Improvements in or relating to Driving Gear for Motor Cycles and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Cate of Application, 27th June, 1899- Accepted, 29th July, 1899
WALL LIMI MULTICATIUA
Improvements in or relating to Driving Gear for Motor Cycles
and the like.
Communicated by ATELIERS DE CONSTRUCTIONS MECANIQUES ci-devant Ducoм-
MUN, of Franklin Strasse, Mülhausen, Alsace, in the Empire of Germany,
Machinery Builders.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, 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:-
In motor cycles and the like has hitherto been necessary in order to propel
the machine forward with the motor alone, or with the pedals alone, or with
both arrangements simultaneously, to employ a suitable coupling device either
on the pedal axle, or the back wheel axle, which arrangement in turn necessi-
tated the employment of suitable rods and lever mechanism to enable the
coupling to be thrown into action, for instance, whilst the bicycle was running.
These arrangements. require however not merely a complete re-construction
of the pedal axle and the back wheel hub as the case may be, but also of the
bicycle frame which is very inconvenient and expensive, more particularly in
the case where an already existing bicycle is to be fitted with a motor, that is
to say, is to be converted into a motor cycle.
This invention has for its object an automatic coupling for such cycles as are
to be converted into motor cycles, the said coupling being capable of being
arranged on any existing bicycle, without re-constructing the frame or the hub
of the back wheel.
By the use of this coupling, the cycle may be driven either with the motor
alone, or with the pedal gear, or with both simultaneously, without the assistance
of any fixing or setting mechanism.
Such a motor cycle is shown in the accompanying drawings,
Figure
and
being a side elevation of the coupling device connected to a bicycle
Figure 2 a view on an enlarged scale of the arrangement of the improved
coupling.
The coupling consists of a hub a on which a chain wheel, cord pulley, or other
disc, c, is revolubly mounted, said wheel being provided on its periphery with
a flange or rim b. One or more eccentric brake blocks d are pivotally arranged
in the hub, which are pressed against the inner periphery of the flange b by
means of springs f in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the
chain wheel, so that the said brake blocks act between the parts ab like an
inserted wedge.
Thus if the hub be revolved to the left, the blocks d are firmly wedged against

page_text: the flange and carry the chain wheel c with them, so that if the hub be
mounted on the pedal axle g, the back wheel is set in rotation by the interme-
diary of the ordinary chain h and the cycle is propelled forwards. If however
the motor alone be caused to work, or to work in conjunction with the pedals,
and in the latter case its speed be greater than that of the pedal gearing, the
flange slips on the brake blocks and thus the pedals may be brought to a stand-
still. Of course this coupling may also be located on the back wheel, the hub a
in this case being connected with said back wheel hub.
In order however that the motor may be eventually thrown out of action
automatically in case the pedals alone are to be used, a similar coupling may
also be arranged at the point on the motor shaft, so that then only the chain
wheel, cord pulley or the like runs loosely on said motor shaft.
By this arrangement the work of the motor may be assisted at any moment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is: -
A driving gear for motor cycles and the like, consisting of a hub (a) fixed on
the pedal axle or the back wheel hub, said hub (a) being provided with one or more
brake-blocks (d) acting under spring pressure, and which bear against a flange
or edge (b) of the chain wheel which is loosely mounted on said hub (a), so long
as the latter has a driving action on the chain wheel, but which slip on said
flange when the chain wheel is operated by other means, and when the speed
of rotation of the same is greater than that of the hub (a), the whole with the
object of enabling the pedal gear alone or the motor gear alone, or both simul-
taneously to be used without separate disconnecting or disengaging mechanisms,
substantially as herein before described and shown on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 26th day of June 1899.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.