Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 31st Dec.; 1892-Accepted, 4th Mar., 1893
0
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, WILLIAM HILLMAN of the Premier Works, Coventry, in the County of
Varwick, Managing Director of Works do hereby declare the nature of this
nvention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to improvements in velocipedes whereby I obtain an
improved construction of gear case which differs from those now in use inasmuch as
t forms an integral link of the frame whilst those now in use are, when fitted to a
safety bicycle, built on, or fitted to the already complete frame of the machine.
By the use of my improved case I reduce weight, and obviate the necessity of
having part of the frame passing through the case as it generally does, that is in at
one side, and out the other.
In applying my invention to rear-driving safety bicycles I dispense with the
bottom rod or tube of the frame on that side of the machine to which the cover or
case is fitted and I cause the cover or case to serve as a substitute for the bottom
rod or tube so dispensed with.
I construct the case or cover of two end castings whilst the central part is
built up of thin sheet metal, or part metal and part leather, canvas or other light
material.
The end castings consist of one side and a peripheral enclosing rim connecting
the same with a narrow flange on the opposite side. The cast side of the front
casting is formed with a boss which may be internally threaded to screw on to a
thread formed on one end of the pedal bearing bracket or such parts may be
provided with plane fitting surfaces and be fixed together by screws or rivets. The
open side of the said casting is closed by a thin metal plate with a central
perforation through which the crank axle passes and such plate is fixed to the cast
flange by screws.
The back casting is formed somewhat similarly to the front casting except that
the cast side is on the outside and is formed with a socket to receive the lower end
of one tube of the top back fork and such socket is preferably at the side of the said
casting and in line with the socket to receive the other tube of said top back fork.
Also said back casting is formed with a longitudinal slot in the cast side to permit
adjustment of the back wheel and it is provided with a flange around said slot to
receive a covering plate which is held in position by a nut on the wheel axle. The
said casting is also provided with a perforated lug through which the adjusting
screw passes and against which the adjusting nut bears and it is formed with a
removable end piece to permit access to the wheel adjustment means as is well
understood.
The portion of said case or cover between the castings is formed of thin sheet
metal which is fitted at its ends to the castings thus completing the casing or cover
and enabling the latter to serve the purpose of one tube of the bottom fork.
The case is easily detachable by taking off one crank and the driving wheel, and
crank axle.
1000
MAN

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, WILLIAM HILLMAN of the Premier Works, Coventry, in the County of
Warwick, Managing Director of Works, do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention relates to improvements in velocipedes whereby I obtain an
improved construction of gear case for chain driving gear which improved gear
case differs from those now in use in-as-much as it forms an integral limb of the
frame whilst those now in use are, when fitted to a safety bicycle, built on, or
fitted to, the already complete frame of the machine.
By the use of my improved case I reduce weight, and obviate the necessity of
having part of the frame passing through the case, as it generally does, that is, in at
one side, and out at the other.
In applying my invention to rear driving safety bicycles I dispense with the
bottom rod or tube of the frame on that side of the machine to which the case or
cover is fitted, and I cause the cover or case to serve as a substitute for the bottom
rod or tube so dispensed with.
And in order that my said invention may be clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure 1. is a side view of parts of a safety bicycle fitted with a gear case
constructed according to my invention and used in lieu of one of the tubes of the
bottom back fork.
Figure 2. is a side view of the gear case and of some parts connected therewith.
Figure 3. is a plan of Figure 2.
Figure 4. is a cross section drawn on the line 1, 1, of Figure 2.
Figure 5. is a side view of the front casting of the gear case.
Figure 6. is a sectional plan drawn of the line 2, 2, of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a side view and Figure 8 is a rear elevation of the back casting of the
gear case.
Figure 9 is a front view. Figure 10 is a side view and Figure 11 is a sectional
plan drawn on the line. 3, 3, of Figure 10 showing the removeable end casting of the
gear case and Figures 12 and 13 are side and plan views of a covering plate and
Figure 14 is a side view of another covering plate which are used respectively at
the front and back of the rear part of the gear case.
Figures 2 to 14 are drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1.
In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
The frame of the bicycle is constructed in any well known or suitable manner;
I shall therefore only refer to such parts of the same as may be necessary for the
proper description of my invention.
The drawings represent my invention applied to a rear driving safety bicycle
of well known form driven by chain gear, and in applying my invention thereto I
dispense with the bottom rod or tube of the frame on that side of the machine to
which the case or cover is fitted and I cause the latter to serve as a substitute for
the bottom rod or tube so dispensed with.
I construct the case or cover of two end castings a, b, whilst the central part e, is
built up of thin sheet metal.
The front end casting a consists of one complete side a¹ and a peripheral
enclosing rim a connecting, the same with a narrow flange a³ on the opposite or
outer side.
The complete or inner side a¹ of the front casting is formed with a boss a' which
may be internally threaded, as shown, to screw on to a thread d' formed on one end
of the pedal bearing bracket d or such parts may be provided with plane fitting

