Improvements in or relating to Power Transmitting Mechanism.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1899
[Communicated from abroad by ALBERT C. TANNER, of 215, Monitor Street,
Jersey City, in the County of Hudson and State of New Jersey, United
States of America, Patent Solicitor.]
Improvements in or relating to Power Transmitting Mechanism.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 the class of mechanical devices for transmitting motion
and power through the medium of a series of driving elements incarcerated in
an endless track-way; and the object of the invention is to provide such a device
or mechanism wherein friction of the parts is reduced to a minimum, noise is
eliminated, and the engagement of the driving and driven wheels with the trans-
The novel features of the
mitting elements is through non-rolling parts.
mechanism will be hereinafter noted and described.
In the accompanying drawings the invention is represented as constructed and
adapted for use on a bicycle or other velocipede, to transmit power from the
main sprocket-wheel to the lesser rear sprocket-wheel, in lieu of a chain. In
these drawings-
Figure 1 is a side view, on a relatively small scale, of a bicycle provided with
my transmitting mechanism.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device, including the sprocket-wheels and
a part of the bicycle frame. In this view parts of the endless track-casing are
broken away to show the transmitting elements therein.
Figure 3 is an end view of the device showing the slot therein for the entry
of the sprocket-wheel.
Figure 4 is a plan of the parts seen in Fig. 2.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detail views on a larger scale than Figs. 2, 3 and 4.
Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the casing or track-way broken
away in different planes; Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the upper portion of the
casing; Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the end portion of the casing at the slot
therein; Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the casing and one of the transmitting
elements therein; and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the part seen in
Fig. 8, the side plate of the casing being broken away.
Figure 10 is a sectional view of one of the transmitting elements provided
with a circumferential groove in its driving disk; and Fig. 11 is a fragmentary
view illustrating the engagement of the sprocket-wheel with such grooves.
Fig. 12 shows one of the transmitting elements provided with a single set or
series_of_bearing-balls.
A represents the driving sprocket-wheel, B the driven sprocket-wheel, and C a
part of the bicycle frame.
Drepresents, as a whole, the endless track-casing, here represented as secured
in place on the bicycle fronie by clips a and a*. In each end of the casing ])
is a slot-like aperture, a¹, for the entry of a portion of the peripheries of the

page_text: Motion and power are transmitted from one sprocket-wheel to the other through
the medium of a series of driving elements, designated as a whole by E, and best
illustrated in detail in Figs. 8 and 9. Each of these driving elements consists,
so far as its operation is concerned, of two track-wheels, connected together by
a central or axial tie, and a driving ring, disk, or annulus, between said wheels
and of somewhat larger diameter than the latter. These connected wheels serve
as and constitute a carrier for said disk or annulus; and as shown, the latter
is rotatable independently on a ball-bearing. So far as the preferred construc-
tion is concerned, the two wheels b, b, are constructed separately (for convenience
of assembling) with short bosses, and are rigidly connected by a tubular rivet, c;
and the inner face of the driving disk or annulus, d, is suitably shaped so as to
form seats for bearing balls, e (Figs. 8 and 12).
The track-casing D is in the nature of an endless tube provided with suitably
arranged tracks for the wheels of the elements E to roll along. Ordinarily it
will have, as shown in Fig. 2, two end portions, an upper longitudinal portion,
and a lower longitudinal portion; and will also have a transverse joint, z, whereby
it may be shortened for adjustment to the elements E. The preferred specific
construction of the track-casing is clearly illustrated; it consists of two sub-
stantially like flanged halves (Figs. 6, 7, and 8), in which are formed the
tracks, g, for the wheels of the elements E. In the upper arched longitudinal
portion of the casing these tracks are at the upper side of the casing, or along
the summit of the arch, which may be bowed in any direction; in the lower
longitudinal portion they are at the lower part, and in the end portions of the
casing they will be at the inner side, or opposite to the sprocket wheel, or at
both the inner and outer sides, as seen in Fig. 7; but in this case the two
opposite sets of tracks will be wide enough apart to permit the wheels & to roll
on either pair or set of tracks without frictional contact with the other set.
The channel between the track-rails will be of such depth that the disks d
will be held at all times out of peripheral contact with the track-casing at the
channel between the rails:
The wheels are slightly rounded at their outer peripheral angles, as shown,
and the tracks are rounded to fit them. The object of this construction. is to
keep the element E in the center of the track-way and out of lateral frictional
contact with the casing.
As to the general contour of the casing D (Fig. 2), it will be noted that the
upper and lower portions are arched or curved upward, and that the end portions
thereof are curved inward, the centers of the respective end curves coinciding
with the centers of the sprocket-wheels; and these end curves are connected with
those of the upper and lower longitudinal portions by suitable casing curves.
The object of these end curves is, in part to enable the elements E which may
be at any time engaged by the sprocket-wheel, to move in a curve substantially
concentric with said wheel; and in part, to put a greater number of the said
elements simultaneously into engagement with the teeth of the sprocket-wheel.
In the operation of the mechanism, the driving disks d distance the track-
wheels and contact with each other, but have no lateral, and no peripheral con-
tact with the track-casing at the channel between the track-rails. They are
engaged by the teeth of the sprocket-wheels, the spaces between these teeth being
curved with radii equal or substantially equal to the radii of the said disks, by
preference.
As the larger, driving sprocket-wheel A turns in the direction indicated by
the arrow in Fig. 2, and the lesser, driven sprocket-wheel 13 resists this effect
to drive it, the power will be communicated directly through the disks d in the
upper, arched, longitudinal portion of the casing, and this series of disks being
curved upward, the end pressure on the series will hold and press the wheels b
of the elements E upward against the tracks g in that portion of the track-
casing.
In the lower longitudinal portion of the casing, when of the form seen in

