Improvements in Driving Gear and Brakes for Bicycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1897-Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Gear and Brakes for Bicycles.
I, JAMES WILEY JACOBS, of 404, Spring Street, Jeffersonville, in the County of
Clark, and State of Indiana, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment:-
My invention relates to a new and useful improvements in driving gear and
Brakes for Bicycles and contemplates the arrangement of a brake in easy reach
of one foot of the rider, whereby resistance may be offered to the revolving of the
sprocket wheel shaft so as to regulate the speed of the machine by holding back
upon the drive chain.
It also has for its object to so construct a mechanism of this description as to
enable a rider to exert greater force upon the machine for its propulsion and to
avoid lost motion occasioned by the use of a rotary crank, and also to enable the
rider to operate both feet simultaneously or independent of each other and through
any length of stroke desired in the limit of the mechanism.
With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction
and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated
by the claims.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bicycle provided with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the mechanism showing its application to the
sprocket wheel shaft.
Fig. 3 is a section at the line x-r of Fig. 2, and
Fig. 4 is a section at the line y-y of same figure.
In carrying out my invention as herein embodied, I utilize the ordinary crank
shaft A, of a bicycle which is journaled in the usual manner in the hanger B, and
has secured thereon the sprocket wheel C, and this wheel is connected in the usual
manner by a chain to the small sprocket wheel of the rear hub.
Upon the opposite side of the hanger from the sprocket wheel is secured a
drum D, upon the shaft A, so as to revolve in unison with said sprocket wheel,
and a corresponding drum E, is secured to the face of the sprocket wheel by means
of the screws or rivets F, so as to become rigid therewith. Gare pedal levers
having formed therein the hubs H, which latter are fitted upon the shaft A, so as
to freely revolve thereon and these hubs are held in place by the nuts I. Each
of the hubs projects within one of the drums and have a series of pawls J, pivoted
thereto within an annular groove, and said pawls are adapted to engage with the
ratchet teeth K, formed upon the inner wall of the drum so that when the hub
is revolved in one direction, the pawls pass over the teeth of the ratchet without
affecting the same, but when revolved in the opposite direction will engage with
said teeth, thereby causing the drum to revolve with the hub, the pawls being
actuated by gravity and are here shown as five in number so that two or more
thereof will at all times be in engagement with the ratchet teeth.
The hubs are revolved in the direction of the arrow by pressure brought to bear
upon the pedal levers, but when said pressure is released or partly so, the hubs are

page_text: revolved in the opposite direction, thus returning the pedal levers to their normal
position by the action of the springs L, which are coiled about the hubs and secured
at one end thereto at M, and having their opposite ends secured at N, to the
housings O, which surround the springs. These housings are circular in form and
have brackets P, formed therewith which are secured by suitable clamps Q, to the
rear braces of the bicycle.
From this it will be seen that a rider has only to force the pedal levers through
the means of the pedals downward through an are of more or less extent and by
releasing or reducing the pressure upon the pedals permit, the levers to be returned
to their normal position by the springs in order to cause the bicycle to be given
a forward progression, since at each downward movement of the levers certain
of the pawls J, will engage with the ratchet teeth K, and cause the shaft A, to
revolve therewith and as the sprocket wheel C, is carried by this shaft and con-
nected with the rear wheel of the bicycle by a drive chain, the operation of the
two levers alternately will impart to the rear wheel a continuous tendency to re-
volve in one direction. The upward movement of the pedal levers is limited by
the stop lugs R, with which said levers come in contact as clearly shown in Fig. 3.
By the use of this construction with a bicycle, a rider will be enabled to more
perfectly control the machine as well as force it with greater rapidity and ease
over rough roads, steep inclines, and also enabled to propel the machine at a
greater rate of speed upon a level road, and this is due to the fact that the feet
of the rider have only to move through an arc of a circle, and therefore a more
direct application of power is had than would otherwise be the case, and also be-
cause no dead centers exist, and it is possible to maintain a continuous, constant
and steady pressure upon the sprocket wheel since one pedal lever may be con-
tinued in its downward movement until the other has been elevated and again
started upon its downward movement, thus avoiding the interruption of the appli-
cation of power to the driving of the machine which is of greatest importance
when forcing said machine up a steep incline.
