Improvements in Speed Gearing for Velocipedes or Bicycles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 6th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Speed Gearing for Velocipedes or Bicycles.
A communication from abroad by FREDERICK WHITE, of Worcester, in the
County of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Manufacturer of Cycles.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the_nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows :-
The object of this invention is to provide an improved system of gearing for the
operative connection of the driving axle and driving or traction-wheel-hub in
bicycles or velocipedes, by means of internal gears of different diameters, and
intermeshing spur pinions carried by the driving axle and engaging said gears, for
giving increased speed to the wheel with ease of action, also to afford mechanism
that can be manufactured with facility and economy.
The invention consists of a system of spur pinions and internal gearing, combined
with a driving axle and the driving wheel hub for operation in the manner explained;
also, in the peculiar construction of the driving axle and the arrangement of the
pinion gears in combination therewith, as will be more fully specified.
This invention is employed in connection with the hub of a bicycle or velocipede
wheel, said hub being composed of the cylindrical barrel with end heads one or both
of which are removable, and both preferably provided with annular flanges or
bearing surfaces, whereby the body or frame is supported on the wheel by series of
rolling bearing balls.
Within the interior of the hub there are arranged two rings having internal gear
teeth of similar pitch. One of said ring gears is mounted upon an annular disc
that is rigidly fixed or keyed to an inwardly extended part of one of the frame
bearings. The other ring gear has its periphery rigidly fixed or keyed to the barrel
or cylinder of the wheel hub. One gear is made somewhat smaller in diameter
than the other gear.
The driving-axle, to the ends of which the pedal-cranks or power appliances are
connected, is formed with rectangular side bars, and a central opening suitable
for the accommodation of two intermeshing rotatable spur pinions that are mounted
in connection with said driving axle, on studs supported in ears formed on the driving
axle at the ends of the opening. The axes of the pinions are disposed parallel with
the axis of the driving axle and hub. When the parts are combined for operation,
one pinion meshes with the stationary ring gear and extends past the other ring
gear without meshing therewith. The other pinion meshes with said pinion and
with the teeth of the rotatable ring gear on the hub. When the driving axle is
revolved, the first pinion rolls upon the stationary ring-gear and transmits motion
to the second pinion, which in turn operates the other ring gear and the velocipede
wheel.
The axle is supported in the frame bosses by means of the adjustable collars and
anti-frictional bearing balls, as described in a separate application for Letters
Patent of even date herewith. The pedal-cranks, or power appliances can
be arranged or attached in any well known manner for rotating the driving axle.
The ends of the pinion-gears are best provided with roll-ways for bearing balls,
and conical collars supported on the axis studs sustain said balls, so that the pinion
gears rest only upon the rolling balls, and consequently have an easy motion when
he mechanism is in operation.

page_text: The axis-studs are screw-threaded into the ears and have check-nuts on their
ends. The collars can be adjusted to take up back-lash and wear by screwing the
stud more or less into the ear, and the adjustment can be maintained by the
check-nut. For effecting this adjustment, the parts can be taken out of the barrel
of the hub.
Dated this 14th day of July 1890.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Speed Gearing for Velocipedes or Bicycles.
A communication from abroad by FREDERICK WHITE, of Worcester, in the
County of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Manufacturer of Cycles.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide an improved system of gearing for the
operative connection of the driving axle and driving or traction wheel hub in
bicycles or velocipedes; by means of internal gears of different diameters, and
intermeshing spur pinions carried by the driving axle and engaging said gears, for
giving increased speed to the wheel with ease of action. Also, to afford mechanism
that can be manufactured with facility and economy.
The invention consists of a system of spur pinions and internal gearing, constructed
substantially as shown, and combined with a driving axle and the driving wheel
hub for operation in the manner explained; also, in the peculiar construction of the
driving axle and the arrangement of the pinion gears in combination therewith, as
will be more fully specified; the particular subject matter claimed being hereinafter
definitely set forth.
In the drawings :-
:-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the driving wheel hub, frame
bosses, driving axle and operating gearing, in a velocipede or cycle mechanism
embracing this invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same at the position of line y y.
Figure 3 is a transverse section at line xx.
Figure 4 is an end view of the driving axle and intermeshing pinions, and
Figure 5 is a top view of the driving axle, pinions, and axle-supporting collars.
Referring to parts :-
A, denotes the hub of a bicycle or velocipede wheel; said hub being composed
of the cylindrical barrel a with end heads a' a', one or both of which are removable,
and both preferably provided with annular flanges or bearing surfaces, whereby
the body or frame M is supported on the wheel by series of rolling bearing
balls 9.
Within the interior of the hub there are arranged two rings B and C having
internal gear teeth of similar pitch. One of said ring gears B is mounted upon and
keyed, as at b, to an annular disc B', which is rigidly fixed or keyed as at 0, to an
inwardly extended sleeve m that forms part of one of the frame-bearings N, so that
the gear B is stationary or non-rotative. The other ring gear C has its periphery
rigidly fixed or keyed, as at r, to the barrel or cylinder a of the wheel hub.
gear
B is made somewhat smaller in diameter than the gear C, the difference being
slightly more than the depth of the teeth.
The

