Improvements in and relating to Driving and Braking Mechanism for Bicycles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 31st Mar., 1898-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Driving and Braking Mechanism
for Bicycles.
I, ALEXANDER WILFORD HALL, of 203, Greenwich Street, in the Borough of
Manhattan, in the City of New York, State of New York, United States of
America, Publisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to certain improvements in bicycles, and more particularly
to the mechanism employed for driving the same and for regulating their speed.
One object of my invention is to provide a driving mechanism which will be
very simple and strong in construction, and which will be capable of driving the
bicycle at a high rate of speed with a minimum expenditure of force.
A further object is to provide means for effectually guarding against injury to
the rider, should the guide bar be permitted to fall into contact with the ground by
the breaking of the driving cord or strap. Another object is to provide the guide
arms with frictional devices in position to engage the opposite sides of the rim or
tire of the rear wheel of the bicycle, when so desired, for retarding or stopping the
bicycle.
A further object is to provide roller clutches in which there are employed rollers
running in continuous channels concentric with the axis of the clutch, for support-
ing one clutch member on or in the other, while turning backwards in the inopera-
tive direction, and other rollers running in tapering cavities between the two
members for producing the locking of the clutch in the operative direction.
Still further objects of this invention are, firstly, to obtain the bite of the locking
rollers at numerous points, to effect a saving in wear; secondly, to so distribute the
locking rollers with respect to the supporting rollers, as to prevent torsional strain
on the clutch; thirdly, to obtain an instantaneous clutching and releasing of the
locking rollers; fourthly, to provide means for temporarily holding the half
sections of one of the clutch members in assembled adjustment while being
tempered, to prevent the said sections from warping; and fifthly, to provide a
clutch which will consist of a very few parts.
In carrying out my improvements, the bicycle frame has the front lower brace
and the rear lower braces in alignment, thereby bringing the bottom bracket up
quite a distance from the ground, and in line between the axle of the rear wheel
and the connection of the front lower brace with the steering head.
A friction driving clutch is mounted at each side of the hub of the rear wheel,
the said clutches being arranged to drive the wheel forwardly when they are
rotated in one direction, and to permit the wheel to continue its forward move-
ment when rotated in the other direction.
A pair of vertically swinging guide bars, one upon each side of the bicycle, are
pivoted at their rear ends upon the axle of the rear wheel, exterior to the rear lower
braces of the frame. These guide bars have a double bend a short distance forward
from their pivots, whereby they are brought beneath the rear lower braces, and in
close proximity to the rim of the rear wheel.

page_text: The free end of each of the guide bars is provided with a suitable pedal. These
guide bars are made preferably of tubular form, and of spring metal, so that they
may be sprung a slight distance inwardly, for retarding the movement of the
bicycle, in a manner to be hereinafter described.
A pair of driving cords or straps are secured at their rear ends to the driving
clutches, and extend from thence partially around idler pulleys arranged on
opposite sides of the bottom bracket, and have their forward ends secured to the
free ends of the guide bars. The clutches are provided with suitable retracting
springs, of sufficient force to wind the cords around the clutches, and normally
hold the pedals and guide bars at the limit of their upward movement.
The spring actuated yielding stop for limiting the downward movement of the
pedals, comprises a pair of downwardly extended spring bars, having, at their upper
ends, a suitable collar or sleeve, which, is adapted to be secured rigidly around the
seat post tube of the bicycle frame, and having their lower ends each provided
with a loop through which the cord or strap passes.
These loops are engaged by projections carried by the straps just before the
pedals reach their lowermost position. The further downward movement of the
pedals forces the loops against the tension of the spring bars forwardly, until
they abut against the idler pulleys. These loops are preferably provided with
cushioned extensions for engaging the said idler pulleys.
The spring bars are preferably made of such strength as to partially support the
rider when the pedals are in their lowermost position, the extension of the said
bars further tending to return the pedals a short distance upwardly, when the
rider's feet are raised.
Guards are secured to the free ends of the guide bars, the said guards serving to
cause the free end of the bar to travel along the surface of the ground, in case the
driving cord or strap should break at a point between the stop and the pedal.
The guard is of spring material, preferably metal, and extends downwardly from
the end of the guide bar a short distance. The free end of the guard will spring
back slightly when meeting obstructions in the ground, and thereby permit the
guide bar to travel along the same without the danger of throwing the rider.
