An Improved Means for Lubricating the Chains of Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 18th May, 1895
An Improved Means for Lubricating the Chains of Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
I, FREDERICK JONES, of 76 Wakehurst Road, New Wandsworth, in the
County of Surrey, Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to the lubrication of the chain or chains of bicycles, tricycles,
and other velocipedes, and has for its object effecting a constant lubrication of the
chain whilst running.
Hitherto it has been the practice to lubricate the chain of cycles etc., with oil, black
lead and grease, or other analogous lubricating agent, applied from time to time as
required whilst the machine is practically at a state of rest. This method of
lubrication has been found to be defective, inasmuch as the lubricating agents
usually employed are in a liquid or semi-liquid state and run from the parts that
require lubrication, or become spent; moreover in many cases constituting an
adhesive agent whereby dust and grit are accumulated. This latter evil has
however been partially remedied by the use of a case to enclose the whole of the
chain gear, but having the disadvantage of its weight, and also affording an extra
surface for wind pressure, which is a serious detriment to those cycles intended more
especially for racing purposes, where a minimum of weight and a maximum of
lubrication is essential.
According to my invention I overcome these difficulties and disadvantages by
means of a special lubricator, mounted on any suitable part of the frame or member
of the machine, and arranged so that the under-side of the upper-part of the
endless chain bears and runs over the lubricant, constant contact with the lubricant
being maintained by the slack of the chain.
The lubricator is constructed as follows;-A thin strip of steel, brass, German
silver, or other suitable metal or alloy is bent or shaped to the form of a double,
clip, first, by bending or shaping it at or near its centre for the purpose of,
embracing the frame or member of the machine to which it is intended to mount
the lubricator, and secondly, by bending or shaping back the two free ends to form
jaws, into which is fixed a solid piece of black lead (constituting the lubricant) of a
rectangular, cylindrical, or other convenient shape. The whole being capable of
being clamped and secured to the frame by means of preferably one bolt and nut
or in any other approved and convenient manner.
It will be readily understood that lubricators constructed according to my
invention and mounted in the manner herein described has great advantages over
all existing types of lubricators, inasmuch as the chain receives fresh lubrication
with each revolution, and the black lead as the lubricant could be of the ordinary.
domestic type known as "Nixey's" and requires no special preparation to adapt it
to the clip. One or two could be carried in the wallet or pouch in case of need,
that is, when the lead in the clip has been used or becomes damaged.
I prefer to use the rectangular shaped black lead, but it will be obvious that any
other shape would apply equally as well. As a modification I take a cylindrical
shaped piece of black lead, bored through its centre, and mount it on a spindle on
the clip so that it is free to rotate, thus diminishing any friction that may be found!
to arise through the chain running over it.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1894. :
$

page_text: An Improved Means for Lubricating the Chains of Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
I FREDERICK JONES of 76 Wakehurst Road, New Wandsworth in the
County of Surrey, Electrician, 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 relates to the lubrication of the chains of bicycles, tricycles, and
other velocipedes.
Hitherto it has been the practice for riders to dismount in order to lubricate the
chains of their velocipedes, the lubricant commonly used being blacklead and
grease, or other analogous lubricating agent, which, being in a liquid or semi-liquid
state, readily runs from the parts that require lubrication, or becomes spent.
My object now is to avoid any necessity for the rider to dismount in order to
lubricate his chain, and further, to provide for the efficient employment of a dry
lubricant, which will not, by becoming greasy, soil the men's clothing, or, by
collecting a quantity of grit and dust upon the chain, defeat the ends for which a
lubricant is applied.
According to my invention, I provide an adjustable device or holder for a
lubricant, such as graphite, blacklead, French chalk, or similar dry material,
mounted on any suitable part of the frame or member of the machine, near the
chain, and I so arrange the holder, that the endless chain will run in contact with
the lubricant when the machine is in motion.
In the accompanying drawing,--
Fig. 1 shews my invention applied to the underside of the chain of a bicycle ;
Fig. 2 is an end view, and Fig. 3 a plan of the lubricator, detached.
Fig. 4 shows, in side view, the lubricant holder in a slightly modified form.
a is a metal case or holder containing a block of lubricating material, such as
black lead or French chalk; b is a strip of sheet metal carrying the case a midway
of its length (see Figs. 1, 2, and 3), and formed at its ends into clasps b', which
can be readily secured by bolts c to the framing of the machine, near the driving
chain, in the manner shown.
In the modification shewn at Fig. 4, the clasp 6' is situated at the middle of the
length of the strip b, the ends of which are turned over and rivetted to the
holder a.
The case or holder a may be adjusted, from time to time, by changing the curve
of the strip b thereby raising or lowering the lubricant to a suitable position with
regard to the chain; or its position may be shifted on the framing by merely
loosening the screw bolts of the clasp b¹.
It will be readily understood that lubricators constructed according to my
invention, and mounted in the manner herein described, have great advantages
over all existing types of lubricators, inasmuch as the chain receives fresh lubrican:
with each revolution. The blacklead used as the lubricant can be any ordinary
kind commonly employed for domestic purposes, and requires no special preparation
to adapt it to the clip. One or two pieces of this blacklead could be carried in
the wallet or pouch, to replace a worn out or damaged block, as required.
I prefer to use the rectangular shaped blacklead, but it will be obvious that any
other shape would apply equally as well.
As a modification, I take a cylindrical shaped piece of blacklead or French
chalk, bored longitudinally through its centre, and mount it on a spindle provided
on the clip, so that the blacklead is free to rotate in contact with the chain, thus
diminishing any friction that might be found to arise.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The employment of an adjustable device for holding lubricating material in
contact with the driving chains of velocipedes, in the manner explained with
reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 8th day of January 1895.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.