Improvements connected with Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like for Effecting Variations in their Speed.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Nov., 1892-Accepted, 17th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like for
Effecting Variations in their Speed.
A communication by JEAN JOACHIM JOURNAUX, of 56, Rue des Cevennes, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Machine Builder.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, & 6 Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, & 323 High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object to furnish a simple means for varying the
relation of the gearing of bicycles, tricycles and the like, and consists in the use of
a toothed collar capable of being fitted, when required, on one of the pinions which
receive the driving chain, and the diameter of which thus increased to a certain
extent; it also consists in a peculiar tension arrangement of the chain allowing the
collar to be rapidly placed in position.
The collar employed may form a closed ring, or even be composed of two parts
opening on hinges and held closed by means of a spring clip.
In every case, it is provided internally with recesses and projections corresponding
exactly to the teeth of the pinion on which it is to be fitted (preferably, the pinion
of the driving wheel) and its circumference has teeth exactly similar to those of
this pinion but has a greater number of teeth. All the internal parts of this collar
being engaged in the teeth of the pinion on which it is fitted, the pull of the chain
is transmitted to this pinion without any strain being produced which might
tend to displace the collar transversely, or to open it when it is made in two
pieces.
It will be understood that, in order to remove, for instance, the collar from the
pinion on which it is mounted, it is necessary to slacken the chain in order to release
it completely, and then to draw the collar laterally in order to cause it to slip out of
the teeth of the pinion; in cases where this collar is formed of two hinged parts,
the spring clip, which keeps them closed, is opened, and they are separated suffi-
ciently to allow of the passage of the shaft of the driving wheel or wheels of the
vehicle; when it is desired to place the collar in position, the above operations are
simply reversed.
In order to facilitate and accelerate the putting in position or the removal of the
collar, the following arrangement is employed:
:-
The cog wheel, carrying the chain, is keyed, in the usual manner, on the pedal
shaft, which is supported and connected with the frame by means of lugs allowing
of its being moved transversely. On the fixed axis joint of these lugs, a balanced
piece can oscillate, the lower part of which clasps the pedal shaft, whilst its upper
part may be hollow to carry a spring key provided with lateral projections arranged
in such a way as to engage in the notches of a semi-circular bar, these notches
being suitably spaced in order to impart to the chain the requisite degree of
tension according to whether it is to be mounted direct on the pinion of the
driving wheel or ou the collar which is fitted thereon as aforesaid.
Further, it may be mentioned that, in order to be able to compensate, when
necessary, for the effect produced by the lengthening of the chain or by the wearing
of the teeth, the abovenamed notches are preferably made in pieces attached to the
semi-circular bar by means of screws traversing oval shaped holes in order to allow
of their being slightly adjusted to the requisite extent.

page_text: It must be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular arrange-
ment for regulating the tension of the chain as described above, but any other
suitable means may be employed for enabling the driving chain to be rapidly
tightened or slackened for the purpose of allowing the above described system of
movable collar to be easily put in position or removed.
Dated this 4th day of February 1892
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like for
Effecting Variations in their Speed.
A communication by JEAN JOACHIM JOURNAUX, of 56, Rue des Cevennes, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Machine Builder.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Man-
chester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil 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 for its object to furnish a simple means for varying the
relation of the gearing of bicycles, tricycles, and the like, and consists in the use
of a toothed collar capable of being fitted, when required, on one of the pinions of
the driving wheel for the purpose of increasing the diameter of the same and
consequently the number of teeth; and, as will be hereinafter explained, it may
even entirely replace this pinion: it also consists in a peculiar tension arrangement
of the chain allowing the collar to be rapidly placed in position.
The description of these improvements will now be given, reference being made,
for clearness sake, to the drawings accompanying this Specification, in which:-
Figure 1 is a view of the movable collar mounted on the pinion of the driving
wheel.
Figure 2 is a view of the open collar shown separately.
Figure 3 is a view of a modification of the removable collar replacing the
pinion of the driving wheel.
Figure 4 is a view of this collar open and shown separately.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the tension arrangement of the chain.
The collar employed may form a closed ring, or even be composed of two parts
opening on hinges, and may be held closed by means of a spring clip.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2, the collar A is arranged in two
parts, opening on the hinge a, the end a' a' of the same being connected by means
of tenon and mortise joint.
The collar is provided internally with recesses and projections corresponding
exactly to the teeth of the pinion B keyed on the axle C of the driving wheel on
which it is to be preferably fitted, and its circumference has teeth exactly similar to
those of this pinion but has a greater number of teeth. All the internal parts of
this collar being engaged in the teeth of the pinion on which it is fitted, the pull of
the chain D is transmitted to this pinion without any strain being produced which
might tend to displace the collar transversely, or to open it when it is made in two
pieces, nevertheless, in order to render the collar more secure, it is held firm by
means of a spring clip b, as shown in Figure 2.
