Improvements in Bicycles or like Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1896
Improvements in Bicycles or like Vehicles.
I, ARTHUR JOHN BATTERSBY of 59 Wollaton Street in the Borough of Notting-
ham, Cycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in cycles or like vehicles in which
supplementary cranks and connecting rods are employed for transmitting the
movement of the main crank axle to the road driving wheel, such as described
in the specification of Letters Patent No. 21093 of the 3rd of December 1891.
In carrying out this invention I preferably arrange the supplementary cranks
and the connecting rods on one side of the machine.
The bearings for the intermediate crank axle are formed in or carried by a
framing formed preferably by two side plates between which latter the cranks
are placed. One end of each of these plates is secured to the crank axle bearing
and their other ends to a stay which occupies the same position as an ordinary
chain stay.
The two plates of the framing may be formed integrally with the crank axle
bracket or the complete frame may be formed independently of and be sub-
sequently secured to the bracket bearing.
The crank axle which is preferably formed with two cranks (one being say
90° in advance of the other) is mounted preferably in ball bearings of suitable
construction secured to or formed in the side plates before mentioned, and on its
outer end is a pinion which engages with an annular toothed wheel on the main
crank axle.
At the rear end of the stay is a second framing preferably corresponding in
form to that secured to the crank axle bearings.
Secured to or formed in this framing are bearings in which is mounted a second
crank axle, this axle is connected to the road driving wheel hub and the cranks
to those of the crank axle previously described, by connecting rods which may be
carried in the interior of the stay.
The stay in this case may be formed of one tube of sufficient diameter to receive
both connecting rods, or an independent tube may be employed for each.
The two frames which carry the crank axles may also be enclosed by suitable
covers and the whole arrangement thus protected from dirt or dust.
Dated this 17th day of December 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant,

page_text: I, ARTHUR JOHN BATTERSBY, of 59 Wollaton Street, in the City of Nottingham,
Cycle Manufacturer, 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 improvements in bicycles or like vehicles in which
supplementary cranks and connecting rods are employed for transmitting the
movement of the main crank axle to the road driving wheel, such as described in
the specification of Letters Patent No. 21093 of the 3rd December 1891.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying draw-
ings in which
Fig. 1. is a side elevation, and
Fig. 2. a plan showing my invention applied to a bicycle, part only of the
latter being shown.
Fig. 3. is a sectional plan, and
Fig. 4. a plan showing the modification.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In carrying out the invention the ball bearings A A¹ for the intermediate crank
shaft B are preferably formed in or carried by extensions C C of the crank axle
bearing bracket C. The crank shaft B is formed with two cranks B₁ B between
which is a bearing disc B3 mounted in the bearing A' in the extension C³ as
shown. The bearing disc B3 and the bearing A are preferably formed with
external and internal ball races respectively in which are placed anti-friction
balls A2.
On the end of the crank B is a toothed pinion D which engages with an
annular toothed wheel D' secured on the main crank axle C, and the movement
of the latter is thus communicated to the crank shaft B.
Secured to the end of the extension C is a stay preferably composed of two
parallel tubes E, at the rear end of which is a bearing bracket F to which the
lower end of back stay G of the framing is also connected.
The hub H of the road driving wheel is provided on one side with an axis H¹
formed with one or more ball races, and is mounted in a ball bearing I secured
to or formed with the framing.
On the other side of the hub are two cranks J J between which is a bearing
disc J2 mounted in a bearing F in the bracket F. The bearing disc J2 and the
bearing F are preferably formed with external and internal ball races respec-
tively in which are anti-friction balls F2.
The cranks J J and bearing disc Ja may be formed independently of the hub H,
in this case they are preferably formed with a second disc J³ and an axial exten-
sion J which latter is screwed axially into the hub as shown.
The cranks J J¹ on the hub H are connected to the corresponding cranks B' Ba
on the crank shaft B by connecting rods K K' respectively the said connecting
rods being carried through the interior of the tubular stay E, one rod passing
through each stay tube.
The connecting rod heads are preferably mounted on ball bearings on their
respective cranks; the connecting rods are also formed so as to be adjustable in
length.
The cranks J J on the hub H and the corresponding connecting rod heads
are enclosed in a casing L secured on the ends of the tubular stay tube E whilst
the cranks B1 B2 on the crank shaft B, the corresponding connecting rod heads

page_text: and the pinion D and wheel D¹, are enclosed in a casing M secured to the other
end of the tubular stay tubes E and the bearing bracket C, or the extensions
thereof C and C.
With this arrangement the whole of the driving mechanism is enclosed and
effectually protected from dust and dirt, the tubular stay tubes being also in a
direct line between the bearings A' and F, and perfectly rigid, the said stay
tubes effectually take the whole of the strain between the said bearings caused
by the alternate pull and thrust of the connecting rods, and prevents the displace-
ment of said bearing or other parts of the framing when excessive driving force is
applied.
If preferred the stay E may be formed by one single tube in the interior of
which both of the connecting rods K. K' may be placed, instead of a pair of tubes
as shown.
In the modification shown in Fig. 4. the crank shaft B is extended to the
opposite side of the framing to that on which the cranks B and 133 are placed
and the pinion D is secured on the extended end as shown. The annular wheel D¹
is in this case placed on the main crank axle C3 on the reverse side of the bracket
bearing to that shown in the arrangement previously described.
With this arrangement a separate casing N is employed to enclose the pinion D
and wheel D' said casing being secured to the bracket C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
(1.) In a bicycle or like vehicle connecting the main crank shaft C³ to the
road driving wheel hub H by means of a crank shaft B provided with two
cranks B B two cranks J Ji on the hub and two connecting rods K K' all
arranged on one side of the driving wheel substantially as described.
(2.) In a bicycle or like vehicle in which the motion of the main crank axle
is communicated to the road driving wheel by cranks and connecting rods,
arranging the said connecting. rods within a stay or stays of the framing such as
E substantially as described.
(3.) In a bicycle or like vehicle the combination with a road driving wheel
hub provided with two cranks J J¹ and a bearing disc J2 between the two cranks,
of a crank shaft 13 provided with two cranks B1 B2 and a bearing disc 1 between
the two cranks, bearings F and A' for the bearing discs J2 and B3 and connecting
rods K K substantially as described.
(4.) In a bicycle or like vehicle the combination with a road driving wheel hub
provided with two cranks J J and a bearing disc J2 between the two cranks, of a
crank shaft B provided with two cranks 132 and a bearing disc 133 between the
two cranks bearings F and A' connected by a hollow stay or stays such as E and
connecting rods K K' carried through the said stay substantially as described.
(5.) The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete-driving
mechanism for a bicycle or like vehicle substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of Awn 1007
ARTHUR JOHN BATTERSBY.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.