Improvements in Driving Gear for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th July, 1895-Accepted, 17th Aug.. 1.95
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Gear for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other
Velocipedes.
We EDWARD EITE and ALFRED TODD both of No. 229 Green Lanes
Birmingham in the County of Warwick Mechanical Engineers do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in driving gear
for bicycles tricycles and other velocipedes, whereby the rider without stopping the
vehicle is enabled to work the driving gear so as to change his speed from the
normal to an increased speed or the reverse; and is also enabled to back pedal.
We will describe our improvements in connection with a safety bicycle.
Near each end of the crank axle mounted in the bottom bracket of the bicycle,
In the back
we fix a toothed wheel, the toothed wheels being similar in size.
extension of the bottom bracket we mount a spindle parallel to the crank axle. On
the right hand end of the said spindle, we fix a chain wheel. This spindle is
hereinafter called the chain wheel spindle. The said chain wheel is made
preferably of the same size as the chain wheel on the axle of the driving back
wheel of the bicycle. On the right hand end of the chain wheel spindle, we fix a
pinion which may be thrown into and out of gear with the toothed wheel on the
right hand side of the crank axle as hereinafter explained. Near the left hand end
of the chain wheel spindle we fix a pinion having a greater number of teeth than
the first named pinion, the said left hand pinion being thrown into and out of gear
with the toothed wheel on the left hand side of the crank axle as hereinafter
explained.
The throwing into and out of gear of the pinions referred to is effected in the
following manner. Between the chain wheel spindle and its bearing is a sleeve the
ends of which project beyond the bearing. In this sleeve the said spindle works.
Each end of this sleeve carries a short arm near the end of which is a pin or spindle
on which a pinion works. The short arm on the right projects upwards and the
short arm on the left projects downwards. The end of the right hand arm carries
a pin which engages in a slot in an arm fixed to a spindle parallel to and at a short
distance above the crank axle. The other end of this spindle carries a lever. The
said lever has motion through an angle of about 30 degrees. When the said lever.
is moved so as to raise the slotted arm on its right hand end, the pin on the other
end of the right hand or upper arm of the sleeve, engaged in the slot of the said
slotted arm, is raised; the end of the lower arm on the other end of the sleeve is
thereby moved towards the crank axle and the pinion carried by the said lower
arm is geared with the toothed wheel on the left hand side of the crank axle and
with the pinion on the left hand end of the chain wheel spindle. The motion of
the crank axle is thereby transmitted to the chain wheel spindle by the gearing on
the left hand side of the vehicle. When the lever is moved so as to depress the
slotted arm carried by it, the upper arm on the sleeve is drawn towards the crank
axle and the pinion carried by it is thrown into gear with the toothed wheel on the
right hand side of the crank axle and with the pinion on the right hand side of the
chain wheel spindle. The lower arm on the end of the sleeve is at the same time
moved outwards and its pinion disengaged from the toothed wheel on the left hand
end of the crank axle.

page_text: The motions of the crank axle is now transmitted to the spindle of the chain
wheel through the gearing on the right hand side of the vehicle.
By arranging the ratio of the number of the teeth of the pinions on the ends of
the chain wheel spindle, any required difference in the two rates of speed may be
attained. When the lever is in its middle position the gearing both on the right
and left hand sides of the vehicle is thrown out of action.
The lever described may be connected by light connecting rods to a hand lever
within convenient reach of the rider's hand.
The slot described in which the pin carried by the right hand arm engages is
slightly enlarged at each end so as to retain the pin with a certain amount of
resistance at that end of the-slot to which it may have been brought and the
gearing is thus prevented from accidentally changing its position.
Dated the Twentieth day of October 1894.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants:
Improvements. In Driving, Gear for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other.
Velocipedes:
We, EDWARD EITE and ALFRED TODD both of No...229 Green Lanes,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of our invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
Our invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in driving gear
for bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes, whereby the rider without stopping
the vehicle is enabled to work the driving gear so as to change: his speed from the
normal to an increased speed or the reverse; and is also enabled to back pedal.
We will describe our improvements in connection with a safety bicycle.
Near each end of the crank: axle mounted in the bottom bracket of the bicycle,
we fix a toothed wheel. In the back extension of the bottom bracket we mount a
spindle parallel to the crank axle. On the right hand end of the said spindle we
fix a chain wheel. This spindle is hereinafter called the chain wheel spindle.
