IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Newton Wilson, of 144, High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, and Edward Marshall, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BICYCLES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Newton Wilson and Edward
Marshall at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th April
1879.
NEWTON WILSON, of 144, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
and EDWARD MARSHALL, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO
PURPOSES."
OTHER
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of adjustable
dust proof bearing for bicycles, and partly applicable also to the bearings of other
wheeled vehicles, & of machinery generally, the main object to be attained being
an equal and uniform adjustment of the bearing from opposite sides of such bearing
simultaneously & by one operation, without necessitating the removal or detachment
of any of the parts; also the strengthening of the wheel bosses by adapting the
said adjustable bearing to the boss of the crank in lieu of as heretofore to the wheel
bosses themselves.
The crank boss has an annular groove formed therein, within which groove
rotate any desired number of antifriction rollers, by preference, made of an octagonal
or equivalent outline or contour in longitudinal section. Each of the said rollers
has a separate axle of its own, and the several axles are carried by or mounted in
or between two parallel rings for the purpose of maintaining the rollers at a fixed
& proper distance from each other; over the series of rollers are disposed two
adjustable hollow caps made conical in opposite directions on their inner ends, each
of these caps is adjustable towards & from the other simultaneously from opposite
sides of a hollow chamber, which is bolted or otherwise secured to the lower ends
of the fork. This chamber contains the caps and the anti-friction rollers and rings.
One cap is formed with an external right hand screw thread thereon, & the other
D.
J1

page_text: with a left hand thread, both screwing into the chamber from opposite sides. On
an enlarged collar or flange on the outer face of each cap there are provided spur
teeth of equal pitch, & into both sets of teeth gear simultaneously two corre-
sponding pinions mounted on a short spindle common to the two. This spindle is
carried in a lug or projection on the outside of the chamber, & by turning the
spindle more or less in either direction by a spanner or otherwise the two caps are
simultaneously rotated, &. caused to approach towards or recede from each other
in a uniform manner. It will thus be obvious that the adjustment will be equal and
uniform on opposite sides simultaneously of the rollers, which by reason of their
conformation will be tightened or released by the action of the internal inclined
inner surfaces of the caps which bear upon them.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Newton Wilson and Edward Marshall in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th October 1879.
NEWTON WILSON, of 144, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
and EDWARD MARSHALL, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES."
Our said Invention relates to certain peculiar constructions and arrangements of
adjustable dust proof bearings for bicycles, partly applicable also to other bearings,
the main object to be attained being a more uniform adjustment of the bearing
without necessitating the removal or detachment of any of the parts. We further
strengthen the front axles of bicycles by adapting the said adjustable bearings to
the bosses of the cranks in lieu of to the axles themselves or to special bushes
thereon. In thus adapting our improved bearings to the front wheels of bicycles
we provide an annular groove in the boss of each crank, within which grooves
rotate any desired number of antifriction rollers, by preference, made of an octagonal
or equivalent outline or contour in longitudinal section. Each of the said rollers
works freely on a separate axle of its own, and these several axles are carried by or
mounted in or between two parallel rings for the purpose of maintaining the rollers
at a proper distance apart. Over the series of rollers are disposed two adjustable
coned collars made adjustable towards and from each other simultaneously from
opposite sides of a hollow case, which is bolted or otherwise secured to the lower
ends of the fork, as is well understood. The case thus contains the coned collars
and the antifriction rollers and rings, from which all dust is excluded by close
fitting covers or joints. One of the said collars is formed with an external right
hand screw thread, and the other with a left hand thread, both screwing into the
case from opposite sides. On an enlarged flange forming the outer face of each
collar there are provided spur teeth of uniform pitch, and into both sets of teeth
gear simultaneously two corresponding pinions fast on a short spindle common to
the two. This spindle is carried in a lug or projection on the outside of the case,
and by turning it more or less in either direction by a spanner or otherwise the
two collars are simultaneously rotated, and caused to approach towards or recede
from each other in a uniform manner. It will thus be obvious that the adjustment
will be equal and uniform on opposite sides simultaneously of the rollers, which by
reason of their conformation will be tightened or released by the action of the
inclined inner surfaces of the collars which bear upon or against them.
Of course it will be obvious that various modifications may be introduced with a
view to the proper practical application of our adjustable antifriction bearings to
the different parts of bicycles where such bearings may be found serviceable, for
example, we propose to adapt one form of antifriction self adjusting roller bearing
for supporting, and at the same time, affording perfect freedom of play to the
lower end of the spring which carries the saddle, whilst other forms or arrange-
ments are more particularly adapted, say, to the front wheel bearings, the hind
wheel bearings, the bearings for tricycle and other loose running wheels or shafting,
and for the pedals.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
Figures.
Figure 1 of our Drawings represents an end elevation; Figure 2, a longitudinal
section; and Figure 3, a side elevation (full size) of the case containing our
improved bearing as adapted directly to the boss itself of the actuating crank,
whereby we increase the strength and stability of the parts. The same, or a

