Improved Method of and Means for Transmitting Motion in Velocipedes.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Transmitting Motion in
Velocipedes.
I, ALFRED EVRARD of 16 Rue Drouot Paris in the Republic of France do
hereby declare the nature of this, invention to be as follows:-
The use of chain gearing for transmitting motion in machines has, generally
speaking, been avoided in as many cases as possible on account of the many
inconveniences with which it is accompanied. It has been hitherto tolerated in
velocipedes in, default of a better system, the methods proposed for replacing it
not having fulfilled the expectations of the inventors. Driving direct by means
of gearing has had to be first of all discarded. What hindered, transmission by
metallic cords or cables was, above all,-firstly, the imperfection of the joints of
the two ends, or of the splice, and secondly, more particularly, the imperfection
of the means proposed for practically ensuring a grip on the two pulleys...
I have solved these two difficulties, first by employing an extremely light and
resistant metallic cord made from steel wire of similar.quality to that of pianoforte
wires. This cord shows no apparent splice and it is made like the rings of
anti-torpedo nettings. It is thus possible to make a very light endless cable
having sufficient flexibility, which cable with a diameter of 4 to 4 millimetres,
is capable of resisting a breaking strain of 1300 kilogrammes, and shows no
projecting joint.
In the second place, in order to secure a grip of this rope ou the pulleys,
I provide the peripheries of these latter with movable jaws hinged upon lugs
similar to those which exist in Fowler pulleys employed in cable transmission
for conveying articles or for mechanical cultivation.
1
These jaws may be of any suitable number. They may even be continuous
and constitute, consequently a second wheel or simply a second felly to the wheel,
which is held or maintained pressed on the former by any suitable means of
fastening, elastic or otherwise.
Although this arrangement causes the pulleys to be slightly increased in weight,
and slightly more complicated in construction, yet on the other hand, I substitute
for the endless link chain weighing 1400 grammes and having all the well-known
inconveniences, a flexible resistant metallio cord easily cleaned, extremely light
and which avoids the jerks and unpleasant shakings of chain gearing.
The diminution of weight which I thus obtain in a safety bicycle will, in addition
allow of the adoption of an arrangement for effecting instantaneously change of
speed, by means of a double cord and a double set of pulleys, which may be thrown
in or out of gear by suitable operating devices, which systems bave had to be
hitherto necessarily avoided on account of the increase of weight which they
cause.
Dated this 31at day of December 1894.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant:.

page_text: 1
21
Improved Method of and Means for Transmitting Motion in
Velocipedes.
i
I, ALFRED EVRARD of 16 Rue Drouot, Paris in the Republic of France,.
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 :
:
The use of chain gearing for transmitting motion in machines has, generally
speaking, been avoided in. as many cases as possible on account of the many
inconveniences with which it is accompanied. It has been hitherto tolerated in
velocipedes in default of a better system, the methods proposed for replacing it
not having fulfilled the expectatious of the inventors. Driving direct by means of
"gearing has had to be first of all discarded. What hindered transmission' by
metallic cords or cables was, above all, firstly, the imperfection of the joints of ithe
two ends, or of the splice, and; secondly, more particularly; the imperfection of the
means proposed for practically ensuring a grip on the two pulleys.
"
"My invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which,
Figure 1 is a side elevation;
2014
......
1
Figure 2, a vertical section; and
i
'
Figure 3, a plan of the improved driving wheel.
'I have solved the above two difficulties, first by employing an extremely light
and resistant metallic cord A made from steel wire of similar quality to that of
$136 'pianoforte wires. I make this cord by twisting together a number of strands of
'steel wire to form 'a single cord, and connect the ends of the cord by iuterlading
the strands in the way that sailors splice a rope and thus produce an endless cable,
which, with a diameter of 4 to 4 millimetres, is capable of resisting a breaking
strain of 1,300 kilogrammes and which is very light and has sufficient flexibility.
"
"
In the second place in order to secure a grip of this rope on the pulleys B,
I provide the peripheries of theso latter with movable jaw's Chinged upon lugs C',
similar to those which exist in Fowler pulleys employed in cable transmission.for
conveying articles, or for mechanical cultivation.
.1 These jaws may be of any suitable number. They may even be continuous and
constitute, consequently a' second wheel or simply a second felly to the wheel which
is held or maintained pressed on the former by any suitable means of fastening,
elastic or otherwise.
1
Although this arrangement causes the pulleys to be slightly increased in weight,
"and slightly more complicated in construction, yet on the other hand, I substitute
for the endless' link chain weighing 1400 grammes and 'baving all the well-known
inconveniences, a flexible resistant metallic cord easily cleaned, extremely light
and which avoids the jerks and unpleasant shakings of chain gearing.
י
The diminution of weight which thus obtain in a safety bicycle will in addition
allow of the adoption of an arrangement for effecting instantaneously ohange of
speed, by means of a double cord and a double set of pulleys which may be thrown.
in or out of gear by suitable operating devices, which systems have bad to be
hitherto necessarily avoided on account of the increase of weight which they
cause..
r
.
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
claim is:-
1 An improved method of transmitting motion in releainedes anneieting in

page_text: the employment of a metallic cord such as described in conjunction with wheels
or pulleys having means on their periphery for gripping said cord.
2. In a device for transmitting motion in velocipedes by means of a flexible
cord, such as described, wheels or pulleys having continuous or non-continuous
movable jaws mounted on their periphery and adapted to grip the cord, sub--
stantially as described.
Dated this 02-1 of 1005.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant..