IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PART OF THE IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George John Stevens and John Samuel Smith, both of
85 Blackman Street, in the county of Surrey, Engineers for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PART OF THE IMPROVEMENTS BEING
APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George John Stevens and
John Samuel Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents .on the
27th April 1883.
GEORGE JOHN STEVENS and JOHN SAMUEL SMITH both of 85 Blackman Street
in the county of Surrey, Engineers "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PART OF
THE IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES "
This invention relates to improved gear for tricycles, bicycles and other'
velocipedes, parts of which are applicable to other machinery, the object of our
improvements being to provide a differential gearing to allow of the axle being
driven at a varying speed from a uniform motion of the crank; also to provide a
balance gear and automatic release motion combined.
In carrying out our invention where the power has to be communicated from a
cranked shaft to an axle, on the said shaft and axle we provide what we term an
expanding pulley; this pulley is made in two halves in such a manner that when
these two halves are brought together or moved apart the groove in the pulley will
be expanded or contracted; the movement of the parts of the pulley are effected
by suitable gearing on the said shaft.
Each expanding pulley is constructed of two conical or dished discs, on each of
these said discs is a series of radial triangular web pieces so that when the discs are
placed together, the triangular web pieces within the said discs form a V pulley
and by moving or causing to be moved these said discs together or apart the pulley.
or V will expand or contract accordingly.
We provide a ring of suitable material, the outer part of which when used with
a chain has teeth or cogs formed thereon; the inner part is lined with vulcanised
rubber or other suitable material; this composite ring is adapted to fit into or

page_text: around the aforesaid groove of the pulley. A chain or band is made to pass around
the ring on the axle and also around the ring on the shaft and so effect a communi-
cation between the two. Suitable means such as screwed sleeves and collars are
employed to connect the actuating gear on the shaft and the actuating gear on the
Within the
axle, so that when one pulley expands the other pulley will contract.
aforesaid pulley on the axle are toothed wheels or cogs, one toothed wheel to be
permanently fixed to each driving wheel or to the axle and in gear with these two
said cog or tooth wheels and in gear with each other, are other cog wheels; the
interior of the pulley forms a divided box which carries the last named cog wheels
and is divided so that such cogs in gear with each driving wheel shall be each and
all in their respective half box. From this description it will be understood that
the expanding pullies form a differential gearing, which while the driving crank is
moved at a uniform rate will allow of the axle being moved at a varying rate.
Also that the gearing within the pulley forms a balance gear and automatic release
motion combined so that when the wheels are being driven equal power is
imparted to both, also when the driving- axle is stationary the driving. wheels
are free to move, by reason of the gear box carrying the cog wheels being divided
and thereby allowing the wheels to come instantly out of gear.
It will be evident that the differential gear and balance gear may be used
separately.
The hereinbefore described expanding pulley may be employed for other driving
purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George John Stevens and John Samuel Smith in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 27th October 1883.
GEORGE JOHN STEVENS and JOHN SAMUEL SMITH both of 85 Blackman Street
in the county of Surrey, Engineers "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PART OF
THE IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
"
This invention relates to improved gear for tricycles, bicycles and other
velocipedes, parts of which are applicable to other machinery; the object of our
improvements being to provide a differential gearing to allow of the axle being
driven at a varying speed from a uniform motion of the crank also to provide a
balance gear and automatic release motion
In carrying out our invention where the power has to be communicated from a
cranked shaft to an axle on the said shaft and axle we provide what we term
expanding pullies, these pullies are made in two halves, in such a manner that
when these two halves are brought together or moved apart the grooves in the pullies
will be expanded or contracted; the movement of the parts of the pullies are
effected by suitable gearing on the said shaft.
-
Each expanding pulley is constructed of two conical or dished discs; on each of
these said discs is a series of radial triangular web pieces so that when the discs
are placed together, the triangular web pieces within the said discs form a V pulley
and by moving or causing to be moved these said discs together or apart the pulley
or V will expand or contract accordingly.
