Improvements in and connected with Driving Gear for Velocipedes, ' and other Machines driven by the Hands or Feet.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897
Improvements in and connected with Driving Gear for Velocipedes,
' and other Machines driven by the Hands or Feet.
We WILLIAM JAMES FREEMAN and EDWIN FREEMAN both of 99 York Road Battersea
in the County of London Sanitary 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 driving gear for velocipedes and other machines driven by
the feet or hands and consists in improvements in driving gear of the pin and slot
type described in our Specification number 19327 of 1895.
The objects of our present invention are
First to diminish the friction between the various parts of our improved driving
gear.
Secondly, to simplify the reversing mechanism.
Thirdly to enable our improved driving gear to be applied to existing Velocipedes
without altering the frames thereof and
Fourthly to enable chain wheels used with our improved driving gear to be made
I
from sheet metal by stamping or raising in suitable dies.
And in order that our said invention may be fully understood we will proceed to
explain the same with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which. :
Fig. 1 represents front view of our improved driving gear constructed according
to this invention.
Fig. 2 is section of same.
Fig. 3 is side elevation partly in section of our improved reversing mechanism....,
Fig. 4 is end view of same.
Fig. 5 is view of front of bottom bracket.
Fig. 6 is back view of a chain wheel constructed. according to this invention.
Fig. 7 is section of same.
Fig. 7 is section of an alternative method of construction.
Fig. 8 is section of chain wheel on line ZZ Fig. 6.
Fig. 9 and 10 shew alternative forms of wearing surfaces.
Fig. 11 shews a modified form of driving gear in which the slots are in the cranks
and the pins in the chain wheel.
Fig. 12 is section of same.
Figs. 13 and 14 are elevation and section of chain wheel respectively.
Fig. 15 is elevation of chain wheel also constructed according to this invention..
Fig. 16 is detail shewing method of adjusting the rollers.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the figs.
Now according to this invention we provide a flanged metal disc A having a screw
thread on the outside of the flange. This disc is formed in one with or attached to
the bottom bracket j Fig. 3 in which slides a block m provided with ball bearings to

page_text: receive the crank axle k. The block m is retained in the bracket j by the plates n n.
The block m has a female thread therein which engages with the screw q which is
supported in bearings in the slotted bracket j. To the screw q is secured a sprocket
wheel which is connected by means of a pitch chain r to another sprocket wheel &
which rotates on a stud (or is secured to an axle rotating in suitable bearings) secured
by means of a clip to the top bar of the frame.
The wheel t is provided with a handle t¹ by means of which it may be rotated.
uu are guide pulleys rotating on studs, or an axis secured in a suitable clip by means
of which the whole may be secured to the bottom har or to the diagonal bar of the
frame.
The centres of the chain wheel and crank shaft do not coincide as explained in our
previous specification and by this arrangement the excentricity of the chain wheel and
crank shaft may be easily varied by moving the block m in the bracket; so as to
obtain more leverage when going uphill or for "back pedalling" when descending
inclines than when riding on the level and the crank shaft is always maintained in
any desired position by means of the screw q. Or we may attach the block m to
'swinging links pivotted to the bottom bracket instead of making the said block slide
therein.
a is the chain wheel formed either by casting as shewn at Figs. 1 and 2 or by
stamping raising or pressing under suitable dies as shewn at Figs. 6. 7. 7 and .
care the sprockets. H is a hardened steel ring to form a ball race this ring is
formed with a female thread as shewn which engages with a male thread formed on
the wheel a. I is an adjusting ring which screws on to the thread formed on the
flange of the disc A. is the crank shaft. L a short crank formed in one piece
therewith. M is a pedal crank which oscillates on the shalt & the other pedal crank
being secured thereto in the ordinary way. The cranks L and M are furnished with
rollers N N¹ which engage with slots 8 8 in the chain wheel a. The roller N' is
carried by a backwardly extending portion M' of the crank M. The rollers N N' are
preferably of hardened steel shaped as shewn at Fig. 2 to form a ball race.
the said rollers rotates on a ball bearing formed by a stud P and cone Q. The stud P
is formed with a conical head P¹ and has a screw thread formed on the shank thereof
which thread engages with a female thread in the cone Q. The cone is screwed
into the crank and retained in position by means of a lock nut R. S is a lock nut
to prevent rotation of the stud when the bearing is adjusted. The pedal crank M is
loose on the shaft k and oscillates on a double ball bearing preferably formed as
shewn at Fig. 2. K¹ is a cone screwed on to the end of the shaft k. M" is a hardened
steel bush secured in the boss of the crank M. T is an adjusting cone screwed on
to the shaft & the portion of the shaft which receives the said cone being preferably
somewhat reduced in diameter as shewn. The front of the cone T has a series of
holes therein arranged in a circle each hole being equidistant from the centre of the
cone.
