Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1894
Complete Specification. Left, 30 h Apr., 1895-4ccepted, 29th June, 1895
We PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF and FREDERICK WESTWOOD, Managers both of
1 Lombard Street Birmingham do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates principally to velocipedes in which the driving power is
transmitted from a pedal shaft to the axle or hub of a driving wheel or wheels by
an intermediate connecting mechanism. As in most cases velocipedes are "geared
up" the driving wheel or pulley is much greater in diameter than the driven one;
generally, considerably less than half of the circumference of the latter is left in
contact with the transmitting chain, band or similar agent, and great loss through
absence of surface contact and through slip is thereby occasioned. We therefore
sometimes make the driving and the driven pulley of the same or of approximately the
same diameter, and obtain the requisite amount of "gearing up" by furnishing the
driven pulley with internal teeth, gearing into the toothed wheel fixed to the hub
of the driving wheel. The driven pulley may be either mounted on a stand revolving
in the rear portion of the framework, or may revolve about a suitably arranged
portion of the same. It may he provided with external teeth, to be driven by an
ordinary pitch chain, but we prefer to replace the latter by frictional bands
without teeth. In some cases these bands are hollow, being made out of suitable
flexible material capable of lateral expansion, such lateral expansion being provided
by compression of air in an internal air-chamber. At other times the pulleys
themselves are surrounded by air-chambers constructed after the fashion of
pneumatic tyres, which will afford an enormous grip against the driving bands, the
pressure being capable of adjustment to the greatest nicety. The bands may in these
cases be of any suitable flexible material, but we prefer this material to be edged with
a pair of nonstretching cables: it will be found that by this means the centre of
the bands will follow the swell or "belly" of the pulleys, and all tendency to come
off avoided. Where the diameters of the pulleys are sufficient, we may dispense
with the tooth gearing entirely, and obtain the requisite variation in speed by
proportioning the relative diameters of the driven and the driving pulleys. We
may however utilize the power of pneumatic frictional drive without the intervention
of bands of any kind, by furnishing the pedal shaft with one of the well known
speeding mechanisms, and connecting the latter directly to the driving wheel of
the velocipede by merely interposing a pulley with a pneumatically tensioned
circumference.
Dated this 28th day of June 1894:
PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF.
FREDERICK WESTWOOD.

page_text: Improvements in
Velocipedes.
We, PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF, and FREDERICK WESTWOOD, both of 1 Lombard
Street, Birmingham, Managers 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 :-
This invention relates principally to velocipedes, in which the driving power is
transmitted from a pedal shaft, to the axle or hub of a driving wheel, or wheels, by
an intermediate connecting mechanism.
As in most cases velocipedes are "geared up "the driving wheel or pulley is
much greater in diameter than the driven one; generally considerably less than
half of the circumference of the latter being left in contact with a transmitting chain
band, or other similar agent, and great loss through absence of surface contact, and
through slip is thereby occasioned. We therefore sometimes make the driving and
the driven pulley of the same, or of approximately the same diameter, and obtain
the requisite amount of "gearing up" by furnishing the driven pulley with internal
teeth, gearing into the toothed wheel, fixed to the hub of the driving wheel.
In some cases the band connecting the driving and the driven pulley is hollow,
being made out of suitable flexible material, capable of lateral expansion, and
being provided with tension by compression of air or other fluid in an internal air
chamber.
The construction of this hollow band being practically identical with that of a
pneumatic tyre, is readily understood by anyone conversant with the manufacture
of cycles. Care must be taken that the valve should not come in contact with the
pulleys.
When the air chamber contained by this band is inflated the band will attempt
to assume a larger transverse diameter and therefore firmly grips the pulleys it
is in contact with.
At other times the pulleys themselves are surrounded by air chambers, constructed
after the fashion of pneumatic tyres, which will afford an enormous grip against
the driving bands, the pressure being capable of adjustment to the greatest nicety;
the bands may in these cases be of any suitable flexible material, but we prefer this
material to be edged with a pair of nonstretching cables. It will be found that by
these means the centre of the bands will follow the swell or "belly" of the pulleys,
and all tendency to come off avoided.
Where the diameters of the pulleys are sufficient we may dispense with the tooth
gearing entirely, and obtain the requisite variation in speed, by proportioning the
relative diameters of the driven and the driving pulleys. We may however utilise
the power of pneumatic frictional drive without the intervention of bands of any
kind, by furnishing the pedal shaft with one of the well known speeding mechanisms,
and connecting the latter directly to the driving wheel of the velocipede, by merely
interposing a pulley with a pneumatically tensioned circumference.
Referring to the drawings:
Fig. 1. shows the crank axle a. and the driving pulley B. connected with the
driven pulley C by the band D. The construction of these pulleys is explainel by
Fig. 2. where e is the rim of the pulley, channelled to receive the small tyre F
consisting of the usual air chamber g, restraining jacket h, and protecting cover i.
The band D should be furnished with nonstretching edgings K, K, bridged by
an elastic web which will adjust itself to the shape of the circumference of
pulleys B & C. M is a toothed wheel fixed on the hub of the velocipede, and
geared or speeded up by an internally toothed rim fixed to pulley C. A similar
result is obtained by the construction shown on Fig. 3. where the speeding up is
obtained on the "bottom bracket." M is an internally toothed wheel, mounted on

page_text: the crank axle a, and gearing into a pinion attached to the pneumatically surfaced
pulley B. This by means of band D is connected to the pulley C. fixed to the hub
of the velocipede wheel. In Fig. 4. M. is a spur wheel mounted on the crank
axle a, and driving by speeding up a pinion D. which is attached to a pneumatically
surfaced pulley B. The latter is in direct contact with the pneumatic tyre on C.
the driving wheel of the velocipede.
In Fig. 5. pulley B is mounted on the crank axle a, pulley C is fixed to the hub
of the driving wheel of the velocipede. Dis an intermediate wheel
two pulleys; all three wheels may be furnished with pneumatic surfacesting the
or D may
be a plain wheel B. & C. being pneumatically surfaced, or B. & C. may have plain
surfaces, and D may be pneumatically surfaced. We prefer however to furnish D
with a pair of small pneumatic tyres, affording a pair of contact points with the
other wheels as shown separately on Fig. 6.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. In velocipedes substituting a small pneumatic tyre for the toothed surface
of a chain wheel or spur wheel for the purpose of transmitting power from the crank
axle to the driving axle.
2. The combination of a band D. Figs. 1. 2 & 3. with pneumatically surfaced
wheels, in the manner and for the purpose described.
3. In velocipedes substituting a band for the usual pitched chain, and furnishing
the requisite friction, by providing such band with an air-chamber capable of
inflation.
4. The combination of a pair of pulleys B & C constructed and connected, as
described in Figs. 1. & 3 with a multiplying gear substantially as described.
5. Driving the main wheel of a velocipede directly as shewn on Fig. 4. by
applying to the surface of such wheel a friction wheel B speeded by suitable gearing
and the friction being provided by intervention of a circumference containing a
pneumatic air chamber substantially as described.
6. Driving the main axle of a velocipede by means of a train of wheels as
illustrated in Fig. 5, one or more of these wheels being provided with pneumatically
tensioned surfaces.
7. In a velocipede a compound pulley or wheel D Fig. 6. furnished with two
ridges for the purpose of driving another wheel or pulley, substantially as described,
the constancy of contact being regulated by the employment of one or more air
chambers.
Dated this 29th day of April 1895.
PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF.
FREDERICK WESTWOOD.