Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1893-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1894
COMT DEID
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, SIDNEY AUSTIN GRANT, of No. 55 Sherman Street, in the City of
Springfield, County of Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, Manufacturer, 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 for improvement in velocipedes, more particularly pertains to
bicycles of the class comprising shaft and gear connections between the crank-axle
and the driven wheel, which is usually the rear one.
The object of this invention is to provide a construction and combination of
mechanical elements for the medium of transmission which shall be mechanical and
practicable, easy of assemblage, susceptible of all required adjustments with the
utmost facility, and very light, though not inconsistent with the required degree of
strength. Another object of the invention is to improve the brake mechanism as
to construction and arrangement.
To these ends the invention consists in constructions and combinations of
parts, all substantially as will hereinafter fully appear and be set forth in the
claims.
The improved bicycle is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part
of this Specification,-
Figure 1 being a side elevation of the machine showing the enclosing devices for
the improved driving gear.
Figure 2 is a horizontal, longitudinal section, on a larger scale taken on the
line, of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side view of one of the supports for the driving connections, to be
hereinafter more particularly referred to.
Figures 4 and 5 are vertical sectional and elevation views of the brake
mechanism.
Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.
In the drawings, A represents the crank-axle having the pedal-cranks rigidly
affixed thereto, as usual, this shaft being mounted in the tubular bearing-support, B,
which is equipped with suitable ball-bearing devices, and this bearing support, as
here shown, is located at the lower angle of the frame. Said tubular bearing
support, B, is provided with the rearwardly extended lugs, a, a.
C represents the rear-wheel-axle on which the hub, D, of the rear-wheel is
mounted for rotation, the axle being held fixed to what may be termed the rear-
wheel fork-legs or lower rear members, E, E¹, of the frame, the forward
extremities of these members being directly or indirectly engaged with said lugs, a, a,
and keyed, or otherwise secured, thereto.
There is, affixed to the hub of the rear-wheel, a bevel-gear, F, and also affixed
to the crank-axle, a bevel-gear, G.
Between said bevel-gears is a shaft, H, suitably supported, or supported in a
manner which is particularly hereinafter set forth, and having, at its forward and
rear ends, bevel-gears, J, J', the teeth of which mesh respectively with those of the
said gears, G and F.
The rear-wheel-axle, C, is suitably extended at either side of the face of the
The threaded axle
rear-wheel hub, the extremities being screw-threaded.
extremity at one side of the wheel receives the annular bearing member, c, for the

page_text: ball-bearings and also receives the connection therewith of the one lower bind
member, E¹, of the frame.
The other and longer screw-threaded extension of the rear-wheel-axle receives
the sleeve,, which is externally threaded, or both externally and internally
threaded. The inner end of this sleeve is to be brought into suitable proximity
with the adjacent gear-wheel, F, of the hub for bearing upon the intervening
balls.
K represents a tube somewhat shorter than the distance between the rear-wheel-
axle and the crank-axle bearing, this tube having at its rear end a yoke, g, which is
shown as in the form of an elliptical framing made in parts, g', g', although
limitation is not to be made to this particular shape.
The yoke section, gl, is detachably secured to the bifurcated section, g³, by the
screws, o, and the middle bub, g, of said section, is bored and internally screw-
threaded to engage the aforesaid threaded sleeve, f, and to be axially adjustable
relatively thereto.
The said yoke also has at its rear inner boundary and axially in line with the
tube, K, the forwardly extended screw-threaded stud, i, which has engaged thereon
an annular part or "cone," ", to constitute one of the bearing surfaces between
which and the gear, J, the hardened balls for that gear are comprised.
Said gear, J, is keyed or pinned to the rear end of the shaft, H, which shaft
extends therefrom forwardly within and beyond the end of the said tube, K, having
keyed, or pinned, on said extended end the bevel-gear, J, in mesh with the crank-
axle bevel-gear, G.
j represents another yoke which may, though not necessarily, be of elliptical
form, as shown in Figure 3, and it has at its forward and rear boundaries the
tubular hubs, j and, the latter of which encircles, and is connected to, the forward
extremity of tube, K, while a shaft or bar, m, has its intermediate portion fitted
and secured by pins, or otherwise, within the forward tubular hub, j³, and one of
the lugs, a.
The rearward extremity of said bar, m, is screw-threaded as at m³, and receives
the adjustable, annular section, or cone, n, for the ball-bearing between which
and the end-face of the gear, J, the hardened balls for this bearing are
comprised.
