, and are separated one from the other also
by a double ball collar.
Between the sleeve and the frame stay is a thin tube on which a second sleeve
is arranged.
The tube is connected with a movable rod inside the frame stay for which
purpose the stay is provided with a longitudinal slot wherein the connecting
piece between the tube and rod is guided. By this arrangement the tube is
protected against turning, but it can be moved on the stay within certain limits.
This tube and the rod are fixedly connected to one another.
The second sleeve seated on the tube carries two keys set at 180°, that is,
in the same plane which being moved through grooves of the first sleeve engage
into one of the bevelled wheels. The first sleeve participates in the turning of
the second sleeve and is drawn with the tube when the same is moved longi-
tudinally.
The displacement of the keys is thus affected by means of the rod. The
bevelled wheels are provided with suitable grooves longitudinal to their axes,
namely for the reception of the keys and the stationary ball collar must be
adjusted so that its grooves for the movement of the keys accord with the
grooves of first sleeve. This ball collar must moreover on the spot where it
receives the keys be a little wider than the latter, in order that the keys can
entirely leave the one bevelled wheel before they enter into the other. In
ГР.:

page_text: order to cause the proper introduction of the keys into the grooves of the
bevelled wheels the nave of the wheel on the side on which the entrance of
the keys takes place, is formed in the following manner.
According to the depth of grooves in the bevelled wheels, on the face of the
nave of each wheel for a suitable distance are arranged circumferential guides
of graduated depth. By this means, when altering the gear the keys engage
at first nearly 90° beyond the ends of the guides, and are gradually introduced
deeper into the wheel by the graduated key ways. Finally the grooves and the
keys coincide, the opposite faces of the grooves which lie higher than the ends
of the guides act as abutments to the keys and assure a safe introduction of
the same into the grooves and prevents any catching of the keys which would
hinder or suspend the working.
The respective bevelled wheel being thus tightly connected to the sleeve driven
by the pedal crank, puts the hind wheel into motion by means of a double
bevelled wheel thereon.
As can be seen from the above the changing of the gear is done inside the
sleeve by the backward displacement of the projecting part of the rod. The
usual methods of mounting, and the means for adjustment for the back wheel
are here impracticable, the following arrangement being provided.
The axle of the hind wheel is forked at one end in a suitable manner and
carries above an eye or the like for securing it to the upper frame stay of the
machine. In order to be able to adjust the hind wheel in a suitable manner
a socket is screwed on the lower frame stay whereon a cone held by a counter
nut closes the hind ball bearing of the second sleeve. The fork of the axle
rests against a flange of a socket screwed on the axle. The fork is closed by
a plate or washer. This plate is provided with an opening through which the
stay passes in a closely fitting manner; by adjusting this disk or plate it is
possible to adjust the hind wheel exactly as desired. A screw nut secures the
adjustment. Instead of two different proportions of gearing more, for instance
three, can be arranged, only the nave of the middle bevelled wheel must bé
suitably provided with keyways on both faces to ensure the proper entrance of
the keys.
1
The frame stay has on its end a hook or link for the displacement of the
rod which is connected in a suitable manner with a device arranged on the
handle bar and passing through the frame tube or head of the cycle, for. operating
the gear changing mechanism.
This device consists of a toothed sleeve arranged exteriorly of the handle bar
shaft and movable within the steering head tube of the frame. This toothed
sleeve is provided with annular rings forming teeth so that it can still act as a
rack while it is turned more or less to the right or left during the steering of
the machine. It is connected with a bar or rod passing through the top of the
handle bar and which can for instance by a spring or any other suitable means
be held constantly in a raised position. The handle bar shaft is provided with
a slot through which a bracket connecting the bar with the sleeve passes so
that the sleeve takes the movements of the handle bar shaft during steering,
and the alteration of the ratio-of-the-gear-can be made at any time.
On the lower frame tube is a bracket or bearing wherein an axle is mounted.
On the axle is a disk, a crank, and also a toothed segment, the latter being
loosely mounted. The latter engages through a slot in the steering frame tube,
with the teeth of the sleeve. The disk is provided with two holes wherein a
pin of the toothed segment engages, and by which the segment is coupled with
the disk. To the crank is connected a traction rod by which the device is
connected in a suitable manner to the rod which moves the coupling keys before
described.
T: 01s of Tun 1800
T :

page_text: Improvements in Variable Speed Chainless Driving Gear for Cycles
or the like.
