Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1886.
Specification Accepted, 28th Jan., 1887.
COMEL 11
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes.
I SAMUEL DAVIES of No. 1 Devonshire Street Portland Place London, 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:
This Invention has for its object improved driving mechanism for velocipedes.
The letters of reference in the following description refer to corresponding letters
on the accompanying drawings.
Such improved driving mechanism consists of two ratchet wheels or roller dises and
of two toothed segments which together constitute two segment gears fitted one on
each side of the machine and connected to and worked by the pedal crank either with
a rocking or rotary motion.
Fig. 1 shews such driving mechanism fitted to a velocipede and arranged to be
worked by a rocking motion-One of the driving wheels is shown removed to afford
a better view of the mechanism-a are two ratchet wheels fixed one on the hub of
each driving wheel-bare two toothed segments-Figs. 5 and 6 shew detail views of
one of such segments-Each segment consists of a plate e having curvatures d the
projections whereof form stops against which recessed teeth e work-Detail views in
plan and end elevation of one of such teeth are shewn at Figs. 8-These recessed
teeth are mounted on and rivetted to the plate e in such a manner as to allow of the
teeth e
working loose as shewn at Fig. 5-Perforations (Fig. 6) are formed in the
plate e for the rivets-Each of the plates c terminates in an arm g g by which it is
jointed to a standard connected to the frame of the machine-In order to obtain a
continuous rocking motion I make one of these arms (marked g on the drawings)
longer than the other so that when the back pedal is depressed the segment having
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This Invention has for its object improved driving mechanism for velocipedes.
The letters of reference in the following description refer to corresponding letters
on the accompanying drawings.
Such improved driving mechanism consists of two ratchet wheels or roller dises and
of two toothed segments which together constitute two segment gears fitted one on
each side of the machine and connected to and worked by the pedal crank either with
a rocking or rotary motion.
Fig. 1 shews such driving mechanism fitted to a velocipede and arranged to be
worked by a rocking motion-One of the driving wheels is shewn removed to afford
a better view of the mechanism-a are two ratchet wheels fixed one on the hub of
each driving wheel-bare two toothed segments-Figs. 5 and 6 shew detail views of
one of such segments-Each segment consists of a plate e having curvatures d the
projections whereof form stops against which recessed teeth e work-Detail views in
plan and end elevation of one of such teeth are shewn at Figs. 8-These recessed
teeth are mounted on and rivetted to the plate e in such a manner as to allow of the
teeth e working loose as shewn at Fig. 5-Perforations (Fig. 6) are formed in the
plate e for the rivets-Each of the plates c terminates in an arm g g by which it is
jointed to a standard connected to the frame of the machine-In order to obtain a
continuous rocking motion I make one of these arms (marked gl on the drawings)
longer than the other so that when the back pedal is depressed the segment having

page_text: the longer arm lifts over the wheel on that side while when the front pedal is depressed
the segment with the shorter arm pulls over the opposite driving wheel-Each arm
has a screw spindle and collar y Figs. 1-5-6 fixed thereto whereby it is connected to
an elbow by passing the spindle through a slot j formed in each such elbow and
securing the spindle in such slot by a washer and nut-To prevent friction I fit each
spindle with a roller which works backwards and forwards in each slot j.
To bring the rider nearer the ground one end of each of the elbows is jointed to the
axle while the other end is fixed to the pedal crank-The elbow marked is made
longer than the other to provide for the additional length of the arm g'. It is imma-
terial on which side of the machine such longer arm and elbow are fitted but they
must be placed behind the driving wheel so as to form the back segment gearing as
shewn at Figs. 1 and 3-The shorter segment and elbow may likewise be fitted on
either side of the machine but they must be placed in front of the driving wheel so as
to form the front segment gearing as shewn at Figs. 1 and 2.
2
When my improved driving mechanism is to be worked by a rocking or recipro-
cating motion I prefer to fit the machine with a trailing wheel (Fig. 1) so as to
impart steadiness thereto when working the back pedal and thus counteract any
tendency to overbalance.
An alternative form of such segment is shown at Figs. 4 and 7 and consists in
making it of two segmental plates & screwed or rivetted together-Slots are formed
round the curved edge of cach plate while a series of loose teeth m are mounted on
pins n between the plates and are each fitted at the base with a stop pin o which stop
pins work to and fro in the slots 7.
Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings illustrates my invention arranged to he
worked by rotary motion and shews one method of applying the last described form
of segment and also the substituting of roller discs in lieu of ratchet wheels In so
applying my improved driving mechanism I employ either two front or two back
segment gears as they must necessarily be mounted in a line with each other-In the
drawing two front gears are shewn-Such gears consist of two segments & gearing
into two roller discs p-Each roller disc consists of two plates fastened together by
rivets having a series of rollers mounted thereon between such plates and against
which rollers the loose teeth of the segment work-When arranging my improved
driving mechanism to be worked by rotary motion I substitute for the connecting
elbows hereinbefore described, two bifurcated connecting rods q
of any
suitable
but of equal length connected at their lower ends to the pedal crank and at their
upper or bifurcated ends to the toothed segments in such a manner that sufficient play
is afforded for the working of the various parts of the mechanism.
I would here observe that the arrangement of the teeth and ratchets or roller discs
may be reversed if preferred by fitting the hub of each driving wheel with loose
teeth and mounting the ratchets or roller discs on suitable supports on each side of
the frame.
A third form of the segment hereinbefore described is shewn at s Fig. 9 and consists
in making the same with two plates fastened together by rivets which form
stops against which the loose teeth te work-The teeth are mounted on shoulder pins
between the two plates-Such shoulder pins serve to keep the plates a sufficient
distance apart.
Fig. 9 shews a bicycle in side elevation with my improved driving mechanism
applied thereto In this application of my invention I extend the fork r of the bicycle
so as to mount the toothed segments s on its lower extremities and I mount the ratchets t.
or their equivalents one on each side of the driving wheel as shewn In this appli-
cation of my invention I affix to or form on each such segment a counterpoise arm u
so that when the rider raises his foot the segment on that side falls by the force of
gravity and its loose teeth close up while passing the ratchet or its equivalent but
when clear thereof such teeth again fall outwards and are ready to gear into such

page_text: ratchet or its equivalent when the rider again depresses the treadle My improved
driving mechanism may be worked either by hand or by the hands and feet.
I would here observe that I do not confine myself to the precise mechanical details
hereinbefore described and shewn as the same admit of variation without departing
from the essential features of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
1. The improved driving mechanism for volocipedes constructed arranged combined
and fitted all substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and shewn.
2. Fitting such improved driving mechanism to a volocipede so as to be worked
either by a rocking or rotary motion substantially as hereinbefore described
and shown.
3. The alternative constructions of segment gearing hereinbefore described and
shewn in the accompanying drawings.