Improvements in Driving Gear for Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 23rd May, 1895-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Gear for Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
I, JOHN JAMES RAGGETT of 88 Colmore Row, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to do away with the dead point or dead centre
(caused by the rotary cranks) in bicycles and other velocipedes for the purpose of
decreasing the labor required in treadling or working the same, also to give the
rider more ease and comfort when riding on the machine and when walking by the
side of it, also to simplify it, to make it more attractive in its action, and more
suitable for ladies also to make it lighter, and less likely to get out of repair and to
decrease the cost of manufacture.
It is a well known fact that in all machines where a rotary crank is used worked
by a straight thrust there are two dead centres viz. when the crank is fully extended
each way in the direction of thrust and that there is only one position in which the
full amount of power can be applied viz. when the crank is at right angles to the
direction of thrust.
This dead centre or dead point in a velocipede worked by the foot is a great
detriment to speed, as it is difficult to give full power when at the working side
without keeping the pressure on too long, and so retarding the machine in the
backward action of the pedal.
Also the ordinary crank in a velocipede traverses too large a space and occupies
too much time in returning to the working side to obtain the full maximum amount
of speed.
The chain also meshing in so many teeth causes too much friction and its liability
to catch the dirt impedes the proper working of the machine, also it being a
continuous motion over and under the tooth wheels renders it liable to feed the
trousers or dress between the chain and tooth wheels, unless protected by a
guard.
The chief difference between this invention and the ordinary velocipede is that
instead of using a rotary pedal crank with tooth wheels and chain for operating the
driving wheel, I use a reciprotary pedal lever or crank, with rack and tooth wheel.
preferably one on each side of the driving wheel.
The rack and wheel work together in a similar manner to a ratchet wheel and
pawl or "click" i.e. the teeth are so formed that they only operate one way, and
the pedal levers instead of completing a circle only move a portion of a circle
and then are returned to their working position, either by a spring, weight, or
by a clip or slipper attached to the foot or by the hand when a hand lever
is used.
The rack is attached by a hinged joint to a lever (and when not sufficiently
long it is lengthened by a rod) the said lever working preferably on the same
centre as the pedal lever or in some machines the pedal lever will serve for it.
Or the rack may be hinged to a wheel or disc which may also be used for
attaching the pedals.
The rack is preferably arranged on the top of the wheel, so that its own weight
shall place it in gear with the tooth wheel, but when this is inconvenient it may be
done by a spring or weight.

page_text: A pair of racks may be used with the same wheel, or with another wheel, in
gear with it, in the first case they would work on opposite sides of the wheel, but
need not in the second case as the gearing would reverse the action of the
wheel. The pair of racks would be useful in a hand lever, for working in both
directions.
In order to prevent the clicking sound of the rack, during the backward action
I place a piece of leather, rubber, or other non-sounding substauce fixed so as just
to extend its surface beyond the metal teeth either on the rack, or wheel. This
may be done by making the rack or wheel, in halves and screwing the leather &c.
between the two halves or by other suitable means. Or the rack may be
disconnected altogether from the wheel, in its backward action by having a
projecting surface, which shall come into contact with a jointed arm preferably
moving a little more than one eighth of a circle and placed so that when the
backward action commences, it rises to its highest level, and carries the rack with
it until the rack has passed its projection when it falls into the teeth of the wheel
again ready to be operated upon by the treadle.
Or the rack may pass under a hinged slide which lifts up as the rack is moving
for working the machine until it has completed its full movement when it falls and
the projection on the rack slides over the top of it and thus lifts the rack and frees
the teeth, this projection in the rack is preferably fitted with an antifrictional
roller.
Or the rack may be made of only sufficient length so that when it is fully
extended either way it shall be out of gear.
Or the rack may be lifted out of gear by having a piece of solid metal at the end
of it which shall come into contact with a tooth in the wheel and be lifted out of
gear by it.
Or it may be lifted out of gear by an extension or rod operated by hand or foot.
There may be a piece of curved metal attached to the rack or operated by it to
act as a break to the driving wheel, for this purpose the tooth wheel would have a
break wheel attached by the side of it and the break would be applied by the
pedal.
