Improvements in Bearings for Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bearings for Vehicles.
We PETER FRANCIS TURNER. Merchant of 612 W. 39th Street in the City of
New York, in the County and State of New York, CHARLES MCBRIDE Merchant,
of 214 W. 39 Street in the same place, and EMIL KLAHN, Engineer of West
Hoboken County of Hudson and State of New Jersey U.S.A. 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 :-
Our invention has reference to improvements in bearings for vehicles especially
for bicycles and consists of a ball-bearing which can be easily detached from the
hub for the purpose of lubricating the same or for being replaced by another bearing
in case it should be broken or otherwise rendered unfit for further use..
Our improved interchangeable bearing is illustrated in the accompanying drawings
in which
Figs. 1 and 2 are plans and Fig 3 a vertical section of the same.
Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 and Fig. 5 a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2 and
Fig. 6 and 64 are details ;
Fig. 7 is a modification of the bearing as applied to cranks and Fig. 8 a vertical
section of the same.
Fig. 9 shows the bearing case or box of the crank with the bearing partly drawn
out and the sprocket wheel removed, and
Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are sections on lines 10-10, 11-11 and 12-12 respectively
Fig. 8.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 6. A in the drawings represents a core which serves as a
support for the fork between the prongs B B of which the wheel rotates. The said
core has on one end a conical head a which extends into a cylinder that fits into a
round hole b of the prong B of the fork and is kept in position in the same by means
of a shoulder al resting on the outside of the prong B. The other portion of the
core A terminates in a screw-rod a² which projects through a hole in the prong B'.
C is a sleeve provided near its end with inwardly projecting flanges c c which enclose
the core A and form a chamber for the lubricating compound, that is introduced into
the chamber through the inlet hole c'. Between one flange c and the conical portion a
of the core a space is left for a series of balls d and another space for a second series
of balls d is formed on the other end of the corby a conical ring e which is shifted
upon the core and abuts against that series of balls as shown in Fig. 3. The required
play of the balls is regulated by means of a screw-nut f screwed upon the threaded
end of the core which, at the same time, serves to keep the conical ring e in reliable
position.
G is the hub of the wheel which is placed upon the sleeve C and has on one end an
angular slot g into which a pin g', extending from the outer periphery of the sleeve C,
projects, whereby a so-called bayonet-joint between the sleeve and the hub G is
formed. The prongs B and B¹ have inwardly projecting flanges b' and be respectively,
the flange enclosing the cylindrical portion a of the core and the flange b' the
threaded portion of the same, the outer faces of the said flanges are in the same level
with the hub. The prong B is provided with an entrance opening 63, which terminates
into a slit in the flange b', as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6, which opening and slit
serve to allow the stop-pin g' to pass through. H and H₁ are sliding rings placed
upon the hub, one of which is split-to create a transverse opening so that the ring can
pass over the pin g'. The second ring H may also be split, the splits having also the

page_text: purpose to impart to the rings a certain spring-action so as to secure a tight fitting of
the same on the hub.
The core A is kept in place between the prongs of the fork by means of the
aforesaid shoulder a' on one side of the core and resting on the prong B, and of a
screw-nut K screwed upon the threaded end of the core and pressing against a second
prong B'.
Our improved bearing is put together as follows: The wheel is held between the
prongs B B by shifting the rings H H over the end portions of the wheel-hub G
and the flanges & and 6 of the said prongs. The balls d are then placed upon the
flange c of that portion of the sleeve C which adjoins the conical portion of the core A,
and the core is then inserted into the sleeve, whereafter the other series of balls is
placed on the second flange e and the conical ring e shifted upon the threaded portion
of the core where it is kept in place by the screw-nut f, as said before. After this is
done the sleeve enclosing the core and the balls is pushed into the hub so that the
pin g passes into the slot g of the hub and the split of the ring H, the rings H H¹
being before placed upon the said hub, and the screw-nnt K is screwed upon the
threaded end of the core until it meets the outside of the prong B₁ so that all parts
are held between the prongs of the fork. Finally the rings H H are shifted to the
insides against the spokes L and the ring H so turned that the pin g' is pushed by the
split portion of the said ring into the vertical portion of the angular or bayonet slot of
the hub, which position is shown in Fig. 1.
In case the bearing needs cleaning or lubricating, or it is to he replaced by a new
one, if worn out, the screw-nut K is removed from the threaded end of the core A,
the rings H H shifted over the flanges b of the prongs B B and the ring H so
arranged that the pin g' is pushed into the horizontal portion of the bayonet-slot and
the bearing drawn out of the hub. The bearing can then be easily cleaned or
lubricated, or replaced by a new one while the wheel is held in position between
the prongs by means of the sliding rings resting on the flanges of the prongs as shown
in Fig 1.
In the construction shown in Figs. 7 to 12, the conical ringe is dispensed with and
therefore, the conical screw-nut brought in contact with one series of the hearing
balls d so that the bearing balls move in the spaces between one flange c and the
conical head a of the core A, which here forms the crank-shaft and the other flange c
and the conical screw-nut.
G¹ is a cylindrical case which is firmly attached to the bicycle frame E and has on
one end an angular slot g₁ into which a pin gl, extending from the outer periphery
of the sleeve C projects, which latter is enclosed by the said case G¹, so that by
the said slot and the pin ga hayonet joint between the sleeve and the
case G' is formed. F is a slitted ring which is placed upon the case G¹ and has
a recess which allows the ring to be shifted partially beyond the connecting
rod E of the bicycle frame, as shown in Fig. 9. L is the hub of the sprocket
wheel which is placed upon the case G and has an annular recess by which an
annular space is formed into which the ring F can be pushed as illustrated in
Fig. 8. The hub L bears the sprocket wheel M which has an aperture m
corresponding with a horizontal stopper-pin f" fastened to the outer surface of
the ring F which stopper-pin projects into the said aperture when the ring F is
pushed into the annular space between the case G' and the hub I. The latter is
provided with a horizontal slit that encloses a screw-pin i which passes through
the head a of the core A as shown in Figs. 8 and 12. The screw-pin is thinner
than the width of the slit but has an upwardly enlarging head which presses upon
the sides of the slit when the screw-pin is screwed down, so that the hub is
reliably held in position by the said screw-pin on the head of the core.
The outer ends of the core A bear the crank arms N and N¹ which are held thereon
in reliable position by means of any suitable fastening devices so that by the said
core the crank shaft is formed. The screw-pin i may be provided with an annular
recess into which a stop-pin passing through the head of the core or crank shaft
projects so that, when the screw pin is screwed up the said stop-pin touches a shoulder

page_text: formed by the said recess of the screw-pin and prevents the latter from dropping from
the head of the crank shaft.
Our improved crank is put together as follows:-After a series of balls d is placed
upon one flange of the sleeve C, the core or crank shaft A is pushed into the said
sleeve so that the cone of the head of the core comes in contact with the balls, then
another series of balls is applied to the second flange of the sleeve and the conical
Screw-nut screwed upon the threaded end of the core so that the second series of
balls is enclosed in the space formed by the second flange of the sleeve and the cone of
the said screw-nut. The case G' is pushed over the sleeve C so that the pin g of the
sleeve Centers the horizontal portion of the angular slot g, and the case Go-
turned that the said pin passes into the vertical portion of the angular slot. The
slitted ring is then pushed over the case, so that the pin g projects also through
the slit of the ring and the latter is so turned that the pin gis reliably held in
position by the outer end of the hayonet slot and one wall of the slit of the ring F
whereby the sleeve G' and the case G are so combined that neither one can be
moved independently of the other one.
After the several parts are thus put together, the sprocket wheel hub is pushed over
the head of the core or crank shaft, the pin i in the latter passing through the slit
of the hub. The screw-pin is then screwed down and the head of the same pressed
upon the side walls of the slit of the hub, so that the latter is held in position on
the core head and has to follow the rotations of the core. Finally the crank-
arms N N are attached to the core or crank shaft, the arm N¹ being detachable from
the same.
