Improvements in Cyclometers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1894-Accepted, 16th June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM NICHOLS BEARDSLEY, Gentleman,
of 268, Stratford Avenue, and ALVIN DANFORTH MOULTON, Gentleman,
1131, Main Street, both of Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.A.]
Improvements in Cyclometers.
I, HUGH DONALD FITZPATRICK of 70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, Registered Patent Agent, 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 certain new and useful improvements in cyclometers, an
instrument, designed for registering or noting the distance travelled by a wheeled
vehicle, such as a velocipede or bicycle, through the medium of a moving part of
said vehicle, which actuates a registering mechanism by its movements.
In my device each of the wheels or moving parts of the registering mechanism
is mounted upon a split supporting stud fixed to the bottom of the case, thus
making a frictional engagement for such wheels or gears sufficient to maintain
them in proper relation with each other when registering, and also enable them to
be independently returned to zero for a fresh start. I aim, also, to make the
instrument dust-proof and thereby increase its wearing qualities.
In order that those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains may fully
understand its construction and operation, the same will be described in detail,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form part of this
Specification, and in which,
Figure 1 represents a face view of the cyclometer as it would appear when
attached to the front wheel of a bicycle, so as to be readily seen by the rider;
also a clamp embracing four spokes of the wheel to which it is securely fastened,
and carrying a rubber striker wheel in readiness to engage the star wheel of the
cyclometer and operate the registering mechanism.
Figure 2 is the reverse side of the cyclometer, as shown in Figure 1, showing
the manner of supporting the star wheel to the bottom of the case, looking in the
direction of arrow a, Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the cyclometer mounted upon its supporting
bracket, looking in the direction of arrow b, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a view of the interior of the cyclometer, showing the small
registering-dial plates mounted on the hubs of three of the registering wheels.
Figure 5 is also a view of the interior of the cyclometer showing the train of
wheels comprising the registering mechanism with the registering dials removed
therefrom.
C
Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the case and cover of the cyclometer
through line c of Figure 1 and of the star wheel through line d of Figure 2.
Figure 7 is a detail view of one of the split supporting studs attached to a
broken section of the bottom of the ease.
Figure 8 is a detail sectional view of one of the registering wheels, its
supporting hub, registering dial mounted thereon, full view of the supporting
stud, broken sectional view of the bottom of the case and large dial plate.
Figure 9 is a detail plan view of the star wheel showing the felt washer-ring
inserted in a recess thereof for excluding dust from the cyclometer case.
1 represents the cyclometer case; 2 cover therefor; 3 retaining screw for said
cover; 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, Figure 5, registering wheels, each of which are mounted
on the sleeve 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. These studs or hubs are, in turn, each

page_text: mounted (see Figure 8) on a split stud similar to the one marked 14 therein. The
upper ende being reduced in size and provided with a screw driver slot, and the
hole 15 is formed in the overlying dial plate 16 to admit such reduced end, so that
such sleeve and the wheel mounted thereon may be independently moved without
removing the dial plate, see also Figure 1, which shows the projecting ends e, f, g
and of the hubs or sleeves of the registering wheels 4, 6, 7 and 8 thus
situated.
Rigidly supported on the hubs of wheels 4, 6, 7 and 8 are the small registering
dials 17, 18, 19 and 20, as shown at Figure 4. The dial 17 carries a single cypher
or zero mark, while the others carry ten numbers each. Peep-holes 21, 22, 23
and 24 are provided in the dial plate 16, Figure 1, through which may be seen the
figures of said dials as they are alternately brought to view.
All of the registering wheels are arranged on different planes (see Figures 5
and 6) and each, with the single exception of wheel 8, carries driver pius i, j, k, m,
which engage the teeth of said wheels to rotate them, as follows: One revolution of
wheel 4 will bring its pin into engagement with a tooth of the centre wheel 5
and rotate such wheel a fractional part of a revolution equal to the number of
teeth therein. Pinj of said centre wheel engaging with a tooth of wheel 6 will
produce a like result, and so on through the train.
Referring to Figure 8, the stud 14 is provided with the narrow central kerf n,
which extends nearly to its lower threaded end o, which threaded end is firmly
screwed into the bottom A of the cyclometer case. The bore of the wheel sleeve 11
is made a trifle smaller than the diameter of said stud, so that when said sleeve is
mounted thereon it will slightly compress said stud and produce a frictional contact
between the two sufficient to permit each wheel to be rotated freely on its own stud
and yet effectually prevent its being accidentally shifted. This feature enables the
several wheels of the train to be rotated with the same accuracy as if their teeth
registered together, while the several wheels may be independently returned to
zero or starting point, as shown at Figure 1, by the simple use of a screw driver in
the before-mentioned slots of the elongated hubs or sleeves.
To give a greater resiliency to the split studs and cuable the sides thereof to
expand so as to bear equally or nearly so both at the top and bottom, the said sides
are preferably thinned down by the circular cut p, as shown at Figure 7.
The star wheel 25, (Figures 6 and 7) is, with its sleeve q, made of one piece of
metal, and is rotatably mounted upon the split stud, Figures 2 and 6, the lower
end of which stud is firmly screwed into the bracket 26 attached to the bottom A
of the cyclometer case. The enlarged boss or hub s of said wheel operatively fits
an enlarged hole therefor in the bottom A of the case, and carries the driver pin t
to engage with the teeth of the wheel 4, shown at Figure 5. Referring to
Figures 6 and 9, u is a felt washer let into a suitable recess of the wheel 25 so that
when assembled to the cyclometer case this felt washer will bear against the
bottom A of the cyclometer case and effectually prevent the entrance of dust to
the interior of such case.
The projecting end of the sleeve 10 of the centre wheel 5, Figure 1, is provided
with the pointer which registers single miles on the circle shown on the dial-
face 16.
In resetting the wheels of the train back to zero it is necessary that the initial
or star wheel 25 should also be placed in such relative position with wheel 4 so as
to be properly timed therewith. For this purpose the straight mark w is made in
the end of hub g, which mark, when coincident with the mark a on the dial-
plate 16, Figure 1, will indicate the zero position of said wheel. In Figure 1 all
the several moving parts are represented as at zero or starting point.
The clamping plates 27 and 28 are made long enough to embrace the four
spokes 29 of the wheel. Said plates are held together by screws 30. The front
plate 28 carries the rubber striker wheel 31 to engage with the star wheel 25.
32, Figures 2, 3 and 6, is a hub attached to the bottom A of the case by the
screws 33. This hub has a cut-away portion or ledge y, permitting a free

page_text: movement of the star wheel. The elongated squared portion 34 of said hub is
arranged to fit an elongated hole in the short horizontal leg of the supporting
bracket 35, which will prevent the cyclometer being rotated upon its support, and
by means of such elongated hole it can be adjusted to and from the striker
wheel 31. Nut 36 on stud 37 will secure said instrument in place.
The other and vertical leg of the cyclometer support is adapted to be secured to
the frame of the bicycle, as is customary in such cases.
The cover 2 is furnished with the glass face B, Figure 6, through which the
reading of the instrument may be taken.
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 :
1. In a cyclometer, the combination with a suitable case and cover therefor, of a
series of registering wheels having elongated sleeves, split bearing studs attached
to the bottom of said case upon which said studs are rotatably mounted, the upper
end of said sleeves closed to prevent the entrance of dust, such closed ends
projecting through the dial plate to provide means whereby such registering
wheels may independently returned to zero, a star wheel operating outside the
case, a felt washer thereon to prevent the entrance of dust to the interior of said
case, means on the bicycle wheel to engage said star wheel and thus operate the
registering mechanism, as set forth.
2. In a cyclometer, a split bearing stud, a registering wheel having an elongated
hub or sleeve mounted and supported thereon by the frictional contact of said split
stud with the bore of said hub or sleeve, so that said wheel may be readily turned
on its support to register and yet at all times maintain its proper relation with the
other wheels of the train, as set forth.
3. In a cyclometer, the combination with the case 1, gear wheels 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8,
having elongated sleeves as shown, whose upper ends are closed, split supporting
studs attached to the bottom of the case, said sleeves mounted and maintained
thereon by the frictional contact caused by such split studs, driver pins on said
wheels, certain of said wheels carrying registering dials, peep holes in the
overlying large dial plate 16 through which a reading of the registering dials may
be taken, the upper end of the wheel supporting sleeves projecting through the
said large dial plate, the sleeve of the centre. wheel 5 carrying a hand for recording
single miles upon the face of said dial plate 16, as set forth.
4. The combination, in a cyclometer, with the case and a series of registering
wheels therein, of a star wheel arranged to operate against the bottom of said case,
a split stud upon which such wheel is rotatably mounted, a bracket secured to the
bottom of such case for supporting said stud, a felt washer interposed between the
meeting faces of said wheel and case, so as to prevent the entrance of dust to
the inside of said case, as set forth.
Di, tul 1
100
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow.