New or Improved Driving Gear for Cycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Driving Gear for Cycles.
I, THOMAS GRANT, of 11, St. James's Street, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Dealer in Cycles, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to driving gear for bicycles, tricycles, and the like, and
consists of mechanism by means of which the motion of the bottom bracket spindle.
is transmitted to the driving wheel without the use of a chain or chains. Slight
modifications of arrangement are possible without departing from the principle
of my invention. In one form-to the bottom bracket spindle I fix a spur wheel,
the teeth of which engage those of a pinion fixed to an eccentric sheave which is
encircled by a metal band or strap, to which is attached an open frame, forming a
skeleton connecting rod. The other end of this is attached to a second strap
encircling an eccentric sheave, the latter being mounted upon the hub of the road
or back wheel of the machine. It therefore follows that when the eccentric sheave
is moved by the rotation of the pedal cranks and the intermediate gearing, the
second eccentric, and therewith the hub of the road wheel will likewise rotate or
rock by means of the connecting rod, and the machine will progress.
The connecting rod is preferably provided with a slot at about the middle of its
length, and a pin fixed to the frame of the machine engages therewith to act as a
guide.
It will be obvious that I may, if preferred place the tooth gearing above
mentioned, at the other or back wheel hub end of the connecting rod. In this
case the first eccentric sheave will be placed upon the bottom bracket spindle.
Further it will be understood that I may employ other forms of gear, such as a
connecting rod reciprocated by an eccentric upon the bottom bracket spindle, said
movement rotating an eccentric sheave, fixed to which is an internally toothed
wheel or a spur pinion the teeth of which gear with an intermediate toothed
pinion, which in its turn imparts movement either to an annular toothed wheel or
to a spur wheel mounted upon the hub of the road wheel. Or, as an alternative
I may place this train of gear at the other end of the connecting rod, to be rotated
by the pedal cranks, which movement will rock or rotate the eccentric upon the
back wheel hub.
In all cases I preferably employ balls to reduce friction between the eccentric
sheave and strap.
In some cases I pivotally attach hand levers to the frame in such manner that they
may be used as auxiliaries to assist in the propulsion of the machine.
Dated this 8th day of May 1897.
6.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
Inventor's Assistant" Office, 75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: A New or Improved Driving Gear for Cycles.
I, THOMAS GRANT, of 11, St. James's Street, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Dealer in Cycles, 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 driving gear for bicycles, tricycles, and the like, and
consists of mechanism by means of which the motion of the bottom bracket spindle
is transmitted to the driving wheel without the use of a chain or chains.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood and ascertained, I
append drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 shews one form of my invention, and Fig. 2 shews a modification of same.
In both figures like letters indicate similar parts, or parts fulfilling like functions.
Referring particularly to Fig. 1,
On one or both ends of the bottom bracket spindle d is mounted a toothed
wheel D, and on the side of this, or on the bottom bracket spindle d, is fixed the
pedal crank b, with attached pedal 61. The teeth of this wheel I engage with the
teeth of a pinion E fixed to the eccentric sheave C, which latter is encircled by a
band or strap B. To the eccentric band or strap B is attached the ends of two
connecting rods A, the other ends of which are attached to a second eccentric band
or strap B¹ encircling a sheave C³, which latter is fixed to the hub H, of the driving
wheel.
At a point about half way between the two eccentrics a rod or bar G, connects
the two connecting rods, and at the centre of this rod or bar G is formed, at right
angles thereto, so as to be parallel to the connecting rods, a bar g, having a longi-
tudinal slot or recess g¹ which can slide on a roller, pin, or stud g² fixed at one end
to a convenient part of the machine thereby acting as a guide. Or the slot may be
formed in the machine frame, and the stud or pin fixed on the bar G.
It will thus be seen that when the toothed wheel D is rotated, by means of the
pedal b¹ and crank 6 being forced down by the foot of the rider, it causes the
pinion E to rotate also, which being fixed to the eccentric sheave C causes a thrust-
ing and pulling movement of the connecting rods A. This movement imparts
rotation to the second eccentric sheave C¹, and consequently the hub H of the
driving wheel, thereby propelling the machine.
When desired, the gearing may be reversed, by mounting the wheel Dupon the
hub of the driving wheel, and attaching the pinion E to the eccentric C². The
pedal crank b would then be fixed to the eccentric C.
Referring now to Fig. 2; d indicates the bottom bracket spindle, on one or both
⚫ ends of which is mounted an eccentric sheave C, having a pedal crank b, with
attached pedal b¹, fixed thereto. This eccentric sheave is encircled by a band or
strap B, which latter is fixed to a connecting rod A, the other end of which is
attached to a band or strap B₁ encircling a second eccentric sheave C¹ mounted
loosely on the hub H of the driving wheel.
Formed integrally with or rigidly fixed to the eccentric sheave C¹ is an inter-
nally toothed ring D, the teeth of which gear with those of a pinion or idle wheel F,
mounted upon a. pin, independently of the eccentric C, which pinion or idle wheel F
is also in gear with a pinion or wheel E, fixed to the hub of the driving wheel. It
is therefore obvious that when the connecting rod A is moved backwards and
forwards by the eccentric C being rotated, it causes the eccentric C¹ to make corres-
ponding rotations, carrying with it the internally toothed ring D, which movement
rotates also the pinion or idle wheel F, and the pinion E; this latter being fixed to

page_text: the hub of the driving wheel causes the same to rotate, and consequently propels
the machine.
This mechanism can be reversed by arranging the pinion E and attached gearing
upon the bottom bracket spindle, and fixing the eccentric C upon the hub of the
driving wheel.
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, constructed and operating substantially in the
manner and for the purpose described and shewn.
2. A driving gear for cycles, consisting essentially of a toothed wheel mounted
upon the bottom bracket spindle, the rotation of which imparts rotary motion to
a pinion fixed to an eccentric sheave, thereby causing same to rotate and give a
reciprocating movement to connecting rods, which movement is conveyed to an
eccentric mounted on the hub of the driving wheel, thereby rotating same, and
consequently propelling the machine, substantially as described and shewn.
3. A driving gear for cycles, consisting essentially of a toothed wheel mounted
upon the bottom bracket spindle, the rotation of which imparts rotary motion to a
pinion fixed to an eccentric sheave, thereby causing same to rotate and give a
reciprocating movement to connecting rods on a guide which movement is con-
veyed to an eccentric mounted on the hub of the driving wheel, thereby rotating
same, and consequently propelling the machine, substantially as described and
shewn.
4. A driving gear for cycles, in which the rotation of the bottom bracket spindle,
by means of an eccentric mounted on the same, moves a connecting rod backwards
and forwards, which reciprocation causes an eccentric sheave mounted concentri-
cally with the driving wheel hub to rotate, together with an internally toothed
ring fixed to it, the teeth of which engage those of a pinion, or idle wheel, mounted
independently of the eccentric, which idle wheel imparts motion to a pinion fixed
to the hub of the driving wheel, thereby rotating same and consequently propelling
the machine, substantially as described and shewn.
5. A driving gear for cycles substantially as herein described, and shewn in
Fig. 1, of the accompanying drawings.
6. A driving gear for cycles substantially as herein described, and shewn in
Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of February 1898
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.