page_text: ·
Fig. 2, under normal conditions the elements E will roll along the tracks y at
the lower side thereof; but in back-pedalling, where the driving is from the
lesser sprocket-wheel and the resistance from the larger sprocket-wheel, the
end-pressure on the series of elements will cause the latter to be pressed upward
and the peripheries of the disks d will be thus brought into frictional contact
with the crown of the track-way or casing, whereby a braking effect is produced.
The disks d, in all cases, prevent peripheral contact between the wheels b of
adjacent elements, and they may or may not rotate. They provide non-rolling
points of contact for engagement with the teeth of the sprocket-wheels; that is
to say, there is no contact of the rolling wheels b with the sprocket-wheels.
In the construction of the driving element illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, the
driving disk, d, has a peripheral groove, d', which is engaged by the sprocket-
wheel, A. This construction permits the teeth of said wheel to enter more deeply
between said disks.
Fig. 12 shows a construction of the driving element wherein only a single
series of bearing-balls is employed.
The invention is not limited to any particular general contour of the track-
way or casing. If a braking effect is to be produced by back-pedalling, then
the lower longitudinal portion of the track-way will be arched or curved upward,
as represented in Fig. 2; but if this braking effect is not desired, then the
lower longitudinal portion of the track-way or casing will have a downwardly
curved form, as represented in Fig. 1.
If either or both of the longitudinal portions of the track-way are made
straight, or without curvature in either direction, as they may be, both inner
and outer pairs of continuous track-rails will be required therein, but of course
so separated that the wheels & will not contact at the same time with both pairs.
The driving disk or member d of the driving element may be rotatable and
circular in form, as shown; but it is non-rolling, properly speaking, as it is not
designed to have peripheral contact with the track-casing at any point between
the track-rails.
It will be noted that the endless track-way has a peculiar contour as shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, and in the foregoing description thereof where the rails of said
track-way are defined as curving inwardly, this phrase is intended to mean that
the curvature of the rails at the ends of the figure formed by the track-way con-
forms to the shapes of the driving and driven wheels, and will be preferably
concentric therewith; and the phrase curving upwardly is intended to mean that
the upper longitudinal portion of the track-way is arched away from the lower
longitudinal portion thereof.
The invention is not limited to the exact construction herein shown as this
may be varied to some extent without departing from the invention essentially.
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 motion and power transmitting mechanism, comprising an endless track-
way having suitable track-rails, driving and driven parts, and a series of driving
elements on said track-way, each of said elements comprising a carrier, adapted
to roll on said track-rails, and a disk, the latter journaled on the carrier and
adapted to be engaged by the driving and driven parts.
2. A motion and power transmitting mechanism, comprising an endless track-
way having suitable track-rails, driving and driven parts, and a series of driving
elements-on-said-track-way, each-of-said-elements comprising a carrier, adapted
to roll on said track-rails, and a disk, the latter journaled on the carrier and
adapted to be engaged by the driving and driven parts, the said track-rails being
curved substantially concentric with the driving and driven parts at the points
of engagement of the said disks therewith.
3. A motion and power transmitting mechanism, comprising an endless track-

page_text: way having suitable track-rails, driving and driven parts, and a series of driving
elements on said track-way, cach of said elements comprising a carrier, adapted
to roll on said track-rails, and a disk, the latter journaled on the carrier and
adapted to be engaged by the driving and driven parts, the upper longitudinal
portion of the track-way being arched.
4. A motion and power transmitting mechanism, comprising an endless track-
way having suitable track-rails, driving and driven parts, and a series of driving
elements on said track-way, each of said elements comprising a carrier, adapted
to roll on said track-rails, and a disk, the latter journaled on the carrier and
adapted to be engaged by the driving and driven parts, the said track-rails in
the lower longitudinal portion of the track-way being arched.
5. A motion and power transmitting mechanism, comprising an endless track-
casing having suitable track-rails, driving and driven parts, and a series of
driving elements, each of said driving elements comprising a carrier adapted
to roll on said track-rails, and a disk, the latter journaled on, and of greater
diameter than the carrier, and said track-casing being provided with a channel
between the track-rails, of such depth that the said disk will be held at all times
out of peripheral contact with the track-casing.
6. A motion and power transmitting mechanism, comprising an endless track-
way having suitable track-rails, driving and driven parts, and a series of driving
elements on said track-way, each of said elements comprising a carrier, adapted
to roll on said track-rails, and a peripherally recessed disk, the latter journaled
on the carrier and adapted to be engaged by the driving and driven parts.
7. A driving element for a power transmitting mechanism, comprising suitably
connected track-wheels forming a carrier, and a disk journaled on said carrier,
said disk being concentric with and of larger diameter than the said wheels.
8. A driving element for a power transmitting mechanism, comprising two
connected track-wheels, and a disk, the latter situated between, journaled on,
and of greater diameter than, said wheels.
9. A driving element for a power transmitting mechanism, comprising a pair
of connected track-wheels, a disk of greater diameter than said wheels and situated
between them, and a ball-bearing between said disk and wheels.
10. A driving element for a power transmitting mechanism, comprising a pair
of connected track-wheels, and a disk of greater diameter than said wheels, said
disk being situated between the wheels of the pair and rotatable independently
thereof, and having in its periphery a circumferential groove.
11. The combination with an endless track-way having suitable track-rails,
of a driving element having a pair of track-wheels rigidly connected together, a
driving disk of greater diameter than the said wheels and situated between and
concentric with the wheels of the pair, and the bearing-balls within the disk,
said disk having a circumferential groove, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
1
1
ሰሰ
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.