Improvements in Speed, Power, and Idle Gear for Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Complete specification Left, roth Dec, 1892-Accepted, oth July, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Speed, Power, and Idle Gear for Velocipedes.
We, PAUL MALICET and EUGENE BLIN, both of Aubervilliers in the Republic
of France Engineers 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 velocipedes and principally to tricycles or those termed
"safety" bicycles and consists in certain improvements in the gear whereby the
power is transferred from the treadle shaft to the driving wheel so that by simple
movements of a device within reach of the drivers hand the gear may be adjusted
in a practically instantaneous manner either for a quick driving or for a slow
driving or for allowing the treadle shaft to revolve idly or remain stationary while
the driving wheel revolves.
In the annexed drawings
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the gearing near the hub of the driving wheel,
showing also the said wheel and fork.
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the wheel hub and part of the gear seen
in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the invention applied to a
"safety" bicycle.
Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof.
The axle a on which the driving wheel revolves is a fixture not intended to
rotate and it is elbowed beyond the part where the driving wheel revolves on it
and is continued laterally from said elbow so as to produce a second axle a¹
excentrically placed with regard to the first but rigid therewith. On this second
axle a' is a sliding sleeve p capable of being moved endways and on this sleeve
revolves a pinion 6 which by the end wise movement of the sleeve may be caused
to mesh with an interiorly toothed ring or wheel c integral with the hub of the
driving wheel, or may be moved laterally out of mesh therewith.
In a suitable bearing usually a ball bearing in the edge of the hub of the driving
wheel there revolves a projecting gudgeon r the end of which projects beyond the
side face of the hub and is adapted to engage and move in a radial slot in a plate
or arm d which is fixed with the pinion usually by extending the hub of this
pinion laterally to form a sleeve and securing the boss of the plate d thereon by
means of a key o. The lateral distance between the gudgeon and the toothed
ring c is so proportioned to the lateral distance between the pinion b and the plate d,
that when the gudgeon r engages in the plate d the pinion b is not in engagement
with the ring and conversely when the ring c and pinion b are in engagement, the
gudgeon and plate d are not in engagement. The proportion between the
distances is furthermore such that when the sleeve p carrying the pinion 5 and with
it the plate d is in its intermediate position the pinion b is neither in engagement
with the ring nor the gudgeon with the plate d.
On the prolonged hub of the pinion b is also keyed by the key o the chain

page_text: wheel n
or equivalent wheel by which through chain or otherwise power is
transmitted from the treadle shaft to the driving wheel.
and
In the present instance this. power is transmitted primarily to the pinion
thus either to the driving wheel through the teeth of this pinion and the toothed
ring c giving a reduction in the speed transmitted proportional to the ratio of pitch
of the pinion b and ring c, or else through the plate d and the gudgeon ŕ whereby
the number of revolutions of the wheel n is equal to that of the driving wheel.
The sleeve p preferably forms the inner part of a ball bearing for the pinion b
and its prolonged hub, the adjustment of the bearing being provided for by a
screw threaded cap i which also serves. for the connection of the lever by which
this differential speed gearing is adjusted and held in one of its three positions
before referred to.
This lever e Fig. 3 pivoted at f is led back to near the handle of the driver
where it may be adjusted, a suitable device for this purpose consisting of an
excentric g which may be moved to the right or left by a lever or may be placed
in.a central or intermediate position corresponding to the position of disengagement
where the driving wheel is rendered independent of the treadle shaft.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is;-
1) In a velocipede the combination of an elbowed shaft,. one part a of which
forms a bearing for the driving wheel, with a sliding sleeve on the other part a',
said sleeve bearing a pinion revolved by the treadle shaft gearing and adapted to
mesh with an. interiorly toothed ring on the driving wheel hub, and means for
driving the wheel direct brought into engagement when pinion and toothed.ring are
disengaged.
2) In a velocipede, the combination with the driving wheel of an axle a thereto
and excentrically placed prolongation a¹ on said axle, a sleeve p on said prolongation,
a pinion b, a plate d and spur wheel n or equivalent integral.with each other on the
sleeve, a gudgeon r and a toothed ring c on the driving wheel hub, the sleeve. p.
being movable endwise for the purposes set forth.
3) In a velocipede, the combination of a driving wheel, an elbowed shaft a a', a
ring and gudgeon r on the wheel hub, a pinion b, plate. d. and spur. wheel nor
equivalent of the latter moveable end wise as an integral whole,,a:lever 1, excentric q
and lever l; substantially as illustrated and described.
Dated this. 16th day of. December 1892..
R: HADDAN,
Herbert Haddan & Co.,.
18, Buckingham Street, Strand; London, Agent for Applicants.