Improvements in Gear Cases for Cycles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in Gear Cases for Cycles.
I, ROBERT POLLOCK, of 327 Argyle Street, Glasgow, Sheet Metal Worker,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows .-
This invention relates to geal cases for cycles and it has for its object to
improve their construction
In carrying out my invention I make the gear case of sheet metal or other
suitable material and in two halves which arc or may be secured together by means
of pins, screws, or other suitable devices. The gear case, instead of having solid
sides as usual and thus presenting a large wind surface, is made with a central
opening which extends from sprocket wheel to sprocket wheel and between the top
and bottom parts of the chain. The space left by the central opening between the
sides of the case is covered over with iemovable or partially removable flaps made
of leather, rubber, cloth or metal as desued and which may be secured by means of
laces and hooks, catches, buttons, or locking devices.
With this construction of gear case not only is the wind surface greatly reduced
by having the central hole but the parts can be put together very rapidly and
easily. The flaps prevent dut or mud gaining access though the central opening
to the chain.
Dated this 21st day of October 1895.
H. D FITZPATRICK,
Glasgow and London, Agent.
I, ROBERT POLLOCK of 327 Argyle Street, Glasgow, Sheet Metal Worker,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention aud in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement.-
This invention relates to gear cases for cycles and it has for its object to improve
then construction.
In carrying out my invention 1 make the gear case of sheet metal or other
suitable material and in two halves on parts which are, or may be, secured together
by means of pins, screws, or other suitable devices. The gear case, instead of
having solid sides as usual and thus presenting a large wind sui face, is made with
a cential opening which extends from sprocket wheel to sprocket wheel and between
the top and bottom parts of the cham The space left by the central opening
between the sides of the case is covered over with temovable or partially removable
Haps made of leather, rubber, cloth or metal as desued and which may be secured
by means of laces and hooks, catches, buttons, or locking devices
With this construction of gear case not only is the wind surface greatly reduced
by having the cential hole but the parts can be put together very rapidly and
easily. The flaps prevent dirt or mud gaining access through the central opening
to the chain.

page_text: And in order that my invention may be pronerly understood I have heicunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of the gear case.
Fig. 2 is a front view and Fig. 3 a back view to a smaller scale of a slightly
different construction of the gear case. In the view Fig. 3 the parts of the case
are shown as under.
Fig 4 is a section on the line —x Fig. 2
The gear case consists of two hollow parts a, a', of rectangular section (see
Fig. 4) the part a being provided with projecting pieces d (Fig. 3) which fit into
the lower part a' The parts are held securely together, when closed, by means
of the screws c, which pass through the ends of the part al and enter the projecting
pieces d.
The hole e is for the spindle of the driving wheel of the cycle whilst
the hole is for the pedal axle to pass through. The geat case is secured firmly
to the frame of the cycle by means of the small brackets o, p, on one side and q,r,
auds (Fig. 3) on the other side.
As will be seen the gear case is made with a long central opening of space b
which being always open reduces very considerably the surface of the case exposed
to the pressure of the wind.
g is a leather or other flap which is secured to the back of the part a, round
the opening b, by means of a number of motal catches (Fig. 3) soldered or
otherwise secured to the case. A similar flap h is also secured in the same way to
the under part a' These two flaps are for covering over the spaces u, v, Fig. 4,
around the opening, left between the side walls of the case and through which
the chain passes. When the case is removed from the cycle the flaps hang down
as shown at Fig 3 but when the case is fitted in place and the parts secured
together the flaps are stretolied across the aforesaid spaces around the opening b
so as to enclose and hide the driving chain as shown at Figs. 1 or 2. The
flaps are secured by means of laces i, 1, which are merely caught on catches k, l,
(similar to those used on boots) secured respectively to the flaps and to the
front of the case. By pulling the laces tight and then tying them into knots,
as at m, n, the Haps are securely and tightly held. To release the flaps, when
it is desired to remove the gear case, all that is necessaly is to untie the knots
and then pull the loops of the laces off the catches & or 1.
These flaps g, h, close up the space left for the chain and thereby prevent dut
or mud gaming access to it.
The only difference between the arrangement at Fig. 1 and that at Figs. 2 and 3
is that, in the latter case, the laces 2, J, aic threaded through holes or eyelets
the flaps instead of being caught on catches k.
in
Any other well known and suitable catches or buttons can be used in lieu of the
catches 1, k.
Having now particularly descubed and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
consider novel and desire to claim, is
1. A gear case for cycles having a central opening for the purpose of reducing
the amount of surface exposed to the pressure of the wind, said case having flaps
or equivalent for preventing dut or mud gaining access through the cential opening
to the chanu, substantially as herembefore set forth.
2. A cycle gear case having a central opening & and constructed substantially as
herembefore described and as shown undei modifications on the drawings annexed.
Dated this 15th day of November 1895
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.