IMPROVED DRIVING MECHANISM, FOR VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: I STEPHEN MARTIN of 181 Birchfields Road in the County of Stafford Manager
of Works do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVED DRIVING
MECHANISM, FOR VELOCIPEDES " to be as follows:-
My Invention has reference to the means of transmitting motion to the driving
wheels of velocipedes in order that the quantity of primary motion or force
generated by the driver shall be divided equally between two driving wheels; that
is equalizing the force generated from a common source of power to a pair of
wheels, for since bodies in motion may be regarded as passive reservoirs of force,
and it is this energy that we desire to return equally divided to the driving wheels
of velocipedes as much as generated, when running in a perfectly rectilinear
path; this I effect by an arrangement of gearing as hereinafter described.
Each of the pair of wheels are mounted upon separate axles, one hollow, and the
other solid, and working one within the other, which are capable of rotating
independently when making a curvilinear path.
The chain wheel for transmitting motion to the independent axles described is
situated and rotates upon the solid axle, which said solid axle has a pinion of
16 teeth fixed thereon, which comes in front of the face of the chain wheel-
A smaller pinion on the face of the said chain wheel hereinafter called the outside
planet pinion gears with the driver pinion on the solid axle of the driving-wheel,
the axis of which said pinion passes to the inside face of the chain wheel, which
has also a second pinion of eight teeth fixed thereon, which gears with a suspended
toothed annulas or wheel, having a variable movement following the planet like
path of the inside pinion last described, in which it constantly engages-and this
inside toothed wheel or annulas described engages with a pinion driver fixed on
the hollow axle of the second driving wheel which is situated on the inside face of
the chain wheel.
The action of the parts is as follows, on the wheels taking a direct course.
On rotary motion being imparted to the chain wheel by an endless chain in the
usual way, both the inside and outside planet pinions become locked within the
respective teeth of the wheels or pinions, in consequence of the pitch lines of
the wheels in which they engage being dissimilar, while the path of both planet
wheels being the same. Therefore the fixing of the teeth of the gearing described,
produces the locking of the independent axles together and compels the driving
LD Ch

page_text: wheels attached thereto to move with each other, and with equal force on describing
a rectilinear path.
But when, however, the course or path of the vehicle changes by the steering
mechanism for taking a curvilinear path, then instantly the gearing becomes
unlocked and the driving wheels move independently of each other with variable
speeds For instance if the driving wheel attached to the solid axle be taking the
outside path of the said curvilinear course acquires a greater velocity by the
extended or longer path over which it has to travel; and consequently its pinion
rotates twice to each revolution of the chain wheel, carrying the planet pinion on
its outside face, which said planet pinion runs round the periphery of the driving
pinion, and in its path also rotates twice on its own axis, .communicating motion to
its fellow pinion of eight teeth on the inside face of the chain wheel; which said
eight teeth in consequence of having a double rotation becomes equivalent to the
sixteen teeth on the solid driving axle which inside planet pinion engages with the
inside teeth of the shifting annulas, and the inside teeth of this annulas in its turn
constantly engages with the teeth and runs around the periphery of the wheel or
pinion on the hollow axle carrying the second driving wheel; thus the action of
the gearing on the one side is exactly counterbalanced by the equivalent gearing
on the other side of the chain wheel, which acts reciprocally for the rectification
or adjustment thereof, compatible with the variable speeds or paths taken by each
wheel of the pair of driving wheels. On the vehicle taking again to a rectilinear
path, the parts become locked when the energy exerted or power generated by the
driver is equally distributed to the two wheels.
Dated this first day of January One thousand eight hundred and eighty four.

page_text: I, STEPHEN MARTIN of 181 Birchfields Road, in the County of Stafford, Manager
of Works, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVED DRIVING
MECHANISM FOR VELOCIPEDES" and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has reference to the means of transmitting motion to the driving
wheels of velocipedes, in order, that the quantity of primary motion or force
generated by the driver, shall be divided equally between two driving wheels;
that is, equalizing the force generated from a common source of power to a pair of
wheels for since bodies in motion may be regarded as passive reservoirs of force,
and it is this energy that I desire to return equally divided to the driving wheels
of velocipedes as much as generated, when running in a perfectly rectilinear path;
this I effect by an arrangement of gearing as hereinafter described.