I, REGINALD HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co., of 18, Bucking-
ham Street, Strand, W.C., London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by Ludwig Oberhammer,
of Dachnerstrasse 12, Munich, Contractor, and Max Gerstendörfe, of Mathilden-
strasse 22, Fürth, Manufacturer, both in the Empire of Germany, and in what
manner the same is to be performed in and by the following statement:-
12
Chainless bicycles hitherto known, having devices for altering the gear whilst in
movement have the disadvantage that the parts affecting this change do not always
work surely and are not constructed in such a simple manner as to guarantee
their proper function.
The object of the present invention is to provide means for altering the gear
of chainless vehicles whilst in movement by which the above described dis-
advantages are avoided. The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings
in which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the gear altering mechanism arranged
adjacent to the hind wheel;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the same;
Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;
Figs. 47 show details;
Fig. 8 shows the device for putting the changing mechanism into action and
Figs. 9 to 11 represent details of the same.
On the stay a connecting the pedal crank axle bearing with the bearing
of the hind (driving) wheel is a sleeve. 6 on the front end of which is the
bevelled wheel driven by means of the crank axle. At the back end of the
sleeve the device for altering the gear is arranged. The same is represented
in the annexed drawings for two different gears.
On the sleeve b; in the form of construction illustrated are two toothed
beyelled wheels and d,. seated loosely. They are suitably seated on balls
both towards the sleeve 6 and also towards the collar e retaining them, and
are separated one from the other by the double ball collar f. Between the
sleeve band the frame stay a is a thin tube g on which a second sleeve his
arranged.
The tube is connected with a movable rod i seated inside the frame stay a,
for which purpose the stay a is provided with a longitudinal slot k wherein the
connecting piece between the tube g and rod is guided. By this arrange-
ment the tube is protected against turning, but it can be moved on the stay a
within certain limits. This tube g and the rod i are fixedly connected to
one another.
The sleeve h seated on tube 9 carries two keys m set at 180°, that is, in
the same plane, which being moved through grooves n of the sleeve engage
into one of the bevelled wheels e d. The sleeve h participates in the turning
of the sleeve band is drawn with the sleeve g when the same is moved longi-
tudinally, The displacement of the keys m is effected by means of the rod i.
The bevelled wheels c and d are provided with suitable grooves longitudinal
5 to their axes, namely and p respectively for the reception of the keys m
and the stationary ball collar f must be adjusted so that its grooves for the
movement of the keys are in accordance with the grooves n of sleeve b. This

page_text: ball collar must moreover on the spot where it receives the keys m be a
little wider than the latter, in order that the keys can entirely leave the one
bevelled wheel before they enter into the other. In order to cause the proper
introduction of the keys into the grooves o and p of the bevelled wheels c
and d, the nave of the wheel on the side on which the entrance of the keys
takes place, is formed in the following manner (Figs. 4-6). According to
the depth of grooves in the bevelled wheels, on the face of the nave of each wheel
for a suitable distance are arranged circumferential guides of graduated
depth 1 and 2. The graduation of these guides or key ways is shown in Fig. 6
which represents the face of the boring laid flat. By this means, when altering
the gear the keys m engage at first nearly 90° beyond the ends of the guides,
and are gradually introduced deeper into the wheel by the graduated key ways.
Finally the grooves and the keys coincide, the opposite faces of the grooves
which lie higher than the ends of the guides act as abutments to the keys and
assure a safe introduction of the same into the grooves and prevents any catching
of the keys which would hinder or suspend the working.
The respective bevelled wheel being thus tightly connected to the sleeve b
driven by the pedal crank, puts the hind wheel seated on the axle r into
motion by means of the double bevelled wheel q.
As can be seen from the above the changing of the gear proportion is done
inside the sleeve b by the backward displacement of the projecting part of the
rod . The usual methods of mounting, and the means for adjustment for the
back wheel are here impracticable, the following arrangement being provided.
The axler of the hind wheel is at one end forked in a suitable manner (Fig. 7)
and carries above an eye or the like s for securing to the upper frame stay of
the machine. In order to be able to adjust the hind wheel in a suitable
manner a socket t is screwed on the frame stay a whereon a cone u held by a
counter nut closes the hind ball bearing of the sleeve h. The fork v of the
axler rests against a flange t' of the socket t. The fork is closed by a plate
or washer w. This plate is provided with an opening through which the stay a
passes in a closely fitting manner; by adjusting this disk or plate w it is
possible to adjust the hind wheel exactly as desired. A screw nut x secures the
adjustment. Instead of two different proportions of gearing more, for instance,
three can be arranged, only the nave of the middle bevelled wheel must be
suitably provided with key-ways on both faces to ensure the proper entrance of
the keys.
