Improvements in Cycles
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1895-Accepted 6th July, 1895
Improvements in Cycles
I GRANT MANNEY, of 17 Canterbury Place, Lambeth in the County of
London, 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
This invention for improvements in cycles has for its object to build up the frame
and wheels of a cycle constructed principally of bamboo or similar material in
a simple and efficient manner and so that the frame shall be exceedingly strong and
rigid and not liable to become shaky or loose, to provide an improved arrangement
of gearing and to provide an improved arrangement of detachable mud guard or tire
cleaner
In a cycle frame or wheel constructed according to this invention the bamboo rod
is pulled into its usual end sockets by means of a central wire or small rod fixed at
one end within one socket and drawn up tight by means of a nut working in the
opposite socket
The diving gear consists of a pulley fixed on the driving wheel
so that it is free to rotate relatively to the wheel in a backward direction, a band or
coid fixed at one end to this pulley and wound 1ound its circumference, a spring
adapted to pull the driving pulley backwards relatively to the diving wheel,
a pulley fixed on an axle round which the said driving pulley is wound and to
which its end is fixed, of a second smaller pulley fixed to the driving pulley and
round which a band passes being fixed at one end to the pulley and at the other to
a pedal lever fulcrumed at a suitable part of the frame On depressing the pedal
the pulleys are rotated to drive the wheel and on relieving the pedal of the pressure,
the pulleys are returned to the initial positions leaving the diving wheel still free
to rotate from the impulse already given it A similar set of driving gear in
connection with a second pedal ensures a continuous driving action
pedal levers may be connected together to ensure then alternate action
The two
The mud scraper or guard is fixed into a bamboo or other rod adapted to be fixed
at one end to the wheel axle and at the other end to carry a spring mud scrapei
that can be brought into contact with the wheel
In the accompanying heets of illustrative drawings
Fig 1 is a side elevation of the frame and one wheel of a bicycle constructed
according to this invention
Fig 2 is a side elevation of a driving gear constructed according to this invention
and Fig 3 is a plan of the same
Fig 4 is a detail view of one spoke of the wheel
Fig 5 is a plan showing a wheel fitted with the improved mud scraper or guard
Fig 6 is a detail view of the modified mud scraper or guard
Figs 7 and 8 are detail views of slightly modified forms of scraper
The ends of the bamboo tubes A are received in sockets B B forming parts of
the metals Joining together the separate members of the frame
A pin C 19
inserted through sochets B just beyond the end of the bamboo tube A loop or
hook on one end of a wire D is passed over the pin C and passes centrally down
the socket and bamboo tube to the opposite socket B' in which is fitted a nut E
adapted to screw on the end of the wie D By rotating the nut in its bearing in
the socket the two sockets B B¹ are drawn together to compress the bamboo tube
between them If desired the mouths of the sockets may be smaller than the

page_text: interior parts and the bamboo is steamed before being inserted so that it can be
forced through the narrow mouths and afterwards expand to fill the enlarged
interior parts so that it is firmly secured therein In another alternative
arrangement the sockets are split and arranged to tighten on the ends of the
bamboo in the well known manner
In a wheel constructed according to this invention, the hub is divided into two
similar parts corresponding to the spokes on either side, and each half is divided
into the same number of parts 1, 2, 3, 4 as there are spokes on that side As shown
there are eight spokes and each half 18 divided into quarters The spokes are
inserted in the wheel rim as described for the frame and are tightened up by nuts E
in the parts of the hub A rubber or elastic washer F is inserted beyond the spoke
at the bottom of each socket in the hub for the spoke to bed against and thus
allow of a slight adjustment to ensure that the wheel runs true The sections of
the hub are secured together by longitudinal bolts G and a steel or other lining is
inserted axially in the hub to support the bearing surfaces
The pulley 1 is mounted on the hub of the driving wheel and has a paul 2
engaging with a ratchet wheel on the hub so that the pulley is free to move
backwards independently of the wheel A coiled spring 4 tends to move the
pulley backwards to its extreme position
A band 5 has one end fixed to the
pulley 1 and is passed round the pulley and round a driving pulley 6 mounted in
suitable bearings, and fixed at 7 to the pulley A second pulley 8 is fixed to the
driving pulley 7 and a band 9 is fixed at one end to it and passes round it its other
end being fixed to a pedal lever 10 fulcrumed at 11 to the frame of the machine
A similar driving gear is arranged on the other side of the machine On depressing
the pedals the motion is transmitted to the diving wheel and on releasing the
pedals the spring 4 returns the parts to their normal position preparatory to
a fresh impulse The speed ratio of the geir can be varied as desired by varying
the relative sizes of the pulleys
The bamboo rod carrying the mud scraper or guard H 18 fixed on to a metal
fitting carried by the axle of the wheel by means of a bayonet catch I and
a spring bearing against the end of the rod and the bottom of the socket of the
fitting prevents it fiom shaking loose The metal part L to which the scraper
or brush is attached is formed out of bent wire or strip having a coil M to form a
spring, faces N to receive the scraper or bru h, a cucular part O to surround the
end of the bamboo rod and a projecting part P that pass down an L shaped groove
In the end of the rod to form a bayonet catch The free end R of the fitting also
parses into a second narrow L, slot in the end of the rod When desired to apply the
scraper or brush to the wheel the end Q is pulled back and given a slight turn to
fix it
In the modification shown in Fig 7 the brush on scraper is attached to the metal
fitting that fits on the end of the rod and is secured by a pin working in a notched
groove
The spring 1 forces the fitting outwards When desired to apply the
brush or scraper the fitting is forced inwards and then turned so that the pin enters
the notch in the groove
In the modified arrangement shown in Fig 8, the bamboo rod cariying the
scraper H is fixed on to the metal fitting I pivoted to a bracket J' carried by the
wheel axle The scraper H is lowered to bring it in contact with the tire or raised
to raise it off the tire
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 19
1 In a cycle fiame or wheel constructed of bamboo joined together by metal
fitt ag, the central longitud mal wire fixed to the fitting and adapd to dra-them
together substantially as described for the purpose specific
2 A frame for a cycle constructed substantially as described with refereece to
the drawings

page_text: 3 A wheel for a cycle constructed substantially as described with reference to
the drawings
4 The arrangement of gearing for propelling cycles constructed substantially as
described with reference to the drawings
5 The arrangement of a detachable mud guard or
substantially as described with reference to the drawings
Dated this 3rd day of May 1895
scraper constructed
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, WC, Agents