Improved Adjustable Cycle Gearing.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb.. 1897-Accepted, 24th Apr.. 1897
Improved Adjustable Cycle Gearing.
We, WILHELM HANSEN and JOSEPH SCHINDLER, both of 33 Mohren Strasse,
Berlin, German Empire, Bankers, 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:-
The present application relates to a gearing for cycles adjustable during use.
The improvements are especially applicable to cycles in which an alteration of the
transmission ratio between the pedal axle and the driving wheel axle can be effected
at any time by means of two sprocket wheels of different diameter fixed firmly
upon the pedal axle, each of which wheels works by means of a separate chain upon
a corresponding sprocket wheel fixed loosely upon the hind driving wheel axle,
whilst the one or the other can at will be firmly connected by means of a coupling
bolt with the hub of the driving wheel said bolt being actuated from the handle
bar, and thereby bring the one or the other transmission into use. This alteration
is effected by the use of a coupling bolt provided with a quick screw; the object
of the present application consists essentially in various modifications of this
coupling device as well as of the intermediate mechanism requisite for actuating it.
In the accompanying drawings
:-
Figures 1 to 2 show one of the coupling arrangements in their entirety upon the
driving wheel.
Figures 3 to 5 show details, and,
Figures 6 to 9 other modifications.
Figure 10 shows the general arrangement as applied to a cycle, whilst,
Figures 11 and 12 show special changing devices.
Referring to the coupling device shown in Figures 1 to 5, the sprocket wheels c
and loosely revolve on both sides of the hub a of the hind driving wheel and are
each provided with a flange b and coupling openings on the same b¹. Each sprocket
wheel is prevented from escaping from the bearing by means of a circular divided
disc connected with the hub through the spokes d. From the sprocket wheels c c¹
loose upon the axle, chains connect to two larger fixed sprocket wheels of unequal
diameter upon the treadle axle (see Figure 10). If the driving wheel is to be
impelled by one of the chairs the corresponding hind sprocket wheel must be
attached firmly to the hub a. For this purpose the coupling bolt e is made use of
which during the journey is withdrawn from one of the end positions until it is
before the coupling opening of the wheel to be attached over the middle position.
If the bolt e is in one of the coupling openings, the corresponding sprocket wheel will
be firmly connected with the hub. As long as the couple driving gear is in use the
other revolves loosely. The coupling bolt will on turning be displaced in a
longitudinal direction, because it is provided with a cut thread, whilst the
sleeves ff have a screw thread. The turning of the coupling bolt is effected
by means of the sleeve g which contains a female screw. This coupling causes
little friction on uncoupling because the coupling bolt being displaced possesses in
addition to its rectilinear motion also a motion of revolution whereby the sliding
friction is converted into an approximate screw friction, the co-efficient of friction
of which is well known to be less. According to the direction of revolution of the
matrix g the bolt e will be moved to the right or left and thus couple either the left
or the right flange wheel with the hub. A bar is attached to the crank h, which

page_text: is so attached to the felloes or spokes in such a manner that it can move freely
upwards or downwards. At the upper end the bar carries a rod k projecting at a
right angle to the plane of the wheel, which rod can rotate backwards and forwards
freely with the wheel as long as the slide 1 m or in converging to a common point
of revolution is not brought in contact with it. If this occurs the rod k strikes
against one of the said slides and slips accordingly along to the point l. The
motion of the rod k caused hereby upwards or downwards is conveyed through the
bar and the matrix g to the coupling bolt e. In the moment when the rod k
reaches 1, the coupling bolt e is thereby so far pushed forward that it stands in
front of the coupling opening whereupon the connection is effected by means of
the leaf spring o which is fixed upon the hub a and presses continuously against a
projection of the matrix g and thus ensures the coupling wheu effected against
coming loose. The turning pivot of the slide is supported in a housing p, in which
is placed a little spiral spring p' (see Figure 5). By means of this spring, the
slide mechanism is pressed into the one end position through the pushing aside of
the bolt on an inclined plane. The slide mechanism is brought into the other end
position by pulling the string g' (Figure 10), which is connected to the slide
mechanism and can be controlled by the rider during the journey.
In Figure 3 the coupling bolt and in
Figure the matrix g surrounding the same are illustrated;
Figures 7 to 9 show other modifications of the arrangement serving to actuate
the coupling bolt.
In Figure 7 there is provided upon the hub only one single envelope B surrounding
the coupling bolt A which envelope is formed as a matrix so far in that it is
provided with an inclined slot C in which works a peg D of the bolt A. The
bar E (Figure 6) engages directly with this peg. The bar is provide l at its end
with a slide F in which the two-armed lever G can anticipate the motion of the
lever h. Hereby the coupling bolt is subjected to the pressure of the spring Has
soon as it has passed over the middle position and the coupling is thereby effected
and the bolt retained in the end position. The bent arm of the lever G projecting
from the spokes strikes upon the slide K adjustable from the handle bar. In the
modification shown in Figure 9 the coupling bolt A lies free in the middle and
there is only a thread M cut in one of the two side matrices L; in this case again
the bar engages direct with the coupling bolt.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 the lever mechanism is
not attached above to the wheel crown, but the hub a has an arm N which bears
above an elbow lever O whose end is guided in the slot M of the bar M and is
provided on the side with a horizontal projection M2, whilst the other end of M is
secured to the lever h of the matrix g. The end o of the angle lever bears a
spring which is secured on the other side to the projection N2 of the arm N. In
the horizontal projection M2 there is placed a peg P pressed forwards by the
spring 9, which moves upon the piece R or slips down on the downward bent
point of the same, when P is required to come in contact with the same.
piece R is revoluble from the handle bar by means of the connecting rod R¹, so
that the piece R when it is in the dotted position of Figure 12 can catch the
projection M³ rotating around the wheel axle in the position shown in the drawing
and this will glide upwards upon the inclined plane of R.
The
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 :-
In cycles in which an alterable transmission of the speed of travel is attained by
the engaging by means of an adjustable coupling of one of two separate chain
gearing wheels having different ratios of transmission:
1. A coupling consisting of a coupling bolt provided with a quick screw-thread,
whose matrix is placed between side sleeve projections of the hub of the wheel,
said sleeves being also screw-threaded internally whilst the sprocket wheels placed

page_text: on each side respectively of the hub are furnished with correspondingly perforated
coupling discs substantially as described and shewn.
2. A coupling of the type described in Claim 1 modified in such manner that
there is provided upon the hub only a single fixed sleeve surrounding the coupling
bolt which sleeve acts as a matrix by being provided with a sloping slot' in which
a pin of the coupling bolt engages, on which the rod holds in the manner as.
described and shewn.
3. A coupling in which the bolt remains free and wherein a screw-thread is cut
only in one of the two side sleeve guides as described and shewn.
4. In the couplings set forth in Claims 1 to 3 the device whereby an anticipation
on the part of the changing lever in relation to the motion of the matrix-revolving
lever connected with the said changing lever by means of a draw-bar is obtained
by constructing the connecting bar between the said levers slotted at one end as
described and shewn.
5. The spring bar P of the lever in combination with the bent-down end of
a projecting piece on the frame for the purpose of avoiding injurious shocks.
Doted this 7. J
1307
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham,.
Patent Agents for the Applicants.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham,.
Patent Agents for the Applicants.