Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Cycles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd July, 1896-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Cycles.
I, WILHELM BERNHARDT, of XII Schönbrunner Hauptstrasse, No. 23,
Vienna, Austria, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to driving mechanism for cycles, in which two chain
wheels are mounted on the pedal crank axle in such a manner that each can be
readily thrown into and out of gear for the purpose of changing the speed of the
cycle.
7
According to my invention I employ a clutch mounted on the crank axle and.
formed with concentric holes and which is adapted to be engaged with studs
arranged concentrically on the hubs of the chain wheels. The clutch is to enable
it to be moved into and out of gear, surrounded by a collar with which there
engages a rod for operating the clutch the said rod being adapted to be actuated'
by means of a weighted lever, an eccentric and suitable toothed gearing.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. is a side elevation of part of a cycle frame fitted with driving gear
according to this invention.
Fig. 2 is a section of the driving gear to a larger scale.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the clutch.
A is the pedal crank axle; B is a clutch consisting of a sleeve adapted to
move along on the said axle and rotating therewith, said sleeve being formed on its
two flange-like end surfaces b with concentric holes 6'. On the hubs of the chain
wheels CC which revolve loosely in ball bearings on the crank axle, there are
provided concentrically arranged studs c which enter the holes b' when the
clutch B is shifted towards the right or towards the left hand side.
For the purpose of effecting the shifting of the clutch B, it is surrounded by
a divided or two-part collar D held together by means of rings d screwed
thereon.
As the collar D does not rotate and only moves along with the clutch B, whilst
the latter is compelled to revolve in the collar, the latter is supported on balls d
which are arranged between the two, viz.: between the sleeve or clutch B and
the collar D. The tappet e of the disengaging device engages with the collar D
between a suitable projection d². The said tappet e is mounted on a rod E which
is provided with a journal e¹ and is capable of rotating in bearings f on the lower
framing F of the cycle frame.
The rod E is connected by means of gears e²es with another rod E' which is
movable longitudinally in bearings e es, and which extends up to the top
member F of the frame of the cycle, and is provided at its upper end with a
slot e. Into this slot there engages the pin f³ of an eccentric f which can be
partly rotated by means of a weighted lever G.
When the clutch B (Fig. 2) is in its middle position, both chain wheels C C¹
are out of gear, and movement of the crank axle A has no influence upon
them.
When the disengaging lever G is in its extreme left hand position (Fig. 1), the
chain-wheel C¹ is engaged with the clutch B.
If now the lever G be moved over from left to right, the rod E¹ is raised by
the eccentric f; and by the mutual action of the gears' ee, the rod E is rocked
>

page_text: together with the tappet e, and the clutch B is shifted and coupled with the chain
wheel C. Accidental disengagement of the coupling is prevented by the weight g
on the lever G. The chain-wheels C C' are of different diameters and serve to
transmit in the usual manner the motion to the chain wheels h h (Fig. 1) mounted
on the hubs of the hind wheel.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1895.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Cycles.
I, WILHELM BERNHARDT, of XII Schönbrunner Hauptstrasse, No. 23,
Vienna, Austria, Manufacturer, 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 driving mechanism for cycles, in which two chain
wheels are mounted on the pedal crank axle in such a manner that each can be
readily thrown into and out of gear for the purpose of changing the speed of the
cycle.
According to my invention I employ a clutch which is mounted on the crank
axle and is formed with holes that are arranged in a circle concentric to the crank
axle and are adapted to be engaged with studs arranged concentrically on the
hubs of the chain wheels. The clutch is to enable it to be moved into and out of
gear, surrounded by a collar with which there engages a rod for operating the
clutch, the said rod being adapted to be actuated by means of a weighted lever,
an eccentric, and suitable toothed gearing.
In the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section, of a portion of a cycle frame fitted
with driving gear according to this invention.
Fig. 2 is a section of the driving gear, to a larger scale.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of part of the clutch.
A is the pedal crank axle. B is one part of a clutch; it consists of a sleeve
that is adapted to move along on the said axle and rotate therewith, and is formed
on its two flange-like end surfaces with concentric holes 61. On the adjacent
surfaces of the hubs of the chain wheels C, C' which revolve loosely in ball
bearings on the crank axle, there are provided concentrically arranged studs c
which enter the holes 6' when the clutch sleeve B is shifted towards the right or
towards the left hand side.
For the purpose of effecting the shifting of the clutch B, it is surrounded by
a divided or two-part collar D held together by means of rings d screwed
thereon.
As the collar D does not rotate and only moves along with the clutch sleeve B,
whilst the latter is compelled to revolve in the collar by the crank axle, the collar
is supported on balls d' which are arranged between the two, viz. between the
clutch sleeve B and the collar D. The tappet e of the disengaging device
engages with the collar D between suitable projections 2 thereon. The said
tappet e is mounted on a rod E which is provided with a journal e¹ and is capable
of rotating in bearings on the lower rod F of the cycle frame.
The rod E is connected by means of gearing ee with another rod E¹ which is
movable longitudinally in bearings e, e, and which extends up to the top
member F¹ of the cycle frame, and is provided at its upper end with a slot e². In
this slot there engages the pin f' of an eccentric f' which can be partly rotated by
means of a weighted lever G.

page_text: When the clutch sleeve B (Fig. 2) is in its middle position, both chain
wheels C C are out of gear, and movement of the crank axle A has no influence.
upon them.
When the disengaging lever G is in its extreme left-hand position (Fig. 1,) the
chain wheel C' is engaged with the clutch sleeve B.
If now the lever G be moved over from left to right, the rod E' is raised by the
eccentric ; and by the mutual action of the gearing e e, the rod E is rocked
together with the tappet e, and the clutch sleeve B is shifted and coupled with the
chain wheel C. Accidental disengagement of the coupling is prevented by the
weight g on the lever G.
The chain-wheels C Care of different diameters and serve to transmit in the
usual manner motion to the chain wheels h h (Fig. 1) mounted on the hubs of the
hind wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a cycle, driving mechanism comprising two chain wheels C C¹ mounted
on the crank-axle, and a coupling device consisting of a clutch sleeve B that is capable.
of movement along the crank axle A, is provided at each end with holes b
arranged in a circle concentric to the axle A, and is surrounded by a collar in
which engages the tappet e of a disengaging device, the arrangement being such
that the clutch sleeve B can be engaged at either end with corresponding arranged
studs c on the hubs of the chain wheels, or can be disconnected from both wheels
by suitably moving the said collar, substantially as herein described.
2. In driving mechanism of the kind referred to in Claim 1, a disengaging
device characterized by an arrangement of rods E E' supported on the frame of
the cycle in such a way as to admit of rod E being rocked, the said rods being
arranged at an angle to each other and being connected together by means of
gearing e, the arrangement being such that an eccentric f¹ capable of being
actuated by means of a weighted lever G can act upon the upper end of the
rod E in such a manner that by turning the lever G, the tappet can be shifted
so as to move the clutch sleeve B endways.
3. The improved cycle driving mechanism constructed arranged and operating
as herein described and shown in the drawings referred to.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1896
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant..