Improvements in Cases for Driving Gear of Wheeled Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cases for Driving Gear of Wheeled Vehicles.
I, WARREN HERBERT FROST, Mechanic, of 253 Broadway, New York, County
of New York, State of New York, United States of America, 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:-
My invention is an improvement in cases for the driving wheels and chain used
in the propulsion of wheeled vehicles, and, is especially useful in connection with
bicycles.
The object of my invention is to supply a light, sightly, but unobtrusive and
noiseless casing, easily applied to various styles of vehicles, which shall be
impervious to oil and capable of excluding dust, mud, and moisture.
I provide a flexible, elastic case, preferably made of soft rubber. When applied
to bicycles I make a case for each sprocket wheel completely enclosing the
periphery of the wheel and preferably clamping with elastic pressure against the
faces of the wheel at a point between the hub and rim. This arrangement
provides for easily applying the gear case to wheels differing, as regards any
projections or connecting devices located on their sides or faces, and permits of
stretching the case into position and supporting it there by such elastic pressure
as it applies to the wheel surfaces. Each case has a pipe like junction or projec-
tion and two pipe sections preferably of flexible elastic material respectively
enclose the two sections of chain located between and extending from one wheel
to the other and these pipe sections make a junction with the pipe like projections
on the wheel cases, the whole forming a complete casing for the running gear,
impervious to oil and excluding dust, mud, and moisture, while light in weight,
noiseless and unobtrusive in appearance.
I may sometimes form my wheel case partly of metal and I thus avoid clasping
the flexible case onto the rotating sprocket wheel; in such modifications I place
metal plates or discs on each side of the wheel, supporting them in fixed position
on the axle or arbor to which the wheel is connected and I then make a suitable
dust proof junction between the peripheries of these side plates and the edges of
the flexible or elastic case covering the periphery of the wheel.
Figure 1 is a complete view of the driving gear and casing in position; part of
the case being shown as broken away; Figure 2 is a similar view showing in
addition part of a bicycle frame and wheel;
Figure 3 shows the front sprocket wheel with case in section illustrating the
manner in which the edge of the case clasps the wheel;
Figure 4 is the small or rear sprocket wheel with the case in position; and
Figure 5 shows a modification in which the case for the larger sprocket wheel is
partly composed of disks, separated from the wheel to form a support for the
flexible case, independent of the wheel.
W, and w, are the two sprocket wheels usually employed as driving gear for
bicycles in connection with a chain L. The wheel W, is upon the axle A; and
a, is a driving crank. C, is a case or cover for wheel W, made of flexible elastic
material such as india-rubber, partly vulcanized but soft and yielding, and having
sufficient thickness to maintain its form; it may be produced by molding or in any
suitable manner. The case C, is circular, like a hollow ring and is divided upon
its interior edge to fit over the rim of wheel W; the edge E, of the case clasping
the faces of wheel W, at a point between the hub and periphery; this arrange
meat permits of applying the case to wheels of various constructions. At points

page_text: where the chain leaves the wheel there are tubular junctions J, to connect with
sections of rubber tubing or pipe P. The wheel w, has a similar case e, the edges
of which clasp the hub of the wheel or engage the axle, on which wheel w, is
fixed, at points e, e; the spokes of the wheel are shown at s. H, is a horizontal
member of the bicycle frame, and a bracket B, is fixed upon H, and connected to
the case C, of wheel W, to hold and steady the case in its position.
The cases C, and e, can be placed in position by stretching them over the
periphery of their respective wheels; the chain is divided and threaded through
the pipe sections P, the junctions J, are then properly adjusted; the amount of
lap depending upon the length of the chain section between wheels, which length
is variable and may be elianged from time to time. When in position this
casing for driving gear is light in weight and it has a light and unobtrusive
appearance. There is no rattling or slapping as a slack chain drops or straightens
out in the pipe section P; the casing cannot be permanently dented or injured by
rough usage and it is extremely effective in excluding dirt, mud, dust, moisture and
water. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, as the wheels rotate there is a scraping
engagement between the edges of the cases and the line of contact between such
edges and said wheels.
In the modification shown in Figure 5, I have shown disks D, of hard rubber or
metal, as aluminium, mounted on opposite sides of wheel W, and permitting
axle A, to rotate. The circular case C, has its edges fixed upon the edges of these
-disks and the clasping contact with the surface of the moving wheel is thus avoided.
This modified construction may be employed on vehicles specially designed to
employ a driving gear casing. In the case of wheels already constructed, the
flexible elastic casing can be applied and provides an effective protection for
.machines of various forms and constructions.
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. A casing for the driving gear of wheeled vehicles composed in whole or in
part of a flexible elastic material.
2. A casing for the driving gear of wheeled vehicles consisting of suitable.cases
for the wheels, and pipe sections of flexible material for the chain sections, each
such pipe section enclosing an exposed section of chain and connecting the wheel
-cases.
3. The use in a casing for driving gear of wheeled vehicles of soft rubber
in the form of pipe sections enclosing that part of the chain or band between the
wheels.
4. The wheel casings having circular coverings of flexible material enclosing the
periphery and suitably supported, substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 15th day of July 1896.
FELL & JAMES,
Agents for the Applicant.