page_text: The driving axle D, to the ends of which the pedal-cranks E or power appliances
are connected, is formed with a rectangular spread, or with side bars, as at d d, and
a central opening, suitable for the accommodation of two intermeshing rotatable
spur pinions F and G which are mounted in connection with said driving axle on
studs or axes H supported in ears e e', formed on the driving axle at the ends of the
opening. The axes of the pinions are disposed parallel with the axis of the
driving axle D and hub. When the parts are combined for operation, the pinion F,
which is made with a wide face, meshes with the stationary ring gear B and extends
past the ring gear C without meshing therewith. The other pinion G, which is
made with a narrow face and a side hub a, meshes with said pinion F and also
engages with the teeth of the rotatable ring gear C on the hub A. When the
driving axle is revolved, the pinion F rolls upon the stationary ring gear B and
transmits motion to the pinion G, which in turn operates the ring gear C and con-
sequently revolves the velocipede wheel with an increased speed of rotation over
that of the axle D.
The axle D is supported in the frame bosses M by means of the adjustable
collars K and anti-frictional bearing balls 5, as described in a separate application
for Letters Patent, of even date herewith. The pedal cranks or power appliances E,
can be arranged or attached in any well known manner for rotating the driving
axle.
The ends of the pinion gears F and G are best chambered, or provided with
rounded surfaces, or roll ways, for bearing balls 2; and conical collars I, supported
on the axis studs H, sustain said balls in the manner shown; so that the pinion
gears rest only upon the rolling balls, and, consequently, have an easy motion when
the mechanism is in operation.
The axis studs H are screw threaded into the ears e¹, and have check nuts n on
their ends. Their heads are fitted closely but rotatable in the opposite ears e. The
collars respectively rest against the shoulder or stud head h and against the ear e¹;
thus the ball bearings 2 can be adjusted to take up backlash and wear by screwing
the stud H more or less into the ear e', and the adjustment can be maintained by
the check nut n. For effecting this adjustment, the driving axle and accompanying
parts can be taken out of the barrel of the hub, first removing the detachable
head a'.
The mechanism above described has the advantage of simplicity and ease of action,
convenience and economy in manufacture, strength and durability for use, and
facility for adjustment and the assembling parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The train of speed gearing for velocipedes and bicycles, arranged substantially
as described, and consisting of a non-rotatable internally toothed ring gear connected
to the frame, an internally toothed ring gear fixed to the rotatable wheel hub, a
rotatable driving axle carrying intermeshing rotatable spur pinions mounted in
connection with said driving axle, with their axes parallel to the main axis,
and respectively engaging with said ring gears for operation in the manner as
set forth.
2. The combination, with the hollow driving wheel hub having ends with bearing
flanges, and the frame bearing bosses one of which has a sleeve that extends within
said hub, of two internally toothed ring gears of different diameters disposed within
the hollow hub adjacent to each other, one of said ring gears fixed to said sleeve
and one to the interior of the hollow hub, the driving axle having an
open centre
with the intermeshing pinions supported therein, one pinion having teeth that engage
the smaller ring gear and extend over the larger ring gear, and the other pinion
meshing with the larger ring gear, conical collars and series of bearing balls at the
ends of said pinions for supporting them, and the adjustable collars and series of

page_text: bearing balls supporting said driving axle within the frame, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
3. The stud H, screw threaded to the ear e¹, and check nut n, with its head
rotatably fitted in the ear e, and the bearing collars I on said stud respectively
sustained against the head shoulder and the ear el, in combination with the driving
axle on which said ears e e¹ are formed, the spur pinion having recessed ends mounted
on said stud, and bearing balls 2 disposed between said collars and the pinion ends,
as described, whereby adjustment of the pinion bearings can be effected by turning
said screw-threaded stud in the threaded ear, substantially as set forth.
4. The driving axle having an open centre with the side bars d, and
supporting ears e e¹ formed integral with the end portions of said axle for carrying
the pinion-supporting axles and pinion gears when arranged in combination
with pedal mechanism and operating gearing, in a cycle wheel, substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 10th day of April 1891
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.