Improvements in Bicycles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the Firm of G. F. Redfern & Co.,
The General Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of
London, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me by Henry George Eunton Pointon, of the City of Toronto, in the
County of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, Paper Hanger) to be
as follows:
My invention relates to improvements in bicycles and the object of the invention
is to devise a drive more particularly adapted for bicycles to be used on a racing-
track by which an increased speed may be imparted to the wheel without any loss
of power consequent upon the rapid rotation and loss of control of the pedal by the
rider and it consists essentially of locating on the pedal axle sprocket wheels which
are connected to auxiliary sprocket wheels located on a supplemental stud or
spindle attached to the backbone of the bicycle thence back again to the sprocket
wheel loose on the pedal axle and thence to the sprocket pinion on the main
driving wheel by sprocket chains as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of portion of a bicycle showing portion of the
sprocket wheels of my drive broken away to exhibit details of construction.
Fig. 2, is a cross section through the backbone and clip, which carries the
journals of the stud to which the auxiliary sprocket wheels are secured.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
A, is the frame of the bicycle at the lower apex of which is formed the
journal box, B, in which the pedal axle, C, rotates. The journal boxes, B, are
provided with the usual ball-bearings. D, are the pedal arms which are broken
away as shown. The arms, D, are attached to the ends of the axle, C.
E, E, is a double sprocket wheel, which is journalled loosely on the axle, C,
outside the journal box preferably on ball-bearings. F, is a sprocket wheel secured
to the opposite end of the axle, C.
G, is a clip which is formed in two parts, which have the outwardly extending
flange, G', extending above and below the back-bone, A'. g, are teats formed in
each half and extending into holes, g', made on the under side of the back-bone as
shown. The teats, g, serve to retain the clip, G, securely in position on the
back-bone, A.
H, are journal boxes secured to the clip, G, one on each side by the bolts, h,
which pass through the slots ', made in the upper flange, G₁, of the clip. The
slots, h, are designed to allow of the adjustment of the journal box and consequently
the sprocket wheels in order to tighten the sprocket chain. The upper flange, GT,
has a notch, G", cut out of it so as to allow the stud, I, to pass through it. The
stud, 1, is journalled in ball-bearings in the journal-boxes, H, and has secured at
one end the sprocket wheel, J, and at the other end the sprocket wheel, K. In all
cases the journals are preferably made ball-bearings.
L, is a sprocket pinion secured to the hub M of the driving wheel, N, of the
bicycle. The sprocket pinion, L, is connected by the sprocket chain, O, to the
portion, E, of the double sprocket wheel, E, E'. The portion, E', of the double
sprocket wheel, E, E, is connected by the sprocket chain, P, to the sprocket wheel J,
on one end of the stud, I. The sprocket wheel, K, on the opposite end of the
stud, I, is connected by the sprocket chain, Q, to the sprocket wheel, F, on the

page_text: opposite end of the axle to that in which the double sprocket wheel, E, E²,
is situated.
It will be seen that when the pedal is revolved the sprocket wheel, F, will
communicate motion to the sprocket wheel, K, and sprocket wheel, J, which
will communicate its motion to the double sprocket wheel, E, E¹ which com-
municates motion to the sprocket pinion, L, on the hub of the main driving
wheel. The sprocket wheel, E, E¹, is journalled as before stated in ball-bearings
on the axle, C, and when the axle revolves the sprocket wheel, E, will of course
revolve on the revolving axle at a greater speed than that at which the axle
is caused to revolve but in the same direction as will be seen from the different
sizes and arrangement of the sprocket wheels. The sprocket wheel, F, com-
municating motion to the sprocket wheel, K, of much smaller diameter rotates the
stud, I, at greater speed and consequently the sprocket wheel, J, is caused to rotate
at a greater speed than the sprocket wheel, F. The sprocket wheel, J, com-
municates motion to the portion, E', of the double sprocket wheel, E, E,
portion, E¹, being of a much smaller diameter than the sprocket wheel, J, will be
driven at a greater speed. The portion, E, of the double sprocket wheel, E, E',
also rotating at the same speed as the portion, E1, will convey the increased speed
to the sprocket pinion on the hub, M, of the main driving wheel. This sprocket
pinion, L, being of smaller diameter than the portion, E, of the double sprocket
wheels, E, E, will cause the wheel, N, to rotate at a much greater speed than
the sprocket wheel, E, E¹.
