Improvements in or applicable to Tricycles and Bicycles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1892-4ccepted, 1st Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Tricycles and Bicycles.
We, JOHN SARGEANT of 4, Holden Terrace, Grosvenor Gardens, Pimlico, in
the County of Middlesex, Architect and Surveyor, and WARREN THOMPSON of
24, Grange Park, Thornton Heath, in the County of Surrey, Artist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of a combination or arrangement and adaptation of
apparatus whereby motion is communicated to the driving wheels of tricycles and
bicycles by a coiled spring, or springs, wound or kept in tension by two recipro-
cating treadle levers; or by eccentrics working on the central portion of a crank-
shaft specially bent; or on the ordinary pedal axes, the driving gear being readily
convertible from speed to power, or vice versa, by means of a lever or other suitable
contrivance conveniently placed within reach of the rider.
In carrying out our said invention we so construct the cycle frame, or adapt it
by a suitable attachment, as to carry a short spindle or shaft running parallel to, or
with, the ordinary driving or road wheel axis or shaft. On the said "spindle," and
in the centre of its length, is a revolving drum or barrel (hereinafter called barrel)
enclosing one or more coiled springs; the inside end, or ends, of which is, or are,
hooked or otherwise secured to the said spindle, while the outer end, or ends, is, or are,
secured to the inside of the barrel rim and form the motive power of the machine.
Two toothed wheels of unequal size; the one for power, the other for speed (or,
otherwise expressed, the one for hill climbing, the other for level roads) are secured
to the periphery of the barrel and consequently revolve with it. Each wheel works
into a separate pinion running loosely on the road wheel axis, or shaft, either of
which pinions may be instantly clamped to the said shaft by any suitable con-
trivance geared to a handle held by, or placed within easy reach of the rider as
hereinbefore stated. The clamps (which may be, for example, coarse ratchets of
the crown-wheel type-the outside faces of pinions being correspondingly cut)
slide or work laterally on, but have otherwise no movement independent of the
road wheel shaft and are so braced together as to render it impossible for both
pinions to be in gear (that is to say in the sense of driving-for the pinions are
always in pitch and revolving) at the same time. The clamping of one pinion
liberates the other, which other then runs loosely us before stated. Or, as an
alternative arrangement, the two pinions are cast together but have, like the fore-
going clamps, a lateral movement only independent of the road wheel shaft. This
double pinion is made by suitable gearing to pump in and out of the driving wheels:
resulting in a change of motion similar to that already described.
Attached to the spindle on other side of the barrel and by preference immediately
opposite to or in line with its corresponding treadle, or eccentric as the case may.
be, is a ratchet wheel around which works a reciprocating frame-thus ensuring a
central as opposed to a one-sided pull. Each "frame" carries a spring or weighted
click, or pawl, by means of which the said ratchet would on each depression of the
treadle, for example, be urged forward by a number of teeth corresponding to the
fall or angular movement of the treadle while any return of the winding spindle or
shaft would be prevented by two other clicks, or pawls, working in the aforesaid
or in two independent ratchets also fixed, in this case by preference to the
extremities of the winding shaft. The "frames are weighted or spring in such a
manner as, together with the treadle, to return automatically.
"
Provision is made by which the machine may run down hill, or be pushed or
drawn forwards or backwards without injury, and this is effected in the following

page_text: or other suitable or convenient manner. The road or rubber-tyred wheels are
made to run loosely upon their shaft and, by means of ratchet and clickwork at
their hube, are disconnected with, or from, the spring gearing whilst going down
hill or when being pushed forward or drawn along, but when the spring is actuated
or set in motion and hills have to be climbed, level, roads traversed, or resistance
is otherwise offered the wheels, from the pressure of the shaft clicks, are driven
forward. A certain lateral play in the pinion clamps (which are sprung for the
purpose independent of the similar motion hereinbefore mentioned) causes the
crown ratchet teeth thereof to yield and thereby allow the road wheel shaft and
wheels to turn independently of the spring gearing in the event of the machine
being pushed or drawn backwards.
may
be
The spring driving gear as herein before described is independent, but it
auxiliary to the ordinary and well known methods for by the use of a driving
chain fitted with suitable engaging and disengaging gear the spring and foot power
may be used separately or combined.
