An Improved Form of Gear Case or Covering for the Chain and Wheels of Cycles and similar Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 30th May, 1894-Accepted, 15th Sept., 1824
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Form of Gear Case or Covering for the Chain and
Wheels of Cycles and similar Machines.
I, WALTER BIDDLES Cycle Manufacturer 62 Curzon Street Leicester do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
The invention which I claim is an improved form of gear case, for covering in
the chain and wheels of cycles and for other machinery, and which shall be
oil-tight and readily detachable for purposes of cleaning, adjusting, or for effecting
any necessary repairs to the machine or case.
The outward appearance is very similar to those now in general use except that
no discs or slides are necessary, thus giving a much neater appearance, and being
much cleaner and more effective as the discs and slides in use at present invariably
allow the oil to leak out of the case.
It is constructed of tin or other suitable metal and is made in two parts viz.:-A
top half which fits over the upper portion of the chain and wheels to a little below
a centre line drawn from the centre of the driving wheel to the centre of the driven
wheel. The bottom half covers the bottom portion of chain and wheels up to the
centre line as before described and overlaps the top half of case externally for
a short distance thus causing any oil on the surface of the upper half to drop or
drain into the bottom of the case instead of leaking through as in a butted or other
joint.
:
Where it is necessary to cross the bracket, tube, or back fork end, a foundation
strip of tin or other metal is soldered in the same position as the gear case is to be
fitted viz. parallel with the chain line such strip to extend beyond the bracket,
tube, or fork end or other fixed point a sufficient distance to enable me to make
clean joints by means of a groove in either half of gear case made to fit the
foundation strip and to overlap the same.
All joints in the case shall be made to overlap towards the inside so that the oil
is led back into the case, except where it is found to be unnecessary.
Grooves or channels may be fixed round any joint or aperture if found desirable
to lead the oil on to the bottom half of gear case.
The foundation strips alluded to being soldered to the frame where necessary will
form a support for the case itself as well as giving the advantage of making a clear
oil-tight joint for the two parts of the case to be joined together.
The parts of the case may be secured to these foundation strips by means of
several small screws, the foundation strip having previously been prepared to receive
the said screws by having pieces of metal or small nuts soldered to its inner surface
in the desired position.
Each half may be arranged to screw on independent of the other or the screws
may be so arranged that they hold both parts by inserting them where they
overlap.
Dated this Fourth day of October 1893.
WALTER BIDDLES.

page_text: Fig. 1 shows complete case as fixed to machine the screw C³ passing through the
shield C³, through both halves of the case, and the foundation strips C. C¹.
Fig. 2 shows the manner in which case is taken off and put on after the foundation
strips have been soldered in position and the case is finished.
Fig. 3 shows the position of foundation strips looking at them from the top of the
machine edgeways of the strips; the plain black lines represent the foundation
strips and the dotted lines the chain P. This shows the manner of overlapping the
strips in respect to their length. The length of strips may be continued as long as
desired.
Fig. 4 shows the screw C³ (when only one is used which is preferable where
possible). Any number of screws may be used as desired, either passing through
the case complete as herein described or only holding the edges of the case together
or on the foundation strip.
Fig. 5 shows the method of overlapping the foundation strip and where the two
halves of the case meet. C represents the foundation strip, A. B. and D. E.
showing how the top and bottom halves respectively overlap the foundation strip C
on both sides. B. E shows the manner in which the top half of case (A. B)
overlaps the bottom half (DE) internally where they meet.
Fig. 6 shows one of the foundation strips from an inside view with slot for taking
out wheel or adjusting chain P, the dotted lines representing the overlapping strips
top and bottom; this also shows the hole for screw C2 Fig. 4.
Fig. 7 shows the slide which covers the slot internally, this slide also being
overlapped by the same overlapping strip which covers the foundation strip; this
slide is put on the spindle or axle O2 of wheel before putting the wheel into
the frame of machine, a suitable hole as shown having been previously made to fit
the axle.
Fig. 8 shows portion of window frame J with an internal thread to admit ring K
as per Fig. 10 (which screws the transparent material up to the shoulder inside the
metal ring J Fig. 8) and an external thread to screw into Fig. 9 which may be used
when it is desired to be able to take out the cap without disturbing the transparent
material.
Fig. 9 shows a ring L of metal for purpose as above described which may
be soldered, cemented, or moulded into the gear case according to material used for
making the case.
Fig. 10 shows an inner ring of metal K for the purpose as above described
of screwing into Fig. 8 to hold the transparent material firm to the shoulder.
Fig. 11 shows the manner in which the said rings forming the window frame
screw into each other where this method is used.

