Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1891
Improvements in Velocipedes.
1, CHARLES EDWARD MCGLINCHEY, Machinist, of 294, 22nd Street, Chicago,
Illinois, United States of America, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide a driving gear for velocipedes which
may be operated by cranks and pedals so connected to the driving wheel as to
revolve continuously when the driving wheel is in motion the rider in this case
being able to propel the velocipede forward or to apply a retarding force by "back
pedalling" as he may desire; or by a slight change in the adjustment my invention
provides for the connection of the pedals and cranks to the driving wheel so as to
permit the pedals to remain at rest while the driving wheel revolves a lock or
clutch being provided so that the pedals cannot revolve backward when the last
mentioned adjustment has been made.
I have shown my invention as applied to a bicycle of the safety type and have
arranged the gearing so as to enable the wheels to be brought closer together than
in the ordinary safety, thereby diminishing the length and weight of the frame.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a safety bicycle having my improved gearing
attached.
Figure 2 is a vertical cross section through the axes of the driving wheel showing
a portion of said wheel and of the forks and the attached gearing.
Figures 3 and 4 are face views partly in section of the clutch mechanism the
section of Figure 3 being taken partly on line 3, 3 Figure 2 and of Figure 4 on
line 4, 4 both looking from the left of Figure 2.
A A Figure 1 are the driving cranks having at their outer ends the pedals B B.
To each crank is connected a gear C through a shaft D journalled in the frame E.
The gear C is duplicated, one being upon each side of the driving wheel F but
only one gear shows, as one is immediately behind the other when viewed from the
side of the velocipede. In the remainder of the description only one side of the
gearing will be described, the second side being in all respects a duplicate of
the first. An intermediate gear G connects the gear C to the driving wheel
gear H. The mode of mounting or connecting the last named gear to the driving
wheel appears in Figure 2. The gear H is secured to a sleeve I which is journalled
in the clutch disc secured to the forked end K. The wheel hub L revolves
freely upon the pin M extending through and keyed or otherwise secured to both
sleeves I, I and the inner end of the sleeve I is expanded to form a disc N upon
one side of which is mounted clutch mechanism, a face view of which is shown in
Figure 3. The outer side of the disc N is turned out to form an annular recess.
within which the clutch mechanism which is attached to the clutch disc .J enters.
Both clutch mechanisms are substantially similar to that shown in my. United
States Patent No. 408,845 but differs from it in the details hereinafter described.
Instead of employing a single clutch block O, as in the Patent just referred to,
I employ two clutch blocks OP (Figure 3) mounted upon the inner face of the
disc N and adapted to engage the hub L of the driving wheel. Each of these
blocks is provided with springs Q, R, which keep them in position for engagement
with the hub L and the cam S, so that when both blocks are in operative position
the disc N and its attached gear wheel Hare locked to the wheel hub L, whether
the gear H be driven forward or backward. The clutch incchanism connecting the
disc J secured to the forked end to the disc N is shown in Figure 4. It consists of
a block T and a spring U engaging with a cam V and the annular recess before

page_text: mentioned in the outer side of the disc N so that when in operative position the
disc N and the attached gear H are prevented from revolving backward.
In the block T is inserted a pint which projects through a slot in the disc J.
Upon the disc J is provided a latch W which is adapted to engage with the pin f.
When the latch W is turned to the left, (see Figure 4) it pushes the pint and the
block T back so as to prevent the block from engaging with the cam V and the
'disc N; the latter therefore being able to revolve freely without hinderance from
the clutch mechanism.. Upon the block P Figure 3, is fixed a pin p, with which a
latch X pivoted on disc N'engages so as to throw block P back from its operative
position in the same manner as latch Widisengages the block 'T.
When the rider desires to connect the pedals to the driving wheels-so that he.
can exert.a force upon the driving wheel either forward or backward, both blocks O
and P.are allowed to assume their operative positions, as seen in Figure 3, the
locking block T being thrown out of its operative position by moving the latch W
to the left so as to permit the disc N and gear H to move freely in either direction.
When he desires to permit the driving wheel to revolve while the pedals are held
stationary, he shifts the block P from its operative position by throwing over the
latch X, and to prevent the pedals from revolving backward he allows the block T
to resume its operative position by releasing the latch W. He has thus under his
control two devices, one or the other of which he can use as circumstances may
make most desirable. When on a descending grade or when assisted by the wind
it is advantageous to be able to rest the feet by stopping the pedals while the
machine keeps on its way, as an exertion or force at comparatively long intervals is
sufficient to maintain speed, but when traversing an undulating road, or when for
other reasons it is desirable to have the machine under the best possible control, the
ability to back pedal is desirable. By the use of these devices the rider can adjust
his-machine-to-suit-any-set-of-circumstances he may encounter.
When the adjustment of the driving mechanism is such as to permit the pedals
to stand still they serve in place of a step for mounting.
Although Figure 2 shows a clutch mechanism on each side of the driving wheel,
it is not necessary that there should be more than one, as both driving gears H are.
connected by the piñ Mand, therefore, a clutch may be provided at either side or
both. Greater sureness_of_action_and_a_lessening of strain, however, results from
the employment of two sets of clutches.
Having now, particularly described.and ascertained_the_nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. The combination, in a velocipede, of a clutch connecting the driving wheel
and pedals having two gripping devices, operative in reverse directions and a latch
or stop adapted to release one of said gripping devices, substantially as described.
Second. The combination, in a velocipede, of a clutch connecting the driving
wheel and pedals having two gripping devices, operative in reverse directions, a
latch or stop adapted to release one of said gripping devices, a clutch secured to the
frame of the velocipede and adapted to prevent the backward movement of the
pedals and a latch or stop adapted to release said clutch, substantially as
described.
Third. The combination, in a velocipede, of a pin on which the driving wheel
may revolve; gears secured on each end of said pin; a clutch connecting said
gears and the driving wheel; and gearing on each side of said driving wheel
connecting the pedal crank to the first named gears, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination, in a velocipede, of a driving wheel F revolving freely
on the pin M, and having a hub L provided with an annular recess; a disc N
entering said recess provided with clutch blocks O, P, and cam S; a pin p pro-
jecting from block P; latch X co-acting with pin p; and driving gears H
connected to the clutch discs N and to the driving pedals, substantially as
described...

page_text: Fifth. The combination, in a velocipede, of a driving wheel F revolving freely
on the pin M, and having a hub L provided with an annular recess; a disc N
entering said recess provided with clutch blocks O, P, and cam S; a pin p
projecting from block P; latch X co-acting with pin p; driving gears H con-
nected to the clutch discs N and to the driving pedals; clutch disc J attached to
the fork K, and provided with clutch blocks T and cam V; pin t inserted in
block T and latch W co-acting with pin t, substantially as described.
Dated this ГУБ day of December 1050.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.