Improvements in or connected with Variable Speed Driving Gear for Bicycles, and other Velocipedes, and Motor Carriages.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1899-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1899
Improvements in or connected with Variable Speed Driving Gear for
Bicycles, and other Velocipedes, and Motor Carriages.
I, TELFORD CHARLES FIELD, of 28, Denzil Avenue, Southampton, in the County
of Southampton, Naval Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide a simple & effective two-speed gear
for bicycles, and other velocipedes, and motor carriages.
According to this invention, I provide a simple means or device in connection
with say the driven or back wheel of say a safety bicycle, whereby the gear of
the machine can be changed from low to high or the reverse, and the speed of
the machine increased or reduced, also the cranks can at the low speed be
ungeared so that they may be at rest while the vehicle advances.
In carrying out my invention and under one form, and as applied to a safety
bicycle. On the axle of the back wheel mounted on suitable ball bearings I
provide a sleeve fixed on one end of this sleeve is the chain driving wheel of the
imachine, this chain wheel is dished on its inner face to receive a spring pawl
or pawles hereafter mentioned. On the other end of the sleeve and fixed thereto
I provide two discs suitably stayed together between which are carried on suitable
spindles the loose wheels or pinions of an internal epicyclic train. On and over
this sleeve and carried by suitable ball bearings is the hub of the wheel, on
the chain wheel end of this hub and fixed thereto, I provide a ratchet wheel
having say four teeth, and adapted to engage with the spring pawl before men-
tioned as being on the inside of the chain wheel, on the other end of the hub
there is fixed a tooth wheel forming the inner wheel of the internal epicyclic
train, and surrounding the loose pinions of the train there is the internal toothed
wheel of the train over this internal toothed wheel there is a strap or band,
friction or other brake worked by suitable rods or cords from the handle of the
machine, and independant of the usual brake, and in addition thereto. The back
brackets or bearings of the bicycle frame are suitably set or bent to receive the
epicyclic train & parts.
In operation and in its normal condition the machine is driven by the chain
wheel on the sleeve which by means of the spring pawl or pawles engages with
and drives the ratchet toothed wheel fixed on the hub of the wheel of the machine.
the epicyclic train running free. When it is desired to bring the high gear
into action the brake is applied to the internal toothed wheel of the epicyclie
train which it holds and thereby by slightly back peddeling the epicyclic train
is brought into action to drive the machine with the high gear.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Variable Speed Driving Gear for
Bicycles, and other Velocipedes, and Motor Carriages.
I, TELFORD CHARLES FIELD, of 28, Denzil Avenue, Southampton, in the County
of Southampton, Naval Architect, do hereby declare the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement: -
sun and
My invention relates to improvements in that type of variable speed driving
gear for cycles and motor vehicles in which an epicyclic train or
planet" gear is employed, and has for its object to provide a compact, simple,
and effective two-speed gear for bicycles and other velocipedes, and motor
carriages.
According to this invention I provide a simple means or device in connection
with say the driven or back wheel of say a safety bicycle whereby the gear of
the machine can be changed from low to high or the reverse, and the speed of
the machine increased or reduced, also the cranks can at the low speed be
at rest while the vehicle advances.
The invention consists in the improved arrangement of mechanism herein-
after set forth which allows the vehicle wheel to revolve ahead of the driven
wheel when upon the high speed, and by which the power and speed of the gear
can be changed if desired while the machine is in motion, namely, the gear can
be changed from a low or more powerful gear for hill climbing, or for use
against a strong head wind, to a high or less powerful gear for speed on the level,
or the reverse of this, namely, from a high to a low gear.
The gear also provides a free pedal or crank, and the pedals can be held by
the feet of the rider in any position for coasting, permitting the vehicle wheel
to revolve ahead independently of the chain or driven wheel.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the arrangement and construction of
parts of the mechanism and modifications of same, according to this invention
whereby I attain the above objects. In the various figures of the drawings the
same or corresponding parts are designated by the same letters and figures, and
they correspond with those used in the following explanation.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of my improved wheel hub and
mechanism in which pawls on the driven wheel engage with ratchet teeth on the
hub, and the " sun wheel of the epicyclic train is fixed on the hub.
وو
Figure 2 shows an end section taken at the line a Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an end section taken at the line y, y, Figure 1, showing the brake
gear.
Figure 4 illustrates a modified form of the ratchet gear in which the pawl is
fixed on the wheel hub, and is driven by ratchet teeth formed on the driven
wheel.
sun
"
Figure 5 illustrates in sectional elevation a modified form of my improved
mechanism in which a roller ratchet device is employed, and in which the
wheel runs free on its axis and when held drives by means of "planet" wheels
a toothed annulus on the hub.
Figure 6 shows an end section taken at the line a,, Figure 5.
Figure 7 is an end section taken at the line y, y, Figure 5 showing the brake
gear.
