Improvements in Bicycles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1894-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JOHN BRANSON, of 2221, North Front Street,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Baker.]
Improvements in Bicycles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 bicycles and consists of certain improvements fully set
forth in the following Specification and accompanying drawing forming part
thereof.
The object of my invention is to provide an improved means for overcoming the
dead point or preventing the likely-hood of machines of the class locking on the
dead center.
By my construction I also dispense with the sprocket chain and wheels.
Corresponding figures are used to represent like parts in different views.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle having my improvement applied. The seat
and steering mechanism being omitted.
Fig. 2 is a plan of my mechanism disconnected from a bicycle. The position of
the spokes of the bicycle are indicated by the dotted lines.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the shaft which supports the driving wheel of a
bicycle.
Fig. 4 is one operative position of the parts composing my invention and which I
term the fourth position.
Fig. 5 is still another position of the parts composing my improvement and which
I term the third position.
Fig. 6 is still another of the parts which I term the second position. The first
position is shown in Figure 1 and
Figure 7 is a detail of the crank.
My invention consists in combination with well known features of a bicycle of
two parallel bars, to one of which bars is rigidly secured a spur gear wheel, and
operated by a crank mechanism whereby the said spur rotates in a prescribed and
fixed orbit and in continuous contact with a secondary spur. Motion being thus
communicated to the secondary spur and the said secondary spur is connected
with the driving wheel of the said bicycle. 2, 3, 4, form the usual framework
for supporting the seat and hand steering apparatus common to bicycles. 1° is the
rearward and 1 is the forward wheel of a bicycle having my improvement attached.
These wheels support the frame aforementioned in the old and well known way,
O is a shaft supported in a sleeve bearing. 17, Fig. 3. This bearing is rigidly
fixed to the arms 3 and 4 of the seat supporting frame. To the shaft 0 at its one
end is rigidly secured a crank arm 15, carrying a foot tread 15, this tread being
shown in the drawings as provided with a head 15. The usual means for engaging
with the feet of the operator or rider and carried. by the crank arm are omitted
from the drawings as they form no part of my invention and do not co-operate with
it, we will therefore assume that the foot of the operator is in direct contact with
the tread 15% of the aforementioned crank arm 15. To the opposite end of the
shaft 0 unto which is rigidly secured the crank arm 15, is fixed in the same rigid
manner another crank arm 3.
This arm has integrally or in any substantial manner secured to it an arm 3ª,
Fig. 3. This arm 3 is placed on the shaft 0 at a right angle to the arm 15³.

page_text: The arm 32 is in fact a journal for the one end of the bar or arm 12 as shown in
Fig. 3 the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.
To the arm or journal 32 is fixed, in a firm and rigid manner the arm 14. 15 is
a projecting foot tread on the arm 14, and 15 a head or cap therefor. The con-
struction of this foot tread is the same as 15 and the usual means for engaging
the feet of the rider are omitted from this tread for the same reason that they are
omitted from the tread 153 previously detailed. We will therefore assume that
the feet of the rider is resting directly on the tread 15. Now the angle forms the
foot tread 15%. The shaft 0 and the journal 3*, Fig. 7 is equal to the angle
formed by the center of the foot tread 15, the center of the shaft 0 and the
journal 32; and they are both right angles and therefore occupy 180°, or one half
of a circle. This brings the center of the aforesaid foot treads 15 and 15 on a
common straight line when drawn through the center of the shaft 0 and, as the
arms 15, 3, 14, shaft 0 and journal 32 are all rigidly fixed together, it follows that
as the two foot treads 15 and 15 are rotated around a common center which
common center is the center of the shaft 0 to which they are rigidly secured they
will in all positions maintain the same angular relation to each other. In Figs. 2
and 3 W is a transverse section on a bicycle tire, W2 a similar section on the
metallic supporting rim therefor and 21 and 21 the spokes of the bicycle wheel
secured at one end to the said tire support and at the other to the ribbed pro-
jection p, p, p, p, of the sleeve stem 17 with which the said projection is integral.
20, 20, 20, 20, are the ball bearings 21" the supporting cap therefor on the
shaft 16. The said cap being threaded on the shaft 16 and provided with an
annular groove on its internal end, of a quarter circular shaped in cross section as
shown in Fig. 3. The balls are supported in this annular groove as shown in this
same Fig. 3. The specific manner of supporting these ball bearings is not material
to my invention, many different well known ways for supporting these balls could
be employed in combination with my invention. 6 is a spur gear and 5 likewise a
spur gear. The teeth of these two gears work together. 5 is the driver and 6
becomes the follower. These wheels as shown in the drawings are of uniform pitch
and diameter. I, of course, do not limit myself to size, they could be made of any
size, or of any relative proportion without departing from my invention. The
gear 6 is rigidly fixed to the shaft 16 and the wheel 5 is rigidly fixed to the
arm 12, being held thereto by the pins 9, 9, or in any substantial or practical
manner, 8 is an arm, shown in plan Fig. 2, and in section Fig. 3. This arm is also
shown by dotted lines in the different operative positions reference figures being
omitted from these views. This arm plays loosely on the shaft 16 and its function
is to support one end of the journal 7 and thus hold the gears 5 and 6 in proper
pitch relation to each other. From the center of the journal 7 therefore to the
center of the shaft 16 is equal to the pitch diameter of either of the spur gear
wheels aforesaid, and is of course equal to the distance between the centers of the
two said wheels. This distance is equal to the distance between the center of the
shaft 0 and the journal 3' for the end of the arm 12. 10 is a connecting arm between
the two parallel bars 11 and 12. This arm has rigidly secured to it the journal 7
and the journal 7 is rigidly secured to the arm 8.
It is therefore evident that the center of the journal 7, the center of the shaft 16
and the center of the supporting pin 16' for the arm 10 will occupy the same
angular relation without regard to their position around the center of the shaft 16.
Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 6 will show this clearly. The spur gear 5 being firmly fixed
to the arm 12 and the secondary spur or follower 6, being fixed rigidly to the
shaft 16 it follows that when the said spur 5 revolves around the follower 6 with
its center held at a uniform radius to the center of the said spur 6, the said spur 6
will be revolved and as the shaft 16 is held by the pins p³, p², p*, to the sleeve 17
and the arms 21 and 21 of the rearward wheel 1º, are fixed to the said sleeve the
bicycle will be moved when the said spur 6 is moved. The different dotted circles
around the center of the shaft 0 and 16 indicate the orbit of the center of the
spur gear 5 in its path around the follower 6.

page_text: The dotted lines K and K' indicate the direction in which the power is exerted
by a rider on a bicycle having my improvement applied. The ratio of speed or of
the revolution between the spur 5 and 6 is in direct proportion to the pitch diameter
of the two contact spur gears. The distance from the center of the shaft 0 to the
center of the journal 3' must always be exactly the same as the distance between
the center of the journal 7 and the center of the hole through which the shaft 16
passes in the supporting arm 8.
The spur wheel 5, as previously described being fixed to the arm 12 and held..
thereby against a rotating motion. The relation that a circle with a radius drawn
from the center 7 of the fixed gear 5, to the center of the gear 6 (this being the
center of the shaft 16) which it actuates bears to the pitch diameter of the said
actuated wheel will determine the ratio of revolution of the two said wheels.
Now as the ratio of the pitch diameter of the orbit described by the center of
the wheel 5 to the pitch diameter of the spur follower 6 is as 1 to 2, it follows that
the wheel 6 and the shaft 16 to which it is secured, will make two revolutions
while the center of the wheel 5 will describe one orbit or make one revolution
around the pitch circumference of the wheel 6, 1 thus gain speed. When I wish to
gain power I reverse the relations of these circles. When I wish to obtain a still
greater speed the relation of these circles is augmented.
The distance therefore between the center of the gear 5 fixed to the arm 12 and
the gear 6, fixed to the shaft 16 and intermediately to the rearward wheel 1° must
always correspond to the distance between the center of the shaft 0 and the
journal 32. The foot tread 15 also becomes a journal for the connecting arm 11
Fig. 3; so the distance between the center of the journal 15 and the shaft 0 must
always equal the distance between the aforementioned points. Great care must be
exercised that all these centers rotating respectively around the shafts 0 and 16
are of a uniform distance from the center round which they rotate.
