Improvements in Cycles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 1st Mar., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
Improvements in Cycles.
We, PIERRE POTELUNE, RENÉ MANCEAU LÉONARD, and LOUIS HARDY, all
of Angers, in the Republic of France, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows :—
This invention relates to improvements in the construction and operation of
cycles, particularly those known as bicycles or safety-bicycles.
and
According thereto motion is imparted to such vehicles in a direct manner,
without the use of a chain, either by means of the feet, but in a different manner
from that heretofore known; or by means of the hands; or it may be, by means of
both the hands and the feet simultaneously; the motion being imparted in such a
manner that the driving wheel of the bicycle shall rotate at a speed always in
proportion to the speed resulting from the number of times the feet or the hands
are acting, or at a greater speed.
One arrangement of the double mechanism for direct transmission, said mechanism
serving to transmit to the rear driving wheel a rotary motion which may have
either the same velocity as the reciprocatory or to-and-fro movement of the feet and
hands, or have a greater velocity is as follows:-
The backbone and the fork to the top of which the handle or steering bar is
attached, two stays (located one on each side of the frame) and the rear supports or
hind fork constitute a rigid frame carried by the bearings of the axles. The rear
end of the backbone carries a saddle provided with a slightly projecting back
support. Depending levers which oscillate about a pivot carried in a socket or
bracket the position of which upon the backbone is capable of being adjusted
lengthwise. Levers carry at their lower parts pedals which are also adjustable.
Sockets or sleeves which are also adjustable, similarly to the pedals to which are
pivotted connecting rods, enable the said levers to operate the driving cranks, which
may be solely connected to the hub of the driving wheel by means of toothed gearing
in such a manner as to multiply in a certain proportion the rotary motion of the
driving wheel; or the cranks may be connected at will, either to the hub of the
wheel and its axle simultaneously in such a manner as to make these two pieces one,
in order that their rotary motion shall be equal; or they may be connected only to
the axle of the said hub in such a manner that by means of a set of four toothed
wheels gearing together, the rotary motion of the driving wheel shall be
multiplied.
Motion may be imparted to the oscillating levers either with the feet by means
of the pedals, or with one hand, or with both hands by means of curved bars which
are provided with handles, or simultaneously with both the feet and one hand, or
the two hands.
In the arrangement for transmitting to the hub of the driving wheel only the
multiplying movement by means of the crauks, the boss of each of said cranks is
provided on its face nearest the driving wheel with internal teeth of semi-circular
shape gearing with a pinion screwed on to one of the ends of the hub of the
wheel.
The bosses of the cranks each rotate on a double ring of balls located between
said boss and parts fixed on the end of the axle. Similarly each of the ends of the
hub of the wheel, rotates freely on a ring of balls or rollers located between a cup
fitted into said hub, and a piece screwed on the axle. The bearing surface of said
axle which fits into a suitably formed plate, is slightly eccentric with relation to the
axis of the said axle, in order to allow of the engagement of the pinion with the

page_text: internal teeth of the boss of the crank being adjusted. A plate held by a screw
fixed in the rear support or fork of the machine serves to keep the plate forming a
bearing for the axle fixed in position.
Lubricating holes are provided at the requisite places; and a box is fixed
outside on the boss of each crank to protect the internal parts. It will be seen that
the crank rotates about the axis passing through the centre of the two rings of balls
and that by means of its internally toothed boss, it actuates the pinion which is
fixed on the hub of the wheel and rotates about the axis of the axle of the wheel.
This wheel therefore makes a greater number of revolutions than do the cranks,
according to the proportion existing between the number of the teeth on the boss
and the number of the teeth on the pinion.
In the case in which, by means of the arrangement for direct driving the motion is
to be capable of being transmitted to the driving wheel in such a manner that the said
wheel may rotate at will, either with the same number of revolutions as the cranks
or with a greater number of revolutions, then these cranks are fixed one on each
end of the axle, but the latter is then connected at will to the hub of the driving
wheel in two ways:-either on one side of the wheel, by means of a nut, a washer,
and a screwed ring; or alternatively, on the other side of the wheel by means of a
toothed wheel fixed on the axle and gearing with a pinion which rotates freely on
an axle capable of adjustment along a slot formed in a bracket or lug on the
support or fork of the machine. A wheel is formed in one with said pinion and
gears with another pinion screwed on the hub of the driving wheel. The axle of
the pinion and the wheel forming one therewith, is capable of being slidden in an
oblong slot in its bracket or lug in such a manner as to put the pinion out of
engagement with the wheel on the axle, and the wheel out of engagement with the
pinion on the hub.
