Improvements in and Appertaining to Tricycles, Bicycles, or other Velocipedes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 27th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Appertaining to Tricycles, Bicycles, or other
Velocipedes.
We, JEAN BONICARD and EDOUARD JOSEPH JEAN-BAPTISTE BENOÎT, of 95, Boule-
vard Beaumarchais Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its chief object improvements in the method of transmitting
to the driving wheel of tricycles bicycles or other velocipedes the power exerted on the
pedals with a varying increase in the speed of rotation; this invention also includes a
method of putting together the ball sockets so that they will not become loose, by
screwing them together with one single loose piece instead of three as in ordinary
sockets. In the case of tricycles the two wheels mounted on the driving axle may be
directly keyed onto the said axle, but these two wheels will then always rotate with
equal speed unless one of them be loose on the same.
Hitherto, with the object of making both wheels of the driving axle assist in the
propulsion without absolutely connecting the said wheels, and so impeding the motion
of the tricycle when turning corners, a system of differential tooth gearing has been
applied consisting of the employment of two conical pinions keyed on the collars
placed on the driving shaft, these two pinions being connected by a third conical bevel
wheel loose on its axle and connected with the tooth wheel, which receives the motion
of the pedals. There is in this arrangement an inconvenience resulting from the lateral
play which always takes place and which tends to separate the wheels; these then
either do not catch at all or only with the edge of their teeth, so that they are soon
broken. This inconvenience is avoided by an arrangement in which the differential
movement of the driving wheels can be effected with the use of cylindrical tooth
gearing only and which we will describe hereafter.
The mechanism which transmits the movement of the pedals to the driving axle
consists essentially of a parallelogram composed of three levers, of the first order
hinged on each other and on a fixed point on the framing of the machine. This
parallelogram which resembles a pantograph transmits the motion of the pedal
crank to the driving wheel and takes the place of the ordinary chain in tricycles.
One extremity of the first lever is pivotted on a pin on the driving crank on an
extension of which the pedal is placed, the extremity of the second lever is hinged
on a pin on another rod on the axle of which the first toothed wheel of the machine
is keyed. This wheel governs two other wheels which themselves catch in a second
pair of wheels keyed on the shaft and driving wheel.
A single parallelogram may be used hinged to one of the pedal cranks or two
parallelograms hinged one to each crank.
}
In this mechanism the first tooth. wheel is keyed in grooves onto its axle in such
manner that it will catch in one or other of the said intermediate wheels, which are of
different diameters, according to the speed which is desired to be obtained.
These said wheels and tooth gearing are connected or disconnected by means of
a hinged lever holding the tooth wheel in contact with one or other of the said
intermediate wheels.
The differential gearing of the driving shaft which allows the driving wheels to
rotate at the same or at different speeds respectively, is formed by two cylindrical
tooth wheels, hereinafter called covered wheels, mounted loosely on axles which are
rigidly connected with the, box or socket, on which are placed the two tooth wheels
above mentioned which serve to vary the speed. The said covered wheels gear with
each other and with two internal gearings set in two sleeves which are prolongations
of the collars that are on the driving axle. That is to say one of the covered wheels
gears with one sleeve, and the other with the second.

page_text: While the machine is moving in a straight line the two collars and sleeves on the
driving axle turn in the same direction and with the same speed, with the covered
wheels rotating with their respective axles around the shaft, but as soon as the
machine begins to turn, one of the driving wheels having a shorter course to describe
than the other will turn less quickly than it; there will be a relative rotation of the
sleeves of the one with regard to the other, and this rotation will resolve itself into a
rotation of the covered wheels on their axes inside the box. With this arrangement
the lateral play of the machine acts in the direction of the length of the teeth, which
length is much greater than the maximum extent to which the play can reach and
thus the gearing of the wheels is assured.
The tricycle here described is fitted with ball bearings mounted in a special
manner.
The bearings are made in two parts, the main part which contains the ball track
may be formed in one with the shaft, or in the case of a bicycle, in one piece with
the fork. The second part is a cap in the form of an annular disc to keep the balls in
place. The cap is screwed onto its seat, and to prevent it from becoming unscrewed
its periphery is also toothed like a spur wheel, when the two parts are properly screwed
together a ratchet is pressed forward by a spiral spring and catches in the teeth, and
so prevents any movement in the contrary direction. The ratchet can be withdrawn
by means of a nut or otherwise.
This improved machine possesses the following advantages:-
The substitution of a jointed parallelogram for the chain, by which means a better
use can be made of the force exerted for the locomotion on account of the position of
the lever, by means of which the said force is made to act at a tangent to the arc
described by the pedal crank during nearly half of the revolution for each pedal and
of the entire revolution for the two pedals.
The greater solidity of the cylindrical wheels of the differential motion apparatus
and the absolute certainty of the teeth of these said wheels engaging.
The ease with which the speed can be varied by disconnecting the tooth wheel.
The security given by the method of putting together the ball sockets, the loosening
of which is made impossible by screwing them on in. a single piece instead of three
as contained in an ordinary box, and by the ratcheting of this piece by means of a
spring.
E
The greater solidity given by the arrangement of the ball socket formed in one piece
with the body of the machine on the axle of the driving wheel.
I: Dated this 26th day of February 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Appertaining to Tricycles, Bicycles, or other
Velocipedes.
We, JEAN BONICARD and EDOUARD JOSEPH JEAN-BAPTISTE BENOIT of 95 Boule-
vard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers, 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 has for its chief object improvements in transmitting to the driving
wheel of tricycles, bicycles, or other velocipedes the power exerted on the pedals with
a varying increase in the speed of rotation; the invention also relates to putting
together the ball sockets so that they will not become loose, by screwing them together
with one single loose piece instead of three as in ordinary sockets.
In the case of tricycles, the two wheels mounted on the driving axle may be directly
keyed on to the said axle, but these two wheels will then always rotate with equal
speed unless one of them be loose on the saine.
Hitherto, with the object of making both wheels of the driving axle assist in the

page_text: Figure 7, a detail of the cap showing the peripheral teeth,
Figure 8, a side elevation of the tricycle with a simple jointed parallelogram and
the transmitter,
Figure 9, comprises two views, one in elevation, and one in section on a vertical
plane, of a new arrangement of ball sockets.
The mechanism which transmits the movement of the pedals to the driving axle
consists essentially of a parallelogram composed of three levers of the first order, A B,
BC, FD, pivoted to each other and on a fixed pivot G (Figure 1) on the framing
of the machine. This parallelogram transmits the motion of the operating crank to
the driving wheel, and takes the place of the driving chain hitherto generally used
in tricycles.
One extremity, A, of the lever A, B, is pivoted on a pin A on the driving
crank O A. Z is the pedal. The extremity C of the lever B C is pivoted by a pin C
to the outer end of an arm (similar to the arm C' M, Figure 8) which is fixed on the
axle H upon which the toothed wheel r of the machine is keyed. This wheel controls
two, other wheels 1 and 2, which are mounted upon separate axes on the frame of the
machine and have their peripheries coincident at the point at which they gear with
the wheel r.
The wheels 1 and 2 gear respectively with a second pair of wheels 11
and 2¹ keyed upon or otherwise connected to the shaft M of the driving wheel R.
A single parallelogram may be used, hinged to one only of the pedal cranks (as
shown on Figure 8), or two parallelograms pivoted one to each crank as shown in
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.
In this mechanism, the toothed wheel ? is so keyed on to its axle that it is adapted
to slide thereon so as to engage one or other of said intermediate wheels 1 or 2, which
are of different diameters, according to the speed which it is desired to obtain.
These said wheels and tooth gearing are connected or disconnected by means of a
forked or other lever hinged at X, and holding the tooth wheel r in gear with one
or other of the said intermediate wheels 1 or 2. Only a single toothed wheel may be
employed, instead of the wheels 1 and 2, in which case the wheel 21 (or 1¹) is done
away with.
The differential gearing of the driving shaft, which allows the driving wheels R
to rotate at the same or at different speeds, is composed of two cylindrical toothed
wheels E, hereinafter called covered wheels, mounted loosely on axles P which are
rigidly connected with the box or socket I.
The said covered wheels E gear with each other, and respectively with two racks L
and N on the internal periphery of two sleeves J and K, which are prolongations
of the collars on the driving axle M.

page_text: While the machine is moving in a straight line, the two collars and sleeves afore-
said rotate in the same direction and at the same speed as the covered wheels E, and
in a circular path round the shaft; but as soon as the path of the machine is
deflected from a straight line, one of the driving wheels, having a shorter arc to
describe than the other, will rotate less quickly than it. There will be a relative
rotation of the sleeves of the one with regard to the other, and this rotation will
resolve itself into a rotation of the covered wheels on their axes inside the box.
The lateral play of the machine is in the direction of the length of the teeth,
which length is much greater than the maximum amount of play, and thus the
gearing of the wheels is always assured.
The tricycle herein described is fitted with ball bearings mounted in a special
way.
The bearings shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 are made in two parts P p¹, the main
part, which contains the ball track P, may be formed in one with the arm T, or in
the case of a bicycle in one piece with the fork. The part p¹ is a cap in the form
of an annular disc to keep the balls in place. The said cap p¹ is screwed onto its
seat, and to prevent it from becoming unscrewed its periphery is toothed like a spur
wheel (Figure 7). When the two parts are properly screwed together, a detent or stop d
(Figure 5) is pressed forward by a spiral spring f, and, catching in the teeth prevents
any movement.
The detent can be withdrawn as required by means of a nut e or rice versa.
The unscrewing of the cap p¹ can be prevented (Figure 9) by means of a little
square headed screw 9, the point of which penetrates into notches formed in the
circumference of the screwed part.
This improved machine possesses the following advantages:-
1. The substitution of a jointed parallelogram for the chain, by which means a
better use can be made of the force exerted for locomotion on account of the
position of the lever A B by means of which the said force is made to act at a
tangent to the are described by each operating crank during nearly half of its
revolution.
2. The greater solidity of the cylindrical wheels of the differential motion apparatus
and the absolute certainty of the teeth of the said wheels engaging.
3. The ease with which the speed can be varied by disconnecting the toothed
wheel r.
4. The security obtained by putting together the ball sockets in the way described,
the loosening of which is impossible, by screwing them on in a single piece instead
of in three pieces as is usual in an ordinary box and by the engagement of this
piece by a detent controlled by a spring r.
5. The greater solidity or strength obtained by making the ball socket in one
piece with an arm of the frame of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
In a tricycle or other-like machine the combination and arrangement of the hinged
parallelogram, the disengaging wheel for altering the speed, the differential motion
of the cylindrical gearing, and the ball bearings for the axle, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
Dated this 96th dow of Nov 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.