to other Velocipedes.
Year: 1885

page_text: "
to other Velocipedes.
I, JAMES SIMEON EDGE of Coleshill Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY BICYCLES, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO
OTHER VELOCIPEDES," to be as follows:-
My invention has. reference principally to that class of machines commonly
called safety bicycles, in which the pedal or crank axes are situated considerably
below the driving axis, motion being communicated by chain gear; and my said
invention consists in creating a uniform bearing, for the crank or pedal axis and
its chain wheel, situated at the termination of each forked extension; this is
effected by attaching the crank directly to the chain wheel, other than through the
intervention of a spindle as heretofore; so that the spindles on the ends of each of
the crank axes pass through the bosses of the respective chain wheels carrying the
cranks and terminate in the forks, on opposite sides.
For convenience of description I will describe my invention as applied to a
safety bicycle.
In carrying out my invention I proceed as follows;-and as the two sides of the
driving mechanism are alike, I will only describe one of them.
The chain wheel for communicating motion to the driving axis is situated at the
lower end, and upon the outer side of the fork extension; and upon the outer face
of the said chain wheel, the crank is attached, so that the crank and chain wheel
are rigidly connected-The axis or spindle carrying the chain wheel consists of a
short spindle a little longer than the combined breadth of the fork and chain
wheel, and is provided at its outer end with a cone shouldered boss, while the
other end which is attached to the termination of the fork, is screwed to about
half its length, upon which a cone nut screws up to a collar or enlarged part of the
spindle; so that, that part of the spindle and cone nut constitutes the bearing or
axle proper of the chain wheel-The terminal end of the spindle passes through
the longitudinal slot in the fork and is affixed by a nut-The internal bearing of
the chain wheel has a contracted neck about its middle, with curved recesses at
its ends, in which the spheres or balls rotate.

page_text: The bearing proper, consisting of the enlarged part of the spindle, and the cone
nut is situated and lies within the bush of the chain wheel; the balls or spheres
upon which the bearing is supported rotates within the recesses left between the
cone shoulders.
In putting the parts together the spindle is passed through the bush of the chain
wheel, with the balls or spheres lying between the curved shoulders of the spindle
and chain wheel bearing, the cone nut is then screwed upon the worm of the
spindle bringing the bearings to their proper positions; so that the recesses left
between the spindle and internal bearing of the chain wheel constitute annular
spaces (with curved bearings) in which the spheres or balls rotate. The end of the
spindle is attached to the frame or fork by a screw nut, and is prevented from
rotating by the cut away sides fitting into the longitudinal adjustment slot.
By arranging the parts as described, there is no cant or cross action between the
crank and chain driving wheel as is common to machines of the ordinary con-
struction. The rider in driving, acts directly upon the chain wheel in com-
municating motion from one axis to another, and as the chain wheel is fixed to,
and moves with the crank, great steadiness and uniformity in the motion is thereby
obtained-The crank instead of being connected to the chain wheel as described, it
may be made therewith in one piece.
In applying my invention to a safety bicycle, I prefer to crank or bend
inwards the forked extensions, so as to lessen or diminish the distance between the
pedals.
Although I have described a ball bearing arrangement, disposed within the
chain wheel, yet a cone or plain bearing may be substituted therefor. And
although I have described my invention as applied to a safety bicycle, yet I wish
it to be understood that my said invention is equally applicable to tricycles and
other velocipedes.

page_text: Improvements in Safety Bicycles, Parts of which are Applicable
to other Velocipedes.
I, JAMES SIMEON EDGE of Coleshill Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY BICYCLES PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER
VELOCIPEDES," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has reference principally to that class of machines commonly
called safety bicycles, in which the pedal or crank axes are situated considerably
below the driving axis, motion being communicated by chain gear; and my said
invention consists in creating a uniform bearing, for the crank or pedal axis and
its chain wheel, situated at the termination of each forked extension; this is
effected by attaching the crank directly to the chain wheel, other than through the
intervention of a spindle as beretofore; so that the spindles on the ends of each of
the crank axes pass through the bosses of the respective chain wheels carrying the
cranks and terminate in the forks on opposite sides.
For convenience of description I will describe my invention as applied to a
safety bicycle.
In carrying out my invention I proceed as follows; and as the two sides of the
driving mechanism are alike, I will only describe one of them.
The chain wheel for communicating motion to the driving axis is situated at the
lower end and upon the outer side of the fork extension; and upon the outer face
of the said chain wheel, the crank is attached, so that the crank and chain wheel
are rigidly connected-The axis or spindle carrying the chain wheel consists of a
short spindle a little longer than the combined breadth of the fork and chain
wheel, and this spindle is provided at its outer end with a cone shouldered boss, while
the other end which is attached to the termination of the fork, is screwed to about
half its length, upon which a cone nut screws; so that, that part of the spindle and
cone nut constitutes the bearing or axle proper of the chain wheel--The terminal
end of the spindle passes through the longitudinal slot in the fork and is affixed by
a nut-The internal bearing of the chain wheel has a contracted neck about its
middle, with curved recesses at its ends, in which the spheres or balls rotate.
The bearing proper, consisting of the enlarged part of the spindle, and the cone
nut is situated and lies within the bush of the chain wheel; the balls or spheres
upon which the bearing is supported rotates within the recesses left between the
cone shoulders.
In putting the parts together, the spindle is passed through the bush of the chain
wheel, with the balls or spheres lying between the curved shoulders of the spindle
and chain wheel bearing, the cone nut is then screwed upon the worm of the
spindle bringing the bearings to their proper positions; so that the recesses left
between the spindle and internal bearing of the chain wheel constitute annular
spaces (with curved bearings) in which the spheres or balls rotate-The end of the
spindle is attached to the frame or fork by a screw nut, and is prevented from
rotating by the cut away sides fitting into the longitudinal adjustment slot,

