Improvements in Driving Mechanism of Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 16th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism of Bicycles, Tricycles, and
the like.
I, ARTHUR CHARLES MARIE GUINARD, of No. 8, Avenue de l'Opera, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Gunsmith, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the driving mechanism of bicycles and
the like and consists in providing variable speed gear which allows, with the same
speed of the pedals, two, three, four or more different speeds being communicated
to such machines; or the pedal movement may be completely disengaged from the
driving wheel whereby the machine can travel along by its acquired momentum
without operating the pedals. In the latter case I advantageously employ a brake
acting on the hub of the wheel or a projection therefrom to moderate the speed of
or stop the machine.
In carrying out my invention I mount the hub of the driving wheel on the axle
and provide it at one end with a toothed plate on the outer face of which is a stud
adapted to engage in one of a number of radial slots formed in a double pinion.
This pinion has one set of teeth for the driving chain and another set formed of
rollers and turns on an eccentric provided with antifriction balls held in place by a
screw nut.
The eccentric is screwed upon a threaded extension of the axle formed integral
therewith and arranged eccentrically thereto.
In communicating to the eccentric a rotary movement in the required direction
it is moved in the direction of the axis of the wheel carrying with it the pinion.
Supposing the longitudinal movement of the eccentric to be towards the right
hand the pinion will be disengaged from the stud; the eccentric being moved a
sufficient distance causes the rollers to engage in the teeth of the plate on the hub
of the driving wheel which will thereby be actuated at a rate of speed determined
by the number of teeth on the plate and the number of rollers on the pinion.
A reverse movement of the eccentric will cause the plate to become disengaged
from the rollers and the stud to engage in one of the slots in the face of the pinion.
The latter will thus be fixed to the driving wheel and will actuate it at the speed
communicated by the driving chain to the teeth of the pinion.
It will be readily understood that with a certain number of plates of different
diameters fixed on the hub of the wheel and arranged to gear with roller teeth or
the like suitably arranged on the pinion, two, three or more different speeds can be
communicated to the driving wheel according to the number of plates employed.
Two plates should never be in engagement with the pinion at the same time in
order that by fixing the eccentric in the position it occupies when a plate is
disengaged and before another plate is engaged with the pinion the machine may
continue to travel with the acquired momentum the pedals being inoperative with
regard to the driving wheel.
The eccentric is actuated by means of a lever connected by a rod to the end of
another lever. This latter is terminated by a handle placed within reach of the
rider; it carries a stud engaging in holes in a fixed sector so as to fix the position
of the eccentric according as it is required to drive fast or slow or to allow the
machine to run free.
The operative position of the eccentric can also be obtained by slightly extending
the screw which gives the reciprocating movement to the pinion. Or by duplicating

page_text: this pinion and having a space between the two which will allow the chain or other
gear to run free when the operating lever is in a given position.
Dated this 18th day of March 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism of Bicycles, Tricycles, and
the like.
J, ARTHUR CHARLES MARIE GUINARD, of No. 8, Avenue de l'Opera, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Gunsmith, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in the driving mechanism of bicycles and
the like and consists in providing variable speed-gear which allows, with the same
speed of the pedals, two, three, four or more different speeds being communicated
to such machines; or the pedal movement may be completely disengaged from the
driving wheel whereby the machine can travel along by its acquired momentum
without operating the pedals.
In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the application of my variable
speed-gear to a safety bicycle.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section taken on the axis of the driving wheel axle.
Figures 2 and 3 are views shewing two different positions of the speed-gear
mechanism, Figure 2 being a section half on the line 1-2 and half on the line 3-4
of Figure 1 and Figure 3 being a view of the mechanism arranged for driving at a
fast rate of speed.
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the variable
speed-gear.
Figure 5, is a longitudinal section illustrating a modification in which two
toothed plates are employed formed integral with the hub of the driving wheel.
In carrying out my invention I' mount the hub u of the driving wheel on the
axle 6 and provide it at one end with a toothed plate a' on the outer face of which
is a stud a adapted to engage in one of a number of radial slots c¹ formed in a
double pinion c. This pinion has one set of teeth for the driving chain and
another set formed of rollers, and turns on an eccentric d provided with
antifriction balls d' held in place by a screw nut d².
The eccentric d is screwed upon a threaded extension of the axle formed
integral therewith and arranged eccentrically thereto.
In communicating to the eccentric d a rotary movement in the required direction
it is moved in the direction of the axis of the wheel carrying with it the pinion c.
Supposing parts to be in the position shewn in Figure 1 and the longitudinal
movement of the eccentric to be towards the right hand the pinion c will be dis-
engaged from the stud a²; if the eccentric d be moved a sufficient distance it will
cause the rollers to engage in the teeth of the plate a' on the hub of the driving
wheel, as shewn in Figure 3, which will thereby be actuated at a rate of speed
determined by the number of teeth on the plate a' and the number of rollers con
the pinion c.
A reverse movement of the eccentric d will cause the plate a¹ to become
disengaged from the rollers and the stud a³ to engage in one of the slots in the
face of the pinion c. The latter will thus be fixed to the driving wheel and will
actuate it at the speed communicated by the driving chain to the teeth of the
pinion c.
It will be readily understood that with a certain number of plates a¹ of different

page_text: diameters (as illustrated in Figure 5, which shews two of such plates by way of
example) fixed on the hub of the wheel and arranged to gear with roller teeth or
the like suitably arranged on the pinion c, two, three or more different speeds
can be communicated to the driving wheel according to the number of plates
employed.
Two plates should never be in engagement with the pinion e at the same time in
order that by fixing the eccentric d in the position it occupies when a plate is
disengaged and before another plate is engaged with the pinion c the machine may
continue to travel with the acquired momentum the pedals being inoperative with
regard to the driving wheel.
The eccentric d is actuated by means of a lever f connected by a rod g to the
end of another lever / pivotted at h². This latter is terminated by a handle placed
within reach of the rider; it carries a stud ' engaging in holes in a fixed
sector i so as to fix the position of the eccentric according as it is required to drive
fast or slow or to allow the machine to run free.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
.
1. Driving mechanism for bicycles, tricycles and the like comprising a variable
speed-gear consisting of an eccentric mounted on a threaded extension of the
driving wheel axle arranged eccentrically thereto, the said eccentric carrying with
it in its longitudinal movement a pinion having two sets of teeth and receiving
its rotary movement from the cranks, through the medium of a chain or its
equivalent and transmitting it at variable speeds by means of one of its sets of
teeth gearing with a corresponding plate fixed on the hub of the wheel, the
eccentric being actuated by an arrangement of levers and fixed by means of, a
sector in any required position, according to the speed desired or in order to
completely free the driving wheel from the movement of the pedals, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
2. The improved driving mechanism for bicycles, tricycles and the like
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 16th day of December 1892
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.