We provide a ring of suitable material, the outer part of which when used with
a chain has teeth or cogs formed thereon; the inner part is lined with vulcanised
rubber or other suitable material; this composite ring is adapted to fit into or
around the aforesaid groove of the pulley. A chain or band is made to pass around
the ring on the axle and also around the ring on the shaft and so effect a
communication between the two. Suitable means such as screwed sleeves and
collars are employed to connect the actuating gear on the shaft and the actuating
gear on the axle, so that when one pulley expands the other pulley will contract.
Within the aforesaid pulley on the axle are toothed wheels or cogs, one toothed
wheel to be permanently fixed to each driving wheel or to the axle and in gear
with these two said cog or tooth wheels and in gear with each other are other cog
wheels; the interior of the pulley forms a divided box which carries the last named
cog wheels and is divided so that such cogs in gear with each driving wheel shall be
each and all in their respective half box.
From this description it will be understood that the expanding pullies form &
differential gearing which while the driving crank is moved at a uniform rate will
allow of the axle being moved at a varying rate. Also that the gearing within the
pulley forms a balance gear and automatic release motion so that when the wheels
are being driven equal power is imparted to both, also when the driving shaft or
axle is stationary the driving wheels are free to move, by reason of the gear box
carrying the cog wheels being divided and thereby allowing the wheels to come
instantly out of gear.
It will be evident that the differential gear and balance gear may be used
separately.
The herein before described expanding pulley may be employed for other
purposes.
In order to enable our invention to be fully understood we will proceed to
describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure -1

page_text: sheet 1, is a longitudinal section of the crank shaft of a tricycle and figure 2,
sheet 1, a similar view of the axle of the tricycle with our improvements applied
thereto; figure 3, sheet 1, is an elevation shewing the divisions of the gear box
represented in figure 2; figure 4, sheet 1, is a longitudinal section of the axle of a
tricycle shewing the differential pulley in combination with a modified construction
of balance gear or release action; figure 5, sheet 1, is a longitudinal section of a
tricycle axle shewing a modification of the arrangement of balance gear or release
action and differential pulley represented in figure 4; figures 6 and 7 sheet 1, are
views of the axle shewn in figure 5; figures 8 to 12 sheet 2 are detached views of
the differential pulley and figures 13 to 16 are detached views of part of the
composite ring and chain employed for driving the differential pullies. Similar
letters in all the figures represent similar or corresponding parts.
We will first describe our invention by reference to figures 1, 2, and 3 sheet 1,
and figures 8 to 16-sheet 2.
a, is the cranked shaft and b, the axle of the tricycle; c, c¹, the expanding
pulley on the cranked shaft a, and d, d', the corresponding expanding pulley on
the axle b; the said pullies are each made in two halves as clearly shewn in
figures 8, to 12, sheet 2 in which figures 8 and 9 shew half a front view and a side
elevation respectively of one of the halves of the pulley on the crank shaft a;
figures 10, and 11, similar views of the other half of the pulley and figure 12 a
view of the two parts brought together to form the complete pulley; the halves
or parts of the pullies are each constructed of two conical or dished discs on each
of which is a series of radial triangular web pieces or arms e, e, which fit into each
other in such a manner that by moving the discs towards or away from each other,
by any suitable means such as that hereinafter described, the groove or V of the
pulley will be expanded or contracted accordingly; f, f, are the rings, one round
each of the pullies c, c', and d, d'; a part of one of these rings is shewn in elevation
and plan respectively at figures 13 and 14 sheet 2; the rings f, are made in
segments as shewn; the segments are jointed together at f¹, by means of rivets in
a similar manner to that sometimes employed for jointing the links of driving
chains; the rings are thereby better enabled to adapt themselves to the varying
diameters of the pullies; f³, are the teeth.or cogs formed on the outer parts of the
rings; the inner parts g, are formed of. a V shape to correspond to the V shape of
the pulley and are lined with vulcanised india rubber or other suitable material h,
which allows the rings to maintain a firm grip on the pullies and prevents them
slipping;, is the chain passing around the rings f, f, on the axle and cranked
shaft as shown in elevation and plan respectively at figures 15 and 16 sheet 2 and
