Improvements in Ball Bearings for the Wheels of Cycles and other Vehicles, and for the Crank Axles of Geared Cycles other than those which Pass through Travelling Wheels thereof, and in and relating to such Bearings of Cycle Pedals.
Year: 1896

page_text: Comp ete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 24th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ball Bearings for the Wheels of Cycles and other
Vehicles, and for the Crank Axles of Geared Cycles other than
those which Pass through Travelling Wheels thereof, and in
and relating to such Bearings of Cycle Pedals.
We, WOLSELEY SHEEP SHEARING MACHINE COMPANY, LIMITED, of..
Sydney Works, Alma Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, and
HERBERT AUSTIN, of the same address, Works Manager to the said company,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In ball bearings for the wheels of cycles and other vehicles and for the crank
axles of geared cycles other than those which pass through travelling wheels
thereof, as usually constructed, the weight or pressure is supported by the bails
which are at the underside of the bearing, and these balls having a tendency to fall
to the lowest portion of the bearing are consequently liable to rub against one
another as they revolve, and thus cause unnecessary friction. Various devices have
been adopted to keep the balls apart, and thus avoid the friction caused by their
rubbing against one another, but, as the balls have had to rub against the parts by
which they have been separated, no sufficient advantage has resulted to compensate
for the extra complication involved.
Now, according to this invention, the weight or pressure is supported by balls
which are at the upper side of the bearing. The weight or pressure is supported.
wholly, or chiefly, by the two uppermost balls, and as these balls have a tendency
to fall away from one another towards opposite sides of the bearing they do not rub
against one another, at any rate to any considerable degree, and thus unnecessary
friction is avoided or greatly reduced. In the case of wheel bearings, the fixed
portion of the bearing is formed so that the path thereof around which the balls
run will surround such balls and the revolving portion of the bearing is formed so
that the path thereof around which the balls run will be surrounded by the balls;
and thus, as will be seen, the weight or load is transmitted from the upper side of
the path of the fixed portion of the bearing, through the balls at the upper side of
the bearing, to the upper side of the face of the revolving portion of the
bearing.
In the case of the wheel bearings, the inner portion of the bearing may be fixed
to or formed with the wheel hub, as is usual, and consequently revolve therewith;
but the path therea round for the balls, which is preferably curved in cross section,
as is usual, is formed with its face outwards from the axis of the bearing. The
outer or fixed portion of the bearing may be screwed upon the axle in the usual
manner, or may be adjustable along the axle in any convenient manner, but the
path therearound for the balls is formed with its face inwards towards the axis of
the bearing so that the balls may travel between its face and the face of the
revolving portion of the bearing. The inner portion of the bearing may, however,
if preferred, be formed with or fixed to the axle, and the outer portion of the
bearing be screwed into the wheel hub, the bearing face of the inner portion of the
bearing being formed, in such case, inwards towards the axis of the bearing, and

page_text: the bearing face of the outer portion of the bearing outwards from such axis.
It will thus be seen that, in either case, the weight or load is transmitted from the
upper side of the fixed portion of the bearing, through the balls at the upper side
of the bearing, to the upper side of the revolving portion of the bearing.
In the case of the crank axle, the fixed portion of the bearing may be the outer
portion and the portion which is carried by and revolves with the axle be the inner
portion; or vice versa. In either case, the path formed around the fixed portion
for the balls has its face outwards from the axis of the bearing, and the corre-
sponding path around the revolving portion has its face inwards towards such axis.
According to this arrangement, the pressure of the foot in pedalling is transmitted
from the upper side of the revolving portion of the bearing, through the balls
at the upper side of the bearing, to the upper side of the fixed portion of the
bearing.
According to the ordinary method of mounting a pedal, the adjustment of the
bearings is effected at the outer end of the pedal pin.
Now, according to a further part of this invention, the adjustment of the pedal
bearings is effected entirely from the inner end of the pin, and the portion of the
pedal which surrounds the outer end of the pin is completely closed in by a cap
which conceals the end of the pin. A path for the balls is formed in the pedal at
each end thereof. The pedal pin is formed with an enlarged outer end, and the
balls of the outer bearing are placed between the inner surface of such enlarged end
and the corresponding bearing surface of the pedal. The bearing surface of the
enlarged end of the pin, of course, faces backwards so that the balls which bear
thereagainst prevent the pedal from moving outwards. A cone is placed around
the inner end of the pin, and is just an easy sliding fit thereon, and this cone is held
in place, when the pedal is removed from the crank, by a dust cap which is carried
by the pedal. The pin is fixed to the crank by screwing its inner end through a
screwed hole formed through the crank and when it is in its required position
tightening it therein ih'a manner heretofore practised; that is to say, by tightening
up a pin which passes through the opposite sides of the outer end of the crank
which is slit to allow the sides of the screwed hole therethrough to be tightened
around the pin. The usual collar or shoulder, however, at the inner end of the pin
is dis ensed with, and a groove is cut across the face of its inner end so that it
may be readily turned by a screw-driver to adjust it to the required position within
the hole of the crank and the adjustment of the bearings is effected by first
slackening the pin by which the slit end of the crank has been tightened up, then
turning the pin by means of a screw-driver, applied at its inner end, thus drawing
the pin through the cone around its inner end, the back of which is supported
against the outer face of the crank, and at the same time drawing the bearing
surface at the outer end of the pin against the balls around such end and
consequently drawing the pedal against the balls which are around the inner end of
the pin, thus pressing the balls against the cone which surrounds the inuer end of
the pin, and finally re-tightening the slit end of the crank around the screwed
portion of the pin.
Dated this 5th day of June 1806
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Ball Bearings for the Wheels of Cycles and
other Vehicles, and for the Crank Axles of Geared Cycles other
than those which Pass through Travelling Wheels thereof, and
in and relating to such Bearings of Cycle Pedals.
We, WOLSELEY SHEEP SHEARING MACHINE COMPANY, LIMITED, of
Sydney Works, Alma Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, and
HERBERT AUSTIN, of the same address, Works Manager to the said company,
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:-
In ball bearings for the wheels of cycles and other vehicles, and for the crank
axles of geared cycles other than those which pass through travelling wheels
thereof, as usually constructed, the weight or pressure is supported by the balls
which are at the underside of the bearing, and the balls having a tendency to fall
to the lowest portion of the bearing are consequently liable to rub against one
another as they revolve, and thus cause unnecessary friction. Various devices
have been adopted to keep the balls apart, and thus avoid the friction caused by
their rubbing against one another, but, as the balls have had to rub against the parts
by which they have been separated, no sufficient advantage has resulted to
compensate for the extra complication involved.
Now, according to this invention, the weight or pressure is supported by balls
which are at the upper side of the bearing. The weight or pressure is supported
wholly, or chiefly, by the two uppermost balls, and as these balls have a tendency
to fall away from one another towards opposite sides of the bearing they do not rub
against one another, at any rate to any considerable degree, and thus unnecessary
friction is avoided or greatly reduced.
In the case of wheel bearings, the fixed portions of the bearings, that is to say,
the parts which are carried directly by the axle, are formed so that the paths
thereof around which the balls run will surround such balls, and the revolving
portions of the bearings, that is to say, the portions which are carried directly by
the hub of the wheel, are formed so that the paths thereof around which the balls
run will be surrounded by the balls, and thus, as will be seen, the weight or load is
transmitted from the upper sides of the paths of the fixed portions of the bearings,
through the balls at the upper sides of the bearings to the upper sides of the faces
of the revolving portions of the bearings.
A convenient application of the invention in the case of bearings for a wheel
is shewn, by way of example, by Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings herewith, of
which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the centre of a cycle wheel hub and
bearings, shewing the axle in side elevation, and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the
hub and axle.
The fixed portions a of the bearings are shewn as if forced tightly onto tapered
portions of the axle A, and are in position inwards of the balls. These fixed
portions have bearing paths a' which surround the balls c. The revolving portions b
of the bearings are shewn as screwed into the ends of the hub B, and are each
formed with a bearing path b which is surrounded by the balls. The revolving
portions 6 of the bearings may be screwed up and unscrewed by means of a spanner
which engages with notches, such as 62, formed in the hinder edges thereof, and
may be locked in position by means of screwed collars or flat nuts d having
notches such as in their edges for the engagement therewith of a spanner. To
avoid the liability of the nut d' at the opposite end of the hub to that on which the

page_text: chain wheel is fixed, or of each nut d in the case of the front wheel hub, jarring
loose, such nut, or cach nut, is, preferably, formed with a rim d which is bored
taper to fit around and tighten itself upon a tapered end of the hub. The
arrangement shewn of the fixed and revolving portions of the bearings is a very
convenient one, but the arrangement may be reversed, as will be obvious, that is
to say, the revolving portions of the bearings may be inwards of the balls and the
fixed portions outwards thereof, in which case the fixed portions of the bearings
are made capable of adjustment along the axle so that they may be screwed
therealong to tighten up the bearings. If the reverse arrangement to that shewn
be adopted, the bearing paths of the fixed portions of the bearings must, of course,
still surround the balls, and the bearing paths of the revolving portions of the
bearings be still surrounded by the balls.
In the case of the crank axle bearings of geared cycles, the fixed portions of
the bearings, that is to say, the parts which are carried directly by the bottom
bracket, are formed so that the parts thereof around which the balls run will be
surrounded by such balls, and the revolving portions of the bearings, that is to
say, the parts thereof which are carried directly by the axle, are formed so that
the paths thercof around which the balls run will surround the balls, and thus, as
will be seen, the pressure is transmitted from the upper sides of the paths o: the
revolving portions of the bearings, through the balls at the upper sides of the
bearings to the upper sides of the faces of the fixed portions of the bearings.
A convenient application of the invention, in the case of the bearings for a
crank axle, is shewn, by way of example, in longitudinal section by Figure 3.
It is not necessary to describe the arrangement in detail as it corresponds, as will
be seen, with the arrangement of bearings shewn by Figure 1 already described.
It should be borne in mind, however, that the bottom bracket B' is a fixture, and
that consequently the portions b of the bearings which are screwed thereinto are
fixtures also, and that the portions a of the bearings which are carried directly by
the axle revolve with the axle. The reason for adopting in, this case the same
arrangement as that which is adopted in the case previously described, will be
apparent when it is borne in mind that in the case both of the wheel bearings and
of the crank axle bearings the pressure of the axle is downwards. The fixed
portions b of the bearings are shewn to be locked, not by means of screwed collars
or thin flat nuts as in the case of the wheel bearings (though they may be so locked,
if desired), but by means of transverse locking bolts e in the manner usual in
locking screwed cups in the ends of a botton bracket. In this case, also, the
arrangement of the fixed and revolving portions of the bearings may be reversed in
position, but in such event of course the bearing paths for the balls must still be
formed, in the case of the fixed portions of the bearings, to be surrounded by the
halls, and the bearing paths of the revolving portions of the bearings must still be
formed to surround the balls.
In a cycle pedal of the ordinary construction the adjustment of the bearings
is effected at the outer end of the pedal piu, which involves the removal of the dust
cap (when such is used) at the outer end of the pin, each time the adjustment is to
be effected.
Now, according to a further part of this invention, the adjustment of the pedal
bearings is, preferably, effected entirely from the inner end of the pedal pin, and
the portion of the pedal tube which surrounds the outer end of the pin is,
preferably, completely closed in by a cap which conceals the end of the pin,
and which does not require removal for the purpose of adjusting the pedal
bearings.
This part of the invention is clearly illustrated by Figures 4 and 5 of the
drawings herewith, of which Figure 4 is a sectional view taken through the
centre of a pedal and through the upper end of a crank with which it is connected,
and shews the pedal pin in side elevation; and Figure 5 is a back view of the upper
end of the crank and the inner end of the pedal pin.
A path for the balls g is formed in the pedal tube C at each end thereof. The

page_text: outer end of the pedal pin D is formed with a bearing path h for the balls
of the outer bearing which are placed, as shewn, between the inner surface of
such path and the corresponding bearing surface of the pedal tube. A cone i is
placed around the inner end of the pedal pin D, and is a 'sliding fit thereon; and
this cone is held in place, when the pedal and pin are together removed from the
crank, by a dust cap; which is carried by the pedal and is formed with a portion k-
which comes immediately behind a flange or collar of the cone. The balls of the
inner bearing bear against a path forming a portion of the surface of the cone.
and against the corresponding path formed in the inner end of the pedal tube. The
pedal pin D is fixed to the crank E by screwing its inner end m through a screwed
hole form.ed through the crank, and when it is in its required position tightening it
therein in a manner heretofore practised, that is to say, by tightening up a pin n
which passes through the opposite sides oo of the outer end of the crank which
is split, as shewn, to allow the sides of the screwed hole therethrough to be
tightened around the screwed end m of the pedal pin. The usual collar or
shoulder, however, near the inner end of the pedal pin is dispensed with, and a.
groove p is cut across the face of its inner end so that it may be readily turned by
a screw-driver to adjust it to the required position within the hole of the crank, or
other means to facilitate the turning of the pin at the inner end thereof may be
provided; and the adjustment of the bearings is effected by first slackening the
pin n, then turning the pedal pin D, by means of a screw-driver applied to the
groove p, or in other manner, thus drawing the pedal pin through the cone i,
the back of which is supported against the outer face of the crank, and conse--
quently drawing the bearing surface of the outer end of the pedal pin against the
balls g around such end, with the result that the inner bearing surface of the pedal
tube is drawn against the balls which are around the cone i; and finally retightening
the pin n to tighten the split end of the crank around the screwed portion m of the
pedal pin.
As the adjustment of the pedal bearings is effected entirely from the inner end
of the pedal pin, the outer end of the pedal tube C may be entirely closed in, so as.
to conceal the outer end of the pedal pin D, by means of a cap q.
The portion of the pedal pin around which the cone i is placed is of a diameter
not less than the outer diameter of the threads of the screwed portion m of the
pin, and thus the screwed portion of the pedal pin may be drawn through the cone,
and the pedal pin may be removed from the pedal tube, when the cap q has been
removed, by drawing it out end ways through the outer end of the pedal tube.
In Figure 4, the dust caps j and g are shewn as if made separately from the end
plates s of the pedal, and to be removably held in place upon projecting ends of
the pedal tube in the usual manner, such for instance as by being pushed tightly:
thereon; but they may be formed each in one piece with the corresponding end:
plate, as shewn in the modification next to be described, in which case of course
they can be removed only with the end plates.
In this
Figure 6, which is a corresponding view to Figure 4, shews a modification of the
invention which differs slightly from that shewn by Figures 4 and 5.
modification, a smaller pedal pin is used, and consequently a smaller pedal tube. The
portion of the pedal pin around which the cone is placed is of a less diameter
than the screwed end m' of the pin, and the screwed end of the pedal pia cannot,:
consequently, be drawn through the cone, and the pin can only be removed from.
the pedal tube by drawing it out through the inner end thereof. Before the pedal.
pin can be drawn out, it is necessary to remove the cap q and to move the pedal!
pin outwards sufficiently to allow the balls g of the outer bearing to fall out from
between the pedal pin and tube; and in order to enable the pin to be moved in
this manner an annular recess t is formed around the back of the cone i¹, into which
a portion of the screwed end m of the pedal pin D may be passed. When the
balls g at the outer end of the bearing have fallen out, the pedal pin may be
readily drawn back out of the pedal tube. The portion of the pedal pin forwards
of the screwed part m' is, of course, made so that it may be drawn through the

page_text: cone. The caps and q are shewn, in this case, to be formed in one piece with
the respective end plates s of the pedal, and can of course be removed only there-
with, the plates being removably held together by means of pins passing through
rubber blocks, or in other usual or convenient manner. The caps may, however,
in this case also, if desired, be made removable independently of the plates, as in
the modification shewn by Figure 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Ball bearings, for the wheels of cycles and other vehicles, having the fixed
portions of the bearings formed with bearing paths to surround the balls, and the
revolving portions of the bearings formed with bearing paths to be surrounded by
the balls, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
2. Ball bearings for the crank axles of geared cycles, other than those which
pass through travelling wheels thereof, having the fixed portions of the bearings
formed with bearing paths to be surrounded by the balls, and the revolving portions
of the bearings formed with bearing paths to surround the balls, substantially as
described for the purpose set forth.
3. Ball bearings for the wheels of cycles and other vehicles having the fixed
and revolving portions of the bearings constructed and arranged substantially as
described and shewn by Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings herewith, for the purpose
set forth.
4. Ball bearings for the crank axles of geared cycles, other than those which
pass through travelling wheels thereof, having the fixed and revolving portions of
the bearings constructed and arranged substantially as described and shewn by
Figure 3 of the drawings herewith, for the purpose set forth.
5. A cycle pedal having a cone, or portion formed with an exterior bearing path
for the balls, which is a sliding fit around the inner end of the pedal pin, for the
purpose of allowing the pedal pin and pedal tube to be moved inwards in relation
to the cone, substantially as described.
6. A cycle pedal having a cone, or portion formed with an exterior bearing path
for the balls, which is a sliding fit around the inner end of the pedal pin, such pedal
being otherwise constructed, also, in the manner substantially as described, that
when attached to the crank the bearings may be adjusted by drawing the pin
through the cone to the extent required, the adjustment being effected, preferably,
entirely from the inner end of the pedal pin.
7. A cycle pedal pin formed integral with the outer bearing path for the balls
and screwed at its inner end for connection with a split end of the crank, and
adapted to be readily turned by an instrument applied, preferably, to its inner end,
in combination with a cone i, or portion formed with an exterior bearing path for
the balls, which is a sliding fit around the inner end of the pedal pin, and with a
pedal tube formed with a bearing at each end for the balls, the parts being so
constructed and arranged in relation to one another that, when the pedal is attached
to the crank, the wear of the bearings may be taken up by drawing the pin through
the cone to the extent required, substantially as described and shewn by the
drawings herewith.
8. The combination of cycle pedal, and means of fixing the same to a crank,
substantially as described and shewn, according to different modifications, by the
drawings herewith.
Dated this 6th der of Mauch 1007
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.