Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Feb., 1806
Complete Specification Left. 30th Nov.. 1896-Accepted, 21th Apr., 1837
Date of App
Complete Specification Left. 30th Nov.. 1896-Accepted, 21th Apr., 1837
Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
We, FRANCIS EDWARD MACMAHON of 198, New Kings Road, Putney, in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, and ARTHUR JAMES POSTANS of 173, Upper
Richmond Road, Putney, in the county aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved method of transmitting motion from the
pedal-crank axle to the driving wheel or wheels or axle or axles thereof, and in
certain details of construction rendered necessary by the application of this
improved system of driving.
Our invention consists in the use of a horizontal shaft arranged longitudinally
between the pedal-crank axle and the driving wheel or wheels and of two short
lengths of flexible shafting connecting the ends of the said horizontal shaft with
the driving wheel or wheels or the axle or axles thereof at the one end and with a
pedal-crank axle or with a lay axle geared therewith at the other end.
In applying our invention to a rear-driving safety bicycle, we prefer the following
construction:-The lower part of the main frame is formed as a complete horizontal
frame having two straight side picces, two straight end pieces and curved portions
connecting the said pieces. The straight piece at the front end formas a bearing on
which is mounted a spur pinion which gears with a spur wheel mounted on the
pedal-crank axle which is of the usual construction. On the straight piece at the
back end of the said frame is mounted, on suitable bearings, the driving wheel.
On the straight piece forming one of the sides of the frame is mounted on suitable
bearings a tubular axle or shaft. The ends of this shaft are connected with the
spur pinion herein before referred to and with the driving wheel respectively by
means of lengths of flexible shafting constructed in the well-known manner, the
said lengths of flexible shafting being outside the curved corners or portions
of the said frame. The lengths of flexible shafting are preferably surrounded by
a cover of rubber, leather or other suitable flexible material to exclude dust, dirt,
damp etc.
As an alternative construction the longitudinal axle may be mounted in bearings
either above or below the member of lower back fork or its equivalent.
It will be obvious that similar driving mechanism may be applied to each side of
the machine.
The advantages we gain by this system of driving are:-First, the ability to
mount the driving wheel and the pedal-crank axle at fixed points with respect to
each other as we dispense with the necessity for adjusting these parts with respect
to one another. Secondly, dispensing with the necessity for a dress guard, or chain
guard. Thirdly, absence of noise and rattle. Fourthly, absence of excessive
backlash, and fifthly, the slight amount of elasticity between the pedal-crank axle
and the driving wheel such as is sought to be obtained by spring chain wheels,
elastic driving wheels and the like.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: We, FRANCIS EDWARD MACHAHON of 198, New Kings Road, Putney, in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, and ARTHUR JAMES l'OSTANS of 173, Upper
Richmond Road, Putney, in the county aforesaid, Engineer, 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 to an improved driving gear for imparting motion from
the pedal-crank axles of velocipedes to the driving wheel or wheels thereof, and it
has for its object dispensing with the ordinary chain driving gear which has many
objections in practice.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates this invention:-
Figure 1 is a broken view in side elevation showing by way of example the gear
applied to the driving wheel of a bicycle, and Figure 2 is a broken view in section
plan on line Figure 1.
Similar parts are denoted by like letters of reference in both views.
In close proximity to the pedal-crank axle A and near one end thereof is a short
axle B mounted in a suitable ball hearing carried by the frame. Motion is
imparted to this secondary axle B3 by means of a spur wheel C and pinion C, the
relative sizes of which are determined as it is desired to gear the driving wheel up
or down. The hub D of the driving wheel-which is dished at one end-is fixed
on an axle E which runs in suitable ball bearings and the former carried by
the member X of the lower back fork of the frame and the latter by a casing Y
formed on or fixed to the other member X' of the lower back fork of the frame.
Motion is imparted from the secondary axle B to the axle E of the driving wheel
by means of a longitudinal axle F extending between the ends of the axles Band E
on that side of the machine opposite to the side on which the axle B is located.
The axle which may be either a rigid one as shown by Figure 2 of the
accompanying drawings, or a flexible one is mounted in suitable ball bearings
carried by the casing Y and by a similar casing Y¹ formed on or attached to the
cnsing of the hearing .r. The axle is preferably arranged to run in, and be
enclosed by, a tube such as G extending between the casings Y and Y.
When the secondary axle 13 is placed immediately to the rear of the pedal-crank
axle A the longitudinal axle F may conveniently be enclosed in the member X of
the lower back fork.
The flexible shafts H preferably take the form of spiral springs as shown,
but any other type of flexible shaft may be used, and they are connected to
the ends of the respective axle by means of collars such as J brazed or otherwise
secured to them and adapted to be screwed on to the end of the axles as shown by
Figure 2 of the drawings.
To facilitate mounting and dismounting the driving wheel without disturbing the
attachment of the rear flexible shaft, with the axle E of the driving wheel the
member of the lower back fork is made in two pieces the rear one of which is
capable of being detached from the other as shown by Figure 2.
It will be seen that by mounting the axle B on the opposite side of the machine
to the axle F and by dishing the side of the hub D next to the axle F we obtain
the largest possible are for the flexible shafts to work through without increasing
the width of the trend of the machine.
The advantages we gain by this system of driving are:-First, enabling the
driving wheel and pedal-crank axle to be mounted in the frame at fixed points with
respect to each other as there is no necessity to provide for the adjustment of these
parts with respect to one another. Secondly, dispensing with the necessity for a

page_text: dress or chain guard. Thirdly, absence of noise or rattle. Fourthly, absence of
excessive backlash, and fifthly, obtaining a slight amount of elasticity between the
pedal-crank axle and the driving wheel such as is sought to be obtained by spring
chain wheels, elastic driving wheels and the like.
It will be obvious that the secondary axle B may be mounted in other positions
with respect to the pedal-crank axle than that shown and that the gear by which the
motion of the pedal-crank axle is imparted to the axle B may be of any other type
than that hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings
without departing from the spirit of our invention.
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) The improved driving gear for velocipedes, constructed arranged and adapted
to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
(2) A driving gear for velocipedes for imparting motion from the pedal-crank axle
to the driving wheel or wheels, consisting essentially of a secondary axle such as B
mounted on one side of the machine in close proximity to the pedal-crank axle and
geared with it by means of spur or other suitable gearing, of a longitudinal axle
such as located on the opposite side of the machine to the axle B and extending
between one end of the secondary axle B and one end of the axle of the driving
wheel or wheels of the velocipede, and of short flexible shafts such as H connecting
the ends of the longitudinal axle F with the secondary axle B and the axle carrying
the driving wheel or wheels respectively as set forth.
(3) The specific combination of parts hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the accompanying drawings forming our improved driving gear for velocipedes.
Dated this 30th day of November 1896.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.