The said chain wheel is made preferably of the same size as the chain wheel on the
axle of the driving back wheel of the bicycle. On the right hand end of the chain
wheel spindle, we fix a pinion which may be thrown into and out of gear with the
toothed wheel on the right hand side of the crank axle as hereinafter explained.
Near the left hand end of the chain wheel spindle we fix a pinion having a greater
number of teeth than the first named pinion, the said left hand pinion being thrown
into and out of gear with the toothed wheel on the left hand side of the crank axle
as hereinafter explained.
The throwing into and out of gear of the pinions referred to is effected in the
following manner.
Between the chain wheel spindle and its bearing is a sleeve the ends of which
project beyond the bearing. In this sleeve the said spindle works. Each end of
this sleeve carries a short armn near the end of which is a pin or spindle on which
a pinion works. The short arm on the right projects upwards and the short arm
on the left projects downwards. The end of the right hand arm carries a pin
which engages in a slot in an arm fixed to a spindle parallel to and at a short
distance above the crank axle. The other end of this spindle carries a lever. The
said lever has motion through an angle of about 30 degrees. When the said lever
is moved so as to raise the slotted arm on its right hand end, the pin on the other
end of the right hand or upper arm of the sleeve, engaged in the slot of the said
slotted arm, is raised; the end of the lower arm on the other end of the sleeve is

page_text: thereby moved towards the crank axle and the pinion carried by the said lower
arm is geared with the toothed wheel on the left hand side of the crank axle and
with the pinion on the left hand end of the chain wheel spindle. The motion of
the crank axle is thereby transmitted to the chain wheel spindle by the gearing
on the left hand side of the vehicle. When the lever is moved so as to depress
the slotted arm carried by it, the upper arm on the sleeve is drawn towards the
crank axle and the pinion carried by it is thrown into gear with the toothed
wheel on the right hand side of the crank axle and with the pinion on the right
hand side of the chain wheel spindle. The lower arm on the end of the sleeve is
at the same time moved outwards and its pinion disengaged from the toothed wheel
on the left hand end of the crank axle.
The motion of the crank axle is now transmitted to the spindle of the chain
wheel through the gearing on the right hand side of the vehicle."
The slot described in which the pin carried by the right hand arm engages is
slightly enlarged at each end so as to retain the pin with a certain amount of
resistance at that end of the slot to which it may have been brought and the
gearing is thus prevented from accidentally changing its position.
By arranging the ratio of the numbers of the teeth of the pinions on the ends
of the chain wheel spindle, any required difference in the two rates of speed may
be attained. When the lever is in its middle position the gearing, both on the
right and left hand sides of the vehicle, is thrown out of action. The lever
described may be connected by light connecting rods to a hand lever within
convenient reach of the rider's hand.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in side elevation_a_portion
of the frame of a safety bicycle containing our improved driving gear and Figure 2
represents a plan of the same : Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line a, x
of Figure 2 drawn of the full size, the arrangement of some of the parts in Figure 3
being slightly different from their arrangement in Figures 1 and 2 as will be
hereinafter specifically pointed out.
Figures 4 and 5 represent in side elevation and plan respectively a modification
of our invention.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
We will first describe the arrangement Figures 1 and 2.
We form the bottom bracket of the bicycle frame with two transverse tubular
cases marked respectively A and B. The tubular case A constitutes the bearing
case for the crank axle a as usual and the second case B constitutes a holder for the
sleeve or bearing case b for the spindle c of the chain wheel d. The sleeve (which
is best seen in the modification Figure 3) is capable of a slight angular motion in
its case B for the purpose' hereinafter described. Near the ends of the crank
axle a we fix the toothed wheels e, f the said wheels varying slightly in diameter.
a
We drive the chain wheel d from one or other of the toothed wheels.e, fon
the crank axle a and vary the speed of the velocipede by the following arrange-
ment or combination of parts. On the ends of the chain wheel spindle c we fix
respectively the pinions g, h. On the left hand side of the sleeve b we fix by
means of the clip the arm, and on the right hand end of the sleeve b which
projects slightly beyond the socket or case B, we fix by means of the clip & the
arm. The arm carries two pins marked respectively. On the pin
pinion m is mounted the said pinion always gearing with the pinion on the chain
wheel spindle c.
The pin engages in a slotted extension or arm of the lever l
which turns on the spindle n the bearing of which is brazed to the seat pillar A' a
Jittle above and parallel to the bearing case A of the crank axle a.
It will be seen
by an examination of Figure 1 that the ends of the slot in the slotted arm i? are
cranked in opposite directions for the purpose of retaining the pin at the end of
the slot and preventing its accidental movement. The arm at the other side of
the sleeve b carries a pin p on which is mounted the pinion r always gearing with the
pinion g on the chain wheel spindle c. The ends of the lever are connected by

page_text: the light parallel connecting rods 9. 7 to the two arms of the hand lever s pivoted
to the lug t on the steering socket A of the frame, the handle part of the lever s
being situated within easy reach of the rider's hands.
In the position of the parts represented in Figures 1 and 2, the chain wheel dis
in gear with the larger toothed wheel through the pinion on the chain wheel
spindle c and the pinion m on the arm consequently the gearing is arranged for
driving the bicycle at high speed.
When it is wished, as when ascending a hill, to change the gear so as to drive at
a slower speed but with increased power the hand levers is turned in the direction
of the arrow in Figure 1 by which action the lever is operated and by the action
of the slotted arm on the pin, the arm and the pinion m carried by it are
forced back so that the pinion m is thrown out of gear with the toothed wheel fon
the crank axle a. The turning or forcing back of the arm effects the turning of
the sleeve b to which it is fixed through an angle sufficient to bring the pinion r,
gearing with the pinion g, into gear with the smaller toothed wheel e on the crank
axle a and the bicycle now travels at its slower speed.
By moving the hand levers into its midway position both pinions m and r may
be thrown out of gear with their respective toothed wheels on the crank axle in
which position of the parts the pedals of the cranks C, C may be used as foot rests.
We will now describe the modified arrangement Figure 3.
In this modification the slotted arm is made in one piece with the sleeve b and
is situated at the opposite side of the sleeve to that of the arm Figures 1 and 2.
The pin engages in the slotted arm and the latter is fixed on one end of the
spindle n the other end carrying the operating lever l. Thus, in this modification
the slotted arm 12 and lever are made separate and are situated on opposite
sides of the velocipede. By the change of position of the arm the pinion m
carried by it gears with the pinion g of the chain wheel spindle c and the pinion
carried by the arm gears with the pinion h at the other side of the chain wheel
spindle. In other respects the arrangement Figure 3 is the same as the arrange-
ment Figures 1 and 2 and corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of
reference.
We will now describe the modification of our invention represented in Figures 4
and 5.
In this modification all the driving gear and mechanism connected with it are
arranged on the same side of the bicycle. In order to effect this we employ one
broad toothed wheelf on the crank axle a instead of a toothed wheel at or near
each end, and we fix on the chain wheel spindle ca double pinion h, h³, that is, a
pinion having different diameters, the number of teeth on the outer part 2 of the
said double pinion having a less number of teeth than the inner part . The
pinions m, for gearing respectively with the parts h, h2 of the double pinion are
mounted on pins i, i carried by an arm or lever formed on the end of the sleeve b
and the pin for transmitting the motion of the hand levers and the secondary
operating lever to the sleeve bis also carried by the lever b³. In other respects
the arrangement Figures 4 and 5 and the action of the same are essentially the
same as those of Figures 1, 2 and 3 and we do not consider it necessary further to
describe the same.
Although we have described and represented our invention only in connection
with a safety bicycle we wish it to be understood that it is equally applicable to
tricycles and other velocipedes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we claim
as our invention of "Improvements in driving gear for bicycles, tricycles and other
velocipedes."
First. The construction and arrangements or combinations of parts for transmitting
the motion of the crank axle to the chain wheel spindle, whereby a fast or slow
speed may be imparted to the velocipede at the will of the rider, or the said crank

page_text: axle and chain wheel spindle be thrown out of gear with one another substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying
drawings the said arrangements or combinations of parts consisting essentially of a
toothed wheel at each end of the crank axle and a pinion at each end of the chain
wheel spindle one or other of the said pinions of the chain wheel spindle being
geared to one or other of the toothed wheels of the crank axle by one or other of
two pinions carried respectively by radial arms fixed to a sleeve capable of an
angular motion in a tubular case or bearing forming part of the bottom bracket,
the angular motion of the sleeve being effected by mechanism substantially of the
kind hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Secondly. The modification of the arrangement claimed in Claim 1, hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 in which all the driving gear and
mechanism connected therewith are arranged on one side of the velocipede.
Thirdly. The combination with the pinion carrying sleeve, of the slotted arm and
lever mechanism for giving the required angular motion to the said sleeve whether
the said slotted arm be made in one piece with the lever of the lever mechanism or
made separate from the said lever; the several parts being arranged and working
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
T11005
EDWARD EITE.
ALFRED TODD.