Improvements in Driving Gear for Bicycles, Tricycles, Motor Cars, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 31st Jan., 1900-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Gear for Bicycles, Tricycles, Motor Cars,
and the like.
We, JEREMIAH REAH, of 29, Gloucester Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the
County of Northumberland, Compass Maker, and WILLIAM TINKLER, of East
Clere, Whitburn, in the County of Durham, Builder, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in driving gear for bicycles, tricycles,
motor cars and the like.
The improvements consist in introducing between the driving crank spindle
and the spindle of the driving or back wheel of a bicycle for example, one or
more pairs of toothed wheels, the power being transmitted from the crank spindle
to the back wheel spindle through these intermediate wheels by means of chains.
Each pair of wheels is preferably cast or otherwise made in one piece, and the
wheels are of different diameters, the driving wheel of the crank spindle and
the small wheel of the pair being connected together by one chain, while if there
be only one pair of intermediate wheels, another chain connects the large wheel
of the pair to the toothed wheel on the back wheel spindle. By means of this
invention the speed of the back wheel can be made much greater than by working
direct from the crank spindle to the back wheel spindle as is the usual custom.
The member of the frame extending from the crank spindle to the back wheel
spindle is suitably shaped and provided with means for carrying and easily dis-
connecting the intermediate pair of wheels. The bearings of the lafter may be
adjustable so that if spare intermediate wheels he kept having different propor-
tions, both wheels using the same pitch of chain and with the sum of each pair
of diameters constant, the speed of the back wheel can be varied.
Datad thin Ath day of V 1899
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Gear for Bicycles, Tricycles, Motor Cars,
and the like.
We, JEREMIAH REAH, of 29, Gloucester Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the
County of Northumberland, Compass Maker, and WILLIAM TINKLER, of East
Clere, Whitburn, in the County of Durham, Builder, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to he
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:.
-
This invention relates to improvements in driving gear for bicycles, tricycles,
motor cars and the like.
The improvements consist in introducing between the driving sprocket or

page_text: equivalent wheel and the sprocket or equivalent wheel of the driven vehicle,
(the back wheel of a bicycle for example) one or more pairs of toothed_wheels,
the power being transmitted through these intermediate wheels by means of
chains or the like. Each pair of wheels is preferably cast or otherwise made
in one piece, and the wheels are of different diameters, the driving sprocket or
equivalent wheel and the small wheel of the pair being connected together by
one chain or the like, while if there be only one pair of intermediate wheels,
another chain or the like connects the large wheel of the pair to the sprocket
or equivalent wheel of the driven vehicle wheel. By means of this invention
the speed of the driven vehicle wheel can be made much greater than by work-
ing direct from a driving sprocket wheel to a sprocket wheel on the driven
vehicle wheel, as is the usual custom. Where the device is applied to a bicycle
the member of the frame extending from the crank spindle to the back wheel
spindle is suitably shaped and provided with a stub shaft for carrying and easily
disconnecting the or cach intermediate pair of wheels. The stub shaft of the
latter may be adjustable so that if spare intermediate wheels be kept having
different proportions both wheels using the same pitch of chain and with the sum
of each pair of diameters constant, the speed, of the back wheel can be varied.
In other forms of vehicle the intermediate pair of wheels is similarly supported
on a suitable member of the frame.
Reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an
elevation of the improved driving gear and Fig. 2 a plan thereof as applied to
a bicycle, A is the pedal crank spindle or shaft, B the axle of the rear or driven
vehicle wheel, C one of the pedal cranks, D and D₁, parts of the frame tubes
of the bicycle of which the latter D₁ is specially shaped for carrying the stub
shafts of the before mentioned intermediate pairs of toothed wheels. G is the
usual sprocket wheel on pedal crank shaft and H the sprocket wheel on rear
wheel B. Each pair of intermediate wheels, of which two pairs EE,, F F, are
shown in the drawing, is adjustably mounted on the frame tube D₁, the slots K
being provided for the purpose of adjustment of the stub shafts. The said
wheels are geared together by driving chains of the usual construction, namely
by chain J from wheel H to wheel F: chain J¹ from wheel F¹ to wheel E; and
chain from wheel E, to usual sprocket wheel G on pedal crank shaft. Each
pair of intermediate wheels may be made in one piece, or in two pieces which
ever may be preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In driving gear for bicycles, tricycles, motor cars and the like, a pair of
toothed wheels, the members of the pair being of different diameters fixed or
connected together with their axes in alignment and mounted so that the axle
of the pair is adjustable to or from the driving axle or driven vehicle wheel in
a position intermediate of said axle and wheel, in combination with chains or
equivalent means for gearing the wheels of the pair respectively to the driving
sprocket wheel and the sprocket wheel of the driven vehicle wheel substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The modification of the device set forth in Claim 1 wherein two or more
pairs of wheels are mounted in the same manner and connected in series between
the driving sprocket wheel and the sprocket wheel of the driven vehicle wheel.
Dated this 31st day of January 1900.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C., London.