Improvements in or relating to Bicycle Pedals.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Bicycle Pedals.
I, FREDERICK DENISON OWEN, Manufacturer and Designer, of 1423 New
York Avenue, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. 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 certain new and useful improvements in pedals for
bicycles, and has for its object a construction which will rigidly bind the foot to
the pedal base during the pedalling operation, but which will instantly release
the foot at the will of the rider, or in the event of his being thrown from the
machine.
In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of my invention,
Figure 1 represents a plan view of one form of a bicycle pedal embodying my
invention, certain parts being shown in section, and the position of certain others
indicated in dotted lines.
Figure 2 represents a section and partial elevation on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
Figure 3, represents a top plan view thereof partly in section with the pedal
plates and binding accessories removed.
Figure 4 represents a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.
Figure 5 represents certain details of constructions.
Figure 6 represents a top plan view of a modified form of pedalling plate, and
Figure 7 represents a top plan view of another modification.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring to the drawings, A indicates the crank arm of a bicycle pedal, provided
with pedal supporting arm a, having at its outer end the usual cone b, nut c, and
intermediate washer d, said cone b and the extended arm a' of the arm a being cut
away at their proximate edges so as to form a track for the bearing balls e. The
ball-bearing is completed by a forging filled out to accommodate the balls e, and
the ball-bearing thus made is rendered dust proof by the interposition on opposite
sides of the series of balls of two annular disks g of felt or the like. The forging/
is provided with a forward extension f¹ and a lug 2 A pivot pin h, at right
angles to the horizontal axis or vertical oscillation of the pedal, is provided at its
upper end with an expanded head and at its lower end with a screw-thread /².
The pivot pin h serves as a means of connection between the forging f and the
pedal plate m, and is secured in place by the conical nut ³, and set nut with the
intermediate washer h, these nuts being adjustable so as to take up wear. Through
the instrumentality of the pivot pin, the plate m is permitted to have a slight
oscillating motion either upon the pivot pin or with it and in a plane at right angles
to its plane or vertical oscillation.
The pedal plate m is preferably made of sheet steel struck up in a suitable die
so as to provide a track for the bearing-balls e'. In some instances, the plate mis
provided with an additional track-way at its rear end for the reception of bearing-
balls e, thereby still further diminishing friction. The forging is provided on its
upper surface with corresponding tracks for the reception of the bearing balls, as
indicated.
The pedal plate m may extend rearwardly, as indicated in dotted lines, to form
a support for the heel of the rider; but preferably it terminates at a point in
advance of the heel, and is provided thereat with upwardly projecting curved
ridge n serrated upon its upper edge. The pivot pin h, in practice will be found

page_text: located, in the position shown, about midway beneath the ball of the foot, and will
furnish a centre of sidewise oscillation so as to accommodate itself to the slight
sidewise oscillation of the foot during the pedalling action.
At its forward end the plate m is provided with a projectin m' through which
passes a pivot pin r, this pivot pin is screw-threaded at its lower end for the
reception of a retaining nut and serves as a centre of oscillation for two pivoted
members s,, which extend outwardly in bow-form with a return bend, as shown
more fully in Fig. 2. These arms constitute means for automatically binding or
gripping the foot to the pedal plate. Thus, for instance, the arms extends with
an upward bend through a slot m² of the pedal plate and the arms is provided
with an upturned portion engaging with a plate s which is connected with the
pedal plate m by means of a sliding pin s. During the pedalling action, the toe
portion of the rider's shoe naturally presses forward between the arms s, s' and
forces said arms apart; consequently the inner ends of said arms move toward each
other, and clamp the rider's shoe between the projections and st. When the
rider wishes to release his foot he moves it backwardly, thereby taking the
pressure from the forward ends of the arms s, s', and consequently relieving
the binding action of the clamping ends upon the shoe.
The advantage of using simply an upturned end 2 as a clamping member for the
shoe is one of economy of construction, and it is, of course, obvious that the same
upturned arm could be used as a clamping member of the arms. The advantage
of using the plate s is that it may be inade adjustable so that the pedal may be set
for any particular width of shoe, and it is equally evident that this adjustable
plate may be used as a clamping member of the arm s', so as to give a wider range
of adjustment.
