IMPROVEMENTS IN ORTAINING AND ADDIVING. MOTIVE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry James Grout, of Watson Street, South
Hornsey, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and Bicycle Manufacturer,
for an Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN ORTAINING AND ADDIVING. MOTIVE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry James
Grout at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th February
1881.
WILLIAM HENRY JAMES GROUT, of Watson Street, South Hornsey, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer and Bicycle Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER TO VELOCIPEDES, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR."
The object of this Invention is to provide means and apparatus whereby the
difficulties experienced in propelling velocipedes up steep inclines, and on heavy
roads, or against a strong wind, may be overcome, and steep hills mounted with
case and descended without danger.
To carry out my Invention. attach to the driving wheel or wheels, or to the
foot cranks or other suitable part, sets of toothed wheels, made generally in pairs
and fixed together or cast in one piece, their diameter being of different sizes.
Sometimes use a single set of wheels as auxiliary to the others to drive an extra
wheel when double sets are not used on both driving wheels. I gear or connect
these wheels together by an intermediate wheel or wheels, carried on a crank or
eccentric and moving in a coarse-pitched screw slot made on the lower end of a
lever. The upper end of the lever is fitted with a bell crank, which is joined by
a rod to the lower part of the lever before described. This lever is moved on a
stud working in a slot or hole made in the lever and held by a bracket on the
frame of the machine, and kept in its place by a spring and pawl resting on the
segment plate hereinafter described.
When the machine is in motion the driving wheel or wheels generally run at the
same rate as the foot crank where the wheels are large, but when small driving

page_text: wheels are used (which I prefer for the use of ladies), their speed may be a little
faster than the foot cranks.
When the roads are heavy or when running against the wind, and more
particularly when hills have to be ascended, I shift my driving gear and so reduce
the speed greatly, so that the foot cranks turn about twice, more or less, to a single
revolution of the driving wheel or wheels. By doing this I obtain a greatly
-increased driving power, sufficient to ascend steep hills with greater ease than at
present and to descend without a brake. I can also put either or both wheels out
of gear, so that one or both may run loose on their axles for turning round corners
or running in circles. To make the movements simple in working I fix segments
to the lever and frame of the machine with points marked thereon for each
operation, such as "speed," "power," "in," "out," To either of these points I can
change instantly and without stopping the machine.
When two driving wheels are running on one axle one double set of gear only
is required.
The above description applies to machines making more than one track, but the
principle may be modified to suit the ordinary bicycle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Henry James Grout in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st July 1881.
WILLIAM HENRY JAMES GROUT, of Watson Street, South Hornsey, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer and Bicycle Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER TO VELOCIPEDES, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR."
The object of this Invention is to provide means and apparatus whereby the
difficulties experienced in propelling velocipedes up steep inclines and on heavy
roads, or against a strong wind, may be more or less overcome, and steep hills
mounted with comparative ease and descended with less danger.
To carry out my Invention (as applied to a tricycle) I attach to the driving
wheel or wheels, or to the footcranks or other suitable part, sets of bevel toothed
wheels, made generally in pairs and fixed together or cast in one piece, their
diameters being of different sizes. Sometimes I use a small set of wheels as
auxiliary to the others to drive an extra wheel when double sets are not used on
both driving wheels.
I gear or connect these wheels together by an intermediate wheel or wheels,
carried by a spindle on which they slide and moved by a forked lever with its pin
fitted with a roller moving in a double-pitched cam-slot made in a bell crank lever
by means of a forked rod actuating the said spindle. This lever is moved on a
stud working in a slot or hole made in the lever and held by a bracket on the

page_text: frame of the machine, and kept in its place by a spring and pawl resting on the
segment plate hereinafter described.
When the machine is in motion the driving wheel or wheels run at the same rate
as the foot cranks where the wheels are large, but when small driving wheels are
used (which I prefer for the use of ladies) their speed may be a little faster than
that of the foot cranks.
When the roads are heavy or when running against the wind, and more particularly
when hills have to be ascended, I shift my driving-gear and so reduce the speed
greatly, so that the foot cranks turn about twice, more or less, to a single revolution
of the driving wheel or wheels. By doing this I obtain greatly increased driving
power sufficient to ascend steep hills with greater ease than hitherto, and to descend
without a brake. I can also put either or both wheels out of gear, so that one
or both may run loose on their axles for turning round corners or running in
circles.
To make the movements simple in working I fix a segment plate or plates to the
lever or frame of the machine with points marked thereon for each operation, such
as "speed," "power," "in," "out," or I may merely mark them with figures or
letters. To either of these points I can change instantly and without stopping the
machine.
When two driving wheels are running on one axle, one double set of gear only
is required.
The above description applies to certain bicycles (otherwise known as dicycles)
making more than one track as well as to tricycles, but the principle may be
modified to suit the ordinary bicycle, the bracket carrying the apparatus being
bolted to the front fork and the minor details altered accordingly.
And in order more clearly to illustrate the best possible manner of performing
my said Invention, I have annexed the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in
which,
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a tricyclo constructed according to my
Invention, some of the spokes and other parts being removed in order not to
complicate the Drawing unnecessarily..
Fig. 2, a side view of my gearing.
Fig. 3 an end view of same.
Fig. 4, a section of the sliding bevels, feather, and shaft.
Fig. 5, a vertical section through x, y.
Fig. 6, a plan of forked lever.
Figs. 7 and 8, a side and end view of bracket on the lower end of the forks.
Figs. 9 and 10, a side and end view of upper bracket.
As shown, A. is one of the main forks of the framing. At its lower end is carried
a bracket B forming a double bearing. A. side and end view of this bracket is
shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Its upper end forms a bearing for the bevel pinion C, and
its lower end a bearing for the horizontal bevels D, E, usually cast together. The
pinion C moves on or with a feather F (Figs. 4 and 5) on which the bevil pinion
wheel G is also mounted; through this feather slides the rod H. Clutches
or slotted pulleys I, J, are mounted on this feather. To clutch I is connected the
fork R of lever K (shown in Fig. 6) and to clutch J the fork R¹ of lever L; these
levers pivot on pins M, N, fixed to bracket O. To the lower end of L is attached
a bell crank P in which is made a double-pitched cam-slot Q, and in which works a
friction roller Q¹ carried by a pin on end of lever K, so that when the bell crank
is moved it shall (when the pin and roller are passed the straight part of the
cam-slot, where they move but slowly) impart a sudden movement to the lever K
and quickly move the bevel pinion G, bringing it in gear with bevel wheel D.
This bell crank is moved by a bell-crank-lever S connected to a handle T carrying
a pawl U operated by a spring V, and moving in notches in segment plate W
attached to the frame. On rod H is carried the bevel pinion wheel X driving the
bevel wheel Y attached to the hub of the driving wheel Z.
Figs. 9 and 10 show the upper bracket carrying the axle, and below the diagonal

page_text: spindle H operating the gear. If the handle T be moved to the 2nd notch (marked
"out") the bevel pinions C, G, are drawn out of gear with wheels D and E and the
machine can be run down-hill, the pedals not revolving.
To increase or decrease the speed and apply decreased or increased power, the
handle can be moved to the first or third notches (marked "speed" and "
power")
in the segment-plate (as shown it is geared for "power") moving the bevel pinions
into gear with the desired bevel wheels, as before described.
It is obvious that the details of my Invention are capable of considerable
modification without departing from the principle thereof.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim
is,―
Firstly. The method of obtaining and applying motive power to velocipedes by
the use of differential bevel wheels connected or geared together with moveable
bevel pinions, so that the speed may be decreased and proportionately greater
propelling power obtained, or vice versa, and without stoppage of the machine.
Secondly. In combination with the. bevil wheels of unequal diameters carried
by or from the foot cranks, the sliding bevel pinions, as and for the purposes
described.
Thirdly. In combination with the sliding bevel pinions carried on the rod H,
the forked levers K, L, operated cam slot Q, and bell-crank P, substantially as
described.
Fourthly. In velocipedes the combination with the lever or handle T, the pawl U
locking in the segment plate W, to prevent the pinions slipping, substantially as
described.
Fifthly. The general arrangement and combination of apparatus; substantially as
and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry James Grout, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
F. DES VOEUX,
Patent Office,
32, Southampton Buildings,
London,
W:C.
W. H. J. GROUT. (L.S.)