Improvements in Pedal Crank Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes, Applicable also to other Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 13th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 18th Jan., 1887.
Improvements in Pedal Crank Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes,
Applicable also to other Purposes.
I FRANK TAYLOR of The Vicarage Seer Green in the County of Bucks Gentleman
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the pedal crank driving mechanisın whereby rotary motion
is imparted to a velocipede by the feet of the rider, and it has for its object the more
perfect development and utilization of the power of the feet as is done in walking.
"Fair heel and toe" is an expression used to distinguish true walking from running,
and as a cyclist uses the ordinary crank pedal with the forward end of his foot and
does not apply his heel to it at all, Cycling by the agency of a crank and pedal must
so far be characterised as. running on wheels rather than walking on wheels. But
even the toe is not used perfectly as it is in ordinary running, as the point at which the
power is applied in the ordinary crank pedal is really the crank pin, and not beyond
it, as the pedal is free to swivel on the pin. The absence however of the heel work is
a more serious drawback to the ordinary pedal crank action, as turning from the
question of speed on a good and level road, to ease of locomotion on bad roads, or
sharp gradients, it will be found that the position of the foot which served fairly for
the former cannot be said to serve well for the latter. In order that it should do so,
the crank pin should be in a line or nearly so, with the leg at the beginning of the
downward thrust, for thus the foot muscles would be relieved of the strain which they
otherwise have to endure. But I gain more than this by my pedal crank action. I
am enabled by transferring the thrust from the centre of the foot to the forward ends
of the toes, to greatly increase the effective leverage of the crank and to exert power
on it through a longer arc than is possible with the ordinary pedal and crank, while
shortening that arc back to its normal radius in passing the upper dead point.
To attain this end I mount the pedal loosely on the crank pin and connect it thereto
by a clutch, so that it will only revolve freely on the crank pin in one direction,
viz-backwards, thus when the machine is being propelled in the ordinary manner

page_text: the pedal and crank act as in that case but if during the downward thrust the pressure
is applied to the forward part of the pedal by slightly bending the ankle, the pedal
becomes immediately locked to the crank pin, which increases the effective leverage of
the crank, by the distance between the centres of the crank pin and the forward bar of
the pedal. It will be seen that the foot is perfectly free to take its free and natural
position in pedalling round, and that the action of locking and unlocking the pedal
and crank pin is an automatic one, entirely under the control of the ankle joint.
By the use of my pedal crank gear the power of the foot is utilized to the greatest
extent and by the transference of the driving power to the ends of the toes, the
quickening action of the foot is utilized as in running or walking. Furthermore by
the use of the toe action as hereinbefore described, power can be exerted on the down-
ward stroke until the rising pedal has actually passed the top dead centre, and reached
such a position that the upper foot conveniently exert its driving power.
I do not bind myself to the use of any particular clutch for connecting the pedal
crank pin, neither do I limit myself to any particular method of carrying out my
invention, though for the purpose of this invention I will describe a convenient
arrangement for practically carrying out my invention. I take a pedal of the ordinary
construction but preferably made of extra length where the front part of the foot
bears, so as to provide a support for the ends of the toes. This pedal is mounted
loosely on a crank in the usual manner. The flat shank of the pin which engages
with the slot in the crank when the pin is fixed thereto, is made of extra length,
sufficient to take a small disc between the flange of the crank pin and the crank. This
dise is provided with a flat hole to correspond with the flat part of the crank pin so as
to form a driving connection between the two. If found more convenient the disc
may be fixed rigidly to the crank, but the hereinbefore described arrangement permits
of the use of any ordinary crank. This disc forms a clutch box, and on the inner side
of the loose pedal are mounted clutches to engage with the clutch box disc as and for
the purpose hereinbefore described. It will be obvious that any suitable form of clutch
may be used with equal effect.
When I desire to increase the effective leverage of the crank beyond the reach of
the natural length of the foot I make the pedal a compound one, consisting essentially
of two parts. One part mounted on the crank pin and connected to it by a clutch as
herein before described, and the other part, to receive the foot, mounted on the part
carried by the crank pin, in such a manner that it is free to slide forwards for a given
distance. By this means the effective length of the crank can be automatically
lengthened on the downward stroke to any desired and convenient extent, and auto-
matically shortened on the upward stroke.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71, & 72, Chancery Lane,
London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pedal Crank Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes,
Applicable also to other Purposes.
I FRANK TAYLOR of the Vicarage Seer Green in the county of Bucks Gentleman,
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:-
My invention relates to the pedal crank driving mechanism whereby rotary motion
is imparted to a velocipede by the feet of the rider, and it has for its object the more
perfect developement and utilization of the power of the feet, as is done in walking.
