Improvements in Driving Gear for Velocipedes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1891-Accepted, 13th June, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Gear for Velocipedes.
I, PETRUS JOHANNES VAN WORKUM of 267 Jansteenstraat Amsterdam in the
Kingdom of Holland, Broker 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 my invention relates to improvements in driving gear for velocipedes and
the object of my invention is to devise certain mechanism whereby a reciprocal
vertical motion of the feet may impart a rotary motion to the driving wheels and at
the same time afford a great increase of power and speed over the systems at
present in use.
In order that my invention may be readily understood reference is to be made to
the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1. is a plan of my improved mechanism as applied to a rear driving
bicycle.
Fig. 2. is a side view of the same looking in the direction of the arrow a in
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. is a section taken on the line y y of Fig. 1.
In carrying my invention into practice I mount the treadle arms F and F¹ upon
separate shafts or arbors L & H but the movement of one of the said treadle arms
is dependent upon that of the other as will be hereinafter described.
The treadle arm F¹ is loosely mounted upon the shaft L upon which shaft is also
mounted a drum or barrel A a portion of the periphery of said drum being toothed
as shewn at M around which toothed portion passes the driving chain of the
machine.
The said drum or barrel A contains a volute spring S the outer end of said spring
being fixed at a point to the barrel whilst the inner end is secured at /¹ to the
periphery of a smaller wheel O which is loosely mounted on the shaft L. Upon the
face of the wheel O is pivoted a pawl t which engages in the teeth of a ratchet
wheel R fixed to the shaft L before mentioned.
A second ratchet wheel P of a larger diameter than that just mentioned is keyed
upon the outer extremity of the shaft L and a pawl d on the treadle arm F¹ is
adapted to engage therein the said pawl d being mounted in guides and kept in
engagement with the said ratchet wheel P by means of a helical spring d².
Upon the pedal B being depressed the arm F1 will be moved in the direction of
the arrow in Fig. 2 thereby causing the ratchet wheel P and the shaft L to be
rotated. The ratchet wheel R being also fixed to the shaft L will be moved
therewith and in its rotation will carry with it the loose wheel O by the action of
the pawl t secured thereto. The rotation of the said wheel will wind up or tighten
the spring S in the drum or barrel A.
Upon the face of the barrel A is a circular rack X in the teeth of which engages
a spring pawl c upon the treadle arm F¹ the said rack being for the purpose of
assisting the starting of the machine and also to give increased driving power when
ascending an incline.
The opposite treadle-arm F which is pivoted upon the shaft H is at its shorter
end extended laterally and is formed with an internal segmental rack F³ with which
engages a toothed pinion G loosely mounted upon the shaft L. Against the said
wheel G is a ratchet wheel T which is keyed to the shaft L and the teeth of which
are engaged by a pawl e upon the face of the wheel G.
Upon the depression of the pedal E the treadle arm F will be moved in the
lirection of the arrow f' in Fig. 3 and by means of the rack F' will also rotate
he wheel G upon the shaft L. By means of the pawl e upon the said wheel G the

page_text: ratchet wheel T will be rotated in the same direction, the said wheel T causing the
shaft L to be rotated therewith.
As the shaft is rotated the mechanism before described will cause the spring S to
be wound up.
A ratchet wheel I. upon the shaft L and a pawl D engaging therewith prevent a
backward rotation of the shaft thus causing the whole power of the said spring to
be expended upon the drum A and chain wheel M.
The said chain wheel M and the similar wheel upon the rear or driving wheel of
the machine are preferably in the proportion of 4 to 1 so that a single rotation of
the said wheel M will cause four revolutions of the driving wheel.
The pedals E and B are respectively connected to the ends of a bar C which is
fulcrumed upon the backbone or framing J of the machine, by vertical connecting
rods. A second bar z hinged at convenient points a & 6 to the framing of the
machine and to the pedals respectively causes the pedals to rise and fall in a
vertical position and maintain their relative distance apart throughout their
movement.
The outer ends of the treadle arms F & F¹ pass through longitudinal slots in
the bar C.
The shafts H and L may be mounted in antifriction bearing boxes N. N secured
in any convenient manner to the framing of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a velocipede the combination with the driving wheels and chain of a toothed
drum such as A having a spring contained by said drum ratchet wheels connected
therewith, a circular rack upon said drum and a treadle arm carrying pawls for
engaging with one of the said ratchet wheels and the rack the whole being
constructed, arranged and operating substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a velocipede the combination with the driving wheel and chain of a toothed
spring drum such as A shaft L treadle arm F rack F and pinion G, ratchet
wheel T and pawle the whole being constructed arranged and operating substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a velocipede the combination with the driving mechanism of the double
shafts such as H. L. carrying the treadle arms F, F respectively, bars C Z and
pedals E, B the whole being constructed arranged and operated substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of April 1891.
REGINALD W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.