IMPROVE- MENTS IN DRIVING GEAR FOR VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, BENJAMIN CARR, of Boundary Road, Walthamstow, in the county of Essex
Mechanica Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DRIVING GEAR FOR VELOCIPEDES" to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in driving gear for velocipedes
and relates to an arrangement of gear for driving bicycles or tricycles in the latter
principally to that class in which the pedals are placed centrally and the driving
chain or transmitter likewise placed.
This invention is mainly an improvement on an invention for which I was
granted a prize at the Workmans' Exhibition of 1870 such said invention
consisting of the "sun and planet" motion adapted as a driving gear.
In applying my invention to a bicycle I arrange a shaft or spindle to work or
slide within the hub. One end of this shaft carries a crank, the other is fitted to
a box or case.
The hub is fitted with a sleeve carrying a toothed wheel and the box or case
before mentioned carries a pin on which is placed another toothed wheel revolving
loosely on it.
The inner side of the said box or case carries a rack capable of gearing with the
first named tooth wheel and the outer side carries the other crank pin.
I also arrange a clutch on the crank spindle operated by a bell crank connected
to a rod passing through or beside one of the forks.
This rod is linked to a hand lever carrying a spring pawl taking into notches in
a segment for the purpose of locking the gear in any of the required positions.
To hold the toothed wheel carried by the box or case to gain the increased speed
I attach a connecting rod to this wheel and joint it to a lever moving on a fulcrum
in the fork and connected to the handle operating the gear so that on moving the
latter in the proper direction the sun and planet motion is imparted giving the
increased speed.
The connecting rod (or in this case rods) attached to the toothed wheel carried
by the box or case, can be if desired extended downwards and the pedals attached
to make a safety machine.
When the rod is operated the bell crank slides the crank spindle through the
hub and as the box or case has the before named rack secured thereto, this

page_text: movement slides the rack into engagement with the teeth of the wheel secured to
the hub. This, of course, locks the box or case with the sliding crank spindle and
the whole revolving as one piece the pedals fitted to the crank pins on being
operated drive the machine normally.
When the operating handle is held or locked in the central position neither the
rack nor the toothed wheel carried by the box or case is in gear with the toothed
wheel secured to the hub and consequently the cranks are set free from the hub
and act as footrests in descending hills or for mounting or dismounting.
A further movement of the rod puts in gear the toothed wheele carried by the
box or case to give the increased speed.
My invention can be easily adapted to balance gear tricycles of the central
driving type by fixing the chain wheel or transmitter on the before so called hub
and passing a chain over it or connecting other transmitting devices to it and the
balance box put on the driving axle.
Or it can as readily be put on the "Coventry Rotary" or "Challenge" Single
driving wheel "
type.

page_text: I BENJAMIN CARR of Boundary Road Walthamstow in the county of Essex
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE.
MENTS IN DRIVING GEAR FOR 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 has for its object improvements in driving gear for velocipedes
and relates to an arrangement of gear for driving bicycles or tricycles, in the latter
principally to that class in which the pedals are placed centrally and the driving
chain or transmitter of power likewise placed.
This invention is mainly an improvement on an invention for which I was
granted a prize at the Workman's Exhibition of 1870 such said invention
consisting of the "sun-and-planet" motion adapted as a driving gear to bicycles as
a means of multiplying the speed of the cranks which transmit power to the
driving wheel.
In applying my invention to a bicycle I arrange a shaft or spindle to work or
slide within the hub. One end of this shaft carries a crank, the other is fitted to a
box or case.
The hub is fitted with a sleeve carrying a toothed wheel and the box or case
before mentioned carries a pin on which is placed another toothed wheel revolving
loosely upon it.
The inner side of the said box or case carries a rack capable of gearing with the
first named toothed wheel and the outer side carries the other crank pin attached
to the small toothed or "planet wheel."
I also arrange a clutch on the crank spindle operated by a bell crank lover
connected to a rod passing through or beside one of the forks.
This rod is linked to a hand lever carrying a spring pawl taking into notches in
a segment for the purpose of locking the gear in any of the required positions.
To hold the toothed wheel carried by the box or case to gain the increased speed
I attach a connecting rod to this wheel and joint it to a lever moving on a fulcrum
in the fork and connected to the handle operating the gear so that on moving the
latter in the proper direction the-" sun and-planet" motion is imparted giving the
increased speed.
The connecting rod (or in this case rods) attached to the toothed wheel carried
by the box or case can be if desired extended downwards and the pedals attached
to make a «<
safety machine, which form I have shewn in the drawings
accompanying this specification.
17
When the rod is operated the bell crank slides the crank spindle through the
hub and as the box or case has the before named rack secured thereto this
movement slides the rack into engagement with the teeth of the wheel secured to
the hub. This of course, locks the box or case with the sliding crank spindle and
the whole revolving as one piece the pedals fitted to the crank pins on being
operated drive the machine normally or as one revolution of the crank to one of
the wheel.
When the operating handle is held or locked in the central position neither the
rack nor the toothed wheel carried by the box or case is in gear with the toothed
wheel secured to the hub and consequently the cranks are set free from the hub
and act as footrests in descending hills or mounting or dismounting.
A further movement of the rod puts in gear the toothed wheel carried by the
box or case to give the increased speed.

