Improvements in Speed Indicators for Velocipedes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left. 5th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Speed Indicators for Velocipedes.
JOHN RUSSELL KING 11 Albemarle Street St. John's Square E.C. in the
County of London, Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an instrument for showing at any instant the speed at
which a velocipede is moveing. For this purpose I fix at any convenient part of
the velocipede a revolving fan driven by contact with the tyre by means of a small
wheel with a rubber edge or from any revolving part by means of a chain cord,
gear wheels, or other suitable means.
Above the revolving fan is pivoted another light fan controled by a spring to
which is fixed the pointer moveing over a dial. The air which is set in motion by
the revolving fan reacts on the one to which the pointer is fixed causing it to
indicate the speed on the dial.
Dated this 7th day of July 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Speed Indicators for Velocipedes.
I, JOHN RUSSELL KING of 11 Albemarle Street, St. John's Square, Clerkenwell,
London, 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 improvements in speed indicators for velocipedes or the
like-my present invention being more particularly designed for showing at any
moment the speed at which such a vehicle is moving.
And in order that this invention may be easily understood and readily carried
into practice I will proceed to describe same with reference to the drawings hereunto
annexed.
Fig. 1 is a plan of the instrument or apparatus-as same appears in use on the
machine.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section showing the internal construction of
the speed indicating mechanism.
Fig. 3 is a local view-on an enlarged scale-of the arrangement of the fan
carrying the pointer or indicator arm.
Fig. 4 is a plan view-partly in section-of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a local sectional view showing the flexible angle joint or coupling
between the driving wheel or motor wheel a (which comes in contact with one of
the wheels of the velocipede) and the fan which is revolved thereby.
Fig. 6 shows a convenient means of mounting this instrument on the velocipede.
a is the contact wheel which is placed in frictional contact with one of the wheels
of the cycle so as to be steadily revolved thereby.
bis the shaft carrying this small wheel a whereby the said shaft 6 is revolved.
c is a flexible angle coupling connected to b at one end and at the other end to
the axis d of the "motor" fan e so that thereby the revolution of a is imparted to
the said axis d and "motor "fan e.

page_text: fis a cover or guard enclosing the shaft and the angle coupling c to protect
same, exclude dust, etc.
I would here remark that I do not confine myself to any particular form of
drum a or coupling c and guard fas any other suitable form or means of imparting
rotary motion from a wheel of the velocipede to the motor fan e may be adopted
without departing from the nature of my present invention provided that my object
is complied with viz.: to correspondingly increase or diminish the speed of the
motor fan e exactly in proportion as the speed of the velocipede is increased or
diminished.
g is the case-cylindrical in form-containing the indicating mechanism and
advantageously having a suitable glass h over the up-turned face of the instrument.
The aforesaid casing (carrying and enclosing the shaft b and flexible coupling c)
is carried by the arm or support f₁ fixed or formed on the casing 9 so as to rigidly
hold these said parts in position on said case g.
This case g may be mounted or carried on any suitable supporting arm or mount
or other means of fixing same to some convenient part of the velocipede and so that
the small wheel a is placed in frictional contact with one of the velocipede wheels
or advantageously this apparatus may be so arranged and mounted as to be readily
placed in or out of contact as desired ;-for instance a suitable arrangement is
shown in the drawings wherein the said case 9 is shown rigidly mounted on and
carried by the arm i.
This arm i is pivotted on the stud or axis ; so as to be free to turn thereon
see Figs. 1, 2, and 6.
This stud is carried in a frame-an extension k of which carries a spring / which
at its upper end is secured to the said armi. The normal tendency of this spring
is to constantly pull down the arm i against the cam wheel or mutilated disc m.
The said disc m turns on the centre or stud m* which latter is also carried on the
same frame that carries the spring l and axis j-for instance the frame n (see Fig. 1)
which can be clamped to any convenient part of the machine by means to the nuts o
see Figs. 1 and 6.
m² m² are handles or projections on the disc m by which to rotate same.
By turning the disc in into the position shown in Fig. 2 thereby the arm i is
pulled down by the spring / against this disc m to its lowest position consequently
the wheel a is brought into contact with the velocipede wheel.
By turning the disc m upon its axis m* by means of the handles m¹ thereby the
arm i is now raised (against the action of the spring which is consequently
extended) so that the said contact wheel a is raised clear of the velocipede wheel.'
This arrangement for mounting my instrument and bringing same into or out of
contact with the velocipede wheel has been found to answer very well in practice
but such arrangement forms no part separately of my present invention.
p is a second and separate fan mounted independently of the motor fan e within
the case g upon a sleeve p¹ mounted on the stud q.
This stud in its turn is fixed to and carried by the dial or face-plate r.
One end of a suitable spring for instance a "hair spring" such as s is fixed to the
said sleeve p¹ and the other end of said springs is attached to a second stud t fixed
to the under-side of the dial-plate r-so that this spring s has a tendency to revolve
said fan in one direction and acts against the revolution of the fan p in the other
direction i.e. the fan e acts to revolve the fan p in the opposite direction to the
spring s.
u is an arm fixed to the fan pand projecting vertically through a slot v (concentric
with the centre q) in the face plate or dial r and then turned at right angles forming
the index finger or arm w which is free to travel over said dial r between same and
the glass h without contact with either.
The index plate or dial r may be divided into any suitable number of divisions
or otherwise marked or set out in any suitable manner as desired.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
On placing the wheel a in contact with the moving wheel of the velocipede