Under these conditions, in order to impart to the hub of the wheel the same
number of revolutions as the cranks, it is sufficient to throw the toothed wheels
and pinions on the one side out of engagement, and to render the axle one, as it
were, with the hub by means of the nut which presses the washer (that has two
diametrical lugs) against the screwed ring which has two recesses in which said lugs
enter. The direction of the screw thread in relation to that of the rotary motion of
the hub is such as to obviate the unscrewing of the ring. The cranks then act
directly on the driving wheel. The nut is provided with a projection or catch for
returning the washer.
If it is, on the contrary, desired to multiply the number of revolutions of the
hub, that is to say, of the driving wheel, in relation to the number of revolutions of
the cranks, then the connection of the axle with the hub of the wheel by means of
the nut, washer and ring is broken, whilst the wheels and pinions are caused to
engage with each other. The cranks then actuate the hub of the wheel through
the medium of the gear wheels which produce the required increased speed.
Dated this 11th day of January 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
We, PIERRE l'OTELUNE, RENÉ MANCEAU LÉONARD and LOUIS HARDY, all
of Angers, in the Republic of France, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly 50
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction and operation of
cycles, particularly those known as bicycles or safety-bicycles.

page_text: According thereto motion is imparted to such vehicles in a direct manner, and
without the use of a chain, either by means of the feet, but in a different manner
from that heretofore usual; or by means of the hands; or it may be, by means
of both the hands and the feet simultaneously; the motion being imparted in such
a manner that the driving wheel of the cycle can be rotated at a speed always in
proportion to the speed resulting from the number of times the feet or the hands
are acting, or at a greater speed.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is an elevation illustrating the general arrangement of the double
mechanism for direct transmission, said mechanisın serving to transmit to the rear
driving wheel of the bicycle, a rotary motion which may have either the same
velocity as the reciprocatory or to-and-fro movement of the feet and hands, or a
greater velocity as may be desired.
The backbone A, the fork B to the top of which the handle or steering bar E is
attached the two stays C C (located one on each side of the frame) and the rear'
supports or hind fork D D' constitute a rigid frame carried by the bearings of the
axles. The rear end of the backbone A carries a saddle F provided with a slightly
projecting back support. G G are depending levers arranged to oscillate about
a pivot H carried by a socket or bracket capable of being adjusted lengthwise on
the backbone A, the said levers carrying at their lower ends vertically adjustable
pedals I I. Sockets or pivots K K which are also vertically adjustable on the
levers G G¹ similarly to the pedals I I' and connecting rods L L' pivotted to said
sockets or sleeves, enable the said levers to operate the driving cranks M M'.
These cranks may be solely connected to the hub N of the driving wheel by means
of toothed gearing as shown in Fig. 3, so as to multiply, in a certain proportion.
the rotary motion of the driving wheel; or the arrangement may be such that the
said cranks can be connected at will, either directly to the said hub and its axle P,
so as to make these two pieces practically one, in order that their rotary motion
shall be equal; or indirectly with the axle of the said hub by means of a set of
toothed wheels s, t, u, v, so that the rotary motion of the driving wheel shall be
multiplied. This arrangement will be readily seen from Fig. 2, which is a section
through the axis of the driving wheel and attached parts.
Oscillatory motion may be imparted to the levers G G¹ either from the feet of
the rider by means of the pedals I 1', or from one, or from both hands, by means of
curved bars X Y X' Y' which are provided with handles Z Z; or motion may be
imparted to the said levers simultaneously from the feet and one hand, or both
hands.
In the arrangements shewn in section in Figs. 3 and 4 for rotating the hub of
the driving wheel at an increased speed from the cranks M M', the boss a of each
crank is provided on its side nearest the driving wheel, with internal teeth (Fig. 4),
separated by recesses of semicircular shape and gearing with a pinion i screwed
onto one of the ends of the hub N¹ of the wheel. Each boss a rotates on a
double ring of balls ee located between the said boss and the connected parts b
and k which are fixed on the end of the axic P. Similarly each of the ends j of
the hub N', rotates freely on a ring of balls m located between a cup n fitted
into the said hub, and a sleeve 9 screwed on the axle P. Each end bearing
surface of the said axle, which is fitted in a bearing in the plate K, is slightly
eccentric with relation to the axis of the said axle in order to allow of the engage-.
ment of the pinion i with the internal teeth of the boss a being adjusted. A lug or
plate & held by a screw fixed in the rear support or fork D serves to keep the
plate & fixed in position. Lubricating holes are provided at the requisite places,
and a box is fixed on the outside of the boss of each crank to protect the
internal parts.