Each of the pair of wheels are mounted upon separate axles, one hollow, and
the other solid; and working one within the other, which are capable of rotating
independently when making a curvilinear path.
The chain wheel for transmitting motion to the independent axles described, is
situated and rotates upon the solid axle; which said solid has a pinion of 17 teeth
fixed thereon, which comes on the back face of the chain wheel, a pinion of
18 teeth is situated on the hollow axle or sleeve which engages with an outside
planet pinion of 13 teeth situated above it; the axis of this pinion passes through
and works within the solid metal division of the chain wheel. This last named
axis has a second pinion of 12 teeth fixed on the inside end, which gears with a
suspended toothed annulas or wheel, having a variable movement on the rotation
of the chain wheel; so that the direction of motion of the annulas teeth follow the
planet like path of the inside pinion last described, in which it constantly engages.
This inside toothed annulas engages with the pinion fixed on the solid axle of the
second driving wheel, which is situated on the inside face of the chain wheel.
The action of the parts is as follows-on the wheels taking a direct course.
On rotary motion being imparted to the chain wheel by an endless chain in the
usual way, both the inside and outside planet pinions become locked within the
respective teeth of the wheels or pinions, in consequence of the pitch lines of
the wheels in which they engage being dissimilar, while the path of both planet
wheels being the same. Therefore the fixing of the teeth of the gearing described,
produces the locking of the independent axles together and compels the driving
wheels attached thereto, to move with each other, and with equal force on
describing a rectilinear path.
But when, however, the course or path of the vehicle changes by the steering
mechanism, for taking a curvilinear path, then instantly the gearing becomes
unlocked and the driving wheels move independently of each other, with variable
speeds. For instance if the driving wheel attached to the hollow axle be taking
the outside path of the said curvilinear course, and acquires a greater velocity by
the extended or longer path over which it has to travel; and consequently its
pinion rotates twice to each revolution of the chain wheel, carrying the planet
pinion on its outside face, which said planet pinion runs round the periphery of
the driving pinion and on its own axis communicating motion to its fellow pinion
on the inside face of the chain wheel; which inside plate pinion engages with the
inside teeth of the shifting annulas, and the inside teeth of this.annulas in its turn
constantly engages with the teeth and runs around the periphery of the wheel or

page_text: pinion on the solid axle carrying the second driving wheel; thus the action of the
gearing on the one side is exactly counterbalanced by the equivalent gearing on
the other side of the chain wheel which acts reciprocally for the rectification or
adjustment of speed compatible with the variable paths taken by each wheel of the
pair of driving wheels.
On the vehicle again taking to a rectilinear path, the parts become locked, when
the energy exerted or power generated by the driver is equally distributed to the
two wheels.
Having described the nature of my invention, I will proceed to describe with
reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in which my invention is to
be performed.
Figures 1 and 2 represent longitudinal vertical sections of driving mechanism or
what is commonly called balance gear for Velocipedes, constructed according to my
invention; the said figure 1 represents the gear in complete section on the one side
of the chain wheel and in elevation on the other side, while figure 2 shows the same
view vice-versa, to figure 1-Figure 3 is a plan from the side A of the chain wheel,
exhibiting the arrangement of wheel gearing and figure 4 is a plan from the side B
of the chain wheel, also showing the gearing on that side of the said chain wheel.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the
Drawings.
