Improvements in or relating to the Driving Mechanism of Bicycles or like Vehicles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 11th Nov., 1895--Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Driving Mechanism of Bicycles
or like Vehicles.
We. RICHARD BLACKBURN of Atlas Works Kirke White Street, Engineer,
and ALBERT OSBORNE, of Clyde Works, Lace Manufacturer, both in the
Borough of Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the driving mechanism of rear driving
safety and other bicycles, or like vehicles.
The invention as described is applied to a rear driving safety bicycle, but the
arrangement may be modified to meet the requirements of different forms of
bicycles or like vehicles.
In carrying out this invention the axle of the driving chain wheel may be carried
in a bracket bearing of the usual construction. At each end of this axle is a
preferably short crank provided with a crank pin which is journelled in a bearing
formed preferably near the rear or fulcrum end of a lever, the rear or fulcrum end
of this lever is pivotted to the lower end of a link of a convenient length, and the
upper end of this link is pivotted to a convenient point in the frame.
The long or power end of the lever is provided with a pedal which may be of
the usual construction and be mounted on a pedal pin secured to the lever.
With this arrangement the pedal travels in a path which approximates in form
to that of an ellipse, and the centres are preferably arranged so that its major axis
is vertical or nearly so.
In some cases the position of the lever may be reversed and the pedal and long
eml of the lever placed at the rear of the crank axle. In order to reduce the
width between the pedals one of the cranks may be formed by securing the crank
pin to the chain wheel.
The crank pin may also if desired be journelled in a bearing in a block sliding
longitudinally in or on the lever and the short or fulcrum end of the latter be
pivotted to a part of the framing.
With this arrangement a quick return motion may be obtained. The same
result may also be obtained by mounting the fulcrum end of the lever so as to slide
in or on a block pivotted to the framing.
In order to reduce friction to a minimum ball bearings may be employed
throughout.
Dated this 9th day of February 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Driving Mechanism of Bicycles
or like Vehicles.
We, RICHARD BLACKBURN, of Atlas Works, Kirke White Street, Engineer,
and ALBERT OSBORNE, of Clyde Works, Denison Street, Lace Manufacturer,
both in the Borough of Nottingham, 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 relates to improvements in the driving mechanism of rear driving
safety and other bicycles, or like vehicles.
It will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 2 a front elevation showing our invention applied to an open fronted or
ladies bicycle, parts only of the latter being shown.
The invention as described and shown is applied to a ladies rear driving safety
bicycle, but the arrangement may be modified to meet the requirements of different
forms of bicycles or like vehicles.
In carrying out this invention the axle A of the driving chain wheel B may be
carried in a bracket bearing C of the usual construction. At each end of the
axle A is a crank D provided with a crank pin E which latter is journalled in a
preferably ball bearing F formed in or secured to a lever G.
The rear or fulcrum end G¹ of the lever G is pivotted to the lower end of a
link Hof a suitable length, and the upper end of this link H is pivotted at I to
the framing J. The fore end G of the lever G is provided with a pedal K which
may be of the usual construction and be mounted on a pin or axle L secured to
the lever.
With this arrangement the pedal travels in a path, shown in dotted lines at M,
which approximates in form to that of an elipse, and the centres are arranged so
that the major axis of the elipse is vertical or nearly so, the inclination if any being
preferably towards the seat or saddle.
In order to reduce the width between the pedals the crank on the chain-wheel
side may be formed by securing the crank pin E to the chain wheel B as shown.
In some cases the crank pin E may be journalled in a bearing block sliding
longitudinally in or on the pedal lever G, and the fulcrum end Gof the lever G
be pivotted to a fixed pivot secured to the framing. With this arrangement a
quick return motion is obtained.
The position of the pedal and fulcrum may also if desired be reversed, that is,
the fore end of the lever G may be the fulcrum and the rear end be provided with
a pedal.
Motion may be transmitted from the chain wheel B to the road driving wheel by
a chain in the usual manuer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1. In a bicycle or like vehicle the combination with an axle A and crank D of
a pedal lever such as G having a moving fulcrum and a bearing to receive the
pin E of the crank D substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a bicycle or like vehicle the combination with an axle A and crank D of
a pedal lever such as G provided with a bearing to receive the pin E of the
crank Daud link H substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: 3. In a bicycle or like vehicle the combination with an axle A and crank D of
a pedal lever, having a fixed fulcrum and a sliding bearing block to receive the
pin E of the crank D substantially as herein described.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete pedal
anechanism for imparting motion to the axle A substantially as herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of November 1895.
R. BLACKBURN.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.