Improvements in and relating to Driving Mechanism for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 10th June, 1893-Accepted, 29th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Driving Mechanism for Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Vehicles.
I, CAMILLE AIMÉ ROUVEYRE, of 21 Boulevard Poissonière, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to driving mechanism for bicycles, tricycles and other
vehicles.
The distinctive feature of my improved mechanism lies in the utilization of the
body of the cyclist, which is displaced upon a movable seat, his feet acting upon
oscillating levers which replace the cranks generally used for setting the driving
wheel or wheels in motion; these levers actuate the wheels through the medium
of chains wound upon boxes which are provided with ratchets and have a spiral
circumference to form a compensating lever.
The frame of the velocipede may undergo certain modifications according as it.
is designed for a bicycle, or a tricycle. It comprises a forked branch connected at
one end with the fork which receives the axle of the front wheel surmounted by
the handle bar, and at its other end with the axle of the driving wheel.
This axle passes freely through two sleeves which are screw-threaded in opposite
directions for receiving the extremities, provided with corresponding screw-threads,
of the nave of the wheel which is thus held between the two sleeves, the whole
being adapted to turn freely upon the said axle, which is fixed and furnished with
ball boxes.
It will be seen that this system of mounting is very simple and at the same time
very strong, and that moreover it ensures a very gentle rolling movement, preventing
the lateral displacement of the nave.
The turning movement of these sleeves and consequently that of the wheel is
obtained by boxes having an eccentric or spiral circumference, which are united by
small chains and slightly curved rods with two pedal levers. The axis upon which
each of these levers pivot is united with the frame by small bars and a collar.
It should be observed that this combination of boxes with an eccentric or spiral
circumference is of great importance inasmuch as it has the effect of progressively
changing the length of the point of attachment or action of the chain under such
conditions that when the pedal lever is in the highest position and the leg of the
cyclist is then slightly bent, exerting its minimum amount of power, the length
relatively to the centre of motion is at its maximum, the converse naturally takes
place when the lever moves down under the action of the stretched leg to which is
added the weight of the body carried forward by reason of the displacement of the
oscillating seat.
For raising the pedal levers after their downward movement under the power
exerted alternatively upon each of the pedals a double spiral spring acts upon the
under side through the medium of a roller. This spring is mounted upon an axis
carried by small plates attached to the axis upon which the branch furnished with
the roller can turn.
To ensure the exactitude of the alternate downward and upward movements
the said levers are connected each by a rigid rod with the point of attachment of
the aforesaid chain and connecting rod, and this rigid rod terminates in a hook
designed to limit as it stops upon a pin fixed to the frame, the downward movement
of the levers.
With regard to the movement of the driving wheel this is produced as abové
stated, by the boxes having a spiral circumference to which are attached the chains,
and which through the medium of pawls engage with ratchet wheels.

page_text: In order to obviate the noise produced by the pawl falling to the bottom of the
space between the teeth of the ratchet wheel a small strip held by a collar mounted
with friction upon the ball box raises the pawl after each fall so as to diminish the
shock, which enables it also to be disengaged for moving the vehicle to the rear
if necessary.
Each of the pedal levers terminates in a tail-piece to which is secured the end of
a small spring the other end of which is attached to a point on the cylindrical part
of the above-mentioned box. This small spring, by its tension during the motion,
has the effect of compensating for the difference in the winding of the chain upon
the eccentric periphery of the said box.
As the seat must be displaced from the front to the rear and vice versa under
the impulsion of the cyclist, its support is adapted to move in guides attached to
the guard of the wheel by a flexible plate and provided with two stop pins which
limit the displacement in the two directions.
Dated this 10th day of September 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Driving Mechanism for Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Vehicles.
I, CAMILLE AIMÉ ROUVEYRE, of 21 Boulevard Poissonière, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to driving mechanism for bicycles tricycles and other
vehicles.
The distinctive feature of my improved mechanism consists in the utilization
of the body of the cyclist, which is displaced upon a movable seat, his feet acting
upon oscillating levers, which replace the cranks generally used for setting the
driving wheel or wheels in motion; these levers actuate the wheels through the
medium of chains wound upon boxes which are provided with ratchets and have
a spiral circumference to form a compensating lever.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
1
Figure represents an elevation of a safety bicycle constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the rear part of the said bicycle showing the seat support
in section.
Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing the
arrangement devised for mounting the driving wheel upon the axle, showing also the
two transmitting boxes with a spiral development.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of one half of one of the two boxes, showing the
eccentric form and
Figures 5 and 6 represent in front and side views the springs and roller designed
for raising the pedal levers.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of
the drawing.
The frame of the velocipede may be modified according as it is designed for
a bicycle, or a tricycle. It comprises a forked branch or back bone A and stay
rods D and D' said back bone being connected at one end with the fork B which
receives the axle of the front wheel B' surmounted by the handle bar, and at its
other end with the axle E of the driving wheel.
As shown in Figure 3 this axle passes freely through two sleeves 1' which are

