Improvements in Driving Gear for Transmitting Rotary Motion.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug,, 1899-Accepted, 18th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Gear for Transmitting Rotary Motion.
I, WILLIAM HENRY MCCORMICK, of New Westminster, British Columbia,
Blacksmith, 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 improvements in driving gear usually applied to
bicycles and other gearing of that class of a light description; and my object
is to reduce the friction at the points of contact by the application of a spur
wheel working against balls designed in their arrangement to form the opposite
engaging teeth on the other wheel, which is the drive wheel, the wheel being
driven or the transmitting wheel. These balls forming the said teeth are arranged
in pairs, and seated in ball-bearings set in oppositely disposed discs, the whole
being secured to a suitable hub or axle.
I attain the above object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying
drawing, in which—
Fig. 1 is a side view showing two wheels, one of which has a part broken
away, embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a section of the same through the centre.
Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the inner side of a part of one of the side plates of
the wheel, having the balls to engage the spur wheel, and,
Fig. 4 is a section of an enlarged detached portion of the wheel having the
balls, taken on the line aa in Fig. 3.
Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The wheel carrying the ball teeth is preferably composed of discs 10 fitting to
a hub 11, and secured together by bolts or rivets 12 arranged at suitable intervals
around the said hub; and this hub is secured to an axle 13 in the usual manner.
Arranged at proper intervals around the inner or facing sides of the discs 10,
near their outer edges and directly opposite each other, are recesses 14. Securely
fixed in these recesses 14 are small discs 15, having annular recesses on their
inner or sides facing each other, and their outer rims are extended outwards towards
each other beyond the inner walls of the discs 10, as 16. Placed in the annular
recesses in these discs 15, and providing a moving or rolling seat, are balls 17,
and seated on these balls 17, and with their outer sides contacting, are larger
balls 18.
As shown in Fig's. 1, 2 and 4, the balls 18 provide the teeth or gears for the
spurs 19 of the wheel 20 to engage with; and, owing to the movable support
of such balls. the friction of the engaging spurs or teeth will be reduced to a
minimum, as, instead of the teeth slipping on each other, as they engage in the
operation of advancing and receding, the balls 18 will roll along each side of
the spur 19, and thus the contact will be smooth and regular.
It is obvious that the construction of the wheel, which is formed by the parts 10,
11, and 12, may be modified. For instance, the hub 11 may be integral with one

page_text: of the discs 10. This, however, would not make any material difference, except
perhaps, in the cost of manufacture.
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-In a driving gear;
in combination, a hub 11 mounted on a
shaft 13. discs 10 integral with the hub and connected together at
intervals by bolts 12, of discs 15, having annular seats therein for the reception
of balls, securely fixed in recesses around the inner sides and near the outer edges
of the discs 10, said annular seats or tracks for the balls being directly opposite
and facing each other, balls 17 in such seats, and balls 18 lying on the balls 17
and contacting with each other, and a spur wheel or wheels 20 designed to
engage the said balls 18 substantially as specified.
2 In a gearing for bicycles and other mechanism of its class, having discs 10
fixed at proper distances apart so that the spurs on an engaging wheel will pass
therebetween, ball sockets or discs 15 fixed round the inner edges of the discs 10.
each having an annular track for balls, balls 17 in such annular track, and large
balls 18 placed on the balls 17 and contacting with each other, whereby the
balls 17 will be held in their positions, and rotatable engaging members will be
provided for the engagement of spurs on a wheel to drive or a wheel driven as
specified.
DA
T
011 1000
WILLIAM G. TRETHEWEY,
Agent.