so effecting a communication between the driving and driven pullies; the disc c,
is fixed to the crank shaft a, and the disc c', is loose thereon and is adjustable
longitudinally by means of an adjusting poppet bearing constructed in the following
manner and as shewn in figure 1 :—
j,j, shew part of the frame of a tricycle to one part of which an ordinary
permanent ball bearing k, is attached through or in which the crank shaft a,
works; to the other part of the frame j, is attached the outer case 1, of the
adjusting poppet made in halves as shewn, and bolted firmly together; in this
outer case l, works an internal screw threaded adjusting sleeve m, on one end of
which is formed or fixed a chain wheel n; within the screw threaded sleeve m, is
the outer part of a ball bearing o, screw threaded externally and formed with a
sleeve p; the bearing o, and sleeve p, forming the adjusting poppet, the screw
threaded sleeve p, works in the interior screw threaded sleeve me, and, is provided
with a longitudinal slot or key way q, which works over a key r, firmly fixed to
the outer bearing case l; so that when the chain wheel n, upon the internal screw
threaded sleeve m, is rotated, the sleeve p, will be caused to move in or out
longitudinally for the purpose of adjusting the half c', of the differential pulley by
moving it along the cranked axle a, towards or away from the other half c, of the
pulley which is fixed on the crank shaft a; figure 12, sheet 2, shews the differential
pulley in its open and closed positions. A similar arrangement is employed for

page_text: adjusting the differential pulley d, d', on the axle b. Suitable means (not shewn
in the drawing) such as screw threaded collars, sleeves, rods, levers, chains and
cog wheels according to circumstances (such means and ways being well known
to all mechanics) are employed to connect the actuating gear on the shaft c, with
the actuating gear on the axle a, so that when one of the pullies expands, the other
pulley will be caused to contract.
The balance gear and release motion consists of the toothed or cog wheels 8, and
s', placed within the box u, formed by the pulley d, d'; the toothed wheel 8, is
fixed or formed on the hub a¹, of one of the driving wheels, which driving wheel
is fixed-to the hollow axle b¹, which is loose on the axle b; the other toothed
wheel 8', is fixed on the axle b, the other end of which axle is fixed to the other
driving wheel; t, t, t, t, are the series of smaller cog wheels or pinions; the
pinions t, and t¹, are fixed on the axles u', which have their bearings v³, formed on
the ring v, fixed to the box u, and turning with the pulley d, d'; the pinions to,
and, are fixed on the axles u², having their bearings, formed on the ring v',
which is loose in the box u; the pinions t, gear with the toothed wheel 's, and the
pinions t, with the toothed wheel s¹; each of the pinions t¹, gears with one of the
pinions ; the box u, is divided as shewn by the ring v, into two compartments;
the toothed wheel 8, and its pinions are in one compartment and the toothed
wheels, and its pinions as well as the pinions which gear with each other are in
the other compartment. From the foregoing description it will be seen that the
herein before described expanding pullies form a differential gearing which while
the driving crank a, is moved at a uniform rate of speed will allow of the axle b,
being moved at a varying rate of speed so that if the crank of the tricycle be
worked at a uniform rate of speed and the diameter of the pulley a, c², on the crank
shaft a, be diminished as hereinbefore described the diameter of the pulley d, ď¹³, on
the axle b, of the driving wheels will be proportionally increased and the rate of
speed of the tricycle will be diminished; if on the other hand the diameter of the
pulley c, c¹, be increased the rate of speed of the tricycle will be also increased.
Further it will be evident that the arrangement of gearing within the box u, of
the pulley d, d, forms a balance gear and automatic release motion so that when
the crank shaft a, is driven forward the ring v, by means of the pullies and chain
gearing is also driven forward when the pinions t, and t, will' come into gear with
each other and act as an ordinary balance gear and drive forward both the driving
wheels with equal power; at the same time when the tricycle is travelling round a
curve one of the driving wheels will be enabled to rotate faster than the other;
when however the driving crank a, is stationary and the fixed ring v, is not being
driven the driving wheels are free to rotate independently of the driving gear as
the ring, being loose in the box u, will allow the pinions t¹, and t³, to become
disengaged from one another and revolve freely; the same action takes place when
the fixed ring v, is driven in the opposite direction. Figure 3, shews the two rings
v, and v', when the pinions t, and t¹, are in gear. It will be understood that if
required both the rings v, and v¹, can be fixed to the box u.