'
I purpose to enclose all of the gearing within suitable light casing, of thin metal,
whereby when the machine is set up it will assume the appearance shown in
Figure 1, but no claim is made to any particular construction of enclosing casings,
and hence no detailed illustration or description thereof need be herein given.
It will be noticed that the shaft, H, has no bearing for friction upon its enclosing
tube, or upon any other parts, its support being through the medium of the
gears, J and J', which rest against the balls and the weight of which is sustained
by the annular bearing members, 2, and n.
The brake mechanism, as to its construction and combination and arrangement
with the head and handle-bar-post of the bicycle, will be now described.
o represents the tubular head, and p, the spindle which is upwardly extended
from the front fork through the head having detachable, though rigid, connection
at its upper end with the tubular post, g, of the handle-bars, 9', q³, as usual,
suitable ball-bearings, as shown at r, and as common, being applied between the
tubular head and the said spindle-like-parts which have the usual rotational
movement therewithin.
t represents the brake-thrust-rod, it being disposed within the tubular fork spindle,
and its upper end plays through a perforation, t, vertically through the middle of
the handle-bars at the connection between the handle-bars and handle-bar-post.
The brake-rod has the brake-shoe, t³, at its lower end which is just below the
fork-crown, and suitably near the tire of the front wheel, and the enclosed
retracting spring, t, is applied in the manner clearly shown, for normally holding
the brake from the tire.

page_text: The brake-rod has surrounding it, towards its upper end, the attached collar, u,
which freely slides within the handle-bar-post; another collar, v, surrounds the
andle-bar-post outside of the said collar, having a connection therewith through
means of the screw, v³, which passes, for such connection, through the slot, w,
longitudinally formed through the side of the handle-bar-post, and above the
tubular head.
The brake-lever, y, which is pivotally mounted on one of the handle-bars,
as usual, has its inner end through the link,, connected to the said sleeve, v.
The brake and operative connections, which are sectional and detachable,
manifestly may be very easily removed from the bicycle, should the rider elect to
use the machine without a brake.
The hand-grips, k, for the handle-bars, are formed of corn-cob, which are axially
bored to fit upon the handle-bar ends, being preferably exteriorly turned, 60 as to
leave the cells, or pits, within a generally smooth surface. These handle-bars are
deemed very desirable and advantageous, they not rendering the hands sore or
calloused, nor do they quickly become begrimed to present an unclean appear-
ance, and they, moreover, afford a most satisfactory feeling to the hands of the user,
and will withstand much violent usage without disintegration.
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 velocipede, the combination with the crank-axle with a bevel-gear
thereon, and the rear-wheel-axle, the crank-axle-bearing having a rearwardly
extended lug or member, a, and the rear-wheel having a bevel-gear on its hub, of a
tubular side member of the frame having a support on an extension of the rear-
wheel-axle, the shaft enclosed in said tubular member and having bevel-gears at
each end which mesh with the aforesaid gears, and said tube having a yoke encircling
the forward shaft gear and having at its forward end the hollow hub, the bar, or
stud, m, supported by said lug, a, and encircled by said hollow yoke bub and having
on a rearwardly extended portion thereof a screw-engaged bearing member, n,
substantially as described.
2. In a velocipede, the combination with a frame fixedly supporting the rear-
wheel-axle, and also the bearing support for the crank-axle, of the rear-wheel and
the crank-axle each having a gear-wheel thereon, and the tubular fork-leg or frame
member at the side of the rear-wheel having at its rear end a yoke which has a
supporting connection to said fixed rear-wheel-axle, the shaft enclosed in the tube
and having within said yoke a gear in mesh with the rear-wheel gear, and having
connected to its forward end a gear in mesh with the crank-axle gear, a yoke
adapted to encircle the forward gear of the said shaft and having tubular portions
at opposite sides thereof one of which receives connection with a forward end
portion of the gear shaft, and a stud rigidly fixed to, and rearwardly projected
from, the crank-axle-bearing and affording a supporting member for the forward
tubular member of the said yoke, which encircles it, substantially as described.
66
3. In a velocipede, the combination with a frame fixedly supporting the rear-
5 wheel-axle and also the bearing support for the crank-axle, said rear-wheel-axle
being projected outwardly beyond the rear-wheel hub, the rear-wheel having a
bevel-gear secured thereto, and a sleeve or cone" longitudinally adjustable on the
rear-wheel-axle extension and having its inner end formed to constitute a member
of the ball-bearing which is comprised between it and said rear-wheel-gear, the
O tubular side member carrying at its rear a yoke which comprises a device to
embrace and be connected to said adjustable sleeve, the shaft provided with the
bevel-gear enclosed in said yoke and in mesh with the rear-wheel gear and having
at its forward end a gear-wheel which has a gear connection with the crank-axle,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5
4. In a bicycle, the combination with the frame having the rigidly supported

page_text: crank-axle bearing, and the fixed rear-wheel-axle having the rear-wheel rotatable
thereon, said axle having the end extension projected beyond the wheel-hub and
screw-threaded, the bevel-gear on the rear-wheel-hub, the sleeve externally screw-
threaded and having its inner portion constituting the bearing surface of the
ball-bearing which is between the said sleeve and said bevel-gear, the tubular side
ember of the frame having at its rear portion the yoke provided with an internally
berew-threaded portion for adjustable and detachable connection with said bearing
sleeve, and said yoke comprising at its rear inner boundary a forwardly extended
externally threaded stud, i, an internally threaded annular ball-bearing member, i²,
adjustably screw-engaged upon said stud, the gear-shaft having the gear on its rear
end and the balls between said gear and said annular bearing member, and a gear
connection between the forward end of said shaft and the crank-axle, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
5. In a bicycle, the combination with the tubular bearing for the crank-axle
having rearwardly extended lugs or members, a, a of the crank-axle having a
bevel-gear thereon, the gear-shaft, gear-connected to the rear-wheel, and having at
its forward end a bevel-gear, J, engaging the crank-axle gear, the side member, E',
of the frame and the tube, H, both rearwardly supported by the rear-wheel-axle, the
yoke connected to the forward end of one of the tubes and having at the rearward
and forward boundaries thereof tubular hubs, a bar or stud, m, supported by one
of said lugs and encircled by the forward one of said yoke-hubs, the rear extremity
thereof supporting the gear-wheel, J, and the forward end of the frame member, E¹,
connected to the other of said lugs, a, of the crank-axle bearing, substantially as
described.
6. In a velocipede, the combination with the bearing support, B, having a
rearwardly extended socket-lug, a, and the crank-axle having the bevel-gear
thereon, the shaft, H, geared to the rear-wheel and having a gear in mesh with the
crank-axle-gear, the tubular lower rear member of the frame enclosing the shaft
and the yoke connected to the tube and having the hollow hub,, the bar or stud, m,
in part encircled by said yoke-hub, and having the rear extremity screw-threaded
with the adjustable annular ball-bearing member, n, thereon, and the forward
portion of said bar, m, entered and confined in the socket-lug, a, substantially
as described.
7. The combination with the crank-shaft with the gear, and the rear-wheel with
the gear, and the rear-wheel-axle with the cone-sleeve, f, for the ball-bearing thereon,
the tube, E, having a suitable support at its forward end and having at its rear
end the yoke formed of the bifurcated part, 92, and the part, g, which is
detachably screw-connected thereto and which has the bored and tapped hub, g',
encircling and screw-engaging the sleeve cone, and the shaft, H, and gears thereon,
substantially as described.
8. The combination with the crank-shaft with the gear, and the rear-wheel with
the gear, and the rear-wheel-axle with the cone-sleeve, f, for the ball-bearing
thereon, the tube, E, having a suitable support at its forward end and having at its
rear end the yoke formed of the bifurcated part, 92, and the part, g', which is
detachably screw-connected thereto and which has the bored and tapped hub, g,
encircling and screw-engaging the sleeve-cone, and the shaft, H, and gears thereon,
and also having the forwardly extended screw-stud, i, with the sleeve cone, ³,
substantially as described.
9. The brake-rod enclosed and guided within the tubular fork-spindle and
slotted handle-bar-post, and the brake-lever linked to the collar which slides on the
handle-bar-post, the collar having the screw or stud connecting it through the slot
with the brake-rod.
10. The combination with the tubular fork-spindle and the attached tubular
vertically slotted handle-lar-post with the hole, t, extended through the joint
between handle-bars and their post, of the brake-rod within the fork-spindle and
handle-bar-post, its upper end being guided through said perforation and having

page_text: the attached collar, u, the collar, v, surrounding said post, and the screw, ³, passing
through the post-slot and connecting both collars, the brake-lever and the link, z,.
and the closed retracting spring, t, substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1893.
SIDNEY AUSTIN GRANT.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.