Figure 8 shows a ball bearing device for the "sun" wheel of the mechanism
shown in Figure 5.

page_text: Figures 9 and 10 show in elevation and plan a device for locking the loose
cone of the ball bearing mechanism after adjustment.
Figure 11 is a side elevation showing part of a bicycle provided with my
mechanism, and brake for changing the gear.
The invention has been chiefly worked out in connection with chain driven
cycles, and the gear can be applied to existing machines of the ordinary safety
type.
On applying the gear brake the gear changes from slow to quick the work of
the brake being as the case may be either to hold the toothed annulus as shown
in Figures 1 and 3, or to hold the central toothed wheel of the epicyclic train
as shown in Figures 5 and 7; and thereby drive the cycle wheel by means of
the train, or to leave it free to rotate on its axis and be inoperative."
The brake also acts as a brake on the free pedal till the high gear is reached
when ordinary back pedalling can be applied.
With reference to the drawings particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a denotes
the axle of the back wheel of an ordinary safety bicycle, and 6 is a sleeve mounted
thereon and carried by and running on ball bearings b, c is the hub chain wheel
driven by a chain from the chain wheel on the crank axle of the bicycle, this
wheel c is fixed, screwed and held on the sleeve b and has a flange c¹ forming
a dish on its inner face which receives the spring pawls hereafter described.
e denotes the hub barrel of the cycle wheel running on ball bearings e carried
by the fixed cone e and adjustable cone e³, et are the usual flanges on the hub
barrel e to which the wheel spokes are attached. On the other end of the
sleeve and fixed thereon I provide two discs or rather a disc i¹ and a ring
stayed together by the bolts g, between these discs carried on spindles ² are
mounted the loose toothed wheels or pinions being the " planet" wheels of
an internal epicyclic train. On the chain wheel end of the hub e and fixed
thereto there is a ratchet wheel having say four teeth and adapted to engage
with the spring pawls h¹ before mentioned as being carried on- the inner face
or dished part of the chain driven wheel c. On the other end of the hub there
is fixed a toothed wheel m forming the inner toothed wheel or
sun wheel of
the internal epicyclic train, and surrounding the loose pinions or
wheels of the train there is an internal toothed wheel or annulus j.
rim of this toothed annulus ; there is a strap or band friction brake
by suitable gear as hereafter described.
66
"
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planct"
Over the
p² worked
Instead of driving the hub by means of pawls h¹ on the chain wheel c taking
into teeth 2 on the ratchet wheel fixed to or forming part of the hub e I may
form or fix the ratchet teeth or wheel on the flange c¹ of the wheel c, and mount
the pawls on the flange h of the hub e, in this case the hub is driven by
the teeth coming against the pawls h¹ as illustrated in Figure 4, this arrange-
ment provides a free running and silent gear.
66
sun and
With reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings there is shown a roller
ratchet gear and a modified arrangement of the epicyclic train or
planetgear.
In this example of my improved mechanism a denotes the axle
of the back wheel of an ordinary safety bicycle, and is a sleeve mounted thereon
and carried by and running on ball bearings b, c is the hub chain wheel driven
by a chain from the chain wheel on the crank axle of the bicycle, the wheel c
is fixed, screwed and held on one end of the sleeve band has a flange c¹ forming
a dish on its inner face, e denotes the hub barrel of the cycle wheel running on
ball bearings el carried by the fixed cone e² and adjustable cone e³. e is a device,
see Figures 9 and 10, for locking the cone e after adjustment, the cone being
provided with notches e can be tightened or loosened through the opening e
in the chain wheel c by means of a pin and hammer and thereby the ball bearings
adjusted without removing the hub from the fork, and then the teeth e of the
device take into such notches and lock the cone e³. are the usual flanges
on the hub barrel c to which the wheel spokes are attached, denotes a roller
ratchet wheel which is formed on one end of the hub e, and is shown in end view

page_text: in Figure 6, h¹ are the rollers of the roller ratchet wheel, which, when in gear
bind between the flange c¹ of the wheel c and the inclined parts h² of the
wheel h, see Figure 6, and when the wheel h is running free lie in the sockets h³.
On the other end of the hub e there is attached an inside toothed annulus or
wheel which is concentric with the sleeve b, and on the end of the sleeve b and
fixed by being brazed or otherwise fastened thereon there is an outer sleeve i
having a disc ¹, on this disc ¹ carried by the spindles and supported by the
ring are loose toothed "planet" wheels which gear with the toothed annu-
lus on the hub e. Surrounding and free to revolve on the sleeve there is a
central toothed sun " wheel m which gears with the loose toothed " planet'
wheels k, these wheels j, k, m together form an epicyclic train. The wheel m
is mounted on a boss or sleeve » concentric with and free to revolve on the sleeve i,
the sleeve is provided with a disc having a flange 1 for a band friction
brake by which the wheel m is held to bring into action the high speed gear.
