Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Bicycles and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Apr., 1895-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Bicycles and the like.
I, JACOB WEIL of 91 Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, in the County of
London, School Attendance Officer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to driving gear of the kind in which a sprocket or
chain wheel worked from a shaft or spindle that carries the pedals transmits
motion through an endless chain to the driving wheel or wheels of the vehicle. I
mount the sprocket wheel freely on the pedal shaft and provide it with a laterally
projecting ring or rim to which is attached one end of a helical spring whose other
end is attached to a loose collar which is mounted on the pedal shaft in such a
manner as to be free to rotate independently thereof in one direction but so
nevertheless that it will be driven by the shaft when the shaft is rotated in a forward
direction by the rider, motion being then transmitted from the collar through the
spring.
7
I, JACOB WEIL, of 91 Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, in the County of
London, School Attendance Officer, 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 :-
This invention has reference to driving gear of the kind in which a sprocket or
chain wheel worked from a shaft or spindle that carries the pedals, transmits
motion through an endless chain to the driving wheel or wheels of the vehicle.
Referring to the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 show respectively in side elevation and plan, the crank bracket of
a cycle with driving mechanism according to this invention.
Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but with the cover of the spring containing box
and adjacent pedal removed.
Fig. 4 is a section on the lines ar of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a section on the line y y
of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a detail view.
A is the chain wheel able to rotate freely about the pedal shaft B and provided
with a laterally projecting ring or rim C which forms the annular wall of a spring
containing box of which the part A¹ of the chain wheel forms one side and the
cover D (also secured to the ring or rim C) the other side. E is a helical spring
fastened at one end by bolt F so as to move with the ring or rim C, and
consequently with the rest of the chain wheel; at its other end this spring is
J

page_text: attached by screw G to the loose collar H mounted on the pedal shaft B. Ratchet
Jike or eccentric recesses K are formed in the collar (or there might be only one)
and the pedal shaft is provided with a spring catch or pawl I of inclined form at
its outer end so that when the pedal shaft is rotated in a forward direction, it will,
through the pawl I, drive the collar, but the shaft can rotate in the reverse
direction independently of the collar, which is prevented from turning backward by
pawl L engaging with teeth M. N is the crank bracket in which the pedal shaft
is mounted to rotate. Ball bearings may be introduced between adjacent movable
parts to reduce friction.
With the arrangement described, when the pedal shaft is driven forward so as to
wind up the spring, motion will be communicated from the spring to the chain
wheel; or if the rider exerts less power at any time than is being exerted for the
time being by the spring itself, the spring will aid him by its action in then giving
out power stored in it. When going down hill, the pedal shaft can be held
stationary by the feet, the chain wheel, spring and collar rotating freely around it.
My invention enables a rider to travel at a high speed with less fatigue than with
propelling gears of constructions hitherto in use.
A keyway D¹ in the boss of the cover D, and a keyway B' in the pedal shaft B
enables the pedal shaft and chain wheel A to be rigidly connected together, should
this be desired at any time, by a key (Fig. 6) that may ordinarily be carried in the
pocket of the rider.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I do not
claim broadly the use of a helical spring adapted to act as an accumulator storing
and giving out power in driving apparatus for bicycles and the like but that what
I claim is
My improved driving mechanism for bicycles and the like in which there are
combined with the chain wheel A and pedal shaft B a collar H and a helical
spring E connected at one end to the said wheel and at the other end to the collar,
the parts being constructed, arranged and operating as described with reference to
and illustrated by the drawings.
W. Lloyd Wise,
J. WEIL.
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.