Improvements in Epicyclic Speed Driving Gear.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Epicyclic Speed Driving Gear.
I FRANCIS ISAAC NIBBS of 277 Albany Road Camberwell in the County of
Surrey Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
·-
My invention relates to improvements in epicyclic speed driving gear of
velocipedes, steam or other engines & other machines.
Upon a central driving shaft or axle is made to revolve a hollow or solid crank
or cranks. On one of these cranks are one or more pairs of intermediate axles &
toothed wheels and an end axle and toothed wheel this end toothed wheel being
fixed to and driven by a connecting rod or pedal.
Fixed upon the central driving shaft or axle is a toothed wheel, the whole of the
toothed wheels being in gear with each other. The end toothed wheel driven by
the connecting rod or pedal in its revolution round the central driving shaft or
axle drives the toothed wheel on the central driving shaft or axle with the
leverage of the crank or cranks, and by its revolution round the end axle on the
crank or cranks increases the speed of the central driving shaft or axle according
to the relative circumferences of the toothed wheel driven by the connecting rod
or pedal and the toothed wheel fixed on the central driving shaft or axle.
I show how I apply my invention to that class of velocipedes known as bicycles
by Figures 1 and 2 on the accompanying sheet of drawings and how I apply the
said invention to the driving shafts of steam or other engines and other machines
by Figure 3 on the said sheet of drawings.
Figure 1 shews a transverse section and Figure 2 a longitudinal section of this
invention applied to a bicycle.
Figure 3 shews a transverse section of this invention applied to the driving
shafts of steam or other engines and other machines.
In applying my invention to bicycles as delineated in Figures 1 and 2 a central
axle A is made hollow or solid as desirable having the ends thereof prepared for
ball bearings as shewn. Fixed to the central axle A and revolving with same are
two hollow cranks B, B¹ each made in two pieces and bolted together in the
manner shewn and forming a casing for the gear. Fixed, to the inner pieces, of
the hollow cranks B, B₁ are axles C, C' grooved for ball bearings upon which
revolve toothed wheels D, D'. Also fixed to the inner pieces of the hollow.
cranks B, B' are the solid axles of the pedals E, E' prepared for ball bearings as
shewn.
Revolving on the ball bearings F, F¹ are toothed wheels G, G₁ gearing with the
toothed wheels D and having hollow sleeves H, H'. Screwed or otherwise fixed
to the hollow sleeves H, H' are the pedals I, I' with sleeves enlarged at the ends
where screwed to the sleeves H, H' and prepared for ball bearings at the other
ends in the usual manner.
Revolving on the ball bearings J, J₁ at each end of the central axle A is a
hollow axle K with ball bearings L, L' to receive the hub M. Fixed at the ends
of the hollow axle K are toothed wheels N, N' gearing with the toothed wheels D'.
The chain wheel O is also fixed to the hollow axle K. P, P1, P2 are the tubes of
an ordinary frame.
In the action of pedalling the toothed wheels revolve in the directions shewn by

page_text: arrows on Figure 2. The toothed wheels G, G¹ in their revolution round the
central axle A tend to lock the gear, and through the intermediate wheels D, D¹
drive the toothed wheels N, N' with the leverage of the hollow cranks B, B' but
at the same time the toothed wheels G, G' are driven by the pedals round the
pedal axles E, E¹ in the direction shewn by the arrow on Figure 2 and thereby
through the toothed wheels D, D¹ increasing the speed of the toothed wheels N, N¹
according to the relative circumferences of the toothed wheels G, G¹ and N, N'.
In Figures 1 and 2 the circumferences of the toothed wheels G, Gi and N, N' are
sbewn equal, giving for one half revolution of the wheels G, G¹ round the central
axle A one revolution of the wheels N, N¹.
When desirable to drive a velocipede without chain wheels and chain, I make
the hollow axle K the hub of the driving wheel of the velocipede.
In the application of my invention to the driving shafts of steam or other engines
and other machines as delineated in Figure 3, Z is an ordinary driving shaft.
Opposite to the shaft Z and in line therewith is a fixed axle Y. Revolving round
the shaft Z and the fixed axle Y on the bearings X is a double crank W with
crank pin V and axles U, U' on the inside of one arm of crank W. Fixed to the
driving shaft Z is a toothed wheel T. Revolving upon the axles U, U₁ are
toothed wheels S, S¹. Made in halves and revolving upon the crank pin V is a
toothed wheel R. The connecting rod of a steam or other engine or the driving
rod of other machines is shewn by the letter Q and the head of this connecting or
driving rod is formed with bearings on the crank pin V and bolted or otherwise
fixed to the toothed wheel R.
The toothed wheels R, S, S¹, and T are geared together as shewn and the
circumferences of these wheels are varied according to the speed desired.
When desirable I dispense with the fixed axle Y and use a single crank and pin
instead of the double crank W, securing the head of the connecting or driving
rod Q on the crank pin V with a washer and key.
I use preferentially four toothed wheels in each set of gear as shewn on
drawings and I vary the circumferences of these wheels as desirable according to
the speed to be obtained but three or more pairs of toothed wheels may be used if
desired.
Dated this 11th day of September 1895
Improvements in Epicyclic Speed Driving Gear.
I FRANCIS ISAAC NIBBS of 277 Albany Road Camberwell in the County of
Surrey 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 improvements in epicyclic speed driving gear of
velocipedes, steam or other engines, and other machines and has for its object the
increase of speed of the driving axles or shafts of velocipedes, steam or other
engines and other machines and at the same time retaining a proportion of the
power usually lost in epicyclic speed driving gear.
Now according to my invention upon a central driving shaft or axle is made to
revolve a hollow or solid crank or cranks. On one of these cranks are one or
more pairs of intermediate axles and toothed wheels and an end axle and toothed
wheel this end toothed wheel being fixed to and driven by a connecting rod,
coupling rod or pedal.
Fixed upon the central driving shaft or axle is a toothed wheel, the whole of the
toothed wheels being in gear with each other.

