Improvements in Gear Cases for Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gear Cases for Velocipedes.
We, HY. FEARNCOMBE & Co. LIMITED of Phoenix Japan Works, Wolver-
hampton, in the County of Stafford, Japanners and Workers in Tin Plates, Brass
and Copper, and ABSALOM EVANS Foreman at Phoenix Japan Works, Wolver-
hampton aforesaid do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The said invention has reference to such gear cases of bicycles tricycles and
other velocipedes as consist essentially of two symmetrical halves jointed together
after the manner in which the halves of a measuring rule are jointed together; and
the said invention has for its object to produce a practically dust proof junction
at that part of the case through which the outer end of the back wheel fork
protrudes.
We make the dust proof junction of the case in the following manner.
raise from sheet metal a fork casing having the same figure as and somewhat larger
than the part of the fork projecting through the gear case the said casing having
a flange on each side. These flanges work in two guides near the edges of the
halves of the gear case, which guides when the halves of the gear case are closed
are properly situated for the said flanges or guides to engage and slide in. The
said fork casing when the two halves of the gear case are opened on their hinge
joint is wholly detached from the gear case but when the two halves of the gear
case are closed upon one another and the fork casing engaged in its slide and its
position adjusted, it may be fixed to the gear case by two screws or by a spring
snap or other fastening.
The said fork casing may have an inner lining of thin sheet india rubber.
Instead of connecting the fork casing with the gear case by means of the slides
and guides described the parts may be connected by headed studs on the gear case
taking into key hole slots in the fork casing the fork casing being fixed in position
when adjusted by screws or by a spring snap fastening.
Dated this Eighteenth day of April 1896.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.
We, HY. FEARNCOMBE & CO. LIMITED, of Phoenix Japan Works, Wolver-
hampton, in the County of Stafford, Japanners and Workers in Tin Plates, Brass
and Copper, and ABSALOM EVANS, Foreman at Phoenix Japan Works, Wolver-
hampton, aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in what
ו

page_text: manner the same is to, be, performed to be particularly described and ascertained:
in and by the following statement :-
We
The said invention has reference to gear cases for bicycles, tricycles and other
velocipedes of the kinds described represented and claimed in the Complete
Specification of our Application for Letters Patent No. 6059 year 1896, which
gear cases consist essentially of two symmetrical halves jointed together after the
manner. in which, the halves of a measuring rule are jointed together, and the said
invention has for its object to produce a practically dust proof junction at that
part of the case through which the outer end of the back wheel fork protrades.
We make the dust proof junction of the case in the following manner.
raise from sheet metal a fork casing or cover having the same figure as and some-
what larger than the part of the fork projecting. through the gear case the said
casing having a flange on each side. These flanges work in two guides near the
edges of the halves of the gear case, which guides when the halves of the gear case
are closed are properly situated for the said flanges or guides to engage and slide
in. The said fork casing when the two halves of the gear case are opened on
their hinge joint is wholly detached from the gear case but when the two halves of
the gear case are closed upon one another and the fork casing engaged in its slide
and its position adjusted it may be fixed to the gear case by two screws or by a
spring snap or other fastening.
The fork casing has a lining of thin sheet india rubber. The junction of the
fork casing is dust proof and is noiseless during the motion of the velocipede.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents in elevation a gear case, of
the kind described, represented and claimed in the Complete Specification herein-
before referred to, to which the improvements constituting the present invention
are applied; Figure 2 is a section of the said case on the dotted line x, x
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the fork casing or fork cover of the gear case
detached and Figure 4 is an inside view of the same; Figure 5 is a longitudinal
section of.the said fork casing or cover.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawing.
The said fork casing or fork cover consists of a metallic plate along the middle of
which a trough a is raised of a size proper to fit the part of the branch of the back
stay fork projecting through the front of the gear case. The parts of the metallic
plate on each side of the trough a constitute flanges a³, a2 which seat themselves
against the sides of the case. The parallel edges of the said flanges a², a² engage
and slide in guides m, m on the side of the case. The fork casing or cover is fixed
in position on the case by screws b, b. The inner faces of the flanges a², a² have
cemented or otherwise fixed to them strips c, c of thin sheet india rubber by which
a practically air and dust tight and noiseless closing of the junction of the fork
casing with the sides of the gear case is secured. In order to open the gear case
the screws b, b must be first removed.
Although we have only represented the improvements constituting the present
invention in connection with one of the forms of gear cases described and repre-
sented in the Complete Specification of our prior application hereinbefore referred
to yet we wish it to be understood that the present improvements are applicable
to both forms of gear cases described and represented in the said Complete
Specification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we claim
as the said invention ;-
The combination with gear cases of the kinds herein before referred to of a casing
or cover for that part of the branch of the chain stay fork which protrudes
through the outer side of the gear case, the said fork casing or cover engaging

page_text: with and sliding in guides on the side of the closel gear case, the said fork casing
or cover having india rubber on its inner face by which india rubber the junction
of the said fork casing or cover with the gear case is made practically dust and
air proof and noiseless substantially as herein before described and represented in
the accompanying drawing.
Dated the Twenty-third day of October 1896.
HY. FEARNCOMBE & CO. LIMD.,
CHAS. HOULT, Managing Director.
HERBERT C. HOULT, Director.
ABSALOM EVANS.