An Improvement in the Pedal Mechanism of Velocipedes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1894-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in the Pedal Mechanism of Velocipedes.
I, CHARLES HENRY WORLEY, of No. 62 Welbeck Street, in the County of
London, Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-1
My invention relates to the construction and arrangement of the pedal mechanism
of a bicycle or other velocipede in such a manner that the foot of the operator
exerts a driving strain during its descent more uniform and effective than when the
foot is constrained to follow the circular path of a crank. For this purpose, I joint
each pedal between opposite links of a pair of parallel chains which pass round
sprocket wheels above and below, there being a clear space between the two chains
in each case, for the descent of the foot, for its passage under the axial line of the
lower pair of sprocket wheels, for its ascent, and for its passage over the axial line
of the higher pair of sprocket wheels. Thus the foot in its movement follows a
straight course at uniform speed both down and up, and merely makes a little to
and fro movement at each extreme of its stroke.
The sprocket wheels for the chain on the inner side of the foot are mounted on
the main framing, those for the chain on the outer side of the foot are mounted on
a light frame projecting laterally from the main frame and suitably stayed
thereto.
According to a modified arrangement I joint each pedal to a single chain so as to
project laterally from it, and in order to relieve the pin by which the pedal is
jointed to the chain from the strain to which it would otherwise be subject, I
connect a point in this pin at some distance laterally from the chain by a link to
the end of a lever arm pivotted on the main frame, the joint by which the link is
connected to the lever arm and the pivot on which the arm works being of
considerable width, so as to maintain the movement of these parts in a vertical plane
parallel to the chain.
Dated this 21st day of December 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in the Pedal Mechanism of Velocipedes.
I, CHARLES HENRY WORLEY, of No. 62 Welbeck Street in the County of
London, Architect, 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 construction and arrangement of the pedal mechanism
of a bicycle or other velocipede in such a manner that the foot of the operator
exerts a driving strain during its descent more uniform and effective than when the
foot is constrained to follow the circular path of a crank. I shall describe pedal
mechanism according to my invention referring to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side view of a bicycle provided with pedal mechanism according to
my invention.
Figs. 2 and 4 are side views and Figs. 3 and 5 are front views shewing to an
enlarged scale modified forms of the guides for the pedals.

page_text: Referring first to Fig. 1, P and P' are the pedals, each of which projects, the
one on the left, the other on the right side of the bicycle, each from a separate
chain C. Each of the two chains passes round a pair of sprocket wheels S S¹ one
of which S is on what may be termed the pedal axle A, a sprocket wheel on which
is connected by chains D to a sprocket pinion on the axle of the hind wheel W.
The pedals, being thus fixed, not on crank arms, but on chains which for part of
their course are straight, each foot, as it descends that straight part, exerts a more
uniform and effective driving strain than can be exerted when the pedal has to
follow the circular path of a crank.
As the pedals project as cantilevers from the chains, in order to relieve the pins
by which they are jointed to the chains, I connect these pins by links L to radius
arms R which are pivotted at E on the framing F, so that the links and arms
support the pedals against their tendency to cant under the pressure of the feet.
As shewn in Figs. 2 and 3 the pedals P P project from slides G which are guided
along the radius arms R and are attached to the chains C. These slides G are
preferably provided with antifriction rollers H to run along the edges of the
arms R. The attachment of each slide G, which is outside the arm R, to the
chain C, which is inside, is made by pinning the chain to a cross bar K of the slide
inside the arm. Instead of this attachment, the slide G might be directly attached
to the chain by a pin passing through a slot extending along the arm R.
As shewn in Figs. 4 and 5, the slides G can run along straight guides R' R',
which can themselves move to and fro along rails M N projecting from the
framing F, being by preference provided with antifriction rollers L.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Jointing each of the pedals of a velocipede to a chain passing round a pair of
sprocket wheels so that the foot of the operator makes a considerable part of its
stroke in a straight line, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 21st day of September 1894.
ADEL & IMRAI,
Agents for the Applicant.