By the arrangement of this construction it is not possible to hold back upon the
drive wheel of the machine by back pedalling, and therefore it is essential that
the forward movements of the machine be put under control of the rider by a suit-
able brake which will be in easy access of the rider and which will be absolutely
sure of operation when needed and this is accomplished in the following manner :-
A flexible band S, is secured within one of the housings at T, and passes around
the drum, having its opposite end attached at U, to the lever V, which is pivoted
at W, to a lug X, formed upon the housing, and the lever terminates in a foot
rest Y, so that when it is desirable to slacken the speed of the machine, the re-
volving of the drum may be retarded by placing the foot upon the rest Y, thereby
creating a certain amount of friction between the band and the drum and this
friction may be increased by an increased pressure upon the brake lever V. Thus
the machine is put under complete control of the rider either for its forward pro-
pulsion or for the stopping of its momentum.
This brake may be used in connection with bicycles which are not provided with
the remainder of my improvement.
One of the advantages of my improvement is that it may be attached to a
bicycle of ordinary construction without alteration of said machine, thus bringing
it within the reach of persons owning such machines. Suitable ball-bearings can
be provided for the hubs H, in order that the friction therebetween and the shaft
may be reduced to a minimum.
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:
-
1. In combination with a bicycle, a shaft adapted to revolve in the hanger, a
sprocket wheel carried by said shaft, two drums also carried by said shaft, said

page_text: drums having ratchet teeth formed upon their inner walls, hubs journaled upon
the shaft, pawls pivoted to the hubs and adapted to engage the teeth, pedal levers
carried by the hubs, and springs for returning said levers to their normal positions.
2. In combination with a bicycle, a shaft adapted to revolve in the hanger
thereof, a sprocket wheel carried by said shaft, a drum secured to the wheel, a drum
secured to the opposite end of the shaft, hubs journaled upon the shaft, pawls
pivoted to the hubs and adapted to engage teeth formed upon the inner walls of
the drums, levers carried by the hubs, springs for returning said levers to their
normal position, housings enclosing said springs, and brackets formed with the
housings and adapted to be clamped to the rear braces.
3. In combination with the sprocket wheel shaft of a bicycle, a drum bolted to
the sprocket wheel, another drum secured to the shaft upon the opposite side of
the hanger, ratchet teeth formed upon the inner walls of the drums, hubs
fitted to revolve upon the shaft, pawls pivoted to the hubs and adapted to engage
the ratchet teeth, levers formed with the hubs for carrying the pedal springs
coiled about the hubs and having one of their ends attached thereto, their opposite
ends being held against movement, housings embracing the springs, brackets
formed with the housings, and clamps for securing said brackets to the rear braces
of the bicycle.
4. In combination with a pedal mechanism of the character described, a brake
consisting of a flexible band, one end of which is attached to the housing, said band
being passed around one of the hubs, and a foot lever to which the opposite end
of the band is attached.
5. In combination with a bicycle, a crank shaft journaled in the hanger thereof,
a sprocket wheel secured on one end of the shaft, a drum secured to the sprocket
wheel, a corresponding drum journaled on the opposite end to revolve with the
shaft, pedal levers, hubs formed thereon and loosely mounted on each end of the
shaft, the hubs projecting into the drums, pawls pivoted in an annular groove
formed around the hubs, said pawls being adapted to engage the teeth of the drum
on one side when revolving in one direction, housings surrounding the hubs out-
side of the drums and springs attached at one end to the housings and at the other
to the hubs and lugs formed on the housings to limit the upward movement of the
pedal levers.
6. In combination with a bicycle, a crank mechanism journaled in the hanger
thereof, a sprocket wheel secured on one end of the shaft, a drum secured to the
sprocket wheel, a corresponding drum journaled on the opposite end to revolve
with the shaft, pedal levers, hubs formed thereon and loosely mounted on each end
of the shaft, the hubs projecting into the drums, pawls pivoted in annular groove
formed around the hubs, said pawls being adapted to engage the teeth on one side
when revolved in one direction, housings surrounding the hubs, a flexible band
attached at one end of the housing and extending around the drum enclosed by said
housing, a lever connected to the outer end of the band, and a foot rest formed
on the outer end of the lever.
7. In combination with a bicycle, a bracket secured to the frame and running
parallel therewith, a shaft journaled in the crank hanger extending through the
bracket, a drum rigidly secured on the shaft and fitting against the bracket, an
annular flange formed on the bracket enclosing the drum, a lever pivoted to ears
on the flange one end extending through an opening in the flange, a flexible band
running around the drum and secured at one end to the lever and at the other
to the bracket, and a flange formed around the inner edge of the drum to retain
the flexible band thereon.
Plan 1907