The frame stay has on its end a hook or link for the displacement of the
rod which is connected in a suitable manner with a device arranged on the
handle bar and passing through the frame tube or head of the cycle, for operating
the gear changing mechanism.
The device consists of a toothed sleeve y arranged exteriorly of the handle
bar shaft and movable within the steering head z Figs. 8 and 9. This toothed
sleeve y is provided with annular rings forming teeth so that it can still
act as a rack while it is turned more or less to the right or left during the
steering of the machine. It is connected with a bar or rod v passing through
the top of the handle bar and which can, for instance, by a spring (not represented)
-or-any-other-suitable-means--be-held-constantly-in-the-position-shown.-The-
handle bar shaft 7 is provided with a slot through which a bracket w¹ connecting
the bar with the sleeve y passes so that the sleeve ý takes the movements
of the handle bar shaft during steering, and the alteration of the ratio of
gear can be made at any time.
On the frame tube al is seated a bracket or bearing y wherein an axle z¹
is mounted. On the axle 21 is seated a disk s¹, a crank r¹ and also a toothed
segment g the latter being loosely mounted. The latter engages through a
slot in the steering frame tube z with the teeth of the sleeve y. The disk s¹
provided with two holes o¹ wherein a pin n¹ of the toothed segment q¹ engages,

page_text: and by which the segment is coupled with the disk. To the crank is connected
a traction rod m' by which the device is connected in a suitable manner to the
rod i.
The manner of working is as follows:-
If the gear ratio is to be altered, the rider pushes the button downward
which by the rod v and the bracket w¹ moves the sleeve y down. By this dis-
placement the toothed segment q is moved, which being coupled with the disk st
by the pin n takes the same in its movement. The disk s being fixed tightly
on the axle z¹ the latter turns and also the crank r whereby the rod m' is
moved and the rod i is displaced for altering the gear.
This done the sleeve y rises by a suitably provided device; the toothed
segment is drawn therewith but by the suitable formation of the bolt n'
it is separated from the disk s¹ and turns unhindered whilst the altered gear
is maintained. When the toothed segment has arrived at its original position,
the pin n engages into the other boring o of disk coupling the toothed
segment g¹ and the disk together for the next alteration of the gear. In the form
of construction represented, with two different gears two holes are provided in
the disk s¹. Should more than two gears be provided, a suitable number of
holes must be provided in the disk.
As can be seen, the crank makes by repeated alteration of the gear a movement
of rotation so that the rod m¹ operates alternately with a traction and propulsion
movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. An improved variable speed chainless driving gear for cycles or the like
consisting of a coupling movable between toothed bevelled wheels seated loosely
on an intermediate shaft, which engage with bevelled tooth wheels of the
hind wheel of the cycle, the face or faces of the naves of the said loose bevelled
wheels, c and d, on the side or sides from which the keys w causing the coupling,
are introduced into the grooves o and p of these wheels, being provided with
key ways of graduated depth and of a suitable length leading to the grooves,
the deepest spots of said graduated keyways being at the one side of the groove,
the sides of the grooves lying immediately opposite such deepest spots being
higher than the same so that the keys m must enter the grooves and cannot
pass by the same
2. A form of construction of the improved gear described in Claim 1 in which
the axle r of the back wheel of the cycle is formed at one end as a fork v
having an eye or the likes for engaging with the upper frame stay of the
cycle, on which fork a plate w is movably fastened having an opening for
the frame stay a passing therethrough to allow the displacement of the coupling
by means of a rod lying within the frame stay a and projecting backwards."
3. For operating the improved gear for cycles or the like as in Claim 1 a device
consisting of a movable toothed sleeve y arranged on the handle bar shaft !
between the same and the frame tube z wherein a toothed segment q' seated
loosely on an axle z engages, which at the descent of the sleeve y displaces
the rod m in a suitable manner by means of a pin n¹, disk s¹, the axle
and a crank r; the rod m¹ displacing in a suitable manner the rod i carrying
the coupling keys, whilst at the ascent of the sleeve y the toothed segment q¹
turns freely and arrived at its normal position is again suitably coupled with
the disk by the pin n¹ ready for the next operation of changing the gear.