Improved Driving Gear and Frame for Bicycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Driving Gear and Frame for Bicycles.
WILLIAM DAVIES, Blacksmith, 1, Ralph Cottage, Abercynon, R.S.O., Glamorgan,
I do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Gearing and improvement in the Speed of Bicycles is made by using four
additional Cog wheels. B and C are in one Piece together & on one Spindle
provided and the Chain is Carried round wheel B to the Sprocket wheel D on Back
driving wheel of the Bicycle. The wheel E is working in wheel C and wheel F
works in wheel C as Shown on drawing, and the treadle wheel A works the wheel E
and wheel C and wheel B and wheel F. The lever which is Shown on drawing
is to Regulate the Speed by moving the Lever from one notch to the other so as to
Lower the Speed from about 175-to about 80 with with out Coming off the
Bicycle at all, and also the Lever is to be made to Cover the whole of the Cogs.
The improvement in the frame is made at the Bottom Part of it.
The improvement to the frame consists in adding one or two crosspieces at the
lower part of the frame for fixing the bottom of lever & additional wheels. A
small rack is also fitted to back bone of frame for the top of lever to work in.
The additional wheels will be cased in & out of sight.
Dated this 22nd Day of January 1897
WILLIAM DAVIES, Blacksmith, 1, Ralph Cottage, Abercynon, R.S.O., Glamorgan,
I 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:―
An improvement in the gearing for increasing or decreasing the Speed of bicycles
at will, without dismounting is made by useing four additional Cog wheels which
are fitted to the Machine as hereinafter described.
The Chain wheel B & the Cog wheel C, are made & fitted on the same Spindle
provided so as to turn together as if in one piece.
The Chain is Carried round wheel B, & from thence to and round the Sprocket
wheel D on the Back driving wheel of the bicycle. The Cog-wheels E and F work
in the Cog wheel C, but on different Spindles as shown on provisional drawings.
The Crank Cog wheel A works the cogwheels E or F as required, these in turn
work the chain wheel B & this by means of the chain works the back driving
[Price 8d.]

page_text: wheel. The cog wheels E and F are worked by the cogwheel A whichever is
required, by moving the lever backwards or forwards to use the high or the low
gear.
;
14
The lever marked K on drawings is a plain steel or iron lever with three arms as
show on drawing. The long arm of the lever is nearly vertical, the top end of
which moves to & fro & catches in a toothed rack in the top tube. The other arms
of the lever are two short arms nearly at right angles to each other & to each of
these the wheels E and are fixed respectively a slot is cut in each side arm &
fitted with a stud to each; each stud to be screwed up with a nut at the back of the
lever, the slots being for the purpose of regulating the positions of wheels E and F.
These studs are for mounting, the said wheels E & F in position as shown on draw-
ings & are provided with cones & ball bearings. A boss is made at the lower part
of the lever where the three arms intersect so as to secure the lever to the spindle
in the bracket & to fix the wheels B&C in their proper position.The top end
of lever arm works in the toothed rack above mentioned which is for fixing the
lever in the required position. The improvement to the frame is made by adding
one or two crosspieces or brackets at the lower part of the frame
between the down tube & the bottom tube as shown by dotted. lines
on drawing. In the brackets is a spindle for securing the bottom end
of lever, & is the centre on which the lever & the wheels B & C, turn the brackets
or crosspieces are provided with two slots cut in it apart from each other so that
the above mentioned spindle may be screwed to; the said slots in the required
position. The wheel, A may also be made into an internal cog wheel if required
for better working. Also the two cog wheels, A. & C. may be used as chain,,wheels
is required so as to use a second chain if prefered by. taking, away the, said
lever, the sides of the lever will be provided with a protecting cover of suitable
material to keep dirt out. All the wheels are provided with, cones and ball bear-
ings. The spindle in bracket projects sufficiently outside the wheels,, B. & C. to
take the lower end of lever. The top end of moveable lever arm, is,
with a spring catch which catches in a small rack fitted with three or four square
sunk notches in same. The said notched rack is fitted to the side of the top tube
or in a slot cut in same in a suitable position.
fitted
The said spring catch by the pressure of the spring drops'into the required notch
& fixes, the lever arm in its required position.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
-
1st. The use of the four additional cog wheels in the position shown on drawings
& for the said purpose.
2nd. The aforesaid three armed lever with slots to which the wheels for changing
the gear are fixed.
3rd. The addition of the Brackets to the frame as described for fixing the
additional wheels & lever.
4th. The toothed rack & slot as described in the top tube for securing the move-
able vertical arm of the lever.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1897.
WILLIAM DAVIES.