In the construction shown in Figure 6, I have substituted for the plate m, two
homologous plates mo, m, having arms &, s, bowed or curved in manner similar to
the curvature of the forward ends of the arms s, s'. These plates are provided
with a series of apertures t, t, 2. According as the pivot pin h is passed through
the one or the other of this series of apertures, the clamping leverage of the
arms is correspondingly adjusted. The plates m³, m³ are provided with
upturned portions, which may be adjusted by means of the pin and slet
connections. The operation of this modification of the invention is apparent.
The pedal plate consisting of the two sectious m³, m³, is connected to the forging
by means of the pivot pin h, and constitutes its own clamping device for the shine
of the rider; ie., the forward pressure of the toe of the rider's shoe between the
bowed arms, canses the plate sectious mo, m, to come together, thereby
clamping the edge of the shoe between the projections s', s.
In the modification shown in Fig. 7 the plate m secured to the forging in the
same manner as is represented in Figures 1 and 2, is provided upon its upper
surface with slide plates u, v, pivoted to each other at and connected to the
plate m by slots and pins ».
At their forward ends the plates, are adapted to have secured to them the
curved arms soll bowed or arched in like manner to that shown in Fig. 2. These
arms are adjustable by means of bolt nuts entering in one of a series of corre
sponding perforations in the plates e, . At their rear ends the plates v, v are
provided with clamping projections 2, s. In this modification of the invention
the foot of the rider, during the pedalling operation, causes the plates e, to move
budily forward, and this movement being guided by the pin and slot connection
with the plate causes the clamping projections s, sto bind upon the edge
of the rider's shoe. A backward movement of the fuot releases this clamping
action.
So far as I am aware, it is broadly new to provide a bicycle pedal with toe
clamps which are caused to move forwardly and automatically bind the shoe to the
pedal by reason of a forward thrust of the shoe during the pedalling action, aud
which are adapted to be disengaged at the will of the operator by the withdrawal
of the shoe. This is the main characteristic feature of my invention illustrated in

page_text: desire
several modifications, and is of a generic character common to them all.
to be understood therefore as claiming this feature broadly wherever found in
bicycle pedals.
It will be, of course, understood that the automatic clamping devices, as herein-
before described are applicable to the ordinary form of rectangular pedal having
two bearings, in use at present; in fact the claims are intended to cover the
devices therein set forth wherever they may appear in bicycle pedal construction.
I may also, in some instances dispense with the automatic clamping device shown
in Figs. 1 and 2 and use the pedal construction therein illustrated without said
clamping devices, in which event I would still derive the useful function due to the
foot plate pivoted in advance or to one side of the axis of the pedal shaft.
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. A bicycle pedal provided with foot clamps, having operating members
pivoted together and adapted to be spread by the rider's shoe during pedalling
and to thereby cause the foot clamps to biud upon the shoe, substantially as
described.
2. A bicycle pedal provided with foot clamps, and means in the path of forward
pressure of the rider's shoe for causing said clamps to move inwardly and bind
upon the shoe, said clamps being mounted upon the pedal base to oscillate sidewise,
substantially as described.
3. A bicycle pedal mounted to swing in a vertical plane upon an axial support,
and pivoted with foot clamps mounted to swing sidewise upon pivotal bearings
located in advance of the axial support and provided with forward projections
beyond the pivotal mounting, for engagement with the toe portion of the rider's
shoe, substantially as described.
4. A bicycle pedal mounted to swing in a vertical plane upon an axial support,
and provided with a base piece, a foot plate pivoted to swing sidewise upon the
base piece and having shoe clamping projections and arms pivoted in advance of
the axial support and having projections beyond the pivotal mounting for engage-
ment with the toe portion of the rider's shoe, substantially as described.
5. A bicycle pedal mounted to swing in a vertical plane on an axial support, and
provided with a base piece, a foot-plate pivoted to swing sidewise upon the base-
piece and having shoe clamping projections, ball-bearings interposed between the
base-piece and foot-plate, arms pivoted in advance of the axial support and having
projections beyond the pivotal mounting for engagement with the toe portion of
the rider's shoe, substantially as described.
6. A bicycle pedal, provided with a foot plate mounted to swing laterally upon
a centre in advance of the axis upon which the pedal is mounted, substantially as
described.
7. A bicycle pedal, provided with a foot plate mounted to swing laterally upon
a centre in advance of the axis upon which the pedal is mounted, and ball bearings
for said foot plate, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of January 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.