page_text: screw-threaded in opposite directions for receiving the extremities, provided with
corresponding screw-threads, of the nave M of the wheel which is thus held between
the two sleeves, the whole being adapted to turn freely. upon the said axle, which is.
fixed and furnished with ball boxes, b.
It will be seen that this system of mounting is very simple and at the same time.
very strong, and that moreover it ensures a very gentle rolling movement, preventing-
the lateral displacement of the nave.
The turning movement of these sleeves and consequently that of the wheel is.
obtained by boxes J having an eccentric or spiral circumference, as shown in
Figure 4, which are united by small chains h.and slightly curved rods C' with two.
pedal levers C. The axis d' upon which each of these levers pivot is united with.
the frame by small bars, and a collar.
It should be observed that this combination of boxes with an eccentric or spiral.
circumference is of great importance inasmuch as it has the effect of progressively
changing the length of the point of attachment or action of the chain under such
conditions that when the pedal lever is in the highest position and the leg of the
cyclist is then slightly bent, exerting its minimum amount of power, the length
relatively to the centre of motion is at its maximum; the converse naturally
takes place when the lever moves down under the action of the stretched leg, to
which is added the weight of the body carried forward by reason of the displacement.
of the oscillating seat between the points and .' (Figure 1).
For raising the pedal levers C after their downward movement under the power
exerted alternately upon each of the pedals c', a double spiral spring d acts upon the
under side through the medium of a roller G. As shown in Figures 5 and 6 this.
spring is mounted upon an axis carried by small plates d' attached to the axis d'
upon which the branch furnished with the roller can turn.
To ensure the exactitude of the alternate downward and upward movements the
said levers are connected each by a rigid rod H with the point of attachment.
of the aforesaid chain and connecting rod C and this rigid rod terminates in
a hook designed to limit, as it stops upon a pin fixed to the frame, the downward
movement of the levers, the whole then taking the position shown by the dotted
lines.
With regard to the movement of the driving wheel this is produced, as above
stated, by the boxes having a spiral circumference J to which are attached the
chains and which through the medium of pawls & engage with ratchet wheels I¹
(Figures 3 and 4).
In order to obviate the noise produced by the pawl falling to the bottom of the
space between the teeth, of the ratchet wheel, a small strip i held by a collar
mounted with friction upon the ball box braises the pawl after each fall so as to
diminish the shock, which enables it also to be disengaged for moving the vehicle to
the rear if necessary.
Each of the pedal levers terminates in a tail-piece to which is secured the
end of a small spring (Figure 1) the other end being attached to a point
(Figure 3) on the cylindrical part of the above mentioned box J. This small
spring, by its tension during the motion has the effect of compensating for
the difference in the winding of the chain upon the eccentric periphery of the
said box J.
As the seat S must be displaced from the front to the rear and vice versa under
the impulsion of the cyclist, its support is adapted to move in guides X attached
to the guard of the wheel by a flexible plate and provided with two stop pins a aud al
which limit the displacement in the two directions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is -
1st. In a bicycle or other vehicle, the combination of the eccentric driving boxes J
having a spiral circumference forming a lever compensator.

page_text: 2nd. The mounting of the nave by means of screw-threads upon the two sleeves I,
actuated by the ratchet mechanism'of the boxes and provided with ball bearings b
screwed on the axle E which is fixed; this method of mounting ensuring great
stability and a minimum of rolling friction.
3rd. The herein described device shewn in Figures 5 and 6 consisting of the
helical springs d acting by means of the roller G to raise the levers and pedals as
above described.
4th. The arrangement of the guide X for the support of the seat, which seat is
displaced in such a manner that the cyclist can utilize his own weight as a motive
force without being obliged, owing to the progressive driving and compensating of
the spiral boxes J, to follow the rotation of the wheels by applying his feet on
the cranks.
Dated this 10th day of June 1902
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.