Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Bicycles and analogous Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 13th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Bicycles and
analogous Vehicles.
I, CHRISTIAN ALBERT JENSEN, of 77 Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(which has been communicated to me from abroad by the Bolte Cycle Manufacturing
Company, located in the City and County of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin,
United States of America,) and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention has for its object to simplify and cheapen the construction of
bicycles and analogous vehicles, as well as to reduce weight and lessen friction
without decrease of strength, and at the same time to provide an absolutely dust-
proof hanger for the driving-crank of such a vehicle, and dust-proof bearings for
the wheels thereof aud to simplify, strengthen and lighten the construction of the
traction wheels, and to these ends the said invention consists in certain peculiarities
in the structural details and combination of parts in the crank-hanger, driving-
crank and attachments, and in the construction and arrangement of the wheel-hubs
and spokes of the said vehicles, all as hereinafter set forth with reference to the
accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.
Figure 1 represents a partly sectional view of the tubular crank-hanger, driving-
crank and adjacent parts, embodying the improvements hereinbefore referred to
forming a part of the present invention.
Figure 2 represents a transverse sectional view of the same, taken on line 2-2
of the preceding figure.
Figure 3 represents a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 4,
illustrating a section of one of the wheel-hubs, and the construction and arrangement
of the spokes.
Figure 4 represents a longitudinal sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of
Figure 3, through said wheel-hub.
Referring by letter to the drawings A represents the tubular hanger for the
driving-crank B of a bicycle or analogous vehicle, said hanger being provided with
longitudinal end recesses b of suitable width and depth, in case the arms of said
crank are in one piece with the shaft portion of the same or made fast thereto iu
such a manner as not to be easy of removal. Flanking the recesses b of the crank-
hanger are depending ears c for the engagement of bolts C that have clamping-
nute D run thereon, and both ends of said crank-hanger are tapped to engage
screw-threaded bearing-rings E, F, for anti-friction balls G that also bear on
taper-bore cones H engaging correspondingly tapered ends of a spacing sleeve
arranged upon the shaft portion of the aforesaid crank.
The sleeve is preferably in two sections I I, as a matter of convenience, and by
adjusting the bearing-ring F both of the taper-bore cones H are crowded onto the
taper-ends of said sleeve to thereby clamp the same tight to the shaft portion of
the driving-crank.
Both of the bearing-rings E, F, come entirely within the crank-hanger, and to
facilitate adjustment of the latter bearing-ring, the outer side of the same is
provided with recesses d for the engagement of a suitable tool.

page_text: Fast on the shaft portion of the crank is the large sprocket-wheel J pertaining
to the vehicle embodying these improvements, the hub of this sprocket-wheel
being extended through the bearing-ring E and provided outside the latter with a
dust-guard in the form of a washer K of felt or other suitable material held in
place by means of a cap L that slips onto the crank-hanger and is preferably
fastened to said bearing-ring by screws e or other suitable means.
The other bearing-ring F is tapped to receive a screw-threaded nut M having
an inwardly extending flange f that opposes another dust-guard N similar to the
one K above specified. The dust-guard N is on the shaft portion of the driving-
crank, and a spring-ring g within the nut M serves to hold said dust-guard in
working position.
An outwardly extending flange h of the nut M opposes a cap P that is slipped
on the crank-hanger, this latter cap and the one aforesaid together with the
guards K, N, and any suitable means that may be utilized to close so much of the
banger recesses as are not stopped by the aforesaid bearing-rings serve to exclude
dust from said crank-hanger and ball-bearings.
The shaft and arms of the driving-crank are preferably made from a single steel
rod having the same diameter throughout its length, this rod being bent into the
desired shape so as to avoid any forging or tool work having a tendency to disturb
the molecules of the metal and thereby weaken said crank. It is also to be noticed
that by the employment of the sectional taper-end sleeve in conjunction with the
crank-shaft and cone above specified all screw-threading of said crank-shaft is
avoided.
The several parts above described having been assembled and adjusted, the nuts D
are tightened to prevent turning of the bearing-rings E, F, the general construction
and arrangement of parts being such that the anti-friction balls G have a greater
diameter than those generally employed in a crank-banger, consequently fewer
balls are necessary and friction is correspondingly reduced because of a less number
of points of contact.
Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, of the drawings, and to the reference letters
marked thereon, Q represents a portion of an axle, such as is used in connection
with bicycle wheels, R the adjustable ball-bearing cone, in screw-engagement
with the axle, and S the nut that serves to hold said cone in adjusted position.
Surrounding the axle is a tube T having annular outwardly extending beads i
against which ball-races U are set and secured in place by upsetting the ends k of
said tube. These ball-races are provided with out-turned flanges m that seat
against the ends of a barrel V as herein shown, it being understood that the
aforesaid tube, ball-races and barrel constitute a wheel-bub forming a part of the
said invention.
For the rear wheel of a bicycle the barrel portion of the hub above specified
may be provided with a key n struck up therefrom, this key being for engagement
with a corresponding seat in the small sprocket-wheel of the drive-gear pertaining
to said bicycle.
In order to make the bearings dust-proof dust-guards in the form of washers p,
made from felt or other suitable material, are placed against the outer sides of the
ball-bearing cones and held in place by means of caps W that slip onto the barrel V
above specified.
At a suitable distance inward from each end, the barrel portion V of the wheel-
hub is provided with an even number of radial openings 99 equi-distant apart,
four in each series of these openings being deemed sufficient for all practical
purposes and to avoid sharp corners, the edges of said openings are preferably
rounded.
To spoke the wheel, a series of wires are employed, each of which is of sufficient
length to constitute two spokes X X, at an acute angle to each other and tangent
to the axis of the hub. Each wire being primarily straight, it is run through two
of the openings in the hub and then bent at oue of these openings to form the two
spokes at an acute angle to each other. The edges of the hub-openings being

