Improvements in the Driving Gear of Cycles and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Driving Gear of Cycles and the like.
I, HENRY ARCOURT LEWSEY, of 10 Shaa Road, East Acton, in the County of
Middlesex, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:
This invention for improvements in the driving gear of cycles and the like has for
its object to provide a driving gear of simple construction and high mechanical
efficiency, and consists essentially in substituting for the driving chain usually
employed, an endless stranded wire cord which is passed an extra turn round each of
the two pulleys which it connects so as to increase the grip when working.
Inapplying this driving device to an ordinary safety bicycle, a suitable flanged driving
pulley with smooth periphery is mounted on the pedal crank spindle, a similar pulley
of suitable diameter being mounted on the back or driving wheel, and the endless
stranded wire cord being passed an extra convolution round each pulley so as to give
it, when working, an increased gripping surface. The cord is stretched to the tightness
required by any of the ordinary means in use for tightening cycle driving chains.
Guide pulleys suitably mounted in ball or other bearings are placed about midway
between the connected pulleys in order to guide the cord on to its pulleys in the
desired direction.
In order to prevent the imposition of undue strain on the driving cord, when back
pedalling, the crank is detachably connected to the driving spindle by means of a
suitable coupling device which is locked when pedalling forward but freed when, in
back pedalling, the retarding force exceeds a predetermined amount.
One form of coupling employed comprises a ratchet wheel secured to one part,
such as the driving spindle, engaging with one or more pawls connected to the
crank and forced on to the ratchet teeth by springs in such manner that when
pedalling forward the pawls are firmly in gear with the ratchet teeth but, when
back pedalling, are held in engagement by the friction caused by the spring
pressure, so that they only escape when the force tending to withdraw them
exceeds a predetermined amount as will be readily understood.
Dated this 29th day of January 1897.

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention for improvements in the driving gear of cycles and, the like, has
for its object to provide a driving gear of simple construction and, high mechanical
efficiency and consists essentially in substituting for the driving chain usually
employed, an endless stranded wire cord which is passed an extra turn round each of
the two pulleys which it connects so as to increase the grip when working.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation,
Fig. 2 a plan, Fig. 3 an end elevation, and Fig. 4 a transverse section of one arrange-
ment of driving gear, constructed according to this invention and suitable for an
ordinary safety bicycle.
A flanged driving pulley a with smooth periphery is mounted on the pedal crank
spindle, a similar pulley 6 of suitable diameter being mounted on the back or
driving, wheel and an endless stranded wire cord c being passed an extra convolu-
tion round each pulley, as shown, so as to give it, when working, an increased
gripping surface.
:
The cord is stretched to the tightness required by any of the ordinary means in
use for tightening cycle driving chains.
2:
In order to prevent the crossing of the cord on the pulleys it is run between guide
pulleys & mounted on pintles e projecting from a bracket f secured to a rod of
the back wheel fork of the frame.
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. In driving gear for cycles and the like, connecting the driving and driven
pulleys by an endless stranded wire cord passing an extra convolution round each.
pulley rim substantially as described.
2. The arrangement and construction of driving gear for cycles and the like
substantially as described and shown.
Dat the Oth
1007