which
It will thus be seen that from the pedal axle the speed will be increased from
the sprocket wheel, F, to the sprocket pinion, L, which will rotate at a much
greater speed than the sprocket wheel, F. By this means it will be understood
that much greater speed will be imparted to the driving wheel of the bicycle, which
speed will be found particularly advantageous by bicycles intended for racing. In
bicycles now commonly used for racing the rider of the bicycle when the pedals
are caused to rotate very quickly loses the control over such pedals and he
therefore cannot impart the necessary power to produce a much increased speed.
By arrangement of sprocket wheels and chains constructed and connected
together as herein before described it will be seen that the rider of a bicycle may
by a much slower motion of the pedal advantageously impart a very much increased
speed to the bicycle with the least possible amount of lost motion and consequent
loss of power.
Although I have designed my machine more especially for track racing it will
be seen that it might readily be adapted for road racing by removing the sprocket
wheels, K, and, F, and sprocket chain, Q, and changing the position of the clip, G,
so as to bring the sprocket wheel, J, close to the double sprocket wheel, E, E'.
In this case I would attach the pedal to the stud, I, and the motion would then be
communicated through the sprocket wheel, J, sprocket chain, P, double sprocket
wheel E, E to the sprocket pinion L on the main driving wheel.
Dated this 28th day of February 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the Firm of G. F. Redfern & Co.,
The General Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of
London, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me by Henry George Eunton Pointon, of the City of Toronto, in the
County of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, Paper Hanger) and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in bicycles and the object of the invention
is to devise a drive more particularly adapted for bicycles to be used on a racing
track by which an increased speed may be imparted to the wheel without any loss
of power consequent upon the rapid rotation and loss of control of the pedal by
the rider and it consists essentially of locating on the pedal axle, sprocket wheels
which are connected to auxiliary sprocket wheels located on a supplemental stud
or spindle attached to the backbone of the bicycle thence back again to the
sprocket wheel loose on the pedal axle and thence to the sprocket pinion on
the main driving wheel by sprocket chains as hereinafter more particularly
explained.
To enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the drawing accompanying my Provisional
Specification, and in which :-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a bicycle showing portion of the
sprocket wheels of my drive broken away to exhibit details of construction.
Figure 2 is a cross section through the backbone and clip, which carries the
journals of the stud to which the auxiliary sprocket wheels are secured.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
"
A is the frame of the bicycle at the lower apex of which is formed the
journal box B in which the pedal axle C rotates. The journal boxes B are pro-
vided with the usual ball bearings. D are the pedal arms which are broken away
as shown. The arms D are attached to the ends of the axle C.
E, E is a double sprocket wheel, which is journalled loosely on the axle C,
outside the journal box preferably on ball-bearings. F is a sprocket wheel secured
to the opposite end of the axle C.
G is a clip which is formed in two parts, which have the outwardly extending
flange G extending above and below the backbone A'. 9 are teats formed in
each half and extending into holes g' made on the under side of the backbone as
shown. The teats serve to retain the clip G securely in position on the
backbone A¹.
H are journal boxes secured to the clip G one on each side by the bolts h which
pass through the slots made in the upper flange G¹ of the clip. The slots /' are
designed to allow of the adjustment of the journal box and consequently the
sprocket wheels in order to tighten the sprocket chain. The upper flange G¹ has
a notch G cut out of it so as to allow the stud I to pass through it. The stud I
is journalled in ball-bearings in the journal boxes H and has secured at one end the
sprocket wheel J and at the other end the sprocket wheel K. In all cases the
journals are preferably made with ball-bearings.
L is a sprocket pinion secured to the hub M of the driving wheel N of
the bicycle. The sprocket pinion L is connected by the sprocket chain O to the
portion E of the double sprocket wheel E, E. The portion E of the double
sprocket wheel E, E' is connected by the sprocket chain P to the sprocket wheel J
on one end of the stud I. The sprocket wheel K on the opposite end of the
stud I is connected by the sprocket chain Q to the sprocket wheel F on the
opposite end of the axle to that in which the double sprocket wheel E, E' is
situated.