Dated this 26th day of October 1891
JOHN SARGEANT.
WARREN THOMPSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in or applicable to Tricycles and Bicycles.
We, JOHN SARGEANT of 4 Holden Terrace, Grosvenor Gardens, Pimlico, in
the County of Middlesex, Architect & Surveyor, and WARREN THOMPSON of
24 Grange Park, Thornton Heath, in the County of Surrey, Artist, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO
TRICYCLES AND BICYCLES, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists of a combination, or arrangement, and adaption of
apparatus, whereby motion is communicated to the driving wheels of tricycles &
bicycles by a coiled spring, or springs, wound, or kept in tensiou, by two recipro-
cating treadle levers, or by eccentrics, working on the central portion of a crank
shaft specially bent, or on the ordinary pedal axis, the driving gear being readily
convertable from speed to power, or rice versa, by means of a lever or other suitable
contrivance conveniently placed within reach of the rider.
That the mode of carrying out our invention may be more readily understood we
have annexed hereto a sheet of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 represent a "speed & power
Fig. 2 the driving frame,
gear,
Fig. 3 a modification applied to tricycles, and
Fig. 4 a modification adapted for bicycles.
The same letters in the different figures apply to similar parts.
We so construct the cycle frame A, Fig. 1, or adapt it by a suitable attachment, as
to carry a short spindle, or shaft, B, running parallel to or with the ordinary driving,
or road wheel, axis or shaft C; on the said spindle, and in the centre of its length,
is a revolving drum, or barrel, D (hereinafter called barrel) enclosing one or more
coiled springs E, the inside end, or ends, of which is, or are, hooked or otherwise
secured to the said spindle B, while the outer end, or ends, is, or are, secured to the
inside of the barrel rim, & form the motive power of the machine. Two toothed
wheels of unequal size, the one for power the other for speed, as F & G (or
otherwise expressed the one for hill climbing the other for level roads) are secured
to the periphery of the barrel D & consequently revolve with it. Each wheel
works into a separate pinion, H or I, running loosely on the road wheel axis, or
shaft C, either of which pinions, H or I, may be instantly clamped to the said
shaft, by any suitable contrivance geared to a handle K, held by or placed within

page_text: easy reach of the rider, as hereinbefore stated. The clamps (which may be for
example coarse ratchets of the crown wheel type, L & M, the outside faces of
pinions being correspondingly cut) slide or work laterally on, but have otherwise
no movement independent of the road wheel shaft, and are so braced together, by
the rod N, as to render it impossible for both pinions to be in gear (that is to say
in the sense of driving, for the pinions are always in pitch and revolving) at the
sainė time.
The clamping of one pinion liberates the other, which other then ruus loosely as
before stated; or as an alternative arrangement the two pinions are cast togethe
but have like the foregoing clamps a lateral movement, only independent of the
road wheel shaft. This double pinion is made by suitable lever gearing to pump
(or slide) in and out of the driving wheels in the usual way, resulting in a change
of motion similar to that already described.
•
Attached to the spindle on either side of the barrel, and by preference imme-
diately opposite to, or in line with its corresponding treadle, or eccentric, as the
case may be, is a ratchet wheel O (Fig. 2) around which works a reciprocating
frame P (Figs. 1 & 2) thus ensuring a central as opposed to a one sided pull. The
said frame P is operated by a flexible band P₁ attached to the treadle shaft, or
eccentric strap, at one end, and to the pawl Q at the other end. Each frame
carries the spring or weighted click, or pawl, Q, by means of which the said
ratchet O, would on each depression of the treadle, for example, be urged forward
by a number of teeth corresponding to the fall or angular movement of the treadle,
while any return of the winding spindle or shaft B, would be prevented by two
other clicks, or pawls, R (Fig. 1) working in the aforesaid, or in two independent
ratchets S, also fixed, in this case, by preference, to the extremities of the winding
shaft B. The frames P are weighted, or provided with a spring T, in such a
manner as together with the treadle, to return automatically.
