Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Velocipedes.
We, DAVID ALEXANDER MC NEIGHT, of 8, Fenwick Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Chartered Accountant, and WILLIAM JAMES, of 166, Borough
Road, Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention, the subject of this application, has reference to the driving gear
of velocipedes, primarily bicycles, and particularly to that type of such driving
gears in which the motion is transmitted from one part, say from the pedal
driven crank, to the driven part, say the hub of the rear road wheel, by a flexible
metallic endless, and substantially stretchless band, working over a pulley on the
driving part, and a pulley on the driven part; and it has chiefly for its object
to provide a gear of this kind in which, while the transmission of power and
movement shall be complete and effective without slip, it shall be effected with
very little friction on the journals or bearings carrying the revolving wheels, or
working parts; and at the same time, to provide a gear of this character which
is not so liable to diminution of efficiency, deterioration, or damage; and is
compact and neat.
According to this invention, the transmission belt or band of steel, phosphor
bronze, or other equivalently highly, flexible and practically non-stretchable
material, is brought and kept in contact with the greater part of the peripheries
or rims of the wheels over which it works, so as to obtain a wrapping round'
effect, of the band with the wheel; and this is effected by the employment in
connection with each of the main gear pullies, of a secondary or "jockey pulley,"
over which the band passes as it comes off the driving pulley, and as it passes
onto the driven pulley; these jockey pullies being so disposed as to take that part
of the belt between the main pullies on which there is practically, no stress, and
to cause it to run closely under or up against the other part of the belt. These
jockey pullies are brought closely up against the rim of the gear pullies, and
in one arrangement, gently presses the band onto those wheels, say by an adjust-
able spring support, while in another case, these pullies may be positively adjusted
or fixed close up against or upon the gear wheels. By these means, when the
driven wheel or pulley is revolved by the pedals, tension is put upon the driving
band, and this causes the band to grip onto the wheel, and to thereby make such
contact therewith that it will not slip, and will positively revolve such wheels,
with little friction.
According to one construction, or further improvement under this invention,
the forward moving and return parts of the band are brought closely together
as described, and are enclosed within, and work through, a tube of comparatively
small size, constituting શ gear case; and, in one construction, this
tube is made to form part of the frame of the bicycle, it being connected
at one end to, or a part on, the rear wheel axle, and at the other end to a portion

page_text: of the frame at or near the front gear wheel. These portions may be in the form
of castings or casings enclosing the wheels, to which the ends of the tube are
attached; they being provided with suitable caps, doors, or plates, which are
detachable, for gaining access to the wheel for inspection or other purposes.
In some cases, to afford a high gripping effect, the gear wheels may be shod
with leather, wood, or other material suitable for the purpose.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
We, DAVID ALEXANDER MC NEIGHT, of 8, Fenwick Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Chartered Accountant, and WILLIAM JAMES, of 166, Borough
Road, Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, 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:-
The invention, the subject of this application, has reference, mainly, to the
driving gear of velocipedes, primarily bicycles, and particularly to that type of
such driving gears in which the motion is transmitted from one part (say from
the pedal driven crank of a velocipede) to the driven part (say the hub of the
rear road wheel) by a flexible, and substantially stretchless, band, working over
a pulley on the driving part, and a pulley on the driven part; and it has chiefly
for its object to provide a gear of this kind in which, while the transmission of
power and movement shall be complete and effective without slip, it shall be
effected with very little friction on the journals or bearings carrying the revolving
wheels, or working parts; and, at the same time, to provide a gear of this character
which is not liable to diminution of efficiency, deterioration, or damage; and is
compact and neat.
"
According to this invention, the transmission belt or band is brought and
kept in contact with the greater part of the peripheries or rims of the wheels
over which it works, so as to obtain a wrapping round" effect, of the band
with the wheel; and this is effected by the employment, in connection with each
of the main gear pullies, of a secondary or "jockey pulley," over which the band
passes as it comes off the driving pulley, and as it passes onto the driven pulley;
these jockey pullies being so disposed as to take that part of the belt between
the main pullies on which there is, practically, no stress, and to cause it to run
closely under or up against the other part of the belt. These jockey pullies are
brought closely up against the rim of the gear pullies, and, in one arrangement,
gently presses the band onto these wheels, say by an adjustable spring support,
while in another case, one of these pullies may be positively adjusted or fixed
close up against or upon one of the gear wheels. By these means, when the
drive wheel or pulley is revolved by the pedals, tension is put upon the driving
band, and this causes the band to grip onto the wheel, and to thereby make such
contact therewith that it will not slip, and will positively revolve such wheels,
with little friction.
The band driving gear, according to this invention, is illustrated in elevation
in Figure 1, and in plan in Figure 2, shewing it applied to an ordinary bicycle,
in which the rear road wheel is driven. The invention will be described by the
aid of the drawings.

