Improvements in Cyclometers, Revolution Counters, or Indicators.
Year: 1895

page_text: Reprinted as amended in accordance with the decision of the Comptioller Gènera!
dated the 11th day of June 1901.
The Amendments are shown in erused type.
Date of Application, 22nd Oct, 1895-Accepted, 7th Dec, 1895
Improvements in Cyclometers, Revolution Counters, or Indicators.
(A communication from abroad by the VEEDER MANUFACTURING COMPANY of Hartford
Connecticut United States of America)
I PHILIP MIDDLETON Justice of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of Middle-
sex Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent. Agents 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 the general class of revolution counters on indicators, and
particularly to devices of this character usually known as cyclometer, which me
adapted to indicate the distance travelled by wheeled vehicles, such as velocipedes.
Some of the features of the invention may be found advantageous for adoption in other
constructions, but the main object of the invention has been to produce a cyclometer
which shall be small, compact and light, and yet of such simple construction as to be
In the construction which is herein
easily made and not liable to get out of order
shown as embodying the invention, the indicating figures are placed on the peripheries
of ings which are mounted side by side on a common axis and have then periphenes
unbroken by gear teeth, wherefore the indicating figures are brought to view in a
straight line and can be read easily The transmitting and reducing mechanism is
included within the circumference of the cylinder formed by the index rings, thereby
permutting the shell of casing also to be cylindrical and of but slightly greater
ameter than the index rings themselves, and the whole device to be exceedingly
compact and small. Moreover, only a single rotating shaft is required and that pro-
tudes through the shell at one end only and can there be tightly packed, so that the
shell is practically both dust and waterproof The parts required are few in number.
easily constructed, and although small, are not so delicate as to be subject to rapid
wear or to danger of breakage The improved construction will be fully described
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,-
Figure 11s a view of a cyclometer embodying the invention, in central longitudinal
section,
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of
Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a transverse section
of Figure 1,
on
the plane indicated by the line 3-3
Figure 4 is a transverse section on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of
Figure 1, a portion of the bearing ring of the index ring being broken away to show
the gear teeth beyond it;
Figure 5 is a side elevation of a sufficient portion of a velocipede to illustrate the
application of the improved cyclometer thereto, the scale being smaller than that
of Figures 1—4;

page_text: Figure 6 is a front elevation of the same, most of the spokes being omitted;
Figure 7 is a plan view of the cyclometer, on the same scale as that of Figures 5
and 6;
Figure 8 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 and on the same scale therewith, but
illustrating a slight modification in the devices for preventing accidental movement
of the index rings,
Figure 9 is a transverse section on the plane indicated by the hne 9-9 of
Figure 8, a portion of the locking ung being broken away to show the gear teeth
beyond it
The several operative parts of the improved mechanism may be carried by a plate A,
which is preferably circula in outline and formed with a hub or other support «,
hereafter refered to as the hub, which affords a bearing lo the puts which me
mounted thereon and is hollow or eliambered as at a', or otherwise adapted to receive
within it certam parts of the transmitting and reducing mechanism, whereby such
parts may be wholly enclo-ed with the circumference of the cylinder formed by the
indicating rings hereafter referred to
The actuating shaft preferably has a
bearing in the plate A and also in a dise C, which is held by pins (not shown) in the
end of the hub A rod D, beremalter referred to, is supported at one end in the
plate A and at the other end in the disc C The shaft B has fixed upon its outer
end the star wheel E by which it is actuated and upon its inne end an eccentrie F
which is preferably stepped or shouldered as shown A spring b, may be interposed
between the star wheel and the plate A to hold the eccenture closely against the
abutment formed by the dise (', thereby creating sufficient friction to prevent the star
wheel from jarring out of position or from moving too far when struck by the
actuating pin carned by the wheel of the vehicle A packing of felt or other
suitable material may be placed around the sping to exclude dust from the shaft
bearing and may be held in place by a ung
The eccentric fits feely in the centrally disposed apertures of two gears G and G+¹
which are secured together by pins or vets got otherwise It will be under-tood
that the two parts of the eccentue F have comeident axes and form vitually a single
eccentric which is stepped or shouldered or headed merely for the purpose of holding
the gears hrmly against the face of the disc and creating fiction to prevent
accidental movement The dise is provided with gear teeth cc, near its priphery,
to form an internal fixed gear to mesh with the gear, as the latter is rolled round
by the eccentric and to ocension thereby the revolution of said gear Gupon the
eccentric, and a consequent revolution of the gear (with the gear (i; tle gem (il
meshes with an internal gear formed by teeth hh, on the inner su face of the first
index img, I, which may be mounted to rotate on the huba or, as shown, on a hubel,
formed on the rear of the disc The number of the teeth his greater by one
than the number of the teeth ce and as a consequence, as the gears (and are
olled together with the two geais e c and, the latter and the indexing H
therewith will be given a very slow revolution I prefer that the several gears shall
be so proportioned that the index g H shall revolve once for each mile traversed,
and therefore upon its peupliery are indicated successive fractional parts of a mile,
the figures being brought to view at the sight opening in succession It is obvious
that the gearing just described constitutes an ordinary and well known form of
differential gearing, and consequently it requires no further description or explanation
herem
Upon the 1od or piu D, between the dise C and the plate A, are mounted sleeves I I
which correspond in number and arrangement with the several index rings beyond the
fnst or fiactional ring Each sleeve I, cries at one end a toothed or star wheel 1,
and on the other end a pinion 21, the toothed wheel and pinion being formed inde-
pendently of or integral with the sleeve as may be most convenient. The hub in the
centre of the sleeve is flattened, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 4, and is
embraced by the arms of a sping fork J, which is supported by a pin J₁, fixed in the
plate A and disposed in the lower part of the chamber a¹ of the hub a
The object
of this arrangement is to prevent a movement of the toothed wheel and pinion through

page_text: a distance greater than from one tooth to the next at each actuation thereof, as
hereinafter described The arrangement of the spring auns as shown, bearing against
opposite or substantially opposite faces of the flattened hub, secures a maximum of,
torsional effect with a minimum of friction, thereby preventing accidental movement
without making the mechanisin hard to move
?
Fach
The several index rings H', H2 and 13 have each a bearing ring or flange which
ests upon the hub a, before referred to, and supports the index ring for revolution
Each beaning ring also enters between the wheel and pinion of the corresponding
pan and serves to retain them in proper position in relation to the index rings
index-ing, II, II, II, also has internal gear teeth 2, adapted to be engaged by the
contesponding pinion a, and each index ng II, H2, as well as the fractional ung H,
has a pm projecting from a point near its circumference and adapted to engage and
Thus
actuate the toothed wheel a, corresponding to the next index ring beyond it.
as each index ring completes a revolution, it causes the movement of the next index
ring one step forward The diving pin projecting from the rug H is shown in
section in Figure 4 and is mdicated by dotted lines in Figure 3; the remaining pins
ae exactly similar to this and it is therefore unnecessary to complicate the drawings
by attempting to show them
It will be observed that the pm J, the springs J J, the rod o p D and the
several parts of the reducing and transinitting mechanisms are all included within
the chamber or recess of the hub a, and therefore within the encumference of the
cylinder formed by the index ings The casing of the cyclometer is completed by a
cylindrical shell L, which is but slightly larger in diameter than the index ungs and
1 secured to the plate A and provided at with a sight opening which may be closed,
to prevent access of dust or moisture, by a piece of glass or other suitable transparent
material
The cyclometer is intended to be attached to the frame of the velocipede or, other
vehicle in proximity to a wheel, as usual, and for this purpose, the shell or casing may
he provided with an arm M, which may be clamped by a holt m (see particularly
Figures 5 and 6), between the two arms n n of a forkel plate or bracket N which may
be secured to the front axle of a bicycle or to any other convenient paint, the two
aims being preferably slotted, as indicated at 1, to permit of lateral adjustment
with respect to the wheel or other moving part of the vehicle which actuates the
cyclometer. As represented in Figmes 5 and 6, one of the spokes 0, of the wheel of
the vehicle may have clamped thereon a suitable actuating pin o which is alapted to
engage the star wheel E and effect a step by step rotation thereof during the successive
revolutions of the vehicle wheel
It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in details of construc-
tion without departing from the spirit of the invention, and as one such modification
there is represented, in Figures 8.and 9, an arrangement, different from that shown in
Figures and 4, for preventing any accidental movement of the transmitting
mechanism The arrangement of the reducing mechanisin and of other general features
is the same as that shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 and need not be referred to again,
some of the letters of reference employed on said figures having been added to Figures 8
and 9 for convenience in identification of the parts As a detail of construction of
altogether minor importance, the star wheel E is represented as having a flange e to
The hub a,
enclose the packing b' around the bearing of the shaft B in the plate A
as before, has a chamber a¹ to enclose the transmitting mechanism, the several sleeves I I
whereof are mounted upon a rod or pin 1) The index rings H1, H2, H3, may have
the points of then gear teeth h², bearing directly upon the hub a, and may be thereby
supported for revolution Each of the index rings II, H2, H3, has fixed thereto a
locking ring which has in its inner periphery a single notch and which may also
serve as a bearing ring As represented in Figure 8, the rings H1, H2, H3 have their
locking rings forined independently and secured thereto, while the ring I is repre-
sented as having the locking ring formed integrally therewith, these being merely
convenient details of construction It will be understood, of course, that the ring h³ of
the last index ring of the series has no function except as a bearing ring. The

page_text: toot bed wheels and the pinions me secured to their respective sleeves II face to
face and the gear teeth 13 of the respective rings H², H, II³, are correspondingly
disposed, so that they may be engaged by their respective pinions ¹. The toothed
wheels are adapted to be engaged and driven as before by a pin projecting from the
preceding index ring. Each sleeve I, instead of baving Hat faces to co-operate with
springs bearing thereon, has formed therewith o secured thereon a star-wheel t
'This wheel is so shaped and is so placed with reference to the preceding index ring,
that two points thereof may bear against the inner periphery of such preceding index
ang o of the locking ring secured thereto, and thereby hold said sleeve and its
pinion and toothed wheel from 1otation until such pieceding index ing is about to
complete a revolution, at which time the driving pin carried thereby engages the
trothed wheel and at the same time the notch in the locking ring, which is in
Ime with said pin h³, comes into such position with respect to one of the teetli of the
star wheel as to permit the latter, and with it the toothed wheel and the pinion, to
nake a single forward movement and thereby to move the next succeeding index ring
one step forward It will be evident that either of the two locking devices shown oi
any other suitable form may be employed without affecting materially the operation
of the other parts or the cyclometer It will be obvious, however, that the form of
locking device shown in Figures 1 and 4 will more readily permit the index ings to
be set back to zero whenever required, and for this reason such form may be considered
preferable. The support on hub a as a block is shown formed integral with the plate
and milled out to receive the transmitting gears and locking devices, but it will be
evident that such hub or support might be made in any form suitable for this purpose,
such for example, as an independent shell or fiame attached to the plate A
Various other modifications in details of construction and arrangement might be
nade without. departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is not desired to
limit the invention to the precise construction shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertamed the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communica'ed to
me by my foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is
+----evelometer, revolution--counter;--or-indicator--the-cobation--with-a
chambered-support and--an-netuating-shult, ol-index un monated--to revalve en
bard support-a series-of--transmitting gears--disposed-with--the--chamber-of-sand
support-and-adapted-to-transmit--movement- from each-of-sand-index 1ngs-to-the
next-m-order, the hubs of sand-gears-being flattened;-spring-arms-supported-within
the-chamber-und-bearing upon the opposite--Anttoned-taces-of-sand-gear hubs and
means-for-netuating the fist-of-and-rings-from-sand-urtuating shaft
1 In a cyclometer, revolution counter, or indicator the combination with a
chambered support and dex rings mounted to revolve on said support, of an
actuating shaft, a series of transmitting gears disposed within the chamber of said
support and adapted to transmit movement from each of said index rings to the next
in order, a stationary internal gear, an eccentric fixed on said shaft and two differential
gear wheels mounted on said eccentric and meshing respectively with the aforesaid
stationary internal gear and with an internal gear secured to the first of said index
rings
2. In a cyclometer, revolution counter, or indicator the combination with a
chambered support and index rings mounted to revolve on said support, of an
actuating shaft, a series of transmitting gears disposed within the chamber of said
support and adapted to transmit movement from each of said index rings to the next
in order, a disc fixed against the ond of said support, an internal gear formed on said
disc, an eccentric fixed ou said shaft and two differential gear wheels fixed together
and mounted on said eccentric and meshing respectively with the aforesaid internal
gear and with an internal gear formed on the first of said index rings.
3 In a cyclometer revolution counter, or indicator the combination with a
support and index rings mounted to revolve on said support, of an actuating shaft, a
series of transmitting gears adapted to trans.nit movement from each of said index

page_text: rings to the next order, a shouldered eccentric mounted on said shaft, two gears
mounted on said eccentric and connected to move together, being retained in place
by the head on shoulder of said eccentric, a fixed internal gear within which one of
said first-named gears is adapted to engage as it is 1olled by the eccenture, and an
internal gear connected to the fit of said index igs and adapted to be engaged by
the other of said first named geais
4In a cyclometer revolution counter, or indicator the combination with a
support, a senes of index ungs mounted to revolve on said support, an actuating shaft
and a series of transmitting gears to transmit movement from each of said index ing
to the next in order, of an actuating wheel secued to said shaft, a spring miter posed
between sant wheel and said support, a shouldered eccentric canied by the other end
of the shatt, and differential geais mounted on sand excepting to transmit movement
therefrom to the fust of sand indes ungs and held by said shouldered eccentric and
sand spring acting though said shaft against sand support, whereby accidental move-
ment of said actuating wheel, shaft and gearing 15 prevented