AN IMPROVED SPEED GEAR FOR VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: 1 CHARLES KINGSTON WELCH Engineer of High Road Tottenham in the County
of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED
SPEED GEAR FOR VELOCIPEDES to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the construction of a gear, to give power for hill
climbing, and speed for the level if required, to be put in action by simply stopping
the motion of a pulley revolving with the pedal shaft by applying a band or other
means under the control of the rider, and when out of action to revolve free, as an
ordinary chainwheel.
In fitting a Velocipede with my Invention, I key to the pedal shaft a cog wheel
with teeth shaped to fit an endless screw, which has a bevil cog pinion attached,
revolving together at right angles with the said shaft, in bearings placed inside a
chamber, which may be formed as a chainwheel, driving pulley or hub, fitted loose
on the said pedal shaft; on one or both sides of this chamber (according to the
number of speeds required ;) I fit loose Hollow pullies with a circle of cogs attached
on the inner sides.
Between these and the bevil cog pinion on the endless screw, I fit other suitable
cog pinions to impart rotary motion from one to the other.
It will now be seen that by stopping one of the loose pullies on the shaft by
means of a band or other suitable appliance under the control of the rider; the
gear will at once be in action revolving the endless screw either way, according to
the pulley stopped, giving power or speed as desired.
I fit this gear to give two or three speeds, as required.

page_text: I CHARLES KINGSTON WELCH Engineer, of High Road Tottenham in the County
of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED
SPEED GEAR FOR VELOCIPEDES and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object the construction of a gear to give increased
power for hill climbing and increased speed for the level as required; the said
gear to be put in action by simply checking or stopping the motion of a pulley
revolving with the pedal shaft, Axle or hub, by applying a friction band or other
appliance under the control of the rider, and when out of action, to revolve free of
the said band, as one and part of the pedal shaft, Axle or hub.
In fitting a Velocipede with my invention the gear may be placed where most
convenient, varying according to the design, slight modification being necessary
which I will hereinafter describe by the accompanying drawings.
Figs 1 and 2 show my gear in section as fitted to a pedal shaft communicating
through an endless chain or cog wheels (in the ordinary way) the power applied for
the propulsion of the driving wheels.
On the pedal shaft A 1 fix for convenience a sleeve B on which is keyed a
frame C, provided with suitable bearings for carrying an endless screw and mitre
cog pinion D which made in one peice revolves in the said bearings at right angles
with the sleeve B; In gear with the endless screw but running loose on the
sleeve B I next fit the screw wheel E which is firmly secured to the chain wheel F.
On a bearing pin projecting from the frame C I loosely fit at right angles and in
gear with the mitre cog pinion on the endless screw D a double pinion G which is
also in gear with the cog wheel H running loose on the sleeve (and hereinafter
called the fulcrum wheel) firmly secured to H is a pulley I outside which I fit a
band J or other appliance under the control of the rider by means of this the said
pulley I can be checked or stopped thus putting the gear in motion.
It will now be seen that by revolving the pedal shaft A with the pulley I free
from contact with the band J the whole will move together at one speed, but
immediatly the pulley I is checked or stopped by the band J (which may be
covered with leather or other suitable material) the pinion G revolves round the
fulcrum wheel H transmitting motion to the endless screw D which causes the
chain wheel F to rotate slower than the pedal shaft A so giving increased power.
Fig 3 Shows my gear in section fitted to the driving wheel of a Velocipede
receiving power for propulsion from an endless chain connected with a pedal shaft.
A is the axle (which may revolve or be fixed to the frame) B is the sleeve and
bub, koyed to which is the screw wheel E, in gear with this is the endless screw D
which revolves at right angles with axle A in suitable bearings fixed to the
inner side of the chain wheel F this is fitted loose on the slcevo B, On a bearing
pin projecting from the said chain wheel F at right angles and in gear with a mitre
pinion fixed to endless scrow DI fit a double cog pinion G which is also in gear
with the fulcrum wheel H this wheel runs loose on the sleeve B. The pulley I is
fixed to the fulcrum wheel H, and the gear is put in or out of action by checking
or stopping the pulley I as in Figs 1 and 2. the difference being that the power is
applied to the chain wheel instead of the axle.
Figs 4 and 5 show my gear in section as applied to a Bicycle.
Running loose on the axle A I fit a hub B. B. with the flanges deeply recessed
to accomodate the gear, half of which is placed in each side; keyed to the axlo A
is the screw wheel E in gear with this is the endless scrow D with its mitre cog

page_text: pinion attached rotating in bearings in the frame C, this frame is firmly secured to
the hub B see Fig 4 between the flanges of the hub B revolves a spindle K K one
end of which is fitted with a mitre cog pinion L in gear with the mitre cog pinion
on the endless screw D the other end being fitted with a cog pinion G; this is
geared with the Fulcrum wheel H the said wheel H with the pulley I firmly
attached runs loose on the axle A. By checking or stopping the pulley I by means
of the band J or other appliance under the control of the rider, the pinion G
immediatly revolves round the fulcrum wheel H imparting motion through the
spindle K K and the mitre pinion to the endless screw D. so causing the
hub B. B. to make less revolutions than the axle A. thus gaining increase power.
If the gear is required to give speed the endless screw is made to revolve the
reverse way which causes the chain wheel F. in Figs 1. 2 and 3, and the hub BB
in Fig 5 to make more revolutions than the pedal Shaft A in Figs 1.2 and 3 or the
axle A in Fig 5 thus giving increased speed.
Where 3 Speeds are required I fit the endless screw with 2 transmitting pinions
each in gear with a fulcrum wheel which may be checked or stopped at will as
above described.
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:-
1st The application of the Endless Scrows and toothed wheels in such a manner
to the Axles or pedal shafts of Velocipedes, as that they can be revolved at will for
the purpose of obtaining power or speed as required.
2nd The means of revolving the Endless Screw:-namely, By checking or
stopping a toothod wheel revolving with the Axles or pedal shafts thus creating
a fulcrum; round which pinions will revolve transmitting motion to the endless
screw.
3rd The means of checking or stopping the fulcrum wheel:-namely, By
applying friction to a pulley connected therewith; either by band as described, or
other similar appliance under the control of the rider.
And 4th The arrangement of gear as herein set forth and described, with any
nere modification thereof.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1885.