a is the chain wheel which receives its motion from the pedal axis by chain
gearing engaging with the teeth a² arranged around the periphery, the motion
transmitted to the said chain wheel is transferred to independent axles hereinafter
described b-c, are the bosses or hubs of a pair of independent driving wheels,
mounted upon the separate axles d, e-e is the hollow axle.or sleeve, and d is solid,
the one working within the other, which are capable of rotating independently,
when the machine is making a curvilinear path. The chain wheel for transmitting
the motion to the independent axles hereinbefore described, is situated and rotates
upon the solid axle d, which said solid axle has a pinion of 17 teeth keyed thereon
which comes on the side B of the chain wheel-The loose axle or sleeve e has a
pinion g of 18 teeth which gears with a pinion h, above it of 13 teeth, the axis of
the said pinion of 13 teeth passes through the solid division a³ of the chain wheel,
and has upon its other end, a pinion of 12 teeth which gears with a suspended
toothed annulas j having a variable movement following the planet like path, of
the pinion last described, in which it constantly engages. This inside toothed
wheel.or annulas ; described engages with the pinion f, of the solid axle of the
second driving wheel b-k is a frame for holding in position the suspended toothed
annulas j, and is a plate situated within the inside face of the chain for excluding
dust from the working parts. When used as a side driver, the hub c of the
machine becomes the sleeve e as represented.
The action of the parts is as follows on the wheels taking a direct course.
On rotary motion being imparted to the chain wheel by an endless chain in the
usual way both the inside and outside planet pinions h, i, become locked within
the respective teeth of the pinion g upon the hollow axis or sleeves, and with the
inside teeth of shifting annulas j which also engages with the teeth of the wheel f
affixed to the solid axis d, therefore the fixing of the teeth of the gearing described
produces the locking of the independent axles together, and so compels the driving
wheels or hub b to move also together with equal force, or with the power generated
from the pedal axis equally distributed between the said driving wheels, so long as
the velocipede remains in a rectilinear path-When however the velocipede changes
its course for taking a curvilinear path, then instantly the gearing becomes locked
and the driving axles e, d, move independently of each other with variable speeds;
for instance if the driving wheel c attached to the hollow axle e be taking the
outside path of the said curvilinear course, and consequently acquires a greater
velocity, by the extended or longer path over which it has to travel, its pinion g,
rotates twice to each revolution of the chain wheel a carrying the pinion h on its
outside face, which said pinion h rolls around the pinion g and also rotates upon

page_text: its own axis communicating motion to its fellow pinion on the inside face of the
chain wheel which inside planet pinion i engages with the inside teeth of the shifting
annulas j and the inside teeth of this annulas j in its turn constantly engages with
the teeth and runs around the periphery of the wheel or pinion f on the solid axle
carrying the second driving wheel b-Thus the action of the gearing on the one
side of the chain wheel is exactly counterbalanced by the equivalent gearing on the
other side; each act reciprocally for the rectification or adjustment of speeds,
compatible with the variable paths taken by each wheel of the pair of driving
wheels.
On the velocipede taking again to a rectilinear path the parts or gearing become
locked when the power generated by the rider is equally distributed to the pair of
driving wheels.
I wish it to be understood that the number of teeth given to the pinions can be
changed without materially affecting the principle involved in the arrangement of
gearing herein before described.
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:-
-
First. The improvements in driving mechanism for Velocipedes hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the several figures of the Drawings; that is to say,
the means of transmitting motion to the driving wheels of velocipedes, by arranging
and combining the parts of the mechanism, so that the two driving wheels in
making a curvilinear course, shall move independently of each other, but when
taking a direct course, the gear becomes locked, and the two axles move as one
rigid axle, the power applied thereto from the pedal axes being equally distributed
between the pair of driving wheels, the parts being arranged, combined and
working in the way, and for the purpose as described and illustrated.
Secondly-The general combination of gear or mechanism, commonly called
balance gear consisting essentially of a solid axle d and hollow or sleeve axle c
which are driven from the chain wheel a. The gearing of the said mechanism
consisting of a pinion g on the inner end of the sleeve e gearing with a pinion /
which takes the motion of the chain wheel; also the pinion i on the same axle /
gearing with a toothed suspended annulas; which drives the pinion fo on the solid
axle, the parts being arranged and combined for the purpose as described and
illustrated.
Thirdly-The combination of the pinions h and i having a planet like motion
around and within respectively, the pinion g and annulas; the shifting annulas j
gearing at the same time with the pinions i and f for driving the said pinion f, the
annulas being suspended within a frame, the whole of the parts being arranged
for the purpose as described and set forth.
Fourthly The general arrangement or combination of the parts of driving
mechanism or balance gear for velocipedes herein before described and represented
in the several figures of the Drawings.