CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF BALL BEARINGS FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1885

page_text: We, WILLIAM STOKES and WILLIAM STOKES the younger, both of Canal Street,
Birmingham, Warwickshire, Bicycle and Tricycle Fitting Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BALL BEARINGS FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES "
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our Invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture of ball
bearings for bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes and has for its principal object
to provide means whereby we obtain a circumferential adjustment for wear in
such bearings and thereby render them capable of more ready adjustment than
those ball bearings which are provided with a lateral adjustment.
We will describe our Invention by at once referring to the accompanying sheet
of drawings in which the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
the several Figures.
Figure 1 is a side view and Figure 2 a front view of a ball bearing for a bicycle,
tricycle or other velocipede provided with a circumferential adjustment according
to our Invention; Figure 2* shews a modified form of the same; Figures 3 and 4
are sections of the same and Figures 5, 6 and 7 shew one of the rings detached
from the case; Figure 8 is a sectional view of a modified form of the same and
Figure 9 shews one of the rings therefor detached; Figures 10 to 16, both inclusive,
illustrate modifications of our Invention as hereinafter described and Figure 17
shews a ball bearing with a double row of balls provided with means for circum-
ferential adjustment according to our Invention.
We will first describe our Invention with reference more particularly to
Figures 1 to 9, both inclusive.
A is an ordinary outer casing divided at one side and there provided with two
lugs a', a² and a suitable adjusting screw a³ tapped into the lug a² and provided
with a lock-nut at so that by adjusting the screw the internal diameter of the said
outer casing can be increased or diminished within certain limits as desired.
B, B are two collars, preferably of steel, fitted inside the casing A and having
parallel grooves or recesses cut in their peripheries corresponding with projections
in the inner surface of the case. Such grooves or recesses and projections prevent
the collars moving sideways and they may either form parallel rings round the
collars and casing for instance as shewn in Figures 3, 5, 7, 8 and 9, or they
may form screw threads, as shewn in Figure 6. The inner sides 61, 6 of the
collars B form a groove in which we provide any convenient number of balls C,
preferably of hardened steel which bear and revolve therein and in a groove or
recess d provided in the revolving shaft or in the ordinary collar D which is
attached to the shaft. The collars B, B are not perfect circles but they are split
or divided as at 6 preferably in an oblique direction so as not to interfere with
I Prine A1

page_text: the revolving balls C. They may be split or divided by means of a saw after the
turning operations are completed.
It will be seen that as the collars B, B are split or divided, as hereinbefore
described, they can be contracted by turning the screw or screws a³ in one
direction, or if the said screw or screws be turned in the opposite direction the
collars will spring open, thereby forming a circumferential adjustment for the
inclined surfaces b¹ and taking up any wear which may occur. We prefer to
provide a screw or screws e or other equivalent means to prevent the collars B
turning round:
Various modified forms of ball bearings for bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes
may be made according to our Invention, for instance the two split collars B, B
may be formed as a single split collar B¹ having a groove or recess turned in
its inner surface b₁ as shewn in Figures 10, 12, 13 and 14 and may have either
a screw thread formed on its periphery as, shewn in Figure 11, or parallel grooves
or recesses as shewn in Figures 10, 12, 13 and 14.
A cheap form of ball bearing may be made as shewn in Figures 15 and 16,
according to our Invention, where the loose collar or collars are dispensed with
and the groove with inclined surfaces 61 is formed in the outer casing, which is
split or divided as above described. If desired two grooves and rows of balls
may be used as will be readily understood.
Figure 17 shews a ball bearing with two rows of balls the split collars B being
fitted to the casing as above described for a ball bearing with a single row of balls.
We wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details
as herein described and illustrated as the same may be varied without departing
from the nature of our Invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what maier the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is
1. The improvements in the manufacture of ball bearings for bicycles, tricycles
and other velocipedes as herein described, that is to say, dividing or splitting the
rings or collars on which the inclined frictional surfaces for the balls are formed so
as to obtain a circumferential adjustment of the inclined frictional surfaces as
hereinbefore described.
2. A ball bearing for a bicycle tricycle or other velocipede having two split or
divided collars B in combination with means for their circumferential adjustinent
as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 9, both inclusive.
3. A ball bearing for a bicycle, tricycle or other velocipede having a split or
divided collar B₁ in combination with means for its circumferential adjustment as
herein before described and illustrated in Figures 10 to 14, both inclusive.
4. A ball bearing for a bicycle tricycle or other velocipede having a split or
divided outer casing in which is formed a groove or grooves for the balls in com-
bination with means for its circumferential adjustment as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in Figures 15 and 16.
5. A double ball bearing for a bicycle, tricycle or other velocipede having split
or divided collars B in combination with means for their circumferential adjustment
as herein before described and illustrated in Figure 17.