A New or Improved Driving Gearing for Cycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Driving Gearing for Cycles.
We GEORGE WASHINGTON AMOS, Pattern Maker, and EUGENE TIMOTHY
GILBERT, Capitalist, both of 11 and 13 South Canal Street, Chicago, in the
County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The present invention relates to that type of driving gearing for bicycles, and
the like, in which a pair of oppositely rocking pedals or arms are adapted to impart
a continuous rotative movement to an axle or wheel common to both operating
pedals, or arms, and which shaft is adapted in turn to drive the operating or traction
wheel of the vehicle.
The present improvement has for its object to provide a simple, compact and
efficient connecting mechanism, between the rocking pedals or arms, and the axle
or wheel to be driven thereby, and in which means is provided whereby the operating
pedals or arms, are made to positively rock or oscillate in opposite directions, all
as will hereinafter more fully appear and be more particularly pointed out in the
claims.
I attain such object by the construction and arrangement of parts, illustrated in
the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1, is a transverse sectional elevation at line x-x, Figure 2, of the pedal
bearing portion of a safety bicycle frame, to which the present improvement is
applied.
Figure 2, a longitudinal section of the same, at line ¹¹, Figure 1.
Figure 3, a detail longitudinal section at line 2-3, Figure 1, illustrating the
means for attaining frictional engagement between the axles of the operating pedals
and the driving wheel.
Similar nunerals of reference indicate like parts in the several views.
In the accompanying drawings my invention is shown in a form adapted for use
in the usual type of safety bicycles, in which the rear wheel of the cycle is
connected by a chain and sprocket gearing to the shafts or axles of the driving
pedals.
In the construction shown 1, represents a portion of a bicycle frame, of which
the usual transversely arranged sleeve or housing 2, forms a part, to afford support
or bearing for the arbors or axles of the operating pedals, of the present invention
in their rocking movement.
Such arbors or axles 3 and 4, are two in number, and individual to the pair of
operating pedals or arms 5 and 6.
Each arbor or axle is provided with a friction disk 7 or 8, rigidly secured to its
individual arbor or axle, and provided on its periphery with means for engaging or
clutching the driving sprocket wheel 9, of the bicycle when the pedal or arm of
either friction disk is depressed by the foot of the operator, and so impart movement
in one direction only to the sprocket wheel 9.
Any usual and well known form of friction or ratchet mechanism may be used in
this connection, preference being given to that form shown, and in which, the
periphery of the disks 7 and are provided with tangential tracks or grooves 10
that carry friction balis or rolls 11, which in an active movement of either friction
disks 7 or 8, move outward upon such track, to bind against the inner surface of

page_text: the annular rims 12 and 13, of the driving sprocket wheel 9, to lock the same to
the particular disk, making an active movement, and so impart motion in one
direction, only, to the aforesaid driving sprocket wheel.
14, are springs arranged in socket holes 15, behind the balls 11, and tending to
force the same into contact with the inner surfaces of the annular rims 12 and 13
as indicated in Figure 3, of the drawing.
The arbor or axle 3, shown to the right in the drawing, is of a cylindrical
formation having at its extreme end to the right a shank for the attachment of the
operating pedal, or arm 5; immediately adjacent thereto a screw threaded
portion 16, for the rigid attachment of the friction disk 7, a fixed cone 17, to form
in conjunction with the cone, 18, of the friction disk 7, a circular runway or track
for the series of balls 19, that constitutes the supporting bearing for the sprocket
wheel 9, as indicated in Figure 1, of the drawing; an intermediate screw threaded
and shouldered portion 20, for the reception of the bevel gear 21, and a reduced
extension 22, that is adapted to bear within the bore of the other arbor or axle, as
hereinafter set forth.
The arbor or axle 4, shown to the left in the drawing, is of a tubular or sleeve
formation, and made in two parts or sections, that are connected together within
the main supporting sleeve or housing 2, of the cycle frame by means of a connecting
yoke 23, that spans the connecting gears hereinafter described.
In the present improvement, the connection between the two parts or sections of
the tubular arbor 4, and the connecting yoke 23, is made by means of screw threaded
and shouldered formations on the respective ends of the sections, that are adapted
to screw into the screw threaded hubs of the connecting yoke 23, and thus admit
of the ready and convenient assemblage of the parts together within the main sleeve
or housing 2.
The screw threaded formation of the arbor section shown to the left in the
drawing, is also adapted to receive the bevel gear 24, counterpart to the bevel
gear 21, on the other axle or arbor 3.
The tubular arbor or axle 4, is provided, at its extreme end to the left, with a
shank for the attachment of the operating pedal or arm; and next adjacent thereto
a screw threaded portion for the reception of the cone 25, of the ball bearing 26,
by which the end just described. of the said arbor 4, is supported in the main
sleeve or housing 2. The opposite end of which such arbor or axle 4, carries the
friction disk 8, heretofore described and is connected to the adjacent end of the
main supporting housing 2, by a ball bearing 27; and to the other axle or arbor 3,
by a ball bearing 28.
In the construction shown, the reduced extension 22, of the arbor or axle 3,
projects out through the end of the hollow axle or arbor 4, and is provided with
an attaching nut 29, on its extreme end, by which the parts are more securely held
together and which enables an adjustment of the different bearing parts being
effected to take up for wear, etc.
30, are a series of balls arranged in a runway between the nut 29, and the end
of the axle or arbor 4, to reduce the friction between said parts.
31, is a bevel pinion having bearing within the main housing or sleeve 2, and
meshing with the respective bevel gears 21 and 24, on the arbors or axles 3 and 4,
the arrangement being such that a positive downward and active rocking movement
of the one pedal and arbor, will through the instrumentality of the reversing and
connecting train of gears 21, 24 and 31, impart a corresponding upward and
reversed rocking movement to the other pedal and arbor, and vice versa, during the
continued operation of the mechanism by the feet of the rider.
The bevel inion 31, is preferably supported upon a removable cap 32, secure
to the underside of the main housing or sleeve 2, and which cap is employed to
close an opening in the side wall of such housing, that is employed for the initial
introduction of the gearing, and connecting yoke prior to the assemblage together
within such heusing.
In the construction showe 33, is a screw threaded plug, screwing through a boss

page_text: or said cap 32, and provided at its upper end with an arbor pin 34, for the support
of the bevel pinion 31, and near its lower end with a lock nut 35, by which it is
secured to its desired adjustment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
In a driving gear for bicycles, the combination of a pair of rocking axles, a
driving wheel, friction or clutch mechanism between the said axles and said wheel,
and a reversing mechanism connecting the axles together and adapted to cause the
same to have movement in opposite directions, one of the axles being made in
sections and connected together by a yoke that spans the reversing mechanism,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 11th das of August 1896
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicants.