Improvements in Cycle Driving Mechanism.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1898-Accepted, 11th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycle Driving Mechanism.
We, JOSEPH FÜLLER and AUGUST KÖHLER, of the Firm of Füller & Köhler, 46,
Faubourg Poissonnière, Paris, France, Carriers, 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 has for object to provide a chainless driving mechanism suitable
for all kinds of cycles, in which mechanism the pedals instead of being moved
through a circle are reciprocated up- and down the action being such that the
driving force is constant or nearly so.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 shews in side view the driving mechanism
of the invention applied to a bicycle and Fig. 2 a view of the back end of the
mechanism. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 to 7 shew constructions in which when one pedal
is pressed down the other pedal rises.
The mechanism comprises two cog wheels a, b, in connection with a crank e,
lever arm on the pedal crank axle and a connecting rod h
The pinion a takes the place of the hitherto usual chain pinion and like this is
connected with the nave of the back wheel of the bicycle, whilst the wheel b
engaging said pinion, is mounted in a fork & attached to a leg of the fork c of the
back wheel of the bicycle. The wheel is attached to the crank e which is driven
round from the pedals f which reciprocate the lever arm g and the connecting
rod h.
In constructing the cycle the fork d or in place thereof an arm for carrying the
cog wheel may be built up rigid with the frame but in cycles already con-
structed the fork or arm is made in two parts and fixed in place by screw bolts
as shewn.
The pinion a may, with a view to easiness of working, be provided with studs
carrying loose rollers instead of with ordinary cog wheel teeth.
In order that when one of the pedals is pressed down, the other may rise, the
arm of this other pedal can either be mounted on the back wheel fork e outside
the usual pedal crank axle i (Fig. 3), said pedal arm being provided with a curved
slot in which engages by a stud and roller a short lever arm fixed on the
pedal axle i, or instead of the lever arm there can be fixed on the pedal axle i
a toothed segment m (Fig. 4) and engaging therewith a second toothed segment "
mounted to turn on the fork or frame part and attached to the corresponding
pedal arm o. Also both pedal arms (Figs. 5 to 7) may have the same length
and be located on the axle the one rigidly fixed and the other movable thereon,
each pedal arm o having attached to it a toothed segment and the underside of
the bearing of the axle i supporting a toothed wheel q, or two toothed segments
in one piece so as to be capable of turning, said wheel 7 or toothed segments
engaging on each side of the cycle frame with a toothed segment and trans-
mitting the movement of one pedal arm and toothed segment p to the other
toothed segment and pedal arm but in a contrary sense.
At that side of the cycle frame where the lever arm g is located a toothed

page_text: segment can be attached to said lever arm instead of to a pedal arm o and the
arm g to the pedal arm, or it may be, in rigid connection with it only through the
axle as both the lever arm g and the pedal arm o are fixed close together on
said axle.
As will be readily understood, in all the three forms of construction of the pedal
mechanism shewn respectively in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 to 7, when either of the pedals
is
pressed down the other pedal rises and the continuous swinging motion of the
pedals is carried over through the lever arm g to the crank and from this in
the form of rotary motion to the cog wheel and cog pinion a to the back wheel
of the cycle.
For this purpose the lever army may as before stated be attached to a pedal
arm o or to a toothed segment p, preferably that on the right hand of the cycle
frame as shewn, or to the axle i.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is;-
1. A cycle driving mechanism in which an up and down or swinging motion of
the pedals is transformed into a rotary motion by means of a lever arm g, fixed to
a pedal arm or to the pedal axle ; crank e rod connecting said lever arm
and crank and cog wheels a, b, substantially as described and shewn.
2. In the cycle driving mechanism referred to, the construction for obtaining an
upward movement of one pedal upon the downward movement of the other pedal
consisting in mounting one pedal arm provided with a curved slot movably outside
the usual pedal axle and engaging a short lever arm which is fixed on said axle
by means of a stud in said fixed lever arm taking into the slot of the movable
pedal arm, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 3 of the drawing.
3. In the cycle driving mechanism referred to, the construction for obtaining
an upward movement of one pedal upon the downward movement of the other
pedal, consisting in mounting one pedal arm movably outside the usual pedal
axle i and fixing on said pedal arm and axle respectively a toothed segment by
which means the movement of one pedal is transmitted in a contrary sense to the
other pedal, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 4 of the drawing.
4. In the cycle driving mechanism referred to, the construction for obtaining
an upward movement of one pedal upon the downward movement of the other
pedal, consisting in providing each of the pedals or pedal arms with a toothed
segment which segments are in engagement with a toothed wheel or the like
located between them whereby when one pedal and toothed segment is operated
the other pedal and toothed segment is moved in an opposite direction, substantially
as described with reference to Figs. 5 to 7 of the drawing.
a
יד
1000
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
15, Tooks Court, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.