Improvements in Speed Gear for Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1893-Accepted, 29th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Speed Gear for Velocipedes.
I, ROBERT FREDERICK HALL, of The R. F. Hall Manufacturing Company of
Sampson Road North, Sparkbrook, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates primarily to improvements in the driving mechanism or
6 geared
the speeding gear of velocipedes, particularly of that type known as
ordinaries," in which the front wheel is directly driven from the crank axis, without
the employment of chain gear.
The object of my said invention is to obtain a simple, efficient, and compact gear,
without unduly increasing the weight and bulk of the driving mechanism.
In carrying out my invention in connection with a geared ordinary, I provide the
termination of one of the branches of the fork of the front wheel with a boxed end
or casing containing within its internal circumference, sufficient space for carrying
the transmitting and speeding gear, as hereinafter described.
The crank axle, which passes through the said casing of the one part, carries
cranks at its outer ends, and a pinion wheel made integral with, or fast upon the
said axle, adjacent to the crank at the casing end.
Surrounding the sleeve, or that part of the crank axle lying between the pinion
wheel, and that end opposite the casing, is a barrel sleeve, carrying at its end next
the pinion wheel, a pinion, whose teeth intergear with the teeth of the wheel of a
combined wheel and pinion, running loosely upon a journal or bearing, directed
from the inside of the outer wall of the lower part of the casing.
The pinion of the said combined wheel and pinion, intergears with the pinion
wheel on the axle shaft, whilst the open inner side of the casing is enclosed by a
cover, having half inside ball races, circumferentially embracing the barrel sleeve,
adjacent to the pinion of it.
That part of the barrel sleeve adjacent to its pinion, is right hand screwed, and
screws into the middle of one end of the hub, while the other end of the barrel.
sleeve is left hand screwed, upon which a collar, having a half ball race formed
within it, takes.
The junction of the barrel sleeve with the pinion has also a half ball race, which
comes opposite the half ball race of the walls of the enclosing casing, and between
which parts, ball bearings roll.
Disposed between a half ball race of an inside shouldered part of the barrel
sleeve pinion, and a half ball-race at the junction of the crank axle with its pinion,
are ball bearings, and disposed between the junction of the off-side of the pinion with
its stem, and is a half ball race, and opposite to the said half ball-race, is a second
half ball race of a cap or closure, taking into the inside screwed part of the casing,
wherethrough the crank axle passes.
The other or plain branched end of the fork is recessed with a half ball-race,
likewise is the collar which takes into the cavity or space between the said recessed
part, and the left hand screwed end of the barrel sleeve, and between which half
ball-races, ball bearings are located.
The inner end of the adjustment and ball bearing collar, abuts against the off-side
end of the hub, whose inside middle waist part is plain, and takes upon the plain
body part of the barrel sleeve.
Screwing upon the ungeared end of the crank axle, adjacent to its crank is a
coned nut, circumferentially grooved with a half ball-race, and between it, and a
like-ball race shaped within the outer end of the collar at the ungeared end of the
hall sleeve, are ball bearings.

page_text: In this method of mounting, fitting, and arranging the gear, and the anti-friction
bearings of the component parts, two primary longitudinal adjustments are
admissible, one between the ball bearings disposed between the coned nut and the
adjacent collar of the one side, and the barrel sleeve pinion and the pinion wheel of
the crank axle of the other side, of the one part, whilst the adjustment of the other
part is between the ball bearings disposed between the casing half-races and the
barrel sleeve pinion of the one side, and the half race of the cap or closure, and the
half race of the pinion wheel of the other side.
By applying pressure to the cranks, the crank axle is rotated between its ball
bearings, the pinion wheel upon it drives and communicates motion to the pinion of
the double pinion wheel, whose wheel drives the pinion of the barrel sleeve, hence
the transmission of motion to the hub, which is fast upon the said sleeve.
By changing the wheels of the speed mechanism, variable rates of motion can be
imparted to the hub of the wheel, relative to the movements of the cranks.
My invention can be applied to the driving mechanism of all velocipedes, by
substituting a chain wheel bush for the hub as described, and carrying the said bush
from the bottom bracket, so that speeding gear is employed in connection with chain
driven cycles.
Thus by my invention, the removal and renewal of gear is accomplished without
interfering with the hub, wheel or component parts of them.
Thus by removing the cone nut at the end of the crank axle, and unscrewing the
left hand sleeve, and at the same time disconnecting the bolts, which secure the ends
of the forks to the gear and bearing, the whole of the gear can be withdrawn from
the hub or wheel by unscrewing the right hand thread of the sleeve as aforesaid,
after unlocking the left hand thread and so remove the barrel with gear intact, for
repair or renewal.
Dated this 14th day of September 1892
ROBERT FREDERICK HALL,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Speed Gear for Velocipedes.
1, ROBERT FREDERICK HALL, of The R. F. Hall Manufacturing Company, of
Sampson Road North, Sparkbrook, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer,
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 primarily to improvements in the driving mechanism or
the speeding gear of velocipedes, particularly of that type known as "geared
ordinaries," in which the front wheel is directly driven from the crank axle, without
the employment of chain gear.
The object of my said invention is to obtain a simple, efficient, and compact
gear, without unduly increasing the weight and bulk of the driving mechanism and
also to effect removal and renewal of the gear without interfering with or taking
apart the wheel or hub of a machine.
In carrying out my invention in connection with a geared ordinary, I provide
the termination of one of the branches of the fork of the front wheel with a boxed
end or casing containing within its internal circumference, sufficient space for
carrying the transmitting and speeding gear, as hereinafter described.
The crank axle, which passes through the said casing, of the one part, carries
cranks or crank arms at its outer ends, and a pinion wheel made integral with, or
fast upon the said axle, adjacent to the crank at the casing end.
Surrounding that part of the crank axle lying between the pinion wheel, and

page_text: that end opposite the casing, is a barrel sleeve, carrying at its end next the pinion
wheel, a pinion, whose teeth intergear with the teeth of the wheel of a combined
wheel and pinion, running loosely upon a journal or bearing, directed from the
inside of the outer wall of the lower part of the casing.
The pinion of the said combined wheel and pinion intergears with the pinion
wheel on the axle shaft, whilst the open inner side of the casing is enclosed by a
ball bearing fitted cover.
That part of the barrel sleeve adjacent to its pinion, is screwed with a fine right
hand thread and screws into the middle of one end of the hub, while the other end
of the barrel sleeve is right hand screwed with a coarse thread, upon which a
collar, having a half ball race formed within it, takes.
The junction of the barrel sleeve with the pinion has also a half ball race, which
comes opposite the half ball race of the walls of the enclosing casing, and between
which parts, ball bearings roll.
Disposed between a half ball-race of an inside shouldered part of the barrel
sleeve pinion, and a half ball-race at the junction of the crank axle with its pinion
wheel, are ball bearings, and disposed between the junction of the off-side of the
pinion-wheel of the crank axle with its stem, is a half ball-race, and opposite to the
said half ball-race, is a second half ball-race of a cap or closure, taking into
the inside screwed part of the casing, wherethrough the crank axle, forward of its
pinion wheel, passes.
The other or plain branched end of the fork is recessed with a half ball-race,
likewise is the collar which takes into the cavity or space between the said recessed
part, and the coarse screwed end of the barrel sleeve, and between which half ball-
races, ball bearings are located.
The inner face of the adjustment and ball bearing collar abuts against the opposed
face of the hub, whose inside middle waist part is plain, and takes upon the plain
body part of the barrel sleeve.
Screwing upon the ungeared end of the crank axle, adjacent to its crank, is a
coned nut, circumferentially grooved with a half ball-race, and between it, and a
like ball-race shaped within an outside end recess formed in the terminal of the
fork at the said ungeared end of the ball sleeve, are ball bearings.
In this method of mounting, fitting, and arranging the gear, and the anti-friction
bearings of the component parts, two primary longitudinal adjustments are
admissible, one between the ball bearings disposed between the coned nut and the
adjacent collar, of the one side, and the barrel sleeve pinion and the pinion wheel
of the crank axle of the other side, of the one part, whilst the adjustment of the
other part is between the ball bearings disposed between the casing half-races and
the barrel sleeve pinion of the one side, and the half race of the cap or closure, and
the half race of the pinion wheel of the other side.
By turning the cranks, the crank axle is rotated between its ball bearings, the
pinion wheel upon it drives and communicates motion to the pinion of the double
pinion wheel, whose wheel drives the pinion of the barrel sleeve, hence the trans-
mission of motion to the hub, which is fast upon the said sleeve.
By changing the wheels of the speed mechanism, variable rates of motion can be
imparted to the hub of the wheel, relative to the movements of the cranks.
My invention can be applied to the driving mechanism of all velocipedes, by
substituting a chain wheel bush for the hub as described, and carrying the said
bush from the bottom bracket, so that speeding gear is employed in connection
with chain driven cycles.
Thus, by my invention, the removal and renewal of gear is accomplished without
interfering with the hub, the wheel or any component part of them.
Thus by removing the crank at the end of the axle opposite to the gear, an
also the coned nut upon that end, and removing the gear case cover from the front,
of the gear casing, the principal gear, with the crank axle, can then be removed,
less the pinion on the sleeve which can be afterwards removed, by unscrewing the
same out of the hub,

page_text: portion of a cycle wheel provided or fitted with attachable, detachable, and
adjustable driving mechanism or speeding gear according to my invention.
Figure 2 represents a vertical section upon the dotted lines A B Figure 1,
showing the positions of the driving and transmitting gear, and also the con-
struction of the bracket or gear case, which covers up and protects the gear or
driving mechanism from dust.
Figure 3 represents the hub separately,
Figure 4 the ball bearing race of the left-hand side of the ball mounting, and
Figure 5 represents the gear casing separately.
Figure 6 represents the driven pinion sleeve and crank axle with driving wheel
upon its end separately.
Figure 7 represents the combined speeding wheel and pinion for communicating
motion from the crank axle to the hub.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawing.
Directed axially through the hub a, and the barrel sleeve b, upon which the hub
is fitted and made fast, is a crank axle c, carrying at its outer ends, cranks or crank
arms d, and near one of its ends, a pinion wheel e.
The barrel sleeve b, also has at one end, next to the aforesaid pinion wheel, a
pinion, whose teeth intergear with the teeth of a pinion wheel y, made in one
piece with a pinion h, both of which run loosely upon a journal or axle i², directed
from the inside walls of the lower part ', of the gear casing i.
Thus, the pinion of the combined wheel and pinion g, h, intergears with the
pinion e, on the crank axle c, whilst the pinion wheel g, intergears with the driven
pinion wheel, on the end 62, of the sleeve b.
The gear casing i, which is made bracket and box form with an open front, is at
its upper end ³, connected and jointed to the extremity of the lower end of the
branch j, of the fork, by a bolt 3, whilst the left hand end branch j', of the said
fork, is terminated by a recessed or sunken bracket bearing attachment k, and is
jointedly and attachedly connected thereto by a cross bolt j³, by the removal of
which said bolts, the gear casing, crank axle and other accessory parts are capable
of being removed, after the left hand crank and coned nut upon the one side (as
hereinafter described) have been disconnected.
The right hand end part 62, of the barrel sleeve, or that part adjacent to the
pinion, is screwed, with a fine right hand thread and screws into one end a², of
the hub a, whilst the other end 3, of the said sleeve is screwed with a coarse right
hand thread, upon which a collar m, takes, and its inner face m², made to abut upon
the left hand end or head of the hub a.
This said collar m, has a half ball race m', upon its outer face, and coincident
with it, is a half ball race k', sunken within the recess 2, of the bracket terminal k,
and within which half ball races, ball bearings o roll.
Taking upon the screwed end c¹, of the crank axle c, is a coned nut n, having a
half ball race n², between which, and a race k³, of a recess k, are ball bearings p.
The open front of the gear casing i, is enclosed by a cover, within the annular
opening, surrounding the neck c², of the axle c, of which, is a closure cap q,
having a half ball race 92, formed within its inner face, coming opposite to a
half ball race c³, formed at the junction of the neck c², of the crank axle C, with
the pinion wheel e, and between which half ball races, ball bearings r roll.
Ball bearings s and t are disposed between, and work within ball races formed in
the opposed faces of the pinion wheel e, pinion f and back inside face is, of the
gear case i.
Thus it will be understood that by the two threads on the sleeve or barrel
being both right handed, but one being coarser than the other, the one unscrews
more quickly than the other, hence the locking of the said sleeve or barrel against
the finer thread.
Now by the fixing and carrying of the gear wheels within a box or casing

page_text: which supports the working centres, the same acts as an oil reservoir and dirt
excluder.
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 :-
First. In speed gear for velocipedes, fixing and carrying the gear wheels within
a box or casing which supports the working centres, and which acts as an oil
reservoir and dirt excluder, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly. In speed gear for velocipedes, fitting to the hub, or to the interior of
the hub, an attachable and detachable crank axle sleeve, having at one end, a
toothed pinion or a toothed wheel, which gears with the teeth of a pinion or a wheel
of the gear, substantially as described and set forth.
Thirdly. In speed gear for velocipedes, jointedly connecting the bearing parts of
the crank axle and gear to the lower terminals of the branches of the fork,
substantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly. In speed gear for velocipedes, the means hereindescribed for facilitating
the removal of the gear, without interfering with or taking apart the component
parts of the hub or wheel and bearings, substantially as described and set forth.
Fifthly. In speed gear for velocipedes, the means or method herein described of
mounting, fitting and arranging the gear, and the anti-friction bearings of the
component parts substantially as described and set forth.
Sixthly. In speed gear for velocipedes, the construction, fitting and arrangement
of the parts of the bearings, whereby two primary and longitudinal ball-bearing
adjustments are admissible, substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 14th day of Tune 1902
ROBERT FREDERICK HALL,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.