Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, ALBERT JAMES VAN HOORN, of 53, Somerleyton Road, Brixton, in the County
of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
to be as follows:-
My invention relates more particularly to bicycles of the "safety" type whereby
the same shall be lighter, more compact, and possess more sensitive steering,
than such machines as heretofore manufactured; my invention also relates
to an improved driving gear which I have specially devised for use therewith.
According to my invention II form the frame of my improved velocipede of
approximately rectangular shape having parallel top and bottom members and
upright or end members preferably slightly inclined towards each other from
their lower extremities upwards; and I prefer to provide such frame with a
diagonal or other stay or strut. The bottom and one of the inclined members of
such frame are forked, or formed in two separate parts, to receive the driving
wheel, the other inclined member forming the steering head.
The driving wheel may be of about the same diameter as that of the driving
wheel usually employed in safety bicycles, but the steering wheel I employ is
considerably smaller; its diameter may be rather less than half that of the
driving wheel, so that the bottom forks, or members of the frame, can be arranged
horizontally and be secured directly to the lower extremity of the steering head.
The attachment of the bottom forks to the head, and of the side forks or members
to the top tube or member may be a detachable one, so that this part of the frame
and the driving wheel may be readily separated, when desired, for convenience
of packing or storage.
My improved velocipede may be used as a front driver or a rear driver, the
positions of the handle bar and saddle post being varied accordingly.
The driving gear that I prefer to employ consists of annular toothed wheels
or discs mounted one on each of the bottom forks or members of the frame, and
gearing with pinions keyed or otherwise secured axially to the driving wheel.
The pedals are attached to any convenient part of the said annular wheels. The
bearings of the driving wheel may be of any suitable box or fork-end" type.
The bearings of the annular wheels are preferably constructed as follows:-
Each of the forks or members is flattened along that portion of its length
adjacent to the annular wheel mounted thereon, and at the bearing point, a stud
or spindle is provided, and the fork or member is formed into a cup or ball-
race concentric with such stud; or said cup may be made separate and be
rigidly secured to said fork. The boss of the annular wheel forms a cone corre-
sponding to this cup, and the centre of said boss is so bored out as to form another
cup or ball-race immediately around the stud or spindle; or a separately formed
cup may be secured therein. A cone corresponding to this cup screws on to the
stud or spindle and is locked by a sunk nut.
By this means I obtain a double bearing consisting of two concentric circles

page_text: or series of balls, the inner series being designed, by the relative inclination of
the cup and cone surfaces, to take the downward and vertical strain on the
bearing; and the outer series being designed to take the side strain; and by
reason of the two circles or series of balls being in the same plane, or nearly
so, the bearing can be made very narrow. Obviously I may if I so desire pro-
vide a third circle or series of balls, running on additional cup and cone surfaces,
arranged concentrically and exteriorly to the above mentioned series, and approxi-
mately in the same plane therewith.
I prefer to provide a small cover plate, removably secured by screws or the
like, over the outer face of the bearing of the annular wheel; and I may provide
a dust proof gear case in the form of a disc composed of any appropriate material,
having dished edges and provided with suitable holes or apertures for the driving
wheel spindle and forks.
Improvements in Velocipedes..
I, ALBERT JAMES VAN HOORN, of 53, Somerleyton Road, Brixton, in the County
of Surrey, Gentleman, 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 more particularly to bicycles of the safety type, whereby
the same shall be lighter, more compact, and possess more sensitive steering
than such machines as heretofore manufactured.
My invention also relates to an improved driving-gear which I have specially
devised for use therewith.
According to my invention I form the frame of my improved velocipede of
approximately rectangular shape, having parallel top and bottom members, and
upright or end members preferably inclined towards each other from their lower
extremities upwards; and I prefer to provide such frame with a diagonal or
other stay or strut. The bottom and one of the inclined members of such frame
are forked or formed in two separate parts to receive the driving wheel, the
other inclined members forming the steering head. The driving wheel may be
of about the same diameter as that of the driving wheel usually employed in
safety bicycles, but the steering wheel I employ may be considerably smaller;
its diameter may be rather less than half that of the driving wheel, if necessary,
so that the bottom forks or members of the frame can be arranged horizontally
and be secured directly to the lower extremity of the steering head; I may,
however, make both wheels of equal diameter.
In order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended one explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon
Fig. 1 is a side view, showing the machine with unequal wheels,
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the gearing showing to an enlarged scale the
concentric circles, or series of balls; this plan also shows the fork-end bearing
on the hub.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the fork-end and concentric circle bearings.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of the gearing showing also to an enlarged scale
another method wherein the fork-end is cranked and brought outside the pinion

page_text: on the hub, this plan also shows a different sort of bearing for the annular
wheel.
Fig. 5 is a side view, showing the cranked fork end as adopted in Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a side view showing my improved bicycle constructed with equal
wheels.
On the drawings the same reference letters, wherever repeated indicate the same
or similar parts.
Referring to the drawings
The attachment of the bottoni forks e Fig. 1, to the head b, and of the side
forks or members a, to the top tube or member c may be a detachable one, so
that this part of the frame and the driving wheel may be readily separated when
desired for convenience of packing or storing.
The driving gear that I prefer to employ consists of annular toothed
wheels, or discs d mounted one on each of the bottom forks or
members of the frame, and gearing with pinions f keyed or otherwise
secured axially to the driving wheel. The pedal pieces are removably attached
to any convenient part of said annular wheels, and as the wear of the teeth takes
place opposite the downward stroke of the pedal, the said pedal pieces may be
changed round so that when the teeth are worn out on one part of the ring,
the teeth which have not been used much may be brought into position for doing
the work; thus the teeth of the annular wheels may be worn at three different
parts by changing the pedal pieces round to the wornout portion, that is, opposite
the part required to stand the wear of pedalling, thereby giving a threefold life
to the gear.
The bearings of the driving wheel may be of any suitable box or fork end
type, as in Fig. 2.
The hub, as shown in Fig. 4, has an ordinary spindle bearing, said spindle g
being attached to the frame by means of a recessed nut, said nut locking the
frame to the cone g' and spindle g, the cranking of the frame outside the pinion
doing away with the necessity for a box or fork-end bearing.
―:
The bearings of the annular wheels are preferably constructed as follows:-
Referring to Fig. 2 each of the forks or members is flattened along that portion
of its length adjacent to the annular wheel mounted theron, and at the bearing
point a stud or spindle el is provided, and the fork or member is formed into a
cup or ball-race e concentric with such stud; or said cup may be made separate
and be rigidly secured to said fork. The boss of the annular wheel forms a cone
corresponding to this cup, and the centre of said boss is so bored out as to form
another cup or ball-race immediately around the stud or spindle; or a separately
formed cup may be secured therein. A cone corresponding to this cup screws
on to the stud or spindle and is locked by a sunk nut, or check-nute and
D) washer. The outer concentric circle bearing may be composed of grooved
rings and fixed, one in the annular wheel d, the other in the frame c, and
firmly held in position in any suitable manner.
By this means I obtain a double bearing consisting of two concentric circles
or series of balls, the inner series being designed, by the relative inclination of
their cup and cone surfaces, to take the downward and vertical strain on the
bearing and the outer series being designed to take the side strain; and by
reason of the two circles or series of balls being in the same plane, or nearly
so, the bearing can be made very narrow. Obviously I may, if I so desire, pro-
vide a third circle or series of balls running or additional cup and cone surfaces
arranged concentrically and exteriorly to the above mentioned series, and approxi-
mately in the same plane therewith.
Fig. 4 shows another form of bearings for the annular wheels d, the construc-
tion of which will be evident from the drawings.
I prefer to provide a small cover-plate d³ (Figs. 2 and 4) removably secured by
screws or other suitable means, over the outer face of the bearing of the annular
wheels; and I may provide a dust-proof gear case in the form of a disc composed

page_text: of any suitable material, having dished edges and provided with suitable holes
or apertures for the driving wheel spindles and forks.
My improved velocipede may be made as a front driver or as a rear driver, the
position of the handle bar and saddle post being varied accordingly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The combination of a safety bicycle having a short wheel-base with the
annular wheel and pinion gearing, substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the drawings annexed.
2. The frame with the inclined side members a, b, and the upper members c, e,
substantially as herein before described with reference to the drawings annexed.
3. The changeable pedal-pieces for the purpose set forth, substantially as here-
inbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
4. The concentric circle side strain bearing of the annular wheels, substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
5. The cranking of the frame outside the pinion and inside the annular wheel,
for the purpose set forth, substantially as herein before described with reference
to the drawings annexed.
6. My improved velocipede, substantially as herein before described with reference
to the drawings annexed.
1000