page_text: round, the bends of the wires do not oppose sharp corners and thus crystallization
of the metal in said wires is avoided, consequently the liability of a spoke to break
at the hub is reduced to a minimum.
The hub herein shown is for a thirty-two spoke wheel, therefore sixteen wires
are employed, four of which extend through each hub-opening but diverge outward
therefrom in as many different directions, two of them being at right angles to
each other and each of the remainder at an acute angle to the next adjacent of the
former. It will also be seen that the spokes of least angle to the hub cross each other
in pairs and individually cross or are crossed by two spokes of the greatest angle
to said hub whereby the number of points at which the spokes may be tied is
increased, thus providing for a stiffer wheel than those of ordinary construction.
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. In a bicycle or analogous vehicle, the combination of a tubular hanger having
end recesses of suitable area, a one-piece crank provided with a rigid spacing-
sleeve, cones on the crank engaging the spacing-sleeve to turn therewith, bearing-
rings contained in the hanger, and anti-friction balls intermediate of the cones and
bearing-rings.
2. In a bicycle or analogous vehicle, the combination of a tubular hanger having
end recesses of suitable area and ears flanking the recesses, a one-piece crank
provided with a rigid spacing-sleeve, cones on the crank engaging the spacing-
sleeve to turn therewith, bearing-rings screw-threaded in the hanger, anti-friction
balls intermediate of the cones and bearing-rings, bolts engaging the hanger-ears,
and clamping-nuts run on the bolts.
3. In a bicycle or analogous vehicle, the combination of a one-piece crank
provided with ball-bearing cones, a tubular hanger for the crank provided with
removable ball-bearing rings and end recesses, the latter being of such dimensions
as will permit manipulation of said crank to put it in or out of working position ;
and suitable means for holding said rings in their engagement with the hanger.
4. In a bicycle or analogous vehicle, the combination of a tubular hanger provided
with bearing-rings, at least one of which is adjustable longitudinally thereof, a
crank-shaft, a taper-end sectional sleeve on the shaft, taper-bore cones on the
ends of the sleeve, and anti-friction balls intermediate of the bearing-rings and
cones.
5. In a bicycle or analogous vehicle, the combination of a tubular hanger
provided with longitudinal recesses of suitable dimensions, bearing-rings in screw-
thread engagement with the hanger, a one-piece crank, a taper-end sectional sleeve
on the shaft portion of the crank, taper-bore cones on the ends of the sleeve, and
anti-friction balls intermediate of the bearing-rings and cones.
6. In a bicycle or analogous vehicle, the combination of a tubular banger
provided with bearing-rings at least one of which is longitudinally adjustable
therein; a crank-shaft, a taper-end sectional sleeve on the shaft, taper-bore cones
on the ends of the sleeve, anti-friction balls intermediate of the bearing-rings
and cones, dust-guards for the bearings, and suitable means for holding the
dust-guards in place.
7. In a bicycle or analogous vehicle, the combination of a tubular hanger
provided with bearing-rings at least one of which is longitudinally adjustable
therein; a taper-end sectional sleeve on the shaft, taper-bore cones on the ends of
the sleeve, anti-friction balls intermediate of the bearing-rings and cones, a
sprocket-wheel on the crank-shaft, a dust-guard on the sprocket-wheel hub opposite
one of said bearing-rings, a hanger-fitting cap held in place against the dust-guard,
a nut engaging the other bearing-ring, a spring-ring within the nut, another dust-
guard intermediate of the spring-ring and a flange of the nut, and another hanger-
fitting cap held in place by said nut.

page_text: 8. In a bicycle or analogous vehicle, a wheel-hub comprising a tube, ball-races
fast on the tube, and a spoke-barrel engaged by the ball-races.
9. In a bicycle or analogous vehicle, a wheel-hub comprising a tube, ball-races
fast on the tube, a spoke-barrel engaged by the ball-races, annular dust-guards
that impinge against ball-bearing axle-cones engageable with said ball-races, and
caps that slip on the ends of the spoke-barrel against the dust-guards.
10. In a bicycle or analogous vehicle, a wheel-hub comprising a barrel provided
adjacent to each end with an even number of radial openings equi-distant apart,
and a series of wires each of which engages two of said openings and is bent at one
of the same to form two spokes at an acute angle to each other, there being four
wires extending through each of said openings and diverged therefrom in as
many different directions.
Dated this 28th day of April 1896.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.