Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1891
Complete Specification. Left, 15th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 21st N v., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes.
I JOHN READ of No. 38 Raglan Street in the City of Coventry Warwickshire
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows.:—
a is the frame which carries the crank. bis the crank shaft: c is: the. pedal
crank. d. d is the shaft which carries the motion. EE is a connecting rod
attached to the wheel by means of stud L. H is a slide which the pulley I
works in.. Jis a stud which is fixed in the connecting rod to carry the pulley I.
K is the wheel which goes on the hub of the back driving wheel which said
wheel Kis. geared, in wheel F-and G is a stud which carries the speed
wheel. F.
Dated this 21st day of February 1901
JOHN READ;
38, Raglan Street, Coventry.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes.
I, JOHN READ of 38 Raglan Street, Coventry in the County of Warwick,
Gentleman, 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:-
with a
My invention relates: to. an improved propelling motion for bicycles, tricycles,
and similar vehicles, the object of which is to provide a maximum of power
minimum of friction,, and I attain this: by dispensing. with the chain usually
employed upon such machines for conveying. the power from the driving axle, or
pedal spindle to the axle of the driven track wheel or wheels, and providing in lieu
thereof a crank formed upon. and within the pedal spindle. from which extends a
rod, connected to a toothed wheel borne upon the back bone, or other part of the
frame of the machine which gears for speed or power with a similar wheel keyed
or otherwise fixed upon the spindle of the. driven, or back track wheel, or wheels,
and in order to overcome the difficulty experienced in passing the dead points or
centres: when: travelling at a low speed when a single crank only is employed,. I
provide upon the inner surface of the connecting rod a projecting stud and pulley,
which slides.within a longitudinal slot formed in, or fixed to the side of the back bone,
or its equivalent part. of the machine, and by this novel means I am enabled to
make use of the connecting rod as a lever at the moment of passing both dead
centres; said slot and stud forming a sliding fulcrum therefor.
A sheet of drawings was filed with my Provisional Specification in which a side
view only of the mechanism, was shewn, but in order that my invention. and the
manner of its operation may be more clearly understood,. I have appended hereunto
a sheet of drawings, giving a more detailed description thereof in which the first
figure is substantially the same as that filed with my Provisional Specification, and
the same letters employed as reference.
Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of so much of a velocipede as is necessary to
fully explain my invention.
Fig. 2.ista plan view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same looking from left to right of Fig. 1.
In carrying my invention into effect I attach: by the means of suitable bolts and
auts to the back bone or other like part d, of a bicycle, tricycle or similar machine,

page_text: b
a transverse frame, or bottom bracket a, the depending ends of which carry suitable
bearings a al in which is journalled the pedal or driving spindle having a crank b
formed thereon or connected thereto, capable of revolving within, and clear of a.
Upon the outer ends of , are keyed or otherwise fixed thereto, the pedals c,
preferably at an angle slightly in advance of the crank, when the machine is
travelling in a forward direction. The backbone d, extends from a in a backward
direction and preferably with a descending curve terminating at d, from which
point it continues at a slight incline and carries upon its back end the axle of the
driven wheel or wheels of the machine, upon the hub of which is mounted a small
or large toothed wheel, K, which gears with a smaller or larger toothed wheel f
mounted upon a stud G, fixed upon d.
The crank b, carries one end of a rod e, which extends therefrom towards the
back of the machine, and is bent at e' for the purpose of clearing d, and at el, for
the purpose of clearing G, and is connected to a stud L, upon the wheel f, and is
retained thereon by the means of a suitable nut L'. Upon the inner surface of the
connecting rod e, at or about midway of its length, I bolt, screw or otherwise fix a
circular projecting stud I, carrying a pulley, roller or wheel J. A metallic piece H,
is bolted, screwed or otherwise fixed by its lugs, to the back bone or its
equivalent d, and is hollowed upon its outer face so as to form a slot H' for the
reception of the pulley J. Or I may so construct d, that a projecting slot may be
formed thereon, similar to and in lieu of H, h, and h', and serving the same
purpose. In either case the slot H' would be of a width slightly in excess of the
diameter of J, and somewhat longer than the travel of J, as the crank revolves
with the pedal spindle b.
It will be understood from the foregoing description that, if motion be given to
the crank spindle b, the same would be imparted through e, to the wheel, and
each revolution of 6 would give one complete turn to f but in a reverse direction,
as shewn by the arrows in Fig. 1, and at the same time f, would impart, motion to
the wheel K in an opposite direction to itself, consequently the pedal crank b', and
the driven or back track wheel would travel in the same direction as each other,
and it will be further easily understood that, as the wheel, and the crank b', travel
in opposite directions, that when the head of the crank has reached its farthest
forward travel and is about to descend, the pin L, of the wheel would have
reached its farthest forward point and would be about to ascend, and vice versa, at
which points the dead centres occur in all similar motions. With each revolution
of 6, the pulley J, on e, makes one full journey each way within the slot H', and at
the moment of occurrence of said dead points would be at one or the other of the
extreme ends thereof, and in consequence of the difference in the direction of the
rotary travel of 6 and f, to which the ends of e are connected, a rocking or
oscillating motion is given to e, which being fulcrumed at J, it follows that when e,
is descending, a leverage would be given through e, forcing L in an upward
direction, and when was at the opposite point, and was ascending, J would be at
the opposite end of H' and again form a fulcrum for the lever e to give downward
pressure to the descending L. Thus a sliding fulcrum is formed by J and H¹
which continues during the propulsion of the machine, and is equally effective in
overcoming the dead centres when the machine is travelling in the opposite
direction.
The pedal arms being as before mentioned fixed upon b, slightly in advance of b',
the driver has always a descending foot, and consequently a maximum of power at
his command at the moment when said leverage is given to overcome the dead
points in the mechanism, and by the means and method described and shewn I am
enabled to construct a driving mechanism with less parts and consequently less
friction than obtains with any device hitherto employed for a like purpose.
I wish it understood that I may employ the use of any metal or alloy of metals
in the construction of the several parts described, and may alter the gearing for
speed or power as needed, and modify the said mechanism so as to be adaptable for
any type of machine without departing from the principle of my invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. In an improved driving mechanism for velocipedes the construction and use
of the several parts herein described, connected, combined and operating substan-
tially as shewn and for the purposes specified.
2nd. In an improved driving mechanism for velocipedes, the employment of a
transverse frame a, carrying a cranked pedal or driving spindle bb, to which is
attached one end of a rod e, the opposite end being connected and giving motion to
a toothed wheel, revolving upon a stud G, fixed upon the back bone or other
part d, of the machine, and in gear with a toothed wheel K, fixed upon the hub of
the back or driven wheel or wheels. The construction and use of the parts
represented by HH', h, ', I and J, and the arrangement thereof by which a
sliding fulcrum is formed enabling the connecting rode to be used as a lever, for
overcoming the dead points or centres occurring at the moment of the midway
descent of 6' and the ascent of L, and vice-versa, the whole connected and operating
as described in combination with, and for the propulsion of any type of bicycle,
tricycle or other velocipede substantially as herein set forth and shewn by the
accompanying drawings."
Dated this 15th day of October 1891.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.