Improvements in and relating to Driving Gear for Cycles and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 8th May, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Driving Gear for Cycles and
the like.
I, CARL MEIER, of 1 Heinrichstrasse, Neuruppin, in the German Empire,
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 relates to a driving gear for cycles and the like, and its object is
to so form or construct a gear that the length of the crank or similar arm or lever
shall be automatically increased during its working stroke and shortened during its
return or idle stroke. The path described by the pedal is not greater than the
path described by the ordinary pedal attached to a crank and chain wheel but a
greater part of its length is effective.
The automatic changing of the length of the crank or similar arm so operates
that the driving power is effectively applied during a period exceeding half the
length of the path followed by the pedals, the pedals being thus idle only for a
period of less than half their journey. A cycle or the like may thus be driven
with the expenditure of less power.
In order that my invention may be more thoroughly understood I have hereto
appended two sheets of drawings which illustrate different modifications of driving
gears constructed to embody my improvements.
Figures 1, 3, 4, and 5 illustrate the application of the improved driving devices
to one side of a bicycle only, whilst Figure 2 illustrates diagrammatically its
application to both sides.
Referring generally to the forms illustrated it will be seen that at both ends of
the driving axle a is fixed a two armed lever c, which may have both its arms of
equal length as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, or of unequal length as illustrated by
Figure 5. At one or both ends of these levers may be arranged pinions for f,
which gear with a wheel or the like fixed to the frame of the cycle. The
wheels fand fare mounted upon the axles e and d as also are the cranks g, g¹
and m.
In Figure 1 the lever i which carries the pedal fulcrumed at k, is connected
with the end h of the crank y and is slotted in its length to engage with the bowl d
carried upon the other end of the lever c.
In Figure 3 this bowl is arranged at the end d' of the crank m which latter not
only rotates around the axle a but also around the axis d of the wheel f³.
In the modification represented in Figure 4 the operating lever or arm
triangular or T shaped and is fulcrumed at hand h¹ to the cranks g and g¹.
is
In the further modification shewn in Figure 5 the lever i is pivotted to one end d
of the two armed lever c and is also connected from a point d¹ to the end h of the
crank g by a link n, so that the lever i may move to and fro upon the fulcrum d,
the distance between d and d' being greater than the length of the crank g.
In all the modifications shewn the pedal describes an approximately circular
curve which is eccentric to the axle a upon which a chain wheel or the like may be
mounted to transfer the motion to the vehicle or mechanism. During its working
stroke the pedal increases its distance from the axle a and approaches again during
its upwards or idle stroke.

page_text: 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. A driving gear for cycles and the like, consisting of a fixed wheel on each side
of the machine framing, one or two wheels carried by a two armed lever, and an
operating lever or crank provided with a pedal, all constructed and arranged
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
2. A driving gear for cycles or the like, consisting of double armed levers fixed
on each end of the driving axle, one end of each of these levers being provided with
a crank wheel to gear with a fixed wheel, and an operating lever or the like
pivotted to the crank wheel and engaging by a slot with a bowl on the other end
of the two armed lever, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In a driving gear for cycles, a two armed lever provided with two wheels or
pinions and cranks, and an operating lever or the like attached to one crank and
engaging with the other by means of a slot and bowl, substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a driving gear for cycles, a two armed lever carrying two pinions and
cranks of equal lengths to which a T shaped or triangular driving lever is attached,
'all constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as
illustrated by Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
5. A driving gear for a cycle or the like, consisting of a two armed lever c
having arms of unequal length, a pinion fand a crank g attached to one end of the
lever, a driving lever i pivotted to the other end d, and a link a connecting the end
of the crank and the lever i, the point of connection d upon the latter being at a
greater distance from the point d than the length of the crank g, all constructed
arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated
by Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
6. A driving gear for cycles and the like, constructed and arranged substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.