page_text: By arranging the parts as described, there is no cant or cross action between the
crank and chain driving wheel as is common to machines of the ordinary con-
struction The rider in driving, acts directly upon the chain wheel in communi-
cating motion from one axis to another, and as the chain wheel is fixed to and
moves with the crank, great steadiness and uniformity in the motion is thereby
obtained The crank instead of being connected to the chain wheel as described, it
may be made therewith in one piece.
In applying my invention to a safety bicycle, I prefer to crank or bend inwards
the forked extensions, so as to lessen or diminish the distance between the pedals.
Although I have described a ball bearing arrangement disposed within the chain
wheel, yet a cone or plain bearing may be substituted therefor. And although.
I have described my invention as applied to a safety bicycle, yet I wish it to be
understood that my said invention is equally applicable to tricycles and other
velocipedes.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation and figure 2 in transverse vertical section
a combined crank and chain wheel, provided with ball bearings, the bearing being
contained between the inside of the chain wheel, and the outside of a fixed spindle
attached rigidly within the longitudinal slot in the fork extension. Figure 3 is a
front and side elevation of the crank disconnected or separated from the chain
wheel, which when in use are rigidly connected together, as hereinafter described.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the short bearing spindle with the adjustment
bearing nut in section. Figure 5 is a front elevation and section of the bush of
the chain wheel.
Figure 6 represents in transverse section my improvement provided with cone
bearings, and the crank and bearing bush of the chain wheel being made in one
piece. Figure 7 is a section of the combined crank and bearing bush, and figure 8
is a back elevation of the same. Figure 9 is a section of the chain wheel, and
figure 10 is the bearing spindle and cone nut.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in figures 1 to 5 both
inclusive.
a is the crank and b the chain wheel which are rigidly connected together by the
ring or collar a² of the former, taking on to the hub or boss 62 of the latter, and
also by the screw pin c passing through the crank, and screwing into the solid
metal of the chain wheel as best seen in the section figure 3, thereby rigidly
connecting the crank and chain wheel together. dis the bearing spindle with a
boss d, having upon its inside face curved surfaces d³, while the other end which is
attached to the termination of the fork e, is screwed to about half its length, and
upon this wormed part an adjustable bearing nut f screws; which nut is provided
with curved inner faces constituting the part bearing surfaces of the balls h. The
flat part near the terminal end of the spindle passes through the longitudinal
slot e in the fork, and is affixed to the said fork by the nut g:
The internal bearing bush of the chain wheel is marked b3 and is provided with
curved shoulders b b near its ends, and between these shoulders and the curved
bearing surfaces d, f, of the adjustable nut f and the collar d², the balls or
spheres h rotate.
Figure 24 represents a modification of figure 2, the adjustment being effected by
an adjustable cone bearing nut, which is adjusted from the crank side of the chain
wheel instead of from the fork side as shown in figure 2-The said cone nut is
retained or affixed in its adjusted position by a spring holder the terminal end of
which takes into one or other of a series of holes arranged near the outer edge of
the front face.
f is the cone bearing nut screwing upon the wormed end of the screwed
spindle d-f is the bearing surface, and f³ are small holes or countersinks
arranged preferably at equi-distant points on the outside face of the nut-fis a
spring arm affixed at one end to the end of the screw spindle d, while the other or

page_text: free end f is capable of slightly yielding for the removal of its stud end from one
or other of the holes f³ when adjustment is required.
In figure 6 a is the crank made in one piece with the bush bearing a³ of the
chain wheel ba*a* are the internal bearing surfaces of the said bush-d is the
bearing spindle with the coned head d³ made solid with it, which seats itself within
the front coned bearing of the bush, while f³ is a coned adjustment bearing nut,
which screws upon the wormed part of the spindle. The bush a³ of the crank a is
affixed within the hub 6 of the chain wheel by a taper cotter pin 67, which is
driven into coincident slots made within the inside of the hub and the outside of
the bush.
By combining or making the crank rigid to the chain wheel, or making the
crank and chain wheel in one piece as described and represented instead of con-
necting them independently to the bearing axis, there is no lateral cant or cross
action between the crank and chain driving wheel as is common with machines of
the ordinary construction.
The rider in communicating motion acts directly upon the chain wheel and as
the chain wheel is rigid with the crank, great steadiness and uniformnity in the
motion is thereby obtained.
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
First. Disposing or applying ball, cone or other bearings within the hubs or
wheel centres of chain or other gear wheels of bicycles, tricycles and other
velocipedes substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. A combined crank and chain wheel for bicycles, tricycles and other
velocipedes; that is, attaching the crank direct to the chain wheel, or making the
crank in one piece with the chain wheel, the bearing being contained either within
both of them or in one of them, substantially as described and illustrated.
Thirdly Making a crank and chain wheel, or a combined crank and chain
wheel, rotate together and around a fixed spindle or bearing axis, substantially as
described and illustrated.
Fourthly. Fixing the bearing axis or spindle of a crank and chain wheel,
rigidly to the supporting fork or frame of a bicycle, tricycle or other velocipede;
whether the said fork or frame comes on the inside of a chain wheel as represented
or upon the outside, substantially as described and set forth.