IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Browne at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th April
1869.
I, HENRY BROWNE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES," to be as follows (that is to say):
This Invention has for its object the reduction to a minimum of the
friction consequent on the working of the wheels of velocipedes, also
dispensing with the necessity of constantly oiling or lubricating the
axles of the same.
Velocipedes as at present constructed are heavy to work, and require
a great deal of lubrication, and by the application of this Invention the
friction consequent upon the axle working in the bush is reduced very
considerably, also rendering lubrication needless. The worker or driver
is thereby saved much fatigue, as the weight and exertion attendant on
driving is greatly reduced.
To construct a machine or velocipede according to this application,.
the wheels are fitted in the following manner (by example in that class
of velocipede known as a bicycle) :-The front or driving wheel is made

page_text: in the ordinary manner, having a fixed axle or spindle in the nave; this
axle or spindle works in a bush of the following description:-This bush
is made by preference of brass (but may be made of other metal) and
is formed of a cylindrical piece, having collars projecting at both ends
on the outside. Inside the cylinder or bush there is a small flange
or projection at the side nearest the crank, and working into this cylinder
there are a series of rollers, which are fitted or work into two washers,
one on the outside nearest the crank and one on the inside or side
nearest the nave. These rollers work between the washers, have the
centres therein, and bear or roll on the inside surface of the cylinder,
and they are of sufficient diameter as to bear on their opposite surface
(or the side opposite to that which bears on the cylinder) on the axle of
the wheel, These washers are fixed together by means of pins passing
between the rollers and rivetted securely into each washer.
On the side
of the bush or cylinder nearest the wheel there is soldered or otherwise
fastened a ring which keeps the washers and series of rollers in their
place. On the outside there is fitted a loose ring or disc, which fills
up the space on the outside (or side nearest the crank) allowing the
axle to pass therethrough. The crank which is fitted on this axle has
a collar which keeps the said ring or disc securely in its place, and
thereby prevents any possibility of dirt, sand, or other clogging matter
gaining acces to the rollers. The axle of this front or driving wheel
bears or runs on each side in a cylinder or bush of the foregoing
description. The hinder wheel (or wheels in other cases) have the nave
fitted also with bushes according to the foregoing description. In this
case the bushes or cylinders are made with a flange on the outside only,
which flange is securely attached to the nave of the wheel by means of
screws or otherwise.
It will be easily seen that in the case of velocipedes (where reduction
of friction is so much needed and required) that a machine constructed
or fitted in the foregoing manner will have great advantage over
machines with the ordinary description of axle and bush, as the friction
surface is greatly reduced by the antifriction rollers and necessarily the
ubrication of the same is greatly reduced or entirely dispensed with.