To reduce friction of the rack and wheel I may employ small rollers to serve as
teeth on either the rack or tooth wheel. These rollers may be made solid having
shouldered pivotts or they may be similar to the roller chain having a pin through
them on which they work.
When anti-frictional rollers are used the wheel or rack to which they are
attached would have projecting flanges on the outer edges, to form the bearings
and the rollers would fit in between.
If solid rollers with pivots are used the wheel had better be made with a
removeable outer plate which may be screwed on after the rollers are placed in
position this also applies to the rack if it is found that the rollers work best on the
rack instead of on the wheel.
The pedal lever is limited in its movement both forward & backwards by
suitable stops.
•
The pedal lever may be curved or straight and in some cases may have more than
one pedal for varying the speed.
The rack may be straight or segmental.
In some cases a spring of metal or rubber will serve for the hinged joint for
attaching the rack to the lever.
I propose to make a machine with both hand levers and foot levers, the hand
levers would preferably have horizontal handles, so as to give about the same
exercise as rowing the foot levers could be at such an angle as to afford a
rest for the feet when in a reclined position and could be fitted with heel pieces
or rests.
From the foregoing it will be perceived that in this invention there is no dead
point as the pedal lever only works where the power can be applied with the least
possible waste, also the power can be repeated at will without waiting for the crank

page_text: to complete the revolution-the strokes can be short or long, in fact varied to suit
the inclination of the operator.
The pedal levers or cranks work independently one of the other which enables
the rider to pedal with both pedals at once, or only one, or alternately up and down.
He can rest just when he desires without removing his feet from the pedals, and
without retarding the machine. He can mount the machine at any moment and
pedal straight away as the pedal when at rest always returns to the working
position.
The return movement instead of the rotary combined with the facilities for
making a short stroke will be much more attractive for ladies, as it is a prettier
movement.
Being able to work the pedals at will as quickly as desired and only one or both
is a great advantage it also enables the machine to be used by those who most
require it viz. by those who only have the proper use of one leg.
In some cases instead of using a rack, a pawl or click may be used, which shall
work a larger tooth wheel the said larger tooth wheel, meshing in and working the
small tooth wheel.
When the pedal lever is arranged to operate the break it could be arranged to
put the break on when dismounting by standing on the lever.
The pedals being quite still when no one is on the machine makes it much more
convenient for walking by the side of it as there is not the liability of the pedals
catching the leg and it is easier getting through doorways & narrow openings.
Although I have intended for the rack to be worked by a reciprotary lever yet
it may be worked by a rotary crank in this form it would graduate the power
required to suit the position.
In this invention when applied to the ordinary safety bicycle the pedal lever
would preferably be placed a little below the ordinary crank.
The axle may be a fixed one running right through and serving for both levers,
or each lever may have a separate pin or axle, oue may be a hollow tube to
allow of the other running right through it or they may be placed one beneath or
by the side of each other to enable them to go right through the bearing. They
may also be connected by gearing so that as one was pushed down the other would
rise up.
Dated this 20th day of August 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Gear for Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
I, JOHN JAMES RAGGETT of 88 Colmore Row Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Patent Agent, 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, and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings:
:-
The object of this invention is to do away with the dead point or dead centre
(caused by the rotary cranks) in bicycles and other velocipedes for the purpose of
decreasing the labor required in treadling or working the same, also to give the
rider more ease and comfort when riding on the machine; and when walking by the
side of it, also to simplify it, to make it more attractive in its action, and more
suitable for ladies, also to make it lighter, and less likely to get out of repair and
to decrease the cost of manufacture.
It is a well known fact that in all machines where a rotary crank is used worked
by a straight thrust, there are two dead centres, viz.: when the crank is fully
extended each way in the direction of thrust, and that there is only one position in

page_text: which the full amount of power can be applied riz..-when the crank is at right
angles to the direction of thrust.
This dead centre or dead point in a velocipede worked by the foot is a great
detriment to speed as it is difficult to give full power when at the working side,
without keeping the pressure on too long, and so retarding the machine in the
backward action of the pedal.
Also the ordinary crank in a velocipede traverses too large a space and occupies
too much time in returning to the working side to obtain the full maximum amount
of speed.
The chain also meshing in so many teeth, causes too much friction and its liability
to catch the dirt, impedes the proper working of the machine, also it being a
continuous motion over and under the tooth wheels, renders it liable to feed the
trousers or dress between the chain and tooth wheels, unless protected by a
guard.
The chief difference between this invention and the ordinary velocipede is that
instead of using a rotary pedal crank with tooth wheels and chain for operating
the driving wheel, I use a reciprotary pedal lever or crank with rack and tooth
wheel, preferably one on each side of the driving wheel.
The rack and wheel work together in a similar manner to a ratchet wheel and
"pawl" or "click"; i.e. the teeth are so formed that they only operate one way,
and the pedal levers instead of completing a circle only move a portion of a circle,
and then are returned to their working position, either by a spring, weight, or by
a clip or slipper, attached to the foot or by the hand when a hand lever is used.
The drawings represent various methods of carrying out the invention, and the
particular parts are referred to by the same letter in each drawing.
Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are large scale drawings, Fig. 7 shewing the plain tooth wheel
and rack; Fig. 8 shewing roller teeth in the wheel worked. by a plain rack, and
Fig. 9 shewing roller teeth in the rack working a plain tooth wheel.
The rack A is attached by a hinged joint B to a lever C (and when not
sufficiently long, it is lengthened by a rod as shewn at D Fig. 3) the said lever
working preferably on the same centre as the pedal lever, or in some machines the
pedal lever will serve for it.
Or the rack may be hinged to a wheel or disc, which may also be used for
attaching the pedals.
The rack is preferably arranged on the top of the wheel, so that its own weight
shall place it in gear with the tooth wheel E as shewn at Fig. 3 but when this is
inconvenient (as at Fig. 4) it may be done by a spring or weight.
A pair of racks may be used with the same wheel (as shewn at Fig. 4) or with
another wheel in gear with it (as shewn at Fig. 5); in the first case they would
work on opposite sides of the wheel but not in the second case, as the gearing
would reverse the action of the wheel.
The pair of racks would be useful in a hand lever, for working in both
directions.
In order to prevent the clicking sound of the rack during the backward action,
I place a piece of leather rubber or other non-sounding substance, fixed so as just
to extend its surface beyond the metal teeth either on the rack or wheel.
This may be done by making the rack or wheel in halves, and screwing the
leather &c. between the two halves, or by other suitable means.
Or the rack may be disconnected altogether, from the wheel in its backward
action, by having a projecting surface F (Fig. 6) which shall come into contact
with a jointed arm G, preferably moving a little more than one-eighth of a circle
and placed so that when the backward action commences, it rises to its highest
level (as shewn by the strong lines) and carries the rack with it until the rack has
passed its projection, when it falls into the teeth of the wheel again, (as shewn by
the dotted lines) ready to be operated upon by the treadle.
Or the rack may pass under a hinged slide M Fig. 13, which lifts up as the rack
is moving for working the machine, until it has completed its full movement, when

page_text: it falls, and the projection N, on the rack slides over the top of it; and thus lifts
the rack and frees the teeth, this projection in the rack is preferably fitted with
an antifrictional roller.
Or the rack may be made of only sufficient length so that when it is fully
extended either way it shall be out of gear.
There may be a piece of curved metal attached or operated by it (as shewn
at H Fig. 2) to act as a brake to the driving-wheel, for this purpose the tooth
wheel would have a break wheel attached by the side of it and the brake would be
applied by the pedal.
To reduce the friction of the rack and wheel, I may employ, small rollers J,.
(Figs. 8 and 9) to serve as teeth on either the rack or tooth wheel.
These rollers may be made solid having shouldered pivots, or they may be
similar to the roller chain having a pin through them on which they work.
When antifrictional rollers are used, the wheel or rack to which they are attached
would have projecting flanges on the outer edges to form the bearings, and the
rollers would fit in between.