The mechanism for regulating the speed of the bicycle is as follows:-
The sides of the rim of the rear wheel are extended outwardly beyond the side
walls of the tyre. Each of the guide bars is provided with a roller brake located
on the said guide bars, at a point opposite the rim of the wheel. This roller
brake comprises a sectional spool, having a free rotary movement upon the guide
bar between the adjacent faces of a pair of collars secured permanently to the said
guide bar; and a flexible cylindrical casing fitted to the periphery of the said
spool.
The spool is divided transversely into two members, having their inner adjacent
ends beveled, whereby the depression of the yielding ring or cylindrical casing by
the engagement of the same with the side of the rim of the wheel, will force the
two members outwardly, thereby causing their outer ends to snugly engage the
adjacent faces of the sleeves or collars. The two members of the spool are further
divided longitudinally into two sections, each for facilitating the assembling and
removal of the parts.
The roller brake is bought into engagement with the said rim by the slight
springing inwardly of the guide bar, which movement may be easily accomplished
by the foot of the rider. The retarding effect of the brake is thus entirely under
the control of the foot of the rider.
The free ends of the guide bars are provided with cushioned stops or buffers,
which engage the idler pulleys when the guide bars are at the limit of their upward
movement. By permitting the free ends of the guide bars to thus be stopped by
the frame when in their uppermost position, all strain is taken off the said guide
bars.
From the above description it will be seen that the spring actuated yielding stop
serves to cushion the latter part of the downward movement of the pedals, and

page_text: when the stop has been forced forwardly until it is in engagement with the idler
pulleys, the rider may stand upon the pedals, as his weight will be supported by
the frame itself, without any straining of the driving mechanism other than the
driving cord or strap.
By mounting the roller brakes upon the guide bars, the said bars serve the
double function of guides for the upward and downward movements of the pedals,
and also as levers for applying the said brakes to the rear wheel. The brake con-
structed as herein described may be applied at any part of the movement of the
pedals.
I will now proceed to describe a second form of driving mechanism as a
modification of the foregoing arrangement.
The free ends of the straps or cords are in this form provided with suitable
stirrups.
The forward movements of the cords or straps, and thereby the downward move-
ments of the stirrups, is limited in the following manner:-
A cross bar is secured to the rear lower braces of the frame adjacent to the
bottom bracket, and the said cross bar is provided with suitable eyes, through
which the cords or straps freely pass. The projections on the straps are of suffi-
cient size to engage the walls of the eyes, and thereby prevent the further forward
movement of the straps. The projections are preferably formed by inserting a
small bar of yielding material, such, for example, as rubber, within the strap, and
securely fastening it.
The free ends of the guide bars may be counterbalanced by suitable springs,
which extend between the rear lower braces and the said guide bars. These
counterbalance springs are of sufficient power to counterbalance the weight of
the guide bars, so that the retracting springs of the clutches need only be of
sufficient strength to wind up the driving straps or cords, and thereby raise the
stirrups to their upward limit.
In this form, the guide bars and stirrups are prevented from falling down into
engagement with the ground if the cords or straps should break, by the following
means:-
Strong cords are secured at their ends to the rear lower braces and to the guide
bars. These cords are preferably secured at the same points as the counter-
balance springs, and, as the guide bars are swung upwardly, the said cords coil
or fold themselves within the springs, being thereby wholly concealed from view.
These cords are of such length that they will not come into use unless the straps
should break between the projections and the stirrups.
The roller brakes in this form are adapted to engage the sides of the tyre of the
rear wheel. Each roller brake consists of a spool comprising two half sections,
secured together by two pairs of clamping screws. The guide bar is preferably
provided with a pair of collars, between which the spool or roller is mounted. This
spool or roller is mounted upon the said guide bar, so as to rotate with difficulty, or
under friction. The amount of this friction can be readily regulated by the
clamping screws.
Proceeding to describe my improved clutch, it is of two members, viz. :-An
inner clutch member, consisting of a single ring or collar secured upon the peri-
phery of the end of the hub, and an outer clutch member, which is of annular or
ring form composed of two half sections, whereby the annular rows of bearing
and locking rollers may be inserted between the two members.
The inner clutch member is provided with a circumferential groove on its
periphery, and the outer clutch member is provided with an annular groove
opposite the groove just mentioned.
An annular row of supporting rollers or balls is located within the grooves
between the two clutch members, and serves to support the outer clutch member,
except when the locking rollers are in use.
Series of taper cavities for receiving the locking rollers are located upon the
opposite sides of the grooves in the clutch members in which the supporting rollers

page_text: run.
These taper cavities consist in part of annular grooves in the outer clutch
member, and in part of notches in the periphery of the inner clutch member.
These notches have their bottoms or floors formed on a curve in the direction in
which the rollers travel, the said curve being preferably formed with a radius
about equal to the radius of the clutch member in which the notches are formed,
and from centre excentric to the centre of said clutch member, and with their
convex faces toward the periphery of the clutch member. By so constructing the
floors or bottoms of the notches or which the rollers travel, it is found, in practice,
that the rollers promptly and positively lock the members together, and the
slipping which has been heretofore found objectionable where the floors of the
notches, were straight, is entirely avoided. Furthermore, the curved structure
above referred to is an important element in promptly effecting a release of the
rollers, as it enables the track on which they roll, in releasing, to be formed at such
a pitch as to cause them to roll promptly out of locking position the moment the
clutch is reversed.
A driving ring is fitted snugly to the exterior of the outer clutch member, being
preferably driven thereon, so as to cause the two half sections of the said clutch
member to be rigidly held together, and so as to cause the said driving ring to
become substantially a part of the said clutch member. This ring is provided with
a pair of laterally extended flanges, which form a groove within which the driving
cord or strap is coiled and uncoiled, as the clutch is operated.
A cup shaped casing is secured against movement to the axle between the frame
and the clutch, and a coiled spring has one end secured to the driving ring, and its
other end secured to the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion of the casing,
the tendency of the spring being to return the outer clutch member, to gain a new
hold on the inner member, and to coil the driving cord or strap.
To prevent the half sections of the outer clutch member from becoming warped
or twisted while they are being tempered, after the grooves have been cut therein,
and thereby disturb the fitting of the two sections together, I provide the following
means:
The sections of the clutch members are fitted together, and then are held in
their assembled adjustment while subjected to the heating and cooling necessary.
to properly temper them, by means of a heavy ring of some suitable material,
such, for example, as soft iron, which is not subject to the tempering process.
This ring may be of greater or lesser diameter and thickness, as may be found
expedient, and after the tempering process is completed, the said ring is removed,
when the sections are ready to be used in the clutch.
For easily assembling the parts of the clutch, I place a thin layer of lard or
other suitable substance which will not affect the working of the rollers, along the
bottoms of the groove and notches in the inner clutch member, and then stick the
rollers around therein in their proper places. The two half sections of the outer
clutch member may then be caused to embrace the inner clutch member, thereby
ensuring the proper placing of the rollers. The driving ring is then forced over
the sections of the outer member, and the casing and spring attached.
By locating a row of locking rollers upon each side of the single row of support-
ing rollers, the draught of the clutch is distributed equally from side to side
thereof, without any tendency to cramp or bind torsionally. Furthermore, when
the clutch is operated, the tendency of the locking rollers to break, or to indent so
deeply as to stick or hang, and thereby prevent the free reversal of the clutch, is
obviated by the use of so many locking rollers evenly distributed upon both sides
of the row of supporting rollers.
This relative arrangement of the locking and supporting rollers avoids any
tendency, on the part of the driving member, to twist on its supporting rollers at
the moment the locking for driving purposes takes place, for the reason that it
provides for simultaneously pressing upon the hub upon opposite sides of the
central plane of the clutch.
The locking rollers of the clutch are preferably made slightly larger than the

page_text: supporting rollers, because the larger the locking rollers, the less liable they are
to crush or crack under the strain of locking.
Dated this First day of February 1898.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant,
Improvements in and relating to Driving and Braking Mechanism
for Bicycles.
I, ALEXANDER WILFORD HALL, of 203, Greenwich Street, in the Borough of
Manhattan, in the City of New York, State of New York, United States of
America, Publisher, 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 certain improvements in bicycles, and more particularly
to the mechanism employed for driving the same, and for regulating their speed.
One object of my invention is to provide a driving mechanism which will be
very simple and strong in construction, and which will be capable of driving the
bicycle at a high rate of speed with a minimum expenditure of force.
A further object is to provide means for effectually guarding against injury to
the rider, should the guide bar be permitted to fall into contact with the ground,
by the breaking of the driving cord or strap. Another object is to provide the
guide arms with frictional devices in position to engage the opposite sides of the
rim or tyre of the rear wheel of the bicycle, when so desired, for retarding or
stopping the bicycle.
A further object is to provide roller clutches in which there are employed rollers
running in continuous channels concentric with the axis of the clutch, for support-
ing one clutch member on or in the other, while turning backwards in the inopera-
tive direction, and other rollers running in tapering cavities between the two
members, for producing the locking of the clutch in the operative direction.
Still further objects of this invention are, firstly, to obtain the bite of the lock-
ing rollers at numerous points, to effect a saving in wear; secondly, to so distribute
the locking rollers with respect to the supporting rollers, as to prevent torsional
strain on the clutch; thirdly, to obtain an instantaneous clutching and releasing
of the locking rollers; fourthly, to provide means for temporarily holding the half
sections of one of the clutch members in assembled adjustment while being
tempered, to prevent the said sections from warping; and fifthly, to provide a clutch
which will consist of a very few parts.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a side view of a bicycle embodying my improvements, the
guide arm upon the right hand side of the bicycle being shown in full lines at
the limit of its upward movement, and in dotted lines, firstly, at the limit of its
downward movement, and secondly, with its guard in engagement with the
ground in the position which it would assume if the driving strap or cord should
break.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the driving mechanism and portions of the bicycle;
Fig. 3 is a rear view of the spring actuated yielding stop for cushioning the
latter portion of the downward movement of the guide arms;
Figs. 4 and 5 represent, on an enlarged scale, cross and longitudinal sections
through a portion of one of the guide arms, with its brake mechanism thereon;

page_text: Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section, indicating more clearly the extension of the
opposite sides of the rim beyond the sides of the tyre;
Fig. 7 represents a side view of a bicycle showing a second form of driving
mechanism;
Fig. 8 represents an enlarged detail side view of the driving mechanism and
its adjacent parts, the stirrup and guide bar being shown at the limit of their
normal downward movement;
Fig. 9 is a front view of the same, a portion of the bottom bracket and one of
the guide pulleys being shown in section;
Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the part shown in Figs. 8 and 9; :
Fig. 11 is an end view of one of the brake spools which are attached to the
guide bars;
Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail view, in section, of the counterbalance spring,
showing the limiting cord folded and concealed within the spring, when the
spring is not under tension;
Fig. 13 represents an exterior view of the clutch and a portion of the frame of a
bicycle in connection therewith;
Fig. 14 represents a tranverse section through the parts shown in Fig. 13, in
the plane of the line 2-2 of said figure.
Fig. 15 is a similar section through a modified form of clutch, in which there
are two annular rows of locking rollers upon each side of a single row of support-
ing rollers;
Fig. 16 represents a section through the clutch, in the plane of the line 4-4
of Fig. 14, the said section being taken through that portion of the clutch in
which the supporting rollers are situated;
Fig. 17 represents a section through the clutch, in the plane of the line 5-5 of
Fig. 14, the section being taken through that portion of the clutch in which one
of the rows of locking rollers is situated į
Fig. 18 represents a detail edge view of the annular clutch members, one of the
half sections of the outer member being removed, to show the several rows of rollers
in their respective positions;
Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 18, of the modified form of clutch represented in
Fig. 15;
Fig. 20 represents a section through the clutch members in the same plane as
Fig. 16, the two half sections of the annular outer clutch member being slightly
separated to show the manner of assembling the parts; and
Fig. 21 represents, the means for temporarily holding the half sections of one of
the clutch members in assembled adjustment, during the tempering of the said
sections.
The bicycle frame is denoted as a whole by 1, the front lower brace 2, and the
rear lower braces 3, being shown in alignment, thereby bringing the bottom
bracket 4 up quite a distance from the ground, and in line between the axle of
the rear wheel and the connection of the front lower brace with the steering
head.
The rear wheel is denoted by 5, its rim by 6, its tyre by 7, its axle by .8, and its
hub by 9. A pair of idler pulleys 10 are mounted in suitable bearings upon
opposite sides of the bicycle, at the bottom bracket 4, the said pulleys being pre-
ferably provided with side flanges around their peripheries, for retaining their
driving straps or cords to be hereinafter described.
A friction driving clutch 11 is mounted at each side of the hub of the rear wheel 5,
the said clutches being arranged to drive the wheel forwardly when they are
rotated in one direction, and to permit the wheel to continue its forward movement
when rotated in the other direction.
A pair of vertically swinging guide bars 12, one upon each side of the bicycle,
are pivoted at their rear ends upon the axle 8 of the rear wheel, exterior to the rear
lower braces 3 of the frame. These guide bars have a double bend a short distance
forward from their pivots, whereby they are brought beneath the rear lower braces,
and in close proximity to the rim 6 of the rear wheel

page_text: The free end of each of the guide bars is provided with a suitable pedal, 13.
These guide bars are made preferably of tubular form, and of spring metal, so
that they may be sprung a slight distance inwardly, for retarding the movement
of the bicycle, in a manner to be hereinafter described.
A pair of driving cords or straps 14 are secured at their rear ends to the driving
clutches 11, and extend from thence partially around the idler pulleys 10, and
have their forward ends secured to the free ends of the guide bars 12. The
clutches 11 are provided with suitable retracting springs, not shown, of sufficient
force to wind the cords 14 around the clutches, and normally hold the pedals and
guide bars at the limit of their upward movement.