page_text: Fig. 12 shows the window frame complete (including the transparent material H).
ready for soldering or otherwise fixing into the case itself.
Fig. 13 shows the method of gripping the transparent material should a square or
any other shaped window be used and this method may be used in round ones as
well if found preferable.
The outward appearance of the case is somewhat similar to others now in general
use. It is constructed of tin, or other suitable material or composition which is
unaffected by oil, and is made in two parts, viz. :-A top half A. B which fits over
the upper portion of the chain P and wheels to a little below a centre line drawn
from the centre of the driving wheel to the centre of the driven chain wheel
excepting where it fits on the foundation strips which it overlaps on both sides any
desired distance, as per Figures 5, 6 & 7 in drawings. The bottom half D, E
Fig. 5 covers the bottom portion of chain P and wheels &c. up to the centre line as
above described and overlaps the top half of case externally (and foundation strip
as already described) for a short distance thus causing any oil on the inner surface
of the upper half to drop or drain into the bottom of the case instead of leaking
through as in a butted joint.
Where it is necessary to cross the bracket F, tube F¹, F' fork end F³ or other
fixed or nonrevolving part of machine I propose to solder a foundation strip C of
tin or other suitable metal in such a position that the ends of the foundation strips
extend a sufficient length to enable me to make an overlapping joint inside and
outside of such strip to the desired distance below the edge of strip or centre of tube
or case. All joints in the case shall be made to overlap towards the inside of the
case in such a manner that any oil on the inner surface of the case will be conducted
down into the bottom half of the case.
Grooves or channels A', D' may be fixed over or round any joint or aperture
(where desirable) to lead the oil into the bottom half of the case.
The foundation strips C, C₁ alluded to being soldered to the frame where
necessary will form a support for the case itself (which is built so as to fit the strip
top and bottom) as well as providing a ready means of making an oiltight joint over
the tubes F1, F2 bracket F, fork-ends F³, or, in the case of tricycles over the main
axle.
The two parts A, B and D, E of the case may be secured to the foundation
strips C, C, by means of several small screws which pass through the overlapping
parts of case and screw into small nuts which have previously been fixed in the
desired position to the inner surface of foundation strip, or, by one screw C' in such
a position that it passes through a portion of both halves of the case where they
overlap and through the foundation strip or strips (which are, where possible, made
to overlap each other in respect to their length) and out at the other side of the case
where a nut has been previously fixed to receive it. The whole are prevented from
being forced out of shape and position by the pressure on the screw by having
a suitable piece of tube, soldered or fixed between the foundation strips through
which the screw passes, such tube also acting as a guide for the screw.
Each half of the case may be fixed separately by either of the methods as here
described, independent of each other.
To provide means of ascertaining at a glance the amount of oil or dirt in the case,
or the condition of the chain, chain pin, nut, or rivets I propose to insert a small
window H by fixing a piece of glass, mica, celluloid, or talc, or other suitable
transparent material at or near the lowest portion of the case. This I propose to fix
either by cementing, or moulding a piece of transparent material in the desired
position should celluloid, papier mache, xylonite or such like materials or
composition be used for the case. But, in the metal gear cases I propose to use a
frame in the form of a circular ring J of metal with an internal thread and a
shoulder for a less ring K of metal to screw up to, which will fit the internal threads
as above.
The frame or larger ring J here referred to may be either soldered into the case
itself or it may be made to screw into a still larger ring or frame thus enabling the

page_text: medium sized cap or ring to be taken out for any purpose without disturbing the
transparent material, which is held in it by means of the smallest ring. I propose
to use washers M of soft material such as leather to ensure these joints being
perfectly oiltight and free from rattle.
These rings may be any other shape than round if desired, and may, if preferred,
be made to slide into each other and be secured in position by several small screws
or any other means, instead of the rings screwing into each other, as this would be
impossible if the rings were square or any other shape than round.
As a means of providing for setting the chain-wheels further apart for adjusting
the chain and also of covering the slot left for adjustment, a slide of thin material
such as tin is prepared to fit on the spindle or axle O' of moveable part and to press
closely to the surface of the foundation strips C in such a way that the overlapping
on the case fits over it to the same extent as it overlaps the foundation strip and at
the same time, space being left under the overlaps to admit the double thickness of
metal thus provided. This metal slide is free to slide with the axle and along the
foundation strip underneath the overlapping strips of the case itself, the length or
depth of such overlapping strip being sufficient to cover the edge of this slide when
at any point of adjustment.
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.) The use of foundation strips of metal soldered to the frame of machine
substantially as described.
(2.) The use of overlapping strips in the case itself which overlap the foundation
strip on both sides as per Fig. 5 and substantially as described.
(3.) The use of the window made in such manner substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of May 1894.
WALTER BIDDLES.