Provision is made by which the machine may run down hill, or be pushed, or
drawn forwards, or backwards without injury, and this is effected in the following,
or other suitable or convenient manner :-The road or rubber tyred wheels U, are
made to run loosely upon their shaft C, and by means of ratchet wheels V, and
clickwork or pawls W, at their hubs X, are disconnected with, or from, the spring
gearing whilst going down, or when being pushed forward, or drawn along, but
when the spring is actuated, or set in motion, and hills have to be climed, level
roads traversed, or resistance is otherwise offered, the wheels, from the pressure of
the shaft clicks are driven forward, a certain lateral play in the pinion clamps Y
(which are sprung for the purpose, independent of the similar motion hereinbefore
mentioned) cause the crown ratchet teeth therefore to yield, and thereby allow the
road wheel shaft C, and wheels U, to turn independently of the spring gearing, in
the event of the machine being pushed or drawn backwards.
The spring driving gear as hereinbefore described is independent, but it may be
auxilary to the ordinary & well known methods, for by the use of a driving
chain fitted with suitable engaging & disengaging gear, the spring and foot power
may be used separately, or combined.
The barrel D may be placed direct on the road wheel shaft C, as shown
at Fig. 3, the ratchet wheel O (Fig. 2) being fixed on the boss Z of the said
barrel, and conveying the motion from the outer coils of the spring to the inner
coils, and so to the road wheel shaft C. The ratchet will then be formed on the
outside of the barrel as at S', with a spring pawl R¹, on the cycle frame A.
For bicycles the arrangement will be preferably as Fig. 4, which is substantially
as described with reference to Fig. 1, but the hub X' of the wheel U, is formed
into a box enclosing the barrel D. This box X', may run free on the bosses Z¹,
of the barrel, or on the shaft C, and be driven from the barrel by means of a
pawl, or pawls R', engaging with the ratchet wheel S, on the outside of the
barrel D. When going down hill the road wheel U, will over-run the driving
gear, when the pawl R will pass freely over the ratchet wheel S'.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In driving gear for cycles the combination of a shaft B or C, ratchet
wheel O keyed thereon, pawl Q, spring or weight T, flexible band P', reciprocating
frame P, barrel D, spring or springs E, ratchet wheel or wheels S, and pawl or
pawls R, for producing a continuous rotary motion from a reciprocating motion,
when power is applied in one direction only, substantially as described with
reference to Figs. 1, 2 & 4.
2. In driving gear for cycles the modification of the gear as described in Claim 1, 1
by which the power is transmitted through the bosses Z to the periphery of the
barrel D, and from the outside to the inside of the spring, or springs, E, and so to
the shaft C, and including the ratchet wheel S¹ and pawl R', substantially as
described with reference to Fig. 3.
3. The hub X¹ of the driving wheels of cycles arranged as a box, or to enclose,
a driving gear, substantially as described.
4. The ratchet wheels V and S³, and the pawls W & R', in combination with
the hubs X & X', and the spring lever connections Y to the clutches L & M, by
which the road wheels of cycles may run free of the driving gear, except when
the said driving gear is in action and exerting a pressure on said road wheels,
substantially as described.
5. In driving gear for cycles the wheels F & G, and pinions H & I, sliding on
the shaft C, or in combination with the clutches Ĺ & M, substantially as and for
the purposes herein described.
Dated this 20th don of fl 1000
G. T. HARRAP,
Agent for Applicants.