Improvements in and connected with the Driving Mechanism of Bloyoles and the like Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1896-4ccepted, 10th Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Driving Mechanism of
Bloyoles and the like Machines.
I, FRANZ JOACHIM ALEXANDER KINDERMANN of Queen Street, Melbourne,
in the Colony of Victoria, Engineer, 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 has been devised to provide improvements in and connected
with the mechanism employed in the propulsion of bicycles, tricycles and
machines of that nature and to be used in place of the present chain, sprocket.
wheel and foot crank system. My invention, by dispensing with the pedal cranks,
obviates the circular movement of the feet of the rider, the action of the foot
and leg being practically speaking similar in many rospects to that of walking -
moreover by my gear the proportionate speed of the hind or driving wheel of.
the machine can be easily set. By the employment of my driving mechanism
friction and weight are minimised and the whole machine may be shortened in
length.
In order that my invention may be the more easily understood reference may be
made to the accompanying drawings in which-
Figure 1 is an elevation of a bicycle fitted with my driving mechanism.
Figure 2 a plan of same, with a few portions removed for clearness of reading,
whilst
Figure 3 is a plan in section of some of the details of Figa. 1 and 2.
In the above illustrations similar letters indicate corresponding parts.
In these drawings "A" represents a bicycle wheel, the spokes "A" of which
radiate from a central hollow hub or sleeve B." This tubular hub "B" runs in
bearings "B," which are supported in the frame "B', B" of the bicycle or
similar machine. It will be noticed on Fig. 2 that this tubular hub "B," after
proceeding through one of the bearings "B," has mounted upon it a toothe
wheel "C"; this wheel "C" is rigidly attached to or made part of the said
hub "B." so as to revolve therewith when the wheel "A" is in motion, and gears
into a similar toothed wheel "D." This latter wheel "D" is centred ou, and
rigidly affixed to, a crank pin "E"; eaid pin "E" passes loosely through a
crank "F," and theuce into, and is rigidly secured to, the head "G" of a
connecting rod "G." I would here point out particularly that the cogged
wheel "D," the crank pin "E" and the head "G¹ are all rigidly connected-to
one another, but not so the crank bead "F," through which the pin "E" merely
passes, and where provision must be made for lubrication.
The other end "F" of the crank "F" is rigidly connected with an axle "H"
by a nut "H." This axle "H" proceeds through the hub or sleeve "B" to the
other side of the opposite bearing "B," where it is again rigidly attached to
another crank "I," said latter crank being preferably set at an opposite angle to
the crank "F." (See Fig. 2 and also as dotted in Fig. 1.) It will be hore noticed
that the crank "1" and axle "H" upon which it is mounted run independently of.
the hollow hub "B" which surrounds "H."
"K" is a forked connecting rod similar in all respects to "G" and centred by a
pin "J"to the crank "I," both "G" and "K" terminate in bifurcated
ends "K', K¹" (see Figs. 1 and 2). Through this bifurcation pins "L".
and "Li pass,
the pin "L" forming a joint for links "M" of a pedal

page_text: plate "M." This latter ("M") is preferably constructed of a piece of plate-
metal or other material suitably shaped to receive the sole of the cyclist's boot.
One end of this plate "M" may terminate in an elevated curve "M"; the
underside of "M" is provided with a loop of metal wire "M" as shown on
Fig. 1. This loop "M" is for the purpose of preventing the pedal plate "M"
from leaving its position as shown on Fig. 1. "N" is an antifriction roller
centered at "N" to a bifurcated end of a rocking lever "O." This latter."O"
oscillates and is centered upon a bar "P" kept in position at either end by lock-
nuts "P', PI."
The modus operandi of my invention may be described as follows:-
The cyclist sits upon the saddle "Q" and holds the steering handles "R" in
his hands in the usual way. He places each foot on its corresponding pedal
plate "M," the toe of his boot pressing against the curved part M." With
his right foot he downwardly presses the plate "M" and thus backwardly projects
the connecting rod "G" thereby pushing the crank "" into rotary motion.
The cogged wheel "D" revolves with the crank "F" in a circumferential
line (the centre of radius of which is the axle "H") and synchronously
causing, by the thrust of its cogs or teeth, the other toothed wheel "" to revolve
with it.
As hereinbefore explained the bicycle wheel "A" being rigidly connected by
the hollow bub "B" to the said toothed wheel "C" revolves together with the
litter.
Meanwhile the downward pressure of the left foot is pulling the opposite
crank "" into rotation and no by the alternating motion of the feet a
constant revolution of the axle "H" is maintained whilst the bicycle travels
forward proportionately to the speed of, and energy exercised by, the feet of the
operator.
Reverting to the cogged wheels "C" and "D" illustrated ou the accompanying
drawings find in practice that one complete revolution of "D" around the
periphery of "C" produces two revolutions of the wheel "A" and I desire to
point out that by increasing the diameter of "D" and derrensing proportionately
the diameter of "C" the speed of the wheel "A" may be increased; or inversely
by decreasing the diameter of "D" and increasing that of "C" a slower speed of
the wheel "A" will be adjusted.
In the accompanying drawings I have shewn "D" as operating "C" through
the medium of teeth or cogs but I may in some cases construct the peripheral
surfaces of "C" and "D" of leather rubber or other frictional material 80
that they may engage with one another, in lieu of the aforesaid teeth. In
practice I prefer that the whole of the wearing parts of the rocking levers, "
conneesing rods, cranks, axle, hollow hub and its centres should be constructel
with ball bearings.
I do not arbitrarily confine myself to a rigid adherence to the proportionate sizes"
of the parts illustrated upon the accompanying drawings nor to any particular
materials of construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained she nature of my aid inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what
claim ia-
1. In driving mechanism of bicycles and the like machines-
In combination, a wheel as "C" attached to the hub of driving wheel of
machine a wheel as "D" set upon a pin as "E" and arranged to travel around
and actuate "C," cranks as "F" and "1," internal axle as "HI" and connecting.
rods as "G" and "K" substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. In driving mechanism of bicycles and the like inachines-
In combinations wheel as "C" attached to the hub of the driving wheel of
the manchine, a wheel as "D" set upon a pin as "E" and arranged to travel
around and actuate the wheel "C," cranks "F" and "1," connecting rods "G"

page_text: aud "K," foot-pedals "M, M" and rocking lover as "O," said lever being
provided with an antifriction roller as "N" substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
3. In driving mechanism of bicycles and the like machines-
The general combination and arrangement of the whole of the parts sub-
stantially as herein described, forming my complete driving mechanism for
bioycles and the like machines substantially as illustrated on the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 20th day of Lu 1000
F. J. A. KINDERMANN.