. If solid rollers with pivots are used the wheel had better be made with a
removable outer plate, which may be screwed on after the rollers are placed in
position, this also applies to the rack if it is found that the rollers work best on
the rack instead of on the wheel.
The pedal lever is limited in its movement both forward and backward by
suitable stops.
The pedal lever may be curved or straight and in some cases may have more
than one pedal for varying the speed as shewn at Fig. 2.
The rack may be straight or segmental.
In some cases a spring of metal or rubber will serve for the hinged joint for
attaching the rack to the lever as shewn at K (Fig. 10) also for a bearing instead
of a crank shaft as at L. (Fig. 10).
There may be a spring stop or guide to keep the rack steady when out of gear.
I propose to make a machine with both hand levers and foot levers, the hand
levers would preferably have horizontal handles, so as to give about the same
exercise as rowing; the foot levers could be at such an angle as to afford a rest for
the feet when in a reclined position and could be fitted with heel pieces.
From the foregoing it will be perceived that there is no dead point in this
invention as the pedal lever only works where the power can be applied with the
least possible waste, also the power can be repeated at will without waiting for the
crank to complete the revolution; the strokes can be short or long, in fact varied
to suit the inclination of the rider.
The pedal levers or cranks work independently one of the other, which enables
the rider to pedal with both pedals at once, or only one, or alternately up and
down; he can rest just when he desires without removing his feet from the pedals
and without retarding the machine-he can mount the machine at any moment and
pedal straight away, as the pedal when at rest always returns to the working
position.
The return movement instead of the rotary, combined with the facilities for
making a short stroke, will be much more attractive for ladies, as it is a prettier
movement.
Being able to work the pedals at will as quickly as desired, and only one, or
both, is a great advantage it also enables the machine to be used by those who
most require it viz.: by those who only have the proper use of one leg.
In some cases instead of using a rack a pawl or click may be used which shall
work a larger tooth wheel, the said larger tooth wheel, meshing in and working
the small tooth wheel.
When the pedal lever is arranged to operate the brake it could be arranged to
put the brake on when dismounting by standing on the lever.
The pedals being quite still when no one is on the machine makes it much more

page_text: convenient for walking by the side of it, as there is not the liability of the pedals
catching the leg, and it is easier getting through doorways and narrow openings.
Although I have intended for the rack to be worked by a reciprotary lever,
yet it may be worked by a rotary crank; as in Fig. 11 in this form it would
graduate the power required to suit the position.
In this invention when applied to the ordinary safety bicycle, the pedal lever
would preferably be placed a little below the ordinary crank.
The axle may be a fixed one, running right through and serving for both levers,
or each lever may have a separate pin or axle ; one may be a hollow tube, to allow
of the other running right through it, or they may be placed one beneath, or by
the side of each other, to enable them to go right through the bearing; they may
also be connected by gearing so that as one was pushed down the other would rise
up as shewn at Fig. 12.
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 method of working the driving wheel of velocipedes by means of a rack,
and wheel, working as a ratchet wheel, the said rack being either straight or
curved, and having either plain ratchet teeth, or roller teeth, either in the rack or
wheel, the said roller teeth being either pivotted or pinned as substantially set
forth and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. The said rack and wheel being worked either by foot levers or hand levers as
substantially set forth.
3. The said rack or wheel being fitted with rubber, leather or other suitable
material to make it noiseless in its backward action as substantially set forth.
4. The combination of the said rack and wheel with a jointed lifting arm, or
with a slide, for freeing the rack in its backward action from the teeth of the
wheel, as substantially set forth.
5. A brake wheel being placed by the side of the ratchet wheel, and operated
on by a brake attached to the rack.
6. A pair of racks one to work on each side of the wheel, so as to work by both
backward and forward motion, or having two ratchet wheels connected by gearing,
and worked by racks, on the top of the ratchets as substantially set forth.
7. The method of working the racks by rotary cranka, as substantially set
forth.
8. The method of working the driving wheel of velocipedes, by means of the
parts arranged and combined, as substantially set forth in this Specification and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1895.