page_text: In the drawings, a designates the transmission belt, which may be assumed
to be of any suitable flexible and stretchless material, as textile fabric, or a highly
flexible metallic band; b is the driving wheel, fixed on and revolving with the
crank shaft; and c is the driven wheel, fixed on the hub of the rear road wheel d.
According to this invention, the belt is carried round, and kept in contact with
the greater part of the periphery of the wheels over which it works, namely, the
driving and driven wheels b and c, so as to obtain a wrapping round effect of the
band with the wheels. This is effected by the employment, in connection with
these wheels b and c, of secondary wheels b and c, and it is preferred that the
portion of belt between the driving and driven wheels which is under tension,
namely, the part running from the upper side of c onto the upper part of b,
should be straight.
In this case, the belt passing over b, is carried round it up onto the back side,
where it passes over the secondary pulley 61, and is thus wrapped round the
greater part of b. Then, at the wheel c, the belt is led onto this wheel at a point
near where the other side of the belt leaves it, and is so wrapped round this pulley,
also, the greater part of its periphery.
The pullies 6 and c¹ are mounted on levers e, having their fulcra on the tube f
of the frame of the cycle; while, at their upper ends, these levers are provided
with rods g, which are adjustable in the ends of e, and have an adjustable
spring g upon them, adapted to press the two parts of this rod, and the levers e,
away from each other. By this, the pullies b₁ c¹ will be gently pressed towards
and onto the peripheries of the wheels b and c, the degree of pressure varying
according to the tension under which the spring is adjusted. Thus the belt a
is normally, and constantly, pressed onto b as it comes off this wheel, and pressed
onto c as it goes onto this wheel. By these means, when the drive wheel b is
revolved by the pedals, tension is put upon the band, and causes it to grip onto
the wheels and c, and to make such a contact with them that it will not slip,
but will positively revolve such wheels, and with little friction.
It is of great importance that a firm and positive grip between the belt a and
the driven wheel c should be obtained; and, by the belt being led onto the
wheel c at about the point shewn, and pressed gently onto it, at this point, and
carried round the greater part of the periphery, as described, this is thoroughly
accomplished. As, in the case shewn, the driving wheel 6 has a larger periphery,
the amount of grip between the band and wheel, in this case, is more easily
obtained than in the case of the driven wheel, by virtue of the actual contact
surface; and, in this wheel, it is not always necessary, under all circumstances,
that the wheel 6' should actually press the band onto b, although it should be
very near; but, it is preferred, even in this case, to have the belt gently pressed
on. The pressure exerted by the wheels b and c on the belt, pressing it onto
their respective wheels b and c, can be a variable one, by varying the point of
connection of the rods g in the levers, e.
In some cases, the rims of the band a, between the wheels b and c, may be
brought closely together, and passed through a tube constituting a gear case;
which tube, in some cases, may form part of the frame of the cycle; whilst the
wheels may also be enclosed in wheel gear cases, formed on or in one with said
tubes, or not, as may be found convenient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
is:-
1. In a velocipede, the employment of belt driving gear in which the belt is
wrapped or passed round and caused to grip onto the road or driven belt wheel,
and onto the pedal or driving belt wheel, by the use of secondary wheels which
lead the belt onto and off said wheels, and press it onto the periphery of said
driven and driving wheels (or onto the driven wheel only), at the points where

page_text: the belt passes onto and off same, or onto said driven wheel; substantially as in
the manner herein set forth, and for the purposes specified.
2. The velocipede belt driving gear comprising the drive wheel b on the crank
axle, the driven wheel c on the driven road wheel, the secondary wheels b¹ and c¹
connected with b and c, respectively, supported upon the frame of the cycle, and
carried up so that the belt on the slack side wraps round the greater portion of the
wheels b and c, and adapted to operate and press on the belt as described; and
the part of the belt between the drive and driven wheels working under tension
being straight; substantially as set forth with reference to the drawing.
3. The velocipede driving gear having its parts arranged and adapted to operate,
particularly as set forth with reference to and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 17th day of February 1898.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
Applicants' Patent Agents, 15, Water Street, Liverpool.