Improvements in Bicycles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1891-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1891
COME DID TOITICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles.
1, FREDERICK HENRY SEYMOUR MOYNAHAN, of 18 Clairmont Park, City
of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, Student, 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 :-
My invention relates especially to an adjustable gearing and clutch mechanism
for the pedal shaft of bicycles; and it consists in certain novel features herein-
after set forth the object being to produce a simpler, cheaper and more effective
device of this character than now in ordinary use.
The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all
conversant with such matters from the following explanation:
In the accompanying drawings
Figure is a side elevation of my improved bicycle;
Figure 2 an enlarged sectional elevation of the pedal shaft hub and gearing;
Figure 3 an end clevation of the same;
Figure 4 a central transverse section of the hub; and
Figure 5 a sectional plan view illustrating certain details of construction.
Like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different
figures of the drawings.
A represents the driving or rear wheel, B the forward wheel, C the head and D
the fork, these parts being arranged in the ordinary manner.
The pedal shaft or axle, E, is journalled by ball bearings in the lower ends of
the fork arms, bd, the balls thereof working preferably in a groove, g in said axle.
An exteriorly threaded nut h, turned into said arms serves to take up the wear on
the balls. Said nuts have a toothed or serrated flange, i which is engaged by a
locking plate, secured by a screw to the fork arm, preventing the nuts from
accidentally turning out.
The pedals F, are keyed to the outer ends of the shaft in the usual manner.
The wheel A, is provided with a hollow cylindrical hub H having perforated
annular flanges at its ends in which the ordinary wire spokes m, are secured.
Said hub is mounted by balls p, working in grooves y in the axle E, and take up
muts 7', similar to the nuts h, in the fork are turned into said bearings.
An oil cup t, opens centrally into the hub.
A hexagonal nut v, is keyed to the axle within said bub the edges of said nnt
being recessed at w.
Binding rolls, a are disposed loosely in said recesses.
Flat springs y, (see Figure 4) secured to the nut with their free ends in
engagement with the rolls, tend to force them in a direction opposite the line of
motion of the hub. Said nut and rolls form a clutch mechanism for automatically
tightening the hub on the axle.
The hub is provided at each end respectively with a gear 15, and 16.
Between the gear 15, and the adjacent fork arm d, a gear 17, is keyed to
the axle.
A sprocket wheel 18, is journalled on the inner face of the fork arm d, by means
of its hub 19, which projects therethrough. Said hub has a threaded nipple 20,
into which a nut 21, is turned, washer 22, being interposed and pinned at 23, to
the fork arm to prevent the rotation of said washer.
The hub is chambered and a coiled spring 24, disposed in said chamber has onc
end secured to the hub and its opposite end to the washer, 22.

page_text: A wrist-pin 25, is secured to the outer face of the wheel 18, and a double gear 26
is journalled by balls 27, on said wrist.
The broader section of the gear, 26, is in position to be meshed with the hub
gear, 15; and its companion section to engage the fast gear 17, on the axle.
A similar spring tensioned sprocket wheel, 30, is mounted in like manner in the
opposite arm of the fork D, and a double gear, 31, of greater diameter than the
gear, 26, is mounted on its wrist pin, 32, the large section of said gear being in
position to be meshed with the hub gear 16, and its small section with a fast
gear 33, on the axle. Said gear, 33 is of greater diameter than the corresponding
gear 17. The gearings, described are enclosed in dust guards or boxes 35, secured
to the fork..
A vertical rod, 36 (see Figure 1) is fitted to rotate and slide in the upper end of
the fork and a lug, 37 on the head C.
Said rod is provided at its upper end with a handle 38 adjacent to the ordinary
handle bar 39, and on its lower end with a sprocket wheel, 40. A return spring 41
for the rod is disposed between a collar on said rod and said lug.
A short section of jack-chain 42, works on the sprocket 40, and has its ends
respectively connected by rods, 43, with jack-chains working on the sprockets 18,
and 30.
Normally the gears 26, and 31, are disconnected from the axle gears, as shown
in Figure 2.
Power being applied. to the pedals the axle is rotated and the nut &, thereon
moving faster than the hub, H, jams the rolls, between it and the walls of the hub
locking the same thereto, and rotating the drive wheel, A. The application of
power to the wheel is direct and this arrangement is employed when great power is
necessary as in climbing inclines.
To impart greater speed to the wheel the rod handle, 38 is moved turning the
rod, 36, from right to left. This relieves the chain on the sprocket 30, permitting
the spring 34, therein to rotate said wheel and throw the gear 31, on its wrist into
engagement with the hub gear, 36, and axle gear, 33.
This intermediate gearing greatly increases the speed of the hub, rotating it
much faster than the axle moves. This causes the clutch rolls a, to tend to travel
in the line of motion of the hub and against the pressure of the springs y, preventing
them from locking the hub to the nut v.
At
By rotating the rod, 36, in the opposite direction, the sprocket, 30, is also rotated
in the opposite direction against its spring 24, disengaging the gears described.
the same time the sprocket 18 is freed, its spring 24 rotating it and meshing the
gears 26, with the opposite hub and axle gears 15, and 17.
The hub is driven thereby in like manner but slower and with more power than
when the gear 31, is employed, said gears, 17, and 26, being of less diameter than
the corresponding gears at the opposite side of the axle.
These gears are employed for ordinary travelling and drive the hub sufficiently
fast to prevent the clutch rolls from acting.
The mechanism described occupies little space on the machine and avoids the
necessity of using the long jack-chain, frame bracket and sprockets ordinarily
employed to drive the wheel, while enabling the speed and power applied to be
varied at will.
I do not confine myself to mounting the gearing on ball-bearings, as described,
nor to using the take-up mechanism or clutch mechanism specified, as any suitable
means may be employed to effect like results.
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. In a bicycle, the combination of the frame and pedal shaft with a drive
wheel loose on said shaft; a gear on the wheel hub; a gear fast on said shaft; and
a spring actuated crank wheel journalled in the fork of said frame and bearing

page_text: gears adapted to be engaged with the hub and shaft gears substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
Second. In a bicycle, a pedal shaft mounted by ball bearings in the fork in
combination with a drive wheel mounted by ball-bearings on said shaft: take-up
mechanism for said bearings; and a clutch for automatically locking the hub to
the shaft when in motion substantially as described.
Third. In a bicycle, a pedal shaft journalled in the fork in combination with a
drive wheel loose thereon and having gears on its hub; gears of different diameters
fast on the shaft at opposite sides of said hub; a spring actuated crank wheel
journalled in each fork arm; gears on the wrist pin of said wheels in position to
mesh with the adjacent hub and shaft gears; and mechanism for disengaging said
gears substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. In a bicycle, the combination of a crank wheel journalled in the fork ;
a torsion spring in the hub thereof; a double gear journalled in the wrist pin
thereof a pedal shaft; a drive wheel loose thereon and provided with a hub gear, a
fast gear on said shaft; and mechanism substantially as specified for disengaging
the double gear from said hub and shaft gear.
Fifth. In a bicycle, a drive wheel loose on the pedal shaft in combination with
spring actuated crank wheels journalled in the fork arms and provided with double
gears respectively of different diameters on their wrist pins; gears on said hub and
fast gears of different diameters on the shaft in position to be alternately engaged
by their corresponding double gears; mechanism for alternately engaging and
conjointly disengaging said gears; and a clutch mechanism for locking the hub and
shaft when said gears are disengaged substantially as set forth.
Sixth. In a bicycle, the pedal shaft and loose drive wheel having hub-gears in
combination with the spring actuated crank wheels; the fast gears on said shaft;
the intermediate gears for connecting the shaft and hub gears; and a clutch
mechanism for fastening the hub to the shaft when said gears are disconnected
substantially as described.
Seventh. In a bicycle, the pedal shaft provided with the fast gears in com-
bination with the loose drive wheel having the geared hub, the spring actuated
sprocket wheels 18, and 30, journalled in the fork D, and provided with wrist pins ;
the double gears 26, and 31, on said pins; chains connecting said sprockets with a
sprocket at the fork head for rotating them to disengage said gears; and a clutch
mechanism for locking the hub to the shaft when said gears are disengaged
substantially as described.
Eighth. In a bicycle, the combination of the fork and pedal shaft with the drive
wheel provided with a hollow geared hub H; a clutch for locking the hub on said
shaft when in motion, the gears 17, and 33, on said shaft; the sprockets 18, and 30,
journalled in said fork; and provided with wrist pins bearing double gears, 26,
and 31; torsion springs for said sprockets; and chains connecting said sprockets
with a sprocket at the fork head whereby they may be alternately released or
conjointly held against the action of said springs substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of June 1891
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.