Improvements in I
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1894
Improvements in
I, LOUIS JEAN MARIE LOISEL, of Terguier, Aisnes, in the Republic of France,
Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This invention relates to the methods of transmitting the motion of the pedal axis
to the driving wheel in any type of velocipede, which methods allow of greatly
reducing the length of the machine and consequently its weight and at the same
time diminish friction.
The invention consists essentially in transmitting the motion of the pedal axis to
the driving wheel not by means of two pinions and an endless chain, as is usual, but
by means of one or more toothed wheels which gear internally or externally with
one or several wheels provided with roller teeth that is to say wheels in which the
ordinary gear teeth are replaced by a circle of small axes carried by one or two
discs or by a disc and a ring, and upon each of which a roller can freely turn.
The above mentioned pinions gearing with these roller toothed wheels may also
be provided with rollers instead of having simple gear teeth. Two or several ball
bearings may be interposed between each roller and its axis to diminish friction.
My arrangement has amongst other advantages that of allowing the axis of
rotation of the pedal cranks to be placed much nearer to the axis of the driving
wheel of the velocipede than is at present possible and this is so whatever may be
the ratio of the speed of the crank axis to that of the driving wheel, and these two
axes may if desired be even caused to coincide. It is this which allows the length
of the machine to be considerably lessened and its weight thus much reduced,
the more so, as the frame being shorter need not be made of such strong metal.
I may at pleasure by means of my gearing drive either the front or the back
wheel. Either wheel may serve as the steering wheel, that is to say the front wheel
may be both the driving and steering wheel, or it may be only the driving
wheel, the movement of the handle which is placed in front of the rider as usual
being then transmitted by suitable means to the back wheel, or the back wheel may
be simply the driving wheel and the front wheel simply the steering wheel as in the
ordinary "safety" bicycle.
When I wish the axis of rotation of the pedals to coincide with the axle of the
driving wheel, I place on the two sloping rear uprights of the frame, if the back
wheel be the driving wheel, or in the two prongs of the fork if the front wheel be
the driving wheel two ball bearings to receive the crank axis and on this axle the
hub of the wheel rotates, two ball bearings being interposed, the balls of which bear
against adjustable conical parts formed or put upon this axle. One of the ends of.
the hub carries a gear wheel near which is another gear wheel of the same diameter
fixed upon the crank axis, and these two wheels gear with two roller toothed wheels
of different diameters made in one piece with each other which revolve, ball bearings
being interposed, upon a small overhanging axis fixed inside one of the above
mentioned uprights which already serve to carry the pedal axis, that is to say fixed
to one of the uprights of the frame or to one of the prongs of the fork as the case
may be.
These two roller toothed wheels in one piece with each other are formed of a
single hub carrying a disc on each face of which are a circular series of pins or
horizontal axes upon which rollers are placed; the pins of each series have their
other ends fixed to a ring on each side of the above mentioned central disc.

page_text: It will be understood that by the means above described the driving wheel of the
velocipede has imparted to it, from the crank axis, which turns on the same axis, a
speed more or less accelerated according to the ratio of the diameters of the
four gear wheels.
The gear wheels carried by the hub of the wheel and by the crank axis, instead
of being provided with ordinary teeth may as has already been said have roller
teeth of the kind just described in respect of the double wheel with which they gear;
this latter on the contrary may if desired have ordinary gear teeth.
A variation of the above described arrangement permits as that does of shortening
the machine to such an extent that the front and back wheels almost touch, and
allows the crank axis to traverse the hub of the driving wheel, in such manner that
it is not necessary to duplicate the gearing on the right and left of the machine,
and at the same time that it makes it possible to employ only two wheels instead of
four, and leaves a certain distance between the pedal axis and the driving wheel
axle in order to better assure the stability of the cyclist.
In this modified arrangement, I place ball bearings in the two frame uprights or
in the two prongs of the fork to receive the pedal axis as above described; outside
this axis, and round it, I place a ring or sort of hollow disc which is fixed to the
inner face of one of the above mentioned uprights and the centre of which is not
in the centre of the axis but is more or less removed from it towards the front for
example, according to the increase of speed I desire to obtain; this ring or hollow
disc is surrounded by ball bearings upon the balls of which a hoop rests and rotates
which hoop forms part of the hollow hub of the driving wheel of the velocipede.
Another ring or hollow disc also surrounded by balls carries in the same manner
and on the other side, another similar hoop also forming part of the hollow hub of
the driving wheel. These two rings or discs are connected one to the other by one
or several suitable cross pieces, for example by a tubular piece of smaller diameter.
in the middle than at the ends and also by a bolt passing through the centre of
this piece.
As to the two movable hoops, they are each formed of two pieces with conical
faces at the side of the balls and are capable of being brought close for adjustment.
These two movable hoops are rigidly united to one another by a series of cross
pieces and thus form as to the two edges of the hub of the driving wheel, edges
upon which the spokes of this wheel are fixed.
One of the said hoops carries also a set of teeth formed either of ordinary or
roller teeth which gear with a ring of roller teeth placed outside of it and fixed to
a disc which is fastened upon the crank axis.
The great difference of diameter of this driving roller toothed wheel and of the
toothed hoop forming part of the hub produces the required increase of speed by
the aid of this single pair of wheels.
For giving still greater security to the cyclist against any fall forward or backward
(although this danger is not seriously to be feared in the arrangements just described,)
may place the axis of the cranks much further from the driving wheel axle, at the
same time making the machine as short as in the two former cases, being only obliged
to cut or interrupt for the passage of the wheel the crank axis as well as the axis
carrying a roller toothed wheel placed between the toothed wheel on the crank axis
and that on the hub of the wheel; this interruption of the axes necessarily entails
repeating the gearing symmetrically on the right and left of the wheel.
For this purpose on each side of the wheel, I double the bar of the body of the
machine, in other words I place two bars instead of one to carry the two ends, 1st of
a very short axis which receives only one of the cranks-2nd of another small axis
for carrying the roller toothed wheel which gears on the one hand with the
toothed wheel of the crank axis and on the other hand with the toothed pinion on
the hub of the driving wheel; one of the two bare, prolonged more than the other
carries one of the ends of the axle of this wheel which serves as a cross bar for one
of the ends of the frame; at the other end of the two bars of this frame situated to
the right of the wheel and the two bars situated symmetrically on the left, are

page_text: united by a special cross bar which passes in front of the wheel and from which two
preferably tubular uprights are raised, and fastened to an upper cross bar placed
under the saddle, or at the level of it; this latter is also connected to the other end
of the same frame, by two other uprights.
"
The crank axis and the intermediary axis upon each side of the machine each
turn in two ball bearings; in the same way the hub of the wheel revolves upon the
axle ball bearings being interposed at each end. These several bearings are provided
with cones capable of being brought close for adjustment.
The method of gearing, several variations of which have just been described, may
as has been said be at pleasure applied either to the front wheel or to the back
wheel of a velocipede of any kind and either of the wheels may serve for steering;
however I insist particularly upon the advantage which. results from applying my
invention to the construction of machines analogous to safety bicycles that is to say
with a rear driving wheel and front steering wheel; but much shorter and lighter
than safety bicycles in use.
So far as concerns the details of construction of the roller toothed wheels it has
already been said that the roller axes may be fixed either to a single disc at one end
or preferably to two discs or to one disc at one end and to a ring at the other; when
a double wheel is needed, as in the arrangement first described, it is constructed of
a central disc carrying one of the ends of each of the series of pins and of two rings
to which the other end of the two series of pins are fixed. If it be wished to
interpose balls between each roller and its pin or axis, there may be for example
two circular rows; these balls may be kept in place simply by discs or rings which
carry the axes, or these latter may have a swelling in the middle to separate the
two rings of balls, or conical collars, allowing of adjustment, may be placed on
these axes; it may also be the inner periphery of rollers which carries a flange
to separate the two rings of balls, in a word any suitable method of construction
may be employed. Of course the discs or rings carrying the axes of the rollers
should be circumferentially cut away or serrated in such a manner as not to
impede the gearing of the rollers; nevertheless one of the two wheels gearing
together need not be serrated if it be large enough for the other to penetrate
between its discs or cheeks.
