Improvements in Counters or Distance Indicators, applicable to Bicycles and similar Machines and to other Road Vehicles for Correctly Indicating the Distance Travelled by them.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 25th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 2nd June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Counters or Distance Indicators, applicable to
Bicycles and similar Machines and to other Road Vehicles for
Correctly Indicating the Distance Travelled by them.
I FREDERICK THEODORE KRAUTH of 124 Great Hampton Street Birmingham
Watch Maker do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
A counter or distance indicator constructed according to my invention consists of
a box or case containing the train of wheel work and of mechanism for giving
motion to the wheel train.
The case containing the wheel train is secured to the upper part of the fork of
the bicycle in front of and within easy sight of the rider.
In a tricycle or other travelling machine the case is fixed to some convenient part
of the framing.
I will describe my invention as applied to a safety bicycle. Some of the parts
would be modified in application to another form of cycle.
A dial face is on the upper part of the case containing the wheelwork this dial face
has on it two circles concentric with each other, and two hands, a long one and a short
one. The short hand revolves once round the dial while the cycle travels one mile.
The revolution of this short hand is shown on the inner circle which is divided into
convenient spaces say quarters or eights corresponding to quarters or eights of a
mile travelled.
The long hand revolves once round the dial while the machine travels one
hundred miles and the revolution of this hand is shewn on the outer circle which is
divided into one hundred equal parts for that purpose. The hands are fixed like
clock hands so that their positions may be adjusted when required.
Motion is given to the train of wheelwork by means of a pawl engaging with a
ratchet wheel on the first motion shaft.
This pawl is moved to and fro by a lever which extends downwards towards the
axis of the front wheel.
A fulcrum which carries the lever is fastened to the case containing the wheel.
train.
The lower end of the lever receives a reciprocating motion in the following
manner.
On the hub of the front wheel is a projecting arm fastened on with a clip or
otherwise.
This projecting arm is bent at right angles and passes outwardly between two of
the spokes of the wheel. The projecting arm revolves with the front wheel of the
machine and at every revolution it comes in contact with the lower end of the
lever which it pushes till in its revolution the arm escapes from the lever thus giving
motion to the counting mechanism in the dial case.
The lever is brought back to its original position ready for the next revolution of
the projecting arm by means of a spring or equivalent device.
The lower end of the lever has an adjustment in the direction of its length so
that the revolving projecting arm is in contact with it during a length of time
depending on the diameter of the front wheel this adjustment allows of the same
distance indicating mechanisin being applied to bicycles having front wheels
differing in size.
Dated 23rd December 1893.
THOS. KENDRICK,
3, Cherry Street, Birmingham, Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Counters or Distance Indicators, applicable to
Bicycles and similar Machines and to other Road Vehicles for
Correctly Indicating the Distance Travelled by them.
I, FREDERICK THEODORE KRAUTH, of 24 Great Hampton Street, Birmingham,
Watch Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
A counter or distance indicator constructed according to my invention consists of
a box or case containing the train of wheelwork and of mechanism for giving
motion to the wheel train.
The case containing the wheel train is secured to the upper part of the fork of
the bicycle, in front of and within easy sight of the rider.
In a tricycle or other travelling machine the case is fixed to some convenient part
of the framing.
I will describe my invention as applied to a safety bicycle, some of the parts
would be modified in application to another form of cycle.
A dial face is on the upper part of the case containing the wheelwork, this dial face
has on it two circles concentric with each other other, and two hands, a long one and
a short one. The short hand revolves once round the dial while the cycle travels
one mile. The revolution of this short hand is shown on the inner circle which is
divided into convenient spaces, say quarters or eighths corresponding to quarters or
eighths of a mile travelled.
The long hand revolves once round the dial while the machine travels one
hundred miles and the revolution of this hand is shown on the outer circle which is
divided into one hundred equal parts for that purpose. The hands are fixed like
clock hands so that their position may be adjusted when required.
Motion is given to the train of wheelwork by means of a pawl engaging with a
ratchet wheel on the first motion shaft.
This pawl is moved to and fro by a lever which extends downwards towards the
axis of the front wheel.
A fulcrum which carries the lever is fastened to the case containing the wheel-
train.
The lower end of the lever receives a reciprocating motion in the following
manner :-
On the hub of the front wheel is a projecting arm fastened on with a clip or
otherwise.
This projecting arm is bent at right angles and passes outwardly between two of
the spokes of the wheel. The projecting arm revolves with the frout wheel of the
machine and at every revolution it comes in contact with the lower end of the lever
which it pushes, till in its revolution the arm escapes from the lever thus giving
motion to the counting mechanism in the dial case.
The lever is brought back to its original position, ready for the next revolution
of the projecting arm, by means of a spring or equivalent device.
The lower end of the lever has an adjustment in the direction of its length so
that the revolving projecting arm is in contact with it during a length of time
depending on the diameter of the front wheel, this adjustment allows of the same
distance indicating mechanism being applicd to bicycles having front wheels
differing in size.
And in order that this my said invention may be more clearly understood I will
proceed to describe it by the aid of the accompanying sheet of drawings. The
same letters of reference denote the same parts in every figure in which they occur.
1.

page_text: counting mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a section on a vertical plane, through the upper part of the case.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the dial face hands.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the case showing the outer ratchet wheel.
Fig. 5 is a plan showing the train of wheelwork.
Fig. 6 is a plan showing the barrel and adjacent parts.
Fig. 7 is a sectional plan of the barrel.
Fig. 8 is an elevation of part of the front wheel and fork of a safety bicycle with
the counter attached.