When the crank arms are turned, the crank shaft or core A with the conical screw-
nut and the hab I with the sprocket wheel M are simultaneously rotated while the
other parts of the crank are held in rest.
When it is desired to remove the crank shaft and the enclosing sleeve for cleaning
or lubricating the crank-arm N is taken off the ring F so turned that the slit of
the same engages the pin g and rotates thereby the sleeve C in the case so far
that the pin can enter the horizontal portion of the angular slot of the case G¹,
the screw-pin i is then loosened so that the hub I is released from the same and
the ring F pushed into the annular recess of the hub, so that the stopper-pin
projects through the aperture in the sprocket-wheel, whereafter the crank shaft
with the sleeve C can be drawn out while the sprocket-wheel remains in position
on the case G', so that it is not necessary. to take off the belt-chain, which is
Diostly the case with the bicycles now in use when the crank-shaft is to be
removed.
Another advantage of our crank is that the sprocket-wheel is located between
the bearing balls whereby the sprocket-wheel is better balanced and less stress is
required to operate the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A bearing for vehicles consisting of a core inserted into and between the
prongs of a fork and rigidly kept therein by suitable fastening devices, a sleeve
placed upon the core and a wheel hub enclosing the said sleeve and so attached
to the latter that the hub and the sleeve rotate simultaneously on the core, substantially
as set forth.
2. A bearing for vehicles consisting of a core having balls arranged to roll
around the same by means of an enclosing sleeve, and being inserted into and
between the prongs of a fork and kept therein by suitable fastening devices and a
bub enclosing the said sleeve and so attached to the same as to rotate therewith,
substantially as set forth.
3. A bearing for vehicles consisting of a core having one end conical and the
other end terminating in a serew rod, balls arranged to roll around the core and
held thereon by inwardly extending flanges of a sleeve which surrounds the core,

page_text: and by a conical portion of the said core on one end and a conical ring held on
the threaded end of the core by means of a screw-nat, the core being inserted into
and between the prongs of a fork and fastened thereon, which prongs are provided
with inwardly extending flanges, a hub enclosing the sleeve and being attached
thereto, and sliding rings which can be shifted over the flanges of the fork prong
and the hub, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination of the prongs of a fork provided each with an inwardly ex-
tending flange, with a core inserted into and held between the said prongs, the core
having on one end a shoulder resting on the outside of the corresponding prong
and a tapering portion and on the other end a screw rod projecting through the
second prong, balls arranged around the core, a sleeve enclosing the core and
having inwardly extending flanges to form supports for the balls a conical ring
placed on the threaded end of the core and held in place by means of a screw-
nut a second screw-nut screwed upon the screw-rod of the core outside the second
prong and a hub attached to the sleeve substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of the prongs of a fork having each an inwardly extending
flange, one flange being slitted with a detachable wheel bearing inserted into and
fastened between the said prongs and having a pin that passes through the slit of
the slitted flange, a hub enclosing the bearing and having an angular slot through
which said pin projects, and two sliding rings which can be shifted over the flanges
of the fork and the hub, one of which rings having a split which serves when turned,
to engage the said pin, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of a core or crank shaft being provided with a conical head and
having a crank-arm' on each end, with an enclosing sleeve having inwardly extending
flanges, a screw-nut screwed upon the core or crank-shaft, balls located on the
spaces between the conical head and the screw-nut respectively and the said flanges,
a secondary sleeve or case placed upon the first sleeve, and a hub placed upon the
secondary sleeve, the secondary sleeve and the hub having means to be detachably
fastened to the first sleeve, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7. The combination with a ball-bearing of a sleeve placed upon the casing of
the bearing, a hub having an inner annular recess and a lateral aperture and being
placed upon the sleeve, the sleeve and the hub having means to be detachably fastened
to the casing and a ring shifted upon the sleeve and having a horizontal pin to engage
the aperture of the hub, substantially as set forth."
Dated this 21st day of March 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,, Agents.