An Improved Driving Gear for Cycles, Tricycles or like Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: An Improved Driving Gear for Cycles, Tricycles or like Machines.
I, FRIEDRICH SCHNEIDER, of 32A, Augustenstrasse, Rostock, in the Empire of
Germany, Medical Student, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to driving gear for cycles, and its object is to provide a
substitute for the ordinary pedal and crank gear at present in use. The weight of
the body and the power of the arms by this gear are brought into effect and the
whole muscular power of the rider is better distributed and applied than with the
present system.
The invention consists in the provision of a pivotted lever attached to the upper
framework of the machine upon which the saddle rests while an up and down
reciprocating motion of this lever is effected and by suitable gearing, transmitted to,
and transformed into a rotary motion on, the main chain wheel. The invention
further consists in the special arrangement of steering mechanism as applied to this
form of actuating gear.
In carrying the invention into effect as applied to a bicycle the construction and
operation is as follows:-Chain wheels of the ordinary type are used and upon the
main spindle where the crank pedals usually are applied a disc or other crank is
substituted. To the top member or tube of the diamond frame a long lever is attached
and pivotted at the end near the ball head, while its other end projects out over the
rear wheel and carries the saddle.
Between the crank on the main chain wheel spindle and the saddle lever, an
actuating rod or link is placed, attached and pivotted at its respective ends to the
said link and saddle lever, so that a rising and falling motion of the saddle lever
would be converted into a rotary motion of the chain wheel spindle and thus actuate
the cycle. To provide this rising and falling motion there is placed attached to the
upright tube or member of the diamond frame over the main spindle a foot rest upon
which the rider stands. Also upon the saddle lever midway between the saddle and
the pivot there is attached a handle bar upon a rotary socket and by pulling this
handle bar upwards against the resistance made by the foot rest the saddle lever rises
and pulls the crank over, and by allowing the weight of the body to come into play
upon the saddle the remaining portion of the crank stroke is performed.
The handle bar is arranged upon a rotary socket so that the steering may be
effected in the following manner. Attached to the vertical pillar of the handle bar in
a direction about right angles to the saddle lever is a crank piece and another crank
piece of similar length is attached to the ball head carrying the front wheel.
Between these crank pieces a suitable connecting link is placed and it is evident that
any rotary movement of the handle bars will be transmitted at once to the front wheel
and steering of the wheel effected, even though the handle bars being attached to the
saddle lever are rising and falling vertically.
Instead of making the handle bars horizontally rotary upon a socket as in the
herein before described modification they are attached rigidly to the saddle bar and
the steering effected in the following manner. One of the handles forming the ends

page_text: of the handle bar is made horizontally rotary and carries underneath on its spindle a
chain wheel. A similar chain wheel is attached to the ball head tube and a chain
connecting these two wheels is fixed passing over guide pulleys placed upon the
saddle lever. Thus the vertical reciprocation of the saddle does not interfere with
the steering of the cycle because the length of the chain over the guide pulleys allows
for these two chain wheels being always in gear. The steering is effected by the
horizontal rotation of the said handle being transmitted by its chain wheel to the
chain wheel upon the ball head.
In hill climbing or road racing the gear of the cycle may be instantly altered in the
following simple and effective manner. The connecting rod between the saddle bar
and the crank upon the main spindle is attached at the saddle bar end to a socket.
This socket carrying the pin upon which the connecting rod pivots can be displaced
along the saddle bar lever in either direction. This socket is fixed in the desired
position by a thumb or similar screw and different leverages can be arranged for
according to the conditions of the road.
It is to be clearly understood that two cranks upon the main spindle inay be used
and two connecting rods to the saddle bar without departing from the subject, of the
present invention.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
and 13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.
An improved Driving Gear for Cycles, Tricycles or like machines..
62
I, FRIEDRICH SCHNEIDER, of 32A, Augustenstrasse, Rostock, in the Empire of
Germany, Medical Student, 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:-
The
This invention relates to driving gear for cycles or like machines, and its object is
to provide a substitute for the ordinary pedal and crank gear at present in use.
weight of the body and the power of the arms by this gear are brought into effect,
and the whole muscular power of the rider is better distributed and applied than with
the present system.
The invention consists in the provision of a pivotted lever attached to the upper
framework of the machine upon which the saddle rests while an up and down
reciprocating motion of this lever is effected, and by suitable gearing transmitted to,
and transformed into a rotary motion on the main chain wheel. The invention
further consists in the special arrangement of steering mechanism as applied to
this form of actuating gear.
One method of carrying this invention into effect is illustrated in the accompanying
sheet of drawings as follows,-
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively side elevation and plan of a bicycle to which the
improvements are applied.
Figures 3 and 4 are details on a larger scale of a portion of the improved steering
gear applied to the bicycle.
In carrying the invention into effect as applied to a bicycle and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings the following is the construction and operation. Chain
wheels of the ordinary type are arranged, and upon the main spindle, and on the
opposite side to the large chain wheel a crank d is applied though a disc may be
substituted for the said crank.. To the top member or tube A of the diamond frame

page_text: of the machine a long lever a is attached and pivotted at the end near the ball head
as shown, while its other end projects out over the rear wheel and carries the saddle b.
Between the crank d on the main chain wheel spindle, and the saddle lever a an
actuating rod or link c is placed attached and pivotted at its respective ends to the
said 'crank d and lever a, so that a rising.and falling motion of the saddle lever would
be converted into a rotary motion of the chain wheel spindle and thus actuate the
cycle. To provide this rising and falling motion there is placed attached to the chain
stays of the machine two foot rests e e upon which the rider stands. Also upon the
saddle lever a about midway between the saddle b and the levers pivot there are rigidly
attached handle bars g g so that by pulling the handle bars upward against the
resistance offered by the foot rests ee the saddle lever arises and through the
connecting rods c pulls the crank d upwards then by allowing the weight of the body
to come into play upon the saddle b the remaining and downward portion of the crank's.
stroke is performed, thus providing one rotation of the chain wheel spindle for one
upward and downward reciprocation of the rider upon the saddle b.
The method of steering illustrated in the drawings is as follows. The handle bars gg
are attached rigidly to the pivotted lever a, while one of the handles f¹ of the said bar
is made rotary in a horizontal direction, and carries underneath on its spindle a gear
wheel which engages a toothed bar i attached by means of an extension at the end c
to the ball head by a universal coupling m n. The said coupling being further
attached to a lever k keyed fast to the steering tube of the front forks. Attached to
one side of the pivotted lever a is a bearing which carries one end of the toothed bar
or rod while the end of the said bar or rod adjacent to the handle f¹ is carried in any
suitable bearing or manner so as to allow its toothed side to gear with the wheel h.
The operation of this steering mechanism is easily understood as in steering all
that is required is for the rider to rotate the handle ¹ in either direction, whereupon
by means of the universal joint m n the motion is transmitted to the bracket k and
the steering tube swivels in either direction. It is evident that as a substitute for this
universal joint, chains could be employed and brackets projecting on either side of the
steering tube and a similar rack rod could be attached to the handle f and geared to
a second wheel similar to h. In this case also the handle ƒ would be rotary and the
chain attached to the ends of the brackets would transmit the required pull in either
direction.
A modification of the steering gear may be arranged as follows:- The handle bar is
placed upon a rotary socket attached to the saddle lever, while to this rotary socket
and about right angles to the saddle lever is a crank piece and another crank piece of
similar length is attached to the steering tube carrying the front wheel. Between
these crank pieces a double connecting link is placed, and it is evident that any rotary
movement of the handle bars would be transmitted at once to the front wheel, and
steering of the wheel effected even though the handle bars being attached to the
saddle lever are rising and falling vertically.
In hill climbing or road-racing the gear of the cycle may be instantly altered in the
following simple and effective manner. The connecting rod between the saddle bars
and the crank upon the main spindle is attached at the saddle bar end to a socket.
This socket carrying the pin upon which the connecting rod pivots can be displaced
along the saddle bar a in either direction. The socket is fixed in the desired position
by a thumb or similar screw and different leverages can be arranged for according to
the conditions of the road.
It is to be clearly understood that two cranks upon the main spindle may be used
and two connecting rods to the saddle bar without in any way departing from the
subject of the present invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. An improved driving gear for cycles and like machines consisting in the provision
L
L autor and the

page_text: saddle and in connecting this pivotted bar by a link or links to a crank or cranks upon
the main spindle of the machine, while the rider stands upon foots rests attached to
the lower members of the machine framework, and by means of handle bars attached
to the pivotted lever gives the upward motion, and by allowing his weight to rest
upon the saddle provides the downward motion, this produces the desired rotation of
the crank and the spindle, and therefore the propulsion of the machine all
substantially as herein before described.
2. In a cycle or like machine with driving gear as claimed in the preceding claim
the arrangement for steering consisting of pivotting horizontally one or both handles
of the bandle bars, and by rotation of the said handle or handles through a chain, rack
rod or other equivalent mechanism rotating the front steering tube all substantially
as herein before described.
3. The improved driving gear for cycles and like machines herein before described
with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The improved steering gear for cycles and like machines substantially as
herein before described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying
drawings.