The rollers or balls and the roller toothed wheels above described, may be used
in the method of transmission now in use of pinions and endless chains, the first to
improve the chain, the second to improve the pinions.
Dated this 6th day of May 1893.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, LOUIS JEAN MARIE LOISEL, of Tergnier, Aisnes, in the Republic of France,
Doctor of Medicine, 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 methods of transmitting the motion of the pedal
axis to the driving wheel in any type of velocipede, which methods allow of
greatly reducing the length of the machine and consequently its weight and at the
same time diminish friction.
The invention consists essentially in transmitting the motion of the pedal axis
to the driving wheel not by means of two pinions and an endless chain, as is usual,
but by means of one or more toothed wheels which gear internally or externally
with one or several wheels provided with roller teeth that is to say wheels in
which the ordinary gear teeth are replaced by a circle of small axes carried by

page_text: one or two discs or by a disc and a ring and upon each or which a roller can freely
turn.
The above mentioned wheels gearing with these roller toothed wheels may also
be provided with rollers instead of having simple gear teeth. Two or several ball
bearings may be interposed between each roller and its axis to diminish friction.
My arrangement has amongst other advantages that of allowing the axis of
rotation of the pedal cranks to be placed much nearer to the axis of the driving
wheel of the velocipede than is at present possible and this is so whatever may be
the ratio of the speed of the crank axis to that of the driving wheel, and these two
axes may if desired be even caused to coincide. It is this which allows the
length of the machine to be considerably lessened and its weight thus much
reduced, the more so, as the frame being shorter need not be made of such strong
metal.
I may at pleasure by means of my gearing drive either the front or the back
wheel. Either wheel may serve as the steering wheel, that is to say, the front
wheel may be both the driving and steering wheel, or it may be only the
driving wheel, the movement of the handle which is placed in front of the rider
as usual being then transmitted by suitable means to the back wheel or the back
wheel may be simply the driving wheel and the front wheel simply the steering
wheel as in the ordinary "safety bicycle.
In the annexed drawings:
:-
Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section showing the pedal crank axis and the
driving wheel of a velocipede with one arrangement of gearing according to my
invention in which the crank axis passes through the centre of the hub of the
driving wheel.
Figure 2 is a horizontal transverse section showing a modification of gearing
according to my invention in which the crank axis and that of the driving wheel
are not in the same line.
Figure 3 is a half horizontal section showing another modification which allows
the crank axis to be placed further from the wheel axis (the other half side is
symmetrical to that shown in the drawing).
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively longitudinal and transverse sections of one of
the rollers, mounted on balls, which serve as gear teeth to the wheels (or to a
portion of the wheels) of the gearing according to my invention.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a roller mounted on balls provided with an
axis which has a collar on it to separate the two rings of balls.
Figure 7 is a similar view showing a roller mounted on balls provided with
. adjustable movable cones.
Figure 8 is a partial transverse section of one of the roller teeth with which
the gear wheels are provided in which it is the inner circumference of the roller
which forms a circular projecting rib to separate the two rows of balls.
In all the figures the same letters represent the same piece.
When I wish the axis of rotation of the pedals to coincide with the axle of
the driving wheel, (see Figure 1) I place on the two sloping rear uprights of the
frame, if the back wheel be the driving wheel, or in the two prongs of the front
fork if the front wheel be the driving wheel (they are marked a and in the
drawings) two ball bearings a¹¹ to receive the crank axis c and on this axle the
hub d of the wheel rotates, two ball bearings d¹¹ being interposed, the balls of
which bear against adjustable conical parts formed or put upon this axle. One of
the ends of the hub d carries a gear wheel e near which is another gear wheel h
of larger diameter fixed upon the crank axis and these two wheels gear with two
roller toothed wheels f g of different diameters made in one piece with each other
which revolve, ball bearings ii being interposed, upon a small overhanging axis j
fixed inside one of the above mentioned uprights a which already serve to carry
the pedal axis, that is to say fixed' to one of the uprights of the frame or to one of
the prongs of the fork as the case may be.