'
In the arrangement of differential pulley and balance gear shewn in figure 4,
one of the adjusting poppets is, as herein before described applied to the pulley d, d',
on the axle b, b, of the driving wheels, the axle is divided in the centre as shewn,
the driving pulley or chain wheel d, d, working on an outer tube b', enclosing one
half of the axle b, the other half of the axle being enclosed by a similar tube b²;
on the end of each half axle is fixed an internally toothed conical wheel 8, 8¹; on
the outer tubes 6', are fixed flanges y, which support the box u, provided with a
partitions, having a recess to admit the pinions t, and t¹, which are pivotted.
therein and are in gear with each other, their plane of rotation making an angle
with the plane of rotation of the axle b, so that the four toothed wheels 8, 8¹, t, t',
shall gear in such a manner as to cause one driving wheel to relieve the other
driving wheel when the machine is travelling round a curve; the arrangement and
operation of the differential pulley is substantially the same as that shewn in
figure 1, and therefore needs no further description.

page_text: The arrangement of differential pulley and balance gear shewn in figure 5, is
substantially the same as that hereinbefore described when referring to figure 4
with the exception that the axle b, is not divided but is formed with an enlarge-
ment corresponding in shape with the interior of the conical toothed wheels 8, 8,
and slotted or recessed to receive the pinions t, t, the pivots of the pinions having
their bearings in the said enlargement x, the dished disc d, forming one half of the
differential pulley, is fixed or formed on the enlargement of the axle; the other
half d, of the pulley is loose on the hollow part j, of the frame and is actuated in
a similar manner to that hereinbefore described.
It will be evident that the differential expanding pullies hereinbefore described
can also be employed in all cases where a varying speed is required.
Having thus described our said invention and the best means with which we
are acquainted of carrying the same into effect we wish it to be understood that
what we claim 'and intend to be protected by the herein in part recited Letters
Patent is :-
Firstly. A differential gearing consisting of pullies constructed in halves, the
said halves being adapted to be moved towards or from one another by suitable
mechanism so as to increase or diminish the diameter of the grooves of the pullies
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
Secondly. The manufacture and use of the herein described improved differential
gearing constructed arranged and operating substantially as herein before described
and represented in figures 1, 2, and 5, sheet 1 and figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,
14, 15 and 16, sheet 2 of the accompanying drawings
Thirdly. The combination with differential pullies constructed as herein before
described of a jointed flexible ring such as f, g, h, constructed and operating as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and represented in figures 1, and 2
sheet 1 and figures 13, 14, 15 and 16 sheet 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Fourthly. The combination with a differential pulley such as is herein described of
the adjustable bearing or poppet for adjusting the differential pulley the said
bearing or poppet being constructed, arranged and operating substantially as
herein before described and represented in figures 1 and sheet 1 of the
accompanying drawings.
Fifthly. The combination of parts forming the improved balance gear and
release motion for velocipedes as herein before described and represented in figures 2
and 3, sheet 1 of the accompanying drawings
Sixthly. The modified construction of balance gear or release motions herein-
before described and represented in figure 4 sheet 1 and in figures 5, 6 and 7
sheet 1 of the accompanying drawings.
Seventhly. The application to velocipedes of the improvements hereinbefore
described and represented in the accompanying drawings.
In Witness whereof we the said George John Stevens and John Samuel Smith
have hereto set our hands and seals this twenty fifth day of October in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty three
IYזמז' AnonA
STEVENS
Witness
GF REDFERN
Patent Agent
4 South St. Finsbury
JOHN SAMUEL SMITH
(L.8.)