IMPROVEMENTS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Kemp Starley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd December 1880.
JOHN KEMP STARLEY, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick.
IN VELOCIPEDES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention relates, firstly, to a novel arrangement of mechanism for trans-
mitting the motion of the crank or pedal shaft to both or either of the travelling
wheels of a tricycle as required.
Secondly, to an improved arrangement of brake for braking both driving wheels
simultaneously; and, thirdly, to an improved arrangement of roller bearing for
velocipede wheels.
The motion of the crank or pedal shaft I propose to transmit to each driving
wheel of the tricycle by a chain and chain wheels, and I provide a clutch
arrangement for locking each travelling wheel to its chain wheel.
The frame of the tricycle is T shaped in plan view, the extremities of the cross
head being bent forward and towards the ground to form bearings for the crank
shaft, and to carry stud axles a little in rear of the crank shaft for receiving the
travelling wheels.
The hubs of these wheels are cast with a sleeve extension inwards or towards
the centre of the machine, and they have an annular flange on the same side of
the hub furnished with internal V shaped ratchet teeth.
Mounted loosely on the sleeve extension of each hub is a chain wheel which is
in line with the chain wheel on the crank shaft, and is connected therewith by an
endless driving chain.
The boss of this chain wheel on the side adjacent to the hub is made excentric,
and upon it is mounted a clutch formed by a disc which is set within the annular
toothed flange of the hub, and is furnished with projecting teeth at its opposite
edges to fit the internal teeth of the annular flange. This clutch is made so much
smaller in diameter than the flange of the hub that it will only engage with its

page_text: internal teeth when the greatest excentricity of the boss on which the disc is
mounted is in line with the clutch teeth.
Cast on one side of this disc or clutch is an annular flange for receiving a metal
elastic strap which is carried by the frame and is capable of adjustment so as to
put a slight friction on the flange of the clutch, and prevent its rotating with the
chain wheel until it is locked into the ring of teeth on the hub of the travelling
wheel.
When this takes place the annular flange of the clutch will turn in the elastic
strap, the friction being too slight to interfere with its rotary motion.
On starting the vehicle both clutches will come automatically into action, and
thus both travelling wheels will be driven; but on turning the vehicle through the
action of the steering wheel (the forked stem of which will be carried by the rear end
of the frame) the rotation of one or other of the driving wheels will be arrested, and
the clutch of the stationary or backing wheel will become disengaged from the
internal teeth on the hub and leave the wheel of that hub free to act as a pivot
wheel.
An obvious modification of this arrangement is to mount the travelling wheels
on the end of the crank shaft, and to form on the shaft excentrics for receiving the
disc clutch. In this case the chains and chain wheels will be dispensed with.
In putting a pair of brakes into action simultaneously it is necessary to provide
for irregularities on the periphery of the wheels.
To this end I attach to the brake levers connecting rods which lead towards the
seat of the driver. One of these rods I connect directly with an arm, of a
transverse rock shaft, and the other I connect through a short swivel cross bar
with a second arm of the rock shaft. By applying the brake power to the centre
of this swivel cross bar the pressure of the brakes will be equally divided, and
compensation for irregularities on the periphery of the wheels will be provided
for.
In order to reduce the friction in the bearings of velocipede wheels, and at
the same time to provide a facile means for adjustment to compensate for wear, I
fit in the annular space of the bearings small discs of steel with rounded edges,
their diameter being such with respect to the annular space between the axle and
the bearing box that when dropped into the box they will necessarily take an
inclined position.
:
I forin rings or layers of these discs, alternating the inclination of the discs as
they are severally dropped into place, and when a sufficient number of discs have
been introduced I close the box by a screw cap.
As the discs become worn their diameter will be reduced, and by screwing up
the cap they will be forced into a less inclined position, whereby they will be
tightened upon the axle.

page_text: "
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Kemp Starley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd June 1881.
JOHN KEMP STARLEY, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick.
IN VELOCIPEDES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention relates, firstly, to a novel arrangement of mechanism for
transmitting the motion of the crank or pedal shaft to both or either of the
travelling wheels of a tricycle as required.
Secondly, to an improved arrangement of brake for braking both of the driven
or travelling wheels simultaneously; and, thirdly, to an improved arrangement of
antifriction or roller bearing for velocipede wheels.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 shews in side elevation, Fig. 2
in partial plan view, and Fig. 3 in cross section taken on the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1,
a tricycle with the first and second heads of my Invention applied thereto.
In these Figures it will be seen that I transmit the motion of the crank or
pedal shaft to each of the driving wheels of the tricycle by a chain and chain
wheels, and that I provide a clutch arrangement for locking each travelling wheel
to its chain wheel.
A is the frame of the tricycle, T-shaped in plan view, but having forward
extensions from the opposite ends of the cross or T head, bent towards the ground
to form bearings for the crank shaft B, and to carry stud axles C, C, a little in rear
of the crank shaft for receiving the travelling wheels D, D.
The hubs of these wheels (see the enlarged views, Figures 4) are cast with a
sleeve extension d inwards or towards the centre of the machine, and they have an
annular flange d' on the same side of the hub furnished with internal V-shaped
.ratchet teeth.
Mounted loosely on the sleeve extension of each hub is a chain wheel E, which
is in line with the chain wheel F on the crank shaft, and is connected therewith by
an endless driving chain F¹.
The boss of the chain wheel E on the side adjacent to the hub is made excentric,
as at e, and upon this excentric is mounted a clutch G formed by a disc, which is
set within the annular toothed flange of the hub, and is furnished with projecting
teeth g at its opposite edges to fit the external teeth of the annular flange. This
clutch is made so much smaller in diameter than the flange of the hub that it will
only engage with its internal teeth when the greatest excentricity of the boss
on which the disc is mounted is brought towards or in line with the clutch teeth.
Cast on one side of this clutch G is an annular flange g' for receiving a metal
elastic strap H, which is carried by the frame and may be made adjustable, its
object being to put a slight friction on the flange of the clutch, and prevent the
clutch from rotating with the chain wheel, until it is locked into the ring of teeth
on the hub of the travelling wheel.
When this takes place the flange g¹ of the clutch will turn in the elastic strap H,
the friction being too slight to interfere with its rotary motion.
On starting the vehicle both clutches will come automatically into action, and
thus both travelling wheels will be driven; but on turning the vehicle through the
action of the steering wheel I (the forked stem of which carried by the rear end
of the frame), the rotation of one or other of the travelling wheels D will be
arrested, and the clutch of the outer. wheel will become disengaged from the
internal teeth on the hub through the over-running of that wheel.
To prevent the clutch from working out of place and to restore it to an
intermediate position, I cut a slot in the inner face of the clutch to receive a pin,
see Fig. 4, which projects radially from the excentric e corresponding with its
largest radius. In the slot on either side of the pin lies a coiled spring, the
pressure of which springs will, immediately the clutch is disengaged from the hub

page_text: of the wheel D, by their balanced pressures bring the clutch into the intermediate
or non-acting position.
Sheet 11. of the Drawings illustrates an obvious modification of the means just
described for transmitting motion from the action wheels Ę to the travelling
wheels D.
Fig. 5 shews a pair of wheel hubs mounted on a shaft C, which may either be
driven by chain wheels as in the first arrangement, or may be cranked and acted
upon by treadles. One of the hubs of the wheels D is shewn in longitudinal
section the better to explain its construction.
Fig. 6 is a cross section taken in the line 3, 4, of Fig. 5, and shewing the hub
in end view. Formed on the ends of the shaft C are excentrics e for receiving the
disc clutch G, as in the first described arrangement; in other respects the means
for transmitting the rotary motion of the excentrics e to the travelling wheels D
will be identical with that described with reference to Sheet I. of the Drawings.
.
In putting a pair of brakes into action simultaneously it is necessary to provide
for irregularities on the periphery of the wheels, and it is the means employed for
effecting this which constitutes the second head of my Invention.
In Sheet I., K is a rock shaft mounted in a central bearing A' carried by the
frame A.
This rock shaft is fitted at its opposite ends with arms K³, K², the former of
which carries the brake for one of the travelling wheels.
The arm K is provided with a pivot pin to receive a swivel bar L, to the outer
'end of which is affixed the brake for the other travelling wheel. A pressure spring
affixed to the arm K² bears on the square end of the swivel bar L, and thus
serves to restore it when thrust out of line with the rock shaft K to a parallel
position.
Connected by a link to the bar L is a rod M, which is jointed to a bell crank
lever N having its fulcrum on the side of a standard O, carried by the frame, A.
The upper end of this standard is bent over to receive a handle which serves for
the driver to rest his hand upon and steady himself in his seat.
