An Improved Method of Securing the Bearing Cups in Bottom Brackets of Cycles,
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 11th July, 1898-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1898
An Improved Method of Securing the Bearing Cups in Bottom
Brackets of Cycles,
We, WILLIAM HOBART BIRD, of Hearsall House, Coventry, Cycle Manufacturer,
and THOMAS ROBERTS, Cheylesmore, Coventry, Cycle Works Foreman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In place of the usual clamp or set screw for securing the bearing cup in a cycle
bracket we make the said bearing cup secure by screwing it into the bracket
barrell; having formed on the face of the cup a series of notches or slots into which
a detent engages the said detent being of angular shape lengthwise and one angle
engaging into the notches on the face of the cup the other angle sliding through
a lug or eye on the bracket barrell and being rigidly held in position therein by a
suitable set screw wedge or other suitable means.
Dated this 8th day of October 1897
W. HOBART BIRD.
THOS.
ROBERTS.
An Improved Method of Securing the Bearing Cups in Botto m
Brackets of Cycles.
We, WILLIAM HOBART BIRD, Cycle Manufacturer, of Hearsall House, Coventry,
Warwickshire, and THOMAS ROBERTS, Engineer, of 3, Cheylesmore Terrace,
Coventry aforesaid, 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:―
This invention relates to securing the bearing cups in the bottom brackets of
cycles in such a manner that they may be readily released for adjusting or other
purposes and refixed, when required.
Figure I is a perspective view of a bottom bracket, partly broken away to show
the construction of the parts.
Figure II is an end elevation of the said bottom bracket.
The adjusting cup 2 is provided with a series of peripheral radial notches 3.
The bottom bracket 4 is formed with a boss 5 near the end and preferably on the
underside thereof. This boss is pierced with two holes, one in a transverse
direction and the second perpendicular to the first. The first hole is plain and

page_text: adapted to receive the arm 7 of the key 6; and the second hole is tapped to receive
the screw 9 which is adapted to bear on the said arm 7 and lock the key 6 in
position.
The bottom bracket 4 is notched at 10 to receive the other arm 8 of the key 6,
so that the said arm 8 may lie in the notch 10 with its free end 11 engaging in
one of the cup notches 3 while its outer face stands flush or approximately flush
with the face of the cup 2 and the end of the bracket 4.
When the parts are in the position shown in the drawings the cup 2 is locked
because the arm 8 of the key is held in engagement with both one of the notches 3
in the cup and the notch 10 in the bracket 4, thus preventing the possibility of
relative rotation of the cup 2 and bracket 4 (and consequent disturbance of the
adjustment of the bearing), so long as the arm 8 is retained in position by the
other arm 7 being held in the boss 5 by the set screw 9.
In order to unlock the bearing it is only necessary to release the screw 9 and
draw the key outwards from the boss 5 until the arm 8 stands clear of the notches 3
and 10. The parts are preferably so proportioned that the arm 8 can stand clear
of the said notches without the arm 7 being entirely withdrawn from the boss 5,
so that no part need be detached when adjusting the bearing. The 2
cup may be
provided with peg holes 12 or other suitable means to facilitate its rotation; and
the set screw 9 may be provided with a lock nut adapted to bear on the boss 5, for
greater security.
The invention may be thus applied to the locking of either or both cups of the
bearing, and detail modifications may be made without exceeding the fair scope
thereof.
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 claini is:
1. The improved construction and arrangement of parts for securing the bearing
cups in the bottom brackets of cycles, substantially as herein described and illus-
trated.
2. Securing the bearing cups in the bottom brackets of cycles by means of a
movable two-armed key, one arm of which engages both with a notch in the end
of the bottom bracket and with one of a series of notches in the cup, while the
other arm of such key takes into a transversely bored boss on the bracket and is
releasably held therein by a set-screw, substantially as set forth.
1
011 1
II
1000
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry, 75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
9, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agent for the Applicants.