Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Cycles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Cycles.
I, JOHANNES THEODOR PEDERSEN, residing at the corner of Second Street and
Woodside Avenue, Woodside, in the County of Queens and State of New York,
United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In Letters Patent No. 12271 dated May 18th 1897, granted to me in Great
Britain, a driving mechanism for cycles is represented with a gear wheel engaging
a pinion and actuated by a slotted swinging lever and crank pin on the gear
and a device of this character is provided at each side of the machine.
In the present invention, the mechanism is simplified by providing the geating
at one side of the cycle and connecting the pedals or cranks so as to act upon
slotted swinging levers at opposite sides of the gear, and when desired, gears of
two different sizes are made use of and sliding pinions on the driving shaft to
engage one or the other of the gears and thereby vary the relative speeds.
In carrying out this invention, the frame at one side of the machine is so
constructed or an addition made thereto as to receive in it ball bearings within
which is a tubular screw receiving around it and near its opposite ends the collars.
of the ball bearings and the tubular screw is notched across its ends to receive
projections upon the devices that carry the crank pins. Where two gear wheels
are used, the crank pins are upon these gear wheels at 180° apart, and where one
gear wheel and a crank is made use of, the crank pins are in similar positions
and the gear wheels or the gear wheel and a crank are fastened together by a
screw or bolt entering into or passing through the tubular screw; thereby these
parts are rigidly connected and are free to be turned. The slotted levers are
pivotted at one end and the crank pins with rollers are within the slots and
connecting rods give motion to these slotted levers, the position of the parts being
such that the propelling power is applied through more than 180° so that there
are no dead centres. The pinion that is driven by the gear is upon the shaft of
the cycle wheel, and when two gears of different sizes are employed, the pinions
also are of different sizes to act with the gear wheels in giving different speeds
and the pinions are fitted to slide upon feathers upon the hub of the driving
wheel, and a shaft and arm with a pin entering a groove adjacent to the pinions
and a lever at the upper end are made use of to shift the pinions and change the
speed, and a notched segment and spring stop are employed for holding the
handle in either of the positions required.
The connecting rods that give motion to the slotted levers are actuated by any
suitable device, such as the rising and falling pedals shewn in my said patent, and
short crank arms therewith connected and receiving the connecting rods, the pedal
on one side having a cylinder passing through the crank shaft barrel and receiving
the arm on the other side or preferably revolving cranks are made use of with
segmental pinions acting upon gear segments to which the connecting rods are
pivotted. The segments are adjacent to each other, and in consequence of the

page_text: slotted levers acting for more than 180°, the segmental gears are moving in the
same direction near the ends of their strokes, and hence one segmental pinion
engages one of the segmental wheels before the other segmental pinion separates
from its segmental wheel, whereby there is no concussion of the teeth one on
the other, and a continuous rotation given by the pedals to the crank shaft is
converted into a reciprocating motion by the connecting rods with a uniformity
of movement and without concussion or noise, and in consequence of the con-
necting rods receiving an endwise movement with but little rising and falling
motion, the slotted levers and gearing can be enclosed in a case that will exclude
dust and mud so that the parts will be durable and not liable to injury or wear.
I also provide for varying the leverage of the slotted levers on the gear-wheel
and crank by making the crank pins movable and controlling their positions by
cam slots that are eccentric to the shaft of the gear-wheel and crank.
Dated this 11th day of Mar 1898
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Cycles.
I, JOHANNES THEODOR PEDERSEN, residing at the corner of Second Street and
Woodside Avenue, Woodside, in the County of Queens and State of New York,
United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 Letters Patent No. 12271 dated May 18th, 1897, granted to me in Great
Britain, a driving mechanism for cycles is represented with a gear wheel engaging
a pinion and actuated by a slotted swinging lever and crank pin on the gear
and a device of this character is provided at each side of the machine.
In the present invention, the mechanism is simplified by providing the gearing
at one side of the cycle and connecting the pedals or cranks so as to act upon
slotted swinging levers at opposite sides of the gear, and when desired, gears of
two different sizes are made use of and sliding pinions on the driving shaft to
engage one or the other of the gears and thereby vary the relative speeds.
