Improvements in Driving Gear for Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov.. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Gear for Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like.
1. ENOCH ROLLASON B.A.M.E. 4 Church Villas Saint James Street Ashted
Birmingham Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the driving gear of bicycles, tricycles and the like and
consists in so arranging the crank pedal that when the crank is in the driving or
downward stroke position it is at its longest leverage position and the same is
carried out as follows:-
A boss attached to the bearing carrying the driving chain wheel carries the
pedal crank. This boss is removed a sufficient distance from the centre of the axis
of the chain wheel aforesaid. The crank is geared to the chain wheel by means
of any well known coupling such as a drag or thrust link or preferably two rollers
attached to the driving chain wheel and between which the crank engages and
slides when in operation. By this arrangement the crank is at its longest leverage
when on the operative or down stroke and at its shortest leverage when on the
upward or inoperative stroke. The two cranks of a bicycle are arranged so, that
when the one crank is at its longest leverage the other is at its shortest leverage.
Dated this 10th day of November 1895.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Driving Gear for bicycles, PC,
I ENOCH ROLLASON, B.A.M.E. 4 Church Villas Saint James Street Ashted
Birmingham Mechanical 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:-
This invention relates to the driving gear of bicycles, tricycles and the like and
consists in so arranging the crank pedal that when the crank is in the driving or
downward stroke position it is at its longest leverage position and the same is
carried out as follows:-
The driving chain wheel runs through the medium of balls upon a fixed bearing
a movable cover plate or ring being movably attached to the driving chain wheel
in order that the balls may be removed when desired.
A boss attached to the bearing carrying the driving chain wheel carries the
pedal crank. This boss removed a sufficient distance from the centre of the axis
of the chain wheel aforesaid. The crank is geared to the chain wheel by means of
any well known coupling such as a drag or thrust link, or preferably two rollers
attached to the driving chain wheel and between which the crank engages and
slides when in operation.
By this arrangement the crank is at its longest leverage when on the operative
or down stroke and at its shortest leverage when on the upward or inoperative
stroke. The two cranks of a bicycle are arranged so that when the one crank is at
its longest leverage, the other is at its shortest leverage.

page_text: In order that my invention may be fully understood I now refer to the annexed
drawings in which :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention applied to a bicycle.
a is the driving chain wheel which rotates upon the bearing b through the
medium of the balls c. The pedal crank d has its axis of rotation at e and operates
the chain wheel through the rollers f which are attached to the driving chain wheel
and between which the crank pedal d slides when in operation.
It will be seen that owing to the axis of the pedal crank being remove from the
centre of rotation of the driving chain wheel, the pedal crank d will be at its
longest leverage position as shown and the dotted lines show the position of the
pedal crank at its shortest leverage position.
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 :-
1. The combined construction and arrangement of the various parts, substantially
as described and shown herein & for the purpose set forth.
2. In driving gear for bicycles, tricycles and the like, excentrically set pedal
cranks bearing upon projections or supports carried by the driving chain wheel for
the purpose of rotating same substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of August 1895.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.