IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN SHARP of 19 Bath Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES to be as follows:-
My invention relates-firstly-to those Velocipedes or Tricycles which are
driven by means of central gearing-and consists in the combination of the
central gearing with the rotating shaft on which there are two wheels,-one wheel
fast and the other loose on the shaft so as to dispense with the ordinary balance
gear and produce a less-expensive and easior-going velocipede than those with
balace gearing. In this case I prefer to place the ball bearings wider apart than
those on this class of engines.
Secondly-My invention relates to the steering apparatus of velocipedes and
consists in an endless chain secured to a pulley on the head of the fork of the back
or front wheel and in gear with a pinion on the end of the steering handle shaft
or the machine may be steered by the front wheels in the ordinary way.
Thirdly My invention relates to the break apparatus of velocipedes and
consists in the application of a bracket attached to the ends of the spindle on
which the wheel revolves and also on the upper part of the head of the fork-this
bracket forming the bearing for a lever the one end of which is provided with a
grooved roller, or shaped so as to clip the rim of the back wheel and the other end
to be pressed by the foot. In this case I apply the break to the break-wheel so
that by pressing the heel of the foot upon the lever the weight of the body will
tend to prevent the rider from being pitched over the main-shaft when descending
hills. But I prefer to actuate the break-lever by the hand instead of by the foot-
the break-lever and the hand-lever being connected by means of a link or links,
chain, or gut-passing through the tube which forms the back-bone of the velocipede
and I make the levers and bearings suitable therefor.
Fourthly My invention relates to the ball-bearings of velocipedes and consists
in the following combination of parts of mechanism. For easy reference and
description I will attach a letter to cach part. At the extremity of the hanger A
which supports the ball-bearings there is a ring or loop B which is nicely bored
and another ring C is accurately fitted therein On the outer periphery of B there
is a boss D and a hole-a little larger in diameter than the balls E is bored
through D, B and C and a plug G is secured therein. There is also a projection or
lug H on the outer periphery of B-this lug H and the same side of B are divided

page_text: or slit through in a radial line, and a screw J is passed through the one part of H
and screwed into the other half of H and J is secured in position by means of a
lock-nut K or set pin L so that G and J securely hold C in the loop B. An
annular semicircular or V groove which includes the end of the plug G is turned
on the inner periphery of C. Another ring M is loosely fitted into C having on its
outer periphery an annular, semicircular or V groove, and this ring M is firmly
secured to the shaft N which together with M. rotates in C. The hole through D,
B and C forms a hopper through which the balls E are fed into the two annular
semicircular or V grooves in C and M. When the bearing is charged with spheres
the plug G is secured in position by means of a screw-pin O.-The parts C and M
are, by preference made of gun-iron-case-hardened and emery lapped, so as to
accurately fit the balls-because this bearing is intended to be used without being
adjusted but if required this bearing may be made adjustable by dividing or
slitting through the one side of C.
Another bearing constructed according to my said invention consists of a ring or
loop R, which is a part of the hanger P, and which is composed of two halves,―
each half having two bosses S through which screw pins T are passed for the
purposes of adjustment and of securing the two halves of R together; and one of
the said halves which I will term the gland has two other bosses U situated at
right-angles to those marked S and containing screw-pins W which are intended
to securely lock the screw pins T The split loop R bas on its inner periphery an
annular semicircular or V groove and a ring ✗ also in two halves-having on its
outer periphery an annular semicircular or V projection to fit the said groove in
the split loop R and on the inner periphery of X an annular semicircular or
V groove for the reception of the balls. The ring on the shaft for this bearing is
similar to M as hereinbefore described. The parts which come in contact with the
balls are by perference made of gun iron, case hardened, and emery lapped.
The advantage gained by the adoption of the bearings herein first described is
this that they will requiro no skill or attention on the part of the rider to keep
them in proper working order, and the advantage gained by the adoption of the
bearings berein last described is this:-that the parts are more easily put together
and taken to pieces than when those bearings are used which require lateral
adjustment.
1
A1

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, JOHN SHARP of 19 Bath Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES 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 chiefly to those velocipedes termed tricycles which are
driven by means of central gearing and on which the rider is seated with the back
bone between his legs (as on the ordinary bicycle). The object of this invention is
to construct the said tricycle without the usual balance gearing between the two
front spider wheels,-one wheel being fixed fast to, and the other running loose on
the shaft, to steer with the back-wheel,-to apply the brake to the back wheel-
and to construct the ball bearings without lugs-being simply circular rings fitted
into circular boles in the brackets, hangers, or frame-work of the tricycle.
By this arrangement or combination of parts of mechanism in tricycles con-
structed according to this invention the following advantages will be gained-
Firstly they will be less expensive than are those with the balance gearing.
Secondly there will be less strain on the arms of the rider than there is by steering
with the two front wheels. Thirdly.-the ball-bearings will require less skill and
attention of the rider than is required by those bearings with lateral adjustment
and fourthly by applying the brake to the back wheel there will be no tendency
to pitch the rider over the handle bar when suddenly putting on the brake when
in rapid motion or while descending a hill as is too often the case when the band
brake is applied to the front or crank shaft of the ordinary Humber pattern
tricycle.
I will now describe with reference to the accompanying drawings the manner in
which my invention is to be performed.
Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate parts of a central gear tricycle in which all the parts of
my invention may be combined in one machine.
One end of the back-bone a is hinged to the head of the fork band the other
end of a is secured to the vertical tube c There are two spider wheels (not shewn
in the drawing) one fixed fast and the other loose on the shaft N. The tube c
contains the vertical shaft e which has on its upper end the handle-bar f, and on
its lower end a spur pinion or wheel g. And on the head of the fork 6 there is a
pulley or spur wheel h, and g and h are connected by means of an endless chain in
gear therewith;-or g and h may be connected by an endless metal band secured
thereto; or instead of the chain or band, a cross lever, having two arms in a line
may be fixed on b and è and connected by means of two side rods. By moving the
handle-bar feither way the steering is effected as required When the bearings of
the said tricycle are put wider apart the steering connections may be conducted to
the spade-handle shaft e³ on the right hand side of the machine by means of the
three-armed levers and actuated by the pinion g³ as shewn in the modified form
in Fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings,

