Improvements in or applicable to Driving Mechanism for Cycles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 12th July, 1899-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Driving Mechanism for Cycles.
I, FREDERIC BARNES, of 117, Church Lane, Old Charlton, Kent, Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to means of utilizing such part of a cyclist's weight
as, when he is propelling the cycle by the ordinary pedal gearing, is not utilized
in propelling the vehicle but is supported by the saddle or seat, as an aid in
propelling the vehicle, the means also being of advantage in affording a yielding
seat to the cyclist avoiding the disadvantages incidental to the customary rigid
seat.
To this end, I mount the saddle adjustably as regards a backward and forward
adjustment and as regards an up and down adjustment on a rod which is located
and can freely move within the diagonal (or any equivalent) tube of the cycle
frame, and I pivotally connect the rod at its lower end to the free end of a bar
which extends through a slot in the tube; the bar being pivotally connected at
its other end to a convenient part of the cycle frame, and, between its said pivotal
connections,, carrying a freely turning toothed, plain or grooved wheel. This
wheel is adapted to engage with a chain or band, which engages with two toothed
or plain wheels respectively applied to the cycle driving road wheel and to the
crank axle, the wheel applied to the cycle driving road wheel being the larger
of the said two wheels and being made fast to the cycle driving road wheel, and
the (smaller) wheel applied to the crank axle being loosely mounted thereon,
and being ratchet-toothed and adapted to be prevented from backward rotation
by a pawl applied to a convenient part of the cycle frame.
In this arrangement, when the rider sits on the saddle, such portion of his
weight as is supported thereby and is not utilized in propelling the vehicle by the
usual pedalling gear, is applied at the point of connection of the said rod, and
bar, and, by means of the connection of the other end of the bar to the cycle
frame, is applied by the loosely running wheel carried by the bar to the chain
or band on which it rests, thereby causing the same to tend to rotate the driving
road wheel in the direction in which it is rotated by the usual pedalling action.
When not required to act in such manner, the arrangement may be put out of
gear by inserting a wedge between the underside of the saddle and the upper
backbone of the cycle frame, when the rider's weight will be borne by the rigid
frame of the machine in a customary manner.
The improved arrangement is intended to be applied in addition to, the ordinary
pedalling gear and on the other side of the driving road wheel, and will then
the better balance the vehicle. It also, by applying the rider's weight on a
flexible connection between the axles of the cycle driving and steering wheels
and connecting with a wheel applied to the driving wheel, applies the weight
directly to such wheel and lessens the friction on the axle of such wheel.
A similar arrangement may be applied to the ordinary driving gear.
D
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page_text: I, FREDERIC BARNES, of 117, Church Lane, Old Charlton, Kent, Agent, 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 follow-
ing statement; —
This invention relates to means of utilizing such part of a cyclist's weight as,
when he is propelling the cycle by the ordinary pedal gearing, is supported by
the saddle or seat, as an aid in propelling or in tending to propel the vehicle,
the means being also of advantage in affording a yielding seat to the cyclist
whereby the disadvantages incidental to the customary rigidly mounted seat will
be avoided.
The invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawings as applied to a
bicycle otherwise of an ordinary make, the same being illustrated, in Figure 1,
in side elevation, and, in Fig. 2, in sectional plan on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.
To the end aforesaid, in carrying out the invention, the saddle, a, is adjustably
mounted in any suitable manner on a seat pillar or post, b, which is located and
can freely move up and down within the diagonal (or other convenient) tube, c,
of the cycle frame, suitable provision being made, such, for example, as by
pins u, v, engaging with slots, w, in the tube, for preventing the post from turn-
ing about its axis, and also, such, for example, as by a helical spring, d, located
within the tube for affording a cushioning resistance to the post. At its lower
part the seat post is pivotally connected to a bar or lever, f, which is pivotally
connected to one of the back stays, g, or other convenient part of the cycle frame.
Between its said pivotal connections, the lever carries a freely turning toothed
plain or grooved wheel, h, which is adapted to engage with a chain or band, i,
which engages with two toothed or plain wheels, j, k, respectively applied to the
driving wheel, 1, and to the pedal crank axle, m, the wheel applied to the driving
wheel being made fast thereto in like manner as the pedalling chain wheel, n,
is made fast thereto at the other side thereof, and the wheel applied to the crank
axle being loosely mounted thereon and being formed or provided with a ratchet
rim o, prevented from backward rotation by a pawl, 2, carried by an adjacent
part of the cycle frame.
By such means, such portion of the cyclist's weight as is supported by the
saddle and is not utilized in propelling the vehicle by the usual pedalling gear,
g, r, s, n, is applied through the post, b, lever, f, and wheel, h, to the chain or
band, i, causing the latter to tend to rotate the road driving wheel, 1, in the
direction in which it is rotated by the usual pedalling action, thus aiding the
latter action.
The improved arrangement may, as above described, be applied in addition
to and independently of the ordinary pedalling gear, q, r, s, n, and on the other
side of the driving road wheel, 4, to that on which the pedalling gear is situate;
or, as represented in Fig. 2, a second lever, f*, may also be fitted on the pedal
gear side of the wheel, 7, and fitted with a wheel, h*, adapted to bear on and to
engage with the chain, s, of the pedalling gear, in like manner as the wheel, h,
engages with the chain or band, i.
The wheel or wheels, h, h*, may, when required, be readily placed out of
operative engagement with the chain or chains, i, s, by means of a wedge, r, in-
serted by a lever, y, between the saddle and the upper backbone, r, of the machine
frame, or by other suitable means.
The improved arrangement, by applying the rider's weight on a flexible con-
nection between the axles of the cycle driving and steering wheels, l, t, and con-

page_text: nected with a wheel, j, applied to the driving wheel, is also of advantage in
applying such weight directly to such lateral wheel, (in lieu of to the cycle frame
as customary,) and in, consequently, lessening the friction on the axle of such
wheel.
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:-
1. The hereinbefore described means of utilizing such part of a cyclist's weight
as, when he is propelling the cycle by ordinary pedal gearing, is supported by
the saddle or seat, as an aid in propelling or in tending to propel the vehicle, and
of affording a yielding seat to the cyclist.
2. In combination, a cycle frame having a road driving wheel and a pedal
crank axle connected by pedal actuated gearing, a saddle adjustably mounted on
a saddle post mounted in one of the frame tubes with facility of endway move-
ment therein with a yielding resistance, a lever pivoted to the cycle frame and
to the saddle post and carrying between such points of connection and also
between the axles of said driving wheels and the pedal cranks a freely running
wheel, a wheel fast to the driving wheel and a wheel loosely mounted on the
crank axle and prevented from backward rotation by a pawl and ratchet, such
two lastly mentioned wheels being connected by a flexible band or chain with
which said freely running wheel carried by the lever is adapted to engage, as
set forth.
3. The described modification in which a duplicate freely running wheel is
adapted to engage with the pedal actuated chain.
CHIS
uay
LOUD.
FREDERIC BARNES,
Day, Davies & Hunt,
Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn, W.C.