It will be seen that each crank M rotates about an axis o o¹ passing through the
centre of the two rings of balls ee and that by means of its internally toothed
boss a, it will rotate the pinion i and consequently the hub of the wheel to which
it is fixed, about the centre of the wheel axle P. The wheel will therefore

page_text: make a greater number of revolutions than the cranks, according to the proportion
existing between the number of teeth on each boss a and the number of teeth on
the corresponding pinion i.
When the motion of the cranks is to be transmitted to the driving wheel in
such a manner that the said wheel can be rotated at will, either at the same rate as
the cranks M M', or at a greater rate, then the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 is
used. In this arrangement the cranks are fixed one on each end of the axle P,
and this axle is adapted to be connected at will to the hub N of the driving wheel
in one or other of two ways, that is to say, either directly by means of a nut r, a
washer 9, and a screwed nut or ring p, as shown at the left hand side of Fig. 2, or
indirectly, by means of the toothed gearing shown at the right hand side of Fig. 2
and which comprises the toothed wheels s and u and the pinions t & r, of which s and v
are fixed upon the axle P and hub N respectively, and gear respectively with t and
which are connected together and rotate freely upon a pin t. This pin is capable
of being slidden in an oblong slot a formed in a bracket or lug carried by the adjacent
support or fork D, so that the said pinion t and wheel u can be readily placed
in and out of gear with the wheels and the pinion respectively, as may he
desired.
With this arrangement it will be seen that in order to rotate the hub of the
wheel at the same rate as the cranks M M', it is sufficient to throw the toothed
wheels and pinions stuv, on the one side, out of operation, and to render the
axle P one, as it were, with the hub N by means of the nut which presses the
washer 9. which has two diametrical lugs, against the screwed ring p, which has two
recesses in which said lugs then enter. The cranks M M' then act directly on
the driving wheel. The direction of the screw thread on the hub and ring in
relation to that of the rotary motion of the hub N, is such as to obviate the
unscrewing of the ring p. The nut is provided with a projection or catch I, for
returning the washer 9, when the nut is turned in the opposite direction.
If, on the contrary, it is desired to multiply the number of revolutions of the
hub N, that is to say, of the driving wheel, in relation to the number of revolutions
of the cranks M M₁, then the connection of the axle P with the hub N of the wheel
by means of the nut, washer and ring p, 9, r, is unfastened, and the wheels and
pinions s, t, u, v, are caused to engage with each other. The cranks M M¹ then
actuate the hub N of the wheel through the medium of the said wheels and pinions
which produce the required increased rate of speed.
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 what we
claim is :-
1. In a cycle, the general arrangement of mechanism for transmitting motion in
a direct manner from the feet or the hands of the rider, (or both) to the driving
wheel, comprising a pivot H capable of adjustment along the backbone A, depending
oscillating levers G G' with adjustable pedals I f', bars X Y, X' Y' with
handles Z, Z, sockets or pivots K K', adjustable on the said levers G G¹, driving
cranks M M² and rods L'L' connecting the said sockets or pivots and cranks, the
said mechanism being supported by a frame formed by a backbone A, fork B,
stays C C, and supports or fork Ď D' carried by the axles of the cycle wheels
substantially as described.
2. In a cycle, the combination with the general arrangement of mechanism
referred to in the preceding claim, of mechanism for transmitting motion to the
driving wheel from the cranks M M' said mechanism comprising an axle P adapted
to be connected at will with the hub N of the driving wheel, either by means of
the parts p, q, r, or by means of the toothed wheels and pinions s, t, u, v, of
which t and u are carried by an adjustable pin t¹, substantially as described.
3. In cycles, the combination with the general arrangement of mechanism
referred to in Claim 1, of speed multiplying mechanism, comprising at each side of
the driving wheel, a crank M the boss of which is provided with an internal ring

page_text: of teeth, a double ring of balls ee around the centre of which the cranks M rotates,
bearing parts for said balls, a lug or plate d for retaining the said bearing parts
in position, an eccentric bearing surface h on the axle P¹, & pinion i fixed on the
end of the hub N' and with which said internal teeth engage, and a ring of balls
or rollers located between a sleeve and cup n and about which the said
pinion rotates substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown
in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings annexed.
Dated this 1st day of March 1894.
For the Applicants,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.