Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Bicycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: TONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Bicycles.
I, PAUL FUESS, of Steglitz near Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, Mechanic,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to bicycles having treadle driving gear and consists in n
improved means for adjusting the point of action of the treadle bar on the draw
bands whilst running, and for thereby altering the effective length of the treadle
lever for the purpose of adjusting the ratio of transfer to correspond with the con-
ditions of inclination of the course. The invention further relates to peculiar
arrangements of the grip drum and guide rollers over which the draw bands run
to the grip drum in order to avoid the treadle acting on the draw bands (and
thereby on the grip drums) at a disadvantageous angle.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle fitted with this improved arrangement:
Figure 2 is a side view of the rear wheel with the treadle arrangement on an
enlarged scale;
Figure 3 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the perforated axis of rotation
with the belts or cords rassing through.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a modified arrangement of the mechanism,
whilst,
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are details.
A slide piece c (Figures 1, 2 and 3) firmly connected with the draw band d, is
adjustably arranged on the treadle iever a which pivots on the point b. One
part of a double cord, chain, or the like flexible driving means Z is further
attached to the slide piece c which cord Z runs over a roller f arranged on the free
end of the treadle (or through an eyelet), and the two parts of which cord are
passed close to the point o oscillation 6 of the treadle through a loop e (Figure 2)
or actually through the perforated axis of oscillation (Figure 3). liom here the
two parts of the cord run to two rollers g, Figure 1, arranged over the front wheel,
which rollers are arranged in such a way as to be capable of being moved down-
wards from the handle bar in any suitable manner, (for instance by means of press
bars such as shown in the drawing which are normally held up by spring
pressure). By pressing one or other of the rollers g against the periphery of the
front wheel, the said roller is caused to rotate by the friction of the front wheel,
the end of the cord belonging to the said roller is wound thereon and thereby
pulled so that the slide-piece c is adjusted in a corresponding direction on the
treadle bar a.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 4, the double cord or the like % for adjust-
ing the connecting piece c, is endless, and runs at the rear end over a wheel h
suitably mounted on the cycle frame and having on its axis a worm wheels in
which a worm engages. The spindle of this worm is prolonged to the rim r
of one wheel (for instance the rear wheel) and carries here a roller n and also outside
the same a chain wheel o. The latter is connected by means of a chain p, Figure 5;

page_text: with another chain wheel o mounted on the other side of the wheel. The front
ends of the two spindles are mounted in an oscillating lever piece i which is
fixed on a pivotally mounted bar j, which is hent upwards in front and connected
by means of bars or wires with hand levers y attached to the handle bar, and
may be turned by means of these levers in one or the other direction. By this
means according as one or the other hand lever on the handle bar is depressed,
one or other of the rollers is pressed on the wheel rim and rotated by the
latter and consequently both spindles as they are connected by the chain pare
rotated in the one or other direction (both in a similar one) and thereby the points
of connection c of the draw bands d with the cords or the like Z on both treadles a
are always perfectly equally adjusted in the one or the other direction. The axes
of the worm wheels s and rollers h may also coincide with the point of oscillation b
of the treadle a.
Figure 8 shows two positions c¹ and 2 of the connecting points c, in which the
draw bands d lie so obliquely to the treadles a, and the points of action of the
draw bands d on the grip drums t are so considerably displacea (from to a²)
that an advantageous transfer of power from the treadles to the grip drums can
no longer take place. In order to remove this defect the grip drums t (see
Figure 4) are placed high above the rear wheel behind the saddle where they
do not interfere with the rider and are arranged in such a way that the draw
bands d are directed vertically to the treadles a when the latter are in the middle
position.
The transfer of movement from the grip drums to the rear axle takes place as
shown in Figure 4 by means of a chain or the like. The grip drums may also if
desired be placed lower down, for instance level with the rear axle, as shown in
Figure 6, and the draw bands d in that case be carried over guide rollers v set
at a suitable height. This arrangement as shown in Figure 7 may also be
utilized for a further transfer of movement from the treadles to the tightening
drums, by connecting the draw band running from the treadles with a small
pulley whilst a second band runs to the tightening drum t from a larger
pulley mounted on the same axle.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 4 the draw bands d lying at both sides of
the rear wheel, after having been coiled over the grip drums t, may also be carried
over a roller ic and connected with one another in order to compulsorily connect
the two treadles with one another, that is to say in order to produce the automatic
rise of one treadle on the depression of the other.
Datod this 27th day of (letator 1896
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
I, PAUL FUESS of Steglitz near Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, Mechanic,
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 bicycles having treadle driving gear and consists in an
improved means for adjusting the point of action of the treadle bar on the draw
bands whilst running, and for thereby altering the effective length of the treadle
lever for the purpose of adjusting the ratio of transfer to correspond with the con-
ditions of inclination of the course. The invention further relates to peculiar