In carrying out this invention, the frame at one side of the machine is so
constructed or an addition made thereto as to receive in it ball bearings within
which is a tubular screw receiving around it and near its opposite ends the collars
of the ball bearings and the tubular screw is notched across its ends to receive
projections upon the devices that carry the crank pins. Where two gear wheels
are used, the crank pins are upon these gear wheels at 180° apart, and where one
gear wheel and a crank is made use of, the crank pins are in similar positions
and the gear wheels or the gear wheel and a crank are fastened together by a
screw or bolt entering into or passing through the tubular screw; thereby these
parts are rigidly connected and are free to be turned. The slotted levers are
pivoted at one end and the crank pins with rollers are within the slots and
connecting rods give motion to these slotted levers, the position of the parts being
such that the propelling power is applied through more than 180° so that there
are no dead centres. The pinion that is driven by the gear is upon the shaft of
the cycle wheel, and when two gears of different sizes are employed, the pinions
also are of different sizes to act with the gear wheels in giving different speeds
and the pinions are fitted to slide upon feathers upon the hub of the driving

page_text: wheel, and a shaft and arm with a pin entering a groove adjacent to the pinions
and a lever at the upper end are made use of to shift the pinions and change the
speed, and a notched segment and spring stop are employed for holding the
handle in either of the positions required.
The connecting rods that give motion to the slotted levers are actuated by any
suitable device, such as the rising and falling pedals shown in my said patent, and
short crank arms therewith connected and receiving the connecting rods, the pedal
on one side having a cylinder passing through the crank shaft barrel and receiving
the arm on the other side, or preferably revolving cranks are made use of with
segmental pinions acting upon gear segments to which the connecting rods are
pivoted. The segments are adjacent to each other, and in consequence of the.
slotted levers acting for more than 180°, the segmental gears are moving in the
same direction near the ends of their strokes, and hence one segmental pinion
engages one of the segmental wheels before the other segmental pinion separates
from its segmental wheel, whereby there is no concussion of the teeth one on
the other, and a continuous rotation given by the pedals to the crank shaft is
converted into a reciprocating motion by the connecting rods with a uniformity
of movement and without concussion or noise, and in consequence of the con-
necting rods receiving an endwise movement and with but little rising and falling
motion, the slotted levers and gearing can be enclosed in a case that will exclude
dust and mud so that the parts will be durable and not liable to injury or wear.
I also provide for varying the leverage of the slotted levers on the gear wheel
and crank by making the crank pins movable and controlling their position by
cam slots that are eccentric to the shaft of the gear wheel and crank.
In the drawing, Figure 1 indicates the general shape of the cycle frame.
Fig. 2 shows one bar of the back fork. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view in larger
size representing the gearing and supporting shaft. Fig. 4 is an end view of
the tubular screw and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 6 repre-
sents the handle for shifting the pinions. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic elevation
showing the slotted swinging levers and their connections for the gears. Fig. 8
is a plan view illustrating one gear wheel and its pinion and a crank in place of
the second gear. Fig. 9 is a sectional view in larger size of the gear and crank
and the ball-bearings supporting the same. Fig. 10 is a plan view partially in
section representing the two gears of different sizes and the connections for
revolving the same. Fig. 11 is an elevation in larger size of the two gears and
pinions and the slotted levers, one of the pinions being partially removed to show
the smaller pinion. Fig. 12 is an elevation of one of the slotted levers, crank
pin and eccentrically placed circular guide for the crank pin. Fig. 13 is a hori-
zontal section at a, a, Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a side elevation, and Fig. 15 is a
diagrammatic plan view illustrating the present improvement with cranks and
sectional pinions for giving motion to sectional gears that move the slotted
levers and their cranks.
The frame is composed of bars or tubes as usual, except as hereafter mentioned,
the tube A being adapted to the reception of the saddle post, the tubes or bars A¹
forming the back fork at the sides of the rear or driving wheel B of the cycle and
F is the bearing for the foot lever shaft.
The back axle L is secured in the frame in any usual manner, the plates E E
being represented for this purpose as connected to the bars or tubes of the frame,
and the hub 13 of the back wheel is adapted to receive the pinion by which the
wheel is driven, and the ball bearings of the back axle may be of any desired
character, they, however, are not represented in the drawing.
Upon one of the side bars or tubes A' is a projection A, preferably extending
upward and receiving the pivot-pin 6 of the slotted levers G G¹, and these act
upon the crank pins and rollers 7 to give motion to the gear wheel H and by the
same rotate the pinion I upon the hub 13 of the cycle wheel.
The parts before enumerated are approximately similar to those in my aforesaid
patent, but in consequence of the connecting rods 24 25 being at the same side of

page_text: the wheel B and the slotted levers G G also being at the same side of the
wheel B, it is necessary to support the axis of the gear wheel H upon the side
bar A beneath the pivot projection A2 in such a manner that the slotted
levers G G will both act in giving rotation to the wheel H; and with this object
in view, a ball bearing 9 is provided at an opening in the side bar A', such ball
bearing being composed of two annular ball-ways inserted from opposite sides,
and the shaft or axle connecting the gear wheel H and the crank arm H', Figs. 7,
8 and 9, or the gear H², Figs. 3 and 10, are formed as next described.
The annular flanged collars 10 and 11 are connected together by a tubular
screw 8, and this can be screwed up more or less to take the bearing upon the
balls and in addition to the screw 8 being tubular, it is notched crosswise at
its ends, and the wheel H has a transverse projection 5 on its hub fitting into the
cross notch in one end of the tubular screw 8, and the crank H¹
or gear H2 has a similar projection 4 extending into the cross notch
in the other end of this tubular screw, and the parts are
to be put
together so that the crank pins and rollers 7 are at 180° apart; and in consc-
quence of the tubular screw 8 being sufficiently strong, it is not possible for the
crank pins or rollers to change their relative positions, and in order to hold the
parts together, the bolt 3 is passed through the central opening in the gear
wheel H, the tubular screw and the gear wheel-H2 or crank arm H¹, and a nut 2
secures the parts from becoming separated; and I remark that the nut and head
of the bolt should be countersunk as represented, and a pin provided passing
through the head of the bolt to prevent the same turning or the nut loosening.
I have represented the flanges of the collars 10 and 11 as notched on their edges
so that they can be screwed up to compensate wear in the ball bearings, and any
suitable set screws may be provided to prevent these collars turning and loosening
the ball bearings.
By the aforesaid construction, the parts that carry the crank pins and rollers
are reliably connected together and supported by the ball bearings so as to revolve
freely and without liability to become loose under the action of the cranks.
The connecting rods 24 and 25 are pivoted at 22 23 upon the respective slotted
levers G G¹, and these connecting rods 24 and 25 receive their motion in any
suitable manner, preferably as hereafter described; and by swinging the slotted
levers G G¹, the crank pins and rollers 7 are acted upon to turn the wheel H in
either direction and the power is exerted during more than half of the rotation
of the wheel in consequence of the levers G G swinging upon one pivot and
hence acting through more than 180° of the revolution of the wheel H.
Where only one gear wheel H is made use of and one pinion I is employed, as
in Fig. 8, this pinion I is fastened upon the hub 13 of the wheel B, and the crank
arm His made use of, but where a change gear is required, the gear H2 is sub-
stituted for the crank arm H¹, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 10 and 11, and the gear H2
is of a different size to the gear H and a second pinion l' is made use of, the
pinions I and I¹ being connected so as to be moved longitudinally upon the hub
of the wheel.
In Fig. 3, the pinion I is shown as with a tubular sleeve or hub, screw threaded
upon the outside and upon which the pinion I is screwed and the lock nut 14
holds the parts together, and the keys or feathers 15 upon the hub 13 fit the key
seats in the hub of the pinions, so that the parts can be slipped along upon the
hub to cause the pinion I¹ to engage the gear H2 or the pinion I to engage the
gear H, and I prefer to make the teeth of the gears and pinions rounding near
their outer ends so that the teeth will either interlock or separate without injury.
The tubular hub of the pinion I is formed with a peripheral groove 16 receiving
a pin on the swinging arm 0, and this arm is upon a shaft or rod P at the upper
end of which is a handle P¹ by which the shaft can be turned, and the pinions
slipped along upon the wheel hub so as to vary the speed by engaging H and I
or H and I; and I remark that the size of the gears and pinions are to be
regulated according to the relative speeds desired.

page_text: To hold the pinions in either of the positions desired, a spring stop 17 in the
handle P¹ is used to engage the notched segment 18, so that when the parts are
in the position shown in Fig. 6, both pinions I and I will be disengaged from the
gear wheels, and when the handle is turned in one direction, the pinion 11
engages the wheel H², and when swung in the other direction, the pinion I
engages the gear H; thus allowing the rider to vary the relative speeds of the
gearing while the cycle is being ridden.
It will be noticed that the connecting rods 24 and 25 move substantially hori-
zontally, and there is but little rising and falling motion, hence a case of sheet
metal or other suitable material made in two parts and indicated by dotted lines
in Fig. 11 can be applied to the cycle to entirely enclose the gearing, there
being openings for the passage of such connecting rods 24 and 25.
It is not necessary that the portion A2 of the frame A¹ receiving and support-
ing the shaft or axle of the gear wheel H should be integral with said frame as
the supports for the ball-ways and pivots may be clamped upon the frame,
as seen in the detached view, Fig. 2, as this is a convenient way of applying this
improvement to an old wheel.
It is most convenient to use the tubular screw S because the notches in the ends
can be cut with facility and two bolts entered from opposite ends into the tubular
screw may take the place of one bolt, the tubular screw being internally threaded;
and I do not limit myself to the screw with end notches being tubular, it only
being necessary to bolt the parts together.
The cranks C C are upon the crank shaft 27 supported in suitable bearings,
preferably provided with anti-friction balls as usual, but these, however, are
not shown in the drawing.
Upon the crank shaft 27 are the sectional pinions and s, Figs. 14 and 15,
and the sectional gears t and are pivoted at and the ends of the connecting
rods 24 and 25 are pivoted or jointed to these sectional gears t and u and the
number of teeth made use of and the positions of the parts are such, that when
the sectional pinion r engages the sectional gear t, the teeth remain in engagement
during half of the revolution of the crank shaft 27, and then the teeth of the
sectional pinion s engage the teeth of the sectional gear u during the other half
of the rotation of the crank shaft, the pivots and connections, however, are
arranged substantially as shown in Figs. 14 and 15, wherein the teeth of the
teeth of the sectional
pinion are represented as engaging the end
gear t, just before separating, the crank shaft being rotated in the
direction of the arrow, and the teeth of the sectional pinions are also shown as
in engagement with the teeth at the front end of the sectional gear u ready to
give to such sectional gear u and the parts connected therewith, the motion
resulting from a half revolution of the crank shaft; and it will be observed that
in consequence of the wheel H and axis 3, Fig. 14, moving in the direction of the
arrow thereon, the joint 23 is moving in the direction of the dotted arrow thereon,
and the joint 22 is also moving in the same direction, thereby both the sectional
gears are moving in the same direction as the sectional pinions upon the
crank shaft, and the movement of the joint 23 in this direction ceases as soon as
the last tooth of the sectional pinion r separates from the sectional gear t so that
the latter may have its return motion during the half rotation of the crank shaft,
and during this time, the gear is in action, and when the positions are reversed,
the advancing tooth of the sectional pinion r engages the end of the sectional
gear before the teeth of the sectional gear i separate from the teeth of the
sectional pinion's, and at this time, the positions of the slotted levers G and G¹
being the reverse of that represented in Fig. 14, the teeth at the ends of the
sectional gears t and u will be moving in the same direction a the teeth of the
sectional pinions and s of the crank shaft, and the teeth of the sectional pinion r
will engage the teeth of the sectional gear to continue the motion, as the teeth
of s separate from u and the latter commences its return movement; hence, by
this improvement, a continuous rotary motion is transmitted into a reciprocating

page_text: motion, and the teeth of the gears are not liable to concussion or unusual wear,
because the strain is gradually transferred from one sectional gear to the other
sectional gear while such sectional gears are moving in the same direction as
the teeth of the sectional pinions.
It is to be understood that the crank shaft 27, Figs. 14 and 15, passes through
the bracket F which is to be of any usual character, and that the cranks and crank
shaft are to be revolved; but in Fig. 10, the crank or foot-lever C is to be con-
nected by a tube passing through the bracket with the arm f to which the
rod 24 is connected, and that the crank or foot-lever C is to be upon a shaft c
within the tubular shaft aforesaid and connected to the arm & to which the rod 25
is connected, so that in this instance the foot-levers C C are to be depressed
alternately instead of being revolved as cranks.
It is sometimes advantageous to vary the leverage of the crank pins or rollers 7
upon the gear wheel H and the crank H, Fig. 8, or upon the second gear H2,
Fig. 10, and with this object in view, the parts can be made as represented in
Figs. 12 and 13, with the end of the crank pin 7 in a radial slot in the crank H¹
and passing into a cam-groove H that is eccentric and fastened rigidly upon the
frame A¹, hence the crank-pin 7 will be further from the center of the shaft 3
at one point of the revolution, and thereby exert a greater leverage, and at another
point it will be nearer to the shaft 3 and exert a less leverage, and by properly
placing the parts, the leverage action can be unified for the greatest power to be
operative while the foot is descending in moving the cranks or foot levers.
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:
First The combination with the gear wheel H and a pinion upon the hub of
the cycle wheel, of the slotted levers G and G¹, the pivot stud supported by the
frame and upon the ends of which such levers G and G swing, a
shaft or axle for the gear wheel H passing through the frame of the machine,
crank pins and rollers at opposite sides of the shaft and acted upon by the slotted
levers and connecting rods and mechanism for moving such slotted levers, substan-
tially as set forth.
Second: The combination with the gear wheel H and a pinion upon the hub
of the cycle wheel, of the slotted levers G and G¹, the pivot stud supported by
the frame and upon the ends of which such levers G and G¹ swing, a shaft or
axle for the gear wheel H passing through the frame of the machine, crank pins
and rollers at opposite sides of the shaft and acted upon by the slotted levers and
connecting rods, and mechanism for moving such slotted levers, and ball bearings
in the frame for the shaft of the wheel H, substantially as set forth.
Third: The combination with the cycle frame having an opening receiving
the annular ball-ways from opposite sides, of a tubular screw notched at the ends,
the flanged collars of the ball bearings surrounding the tubular screw, a gear
wheel having a hub with projections fitting the tubular screw at one end and
a similar hub with projections fitting the tubular screw at the other end, and
a bolt passing through the respective parts and holding them together, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Fourth: The combination in a cycle with the frame, of two gears and a con-
necting shaft passing through a ball-bearing in the frame, two pinions of different
sizes connected together and sliding upon the hub of a cycle wheel, and engaging
either one or the other of the gears, and mechanism for sliding said two pinions,
substantially as set forth.
Fifth The combination in a cycle with the frame, of two gears and a connect-
ing shaft passing through a ball-bearing in the frame, two pinions of different sizes
connected together and sliding upon the hub of a cycle wheel, and engaging either
one or the other of the gears, an arm and pin engaging an annular groove on the
hub of the pinions, a shaft and handle for moving the pinions and a spring stop

page_text: and a notched segment for holding the pinions in either of the required positions,
substantially as set forth.
Sixth: The combination in a cycle, of a pinion upon the hub of the driving
wheel, a gear wheel for giving motion to the pinion, a crank pin and roller upon
the gear wheel, a second crank pin and roller connected with the shaft of the gear
wheel and at the opposite side of the supporting frame, a pivot and slotted levers
for acting upon the crank pins and rollers, connecting rods for the levers and foot
levers for acting upon the connecting rods, substantially as set forth.
Seventh: The combination in a cycle, of a pinion upon the hub of the driving
wheel, a gear wheel for giving motion to the pinion, a crank pin and roller upon
the gear wheel, a second crank pin and roller connected with the shaft of the gear
wheel and at the opposite side of the supporting frame, a pivot and slotted levers
for acting upon the crank pins and rollers, connecting rods for the levers, foot
levers, a tubular shaft to one of the levers and a shaft to the other lever passing
within the tubular shaft and arms upon the respective shafts to which the con-
necting rods are pivoted, and bearings for the foot lever shafts, substantially as
set forth.
:
Eighth The combination with the cycle frame having an opening receiving
the annular ball-ways from opposite sides, of a screw notched at the ends, the
flanged collars of the ball-bearings surrounding the screw, a gear wheel having
a hub with projections fitting the screw at one end and a similar hub with pro-
jections fitting the screw at the other end, and a bolt or screw for holding them
together, substantially as set forth.
Ninth: The combination with the rotating shaft and sectional pinions, each
extending half way around the shaft, of sectional gears engaging the pinions, a
shaft, cranks and levers, and connections between the levers and the sectional
gears, the pivots of the levers being located with reference to the cranks so that
one lever commences a reverse movement before the other, in order that the
sectional gears may both be swinging in the same direction near the ends of their
movements, and one sectional pinion is in engagement with one of the sectional
gears before the teeth of the other sectional gear separate from the other
sectional pinion, substantially as set forth.
Tenth The combination with a rotating shaft and sectional pinions each
extending half way around the shaft, of sectional gears engaging the pinions, and
swinging levers and connections for giving a rotary movement, whereby the
sectional gears at the ends of their swinging movements are both moving in the
same direction as the sectional pinions, and one engages the teeth thereof before
the teeth of the other separate, substantially as specified.
Eleventh The stationary cam groove receiving the end of the crank pin and
the crank with a slot through which the pin passes, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13,
so as to vary the leverage, as set forth.
D
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Arrents for the Applicant.