Improvements in Bicycles or other Velocipedes and such like Carriages.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 26th July, 1893-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles or other Velocipedes and such
like Carriages.
I THOMAS LEIGH MITCHELMORE, of 31 Derby Road, Nichols Town,
Southampton, in the County of Hampshire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to bicycles, and other velocipedes, and such like carriages,
and has for its main object improvements in, and relating to those parts of the
carriage known as the bottom bracket, and the bearings for the crank shaft carried
in the bottom bracket.
My improved bearings are so constructed that they can with the crank shaft
complete be very readily fitted and adjusted in the bottom bracket, and as readily
removed from same at will.
According to one form or modification of my invention the shaft bearings are
made up of two circular dished plates-known as bearing cups-made of any metal
or by whatever method found most suitable for the purpose--which are connected
together by means of a tube of the required length upon the ends of which the
bearings are mounted, and also secured if desired; a cone collar, or shoulder is
formed upon the crank shaft near one end of same, and the shaft will extend beyond
the bottom bracket on each side of same sufficiently to take the cranks and chain
wheel, the shaft is passed through the bearing cups and connecting tube as far as
the aforesaid collar will allow; and upon the opposite end of shaft on which the
said collar is formed a screw thread is cut upon which a screw cone nut is passed;
but before the said nut is screwed up the usual balls are inserted between the
collar of shaft and its adjacent bearing cup, and between the opposite bearing cup
and the aforesaid screw cone nut; the latter can then be screwed up to the balls
upon which the shaft will revolve. By this arrangement the crank shaft-with its
bearing cups, and balls, and chain wheel complete,-
-can be adjusted lengthways
in the bottom bracket, and removed from same at will it being only necessary to
remove one crank for the purpose of removing the shaft from the bottom bracket,
and consequently from the carriage, and the complete bearings as described may
be secured in the bottom bracket by means of a set screw, or screws passing
through the bracket from the outside into the aforesaid tube-connecting the
bearing cups together-or set screws may similarly engage with the bearing cups
if preferred, or, for the purpose of securing and adjusting the bearings in the bottom
bracket I may sometimes partially split the latter and provide two lugs upon the
outside of same through which is passed a screw bolt, or bolts; upon screwing up
the bolt or bolts the bracket is made to grip the bearings thereby holding same in
the desired position in the bottom bracket, and upon unscrewing the bolts the
bearings are released and can be removed from the bottom bracket, or re-adjusted
in same.
1
"

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles or other Velocipedes and such
like Carriages.
I, THOMAS LEIGH MITCHELMORE, of 31, Derby Road, Nichols Town,
Southampton, in the County of Hampshire, Engineer, 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 to bicycles, and other velocipedes, and such like carriages,
and has for its main object improvements in, and relating to those parts of the
carriage known as the bottom bracket, and the bearings for the crank shaft, carried
in the bottom bracket.
My improved bearings are so constructed that they can-with the crank shaft
complete, be very readily fitted and adjusted in the bottom bracket and as readily
removed from same at will.
The accompanying drawings represent what I consider to be the best means of
fully carrying out all my improvements.
Fig. 1, is an outside elevation of a bottom bracket constructed according to my
invention and adapted for use on a bicycle.
Fig. 2, is a central sectional elevation.
Fig. 3, a cross section taken on line a, a.
Like letters indicate corresponding.parts throughout the drawings.
H, is the outer case or bottom bracket. B, is a tube upon the ends of which
bearing cups C, C, are fitted, and fixed if desired, a cone collar D is formed, or
fitted and fixed, upon, the crank shaft E, at the end upon which the chain wheel is
fitted, the shaft when in place will extend beyond the bottom bracket sufficiently
to take the cranks F, F, and chain wheel d.
Upon and near the end of the shaft, opposite to that upon which the chain wheel
is fitted, a screw thread is formed, upon which a screw cone nut G is passed.
Before adjusting the shaft in the bottom bracket the usual balls b, b,-upon which
the shaft will revolve, are inserted between the bearing cups C, C, and cone
collar D, and cone nut G, the latter will then be screwed up as far as the balls will
allow. The tube B is prevented from moving in the bottom bracket by means of
a tubular screw pin, or bolt f, passed through the latter and the former from the
outside.
In making the said pin tubular the object is to use same as the means for
conveying oil to the bearings, an oil cup J, being attached to the head of screw;
or a set screw, or screws may be arranged to engage with the bearing cups if
preferred, or, may also sometimes split the ends of the outer case or bottom
bracket and provide two lugs K, K, upon the outside at each end of same through
which are passed screw bolts K¹ upon screwing up these bolts the outer case is
made to grip the bearing cups thereby holding, or assisting to hold, the latter in
the desired position in the outer case, and upon unscrewing the said bolts it follows
that the pressure upon the bearing cups is released.
An ordinary locknut L is provided on the threaded end of shaft for the purpose
of preventing the cone nut G from turning on the shaft, a screw pin M, being
passed sideways through the said locknut into the said cone nut.
The cranks may be secured upon the ends of shaft in any approved manner.
It is only necessary to remove the crank F' from the shaft, to slacken the
bolts K, K, and to unscrew the bolt f sufficiently; to allow of the shaft E with
its bearings and the chain wheel to be removed bodily from the bottom bracket.
Important features of my invention are, that no screw thread is required to be
provided on the inside of the outer case, or bottom bracket, and the bearing cups
are not required to be soldered or otherwise secured to the bottom bracket, as is
the case in bottom brackets now ordinarily made.

page_text: 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 :-
In a velocipede, the improved bottom bracket and bearings, comprising the
tube B, the bearing cups C, C, and other devices, all constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and
operating as, and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 25th day of July 1893.
HERBERT P. BLAKE, M.I.N.A.,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.