"Fair heel and toe" is an expression used to distinguish true walking from running,
and as a cyclist uses the ordinary crank pedal with the forward end of his foot, and
does not apply his heel to it at all, Cycling by the agency of a crank and pedal must
so far be characterized as running on wheels, rather than walking on wheels. But
even the toe is not used perfectly, as it is in ordinary running, as the point at which
the power is applied in the ordinary crank pedal is really the crank pin and not
beyond it, as the pedal is free to swivel on the pin. The absence however of the heel
work is a more serious drawback to the ordinary pedal crank action, as turning from
the question of speed on a good and level road, to ease of locomotion on bad roads, or
sharp gradients, it will be found that the position of the foot which served fairly for
the former, cannot be said to serve well for the latter. In order that it should do so,
the crank pin should be in a line or nearly so with the leg at the beginning of the
downward thrust for thus the foot muscles would be relieved of the strain which they
otherwise have to endure. But I gain more than this by my pedal crank action. I
am enabled by transferring the thrust from the centre of the foot to the forward ends
of the toes, to greatly increase the effective leverage of the crank and to exert power
on it through a longer arc than is possible with the ordinary pedal and crank, while
shortening that arc back to its normal radius in passing the upper dead point.
To attain this end I mount the pedal looseley on the crank pin and connect it thereto
by a clutch so that it will only revolve freely on the crank pin in one direction,
viz-backwards; thus when the machine is being propelled in the ordinary manner,
the pedal and crank act as in that case, but if during the downward thrust the pressure
is applied to the forward part of the pedal, by slighty bending the ankle, the pedal
becomes immediately locked to the crank pin which increases the effective leverage of
the crank, by the distance between the centres of the crank pin and the forward bar of
the pedal. It will be seen that the foot is perfectly free to take its free and natural
position in pedalling round, and that the action of locking and unlocking the pedal
and crank pin is an automatic one, entirely under the control of the ankle joint.
By the use of my pedal crank gear the power of the foot is utilized to the greatest
extent, and by the transference of the driving power to the ends of the toes the
quickening action of the foot is utilized as in running or walking. Furthermore by
the use of the toe action as hereinbefore described, power can be exerted on the down-
ward stroke until the rising.pedal has actually passed the top dead centre, and reached
such a position that the upper foot can conveniently exert its driving power.

page_text: I do not bind myself to the use of any particular clutch for connecting the pedal to
the crank pin, neither do I limit myself to any particular method of carrying out my
invention, but in order that my invention may be fully understood I will particularly
describe a few convenient methods of carrying my invention into practical effect.
Making reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figs. 1 & 2 are views
showing the position of a riders foot when utilizing the increased leverage of the crank,
obtained by the use of iny invention. Figs. & 4 are views on an enlarged scale
showing the application of the clutch to an ordinary pedal, the clutch shown being of
the roller and pocket type. Fig. 5 is a view on an enlarged scale showing the appli-
cation of my invention to a pedal, in which the crank pin is passed through the rear
foot-bar, the pin and clutch being omitted for sake of clearness. Fig. 6 is a view
on an enlarged scale of a pedal with the foot bars mounted so as to be free to slide
forwards for a limited distance, the crank pin and clutch being omitted for distinctness.
Fig. 7 is a view showing a modification of the sliding pedal & Fig. 8 is a view showing
a pedal constructed in the form of a footplate and having a forward sliding bar for the
front part of the foot to rest on; the clutch shown being of the ratchet and pawl
type. Throughout these views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
Referring to Figs. 1, 3 & 4 of the accompanying drawing. I take a pedal A of the
ordinary construction though the front bar for the foot may with advantage be ex-
tended forward to provide a support for the toe. The pedal is mounted looseley on the
crank pin B in the usual manner, either with, or without, ball bearings. Between the
pedal and the crank pin is mounted any convenient form of clutch which will lock the
pedal to the crank pin when it is moved in a forward direction with respect to the pin,
but will allow it to revolve freely in a backward direction. The clutch shown is of the
well known roller and pocket type the disc c being formed on, or fixed to, the crank
pin B, and the clutch box c¹ being formed on, or fixed to, one of the side plates of
the pedal A. On the periphery of the disc c are formed, or cut, a series of inclined
planes terminating in pockets c c² etc., in which lie a series of rollers or
balls c² c³ etc.
I sometimes use an ordinary pedal arranged so that the crank pin passes through
the rear foot-bar as shown by Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawing, the crank pin and
clutch being omitted for the sake of clearness. In this case I use a toe strap a¹ to
control the reversing of the pedal.
When it is desired to increase the effective leverage of the crank beyond the usual
length of a pedal, I form the pedal in the shape of a footplate A as shown by Fig. 2,
and preferably mount a single foot-bar a on the front end of the plate A, and I provide
a toe strap a¹ to assist in reversing the pedal. In this arrangement a clutch of the
ratchet and pawl type is shown, a ratchet c³ being mounted on one of the side plates
of the pedal A which engages with one or more ratchet teeth c² cut, or formed in,
a collar c formed on or fixed to the pedal pin B.
When I desire to increase the effective leverage of the crank beyond the reach of
the natural length of the foot, I make the pedal a compound one, consisting essentially
of two or more parts as shown by Figs. 6, 7 & 8, which illustrate three methods of
carrying this out. In Figs. 6 & 7 the footbars a a are carried on frames or cross
bars A, A, mounted to slide on, or, in the frame A of the pedal and kept in a central
position by springs D, D, etc. The frames or cross bars A'A' may either be connected
to move together, and independently to move irrespectively of each other. In Fig. 8
is illustrated an adaptation of the sliding foot bar to the plate pedal as illustrated by
Fig. 2, the foot bar a being carried in a frame A' mounted to slide in, or on; the plate Å
and kept in a normal position by a suitable spring, or springs, not shown. By the use
of the compound pedal the effective length of the crank is automatically increased on
the downward stroke to any desired extent within the limit of variation provided, and
is automatically decreased on the upward stroke. In Figs. 6 & 8 the position of the
foot-bar or bars, at their extreme limit of variation is shown by dotted lines.
It will be understood that my invention refers only to the pedal and crank pin, and
that it is therefore applicable to all types of machines, and although its application is
only shown to detachable side cranks, it will be obvious that it may be applied to those

page_text: cranks formed on, or as part of, the axle. It will be seen that a very material increase
in the length of the stroke of a crank is obtained by the use of my invention without
any discomfort on the part of a rider, as the increased leverage is obtained by merely
raising the heel, and applying the pressure with the fore part of the foot on the front
bar of the pedal, during the downward stroke of the crank as illustrated by Figs. 1 & 2,
the pedal being prevented from tipping forward, or over-running the crank pin, by the
clutch. As the crank revolves the heel gradually comes down again, and brings the
rear part of the foot into contact with the pedal, as the crank reaches the bottom of its
stroke, and so automatically brings the stroke of the crank back to its normal length.
Throughout the several views of the accompanying drawing the direction in which the
pedal will revolve freely is indicated by small arrows.
It will be obvious that my invention is applicable to pedals mounted on reciprocating
levers, as well as well as to those mounted on rotary cranks. My invention is also
applicable to machines driven by rotary cranks, or reciprocating levers, other than
velocipedes, and is of special value for small lathes, saws, sewing and other analogous
machines.
I do not limit myself to the exact methods of carrying out my invention as herein-
before described and shown, neither do I confine myself to placing the clutch in any
particular position with respect to the pedal & crank pin.
I am aware that pedals have already been used on crank pins, and that clutches have
already been used for driving velocipedes, and I therefore do not claim these broadly,
but 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. In velocipedes, mounting the pedals on the crank pins, with any convenient form
of clutches interposed between them, so that the pedals become locked to the crank
pins when moved in a forward direction, but are free to revolve in a backward direction,
as and for the purpose herein before described and shown.
2. In a velocipede or other machine driven by rotary cranks, or reciprocating levers,
the combination of a pedal, a crank pin and a clutch, all arranged and operating as and
for the purpose set forth.
3. In a pedal driving gear for Velocipedes, and other pedomotive machines, the
combination of the pedal A, the crank pin B, and the clutch C, so arranged that the
pedal is free to revolve on the crank pin in one direction only, substantially as and for
the purpose herein before set forth.
4. Constructing the pedals for Velocipedes, and other peomotive machines, of two
essential parts, the one inounted on the crank pin and forming the frame of the pedal,
and the other to receive the foot mounted on the former in such a manner that it is
free to slide longitudinally thereon, as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
shown.
"
5. In a Velocipede or other pedomotive machine, the combination of the compound
pedal having sliding footbars, the crank pin carrying the said pedal, and the clutch
operating to connect the pedal to the crank pin when it rotates in one direction only,
as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
ROBI. ED.
THILLITS,
70, 71, & 72, Chancery Lane,
London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.