IMPROVEMENTS ON CYCLOMETERS FOR DETERMINING AND RECORDING THE DISTANCES TRAVELLED BY VEHICLES AND ON APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Butcher a citizen of the United States and a
resident of Boston, United States of America, Mechanical Expert for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS ON CYCLOMETERS FOR DETERMINING AND RECORDING
THE DISTANCES TRAVELLED BY VEHICLES AND ON APPLIANCES CONNECTED
THEREWITH
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Butcher at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th December 1883.
JOSEPH BUTCHER a citizen of the United States and a resident of Boston United
States of America, Mechanical Expert, "IMPROVEMENTS ON CYCLOMETERS FOR
DETERMINING AND RECORDING THE DISTANCES TRAVELLED BY VEHICLES, AND ON
APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH
"
My invention relates to a cyclometer or instrument for determining and recording
the distance travelled by a wheeled vehicle. The first part of my invention relates
to the instrument as applied to a vehicle wherein the wheel or wheels and axle
rotate together, as in a bicycle or a tricycle. The second part relates to the same
when applied to any vehicle wherein the axle does not rotate.
The instrument when adapted for a vehicle in which the axle rotates, comprises
a case and the recording or registering mechanism enclosed therein, a clamp
which is made in halves to embrace the axle and to one part of which the
registering mechanism is attached, a socket attached also to one half of the clamp
and adapted to receive a weight or a bicycle-lamp at will. This lamp or weight
balances the case and recording mechanism so that it stands out at an angle, or
horizontally from the axle. The axle revolves in the clamp and raw hide bearings
are provided to take the wear. Within the clamp is a sleeve made in halves and
fixed on the axle and this bears a cam which as the axle rotates, intermittently
depresses an operating pin and actuates the recording mechanism. This mechanism
may be constructed in various ways: I employ a paul connected with the push-pin
to partially rotate a ratchet wheel at each revolution of the vehicle-wheel. This
.

page_text: I connect by gears with the index for registering fractions of a mile and from these
gears are also driven the units, tens, hundreds and thousandths discs. The gears
are interchangeable to adapt the register to vehicles having wheels of different
sizes. The wheels of the vehicle may be run in either direction, but the registering
will always be ahead.
When the wheel of the vehicle rotates on the axle the cam is placed on the
nave or other part of the wheel and acts, or may act, through a lever, one end of
which is acted on by the cam while the other end actuates the push-pin and effects
the registering. In this case the registering mechanism may be mounted on the
non-rotative axle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Butcher in the Patent Office on the 11th June 1884.
JOSEPH BUTCHER a citizen of the United States and a resident of Boston, United
States of America, Mechanical Expert, IMPROVEMENTS ON CYCLOMETERS FOR
DETERMINING AND RECORDING THE DISTANCES TRAVELLED BY VEHICLES AND ON
APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH
My invention relates to means for determining and recording the distance
travelled by a vehicle.
My cyclometer is particularly well adapted for use on bicycles and tricycles, but
it is adapted to all wheel vehicles.
When employed on vehicles where the axle rotates with the wheel or wheels, as
in a bicycle or tricycle, the case containing the registering mechanism is suspended
by a clamp on the axle, and the register is actuated by a cam on the axle, or on a
sleeve fixed thereto. The case is prevented from turning with the axle by means
of a weight suspended from the sleeve; and this weight may be replaced by an
ordinary bicycle lamp provided with means of attaching it in place of the weight.
When the cyclometer is to be used on a vehicle where the wheel revolves on the
axle the cyclometer case is secured to the axle or some other fixed part, and the
operating cam is mounted on the wheel or its nave. The motion is communicated
to the register by a lever.
The preferred construction of the register will be best understood by reference
to the drawings and the description which follows.
In the drawings annexed, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the device, the
cyclometer, its clamp, and the bicycle axle being in transverse section on line 1-1
in Fig. 5. Figure 2 is a rear view, a weight being substituted for the lamp shown
in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows the pins on the weight for attaching it to the clamp.
Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 in Figure 2, Figure 5 is an underside view
of the recording mechanism and the upper half of the clamp. Figure 6 is a
detached view of a part of the recording mechanism. Figures 7 and 8 illustrate
the attachment of the cyclometer to a vehicle wherein the wheel revolves on the
axle; Figure 7 being an elevation and Figure 8 a section on line 8-8 in Figure 7.
Referring to Figs 1, 2, 3 and 4, A represents, as a whole, the recording mechanism
of the cyclometer, which is attached to a part of the halved clamp B, that embraces
the axle C. On the axle is secured a sleeve D, on which is formed or secured a
cam a, which, at each revolution of the axle, presses in a pin b belonging to the
register, and records one revolution of the wheel. On the lower half of the clamp B
are two sockets c c, arranged to receive two pins d d on a plate secured to the top
of a bicycle-lamp E, (see Fig. 1) or on a weight F (see Figs. 2 and 3) when the
lamp is not used. The lamp or weight serves to keep the recording mechanism
from rotating with the axle and keeps it standing out horizontally with its dial
face uppermost, as shown in Fig. 1. The means for securing the pins d in the
socket c is best shown in Fig. 4. This is a milled wheel e mounted to rotate on a
stud between the sockets c, so that its edges engage in recesses in the pins d d
through cuts in the sockets; by turning this wheel e until recesses f in its edges
coincide with these recesses the pins & may be withdrawn. One pin d would serve,
but two are better.
Where the apparatus is used on a vehicle wherein the wheel turns on the axle
I employ the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In this case the cam a is
secured to the nave of the wheel G, and a lever g is provided with a friction roller
to engage it. The other end of the lever presses on the pin b of the registers.
Different forms of registers may be employed but I will briefly describe that
shown:-
:-
The pin b bears on a spring slide, which carries a pawl and every time the pin
is pressed this pawl engages and turns a ratchet-wheel h part way round. This

page_text: wheel has a pinion on its under side which engages a toothed wheel i, on the
arbor of which is the index j which registers fractions, of a mile, (see Fig. 1). On
the face of wheel i is an eccentric k (see Fig. 6) which bears a spring-pawl that
engages one of the ten teeth in the unit disk. One revolution of wheel i moves
the unit disk one tooth, thus registering one mile. The units, tens, hundreds and
thousands disk have each one deep tooth, and a spring pawl is provided to engage
each of these disks in succession. That is to say, when the unit disk makes one
revolution the ten disk moves one tooth, and when the ten disk makes one
revolution, the hundred disk moves one tooth. This is effected by making the
deep teeth successively deeper to allow the pawl to engage. The figures on the
disks appear through openings in the dial-plate, as shown in Fig. 7.
It is necessary that the wheel i of the register, and the pinion that drives it, be
commensurate with the size of the wheel of the vehicle so as to properly record the
distance travelled. And these wheels may, if necessary, be made changeable to
suit wheels of the different standard sizes.
The register will record up to 10000 miles, but it may be made to record a
greater number of miles by adding another disk.
Where screws and worms are used for recording, the mechanism runs backward
when the motion of the wheel is reversed, but in my device where the cam acts on
a pin it is immaterial in which direction the wheel turns, it will always record
ahead.
The clamp B has recesses (see Fig 3) in which are placed rawhide bearings m m
to take the wear. These may be removed and replaced when worn. The clamp B
forms a protecting case or housing to prevent dust from reaching the cam a
and pin b.
Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is :-
First: The means in connection with a cyclometer, whereby a lamp or weight
may be removably attached thereto, substantially as set forth.
Second: The halved clamp B to one half of which the cyclometer case is attached
provided with rawhide bearings as set forth.
Third: The means for registering the rotations of the wheel of the vehicle,
comprising the cam mounted on the axle and the pin b, whereby rotation of the
wheel in either direction effects the registration, as set forth.
Fourth-The means for effecting the registration as shown in Figs. 7 and 8
wherein the wheel revolves on the axle.
Fifth In a cyclometer the combination of the case A and its registering
mechanism the halved sleeve B, the sockets cc on said sleeve arranged at right-
angles to the case A, and the weight or lamp whereby the case A is held in the
position shown in Figure 1.
In Witness Whereof I the said Joseph Butcher have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twelfth day of May in the year of our Lord 1884.
Witnesses :-
WALTER F. POPE
338 Washington St
Boston Mass.
W. B EVERETT
338 Washington St.
-
Boston.
JOSEPH BUTCHER (L.S.)