These two roller toothed wheels fg in one piece with each other are formed of

page_text: a single hub carrying a disc f on each face of which are a circular series of
pins or horizontal axes f¹ g' upon which rollers f³ 9³ are placed the pins of each
series have their other ends fixed to a ring f'g'on each side of the above
mentioned central disc f*.
It will be understood that by the means above described the driving wheel d of
the velocipede has imparted to it, from the crank axis c which turns on the same
axis, a speed more or less accelerated according to the ratio of the diameters of the
four gear wheels e f g h.
The gear wheels e h carried by the hub of the wheel and by the crank axis
instead of being provided with ordinary teeth as shewn in the drawings may as has
already been said have roller teeth of the kind just described in respect of the
double wheel fg with which they gear; this latter on the contrary may if desired
have ordinary gear teeth. On the other hand the roller teeth may be provided or
not with anti friction balls.
A variation of the above described arrangement permits as that does of
shortening the machine to such an extent that the front and back wheels almost
touch, and allows the crank axis to traverse the hub of the driving wheel, in such
manner that it is not necessary to duplicate the gearing on the right and left of the
machine, and at the same time that it makes it possible to employ only two wheels
instead of four, and leaves a certain distance between the pedal axis and the driving
wheel axle in order to better assure the stability of the cyclist.
In this modified arrangement which is shewn in horizontal section in Figure 2 1
place ball bearings al in the two frame uprights or in the two prongs of the
fork a b to receive the pedal axis c as above described; outside this axis, and
round it, I place a ring a' which is fixed to the inner face of one of the above
mentioned uprights a and the centre of which is not in the centre of the axis c
but is more or less removed from it (towards the back for example, as shown in
the drawings) according to the increase of speed I desire to obtain; this ring a' is
surrounded by ball bearings d upon the balls of which rotates the hollow hub d d²:
of the driving wheel of the velocipede. Another similar ball bearing 6 carries
in the same manner the second edge d' of the hub. These two rings are connected!
one to the other by one or several suitable cross pieces, for example by a tubular
piece a of smaller diameter in the middle than at the ends and also by a bolt a*:
passing through the centre of this piece.
.
The hub of the wheel is formed of the two hoops dabove mentioned to
which the spokes k.are fixed and of a series of cross pieces connecting them one'
to the other.
One of the said hoops carries also a set of teeth d' formed either of ordinary
or roller teeth which gear with a ring of roller teeth ¹¹ placed outside of it and
fixed to a disc h which is fastened upon the crank axis c.
The great difference of diameter of this driving roller toothed wheel hand of the
toothed Loop & forming part of the hub produces the required increase of speed
by the aid of this single pair of wheels.
For giving still greater security to the cyclist against any fall forward, or
backward (although this danger is not seriously to be feared in the arrangements
just described) I may place the axis of the cranks much further from the driving
wheel axle, at the same time making the machine as short as in the two former
cases, being only obliged to cut or interrupt for the passage of the wheel the crank
axis as well as the axis carrying a roller toothed wheel placed between the toothed
wheel on the crank-axis and that on the hub of the wheel; this interrupton of
the axes necessarily entails repeating the gearing symmetrically on the right and
left of the wheel.
For this purpose as shown in horizontal section in Figure 3 on each side of-the
wheel, I double the bar of the body of the machine, in other words I place two
bars instead of one to carry the two ends, 1st of a very short axis c which
receives only one of the cranks-2nd of another small axis for carrying the
roller toothed wheel which gears on the one hand-with-the toothed-wheel-e-of

page_text: .
the crank axis and on the other hand with the toothed pinion h on the hub of the
driving wheel; one of the two bars l¹ prolonged more than the other carries one of
the ends of the axle d' of this wheel which serves as a cross bar for one of the
ends of the frame; at the other end of the two bars of this frame situated to
the right of the wheel and the two bars situated symmetrically on the left, are
united by a special cross bar which passes in front of the wheel and from which
two preferably tubular uprights are raised, and fastened to the saddle; this
latter is also connected to the other end of the saine frame, by two other
uprights 14.
The crank axis cand the intermediary axis fupon each side of the machine
each turn in two ball bearings a' b' and ff; in the same way the hub of the.
wheel revolves upon the axle, ball bearings d' being interposed at each end.
The method of gearing, several variations of which have just been described,
may as has been said be at pleasure applied either to the front wheel or to the
back wheel of a velocipede of any kind and either of the wheels may serve for
steering; however I insist particularly upon the advantage which results from
applying my invention to the construction of machines analogous to safety bicycles
that is to say with a rear driving wheel and front steering wheel; but much shorter
and lighter than safety bicycles in use.
My invention thus allows a novel type of tricycle to be manufactured which
would not only be of less length than the tricycles in use but will be also of less
width; the two rear wheels, one of which would be the driver, and the other would
be idle and independent of the gearing, would be sufficiently near to each other
as to allow the rider to be astride on these two wheels.
So far as concerns the details of construction of the roller toothed wheels it has
already been said that the roller axes may be fixed either to a single disc at one
'end or preferably to two discs (see f Figure 3) or to one disc at one end and to a
ring at the other (see Figure 2); when a double wheel is needed, as in the
arrangement first described, (see fg Figure 1) it is constructed of a central disc
carrying one of the ends of each of the series of pins and of two rings to which the
other end of the two series of pins are fixed. If it be wished to interpose balls
between each roller n, and its pin or axis m; there may be for example two circular
rows; these balls may be kept in place simply by discs or rings which carry the
axes, (see Figures 4 and 5) or these latter may have a swelling m¹ in the middle
to separate the two rings of balls (see Figure 6) or conical collars m³, m³, allowing
of adjustment (see Figure 7) may be placed on these axes, it may also be the inner
periphery of the roller n which carries a flange n¹ to separate the two rings of
balls (see Figure 8), in a word any suitable method of construction may be
employed. Of course the discs or rings carrying the axes of the rollers should be
circumferentially cut away or serrated in such a manner as not to impede the
gearing of the rollers; nevertheless one of the two wheels' gearing together need
not be serrated if it be large enough for the other to penetrate between its discs
or cheeks.
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 :-
axis
1. In a velocipede in which the motion of the pedal crank axis is communicated
to the driving wheel by the intervention of roller toothed wheels, i.e. to say in
wheels in which the usual gear teeth are replaced in one at least of the wheels of
each pair by rollers rotating freely on their axes, the combination of a pedal crank
xis working inside the hollow hub of the driving wheel and revolving on balls
placed in this hub and in the fixed frame; a gear wheel fixed upon the said hub;
a gear wheel fixed upon the crank axis; and a double gear wheel, both parts being
of the same or of different diameters, which gears with the two wheels above
mentioned and is carried by a small axis held by the fixed frame substantially as
described and shown in Figure 1.

page_text: 2. In a velocipede provided with roller toothed wheels the combination of a
pedal crank axis which revolves upon balls in the fixed frame which axis is not in
the axial line of the driving wheel; two rings fixed to the frame and upon which
the hollow hub of the driving wheel rotates, ball bearings being interposed; and a
gear wheel fixed to the pedal crank axis and gearing with a wheel placed inside
it and fixed to the above mentioned hub substantially as described and shown in
Figure 2.
3. In a velocipede provided with roller toothed gear wheels, the combination of
a hollow hub for the driving wheel rotating upon balls on an axle carried by the
fixed frame, this hub carrying a gear wheel at each end; two small axes in the
same line on both sides of the driving wheel and not in the axial line of this
wheel; two intermediate gear wheels fixed respectively on these small axes and
gearing with the wheels fixed on the hub; and two small axes in the same line on
both sides of the driving wheel and carrying respectively the pedal cranks as well
as two gear wheels which gear with the above mentioned intermediate wheels all
the axes revolving upon two ball bearings placed in the bars which form part of.
the fixed frame substantially as described and shown in Figure 3.
4. In a velocipede the construction of roller toothed gear wheels substantially as
described and shown in the drawings.
100
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.