U is a dire having two or more pins U therein which pins engage with the holes
in the cone T. The disc U is provided with a square shank which fits a similar hole
in the shaft and prevents the cone and disc from rotating. V is a screw to retain
the shank in the hole in the shaft . W is a locking device to prevent the rotation of
the adjusting ring I which ring is formed with teeth round the circumference
thereof the prongs on the locking device W engaging with the spaces between the
said teeth. The locking device is secured to the disc A by means of a screw w and
steady pin to as shown at Fig. 2.
In order to reduce the weight of the chain wheels and to enable the parts thereof
which are liable to become worn to be easily renewed we may make the chain
wheels from sheet metal preferably steel by stamping or raising in suitable
dies.
As shewn by Figs. 6 to 10 the chain wheel a is constructed with the body thereof
mised or stamped from sheet metal. The ring H forming the ball race is attached
to the wheel a as hereinbefore described,

page_text: The teeth are preferably cut from a solid metal ring which has been previously
shrunk on to the circumference of the wheel a and the bearing pieces for the
rollers N N are formed of pieces of hardened steel of L section as shewn at
Figs. 6 7 and 8 or the said pieces may be of T section as shewn at Figs. 9 and 10. These
bearing pieces may be secured to the wheel a by means of screws as shewn or by
rivetting so that when worn they may be easily removed and new pieces
substituted.
We prefer to construct our chain wheels in such a manner that the centres of the
rollers the teeth and the balls forming the bearing are in line with each other as
shewn at Fig. 7^.
When adapting our improved driving gear to existing machines we may dispense
with the reversing gear and form a barrel B shewn at Fig. 2 on the disc A which
barrel is fitted with a cup D to receive the usual balls E and secure a cone on the
shaft . The ordinary crank bracket is bored to fit the barrel B which latter may
be secured in the bracket by any suitable means.
с
In a modified form of our invention we may form slots in the cranks and attach
the pins carrying the rollers to the chain wheel and we may support the chain wheel
on rollers instead of balls as shewn at Figs. 11 12 13 14 15 and 16 in which:-a is
the chain wheel which consists of a ring & having teeth e thereon to engage with the
driving chain. Lugs d d are attached to or formed integral with the ring b to receive
pins or studs on which rotate rollers e effff whereof the rollers e e engage with
slots or forks in the cranks or levers gh and the rollers frevolve in contact with the
periphery of a disc or ring i attached to the crank bracket j. The crank g is mounted
loosely on the crank shaft k so as to oscillate freely thereon. h is a short forked or
slotted lever or crank secured to or formed in one with the shaft k. is a pedal
crank secured to the shaft in the usual way.
The shaft k may revolve in suitable bearings in a block m which is held in slots in
the plates n n attached to or formed in one with the crank bracket j the said block
being adapted to be moved from one end of the block to the other and to be held at
either end of the slots or in any suitable intermediate position by any suitable means
preferably by means of the reversing gear herein before described.
The chain wheel shewn by Figs. 11 13 14 and 15 is constructed in the form of a
ring b having teeth c thereon and on the side of the ring are lugs or brackets d d
preferably formed in one with the said ring. Holes are formed in the said lugs in
which are inserted studs or pins on which rotate the rollers e e and ffff. The
rollers are preferably formed with V shaped rims which fit the periphery of the
dise or ring i. The portion of the studs on which the rollers / revolve is excentric
to the portion of the studs fitting the lugs see Fig. 16 so that by rotating the studs
the rollers inay be kept in contact with the ring i in case the ring or rollers become
worn. The ring and the rollers are preferably formed of hardened steel and the
portion of the studs on which the rollers rotate may be also hardened. In some cases
the rollers may be fitted with ball bearings.