page_text: My invention can be easily adapted to balance-gear tricycles of the "central-
driving" type by fixing the chain wheel or transmitter of power on the before
so-called "hub" and passing a chain over it or connecting other transmitting
device to it and the balance-box put on the driving axle. Or it can as readily be
adapted to the "Coventry Rotary" or "Challenge" single-driving wheel type.
In order to describe the nature of my said invention and the manner of
performing the same I have caused to be annexed to this specification the
accompanying three sheets of drawings illustrative of the application of my
invention to a now popular type of machine known as a "safety" bicycle namely
a bicycle in which the rider sits well back over a small driving wheel.
Before proceeding to refer to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon
it will be obvious to anyone skilled in the trade to which my invention relates,
that it can as readily be applied to an ordinary or large (as opposed to the small
wheels of the "safety" type) wheeled bicycle or tricycle as before referred to, and
I have therefore not thought it necessary to make drawings of the same as its
application will be readily understood.
With respect to the before referred-to sheets of drawings and the figures and
letters of reference thereon indicated.
Sheet 1 shews in Fig 1 a side elevation (the gear side only) of a part of a
"safety" bicycle fitted with my invention.
Fig 2 a front elevation of part of the driving wheel and gear.
Sheet 2. Fig 3 shews an enlarged elevation (the gear partly shown in section) of
a bicycle hub so fitted and "geared-up."
Fig 4 shews the same "geared level."
Fig 5 shews a plan of the box enclosing the gearing.
Fig 6 a side elevation of same.
Sheet 3. Fig 7 shews a side elevation of the clutch mechanism.
Fig 8. a plan of same and of the connecting and guide rods.
Fig 9. a front elevation of same.
Starting firstly with sheet 1 and then the following sheets.
A represents the rim and tyre of a bicycle wheel, B, B¹ the forks carrying
bearings C, C, in which the spindle D rotates.
This spindle at one end carries a crank E keyed or otherwise secured to the same.
The other end of the spindle passes through bearing C and is bolted, keyed,
brazed, or otherwise secured to a box or case F.
This box or case is shown in section in Figs 3 and 4 Sheet 2, and in plan and
elevation in figures 5 and 6 same sheet.
As shewn the box consists of a flanged case open at one side G to allow the
toothed wheel H to slide in and out of the same and open at the other side I to
receive the pinion J, the said wheel and pinion when in gear forming a
planet" notion.
"
sun and
The toothed wheel H is keyed or secured to or forms part of, the sleeve K of the
hub Land runs on ball (as shewn) or other bearings C C¹ in the forks B, B¹.
The pinion J at one end runs (advantageously as shewn) on balls in the case F
and on a fixed spindle M in the said case, having a collar or boss to receive balls
at its other end, and a plate N and set screw keeping the balls in place, or I may
adopt other means of mounting the pinion such as letting it revolve with a spindle.
The outer end or extension of the pinion J carries a connecting rod O (thus
forming a crank).
The forks B, B¹ carry extensions P, P¹ (not shewn in sheet 2) projecting
downwardly or outwardly.
On the end of each extension is mounted a pin or pivot Q, Q. On these pivots
work sleeves R, R¹.
To the sleeves I attach Screwed bosses S, S¹. In these engage screwed rods T, T¹
(in figure 2 the latter being hidden by the position of the crank).
The other ends of these rods T, T' enter screwed bosses U, U' carried by sleeves V,
(bidden in figure 2) and V¹,

