Improvements in Chainless Cycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: I, ROBERT DANIEL SMILLIE, of 80, Mains Street, in the City of Glasgow,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention which relates to chainless cycles driven through the intervention
of bevel gearing, has for its object to provide in that type of machine simple and
inexpensive change gear for varying the speed and power transmitted from the
crank shaft to the driving wheel.
In the type of cycle referred to a countershaft extending from the crank
bracket to the hub of the rear or driven wheel is employed to transmit motion
from the crank shaft and has fixed at its ends bevel wheels gearing with bevels
on the crank shaft and on the hub of the driving wheel. In lieu of fixing a single
bevel wheel on this countershaft to gear with a like bevel on the crank shaft,
I secure on the latter a duplex bevel wheel having two concentric rows of teeth
one row being of larger diameter than the other, or I secure on said shaft two
separate bevel wheels of different diameters; and on the counter shaft I fit, in
gear with the teeth of each of these two wheels, a separate bevel wheel running
loose upon that shaft. Between the bevel wheels or at any other convenient point
on the countershaft I secure a sliding or other clutch (or clutches) which is
operated by a hand lever by the rider, (if desired without dismounting) to make
fast either of the bevel wheels to the countershaft, and thus cause said shaft to be
driven from the smaller or the larger of the bevels on the crank shaft and at a
speed corresponding to the ratios of the pitch lines of the driving and driven bevels.
Dated this 14th day of April 1897
Improvements in Chainless Cycles.
I, ROBERT DANIEL SMILLIE, of 80, Mains Street, in the City of Glasgow,
0 Engineer, 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 which relates to chainless cycles driven through the intervention
of bevel gearing, has for its object to provide in that type of machine simple and

page_text: inexpensive change gear for varying the speed and power transmitted from the
crank shaft to the driving wheel.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 of which
is a longitudinal elevation shewing the application of the improved chainless gear,
Figure 2 a longitudinal elevation partly in section of the change gear and sleeve
for actuating it, and Figure 3 a transverse section of the sleeve.
In the type of cycle referred to, a countershaft A extending from the crank
bracket B to the hub of the rear or driven wheel, as shewn at Figure 1, is employed
to transmit motion from the crank shaft C; and the counter-shaft has fixed at its
ends bevel wheels D, D¹, gearing with bevels E, E¹, on the crank shaft C and on
the hub of the driving wheel respectively. In lieu of fixing a single bevel wheel D
on the driven end of this countershaft A to gear with a like bevel E on the
crank shaft C, I secure on the latter a duplex bevel wheel having two con-
centric rows of teeth one row being of larger diameter than the other, or as shewn
I secure on said shaft C two separate bevel wheels E, E², of different diameters;
and on the counter shaft A, I fit, in gear with the teeth of each of these two
wheels E, E, separate bevel wheels D, D², running loose upon that shaft. Between
the bevel wheels D, D2, or at any other convenient point on the countershaft A,
I secure a sliding or other clutch F (or clutches) in gear with the shaft A, which
clutch is operated by a hand lever G by the rider, (if desired without dismounting)
to make fast either of the bevel wheels D, D2, to the countershaft A and thus
cause said shaft A to be driven from the smaller bevel wheel E or the larger E2
of the bevels on the crank shaft C and at a speed corresponding to the ratios
of the pitch lines of the driving and driven bevels.
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 claim is:
-
In a chainless cycle the provision of a change gear for varying the speed and
power transmitted from the crank shaft to the driven wheel, the several parts
being constructed, combined and arranged to be operated substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of January 1898.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.