Improvements in Home-trainers for Cyclists.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Aug., 1895-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Home-trainers for Cyclists.
I, JOHN HUTSON, of 26 Ditchling Road, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Commission Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
My invention relates to home-trainers for cyclists and comprises the
improvements hereinafter described.
In the Specification of my prior Patent No. 19028 of 1894 I described a
home-trainer consisting of a bicycle resting in a wheeled frame or in two such
frames and furnished with worm gear connecting the axle of the rear wheel of the
bicycle with one axle of the wheeled frame supporting the said rear wheel in such
a manner that when the rear wheel is rotated the whole apparatus is moved slowly
along the ground. The rear wheel described and shown in the aforesaid Specifi-
cation was not the ordinary bicycle wheel but was a heavy wheel that replaced the
ordinary wheel. In combination with the said wheel a brake was provided and
also a balance wheel or wheels driven by friction from the periphery of the rear
wheel. It was stated that in some instances the ordinary rear wheel of a bicycle
could be used instead of the heavy wheel described.
According to my present invention I provide apparatus similar to that above
referred to but so constructed that it can be used in combination with a bicycle
without necessitating any change in the latter. For this purpose I arrange the
driving gear so as to drive the apparatus from the axle of the friction or balance
wheel or of a roller used in lieu of said balance wheel instead of from the axle of
the rear wheel of the bicycle. The said balance wheel or roller is driven by
frictional contact with the tyre of the rear wheel of the bicycle, and it is provided
with worm gear which through an inclined shaft or spindle and other worm gear
at the lower end of said shaft drives the axle of the wheeled frame in such a
manner as to give the required slow movement of translation to the apparatus.
The frames of the apparatus are furnished with bearings to receive the axles of
the bicycle which when required to be used as a home-trainer is placed therein and
then operated in the usual manner. The frictional contact of the tyre against the
balance wheel or roller before-mentioned rotates the latter and through it and the
worm gear drives the axle of the wheeled frame and moves the whole apparatus
slowly forward as above described.
The balance wheel or roller may be made adjustable to accommodate bicycles
having rear wheels of different diameters.
I may if desired dispense with the brake.

page_text: 1, JOHN HUTSON, of 26 Ditchling Road, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Gentleman, 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 a home-training apparatus or appliance for cyclists and
is an improvement on the apparatus described in the Specification of my prior
Patent No. 19028 of 1894. In the said apparatus the slow propulsion of the
wheeled frame was obtained by gearing which connected the axle of the said frame
with that of a heavy wheel that was substituted for the ordinary driving wheel of
the bicycle. According to the present invention I so construct the home-trainer
that it is adapted for use with a velocipede without any change whatever in the
latter and instead of being driven from the axle of the bicycle as heretofore it is
preferably driven by the frictional contact of a roller with the tyre of the
velocipede wheel.
The invention is particularly applicable to bicycles although it may be used
with machines of this kind having any number of wheels.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved home-trainer and of a portion of a
bicycle resting thereon.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the home-trainer and bicycle thereon.
A is a frame or carriage, rectangular in shape, (although the precise form is
immaterial) carrying in suitable bearings an axle B on the ends of which are fixed
the wheels or rollers C, C that rest on the floor. Hinged to the carriage A
at A¹, A' on each side is a light frame or upright D on the upper end of which is
mounted an ear or plate E adapted to receive the ends of the axle or shaft F of
the driving wheel of the bicycle and to form bearings therefor; the said ears or
plates are held in place by nuts F¹ screwed to the wheel axle. G G are bars
pivoted at their forward ends to the carriage A, and supported at their rear ends
by adjustable links or rods G' connected at their upper emils to the frame D.
GG are justing screws for raising and lowering the bars G as required.
Bearings are formed in the rear ends of the bars (+ to receive a short shaft H on
which are fixed a fly wheel H1, the purpose of which is to create enough momentura
to overcome dead centre, e roller K that her paint the tyre of the bicycle
wheel, and a worm 1. The latter gear with a worm wheel M fixed on en
inclined shaft supported in rear bearing bracket carried by one of the
bars Gandaorward hearing carried by the carriage A. Mis worm fixed
on the shaft and gearing with worm wheel N fixed on the axle 13 of the
carring A. By justing the of the Gd so raising or lowering
the rear ends of the bar the apparatus can be arranged to accommodate veloci
pedes having wheels of different diameter, and the roller K can be pressed
against the tyre of the wheel with sufficient pressure to ensure the required amount
of friction to prevent slip. The roller K is preferably grooved for engagement
with the tyre of the bicycle although it may have any other desired configuration.
Inasmuch as the bars G do not turn about the axle B as a centre when they are
raised and lowered, but about a point forward of the axle it is necessary in order
to ensure that the worm M² shall gear properly with its worm wheel N in all
positions of the bars G to provide for raising and lowering the forward end of the
shaft M which may be done by means of a screw or otherwise. When the rear
ends of the bars G are raised to accommodate a small wheel, it will be necessary to
slightly lower the forward end of the shaft M' to cause the teeth of the worm M

page_text: to gear properly with those of the worm wheel N. and on the other hand when
the rear ends of the bars G are lowered the forward end of the shaft M' should be
raised a little.
P is a tie rod that secures the frame A to a clip P¹ fixed on a suitable part of
the bicycle frame and thereby retains the apparatus in its proper position.
The roller K being in contact with the tyre of the velocipede wheel Q is rotated
when the said wheel is driven, and the motion is communicated through the worm
gears L, M, the shaft M' and worm gears M, N to the axle B of the carriage A
whereby the whole apparatus is slowly propelled along the floor.
The front wheel of the bicycle is shown in Figure 3 to be resting on the ground.
It may however be supported by a carriage similar to the carriage A if desired, in
which case the front wheel may be driven by a band or cord from the axle of the
rear wheel when it is desired to rotate this wheel at the same rate as the back
wheel.
I have found it best to construct the speed reducing gear that the appliance
shall move about 15 feet while the periphery of the rear wheel of the bicycle is
turned a distance corresponding to a mile; manifestly any other ratio might be
adopted by suitably constructing and arranging the speed reducing gear.
Although I have shown my apparatus arranged to be driven through the medium
of the rear wheel of the bicycle, it might be driven by the gear chain through a
sprocket wheel engaging with said chain or it might be driven by the pedal shaft,
I prefer however to utilize the rear wheel as herein described. The apparatus is
so constructed that its several members fold upon each other into a compact form
for carrying or for exportation. The use of my apparatus is not limited to any
particular form of exercise and may be used in indoor races, or in connection with
any matter for which a bicycle is employed.
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 1
claim is :-
1. A cyclist's home-training apparatus comprising a frame or carriage mounted
on wheels and adapted to support the axle of the driving wheel of a velocipede,
and means for driving the said carriage from the wheel of the velocipede,
substantially as described.
2. The combination with the frame or carriage referred to in the preceding
claim, of a rotary member driven by contact with the driving wheel of the velo-
cipede, or driven by some other moving part of the velocipede except the axle, and
speed reducing gear connecting said rotary member with the axle of the said
carriage, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
3. The means for supporting and adjusting the roller K, substantially as
described.
4. A cyclist's home-training apparatus constructed substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of August 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.