Improved Driving Gear for Cycles, and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 9th Oct., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Driving Gear for Cycles, and the like.
We, FERDINAND VON EULENFELD, of 28, Finsbury Square, London, Gentleman,
and HENRY BINGHAM TUPPER, and ALEXANDER BOGUSLAVSKY both of 8, Park Lane,
Piccadilly, London, Gentlemen, 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 relates to an improved arrangement of driving gear applicable
to bicycles and the like and serving to enable the downthrust of the cyclist's legs
to be utilized to better advantage both as regards speed and power than is at
present done in safety bicycles having a rear driving wheel driven by a crank axle
arranged in front of the driving wheel and actuated by rotating pedals.
On the accompanying drawings:-
--
Fig 1, represents an elevation of part of a cycle, illustrating the application
of the Invention.
Fig 2, represents a like view illustrating a modification.
Figs 3, and 4, are like views illustrating another modification.
To the end aforesaid, the Invention consists in arranging the crank or driving
axles a, (of which there is one at each side of the driving wheel) at a radial
distance from the cycle driving wheel axle b, less than the radius of such driving
wheel c, instead of in advance of such wheel as customary, and whereby, with the
pedals d, remaining at their customary position in relation to the seat e, convenient
to the cyclist for depressing the same, we are enabled to obtain considerably
longer pedal-levers f, due to the increased distance between the point of applica-
tion of power by the cyclist and the crank axles a and a correspondingly more
powerful action on the driving gear with a given expenditure of energy by the
cyclist, and we also obtain the advantage of a reciprocating pedal action as
distinguished from and in lieu of a rotary pedal action, and which is both more
graceful, and less tiring, and more effective and less wasteful of the cyclist's
energy.
Each lever f, is loosely mounted on the stud or axle a, carried by its side of the
cycle-frame h; and is depressed by the cyclist, and is raised or returned to its
normal raised position by a suitably arranged spring i, and, while it is being
thrust down by the cyclist, imparts motion to a chain or gear driving wheel j,
through the instrumentality of a spring pawl k, carried by the lever, and a ratchet
wheel, fast to the wheel j. The wheels j, (of which there is one at each side of
the driving wheel) may either be chain wheels (vide Fig 1,) and, by means of
chains m, may respectively drive chain wheels n, fast to the driving wheel c, or
may be gear wheels (vide Fig 2,) and, by means of intermediate gear wheels o,
may respectively drive gear wheels p, fast to the wheel c.
The pedal levers are thus independent in their action, and may be depressed
alternately or simultaneously, and so may act alternately and continuously, or
simultaneously and intermittently on the wheel c, as circumstances may require.
In a modification (vide Figs 3, and 4,) applicable to each of said arrangements,

page_text: that is, the chain driven arrangement of Fig 1, and the gear driven arrangement
of Fig 2, at each side of the cycle-wheel, a spring q, is interposed between and
connected both to the ratchet wheel 7, by which it is actuated, and the chain wheel
or gear wheel, which it actuates, thus enabling the power stored in the spring,
while the pedal lever is being depressed, to be utilized in giving motion to the
chain wheel or gear wheel j, while the pedal lever is being raised to its normal
position, during which time, the ratchet wheel l, is held by a pawl r.
In Fig 1, the near pedal lever is shown as depressed, while the other is shown
in its raised or normal position; while in Fig 2, both of the pedal levers are
shown in their raised positions, in which they are normally maintained by the
springs i.
The springs i, may be connected to the studs a, (vide Fig 2,) or to outer
adjacent parts of the cycle-frame h, serving to support the axes of the chain or
toothed driving gear, vide Fig 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The herein before described improved gear applicable to bicycles and the like,
the same consisting of independent reciprocating pedal levers centred at a radial
distance from the cycle driving wheel axle less than the radius of such wheel, and
respectively adapted, when depressed by the cyclist, to communicate motion, by
a spring pawl and ratchet, to the crank chain or gear driving wheel, from which
the motion is communicated to the cycle driving wheel by chain or spur gearing,
as described with reference respectively to Figs 1, and 2, of the accompanying
drawings, the pedal levers being also respectively adapted to automatically return
to their normal position ready for actuation.
2. The modification of such gearing hereinbefore described with reference to
Figs 3, and 4 of the drawings.
20.5
1
T 1
1007
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.