page_text: These sleeves V, V₁ oscillate on pivots or pins W, W₁ and form vibrating
standards on universal joints.
These pivots or pins W, W' are carried by levers X, X¹.
These levers carry bosses or enlargements Y, Y¹.
Through the boss or enlargement on the gear side the rod O attached to pinion J
passes, and on the crank (E) side I put a sleeve Z on the crank pin as shewn in
figs 8 and 9 and this sleeve carries a screwed boss in which a screwed bent (to
economize space) rod Z¹ engages and passes through the boss Y' in lever X'.
The rods Z' and O are screwed and carry milled or lock nuts as shewn so as
to vary their length and the throw of levers X X³, or other means of adjustment
is provided.
The screwed or universal joints are for the purpose of allowing the spindle D to
slide in and out for giving "power speed or "free cranks.'
" "
"
Or in place of this arrangement I may use the rods T, T' on ball-and-socket
joints, or for a high-wheeled machine attach the connecting rod O to a lever
moving on a fulcrum on the top of the fork and dispense with the levers X X¹
and connecting rod Z thus driving the wheels directly from the cranks.
safety machine levers X, X¹ carry pedals Z¹¹ Zu as shewn.
In the
To put the wheel H in gear with pinion J or throw it out of gear or lock it, I
provide means for effecting this end.
The box or case F carries a rack or segment "a" attached thereto or I could use
the mechanical equivalent of a pin or tooth on the box or case entering one or more
of a series of holes or notches on the side or face of the toothed wheel H
I also provide the clutch arrangement shown.
On the fork or head of a bicycle Fig 7. I attach a rack "b" carrying three
notches, the highest being for "normal" the central for "free cranks" and the
lowest for "speed."
On this rack or the head or fork oscillates a lever "c." This lever carries a
handle "d" at its end. It also carries a spring pawl (indicated by dots) to engage
with either of the notches in rack "b."
To the lever "c" is pivoted a rod "e" passing through the fork B' and at the
lower end of this rod "e" is attached a yoke "f" moving in a slot in fork B',
the said yoke carrying the pivot of a bell crank "g," the lower end of which is
pivoted to an oval ring or clutch "i" working against a collar "j" (shewn in
dots) screwed or attached to spindle D, thus forming a clutch.
Now if the handle "d" be raised to its highest position, the rod "e" will shift
the clutch so that the rack "a" attached to the box or case F is by the movement
of spindle D carrying the said box or case slidden outwards so that the said
rack "a" gears with the toothed wheel H thus keying the box or case F, the
spindle D, and the hub L together and giving one revolution of the crank to one
of the driving wheel as shewn in figure 4.
a
If the handle " d" be moved to the centre notch then " "will neither gear
with Hnor J, and the driving wheel and cranks will be disconnected and the
machine run independently of its pedals.
But if the handle "d" be lowered till its pawl enters the lowest notch and abuts
on the stop of rack "b" the spindle D will slide in bringing with it the box or
case F carrying pinion J in gear with the toothed wheel H in the hub L, the
machine will then be "geared up" as it is then driven by the "sun-and-planet'
or multiplying motion and the speed of the driving wheel will depend on the
relative diameters of the wheel H and pinion J.
I do not claim or bind myself to the exact method of moving the spindle D and
so operating the gear and I may in place of using a vertically moving rod working
inside the fork to shift the clutch, use a revolving rod outside the fork and turned
by a handle horizontally or use other well known or suitable means of operating
my gear,

page_text: "
Though described for a safety bicycle" and referred to as applicable to an
ordinary bicycle it will be readily perceived my Invention can be adapted to
tricycles or like velocipedes as before mentioned.
I do not bind myself nor claim the mere arrangement of levers X X', as the
method of communicating power from the pedals to the cranks may be varied.
I do not claim the mere sliding of the spindle through the hub or other part to
operate a speed gear, neither in this specification do I claim my original invention
of the application of the "sun-and-planet" motion to driving velocipedes; but
having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said present
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
"
Firstly. In a bicycle or like velocipede driving gear a sliding crank spindle
attached to a box case or frame in combination with and carrying a planet"
pinion and a locking segment rack or like clutch either being capable (by the
sliding of the said spindle) of being geared with or both kept clear of a "sun," or
toothed wheel on the hub, chain-wheel or like attachment to the driving wheel or
wheels as and for the purposes described.
"
Secondly. In a velocipede driving gear consisting of a sun-and-planet" motion
(that is to say-of a toothed wheel secured to or carried by a sliding crank spindle
and capable of being geared with a
"planet
pinion connected to a crank,-) the
combination with such motion of a horizontally sliding segment rack or like
locking device connected to the gear-fitted crank, to lock the "sun" wheel and
planet "pinion with both cranks for normal speed substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings..