Improvements in or relating to Cranks and Pedals for Cycles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cranks and Pedals for Cycles.
We, FREDERICK MITCHELL, of 49, Lydiard Street, Ballarat, in the Colony of
Victoria, Cycle Manufacturer, and CHARLES HILL, of 89, Darling Street, Ballarat,
as aforesaid, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of our inven-
tion for Improvements in the pedal and crank head of cycles" and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:
"
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This invention relates to improvements in the pedal and crank head of cycles
having pedals of the stepped or swinging type. In our invention the operative
centre line of the pedal lies preferably at an angle of about forty-five degrees from
the vertical centre of crank head or in any case at an angle lying radially forward
and downward from said centre at every point of the revolution of the crank
head, also the foot bars of pedal lie equidistant at each side of the said operative
centre line and the improvements consist in the novel construction of said pedal
in order to allow the hind foot rest or bar of pedal, when in use, to be about
directly under the centre pin of crank head and thus by carrying the rider's foot
forward of the crank head centre, 'the operative power of the pedals upon the
crank arms is materially increased, also it consists in mounting the pedal on a
coned disc, which is carried by a ball bearing formed in an enlarged head on
the crank. This construction of combined pedal and crank head is quite as
efficient for back pedalling.
The invention will now be described aided by a reference to the accompanying
drawing in which,
Fig. 1 is a view shewing the crank lying horizontal with its pedal in its
forward operative position and also shewing the operative position of the pedal
when at the lowest, backmost and topmost points of its rotation.
Fig. 2 a plan of the pedal when in its operative position as shewn in Fig. 1,
and supported on crank head.
Fig. 3 a side view of pedal as it will hang from crank head when not used and,
Figs. 4 and 5 are details shewn to a larger scale of the combined pedal and
crank head.
A is the crank arm secured as usual on the axle pin adjacent to the chain
sprocket B, and C is the pedal composed of an angularly arranged arm C¹, pro-
vided at its top end with a short projecting screwed pin C, which is firmly
secured to a coned disc C³, and having projecting in a reverse direction from its
bottom end, a longer fixed pin or bar C to which the foot rests of pedal are
rigidly secured. The pedal as shewn in the drawing has the central barrel `C³
of the pedal frame C rigidly secured by rivets or pins C7 on said pin or bar C³.
The front and back foot rest bars of the pedal frame C are shewn set at an
angle of about 45 degrees or in a direct line with the force when applied to the
pedals. The dotted line marked is what we term the operative centre line
of force as applied to the pedal. The crank arm A has an enlarged split eye A¹
provided with lugs a and the adjusting or clamping bolt and nut A2. Said eye
.

page_text: is threaded internally to receive the screwed cones A3 and A+, between which and
the cone disc C³ the balls D) are located and each of the said cones have holes h
in them to receive a key or other device for screwing them into position or for
the purpose of adjustment, c³ is a lock pin, between cone disc C³ and pin C. It
will be noticed that in this construction of ball bearing the cone 03 has no support
whatever, save the balls 1) and hence rotates with a minimum of friction, and
also that the circles described by the centre of crank head and the operative centre
of pedal and shown by dotted lines marked y and z respectively are of the same
diameter and lie eccentric to one another, the latter extending further forward
and downward than the circle of crank head centre and thus applying increased
power thereto where it is most effective. A pedal may be constructed in accord-
ance with this invention and be swung at one or both its sides from a pin secured
in the crank head.
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:-
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1. A stepped or swinging pedal having its foot rest set at the angle hercin
described in order that when in operation the foot rest assumes a position at or
about horizontal below and forward of crank head pin as and for the purpose
herein set forth.
2. In combination a stepped or swinging pedal as C, comprised of the parts
marked C¹ to C7, set to the angle herein described and the enlarged split crank
head A¹, provided with cones A3 and A', the balls D and the clamping bolt A2,
substantially as described and shewn.
3. In combination a stepped or swinging pedal as C, rigidly supported from
an angularly arranged arm as C', having a pin C2 on it carried by a cone disc
such as C3 and the crank head as A¹ provided with a ball bearing to support
said cone disc, the backmost foot bar of said pedal when in its operative position
being about directly under the centre pin of crank head, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
4. In combination a crank arm as A, provided with an enlarged split eye as A¹
and the roller bearing comprised of parts such as marked A³, A, C and D,
designed to support a cycle pedal, substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of September 1899
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.