It will be seen that when the pedal is revolved the sprocket wheel F will
communicate motion to the sprocket wheel K and sprocket wheel J which
will communicate its motion to the double sprocket wheel E, E' which com-
municates motion to the sprocket pinion L on the hub of the main driving
wheel. The sprocket wheel E, E' is journalled as before stated in ball-bearings
on the axle C and when the axle revolves the sprocket wheel E will of course
revolve on the revolving axle at a greater speed than that at which the axle is

page_text: caused to revolve but in the same direction as will be seen from the different sizes
and arrangement of the sprocket wheels. The sprocket wheel F communicates
motion to the sprocket wheel K of much smaller diameter and rotates the stud I at
greater speed and consequently the sprocket wheel J is caused to rotate at a
greater speed than the sprocket wheel F. The sprocket wheel J communicates
motion to the portion E of the double sprocket wheel E, E' which portion E¹
being of a much smaller diameter than the sprocket wheel J.will be driven at a
greater speed. The portion E of the double sprocket wheel E, E¹ also rotating
at the same speed as the portion E will convey the increased speed to the sprocket
pinion on the hub M of the main driving wheel. This sprocket pinion L being of
a smaller diameter than the portion E of the double sprocket wheels E, E
will cause the wheel N to rotate at a much greater speed than the sprocket
wheel E, E.
It will thus be seen that from the pedal axle the speed will be increased from
the sprocket wheel F to the sprocket pinion L which will rotate at a much greater
speed than the sprocket wheel F. By this means it will be understood that much
greater speed will be imparted to the driving wheel of the bicycle, which speed
will be found particularly advantageous in bicycles intended for racing. In
bicycles now commonly used for racing the rider of the bicycle when the pedals are
caused: to rotate very quickly loses the control over such pedals and he therefore
cannot impart the necessary power to produce a much increased speed.
By the arrangement of sprocket wheels and chains constructed and connected
together as hereinbefore described it will be seen that the rider of a bicycle may
by a much slower motion of the pedal advantageously impart a very much
increased speed to the bicycle with the least possible amount of lost motion and
consequent loss of power.
Although I have designed my machine more especially for track racing it will
be seen that it might readily be adapted for road racing by removing the sprocket
wheels K and F and sprocket chain Q and changing the position of the clip G so
as to bring the sprocket wheel J close to the double sprocket wheel E, E¹. In
this case I would attach the pedal to the stud I and the motion would then be
communicated through the sprocket wheel J, sprocket chain P, double sprocket
wheel E, E to the sprocket pinion L on the main driving wheel.
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. As an improved drive for bicycles the combination with the pedals of the
sprocket wheels J, double sprocket wheels E, E', journalled on the shaft C
and sprocket pinion L secured to the hub of the main driving wheel, these sprocket
wheels being connected together by the sprocket chain P and sprocket chain O as
and for the purpose specified.
2. In a bicycle the combination with the pedal and pedal axle, of the sprocket
wheel F secured on the end of the same and connected by the sprocket chain Q to
the sprocket wheel K on the stud I, the sprocket wheel J connected by the
sprocket chain P to the portion E of the double sprocket wheel E, E', the
portion E of the double sprocket wheel E, E being connected by the sprocket
chain to the sprocket pinion L, attached to the hub of the driving wheel,
the double sprocket wheel E, E¹ being loosely journalled on the axle C, as aud
for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with the pedal axle C, sprocket wheel F, chain Q, sprocket
wheels K and J and stud I, sprocket chain P, double sprocket wheels E, E',
sprocket chain O and sprocket pinion L, of the clip G provided with an upper
flange G having secured to it the journal box H, by the bolts h passing through
the slots in the upper flange, as, and for the purpose specified.
4. The combination with the pedal axle C, sprocket wheel F, chain Q, sprocket
wheels K and J and stud I, sprocket chain P, double sprocket wheel E, E¹,

page_text: sprocket chain O and sprocket pinion L, of the clip G having the journal box H
secured thereto and provided with teats g fitting into holes g' in the backbone A',
as, and for the purpose specified.
Dated the 26th day of October 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.