The spring actuated yielding stop for limiting the downward movement of the
pedals, comprises a pair of downwardly extended spring bars 15, having, at their
upper ends, a suitable collar or sleeve 16, which is adapted to be secured rigidly
around the seat post tube 17 of the bicycle frame, and having their lower ends each
provided with a loop 18 through which the cord or strap 14 passes.
These loops 18 are engaged by projections 20 carried by the 'straps just before
the pedals reach their lowermost position. The further downward movement of
the pedals forces the loops against the tension of the spring bars 15 forwardly
until they abut against the idler pulleys 10. These loops 18 are preferably pro-
vided with cushioned extensions 21, for engaging the said idler pulleys.
The spring bars 15 are preferably made of such strength as to partially support
the rider when the pedals are in their lowermost position, the extension of the
said bars further tending to return the pedals a short distance upwardly, when the
rider's feet are raised.
The guards 22 are secured to the free ends of the guide bars 12, the said guards
serving to cause the free end of the bar to travel along the surface of the ground,
in case the driving cord or strap 14 should break at a point between the projec-
tion 20 and the pedal. This guard 22 is of spring material, preferably metal,
and extends downwardly from the end of the guide bar a short distance. The free
end of the guard 22 will spring back slightly when meeting obstructions in the
ground, and thereby permit the guide bar to travel along the same without the
danger of throwing the rider.
The mechanism for regulating the speed of the bicycle is as follows:
The sides of the rim 6 of the rear wheel 5 are extended outwardly, as shown
at 23, beyond the side walls of the tyre 7. Each of the guide bars 12 is provided
with a roller brake located on the said guide bars, at a point opposite the rim 6
of the wheel 5. This roller brake comprises a sectional spool 24 having a free
rotary movement upon the guide bar 12, between the adjacent faces of a pair of
collars 25, secured permanently to the said guide bar; and a flexible cylindrical
casing 26 fitted to the periphery of the said spool.
The spool 24 is divided transversely into two members, having their inner
adjacent ends beveled, as shown at 27, whereby the depression of the yielding ring
or cylindrical casing 26, by the engagement of the same with the side of the rim 6
of the wheel 5, will force the two members outwardly, thereby causing their outer
ends to snugly engage the adjacent faces of the sleeves or collars 25. The two
members of the spool 24 are further divided longitudinally into two sections each,
for facilitating the assembling and removal of the parts.
The roller brake is brought into engagement with the said rim by the slight
springing inwardly of the guide bar 12, which movement may be easily accom-
plished by the foot of the rider. The retarding effect of the brake is thus entirely
under the control of the foot of the rider.
The free ends of the guide bars are provided with cushioned stops or buffers 28,
which engage the idler pulleys 10 when the guide bars are at the limit of their
upward movement. By permitting the free ends of the guide bars to thus be
stopped by the frame, when in their uppermost position, all strain is taken off the
said guide bars.
From the above description it will be seen that the spring actuated yielding

page_text: stop serves to cushion the latter part of the downward movement of the pedals,
and when the stop has been forced forwardly until it is in engagement with the
idler pulleys, the rider may stand upon the pedals, as his weight will be supported
by the frame itself, without any straining of the driving mechanism other than
the driving cord or strap.
By mounting the roller brakes upon the guide bars, the said bars serve the
double function of guides for the upward and downward movements of the pedals,
and also as levers for applying the said brakes to the rear wheel. The brake con-
structed as herein described may be applied at any part of the movement of the
pedals.
I will now proceed to describe the second form of driving mechanism illustrated
in Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive.
The free ends of the straps or cords 14 are, in this form, provided with suitable
stirrups 29.
5
The forward movements of the cords or straps 14, and thereby the downward 1
movements of the stirrups 29, is limited in the following manner:-
A cross bar 30 is secured to the rear lower braces 3 of the frame adjacent to the
bottom bracket, and the said cross bar is provided with suitable eyes 31, through
which the cords or straps freely pass. The projection 32 is of sufficient size to
engage the walls of the eye 31, and thereby prevent the further forward movement 2
of the strap. This projection 32 is preferably formed by inserting a small bar of
yielding material, such, for example, as rubber, within the strap, and securely
fastening it.
The free ends of the guide bars 12 are counterbalanced by suitable springs 33,
which extend between the rear lower braces 3 and the said guide bars. These 2
counterbalance springs are of sufficient power to counterbalance the weight of the
guide bars, so that the retracting springs of the clutches need only be of sufficient
strength to wind up the driving straps or cords, and thereby raise the stirrups to
their upward limit.