The chain wheel shewn at Fig. 15 is adapted to be used with cranks having pins
or rollers as hereinbefore described and is also constructed in the form of a ring
having teeth thereon and provided with lugs and rollers and means for taking up
wear similar to that shewn at Fig. 16. The said ring is formed with or attached to a
slotted face or skeleton frame having slots sa therein engaging with antifriction
rollers on the crank pins.
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 driving gear for Velocipedes the combination of a flanged disc A secured to
the bottom bracket and having cups D forming ball races secured in a barrel B
forming part of the said disc with a recessed or dished chain wheel a rotating on a

page_text: ball bearing formed by the flange of the disc A ring H adjusting ring I and balls E
and a crank shaft having a pedal crank secured thereto a crank L. formed in one
with the said shaft and a pedal crank M. oscillating on the said shaft the cranks L
and M being fitted with rollers N N¹ engaging with slots & 8 in the face of the wheel a.
all substantially as hereinbefore specified and for the purpose stated.
2. In a driving gear for Velocipedes and other machines the construction and use
of a chain wheel a having slots 88 in the face thereof and a ring H forming a ball
race attached thereto substantially as hereinbefore specified and for the purpose
stated.
3. In a driving gear for Velocipedes and other machines the construction and use
of a chain wheel constructed from sheet metal by stamping or raising in suitable
dies and having a ring carrying the sprockets or teeth and renewable bearing pieces
secured to the said wheel substantially as hereinbefore specified and shewn by
Figs. 6. 7. 7 8. 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a driving gear for Velocipedes and other machines the combination of a chain
wheel having a slotted face and a pedal crank shaft having a pedal crank secured
thereto a short crank formed in one piece with the said shaft carrying a roller
engaging with a slot in the chain wheel and a pedal crank oscillating on the said
shaft having a backwardly extending portion carrying a roller engaging with the
other slot in the chain wheel with a block sliding in the bottom bracket or supported
on links pivotted thereto a screw to inove the said block backwards and forwards in
the bracket and a means for rotating the said screw for the purpose stated.
5. In a driving gear for Velocipedes having the crank shaft rotating in bearings in
a sliding block in or swinging links the combination of a screw engaging with the with
the said block a sprocket wheel secured to the said screw a sprocket.wheel on a stud or
axle secured to the frame of the inachine and a pitch chain connecting the said
sprocket wheels all substantially as hereinbefore specified and shewn by Figs. 3. 4
and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
6. In a driving gear for Velocipedes and other machines the method of and means
for securing the rollers N N¹ to the cranks L and M. substantially as hereinbefore
specified and shewn by Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.
7. In a driving gear for Velocipedes and other machines the construction and use
of a chain wheel consisting of a ring having teeth thereon and lugs or brackets
formed in one with or attached to the said ring and antifriction rollers rotating on
studs or pins secured in the said lugs or brackets and adapted to revolve in contact
with a ring or disc secured to the crank bracket or other convenient part of the
machine substantially as hereinbefore specified and shewn by Figs. 11. 12. 13 and 14
of the accompanying drawings.
8. In a driving gear for Velocipedes and other machines the combination of a
chain wheel a fitted with antifriction rollers f rotating on studs or pins 2 secured in
lugs or brackets d attached to or forming part of the chain wheel a with a ring or
disc the periphery of which is shaped to fit the peripheries of the said rollers the
said disc or ring being adapted to be secured to the crank bracket or other suitable
portion of the machine all substantially as hereinbefore specified.
9. In a driving gear for Velocipedes constructed as herein before specified the
means for ensuring contact between the peripheries of the rollers and the ring or
disc consisting of a stud having the portion on which the rollers rotate excentric
to the portion fitting the lugs or brackets attached to or formned in one with the
chain wheel substantially as hereinbefore specified and shewn in detail at Fig. 16 of
the accompanying drawings.
10. In a driving gear for Velocipedes and other machines the combination of a
chain wheel a an axle or shaft k excentric to the centre of the wheel a crank
secured to the said shaft and cranks g h having slotted or forked ends engaging with
rollers e rotating on pins or studs secured to the chain wheel the crank h being
secured to the shaft and the crank g oscillating thereon all substantially as
hereinbefore specified.

page_text: 11. The constructions of chain wheels and driving gear for Velocipedes and other
machines as shewn by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of September 1896.
T. E. HALFORD,
11 Furnival Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicants.