Improvements in Bicycles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1899
Improvements in Bicycles.
I, MAMIE G. READ, of the Majestic, 145th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue,
New York, County of New York, State of New York, United States of America,
Lady, 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:-
My invention relates to the construction of bicycles and has particular refer-
ence to the means for enclosing and confining the sprocket chain within the
frame proper of the machine so as to keep the said chain free from dust and dirt
and at all times lubricated, and from coming in contact with the clothes of
the rider, as will be hereinafter described and specifically claimed.
The invention consists in certain details of construction, combinations and
arrangements of parts, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and now to
be fully explained.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle constructed in accordance with my in-
vention.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through the crank hanger
axle and rear sprocket wheel and portion of the frame which encloses the chain
and other connecting parts.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the crank hanger and the rear axle
and hub, the sprockets and chain and a portion of the frame enclosing the said
chain as well as other connecting parts.
Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the housing on the rear hub and
sprocket wheel showing the eccentric for tightening the chain.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the eccentric for tightening the chain.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the plate or cover which closes the crank hous-
ing, and,
Fig. 7 is a sectional view through one of the connecting tubes showing the
raw hide or other analogous lining and the tube in elliptical form.
A in the drawings represents the frame of the wheel, which may be of drop or
diamond form. The front fork a, the front connecting rods a and the truss
saddle supports a³ a³ are of ordinary construction. My improvements relate
particularly to the crank housing B, the rear axle housing C and to the tubes
connecting the same in which the sprocket chain runs which constitutes a part
of the frame. The crank housing and the rear axle housing are connected by
the tubes D and E through which the chain F passes, the latter engaging a
sprocket wheel G in the crank housing and a sprocket wheel H in the rear axle
housing, as clearly seen in Fig. 2. The crank housing consists of a circular
casting which surrounds the crank shaft. This housing is secured to the
tubes D and E as at b¹ b As clearly shown in Fig. 3 this housing practically

page_text: encloses the entire crank axle except at the front, at which point it is closed by
a cover or plate I, which latter is screwed into the housing and is formed with
a boss or projection i, having many faces, as seen in Fig. 6, into which is screwed
a nut by which the cover or plate is prevented from coming off and the other
parts are held in position. The nut shaped boss i may be used for screwing the
face plate I into place by applying an ordinary wrench or spanner to it.
Raw-
hide or rubber packing rings or gaskets 63 b are preferably interposed between
the hub of the sprocket wheel G and the inner face of the housing and cover
therefor and a suitable loose packing as 65 is inserted between the crank axle
and the housing to form an oil tight and dust proof joint. Ball bearings are
provided in the crank axle hanger as usual and the crank axle extends through
the other end of the housing and is held in place by means of a nut in the
ordinary manner. The crank housing as heretofore stated is made preferably
from a single piece of material and is constructed with thimble formations 66
to receive the connecting tubes D and E through which the chain passes and
with a socket for the reception of the side connecting rod or bar K and with
another socket L for the reception of one of the front truss rods.
The rear axle housing C consists preferably of a single casting made substan-
tially in the form shown, in Fig. 4 and is supported on an excentric ring 0 (here-
after described), which is loosely mounted on the rear hub M, which encloses
the stationary rear axle, and is formed with thimbles m¹ m² m³ to receive the
_connecting tubes D and E and the rear saddle supporting truss rod a³. The
sprocket wheel H is mounted on the hub and operates in the housing C and
packing rings or gaskets of leather or other suitable material are interposed
between the hub of the sprocket wheel and the housing so as to form a tight
joint and prevent the escape of oil and the entrance of dust and other loose
packing as m' may also be employed to further assure against the escape of oil.
The housing is closed at front by a perforated cap or plate C through which
the stationary axle passes and the axle is held in place by means of a nut and
washer as c¹ 08. Ball bearings are interposed between the axle and the hub in
the usual manner so as to permit a free revolution of the latter and these are
held in place as is common in such constructions. ( represents an eccentric
ring through which the hub loosely passes and has a free movement around
the inner edge of the housing C and is held from lateral displacement by means
of the flanges oo which engage the said housing, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.
The construction and arrangement of the eccentric is also clearly shown in
Figs. 4 and 5. When it is desired to adjust the chain, it is simply necessary
to loosen the nuts on the axle when a spanner may be applied to the projecting
edge of the eccentric ring so as to turn the same backward or forward according
as it is desired to tighten or loosen the chain. The nuts are then again
tightened to hold the parts in their adjusted position.
If
The tubes D and E through which the sprocket chain passes are preferably
lined with rawhide fiber or other analogous material but preferably raw-
hide soaked with oil which forms an anti-friction surface for the chain
and prevent any rattling and permits the chain to move noiselessly through
the tubes. The lower tube E is preferably given a slight curve down-
wardly to accomodate it to the sag of the chain, which is important as it
facilitates the movement of the chain and reduces the amount of friction.
desired, the tubes might be made somewhat elliptical in form as shown in Fig. 7.
I have described the crank housing and the rear hub housing and the connect-
ing tubes D and E as being made separately, but it obvious that one whole side,
that is one-half of the tubes and one-half of the housings might be made in one
piece and the corresponding half may also be made in one piece and the two
parts welded together. An aperture as is preferably provided in the rear truss
bar as through which oil is entered to lubricate the parts and as the joints are
completely sealed, the tubes will be filled with oil so that the chain will be prac-
tically in oil continuously.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:―
1. In a bicycle, the combination of a stationary rear axle, a revoluble hub
mounted thereon, a sprocket wheel on said hub, a housing enclosing the sprocket
wheel, and a portion of the hub, an eccentric ring arranged to revolve on the
housing and through which the hub and axle passes, a crank hanger, a sprocket
wheel mounted thereon, a housing enclosing the hanger and the sprocket wheel,
tubes connecting the housings and a sprocket chain which passes through the
tubes and housings and is entirely enclosed thereby, the construction being such
that the chain can be tightened or loosened, substantially as described.
2. In a bicycle, the combination of a crank housing a front sprocket housing
made integral therewith, a rear sprocket housing tubes connecting the said
crank housing said tubes being oval in cross section and of the same size through-
out, and means for closing the sprocket housing by means of suitable removable
front plates, substantially as described.
3. In a bicycle, the combination with a suitable frame, of a front and rear
sprocket housing, outer metallic tubes connecting the said housings for enclos-
ing the sprocket chain of the bicycle, inner tubes of raw-hide mounted in the
said metallic tubes, said raw hide tubes being adapted to absorb oil and hold
it so as to form an anti-friction surface in case the chain should come in con-
tact therewith and front plates for closing the sprocket housings to completely
exclude dust from the sprocket chain, substantially as described.
4. In a bicycle, the combination with a suitable frame, of a sprocket housing
formed thereon enclosing the front and rear sprocket wheels, tubes connecting
the two housings so as to completely enclose the sprocket chain, an eccentric
ring having an annular peripherial groove adapted to engage the edges of an
opening formed in the wall of the rear crank housing, said eccentric ring having
an eccentrically arranged opening for receiving the hub of the wheel, the con-
struction being such that when the nuts upon the axle of the rear wheel are
loosened the eccentric ring may be turned to move the hub forward or back-
ward, substantially as described.
5. In a bicycle, the combination of an integral crank hanger and a front
sprocket housing, a rear sproeket chain enclosing tubes connecting the front
and rear sprocket housings, face plates for closing the said housings, the plate
upon the front housing being provided with a nut shaped boss or projection
and its periphery being provided with screw threads adapted to engage corres-
ponding threads in the sprocket housing, the construction being such that a
wrench or spanner may be applied to the nut shaped boss for turning the front
plate into or out of engagement with the sprocket housings, substantially as
described.
6. In a bicycle the combination with a suitable frame, of a front and rear
sprocket housing, outer metallic tubes connecting the said housings for enclos-
ing the sprocket chain of the bicycle, said tubes being oval in cross section and
of the same size throughout, inner tubes of rawhide mounted in the said metallic
tubes, said rawhide tubes being adapted to absorb the oil and hold it so as to
form an anti-friction surface, substantially as described.
Dated the 1st dow of Anonot 1800