In this form, the guide bars and stirrups are prevented from falling down into 3
engagement with the ground if the cords or straps 14 should break, by the follow-
ing means:-
Strong cords 34 are secured at their ends to the rear lower braces 3 and the guide
bars 12. These cords are preferably secured at the same points as the counter-
balance springs 33, and, as the guide bars are swung upwardly, the said cords coil 3
or fold themselves within the springs, being thereby wholly concealed from view.
These cords are of such length that they will not come into use unless the straps
should break between the projections and the stirrups.
The roller brakes, in this form, are adapted to engage the sides of the tyre of
the rear wheel. Each roller brake consists of a spool comprising two half 4
sections 35, 36, secured together by two pairs of clamping screws 37, 38. The guide
bar is preferably provided with a pair of collars 39, 40, between which the spool
or roller is mounted. This spool or roller is mounted upon the said guide bar,
so as to rotate with difficulty, or under friction. The amount of this friction
can be readily regulated by the screws 37, 38.
Proceeding to describe my improved clutch, 41 is the inner clutch member,
represented as consisting of a single ring or collar secured upon the periphery of
the end of the hub 9. The outer clutch member is denoted by 42, and it is of
annular or ring form, composed of two half sections, whereby the annular rows
of bearing and locking rollers may be inserted between the two members.
The inner clutch member 41 is provided with a circumferential groove 43 on its
periphery, and the outer clutch member 42 is provided with the annular groove 44
opposite the groove 43.
4
5
An annular row of supporting rollers or balls 45 is located within the grooves 43
and 44, between the two clutch members, and serves to support the outer clutch 5
member, except when the locking rollers are in use.
Series of taper cavities for receiving the locking rollers are located upon the

page_text: opposite sides of the grooves 43 and 44, in the clutch members in which the support-
ing rollers run. These taper cavities consist in part of annular grooves 46, 47, in
the outer clutch member 42, and in part of notches 48, 49, in the periphery of the
clutch member 41. The locking rollers which are located in said taper cavities
are denoted by 50.
The notches 48, 49, have their bottoms or floors formed on a curve in the direc-
tion in which the rollers travel, the said curve being preferably formed with a
radius about equal to the radius of the clutch member in which the notches are
formed, and from a centre excentric to the centre of said clutch member, and with
their convex faces toward the periphery of the clutch member. By so constructing
the floors or bottoms of the notches on which the rollers travel, it is found, in
practice, that the rollers promptly and positively lock the members together, and
the slipping which has been heretofore found objectionable where the floors of the
notches were straight, is entirely avoided. Furthermore, the curved stricture
above refered to, is an important element in promptly effecting a release of the
rollers, as it enables the track on which they roll, in releasing, to be formed at
such a pitch as to cause them to roll promptly out of locking position the moment
the clutch is reversed.
A driving ring 51 is fitted snugly to the exterior of the outer clutch member 42,
being preferably driven thereon, so as to cause the two half sections of the said
clutch member to be rigidly held together, and so as to cause the said driving ring
to become substantially a part of said clutch member. This ring is provided with
a pair of laterally extended flanges 52, 53, which form a groove within which the
driving cord or strap 54 is coiled and uncoiled, as the clutch is operated.
A cup-shaped casing 55 is secured against movement to the axle 8 between the
frame and the clutch, and a coiled spring 55 has one end secured to the driving
ring 51, and its other end secured to the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion
of the casing, the tendency of the spring being to return the outer clutch member,
to gain a new hold on the inner member, and to coil the driving cord or strap.
To prevent the half sections of the outer clutch member 42 from becoming
warped or twisted while they are being tempered, after the grooves 44, 46, 47,
have been cut therein, and thereby disturb the fitting of the two sections together,
I provide the following means:-
The sections of the clutch members are fitted together, and then are held in their
assembled adjustment while subjected to the heating and cooling necessary to
properly temper them, by means of a heavy ring 57 (see Fig. 21) of some suitable
material, such, for example, as soft iron, which is not subject to the tempering
process. This ring may be of greater or lesser diameter and thickness, as may be
found expedient and after the tempering process is completed, the said ring is
removed, when the sections are ready to be used in the clutch.
For easily assembling the parts of the clutch, I place a thin layer of lard or
other suitable substance which will not affect the working of the rollers, along the
bottoms of the groove 43 and notches 48, 49, in the inner clutch member, and then
stick the rollers around therein in their proper places. The two half sections of
the outer clutch member may then be caused to embrace the inner clutch member,
thereby ensuring the proper placing of the rollers. The driving ring 51 is then
forced over the sections of the outer member, and the casing and spring attached.
By locating a row of locking rollers upon each side of the single row of support-
ing rollers, the draught of the clutch is distributed equally from side to side
thereof, without any tendency to cramp or bind torsionally. Furthermore, when
the clutch is operated, the tendency of the locking rollers to break or to indent so
deeply as to stick or hang, and thereby prevent the free reversal of the clutch, is
obviated by the use of so many locking rollers evenly distributed upon both sides of
the row of supporting rollers.
This relative arrangement of the locking and supporting rollers avoids any
tendency, on the part of the driving member, to twist on its supporting rollers,
at the moment the locking for driving purposes takes place, for the reason that

page_text: it provides for simultaneously pressing upon the hub upon opposite sides of the
central plane of the clutch.
The locking rollers of the clutch are preferably made slightly larger than the
supporting rollers, as shown, because the larger the locking rollers, the less liable
they are to crush or crack under the strain of locking.
In the form of clutch shown in Figs. 15 and 19, of the drawings, there are
arranged a plurality of rows of locking rollers upon each side of the row of
supporting rollers. These locking rollers are shown as arranged in staggered
order in the several series, so that the notches in no two series are opposite each
other, but that those of each series come between those of every other series in the 1
circumference of the clutch.
In the accompanying drawings, I have represented the locking and supporting
rollers as being spherical, but they may be of cylindrical, form, if so desired.
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 is:-
1. In a bicycle, a suitable frame, a driving wheel, a clutch mounted on the hub
of the driving wheel, an idler pulley mounted on the frame, a guide bar pivoted
at the axle of the rear wheel, a driving strap or cord connecting the free end of the
guide bar with the clutch, a brake mounted on the guide har in position to 2
engage the wheel, when the guide bar is sprung inwardly, the said guide bar thus
serving the double function of a guide bar and as a lever for applying the brake,
substantially as set forth.
2. In a bicycle, a suitable frame, a driving wheel, a clutch mounted on the hub
of the wheel, an idler pulley mounted on the frame, a swinging guide bar pivoted 2
to the axle of the rear wheel, a driving strap connecting the free end of the guide
bar with the clutch; and passing over said idler pulley, and a cushioned stop
carried by the guide bar in position to come in contact with the idler pulley,
when the said guide bar is at the limit of its upward movement, substantially as
set forth.
3
3. In a bicycle, a suitable frame, a driving wheel having its rim extended later-
ally beyond the sides of its tyres, a guide bar pivoted to the frame to swing up-
wardly and downwardly, driving mechanism connecting the free end of the guide
bar with the driving wheel, and a brake carried by the guide bar in position to be
engaged with the rim when the said bar is sprung inwardly, substantially as set 3
forth.
4. In a bicycle, a driving wheel, a clutch carried thereby, a pedal, a driving
cord or strap passing over the said pulley, and connecting the pedal with the clutch,
a projection carried by the cord or strap, and a spring actuated yielding stop
secured to the frame in position to engage the said abutment before the pedal 4
reaches the limit of its downward movement, substantially as set forth."
5. In a bicycle, a driving wheel, a clutch carried thereby, an idler pulley, a
pedal, a driving strap or cord connecting the pedal with the clutch, a projection
carried by said strap or cord, a spring actuated yielding stop carried by the frame
in position to engage the said projection, before the pedal reaches the limit of its 4
downward movement, the further movement of the said pedal serving to bring the
stop into engagement with the frame, whereby the weight of the rider may be
supported upon the pedal, substantially as set forth.
6. In a bicycle, a driving wheel, a clutch carried thereby, a swinging guide bar,
a strap or cord connecting the guide bar with the clutch, and a shoe carried by 6
the guide bar in position to travel along the ground if the cord or strap should
break, for preventing the further downward swinging movement of the guide bar,
substantially as set forth.
8. A roller brake comprising a bar having a pair of collars permanently secured
against outward movement thereon, and a spool mounted to rotate on said bar
between the collars, the said spool being divided transversely, whereby the two

page_text: members may be forced outwardly away from each other, for causing them to
engage the adjacent faces of the said collars, substantially as set forth.
A roller brake comprising a bar having a pair of collars permanently secured
against outward movement thereon, a spool mounted to rotate on said bar between
the said collars, the said spool being divided transversely into two members having
their adjacent ends beveled, whereby the members may be moved outwardly away
from each other, against the faces of the said collars by an inward pressure at
the centre of the spool, substantially as set forth.
