Improvements in and relating to Gear Cases or Covers of Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 6th July, 1893-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Gear Cases or Covers of
Velocipedes.
I MICHAEL MOYLE, of 124 East India Dock Road, Poplar, in the County of
Middlesex Cycle Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved method of fixing a case or cover adapted to
enclose the chain driving gear of cycles to the frame thereof, and it consists in
fixing to that side of the pedal-crank axle bracket on which the chain gear is fitted
a disc adapted to be fixed to the side of the gear case either by being sprung into
a circular recess formed in the side of the said case, or by screws threaded into the
side of the said case. The gear case is attached to the frame at the other end by
forming in its outer side a hole or slot through which the axle of the driving wheel
passes and which is clamped between the cone on the said axle and the end of the
fork or frame by the usual nut threaded on the end of the axle.
It will thus be seen that my improved gear case is supported on one end by the
pedal-crank axle bracket, and at the other end by the axle of the driving wheel.
I do not bind myself to any particular construction of case but I strengthen
those parts adapted to be fixed to the pedal-crank axle bracket and to the axle of
the driving wheel so that they will stand the strain thrown upon them, and 1 so
shape and fashion the case that it will fit the various types of frames used.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1892
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Gear Cases or Covers of
Velocipedes.
1, MICHAEL MOYLE, of 124 East India Dock Road, Poplar, in the County of
Middlesex, Cycle 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 :—
This invention relates to gear-cases or covers used to enclose the driving chains of
cycles, and has special reference to the fixing of the case to the frame in such a
manner that it can be removed when required.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the gear-case as applied to a safety bicycle, although
I do not confine its application to that particular class of velocipede.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the case, taken from the side nearest the machine,
but with most of the machine removed and a portion of the case broken away to
show the construction.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the case, and portions of the bicycle upon line 3-3 of
Figure 1.
Fig. 4 is a cross section through the case upon line 4-4 of Figure 1, and
Fig. 5 is a similar view upon line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

page_text: Fig. 6 is a sectional plan showing the fastening of the case at the back wheel
axle.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of a portion of the back end of the gear case and chain
and back stays.
Like letters represent like parts throughout the drawings.
A represents the framework of the bicycle; this framework would vary according
to the construction of the machine to which the case was applied. B represents
the driving wheel of the bicycle, C the smaller chain wheel which is fixed upon the
hub of the driving wheel B, D the larger chain-wheel which is fixed upon the
crank axle. E is the chain passing round both chain-wheels and enclosed by
the gear-case, denominated, as a whole by the letter F. As shown in the drawings,
the gear-case F is centrally divided in the direction of its length into two com-
partments or tubes to allow of the passage of a portion A' of the framing of the
bicycle called the chain stay, connected at one end to the bottom bracket G and
carrying at the other a flat fork A in which the pin or axle B' of the driving
wheel is carried and fixed by the nuts B2 in the ordinary manner.
The case is made of tin, or other suitable material, preferably of the shape
shown in the drawings, and at its larger end where it encompasses the large chain-
wheel D it is adapted to open on both sides. Upon the outside is a loose circular
cover F, fitted by moderate pressure into a circular opening in the face of the case, as
shown in the section Figure 5, and preferably provided with a sliding door H' to allow
of the cover H being passed over the crank I, when it is required to remove it. This
cover H is of the type known as "lever lids" commonly used in paint-pots and
other vessels where a lid is required which will make a tight joint but can be easily
removed. It is called a "lever" lid because by the rim H2 with which it is
provided it can be easily "levered out by means of a knife, coin, or other suitable
implement. The removal of this lid or cover H allows access to the interior of the
gear-case without the necessity for removing the case itself. On the opposite side
of the larger end and rigidly secured by soldering or other convenient means to the
framework of the machine, by preference to the bottom bracket G is a cover or
disc-cover J, corresponding generally to the cover H excepting that when this
cover is to be opened instead of drawing the cover out of the case, as with the
cover H, the case F is pulled off the cover J which remains fixed to the machine.
The case is provided with suitable flanges K which may consist of the edges of the
material of which the case is made, turned over, and through these at the back of
the case pass screws L which screw into nuts J' secured to or formed upon the'
flange or turned-up edge J2 of the cover J. These screws of which there are
conveniently two, as shown in Figure 2, hold the casing at this end securely to the
fixed cover J, but if desired the case need merely be a good fit upon the cover_J
and forced or sprung upon it as previously described with reference to the cover H.
The cover J is of the same "lever" type as the front cover H and is preferably
large enough to allow the chain-wheel to pass through the opening in the case when
the latter is drawn off. As a mere support for the case F however its size is
immaterial so long as it affords all the requisite support to the case.
be pulled off the cover J or may be "levered off as already described with
reference to the cover H if the cover J be provided with the rim J.
The case can
The means adopted for removing the casing at the back end or withdrawing the
wheel from the machine, without removing the casing, may be as follows;-
The casing is formed at the back of the smaller end with an opening M,
Figure 2, sufficiently large to allow of the passage of the smaller chain-wheel C;
this opening is normally closed by a door M' which slides in grooves M2 provided
for the purpose upon the back of the case F, the door M' is preferably recessed
at its inner end as at M³ to allow it to fit sufficiently close up against the
axle B' to prevent the entrance of dust and dirt. A second door M is arranged
so that it may be adjusted in the grooves M' to close up the front part of the
opening M when the driving wheel axle is drawn back for tightening the chain;
the straight portion of the back edge of door M* is adapted to fit close against the

page_text: door M. At the front of the small end, the case F is provided with a slot or
opening N, the shape of which may be as shown in Fig. 7, of sufficient length to
allow of the passage backwards of the axle B' when it is required to remove either
the wheel or the case; the back end of this opening N may be closed by the door O
adapted to slide in grooves O¹ formed upon the face of the case F, the door serving
to normally close the opening N but capable of being removed as represented in
Figure 7 when required, to allow of the axle sliding in the groove.
The back end F of the front plate of the gear-case F is held between the cone Q,
Figure 6, which screws upon the axle B' and the nut B' thereon; in Figure 6 the
drag link R for drawing back the axle B¹ and wheel C so as to tighten the chain
and the fork ends A', are shown between the nut B and the plate F', but this is
merely in consequence of the drag link being used in the make of machine illustrated
and where other means for tightening the chain were adopted (such for example
as the moving of the crank axle instead of the back-wheel axle) the drag link
might be dispensed with and the nut B' brought directly on to the fork end A* or a
washer might be placed between the nut and the fork end.
The operation of removing the case is as follows;-
The cover H is removed and the crank I, if detachable, as shown in Figure 1,
may also be removed; the screws L are taken out and the nuts B' at the other end
of the case are slackened. The detaching link of the chain is undone, the doors O
and M' are withdrawn and the back wheel moved backwards out of the fork ends A',
when the small chain-wheel C can be withdrawn through the opening M, and the
case, when withdrawn from the fixed cover J, is detached from the machine, but is
still held by reason of the chain-stay A' passing through it. The case however
can he removed by sliding it to the end of the chain-stay A' and up the back
stay P, the upper end of which can be detached from the rest of the machine by
removing the bolt P'; or, if the stay P is fixed to the framing at the top, it is
usually jointed at the bottom, by which means the case can be removed.
The gear-case F as above described is suitable for most bicycles of this type, as
at present made, but its construction may be altered to suit different types of
machines without departing from the spirit of this invention.
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 ;-
1. The construction of a detachable gear-case for cycles substantially as
described.
2. In a detachable gear-case for cycles the employment of a disc cover such as J
fixed to the framework of the machine and forming a support for the gear-case which
can be pushed upon and pulled off the said cover substantially as described.
3. The combination with a gear-case of a cover such as fixed to the machine
and adapted to receive and hold the gear-case which can be pushed upon it or
drawn off it substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
"
4. As a means of securing a detachable gear-case to a cycle the employment of a
"lever lid secured upon the framework and adapted to receive the gear-case
substantially as described.
5. The combination with a gear-case of two covers such as H and J the former
at the outside and carried by the case and the latter at the back of the case fixed
to the framing of the machine and adapted to hold the case substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In a detachable gear-case the combination with fixed cover such as J upon
which one end of the case is carried of openings such as M and N at the other end
of the case substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
7. As a means of securing a detachable gear-case to a cycle the employment of a
cover such as J fixed to the frame of the machine for holding the casing at one end

page_text: whilst at the other end the casing is held by its outer side being clamped between
the bearing cone of the axle and the nut on the end of the axle substantially as
described.
MICHAEL MOYLE.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.