page_text: urfaces and be fixed together by screws or rivets. The open or outer side of the
aid casting a is closed by a thin metal plate e having a central perforation through
hich the crank axle f, passes and such plate e is fixed to the cast flange a³ by
crews e¹..
is
The back casting, b, is on the outside of the case a and is formed with a socket /,'
o receive the lower end of one tube g of the top back fork and such socket
preferably nearly in line with the socket to receive the other tube g¹ of said top
back fork. Also said back casting is formed with a longitudinal slot to permit
djustment of the back wheel i, and it is provided with a flange around said slot to
receive a covering platej which is held in position by a nut on the wheel axle
aid platej being provided with short studs which fit within the slot 6 and
thereby retain the plate j in correct position. A perforated bar or plate & bears
against the rear end of the back casting and through this plate k the adjusting
screw connected with the axle of the rear wheel, passes, and against it, the
adjusting nut m bears.
The rear end of the case or cover is formed with a removeable end piece n to
permit access to the wheel adjustment means, as is well understood and such end
piece n is fixed in position on the case in the manner hereinafter described.
The portion c of the case or cover connecting together the two castings a, and,
is formed of thin sheet metal, which is fitted and fixed at its ends to the castings u, b,
by screws or rivets and an interual stay c* is fixed in the forward end of the part c,
thus completing the case or cover and enabling the latter to serve the purpose of
one tube of the bottom fork.
The rear end of the front side of such part c is slotted to correspond with the
slot in the casting and the rear end of the inner side thereof has a larger slot or
opening therein to permit of the entry of the hub i¹ of the rear wheel i and of the
And in order that the said opening in the rear
rear chain wheel o within the case.
end of the inner side of the case may be closed I employ a covering plate p, see
Figure 14, which is passed over one end of the hub before the chain wheel o is
placed in position against and fixed to said hub, and I provide guides or slides c¹ on
the inside of the inner side of the part e, to receive the top and bottom edges of such
covering plate p, whereby as the wheel is adjusted the covering plate p will be moved
to and fro by the hub within the guides or slides c' and at the same time efficiently
cover in the opening in the rear end of the inner side of the case c.
The removeable end piece is fitted accurately to the rear end of the part c of
the case or cover and is fixed thereto by screws n' passing through holes in the part c
and screwing into stout pieces of metal fixed in proper position within the part c
and it is also fixed to the rear end of the forked part of the casting by screws n²
passing through the horizontal webs of the protecting part of said removeable
end piece n and screwing into the upper and lower limbs of the forked part of the
casting b.
b
As described in my Provisional Specification the rear casting & may be formed
with a disc or plate to fit and be fixed against the exterior of the part of the case,
but such is found unnecessary, in addition to which the case is lighter without it, and
I would here remark that the rear casting b may, if desired, be replaced by a
swaging of similar shape.
The case is easily detachable by taking off one crank and by removing the end
cover n and the driving wheel i.
Instead of forming the intermediate part c of the gear case or cover entirely of
O sheet metal the upper and lower edges thereof may be formed of either angular or
curved trough metal and the sides of leather or other suitable material conveniently
attached thereto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
5 claim is.
1. A case for the gearing of a chain driven velocipede constructed substantially

page_text: as herein described to enclose such gearing and at the same time serve as a substitute
for one limb of the lower back fork.
2. In a chain driven velocipede, a gear case which is used in lieu of one limb of
the lower back fork substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 31st day of December 1892.
W. HILLMAN,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents