IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, FRANCIS JOSEPH JAMES GIBBONS, of Church Lane, Wolverhampton, in the
County of Stafford Velocipede Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES," to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that form of tricycle using balanco gear such as the
Humber pattern or central driving type.
The object of my invention is mainly to dispense with the inner axle which
carries one driving pinion and passes through a tube or sleeve carrying the other
driving pinion, so as to save weight.
•
In adapting the said invention to the well known Starley gear I fix or key the
chain wheel carrying the usual pinion to a tube in a central position.
The axles, carrying at one of their ends the usual bevel wheels and at the other
ends the hubs of the driving wheels, are formed of tubing and into the tubes on
each side the ends of the central tube carrying the chain wheel, pass.
These tubular axles are of course carried by bearings and the whole forms a very
light combination.

page_text: I, FRANCIS JOSEPH JAMES GIBBONS, of Church Lane, Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, velocipede manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES, and in what. manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and the letters of
reference marked thereon:-
This invention relates to tricycles in which a balance gear or double driver of
the "Starley" type is employed, and will be readily understood on reference to the
accompanying drawing, which is a front elevation, partly in section, of the inner
ends of the driving axles and the balance gear therefor and also the bearings and
part of the framing for carrying such axles. A A are the driving axles, which are
preferably hollow throughout their length. B B are the ordinary bevel wheels of
the balance gear, and C is the chain-wheel which carries round the bevel pinion D
to drive the wheels B B. The wheel C is fixed to the internal axle or spindle E,
which is itself preferably hollow and is free to revolve in either of the axles A, or
to admit of either of such axles revolving round it, as may be necessary from time
to time to suit the steering of the tricycle. By fixing the chain-wheel C to the
spindle E I am enabled to avoid the wear resulting from running such wheel loose
upon the spindle as is commonly done.
F F F are bearings, preferably of the "Rudge" or corresponding type of ball
bearing, as shewn, though they may be of any convenient construction. These
bearings act to keep the axles A A in position endways, for the pinion D to
properly gear into the wheels B B; and, in case wear takes place, the axles, or oue
of them, is set up towards the centre so as to bring the wheels B B in proper gear
with the pinion D; by filing away the metal at the joints a a a, or at the joint or
joints on one side of the centre only, and then tightening up the bearings again by
means of a screw or screws b. These bearings are carried from a framing bar G G
connected at H with the main framing of the tricycle, or are otherwise carried in
any convenient manner from the framing of the tricycle. By this arrangement of
bearings I am enabled to dispense with any rod or appliances through the axles A A
for keeping them together end ways.
A deep hub to one of the driving wheels, or a projection therefrom, may of
course be used in lieu of one of the axles A, and such hub or projection be carried
by one of the bearings.
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
1. In a tricycle balance gear or double driver mechanism of the type herein before
referred to, fixing the chain-wheel carrying the driving pinion to the central or
inner axle or spindle, substantially as herein described and shewn by the drawing.
2. In a tricycle driven by means of a balance gear or double driver of the type
above referred to, dispensing with an internal rod to maintain the driving axles

page_text: (or the driving axle and hub or projection in lieu of an axle), in position endways,
and in lieu thereof maintaining such axles in their proper endway position entirely
by means of the bearings, substantially as herein described and shewn by the
drawing.