Improvements in Pedals for Foot-driven Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1899
[Communicated from abroad by GUSTAVUS EMIL STRAUSS, of Plainfield, County of
Union, State of New Jersey, United States of America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Pedals for Foot-driven Machines.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115, Cannon Street, in the City of London, Con-
sulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, 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:—
My invention has reference to improvements in pedals for foot-driven machines,
and consists in a pedal, the spindle of which is enclosed by a sleeve held in place
by a shell of semi-cylindrical cross-section and two enclosing end-rings, the foot-
supporting wings being integral with the said shell. By this construction the
manufacture of pedals is greatly simplified and the expenses of manufacturing
the same reduced.
My improved pedal is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 a side view of the same, Figure 3 is a longitudinal
section, Figures 4 and 5 are transverse sections on lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively
of Figure 2.
Figure 6 is a detail showing one of the end-rings and Figures 7 and 8 are
views of the shell with the foot-supporting wings.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Referring to the drawings, A is a shell of semi-cylindrical shape, which has on
its longitudinal edges outwardly-flaring and upwardly-extending side-plates or
wings, which form the foot-supports of the pedal. The shell and wings are
preferably integral and consist of a flat metal plate with two lateral extensions,
which form the said wings, as shown by the blank illustrated in Figure 7, the
plate being semi-cylindrical and the wings outwardly and upwardly bent, as
shown in Figures 4 and 5. B is a sleeve, which is located in the shell A and longi-
tudinally split, whereby a certain spring action is imparted to the sleeve, so that
the same presses against the shell A and secures thereby a better hold in the latter.
CC are two rings, which have two horizontal incisions or notches c c and; are near
their incisions, so depressed that they firmly enclose the shell with the sleeve, as
shown in Figures 4 and 5. The incisions ce enable the rings to be partially
slipped over the end portions of the shell and sleeve, the incisions cc allowing
the end edges of the wings to slip therein, so that, when the rings are fastened
upon the shell and sleeve by soldering or otherwise, a compact pedal consisting
of a tube with outwardly and upwardly extending wings is formed. In the tube
thus obtained the outer rims of the rings and of the shell are in line with each
other, as shown in Figure 3. D D are two cups as generally used in ball-bearings,
(which cups are pushed into the outer ends, of rings C, which form the end-
openings of the tube, until they abut against the rims of the sleeve B. The
sleeve B is preferably made shorter than the shell A, as indicated in Figure 3,
so that when the rings are fitted to the shell and sleeve, they project beyond the

page_text: ends of the sleeve, sufficiently to accommodate the bearing-members D, which
bearing-members may be of any suitable construction but are preferably ball
cups or races as shown. The ends of the sleeve B form abutments within the
rings C, against which the bearing-members D. can set, so that the bearing-
members are kept properly separated by the sleeve.
It will be observed, that the split sleeve is placed split downward within the shell,
so that the split opening in the sleeve will be covered by the shell, and dust
effectually excluded from the interior of the pedal. The split sleeve can be formed
out of a flat metal sheet, which may be easily stamped or embossed before bending.
The split sleeve B is also preferably made of slightly larger diameter than the
interior of the rings C, so that when its ends are inserted in the rings, they will
fit very closely therein and maintain a close joint therewith by the expanding
spring-action of the sleeve.
The end rings C not only securely unite the sleeves and shell, but by reason of
their peculiar shape, their upper parts form complete circles in connection with the
semi-cylindrical ends of the shell, so that the bearing-members, or ball races D,
fit closely and perfectly between the upper parts of the rings and the ends of the
shell, as indicated in Figure 3. The peculiar formation of the rings and the shell
gives a preponderance of weight to the lower part of the pedal, so that the foot-
rests will be kept uppermost by gravity of the pedal, which will always turn right
side-up.
The spindle F is on one end provided with a fixed cone E, and has on the other
end a second cone E', which is screwed upon the spindle. This end of the spindle
has a screw-threaded recess to receive a screw-pin f. The thread of the recess has
an opposite direction to the outer thread for the cone E¹.
When the pedal is completed by putting the shell, the sleeve, and the end-rings
together, as described, and the cups D D are inserted into the end openings of the
tube and fastened therein, balls ee are placed into one cup and the spindle is then
pushed through the tube until the fixed cone rests on the said balls. A second
series of balls is then placed into the second cup, and the adjustable cone E is
then screwed upon the screw-threaded end of the spindle until the required contact
of the balls with the respective cups and cones forming the ball-chambers is
obtained. The screw-pin f is then screwed into the recess of the spindle until
the head of the pin rests on the adjustable cone and holds the latter in reliable
position.
By making the inner and outer screw-threads of the spindle in opposite direc-
tions, the screw-pin f will, when the pedal is used and the spindle rotated, have
a tendency to counteract the rotation of the spindle and cone E, and thereby not
allow a loosening of the latter, but continuously secure a tight attachment of
the same to the spindle.
This pedal is not only very simple and comparatively cheap to manufacture, but
has several advantages over the pedals of the usual construction, which advantages
consist in its greater lightness, in its being more perfectly dust-proof, and in the
ease with which it can be taken apart for the purpose of lubricating and cleaning.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
First. A pedal consisting of a semi-cylindrical shell, having foot-supports on
its opposite edges, a sleeve fitted in the shell and end-rings fitted over the ends
of the shell and sleeve and holding the sleeve in the shell, said ring having notches
engaging the foot-supports, substantially as set forth.
Second. A pedal composed of a bottoni semi-cylindrical shell, provided with foot-
rests on its opposite side edges, a split sleeve located in said shell split-downward,
and end-rings fitted to and over the ends of both the sleeve and shell, whereby the
split sleeve is firmly secured to the shell, substantially as and for the purpose
described.

page_text: Third. In a pedal the combination with a spindle of a semi-cylindrical shell
formed with opposite foot-supporting wings on its longitudinal edges, and a split
sleeve located split-downward within the trough of said shell, with end-rings
whereby the sleeve and shell are firmly united, and bearing-members within said
rings, whereby the pedal may be supported upon a spindle, substantially as
described.
Fourth. In a pedal the combination of an inverted semi-circular shell having
opposite upwardly and outwardly curved wings or foot-supports on its opposite
edges, a short split sleeve located split-downward in the shell, and rings fitted over
the ends of said sleeve and shell and provided with incisions to fit over the end
edges of the wings, and the bearing members in said rings abutting against the
ends of the sleeve, all substantially as set forth.
W. H. BECK,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C.,
Applicant.