Improvements in or relating to Elastic Cycle Bearings.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Elastic Cycle Bearings.
I, FRANK SCHMITZ, of 228, Sedgwick Street, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois,
United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 relates to certain improvements in cycle bearings, designed for
the purpose of providing an elastic bearing for cycle wheels, to take up the shock
of any obstruction in the path of the cycle.
To such end, the invention consists in certain combinations and arrangements
of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.
In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical diametrical section of a
hub, showing the axle in side elevation except one end, where the cone of the
bearing is also shown in the plane of the section; Figure 2 is a similar section
of the entire bearing; Figure 3 is a plan of the axle; Figure 4 is a horizontal
transverse section in line 4-4 of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a perspective of the
axle box; Figure 6 is an end elevation of the complete bearing; Figure 7 is
a vertical section in line 7-7 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the
arrow, 7; Figure 8 is a similar section in line 8-8 looking in the same direc-
tion; Figure 9 is a similar section in line 9-9 .of the same figure and Figure 10
is a side elevation of a covering plate, also shown in side elevation in Figure 6.
Referring to these drawings, the hub, A, is of the ordinary cylindrical shape,
having cups, a, a¹, threaded in its ends. An axle box, B, has screw threaded
end portions, 6, 61, upon which are screwed the cones, 62, 63, the latter in con-
junction with the cups, furnish races for anti-friction balls, C. The axle box, B,
is provided with a central vertical recess, b', in which is located a spring, D.
From the bottom of the recess extends upward a central tube, 65, affording a
socket for a downwardly extending pin, e, formed upon the axle bar, E. The
spring D, extends upward and engages a washer, el, which is secured upon the
pin, e, and bears against the lower edge of the axle bar, E. Said bar is prefer-
ably formed with screw threaded end portions, e², e³, for attachment to the forks
of a cycle and with a central yoke, e. The axle box, B, is preferably channelled
longitudinally, the walls of the channel forming guides for the axle bar, which
is movable vertically therein. The yoke, e, of the axle bar is intended to give
as much room as possible for the spring and also to assist in guiding the axle
bar in the axle box. The ends, e³, e³, of the axle bar are formed with shoulders,
e, e, against which rest washers, F, F¹, formed with square openings, "f, by
means of which they may be slipped upon the axle bar and their rotation, with
respect to the latter prevented. Said washers are formed with square, bosses, f¹,
adapted to rest in squared openings, g, of the fork, G, of the cycle. Nuts, fa; f³,
are threaded upon the ends of the axle bar to clamp the same to the forks. The
washers assist in guiding the axle and cover up the openings in the ends of
the axle box to prevent dust, etc., from entering them and the square connection
between the washers and cycle fork retains the axle bar and box in a vertical

page_text: plane, so that when the wheel receives a jar from an obstruction on the ground,
the upward movement will be transmitted to the spring, and the jar or jolt greatly
reduced before it reaches the frame of the cycle.
The invention is not limited to the specific construction herein shown, as great.
variation is possible in the same without departing from the essential features
thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:―
1: In a device of the class described, the combination of a hub, an axle
box journalled therein, a vertically movable axle within the axle box, a spring
between the axle and the axle box and a vertical arm secured to the axle and
guided in the axle box, whereby relative oscillation of the axle and axle box
in a vertical plane is prevented; substantially as described.
2: The combination with an axle box, of a spring supported axle therein
and a connecting device between the axle and the axle box to keep their axes
parallel substantially as described.
3: In a cycle bearing, the combination with a hub provided with suitable
cups, of an axle box confined within said hub, having cones adapted, together
with the cups upon the hub, to form ball races, anti-friction balls running in
said races, a longitudinally extending channel and central socket in said axle
box, an axle bar lying in said channel and adapted to be connected to the frame
of the cycle and a spring interposed between said axle bar and axle box; substan-
tially as described.
4 The combination with a cycle hub, of an axle box journalled in said hub
and having a longitudinally extending channel and central socket, a yoke-shaped
axle bar, a pin upon said axle bar guided in the axle box and a spring confined
between said bar and box; substantially as described.
5: The combination with a cycle hub, of an axle box journalled in said hub
having a longitudinally extending channel and central socket, an axle bar yield-
ingly supported therein, having a transverse arm guided in the socket and a
pair of washers upon the ends of said axle bar bearing upon the ends of said
box substantially as described.
6: The combination with a cycle hub having suitable bearing cups, of an
axle box having bearing cones adapted to form, together with the cups, ball races,
anti-friction balls in said races, a channel and a central socket in the top of said
axle box, a yoke-shaped axle bar in said channel, a pin upon said axle bar, guided
in the axle box, a washer surrounding said pin and engaging the axle bar and a
spring resting in said socket and against said washer; substantially as described.
7: In a bearing, the combination with a cycle hub, having bearing cups
secured therein, of a suitable axle bar formed with a vertically extending pin,
an axle box having a longitudinally extending channel adapted to embrace said
axle bar, a vertical socket to guide said pin and with a central recess, a spring
confined in said recess and supporting the axle bar, screw threaded end portions
upon said axle box, bearing cones threaded thereon, and balls between the cups
and cones; substantially as described.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,