page_text: On the handle-bar fis the actuating brake lever i in gear with the vertical
intermediate lever j On the head of the fork is the spoon lever k and the
levers ; and k are connected by means of a chain passing through the back bone a
and through a hole in the vertical shaft e each end of this hole being coned to
allow of freedom to the wire during the process of steering. The wire which forms
the end link of the said chain is scrowed and a fly-nut fitted thereon for the
purpose of adjustment.
By pressing the hand lever i, the spoon lever k is forced against the periphery of
the back-wheel and the machine is easily stopped or its speed retarded when
descending a hill without any tendency to pitch the rider over the handle-bar.
A spring (not shown) is applied to the lever ko to reverse the brake apparatus.
Instead of passing the brake chain through the tube a of the said tricycle I prefer
to apply the modified form of connecting the levers k and j as shown in Fig. 5.
When the bearings of the said tricycle are put wider apart the brake connections
may be conducted to a hand-lever or to a spade handle on the left hand side of the
machine in a similar manner to the modified form as shewn in Fig. 8.
I will now describe with reference to Figs. 9 and 10 (enlarged size) the ball
bearings as applied to the tricycle illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
At the extremity of the hanger or bracket A. Fig. 9 which supports the ball-
bearing there is a ring or loop B which is nicely bored and another ring C is
accurately fitted therein.
On the outer periphery of B there is a boss D and a hole a little larger in
diameter than the balls is bored through D, B and O and a plug G is secured
therein by the pin O There is also a projection or lug H on the outer periphery
of B. This lug and the same side of the ring B are divided or slit through in
a radial line and a screw J is passed through the one part of H and screwed into
the other part of H-and J is secured in position by means of a lock-nut K so that
G and J securely hold C in the loop B-An annular semicircular or V groove which
includes the end of the plug G is turned on the inner periphery of C. Another 3
ring M is loosely fitted into C having on its outer periphery an annular semicircular
or V groove and this ring M is firmly secured to the shaft N which together with M
rotates in C-The hole through D, B and C forms a hopper through which the
spheres are fed into the annular semicircular or V grooves in C and M.
When the bearing is charged with spheres the plug G is inserted and secured in 3
position by means of a screw-pin O.
Fig. 10 illustrates a modification of the bearing herein before described and
illustrated in Fig. 9 as held by the loop B in the hanger A in Fig. 1. At the
extremity of the hanger P is the ring R which is slitted through, each half'having
two bosses S (through which screw-pins Tare passed) for the purposes of adjust- 4
ment and for securing the two halves of R together and one of the halves, which
I will term the gland, has two other bosses U situated at right angles to those
marked S and containing screw-pins W which are intended to securely lock the
screw-pins T.
The slitted loop R has on its inner periphery an annular groove, and the ring X, 4
also in two halves, has on its outer periphery an annular projection to fit the annular,
groove in the split ring R.
The rings M and X contain annular grooves for the reception of the spheres
precisely the same as those illustrated in Fig. 9 And the novelty of these two
forms of bearings consists in the combination of the rings C and X with their
holders B and R.
Figures 3. 4. 5. 6 and 7 illustrate modified forms of the said break arrangement
as applied to central gear tricycles in which the back-bone a¹ is hinged to the
verticle tube c² instead of being hinged to the head of the fork b of the back-wheel.
By, reference to the said modified forms of the break arrangement constructed b
according to my invention the illustrations may be easily understood without
further descriptions.

page_text: for
Having particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
Improvements in the construction of velocipedes and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
Firstly The arrangement or combination of parts of mechanism forming the
steering apparatus as applied to the back wheel of a central gear tricycle without
balance gear and on which the rider is or may be seated with the back-bone a
between his legs substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1.
2 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
Secondly The arrangement or combination of parts of mechanism forming the
break apparatus as applied to the back wheel of a central gear tricycle without
balance gear, and on which the rider is or may be seated with the back-bone
between his legs substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1.
2 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Thirdly The arrangement or combination of parts of mechanism forming the
break apparatus as applied to the back-wheel of a central gear tricycle with or
without balance gear in which tricycle the back-bone a² is hinged to the tube c³ and
on which the rider is or may be seated with the back-bone as between his legs-
substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 3. 4. 5. 6 and 7 of
the accompanying drawings.
.
Fourthly The complete rings M and C which form the ball bearing in combina-
tion with the ring or loop B which is divided on one side, and which loop B forms
the holder of the ball bearing into which the spheres are fed through the holes
in D. B. and C whether the ring C be divided on one side laterally for the purpose
of adjustment or not for velocipedes substantially as herein before described and
illustrated in Figure 9 of the accompanying drawing-and
Fifthly The complete ring M and the ring X divided through its centre laterally
which rings M and X form the ball bearing in combination with the ring or loop R
divided through its centre laterally, which divided ring or loop R forms the holder
of the ball bearing for velocipedes, substantially as herein before described and
illustrated in Figure 10 of the accompanying drawing.
Dated this first day of August One thousand eight hundred and eighty five.