Improvements in Mechanism for Converting Reciprocating Motion into Rotary and the Application thereof to Bicycles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1898-Accepted, 2nd July, 1898
Improvements in Mechanism for Converting Reciprocating Motion
into Rotary and the Application thereof to Bicycles.
I, GUSTAV STAIB, of 70, St. Paul's Avenue, New York City, County of Rich-
mond, State of New York, United States of America, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
The object of my invention is to provide improved means for converting
reciprocative into rotary motion to the end that a reciprocative rack may transmit
power when propelled in one or two directions.
My improvements may be utilized in connection with two racks, each adapted
to be propelled in only one direction for transmitting power, and intermediate
gearing connected to a single shaft for positively rotating that in one direction
by the action of said racks. In this connection my improvements are applicable
to the driving mechanism of bicycles and similar vehicles. My improvements
are also applicable for use in connection with gas or oil motors or engines, where
the propelling force is only exerted on one stroke; or in connection with a steam
engine where such force is exerted on both the forward and return strokes of
the piston.
The invention consists in the novel details of improvement and the com-
binations of parts that will be more fully explained hereinafter and then pointed
out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof,
wherein
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improvements shown provided with two
reciprocative racks;
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2, 2, in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the plane of the line 3, 3, in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a vertical cross section of one of the gear wheels and ratchets that
are operated by the rack;
Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly broken, of a bicycle provided with my
improvements;
Figure 6 is a horizontal section on the plane of the line 6, 6, in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a front elevation of my improvements as adapted for use in
connection with a steam engine;
Figure 8 is a sectional side elevation on the line 8, 8 in Figure 7:
Figure 9 is a vertical section on the line 9, 9, in Figure 7, looking from the
right; and
Figure 10 is a horizontal section on the line 10, 10, in Figure 7, looking in
the direction of the arrow.
In the accompanying drawings, in which similar numerals of reference indicate
corresponding parts in the several views, 1 indicates a suitable frame adapted

page_text: for supporting the operative parts of the device, and 2 is a shaft journaled in
suitable bearings 3 carried by said frame. Upon the shaft 2 is loosely journaled
a gear wheel 4, that is adapted to mesh with a rack 5, guided in bearings carried
by frame 1. I have shown the rack 5 as in the form of a rod having teeth at
one part and a smooth portion 5ª, and the latter portion is shown as guided by
grooved rollers 7, that are journaled on supports or brackets 8, 9, carried by
frame 1. At the toothed portion of rack 5 are guide rollers 10, 11, suitably
journaled on pivots 12, 13, carried by frame 1, the rollers 10, 11, being located
on opposite sides of the rack to prevent lateral motion thereof. At the side
of the rack, 5, opposite the gear wheel 4, is a roller 14 that bears against the
back of the rack or rod and keeps the rack in mesh with the gear wheel 4,
the roller 14 being shown journaled on a shaft 15, carried by frame 1, (see
Figures 2 and 3).`
By this means the rack or rod is guided so that it may reciprocate longi-
tudinally without undue frictional resistance and is held in proper engagement
with the gear wheel 4. The rack 5 and gear wheel 4 are adapted to rotate the
shaft 2 and for this purpose I have shown a ratchet wheel 16 secured upon shaft 2
adjacent to wheel 4, and wheel 4 carries one or more pawls 17 that are adapted
to engage the teeth of the wheel 16, (see Figure 2). By preference, I utilize
at least three pawls 17 so that one pawl may be in engagement with the teeth
of wheel 16 in all positions of wheel 4, whereby the necessity of using springs
to keep the pawl in engagement with the ratchet wheel is obviated. It will
be seen from the foregoing that as rack 5 is pushed in the direction of the arrow
in Figure 2, the rotation of wheel 4 will cause one or more pawls 17 to engage
and rotate wheel 16, which will thus rotate shaft 2, and that upon the reverse
movement of rack 5 said pawls will slip over the ratchet teeth ready to engage
again on the next forward movement of the rack, by which it will be seen that
as the rack reciprocates shaft 2 will have power applied to it intermittently.
I have shown one face of wheel 4 as provided with a recess 4b in which the
wheel 16 is located, the pawls 17 also lying within said recess, as shown in
Figure 4, by which means wheel 16 and the pawls 17 are protected and a wide
face upon the periphery of wheel 4 is provided for the teeth thereof.
The construction so far described is useful in connection with a motor, such
as a gas or oil engine, where propulsive force is applied only on one stroke of
the piston, but in some cases it will be useful to provide for the application
of power to shaft 2 while rack 5 is moving back after having rotated the corre-
sponding ratchet wheel 16. This may be accomplished in two ways:-first by
utilizing two independent racks, gear wheels, and ratchet wheels, as shown in
Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, and the other by having a double rack as shown in
Figures 7 to 10 inclusive. In Figures 1 to 6 inclusive there is an extra rack 5b,
a gear wheel 4* on shaft 2, a ratchet wheel and pawls to act with gear 4" and
shaft 2, similar to those shown in Figure 2, guide rollers 6, 7, 10, 11, 15º,
and other parts connected therewith arranged substantially similarly to that
described with reference to parts 1 to 17. In this arrangement the racks 5
and 5b will be connected together so that when one is pushed forwardly it will
draw the other backwardly, and vice versa. The arrangement I have shown
for the purpose consists of a wire or other flexible connection 18, that is con-
nected with racks 5 and 5b and passes over a suitable pulley or pulleys, being
shown as passing over pulleys 7 and 73, (see Figure 1). By this means when
rack 5 is pushed forwardly to rotate shaft 2, connection 18 will pull rack 5b
backwardly so that the pawls connected with wheel 4" will slip over the teeth
of the ratchet wheel that operates therewith, and when rack 5b is pushed for-
wardly rack 5ª will be pulled backwardly with the same effect. This will be
found very useful in connection with foot power propulsion. To prevent con-
nection 18 from interfering with the reciprocative rods the rollers 7 and 7
have a double groove or the grooves are of sufficient depth to admit the

page_text: connection 18 without allowing it to rub on the reciprocative rods. Upon shaft 2
any suitable power transmitting wheel 19 may be secured, such as a gear wheel,
sprocket wheel or belt wheel.
I have illustrated my device when adapted for foot power as applied to a
bicycle, which is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. In this case the driving shaft 2
is journaled in suitable bearings in the crank hanger 20 of the bicycle frame 21
in any suitable or well known manner, and upon the shaft 2 are secured the two
ratchet wheels 16, and the two gear wheels 4, 4", are loosely mounted thereon
as before described, the pawls 17 being shown in Figure 5 as well as the parts
and 16. The frame 1 that serves to support the guide rollers for the rack
rods 5, 5b, is shown secured to the tubes 21ª, 21b, of bicycle frame 21, and for
this purpose the frame 1 is shown as made in two separable parts to clamp the
tubes 21, 21b, and provided with screws or bolts 22 to securely clamp the frame 1
upon the frame of the bicycle. Frame 1 is also shown in Figure 6 as curved
and provided with apertured enlargements 1° that are adapted to permit the
passage of the smooth portions 5" of the rack rods 5, 5b, and to hold the rollers 6, 7,
that guide the rack. To the frame 21 are also secured supports 23 that hold
the shafts of the rollers 10 and 14 to guide the toothed portions of rack rods 5
and 5b, (see Figure 5). Upon the upper ends of racks 5, 5b, are suitable
pedals 24 to receive the rider's feet, it being understood that the racks 5, 5b, are
connected by the wire or connection 18 in manner similar to that shown in
Figure 1, the parts being so arranged that when one rack is depressed to its
lowest point the other rack will be raised to its highest point. As shown in
Figures 5 and 6 the power wheel 19 is in the form of a sprocket wheel connected
by a chain 25 with a sprocket wheel 26, carried by the drive wheel 27 of the
bicycle, in well known manner. From the foregoing it will be understood that
when one pedal 24 is pushed down, the gear wheel and ratchet wheel connected
therewith will be caused to rotate shaft 2 and the opposite pedal will be raised,
and when the second mentioned pedal is pushed down a similar operation will
occur, and thus continuous rotary motion can be applied upon shaft 2 while
each rack only acts to transmit power in one direction of its movement.
In Figures 7 and 10 inclusive, where power is applied directly to shaft 2
during each reciprocation of the rack rod I have shown the following arrange-
ment: The teeth 5 and 5 are on opposite sides of the rack rod and mesh respec-
tively with the gear wheels 4 and 4", the wheel 4ª being loosely mounted upon
a shaft 2 suitably journaled or hung in frame 1. Upon the shaft 2 is a ratchet
wheel 16 adapted to be engaged by pawls 17ª carried by wheel 4" the parts
being so arranged that shafts 2 and 2" will be rotated in the same direction by
the reciprocations of the rack, as shown in Figure 8. Upon shaft 2 is a spur
wheel 28 that meshes with a pinion 29 carried by a shaft 30, supported in
suitable bearings in frame 1, and the pinion 29 meshes with a spur wheel 31
secured upon shaft 2", the wheels 28 and 31 being of the same diameter and
having the same number of teeth, whereby as shaft 2 is rotated by the movement
of the rack in the direction of the arrow in Figure 8, corresponding motion
will be communicated through gears 28, 29 and 31, to shaft 2", and when said
rack is moved in the reverse direction power will be transmitted from shaft 2"
through said gears to shaft 2. Thus, substantially a continued application of
power is applied to shaft 2 during the reciprocatory movements of the racks 5, 5b.
In Figure 7 I have shown the frame 1 as provided with arms 30° that support
shaft 30 of pinion 29, and the rollers 6, 7 and 10, 11, are suitably carried by
frame 1 for the purpose of guiding rack 5. The construction described with
reference to Figures 7 to 10 may be utilized on both the forward and return
strokes of the rack, and thus there is no intermediate time during the movement
of the rack in which shaft 2 is not supplied with power direct.
I do not limit my invention to the precise details of construction shown and
described as they may be varied without departing from the spirit thereof.

page_text: 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:―
1. The combination of a reciprocative rack, a gear wheel to mesh therewith,
a shaft upon which said gear wheel is mounted to rotate, and connections be-
tween said gear wheel and said shaft for rotating the latter by the former,
substantially as described.
2. The combination of a reciprocative rack, a gear wheel to mesh therewith,
a shaft upon which said wheel is mounted to rotate, a ratchet wheel secured
upon said shaft, and one or more pawls carried by said gear wheel to act with
said ratchet wheel, substantially as described.
3. The combination of a reciprocative rack, rollers to guide the same, a gear
wheel to mesh with said rack, a shaft upon which said gear wheel is rotatively
mounted and devices between the shaft and the gear for rotating the latter by
the former, substantially as described.
4. The combination of a frame, a reciprocative rack, rollers on opposite sides
of said rack, a gear wheel to mesh with said rack, a roller on the side of said
rack opposed to said gear wheel, a shaft upon which said gear wheel is rotatively
mounted and devices between said gear and said shaft for rotating the latter
by the former, substantially as described.
5. The combination of a reciprocative rod having a rack at one portion and
smooth at the other portion, rollers to guide the portion having a rack, a pair
of grooved rollers to guide the smooth portion of said rod, a gear wheel to mesh
with said rack, a shaft upon which said gear wheel is rotatively supported, and
devices between said gear wheel and shaft for rotating the latter by the former,
substantially as described.
6. The combination of a pair of reciprocative racks, a shaft, a pair of gear
wheels rotatively mounted upon said shaft and in mesh with said racks respec-
tively, devices between said gears and said shaft for rotating the latter by the
former, and a connection between said racks for operating one by the other,
substantially as described.
7. The combination of a pair of reciprocative racks, a shaft, a pair of gear
wheels rotatively mounted upon said shaft and in mesh with said racks respec-
tively, a pair of ratchet wheels secured upon said shaft, one or more pawls
carried by each of said gear wheels and adapted to engage the corresponding
ratchet wheel, and a connection between said racks for operating one by the
other, substantially as described.
8. The combination of a reciprocative rack, a shaft, a gear wheel loosely
mounted upon said shaft, said gear wheel having a recess in one face, a ratchet
wheel secured upon said shaft and located within the recess of said gear wheel,
and one or more pawls carried by said gear wheel and adapted to engage the
ratchet wheel, substantially as described.
9. In a bicycle the combination of its frame, a driving shaft journaled in
bearings carried thereby, a pair of gear wheels mounted upon said shaft, a pair
of reciprocative racks in mesh with said gear wheels, pedals carried by said
racks, devices between said gear wheels and said shaft for rotating the latter
by the former, a power communicating wheel carried by said shaft and means
for communicating motion from said last mentioned wheel to the driving wheel
of the bicycle, substantially as described.
10. In a bicycle the combination of its frame, a shaft journaled in bearings
carried thereby, a pair of gear wheels loosely mounted upon said shaft and
carrying pawls, a pair of ratchet wheels secured upon said shaft and adapted
to be engaged by the pawl of the corresponding gear wheel, reciprocative racks
to mesh with said gear wheels respectively, supports carried by the bicycle
frame for guiding said racks, and pedals connected with said racks, substan-
tially as described.
11. In a bicycle the combination of its frame, a driving shaft journaled in

page_text: bearings carried thereby, a pair of gear wheels loosely mounted upon said shaft,
a pair of ratchet wheels secured upon said shaft, pawls carried by said gear
wheels to engage said ratchet wheels, reciprocative rods, said rods each having
a rack to mesh with the gear wheels respectively and a smooth portion, rollers
to guide portions of the rack having the teeth, means for supporting said rollers
and a framing carried by the frame of the bicycle and having rollers to guide
the smooth portions of said rods, and pedals carried by said rods, substantially
as described.
12. In a bicycle the combination of its frame, a shaft journaled in bearings
carried thereby, gear wheels loosely mounted upon said shaft, ratchet wheels
secured upon said shaft, pawls carried by said gear wheels to engage said ratchet
wheel, reciprocative rods each having a toothed portion to mesh with the gear
wheels respectively and a smooth portion, rollers to guide the toothed portion
of said rod, a framing 1, composed of two parts having socket portions 1ª, 1b,
to clamp the tubes of the bicycle frame, means for holding said framing upon
said tubes, rollers carried by said framing 1, to guide the smooth portions of
said rods, and pedals carried by said rods, substantially as described.
13. The combination of a reciprocative rod having rack teeth on opposite
sides, a pair of shafts, a pair of gear wheels rotatively mounted upon said shafts
and meshing with said racks respectively, devices for communicating motion
from said wheels to said shafts respectively, and gearing connecting said shafts,
whereby when one shaft is rotated the other will be rotated in the same direc-
tion thereby, substantially as described.
14. The combination of a reciprocative rod having rack teeth on opposite
sides, a pair of shafts, a pair of gear wheels respectively loosely mounted upon
said shafts, ratchet wheels secured to said shafts, pawls carried by said wheels
to engage said ratchet wheels, and gearing connected with said shafts for com-
municating motion from one shaft to the other in the same direction, substan-
tially as described.
15. The combination of a reciprocative rod having rack teeth upon opposite
sides, a pair of shafts, a pair of gear wheels loosely mounted upon said shafts
respectively and respectively in mesh with said racks, ratchet wheels secured
to said shafts and having their teeth extending in the same direction, pawls carried
by said gear wheels to engage said ratchet wheels, and gears connecting said
shafts whereby when one shaft is rotated the other shaft will be rotated in the
same direction, substantially as described.
16. The combination of a reciprocative rod having rack teeth on opposite
sides, a pair of shafts, a pair of gear wheels loosely mounted thereon to mesh
with said racks, a pair of ratchet wheels secured to said shafts, pawls carried
by said wheels to engage said ratchet wheels respectively, gear wheels carried by
each shaft, a pinion in mesh with said gear wheels, and means for supporting
said shafts and pinion, substantially as described.
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