IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hillman, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick,
Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hillman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1879.
WILLIAM HILLMAN, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Machinist. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO
OTHER MACHINES."
My Invention relates to velocipedes. It comprises improvements which are
equally applicable to bicycles and other velocipedes, and which may be advan-
tageously adapted to other machines; it also comprises improvements especially
applicable to three wheeled velocipedes.
One very important feature of my Invention is the combination of a roller bearing
for a shaft or spindle, with means for effecting the very ready adjustment of the
said bearing to compensate for the wear of the same; this novel combination is
applicable to bearings for machinery of various kinds, but is chiefly designed for
the forks of bicycles and other velocipedes; I will therefore refer more particularly
to its application to these vehicles
According to this part of my Invention 1 provide each journal of the bicycle or
velocipede wheel with one, two, or more grooves, in which I place small balls or
spherical rollers formed of steel or other suitable metal, and I form corresponding
grooves or channels in the bearing. I prefer to fit within the bearing a thin per-
forated ring or collar which serves to keep the said balls at equal distances apart,
but which turns with them and does not interfere with their free movement. The
bearing is divided into two parts or halves. The upper part is fixed or immovable
in the fork-end, whose two sides extend downward below the bearing; between
these two sides I fix a block which forms the lower half of the bearing, and which
is adjustable with regard to the upper half. Below this lower half of the bearing
a cross bar extends across the same, and is supported in the two sides of the fork-
end and secured therein by a screw-nut or otherwise. Through this bar I pass
ГР.

page_text: upward a screw whose end bears against and supports the lower half or part of the
bearing, and by means of this screw this part of the said bearing can be readily
adjusted at any moment. The said screw is provided with a lock-nut to hold it
when adjusted. Instead of this cross-bar and screw I may use a gib and cotter for
supporting and adjusting the lower part of the bearing. The fork-ends thus fitted
with roller bearings may be welded upon the bars of the fork, or may be fixed
thereon by screws or otherwise.
Another part of my Invention relates to tricycles or three wheeled velocipedes,
and more especially to improvements in the vehicles described in the Specification
of Letters Patent dated 3rd November, A.D. 1876, No. 4250. These vehicles, as
described in the said Specification, have one large wheel and two small guiding
wheels. The seat is placed between these wheels on a metal frame, which is
braced in various directions to give it the required strength and rigidity, and
the large or driving wheel is provided with cranks from which connecting rods
extend to pedals arranged between the two guiding wheels at the front of the
machine.
In these tricycles the length or distance between the driving and guiding wheels
and the manner in which the large wheel is supported thereon has rendered it
difficult to give to the framing the required rigidity. Therefore by my present
improvements I have modified the construction of these vehicles as follows, that
is to say: I reduce the length of the framing by placing the rear and front wheels
much closer together than heretofore. And instead of providing the driving wheel
with a shaft or spindle which runs in bearings in the ends of the framing, I fit the
said wheel to turn freely on a fixed rod or shaft which forms part of the said
framing, or is securely attached thereto. This construction of the frame greatly
adds to its rigidity and strength while obviating the necessity of the cross bars or
braces heretofore employed to strengthen and support the same. The said frame
is constructed with a transverse bar or piece which extends across over the two
front wheels and is provided with suitable bearings for the forks of the same. From
this transverse piece or bar two side bars extend obliquely to the axis of the driving
wheel, and are united by the said fixed shaft or rod on which the latter turns, as
above set forth. The seat is arranged on suitable springs above the said driving
wheel, and the legs of the occupant extend over the said transverse bar of the
frame to the pedals. The latter are in the form of cranks, which rotate in suitable
bearings in the framing, and whose shaft is provided with a small chain wheel
from which a chain extends to a similar wheel fixed on the boss of the large or
driving wheel. The said cranks are rotated by the action of the feet, and thereby
through the said chain and chain wheels the required motion is imparted to the
said driving wheel. It is obvious that the above described improved adjustable
roller bearings may be used in these tricycles:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Hillman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th January
1880.
WILLIAM HILLMAN, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Machinist.
« IM-
PROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO
OTHER MACHINES."
My Invention comprises improvements which are applicable to bicycles and other
velocipedes, and which are partly capable of advantageous adaptation to other
machines.
One very important feature of my Invention is the combination of a roller bearing
for a shaft or spindle with means for effecting the very ready adjustment of the said
bearing to compensate for the wear of the same.
This novel combination is applicable to bearings for machinery of various kinds,
but is chiefly designed for the forks of bicycles and other velocipedes; I will there-
fore refer more particularly to its application to these vehicles.
My improved roller bearing is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the said bearing, and
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 1, shewing the journal in
the same.
Figure 3 is a top view of a portion of the said bearing, and
Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line y, y, Figure 3.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
The bearing is divided into two parts or halves. The upper part a is fixed to
the fork-end by means of a screw bolt passed through the hole b, or by other
suitable means, as, for instance, by brazing or welding, or by a hinged joint; its
two sides a extend downward below the journal; between these two sides I fit a
block c, which forms the lower half of the said bearing, and which is adjustable
with regard to the upper half a. Below this lower half of the bearing a cross bar
or pin d extends through and is supported in the two sides a¹, and secured therein
by a screw nut & or otherwise. Through this bar I pass upward a screw e, whose
end bears against and supports the lower half or part c of the bearing, as clearly
shewn in Figure 1, and by means of the said screw this part of the said bearing
can be readily adjusted at any moment. The said screw is provided with a lock
nut e' to hold it when adjusted. Instead of this cross bar and screw I may use a
taper cotter or & gib and cotter for supporting and adjusting the lower part of the
bearing.
I provide the journal with a collar f, in and around which I form semi-circular
grooves, and I form corresponding grooves in and around the interior of the parts
a, c, of the bearing; these grooves, when the said parts a, c, are properly placed
around the journal, form annular grooves or channels for the reception of the balls
or spherical rollers g, as clearly shewn in Figure 2. There may be one row of balls,
or two or more rows of the same.
The said collar fis driven tightly or otherwise securely fixed on the axle. The
grooves or channels in the same and in the bearing may be semi-circular, as shown,
or V-shaped in transverse section, and the shape of the rollers may be varied in
like manner. In some cases the collar ƒ may be dispensed with, and the grooves
cut in the axle or journal.
I prefer to fit within the bearing a thin perforated ring or cage h, which serves
to keep the said balls g at equal distances apart, and prevents their rubbing against
each other, but which turns with them and does not interfere with their free inove-
ment.
I prefer that there should be a separate cage for each row of balls, so that if
there should be any tendency of one row to move faster than the other row or

page_text: rows it may be free to do so, but if desired the said cage or ring may be dispensed
with. I prefer to place at each end of the bearing a thin washer or plate i of steel
or other suitable metal, which is fitted into a shallow recess in the bearing and
secured to the upper part of the same by screws. or otherwise. This washer is
designed to cover the space left at j, between the two halves of the bearing, for
their adjustment and to prevent the entrance of dust or the like to the bearing. A
very small oil hole should be provided at k, or at any other suitable part of the
bearing.
This improved bearing may be applied or adapted to any wheeled vehicle or
carriage.
Another part of my Invention relates to tricycles or three wheeled velocipedes,
which have their wheels arranged as described in the Specification of Letters Patent
dated 3rd November, A.D. 1876, No. 4250. These vehicles, as described in the said
Specification, have one large wheel and two small guiding wheels. The seat is
placed between these wheels on a metal frame, which is braced in various directions
to give it the required strength and rigidity, and the large or driving wheel is
provided with cranks, from which connecting rods extend to pedals arranged
between the two guiding wheels at the front of the machine.
In these tricycles the length or distance between the driving and guiding wheels
and the manner in which the driving wheel is supported therein has rendered it
difficult to give to the framing the required rigidity. Therefore according to my
present improvements I have modified the construction of these vehicles as follows,
that is to say, I reduce the length of the framing by placing the rear and front
wheels much closer together than heretofore, and instead of providing the driving
wheel with a shaft or spindle which runs in bearings in the ends of the framing, I
fit the said wheel to turn freely on a fixed rod or shaft which forms part of the
said framing, or is securely attached thereto. This construction of the frame greatly
adds to its rigidity and strength, while obviating the necessity of the cross bars or
braces heretofore employed to strengthen and support the same.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I am aware of there having been applied to a
velocipede bearings formed of two parts, the upper part being forked and the lower
part fitted adjustably within the same, but not provided with rollers. I am also
aware of the use of roller bearings provided with means for the adjustment of the
same, but such roller bearings have not been constructed with their upper and lower
halves formed as shewn in the accompanying Drawing, and arranged in combina-
tion with rollers working in grooves, as above described. I therefore claim with
respect to this part of my said Invention,―
A journal bearing which has one or more series or rows of spherical or other
rollers fitted in grooves or channels in the bearing, and in the part that rotates
therein, and with or without the perforated ring or rings for keeping the balls in
place, and which bearing has its lower part fitted adjustably within its upper part,
and provided with suitable means for adjusting the said lower part substantially as
and for the purposes specified.
I also claim, In a tricycle or three wheeled velocipede of the class or kind above
specified, mounting the large or driving wheel to rotate upon a fixed shaft or
journal which forms a portion of the frame of the vehicle as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hillman, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
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