10. A roller brake comprising a bar having a pair of collars thereon fixed
against outward movement relative to each other, a spool mounted to rotate upon
the bar between the said collars, the spool being divided transversely into two
members, and also longitudinally into sections, and a flexible casing embracing
the said spool for holding the parts assembled, substantially as set forth.
11. A spring actuated yielding stop, comprising a collar left to be secured to
the frame of the bicycle, a pair of spring bars having their upper ends secured to
the collar, and their lower ends provided with loops through which the driving
cord or strap of the bicycle are adapted to pass, the said bars being further pro
vided with cushioned stops for engaging the frame of the bicycle, for limiting the
movement of the stop in one direction, substantially as set forth.
12. In a bicycle, a suitable frame, a driving wheel, a driving clutch mounted
on the hub of the driving wheel, a guide roller mounted on the frame at the
bottom bracket, a driving strap arranged to pass over the guide roller, the said
driving strap secured at one end to the clutch, and provided at its other end with
a stirrup, and a guide bar pivoted at one end upon the axle of the driving wheel,
so as to swing upwardly and downwardly, the free end of the said guide bar
engaging the stirrup, to guide it in its upward and downward movements, sub-
stantially as set forth.
13. In a bicycle, a suitable frame, a driving wheel, a guide roller mounted on
the frame, a driving strap secured at one end to the clutch, and provided with a
stirrup at its opposite end, the said driving strap being arranged to pass over the
guide roller, a cross bar secured to the frame through which the strap passes, and
a stop on the strap adapted to engage the said cross bar for limiting the downward
movement of the stirrup, substantially as set forth.
14. In a bicycle, a suitable frame, a driving wheel, a stirrup, means under the
control of the stirrup for driving the said drive wheel forwardly, a guide bar
pivoted to the frame to swing upwardly and downwardly, having its free end in
engagement with the stirrup, for guiding it in its upward and downward move-
ments, and a brake carried by the said guide bar, in position to be engaged with
the tyre of the driving wheel, when the said bar is sprung inwardly, substantially
as set forth.
15. In a bicycle, a suitable frame, a driving wheel, a driving clutch carried by
the hub of the wheel, a guide roller mounted on the frame, a driving strap arranged
to pass over the said guide roller, the said driving strap having one end engaged
with the clutch, and carrying a stirrup at its opposite end, a guide bar pivoted
upon the frame, to swing upwardly and downwardly, and having its free end
engaging the stirrup to guide the stirrup in its upward and downward movements,
a spring extending between the frame and the guide bar, for counterbalancing
the guide bar, and a cord extending between the frame and the guide bar for
limiting its downward movement, substantially as set forth.
16. A clutch, comprising inner and outer clutch members and annular rows
of locking and supporting rollers interposed between the two members, the locking
rollers being arranged upon opposite sides of the supporting rollers, substantially
as set forth.
17. A clutch comprising inner and outer members, a taper cavity intermediate
of the clutch members, for the reception of a locking roller, the floor of the said
cavity being curved in the direction of the travel of the roller, with its convex side
towards the periphery of the inner clutch member, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 18. A clutch comprising inner and outer clutch members, rollers interposed
between the said clutch meinbers, one of the said clutch members being provided
with a plurality of notches having their bottoms curved in the direction of the
movement of the rollers, and the other clutch member being provided with an
annular curve arranged to coact with the said notches, to form taper cavities for
the reception of the rollers, substantially as set forth.
19. The combination with an annular clutch member composed of a plurality
of sections, of a retaining ring adapted to embrace said sections when in assembled
adjustment, for preventing them from warping, when subjected to the tempering
process, substantially as set forth.
20. A clutch comprising an inner clutch member, an annular clutch member,
rollers interposed between the two members, the said annular outer clutch member
being composed of a plurality of sections, substantially as set forth.
21. A clutch comprising inner and outer clutch members, rollers interposed
between them, the outer clutch member being composed of a plurality of sections,
and a ring embracing the said outer member for holding the sections in their
assembled adjustment, substantially as set forth.
22. A roller clutch comprising inner and outer clutch members, a circum-
ferential series of hearing rollers, and a plurality of circumferential series of
clutch rollers, the individual rollers of the several series of clutch rollers being
arranged in staggered order with respect to one another, substantially as set forth.
23. A roller clutch comprising inner and outer clutch members, a
circumferential series of bearing rollers, and a plurality of circumferential series of
clutch rollers arranged upon opposite sides of the series of bearing rollers, the
individual rollers of a series of clutching rollers being arranged in staggered
relation to the individual rollers of an adjacent series of clutching rollers, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Dated this 28th day of March 1808