Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Nov., 1891-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1891
Improvements in Velocipedes.
We, CHARLES GROOMBRIDGE, Inventor, and WILLIAM ALFRED SOUTH,
Veterinary Surgeon, both of 40, New Bond Street, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in velocipedes, and has for its object to
provide means for enabling the rider to work the velocipede either for power, when
ascending inclines, or for speed, when on level surfaces, as may be required, without
dismounting from the machine.
In carrying out our invention we provide two sets of chain gearing, one arranged
for increasing the speed of the driving wheel or wheels, as usual, the other for
diminishing the speed thereof but increasing the power, the wheels of each set
being so proportioned the one to the other as to effect the object in view.
By means of suitable clutch arrangements, carried by the pedal axis and the
axis of the driving wheel, or wheels, and operated by the rider through suitable
levers and connecting rods, either set of chain wheels may be brought into gear
with, and worked from, the pedal axis; the other set of chain wheels during such
time being thrown out of gear.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1891
ERNEST DE PASS,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.
We, CHARLES GROOMBRIDGE, Inventor, and WILLIAM ALFRED SOUTH,
Veterinary Surgeon, both of 40 New Bond Street, in the County of Middlesex,
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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters
and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to improvements in velocipedes and has for its object to
provide means for enabling the rider to work the velocipede either for power when
ascending inclines, or for speed when on level surfaces, as may be required, without
dismounting from the machine.
In carrying out our invention we provide two sets of chain gearing, one arranged
for increasing the speed of the driving wheel, or wheels, as usual; the other for
diminishing the speed thereof, but increasing the power, the wheels of each set
being so proportioned the one to the other as to effect the object in view.
By means of suitable clutch arrangements, carried by the crank axis, and the
axis of the driving wheel, or wheels, and operated by the rider through suitable
levers and connecting rods, either set of chain wheels may be brought into gear
with and worked from the crank axis-the other set of chain wheels, during such
times, being thrown out of gear.

page_text: And in order that this invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, we will proceed to describe it with reference to the drawings hereunto
annexed.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan, of what is known as a "safety"
bicycle, showing our invention applied thereto.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detail views, drawn to a larger scale for sake of clearness,
and showing respectively a cross section taken through the crank shaft; a cross
section taken through the driving wheel axle; and a plan of a portion of the lever
mechanism hereinafter described.
a is the axle of the driving wheel upon which are loosely mounted the two chain
wheels, ; and d is the crank shaft upon which are also loosely mounted the two
chain wheels c, c'. These chain wheels are so arranged that bis geared with and
b with c', by means of ordinary endless chains; we thus have a pair of chain
wheels on each side of the machine, one pair geared for power, and the other for
speed.
Upon the driving axle a are mounted two clutches 62, 63, which can be slidden
along the axle by means of the pivotted levers e and, said clutches being provided
with feathers 64, 6, (Fig. 4) fitting in grooves a¹ formed in the axle, so that they
always revolve with the axle, but are free to move longitudinally thereon. The
levers e and are connected at their free ends by the cross bar g, so that they move
together, and these levers are operated by the lever handle, which is under the
control of the rider and connected to the bell crank lever by the sliding rod i
(Fig. 5).
The crank shaft d is provided with a double clutch d¹ furnished with a feather d'
which slides in a groove d³ (Fig. 3) in a manner similar to that of the clutches
mounted on the axle of the driving wheel, so that the said double clutch always
revolves with the crank shaft, but is free to be slidden thereon by means of the
pivotted lever (Fig. 1). This lever is actuated by the cross bar g, by means of a
fork with which said cross bar is provided.
Thus, when the lever handle is moved in the direction of the arrow seen in
Fig. 1, the bell crank lever h will be turned about its pivot and will operate the
cross bar
and levers e, f, thereby bringing the clutch into engagement with the
chain wheel b', and throwing the clutch l³ out of engagement with the chain wheel b.
At the same time the pivotted lever d' will be operated by the fork g' on the cross
bar and the double clutch d' will be shifted out of engagement with the chain
wheel c and be brought into engagement with the chain wheel c¹. The pair of
chain wheels b, c, will thus be thrown out of gear, while the pair b, c, will be put
into gear, consequently the machine can now be driven for speed, and the power
gearing will remain inactive until the hand-lever j is again shifted into the position
shown by Fig. 1.
It is to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise arrangement
of lever mechanism for operating the clutches herein described and shown by the
drawings, as it is evident that we can modify the same to suit velocipedes of
different construction, that is to say,-velocipedes having two, three, or more
wheels.
We can also, if desirable, situate the handle for operating said lever mechanism
upon the handle bar instead of near the saddle, as shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In velocipedes, the means or mechanism for allowing the rider, without
alighting from the machine, to change the gearing so as to drive for power, or for
speed the same consisting of two pairs of chain-wheels, one such pair being
mounted upon the axle of the driving wheel and the crank axle on one side of the
machine, and the other pair on the other side of the machine, and likewise upon the

page_text: driving axle and crank axle, but in reverse order, together with clutches so arranged
as to be operated through a suitable system of levers actuated by a handle under
the control of the rider, substantially as described and shown.
2. Our improved velocipede, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown
by the accompanying drawings.
*ICOT JanшDAONY TO CRn niaz cu nɔan,
ERNEST DE PASS,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.