I will describe my invention as applied to a safety bicycle.
a is the case containing the counting mechanism in its upper part a¹ and part of
the mechanism for actuating the same in its lower part a².
This case is secured to the upper part of the fork 6 of a safety bicycle (see Fig. 8)
c is the dial face on which are two graduated concentric circles e and e². The outer
circle c is divided into on hundred equal parts, and the inner circle c² is divided
into equal parts preferably four to indicate fractional parts of a mile. Two hands,
one longer than the other are caused to rotate by means presently to be described.
The longer hand d moves once round the dial while the bicycle to which the
counter is affixed travels one hundred miles the position of the hand being shown on
the outer circle c', and the shorter hand d² moves once round the dial face while
the bicycle travels one mile. The position of the hand d is shown on the inner
circle c². The hands are secured to their arbors by friction only so that they may
be set to any desired position when required. The hands are caused to rotate by
means of an ordinary train of wheelwork proportioned for the purpose and contained
in the upper part of the case a'.
Motion is given to the train in the following manner.
I affix to two adjacent spokes of the front wheel e of the bicycle a clip / to which
is. fastened a projecting pin f. At every revolution of the wheel e the pin comes
in contact with the lower end g' of a lever g the fulcrum of which is secured to
the fork of the bicycle.
The pin pushes the lever end g₁ until it has moved it sufficiently far to escape
from it. This causes the upper spring end 93 of the lever to move inwards and
push a sliding bar h (Figs. 1 and 8) in the direction of the arrow.
A projection on the bar h (see Fig. 1) engages with one of four projecting
pins on a wheel i and gives to this wheel an intermittent rotary motion.
When the pin is engaged by the projection h¹ the opposite pin³ engages with
the lower end of the lever j which has its fulcrum at. The upper end 3 of the
lever is jointed to a short connecting rod k (see Figs. 1 and 6) the other end of
which takes on to a pin on the barrel which revolves loosely on its arbor 13.
On the arbor and inside the barrel is a ratchet wheel m (see Fig. 7) which is
provided with three spring pawls m' secured to the inside of the barrel.
The reciprocating rotary motion given to the barrel is thus converted into an
intermittent rotary motion in one direction of the arbor P, motion of the arbor
in a reverse direction is prevented by the spring pawls nn (see Figs. 4 and 5)
acting on the external ratchet wheel o which is secured to the upper end of the
arbor. The motion of the arbor is communicated by the pinion 13 through the
train of wheelwork, to the, hands d¹² on the dial face c in a well understood
manner.
To return the sliding bar h to its normal position after each stroke of the lever
I employ a spring p (Fig. 1) and to return the lever j to its normal position. I
employ a spring g to ensure that the wheel i shall assume an exactly correct position
after each stroke I employ a locking spring having at its lower end a projection
which fits into one of four similar notches on the edge of the wheel i. In order to
make the necessary adjustment for different size front wheels of bicycles or for the
reduction or yielding of the tyre, under the weight of the rider (upon the length of
the circumference of which it is evident that the whole action of the mechanism as

page_text: a distance indicator depends) I secure in the case a a nut a³ (see Fig. 1) through
which is screwed an adjustable screw s when not being moved by one of the pins of
the wheel i the lever j rests against the end of the screws and the more the screws
is screwed towards the lever the less will be the length of stroke of the lever j
and consequently the less will be the movement of all the parts of the wheel train
and of the hands on the dial.
I have described and illustrated the means best known to me of carrying my
invention into effect I may however secure a ratchet wheel to the arbor and
actuate it with a pawl on the lever prolonging this lever and carrying it down-
wards. The lever is then caused to reciprocate by means of a projecting arm
affixed to the hub of the front wheel e of the bicycle engaging at each revolution
with the lower end of the lever which has a screw adjustment of its length so as to give
the proper amount of movement dependent on the size of the bicycle front wheel e.
The lever being returned to its normal position after each stroke by means of a
spring.
In applying my invention to any other form of cycle, I affix the case containing
the counting mechanism to any convenient part of the framing and actuate the
lever by a projecting pin on one of the wheels of the cycle.
The above being my invention I wish it to be observed that I do not limit myself
to the precise details as shown on the sheet of drawings, as I may vary or modify
the same without departing from the principle of my said invention.
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 :-
Improvements in Counters or Distance Indicators, applicable to Bicycles and
similar Machines, and to other Road Vehicles for Correctly Indicating the Distance
Travelled by them.
1st. The combination of the counting mechanism in the case a¹ and parts of the
mechanism for actuating the same in the lower case a² and the dial c with
hands for indicating the distance travelled substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the drawings.
is
2nd. The combination, of a lever g with spring end g³ engaging a sliding bar h,
provided with a projection h¹ which in turn engages one of four pins
alternately on a wheel i, the opposite pin (as) actuates a lever j upon a fulcrum
extending to a connecting rod which imparts motion to the counting mechanism
in a' taking on to a pin on the barrel 7, which is provided with a ratchet wheel m
and spring pawls m', controlled in its action by the ratchet wheel o, and spring
pawls n n the pinion for imparting motion to land to the hands d' d' the spring p,
for retaining and g for returning the locking spring with projection to
ensure a correct position, substantially as herein before described and illustrated
by the drawings.
3rd. The combination, a nut a³ with adjusting screws, bearing against the lever j,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
4th. The general construction combination and arrangement of parts, substantially
as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated 25th April 1894.
THOS.
KENDRICK,
3, Cherry Street, Birmingham, Agent.