Improvements in Bicycle Driving Mechanism.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1895-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycle Driving Mechanism.
I SAMUEL FRANK CLOUSER of No. 221, Park Place, Brooklyn in the County, of
Kings and State of New York, United States of America, Mining Engineer and
Chemist 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 improvements in bicycle driving mechanism, the object
being to provide such a mechanism in which the friction of the parts is reduced
to a minimum, and in which a high gear is obtainable without unduly enlarging
the driving sprocket.
the
A further object, is to provide a positive and effective brake for stopping
movement of the driving mechanism, the said brake being in position to engage
the driving sprocket.
A still further object is to provide a driving mechanism which will effectually
do away with any lost motion of the chain; and in which the chain easily clears itself
from its engagement with the sprocket wheels.
A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying
drawings; in which
Fig: 1 is a view in side. elevation of a portion of a bicycle frame; showing my
improved driving and brake mechanism applied thereto, a pórtion of the parts
being broken away to more clearly show the invention:
Fig. 2 is a top plan, view of the same.
Fig: 3 is a partial transverse vertical, central section through the driving
sprocket, and
Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section through one of the links of the driving
chain:
The crank hanger is denoted by A, the lower front brace by a; the seat post
tube by a', and the rear lower brace by a*:
The sprocket on the axle of the driving wheel is denoted by B; and the driving
sprocket secured to the crank axle a is denoted by C. The driving, chain which
connects the driving sprocket C with. the rear. sprocket B is denoted by D...
The sprockets C. and B are provided with circumferential grooves within which
the driving chain D enters.
The circumferential groove in the driving sprocket.C is denoted by c, and is
formed by suitable flanges c¹, e, which flanges are preferably formed integral with
the web of the sprocket wheel.
Pins & extend between the two flanges' c¹; and are so located as to engage
the teeth' d d upon the driving chain D, as will hereinafter more fully appear.
These pins are preferably arranged in pairs, and are provided with rollers or
sleeves cº.
The sprocket B is provided with a series of pins 6 extending across the circum-
ferential groove b¹ in a manner quite similar to those already described in relation
to the driving sprocket C.
These pins in the two sprocket wheels are located at such a distance within the
groove, that when the driving chain D is engaged thereby, the links of the chain
are located within the said grooves.
÷
.
The driving chain is made of single and double links. pivotted to each other in
Teeth d, d', are formed upon the inner sides of the links of
the usual manner.

page_text: the chain, the teeth d being formed on the double links, and the teeth d¹ upon the
single links.
These teeth are adapted to enter between the bars or pins in the
sprocket wheels and B, whereby, as the driving sprocket C is rotated, it will
drive the chain, thereby driving the rear sprocket B, and rotating the driving
wheel, not shown. The two sides of the teeth d are preferably bent towards each
other, so that there will be no tendency on the part of the chain to mount either
of the sprocket wheels, should there be any amount of lateral vibration of the
chain.
The grooves in the sprocket wheels are of sufficient width to allow of the free
entrance of the driving chain therein. The pairs of pins in the grooves are so
spaced apart, that they will preferably engage the inclined edges of the teeth dd'
of the driving chain near the base of the teeth. thereby preventing any lost motion
on the part of the chain, by reason of the teeth slipping longitudinally while the
chain is being engaged by the said pins. These pins being provided with rollers,
will cause the teeth on the chain to readily free themselves from the sprocket
wheel, thereby doing away with any tendency on the part of the chain to cling
to the sprockets when they are driven at a high rate of speed. Furthermore, by
reason of the sleeves or rollers, the friction upon the chain is materially reduced.
By reason of forming the teeth upon the chain, and causing them to engage
the lantern sprocket, I am enabled to make the chains very narrow and light, as
no lateral vibration can effect the positive driving thereof.
Proceeding to describe my brake mechanism, the brake shoe is indicated
by E, and it is adapted to extend part way around the circumference of the
driving sprocket C. The brake shoe is pivotted at its rear end to a lug
on the seat post tube a¹, as shown at e. This brake shoe may be made of
metal or wood, or any other suitable material, and it is held normally away from
engagement with the circumference of the driving sprocket wheel by means of a
retracting spring el, one end of the spring being attached to the seat post tube a',
and the other end to the brake shoe E. An operating rod e is secured to the
brake, and may be connected with any suitable mechanism, whereby it may be
caused to swing the said brake shoe into and out of engagement with the sprocket;
in the present instance, I have shown the rod e² as extending up along the side
of the front lower brace a of the frame. If found desirable, the said brake shoe,
instead of being pivotted, might be moved bodily towards and away from the rim
of the sprocket. In the accompanying drawing I have shown the brake shoe as
adapted to engage the outer edges of the flanges c²².
It will thus be seen that the brake, by being applied to the driving sprocket
wheel, will effectually stop the rotation of the said sprocket in a very quick and
positive manner, and thereby stop the wheel, without wearing the tire thereby.
It is obvious that slight changes in the form and arrangements of the several
parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my
invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein set
forth, but
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. The combination with a sprocket wheel provided with pins spaced apart for
the reception between them of teeth on a drive chain, the spaces hetween the pins
being of less width than the extreme width of the teeth, and of sufficient depth to
leave the points of the teeth free, of a drive chain composed of links having
inclined face teeth constructed to enter and seat snugly between the said bearings,
substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a sprocket wheel provided with pins spaced apart for
the reception between them of teeth on a drive chain and rollers mounted on the
pins, the spaces between the rollers on the pins being of less width than the
extreme width of the teeth, and of sufficient depth to leave the points of the teeth

page_text: free, of a drive chain composed of links having inclined faced teeth constructed to
enter and seat snugly between the said rollers, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a sprocket wheel provided with pins arranged in pairs.
and spaced apart for the reception between them of teeth on a drive chain and
rollers mounted on the pins, of a drive chain composed of links having inclined
faced teeth constructed to enter and seat snugly between the members of the-
several pairs of pins, substantially as set forth.
4. In combination, a sprocket wheel provided with a groove in its periphery of
sufficient depth to receive a drive chain below the face of the wheel, a brake
mounted in position to swing towards and away from the face of the wheel, the
said brake extending in curved form around a portion of the periphery of the
wheel, and means for moving the brake towards and away from the periphery of
the wheel, substantially as set forth.
T
1000
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.