page_text: arrangements of the grip drum and guide rollers over which the draw bands run
to the grip drum in order to avoid the treadle acting on the araw bands (and
thereby on the grip drums) at a disadvantageous angle.
In the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle fitted with this improved arrangement;
Figure 2 is a side view of the rear wheel with the treadle arrangement on an
enlarged scale;
Figure 3 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the perforated axis of rotation
with the belts or cords passing through.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a modified arrangement of the mechanism,
whilst,
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are details.
One
Figure 9 of the further sheet of drawings accompanying the present complete
specification is a side elevation of another modified arrangement of the mechanism.
A slide piece c (Figures 1, 2 and 3) firmly connected with the draw band d, is
adjustably arranged on the treadle lever a which pivots on the point b.
part of a double cord, chain or the like flexible driving means 7 is further
attached to the slide piece c which cord runs over a roller f arranged on the free
end of the treadle (or through an eyelet), and the two parts of which cord are
passed close to the point of oscillation b of the treadle through a loop e (Figure 2)
or actually through the perforated axis of oscillation (Figure 3). From here the
two parts of the cord run to two rollers g, rigure 1, arranged over the front wheel,
which rollers are arranged in such a way as to be capable of being moved down-
wards from the handle bar in any suitable manner, (for instance by means of press
bars such as shown in the drawing which are normally held up by spring
pressure). By pressing one or other of the rollers g against the periphery of the
front wheel, the said roller is caused to rotate by the friction of the front wheel,
the end of the cord belonging to the said roller is wound thereon and thereby
pulled so that the slide piece c is adjusted in a corresponding direction on the
treadle bar a.
The front
In the arrangement shown in Figure 4, the double cord or the like Z for adjust-
ing the connecting piece c is endless and runs at the rear end over a wheel h
suitably mounted on the cycle frame and having on its axis a worm wheels in
which a worm engages. The spindle of this worm is prolonged to the rim r
of one wheel (for instance the rear wheel) and carries here a roller n and also outside
the same a chain wheel o. The latter is connected by means of a chain p, igure 5,
with another chain wheel o mounted on the other side of the wheel.
ends of the two spindles are mounted in an oscillating lever piece which is
fixed on a pivotally mounted bar j, which is bent upwards in front and connected
by means of bars or wires with hand levers y attached to the handle bar, and
may be turned by means of these levers in one or the other direction. By this
means according as one or the other hand lever g on the handle bar is depressed,
one or other of the rollers n is pressed on the wheel rim r and rotated by the
latter and consequently both spindles as they are connected by the chain pare
rotated in the one or other directions (both in a similar one) and thereby the points
of connection c of the draw bands d with the cords or the like Z on both treadles a
are always perfectly equally adjusted in the one or the other direction. The axes
of the worm wheels s and rollers h may also coincide with the point of oscillation b
of the treadle a.
Figure 8 shows two positions c¹ and 3 of the connecting points c, in which the
draw bands d lie so obliquely to the treadles a, and the points of action of the
draw bands d on the grip drums are so considerably displaced (from ¹ to)
that an advantageous transfer of power from the treadles to the grip drums can
no longer take place. In order to remove this defect the grip drums t (see
Figure 4) are placed high above the rear wheel behind the saddle where they
do not interfere with the rider and are arranged in such a way that the draw

page_text: bands d are directed vertically to the treadles a when the latter are in the middle
position.
The adjustment of the connecting piece may also be effected, as shown in
Figure 9, by the rider pulling the cord Z only in one direction of movement c'
the connecting piece by means of the means described or other suitable mean:
whilst the movement in the opposite direction is automatically effected by means
of a spring y when the rider suitably releases the previously drawn up cord.
hand lever pivotally mounted on the frame within reach of the rider may
preferably serve for drawing up and releasing the cord Z which is carried from
said lever over rollers 7 and the said lever is preferably held in the desired
position by means of a rack or toothed segment k¹.
The transfer of movement from the grip drums to the rear axle takes place as
shown in Figure 4 by means of a chain or the like. The grip drums may also if
desired be placed lower down, for instance level with the rear axle, as shown in
Figure 6, and the draw bands d in that case be carried over guide rollers v set
at a suitable height. This arrangement as shown in Figure 7 may also be
utilized for a further transfer of movement from the treadles to the tightening
drums, by connecting the draw band d running from the treadles with a small
pulley, whilst a second band runs to the tightening drum t from a larger
pulley mounted on the same axle.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 4 the draw bands d lying at both sides of
the rear wheel, after having been coiled over the grip drums t, may also be carried
over a roller w and connected with one another in order to compulsorily connect
the two treadles with one another, that is to say in order to produce the automatic
rise of one treadle on the depression of the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a bicycle with treadle driving gear, the use of a cord, chain or the like
flexible device for adjusting the point of action of the treadle lever on the draw
bands, and also the arrangement of the grip drums, or guide rollers over which
the draw bands run to the grip drums, behind the saddle and above the rear wheel,
or rather at a suitable height over the rear axle, for the purpose and in the various
forms of construction, substantially as described and shown.
2. In a bicycle such as described, the arrangement by which the displacement
or adjustment of the connecting piece (c) is effected in only one direction by the
pulling of a cord, chain or the like by the rider, and in the other direction auto-
matically by means of a spring (y), whilst for pulling and releasing the cord a
hand lever may be employed pivotally mounted on the frame and adjustable to
various positions substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated 11:01.
TL 100x
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.