Improvements in Cycles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Mar., 1891-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
We, GEORGE ASQUITH, of 88, Lyon Strect, Throstle Overlooker, and
CHARLES FLITCROFT, of 75, Crescent Road, Great Lever, Mechanic, both of
Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in cycles, such as, bicycles and tricycles
on the geared principle known as "Safeties," and has for its object that of increasing
the speed of driving the same without an increase of power. This we accomplish
by means of a sun and planet motion and a clutch, arrangement applied in con-
The clutch
junction with the chain wheel on the crank or other driving shaft.
arrangement is operated by a lever and spring or other equivalents attached to the
back-bone, upright, or other convenient part of the machine. To prevent the chain
slipping off the chain wheels the latter are shrouded, on one or both sides. When
the rider is descending hills the sun and planet motion and the clutch are out of
gear, which allows of the pedals being stopped. To allow of single speed when
ascending inclines the clutch is put in gear with the chain wheel by the lever
arrangement or its equivalent; the sun and planet motion being out of gear. When
travelling on level or even roads a double or increased speed can be attained by
putting the clutch out of gear and the sun and planet motion in gear, the said
increase of speed being effected without an increase in the speed of operating the
pedals. The sun and planet motion can be provided with a cover or casing to
protect the same from dirt, which cover or casing can be constructed with self-
lubricating arrangements, from which the ball or other bearings of the pedal shaft
can be automatically lubricated.
Thn 21st Databer 1800
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
We, GEORGE ASQUITH, of 88, Lyon Street, Throstle Overlooker, and
CHARLES FLITCROFT, of 75, Crescent Road, Great Lever, Mechanic, both of
Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in cycles, such as, bicycles and tricycles
on the geared principle known as "Safeties," and has for its object that of increasing
the speed of driving the same without an increase of power. This we accomplish
by means of a sun and planet motion and a clutch arrangement applied in con-
junction with the chain wheel on the crank or other driving shaft. The clutch
arrangement is operated by a lever and spring or other equivalents attached to the
back-bone, upright, or other convenient part of the machine. To prevent the chain
slipping off the chain wheels the latter are shrouded on one or both sides. When
the rider is descending hills the sun and planet motion and the clutch are out of
gear, which allows of the pedals being stopped. To allow of single speed when
ascending inclines the clutch is put in gear with the chain wheel by the lever
arrangement or its equivalent; the sun and planet motion being out of gear. When
travelling on level or even roads a double or increased speed can be attained by

page_text: putting the clutch out of gear and the sun and planet motion in gear, the said
increase of speed being effected without an increase in the speed of operating the
pedals. The sun and planet motion can be provided with a cover or casing to
protect the same from dirt.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a "Safety-bicycle" on the geared principle with our
improvements applied.
Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of our improvement when geared to
increase the speed of the machine without increasing the speed of the pedals.
Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of Fig. 2 when out of gear to allow the
pedals to be stopped when the machine is travelling.
Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of our improvement when geared to.
give equal speed according to the speed at which the pedals are operated.
Fig. 5 is a plan of lock-bar for securing the operating handle in position
according to the speed desired.
Fig. 6 is a part side elevation of another modification of operating handle with
locking arrangement, and
Fig. 7 is a part section of chain wheels provided with shields or shrouds to prevent
the driving chain slipping therefrom.
In all the figures the same letters are employed to indicate corresponding parts.
A is the crank or pedal shaft: B the pedals; C the fork of the machine; D the
ball-bearings E the chain driving wheel, and F the clutch secured to the pedal
shaft A. The clutch can be formed with the crank or pedal shaft to dispense
with pinning or other means for fastening the same together. To the fork C is
fixed the bevel wheel G with the bracket H secured thereto by means of the set
screws or bolts I. The pedal shaft A is provided with the crosspiece or arms Jon
which are mounted the bevel wheels K gearing with the fixed bevel wheel G. On
the pedal shaft A is mounted the chain driving wheel E. secured to the bevel
wheel L by the sleeve M; the outside of the latter forming a groove in which
operates the end N of the operating handle to slide the bevel wheel L in and out
of gear with the bevel wheels K, also for sliding the teeth P on the chain driving
wheel E in and out of gear with the teeth on the clutch F. The operating
handle O is pivoted to the fork C by the centre R on the end of the bar S attached
to the back-bone T of the machine. To the back-bone T is secured the lock-bar U
with the notches V provided to receive the operating handle O in position according
to the position it is desired to place the chain driving wheel E. The operating
handle O is held in the notches V by the spring W. When operating the handle
to change its position in the notches V it has to be sprung or pulled towards the
rider until the face of the said handle will pass the projections X between each
notch V. To overcome the springing of the operating handle O we provide the
latter with the pivoted handle Y, spring W, and rod Z; the latter being mounted
in the slide bar a secured to the operating handle O as shown in Fig. 6. In this
case the notches V are on the opposite side to those shown in Fig. 5.
To prevent the chain b slipping off the driving chain wheel E and the driven
chain wheel d we provide the said wheels with the shields or shrouds f as shown
in Fig. 7.
The sun and planet motion consisting of the bevel wheels G, K, and L, and the
clutch arrangement applied in conjunction with the chain wheel E forming our
invention operates in the following manner- -When the rider is descending hills
or inclines the operating handle Ŏ is placed in the middle notch V in the lock-
bar U, which slides the bevel wheel L out of gear with the bevel wheels Kas
shown in Fig. 3. When the operating handle O is in the middle notch V the
driving chain wheel is also out of gear with the clutch F as shown in Fig. 3, by
which arrangement the pedals B can be stopped while the machine is travelling,
In case it is desired to travel single speed when ascending hills or inclines the
operating handle O is placed in the inside notch V next to the back-bone T of the

page_text: machine, or otherwise according to the position of the fulcrum of the handle O, by
which the teeth P on the driving chain wheel E slide into contact with and between
the teeth Q on the clutch F as shown in Fig. 4, thus driving the machine at a speed
in proportion to the speed at which the pedals are operated. When travelling on
level or even roads a double or increased speed of the machine can be effected
without increasing the speed of the pedals B by placing the handle O in the outside
notch V. This operation places the bevel wheels G, K. and L, forming the sun and
planet motion, in gear as shown in Fig. 2, and as the bevel wheels K are rotated
round the stationary bevel wheel G, by the action of the pedals B, the wheel L and
the chain driving wheel E are driven at twice the speed at which the pedals B are
rotated, or in other proportions according to the size of the wheels G, K, and L.
To protect the sun and planet motion from dirt we provide the cover / as shown
in Fig. 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In combination with the crank, pedal, or driving shafts and driving wheels of
bicycles and tricycles on the geared principle known as "Safeties" the use of the
sun and planet motion, consisting of the wheels G, K, and L, and the means for
operating the same, for the purpose of increasing the speed of the said cycles
without increasing the speed of the pedals, substantially as described.
2. In combination with the crank, pedal, or driving shafts and the driving wheels.
of bicycles and tricycles on the geared principle known as "Safeties" the use of the
sun and planet motion, consisting of the wheels G, K, and L, and the means for
operating the same, together with the clutch F, for the purpose of driving single
speed, or for allowing the pedals to be stopped when the said cycles are travelling,
substantially as described.
3. Constructing the chain driving wheels of bicycles and tricycles on the geared
principle with the shields or shrouds f to prevent the driving chain slipping
therefrom, substantially as described.
Dated the 20th day of February 1891.
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Agent.