Immediately below this handle lies one of the limbs of the bell crank lever N,
which is so arranged as to allow of the rider grasping the two together, and thus
rocking the bell crank lever. This he does when he requires to put on the brakes.
By the action of rocking the bell crank lever N the swivel bar L is caused to press
its brake onto the adjacent wheel, and in the act of doing so to impart an axial
motion to the rock shaft K, and thereby cause it to apply the other brake to its
adjacent wheel.
Supposing now that one or other of the brakes came in contact with some
extraneous matter adhering to the india rubber tyre, the interposition of such a
substance, hitherto fatal to the proper action of a pair of connected brakes, would
have no detrimental effect, there being a yield at the pivot pin of the arm K² to the
pull of the rod M, which yield will allow of the two brakes adjusting themselves
to the altered circumstances.
The link which connects the rod M with the swivel bar L I make adjustable on
that bar by passing the coupling pin through a longitudinal slot in the bar L. By
means of a nut however this coupling pin may be made fast in its adjusted position.
A pressure spring n is applied to the lever N for the purpose of restoring it to its
normal position.
In order to reduce the friction on the bearing surfaces of velocipede wheels, and
at the same time to provide a facile means for adjustment to compensate for wear
I adopt the arrangement of antifriction discs and bearing surfaces shewn in
Sheet III. of the Drawings, and constituting the third head of my Invention.
Fig. 7 shews in longitudinal section the hub of a steering wheel mounted loosely
on its shaft, and fitted at its ends with antifriction discs; Fig. 8 is a cross section
of the steering wheel shaft, shewing the hub of the steering wheel in end view
with the discs in place in a recess formed for them in the end of the hub of the
wheel.

page_text: In these views P is the hub of the wheel mounted loosely on the screwed axle Q.
Upon this axle, and lying within the hub, is fitted a sleeve Q', the ends of which
form bearing surfaces for the antifriction discs p. This sleeve is slotted longitudinally
to receive a guide pin which is fixed to the axle, and allows the sleeve to move
end wise thereon while preventing its rotating on the axle.
The axle is formed with a shoulder q, between which and the adjacent end of
the sleeve Q the antifriction discs p for one end of the hub are placed.
Threaded onto the axle before applying the hub thereto is a cap P¹ which screws
into the end of the hub, and forma with an annular recess in the hub other bearing
surfaces for the antifriction discs.
It should be remarked that the space provided to receive the antifriction discs
is such with respect to the diameter of the discs that these when dropped into
place will necessarily take an inclined position.
The direction of inclination of these discs I alternate as they are dropped into
place, thus discs numbers one, three, and five will bear at their opposite edges against
the shoulder q and the hub, and the discs two, four, and six will bear at their
opposite edges against the end of the sleeve Q' and the screw cap P¹ of the hub.
The discs I forin of steel with rounded edges, and by contracting laterally the
space in which they are confined I compensate for their wearing away.
Supposing both ends of the hub of the wheel to be recessed in like manner for
the reception of the discs it will be readily understood how the second set of discs
is applied.
Fitted to the screwed axle Q is a threaded collar q', which forms a shoulder for
the discs corresponding to the shoulder q at the other end of the axle. By
tightening up this collar, over which the second cap for the hub is free to slide
lateral pressure is put upon the antifriction discs, and the sleeve Q¹ being free to
slide under this pressure, the tightening up of both sets of antifriction discs will be
effected simultaneously.
By tightening up the caps of the hub to a corresponding extent the adjustment
of the antifriction discs to their bearing surfaces will be completed.
It should be remarked that when the bearings require it two or more layers of
these discs may be fitted in the bearings.
It will also be understood that these antifriction discs are applicable to the
steering wheels of bicycles where the wheel is fixed to the crank axle. In this
case the prongs of the fork will be recessed on their outer faces to receive the discs,
which will be secured in place by screw caps. The tightening up of these caps
will provide for the wear of the discs, as explained with reference to Sheet III. of
the Drawings.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in
Velocipedes," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish
it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I
claim,―
First. The clutch arrangement above described or any mere modification thereof
for transmitting motion to the driven or travelling wheels of velocipedes, as and
for the purpose above set forth.
Second. The arrangement of brake apparatus above described for acting with
equal pressure on both the driven or travelling wheels of velocipedes.
Thirdly. The arrangement of adjustable antifriction bearings for velocipede
wheels above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Kemp Starley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Second day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JOHN KEMP STARLEY. (L.S.)