page_text: rotary motion is imparted (in the manner already described) to the motor fan e
which is consequently revolved at a high rate of speed the air which is now set in
motion by the quickly revolving fan e re-acts on the second fan p (to which the
pointer w is attached) thereby causing the said fan p to travel round against the
action of the springs and consequently the pointer w is caused to travel or move
over the dial and thereby the speed is indicated.
If the speed of the velocipede wheel is increased thereby the motor fan e is more
quickly revolved the air which is set in motion re-acts more strongly still on the
second fan p and further movement is thereby imparted to the pointer w thus.
showing the increased speed.
On the other hand as soon as the speed of the velocipede is decreased thereby
the speed of the motor fan e is correspondingly decreased and the re-action of the
spring s returns the pointer w towards its normal point of rest until when motion of
the velocipede and consequently rotation of the motor fan e has ceased altogether
thereupon the action of the spring s will return the pointer to zero.
The instrument can be accurately set or adjusted in suchwise that the re-action
of the air from the motor fan e upon the second fan p carrying the pointer w will
by the latter show on the dial the speed corresponding to the actual speed of
travel of the velocipede.
For the purpose of such adjustment-the springs may be adjusted after the
manner of adjusting a watch spring or same may be so arranged and mounted as to.
be capable of ready adjustment in any suitable manner when required.
Or the adjustment may be obtained in any other suitable way so that the re-action.
of the air from the motor fan e upon the second fan p will accurately indicate on
the dial the speed or rate per minute or per hour corresponding to the speed.
actually being travelled by the velocipede.
I would remark that I find it advantageous to use a short spring rather than a
long one (ie. with hair-springs such as s) as thereby I am enabled to show greater.
ranges of speed.
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. A speed indicator for velocipedes having a fan so arranged and mounted in a.
casing with regard to a second and separate fan-contained in the same casing and.
driven by any suitable means from one of the velocipede wheels-that the re-action
of the air from the rapid revolution of the said driven fan will cause the partial
revolution of the other said fan against the action of a spring whereby a pointer or
indicator arm is caused to move over a dial or vice versa and thus indicate the speed
of the velocipede.
2. In a speed indicator for velocipedes-the arrangement of a fan within a casing-
and means to drive said fan from one of the wheels of the velocipede in combination
and acting in conjunction with a second and separate fan so arranged within said
casing as to be driven by the air set in motion by the first-named fan and means to
indicate the movement thus imparted to said second fan.
3. In a speed indicator for velocipedes-the combination with a casing of a fan
mounted so as to be free to rapidly revolve within said casing, means to rapidly
revolve said fan from one of the wheels of the velocipede, a second and separate
fan independently mounted in said casing so as to be free to make a partial
revolution therein and adapted to be operated in one direction by the re-action of
the air from the first-named fan, a spring adapted to revolve said second fan in the
opposite direction, and a pointer or other suitable means operated by said second
fan to indicate the speed substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-.
before described.
4. In a speed indicator for velocipedes-the arrangement and combination with
a casing such as g of a fan such as e a second and spring-controlled fan such as p,
a pointer such as w carried by said fan p, a dial or index plate such as r having a.

page_text: concentric slot therein such as v and means to revolve said fan e from one of the
velocipede wheels all substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
5. A speed indicator arranged constructed combined and acting substantially in
the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 5th day of April 1894.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.