page_text: slightly modified arrangement of adjustable bearing is obviously applicable also to
the journals of shafts and axles generally; Figure 4 are full sized details of the
two uniform and simultaneously adjustable coned collars detached; Figure 5 is a
detail of one ring or set of mounted antifriction rollers; and Figure 6 is a separate
detail of the adjusting spindle with its actuating toothed pinions as hereinafter
explained; Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of our improved bearing as adapted
for the hind wheels of bicycles, or for tricycle wheels or loose running wheels for
other vehicles; Figure 8 shows partly in section the application of substantially the
same bearing to the pedals of bicycles; Figures 9 and 10 represent in elevation and
section a peculiar compound action wrench or spanner, which will be found most
serviceable for effecting the adjustments in our said bearings; Figure 11 is a
longitudinal section of an arrangement of self-adjusting antifriction bearing for
supporting the rear end of the saddle spring..
In Figures 1, 2, and 3 A is the front axle, upon which are keyed the bosses B of
the actuating cranks C. Round the circumference of each crank boss there is
formed a guide groove, within each of which revolves an annular series or set of
antifriction rollers a, a, each roller being mounted freely and loosely upon an axle
or pivot of its own fixed between two carrier rings or frames b, b. Outside the
said rollers there are fitted from opposite sides of the case D two adjustable
collars E, E, the contiguous coned ends of which by being adjusted from or towards
each other constitute an annular adjustable groove of more or less width for the
said rollers to run in, a guide groove being provided in the crank boss. As the
contour of each roller presents an inclination on each side the act of setting up
the collars E, E, will by narrowing the groove tend to confine still more the several
rollers between the groooves, and vice versa, thus tightening up or slackening the
bearing accordingly. These collars are made respectively with right and left hand
threads, which are screwed into or from opposite sides of the case simultaneously
by the engaging of the small spur pinions c, c, on the spindle d, with the spur
teeth e on the outer flanges of the said collars. Thus by turning the spindle d by
the aid of a spauner a uniform central and simultaneous adjustment of the bearing is
obtained. In the bearing, Figure 7, the sets of antifriction rollers a, a, have an
inner bearing between the coned ends of the inner adjustable screwed collars E, E,
and the fixed coned shoulders E¹, E¹, on the axle A, in lieu of having an outer
bearing between two equally adjustable outer collars as in Figure 2. The coned
collars E in Figure 7 are shown as being each separately adjustable upon its spindle
or axle, and then fixed by jam nuts F, but if desired the axle may have a right
and left screw thereon, so that on turning it both the collars E, E, will be adjusted
uniformly and simultaneously.
It is found necessary in making these adjustments to be enabled to operate
simultaneously in reverse directions both upon the collars and the jam nuts, for
which and other like purposes the compound wrench (Figures 9 and 10) will be
found a most serviceable tool, the one part being made so as to fit and work inside
the other, as is clearly shown in the Drawings. Indeed without such a form of
wrench it would scarcely be practicable to perform the adjustments required in
some of our said bearings.
The pedal bearing (Figure 8) is it will be seen substantially the same arrange-
ment as for the hind or loose wheel bearing, with the substitution of a sliding sleeve
or long collar E¹ coned at both ends for the fixed shoulders in the last described
arrangement. The bearings for tricycle wheels will be arranged practically in the
same manner as the two last modifications with the addition of a screwed cap or
cover to the hub for enclosing in a dust tight manner within the hub of the wheel
the antifriction rollers and adjustable and fixed steel collars.
The self adjusting roller bearing for the rear end of the saddle spring consists of
a metal case or tubular guide a (see Figure 11) fixed upon the back bone of the
bicycle, and having working within it two spherical rollers b mounted loosely upon
pivots or spindles forming part of a cross head c secured to the rear end of the
spring, the whole arrangement affording an easy and effective self adjusting bearing

page_text: for supporting, and at the same time, allowing freedom of play to the end of the
saddle spring.
frepresents in the several Figures herein referred to a metal conical plug and
spring for maintaining the lubricating openings to the said bearings perfectly tight
and dust proof.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, we would observe in conclusion that we are aware that metal balls in com-
bination with conical or curved adjustable bearing surfaces have been proposed for
the bearings of bicycles and for like purposes, and therefore we do not claim any
such combination or arrangement, neither do we claim the combination of balls
with grooved steel bushes or collars, nor with surrounding steel collars screwed into
the case, and separately and independently adjusted from each end thereof, and
forming conjointly at their contiguous ends an annular groove, along which the
said balls run, but what we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim
as the Invention secured to us by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent
is,
First. The application and use of three or more antifriction rollers mounted loose
upon separate spindles in annular frames or carriers in combination with compound
coned collars or outer bearing surfaces, having a simultaneous and uniform lateral
adjustment within the case, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated by our Drawings.
Second. The application and use to and in the bearings of the pedals, also the
hind or loose running wheels of bicycles, tricycles, and other similar bearings of
three or more antifriction rollers mounted loose upon separate spindles in annular
frames or carriers in combination with adjustable coned collars and fixed coned
shoulders, each ring of antifriction rollers in the bearing being set up uniformly on
opposite sides thereof without any longitudinal displacement of the spinde or axle,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated by our
Drawings.
Third. The peculiar combination and arrangement of annular series of antifriction
rollers, stationary coned shoulder, sliding coned sleeve, and adjustable coned collar,
forming in conjunction with an internally grooved steel case inside the hub of the
wheel an adjuctable dust proof bearing for the wheels of tricycles or other loose
running wheels, as herein before described and illustrated by our Drawings.
Fourth. Causing the rings of antifriction rollers for the bearings of the front
wheels of bicycles to revolve round the bosses themselves of the cranks, as and for
the purpose hereinbefore described.
Fifth. The application and use of the compound spanner herein before described
for the purpose of operating simultaneously upon the lock nut and adjustable
coned collar of the beforementioned bearings, in the manner hereinbefore
described.
Sixth. The application and use of the hereinbefore described self adjusting roller
bearing for supporting the rear end of the saddle springs of bicycles as hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Newton Wilson, for myself and on behalf of
the said Edward Marshall, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty
fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
NEWTON WILSON. (L.S.)