In Fig. 1 is seen what I term, for the sake of convenience in describing the
operation of my machine the first position of the elements composing my invention.
The line K' indicates the direction in which one of the feet of the operator directs
its force. The arrow shows the way in which the machine travels.
Now as the machine moves forward the foot tread 15³, Fig. 1, traverses every
angle of the circle which its center describes until it reaches the position indi-
cated in Fig. 6 or the second position. The foot tread 15 (which is also a journal
In this
for the arm 11), has meanwhile made a similar angular movement.
moving from the first to the second position, the center of the journal 15 and the
foot tread 15 has made an angular movement of 90°. The center of the journal 7
of the wheel 5 has had a like angular movement in its orbit, but while the angular
movement of this wheel 5 has been 90° it has been in a circumferential or pitch
contact with the wheel 6 a distance equal to the actual distance traversed by the
center of the journal 7, and as this distance is equal to one half the pitch circum-
ference of the wheel 6, the said wheel 6 will have traversed one half of complete
revolution or 180°. On further movement being given the tread supporting arm 15°
the movement of the wheel forward will give it the position shown in Fig. 5 which
I term the third position. On consulting Fig. 6 the arm 11 is shown as directly
on a line drawn through the center of the shaft 0 and 16 and with the exerting
of the force in like direction movement to the said arm 11 would be impossible. The
But as the arm 3,
same is true of the arm 12 when in the position shown in Fig. 5.
Figs. 6 and 4, exerts its force against the wheel 5 and the journal 7 thereof the pin 16i
is forced forward and as the arm 10 is practically integral with the arm 8 the pin 16' is
driven in the orbit of the journal 7. Thus is the arm 11 thrown from the dead
point engagement and will be free to respond to power impelling it forward in its
rotary path and which motion contemplates the rotating forward of the bicycle.
The arms 11 and 12 are at all times parallel and they alternately occupy the
The other
position described and are alternately driven therefrom in like manner.
specific position of these bars being identical in principle to that just described
further description thereof is thought superfluous. I do not confine myself to the

page_text: specific details of construction as I could modify them in various ways without
departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, 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-
1st. The combination in a bicycle of a secondary spur gear fixed rigidly, to the
driving wheel of the machine, an actuating primary spur gear therefor, fixed as to
rotary motion, but moving in a fixed and predetermined orbit around the secondary
spur, thus communicating motion to the machine, and means for driving said
primary spur gear in its prescribed orbit, consisting of a double foot tread and two
parallel operating and alternately reciprocating bars one of said bars being rigidly.
connected to said primary gear and the other to the arm 10.
2nd. The combination in a bicycle of a secondary spur gear fixed rigidly to the
driving wheel of the machine, an actuating primary spur gear therefor a double
operating crank foot tread, a supporting framework for said foot tread and a
connecting mechanism between said double acting foot tread and said primary spur
gear, consisting of two parallel operating and alternately reciprocating bars, one of
Baid bars connected to said primary gear the other to the arm 10, substantially as
described:
3rd. The combination in a bicycle of a secondary spur gear fixed rigidly to the
driving wheel of the machine, an actuating primary spur gear therefor, a double
operating foot tread and a connecting mechanism between said secondary gear and
said double acting foot tread consisting of two parallel operating and alternately
reciprocating rods, one of said: rods being rigidly connected to said primary spur
gear and the other to the arm 10, substantially as described.
4th. The combination in a bicycle of a secondary spur gear. fixed to the driving
wheel of the machine, an actuating primary spur gear therefor, means for driving
said primary gear in a planetary orbit around said secondary spur, consisting of a
foot tread, a support for the foot tread, and two parallel operating and alternately
reciprocating bars, one of said. bars being rigidly connected to said primary spur
gear the other to the arm 10. Means for holding the axis of said
gear at
a uniform distance from the center of the secondary gear and whereby the engaged
teeth of said gears will work smoothly and uniformly.
Dated this 11th day of May 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.