page_text: The end toothed wheel driven by the connecting rod, coupling rod or pedal in
its revolution round the central driving shaft or axles drives the toothed wheel on
the central driving shaft or axle with the leverage of the crank or cranks and by
its revolution round the end axle on the crank or cranks increases the speed of the
central driving shaft or axle, according to the relative circumferences of the toothed
wheel driven by the connecting rod, coupling rod or pedal, and the toothed wheel
fixed on the central driving shaft or axle.
By the sheet of drawings filed with my Provisional Specification I show how
I apply my invention to that class of velocipedes known as bicycles, using a
separate set of the gear in hollow pedal cranks by Figures 1 and 2 and how
I apply the said invention to the driving shafts of velocipedes, steam or other
engines, and other machines with a single set of the gear by Figure 3 on the said
sheet of drawings.
Figure 1 shews a transverse section and Figure 2 a longitudinal section of this
invention applied to a bicycle with a separate set of the gear in each of the hollow
pedal cranks.
Figure 3 shews a transverse section of this invention applied to the driving shafts
of velocipedes, steam or other engines, and other machines using a single set of the
gear therefor.
In applying my invention to bicycles using a separate set of the gear in each of
the hollow pedal cranks as delineated in Figures 1 and 2, A is a central axle made
hollow or solid as desirable, having the ends thereof prepared for ball bearings as
shewn. Fixed to the central axle A and revolving with same are two hollow
cranks B, B each made in two pieces, and bolted together in the manner shewn
and forming a casing for the gear.
Fixed to the inner pieces of the hollow cranks B, B' are the axles C, C¹ grooved
for ball bearings, upon which revolve toothed wheels D, D¹. Also fixed to the
inner pieces of the hollow cranks B, B' are the solid axles of the pedals E, E¹
prepared for ball bearings as shewn.
Revolving on the ball bearings F, F¹ are toothed wheels G, G¹ gearing with the
toothed wheels D, and having hollow sleeves H, H. Screwed or otherwise fixed
to the hollow sleeves H, H₁ are the pedals 1, 11 with sleeves enlarged at the ends
where screwed to the sleeves H, H' and prepared for ball bearings at the other
ends in the usual manner.
Revolving on the ball bearings J, J¹ at each end of the central axle A, is a
hollow axle K with ball bearings L, L' to receive the hub M. Fixed at the
ends of the hollow axle K are toothed wheels N, N' gearing with the toothed
wheels D¹.
The chain wheel O is also fixed to the hollow axle K. P, P1, P2 are the tubes
of an ordinary frame.
In the action of pedalling the toothed wheels revolve in the directions shewn by
arrows on Figure 2. The toothed wheels G, G' in their revolution round the
central axle A, by the interlocking of the gear, and through the intermediate
wheels D, D¹, drive the toothed wheels N, N' with the leverage of the hollow
cranks B, B¹ but at the same time the toothed wheels G, G¹ are driven by the
pedals round the pedal axles E, E' in the direction shewn by the arrow on
Figure 2 and thereby through the toothed wheels D, D' increasing the speed of
the toothed wheels N, N' according to the relative circumferences of the toothed
wheels G, G1 and N, N'. In Figures 1 and 2 the circumferences of the toothed
wheels G, G and N, N' are shewn equal, giving for one half revolution of
the wheels G, G' round the central axle A one revolution of the wheels N, N'.
When desirable to drive a velocipede with gear as shewn in Figures 1 and 2 but
without chain wheels and chain, I make the hollow axle K the hub of the driving
wheel of the velocipede.
.
The application of my invention to the driving shafts of velocipedes, steam or
other engines and other machines using a single set of the gear is delineated in
Figure 3 which shews a transverse section of the gear, and where Z is an ordinary

page_text: driving shaft or axle. Opposite to the shaft Z and in line therewith is a fixed
axle Y. Revolving round the shaft Z and the fixed axle Y, on the bearings X is
a double crank W with crank pin V, and axles U, U¹ on the inside of one arm of
the double crank W.
Fixed to the driving shaft Z, is a toothed wheel T. Revolving upon the
axles U, U are toothed wheels S, S. Made in halves and revolving on the
crank pin V is a toothed wheel R. The connecting rod, or coupling rod of a
steam or other engine or the driving rod of other machines is shewn by the
letter Q.
In driving velocipedes with a single set of the gear as delineated in Figure 3,
I dispense with the ordinary chain and chain wheels, and make.Q a coupling rod
driven from ordinary pedal cranks in any desirable manner.
The head of the connecting, coupling, or driving rod Q is formed with bearings
on the crank pin V and bolted or otherwise fixed to the toothed wheel R.
The toothed wheels, R, S, S¹ and T are geared together as shewn, and the
circumferences of these wheels may be varied, according to the speed desired.
When desirable I dispense with the fixed axle Y, and use a single crank and
pin V instead of the double crank W, securing the head of the connecting, coupling,
or driving rod Q on the crank pin V with a washer and key.
I use preferentially four toothed wheels in each set of gear as shewn on
drawings, but three or more pairs of toothed wheels may be used if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a driving gear composed of an epicyclic train of toothed wheels, the use of
two or more pairs of toothed wheels, one of the said toothed wheels being fixed to
the driving shaft or axle, the other toothed wheels revolving on axles attached to
a loose revolving single or double crank, as delineated by the drawings and herein
described.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1896