It will be seen that, the chain having been first removed from the pinion B, it is
sufficient to open the collar in order to insert therein the axle C, then to close the
same immediately and engage it laterally on the teeth of the pinion; the chain is
then replaced and the bicycle is ready geared to work at a less speed than before.
In order to remove the collar, the above operations are simply reversed.

page_text: When the collar is made in one piece, it is provided with three pins
penetrating into openings formed for the purpose in the body of the pinion B, and
in which they always remain more or less engaged; the collar thus always remains
firmly attached to the pinion and which it covers or uncovers according as it is
moved laterally in one direction or another.
Of course, instead of arranging the movable collar on the pinion B of the driving
wheel, this pinion may be dispensed with, and be replaced by piece R of a square
or other polygonal form and keyed on the axle C, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of
the accompanying drawings. In this case, the collar G, which is also hinged at a
fits over the square R and itself forms the pinion of the bicycle.
It suffices, therefore, to arrange a certain number of these movable collars each
having a different number of teeth, but interchangeable, to enable the relation of
the gearings of the motor chain D to be varied, by operating in the manner
previously described.
+
It is evident, therefore, that in this latter case it is sufficient, when any one has
finished using the tricycle, to remove the novable collar G from it, in order to make
the vehicle unuseable and prevent its being used by a person who might injure it.
In any case, it is necessary, in order to accelerate the operation, to be able to
rapidly lengthen or shorten the chain D; this can be effected in the following
manner, reference being had to Figure 5 of the drawing:
In this figure, E is the cog wheel carrying the chain D and keyed on the pedal
shaft F, which is connected to the frame H H in the usual manner by means of
hinged lugs I.
In order to allow of the tension of the chain D being regulated, a balanced
piece K can oscillate on the fixed axis joint J of lugs I, the lower part / of which
clasps the central part of the pedal shaft F, whilst its upper part may be hollow
to carry a spring key L for regulating the tension of the chain. For this purpose,
this key L L, which is constantly returned by the spring M, is provided with
lateral projections 1, arranged in such a way as to engage in the notches of a
semi-circular bar N, fixed to the vertical branch H of the frame, these notches S
being suitably spaced in order to impart to the chain the requisite degree of tension,
according to whether it is to be mounted direct on the pinion B of the driving
wheel or on the collar A which is fitted thereon as aforesaid.
A handle allows the key L to be easily operated and placed in one or other
of the notches S, or to be pushed externally to the left in order to completely relax
the chain.
On the drawing, the position occupied by the key L corresponds to the case
where the chain D is mounted directly on the pinion B, the middle position is the
one which it occupies when the chain is to be fitted on the collar A, finally,
the position shown on the left represents the case where the chain is relaxed.
In order to be able to compensate, when necessary, for the effect produced by
the lengthening of the chain or by the wearing of the teeth, the above named
notches S are preferably made in segments P attached to the branches of the
semi-circular bar N by means of bolts Q, traversing oval shaped holes in order
to allow of the position of the segments P being adjusted according to
requirements.
Further, this facility for instantaneously releasing the chain, allows the latter
to be disengaged from its pinion B when it is desired to push the bicycle by hand
whilst walking, and to be suspended at such time on a little hook arranged for this
purpose in the interior of the frame, this dispenses with the rotation of the pedals,
which, as is well known, is so troublesome in such cases.
It must be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular
arrangement for regulating the tension of the chain as described above, but any
other suitable means may be employed for enabling the driving chain to be rapidly
tightened or slackened for the purpose of allowing the above described system of
movable collar to be easily put in position or removed.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In bicycles, tricycles and the like, a movable collar made in one piece, or in
two pieces hinged together, and having suitable external cogs for receiving the
driving chain, this collar being arranged in such a way as to allow of its being
fitted by being pushed laterally on the pinion of the driving wheel, or its
mechanical equivalent, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
2. In bicycles, tricycles, and the like, and in combination with the system of the
movable collar specified in Claim 1, an arrangement for stretching the chain,
consisting of an oscillating balance piece (such as K) connected to the axle of the
driving wheel, and provided with a spring key capable of engaging in notches
spaced in such a way as to insure a suitable tension of the chain, according to
whether it is mounted on the pinion of the aforesaid driving wheel, or on the
movable collar arranged on this pinion, substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
3. In combination with the pinion of the driving wheel of a bicycle, a collar such
as A, formed of two hinged pieces, closed by means of a spring catch, this collar
having on its inside cogs arranged to gear exactly with those of the pinion, and on
its outside similar gearing but containing a larger number of teeth.
4. In combination with the pinion of the driving wheel of a bicycle, a closed ring
provided with pegs, or the like parts, capable of entering the body of this pinion,
and having internal cogs intended to gear with those of the pinion, and similar
external gearing but having a greater number of teeth.
Dated this 1st day of November 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.