66
"
In the example shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 which is the form in which I
prefer to use the sun and planet" motion the ratio of the increase of the speed
of the hub and cycle wheel over the chain driven wheel is dependent upon the
difference between the diameter of, and number of teeth in the held wheel m,
and the diameter and number of teeth in the toothed annulus or wheel j fixed
on the hub e, namely, larger diameter and more teeth on the held wheel 'm will
give a higher speed to the annulus ; and cycle wheel, and less diameter and
fewer teeth will give a lower speed, and by increasing or reducing the number
of teeth in the chain driving wheel on the crank axle of the bicycle the two
gears are raised or lowered simultaneously.
"
With reference to Figure 8, to ensure the free running of the sun" wheel m
on the sleeve i, I may provide ball bearings by placing the cones m¹ and balls m²
between the wheel m and the sleeve b as shown.
With reference to Figure 11 there is illustrated a band friction brake and brake
actuating mechanism which is shown as a type of brake suitable to be used in
connection with my two-speed gear shown in the drawings, but I would have
it understood that any other known gear may be used to brake or hold, and
thereby change the speed gear. In Figure 11's denotes part of the frame of a
cycle, is the strap or hand of the brake connected to and worked by the lever t,
is the brake actuating rod connected through the bell crank levers to the
screw rod which passes through the boss and is worked, and the brake applied
by turning the screwed lever handle w0.
The gear according to my invention is operated in the following manner:-
With reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3 when the brake is off the wheel m,
pinions, and toothed annulus 1 revolve with the sleeve the hub e being
driven by the ratchet gear h, h¹ h².
In coasting a free pedal is obtained as the hub e and pawl overruns the
chain wheel c, but by applying the band brake and holding the toothed annulus i
the band brake acts as a brake on the toothed annulus, and the "planet" wheels k
drive the sun wheel m and thereby the wheel hub e at an increased speed
over the speed of the wheel c.
"
"
With reference to Figures 5. 6 and 7 when the brake is off, the wheel m runs
loose on the sleeve i, and the wheels j. k revolve with the hub e, which is revolved
on the low gear direct from the crank by means of the roller ratchet wheel h
driven by the chain wheel c. in coasting a free pedal is obtained as the ratchet
wheel overruns the chain wheel c, but by applying the band brake and checking
the toothed wheel m the band brake acts as a brake on the wheel hub e, and the
speed of the machine is checked without using the ordinary brake, and as the
gear brake is put on the amount of brake power exerted on the pedals by the
feet is regulated until the high gear is reached when ordinary back pedalling
can be used.
The holding by the brake of the wheel m brings the epicyclic train and high
gear into action as the chain wheel c through the sleeve 6 revolves the "planet
"

page_text: wheels round the sun " wheel m, thereby revolving the hub e and the cycle
wheel on the high gear and speed by means of the toothed annulus j.
It will be seen that with this gear the rider can drive the machine with a high
gear, or low gear, can coast with free pedals in any position, and can check the
speed by applying the brake, and can back pedal when the high gear is on or
reached.
I would have it clearly understood, that although I have shown and described
in Figure 11 a brake suitable for use with my mechanism, any other known
brake or device that will hold or lock the " sun and planet" gear may be used.
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. In a two speed driving gear for cycles and motor carriages, the combination
with a wheel hub, of a sleeve capable of turning therein, upon ball bearings ;
a fixed and an adjustable cone for said bearings, on said sleeve, a chain wheel
having a dished face to receive a ratchet gear, a ratchet gear which engages the
chain wheel with the hub of the vehicle wheel, and a train of epicyclic gearing.
at the end of the sleeve having the fixed cone, desposed between the sleeve and
the hub, and a brake for bringing the epicyclic train into action as set forth.
2. In a two speed driving gear, for cycles and motor carriages, the combination
with a wheel hub, of a sleeve capable of turning therein, upon ball bearings,
a fixed and an adjustable cone for said bearings, on said sleeve, a chain wheel
having a dished face to receive clutch rollers which lock with toothed projections
on the hub, a disc having a sleeve fixed on one end of the sleeve in the hub, a
plurality of "planet" wheels mounted on spindles which project from said disc,
a central or sun " wheel mounted and free to turn upon the sleeve that carries
the disc and meshing with the "planet" wheels, a wheel or flange forming part
of the sun"-wheel, a friction-band engaging said wheel or flange, and an
internally toothed annulus on the end of the wheel-hub and meshing with the
"planet" wheels, substantially as described.
66
"
3. The hereinbefore described variable speed driving gear for cycles and motor
carriages having the different parts constructed, arranged, and adapted to operate
as set forth with reference to, and as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 11 of the
accompanying drawings.
4. The hereinbefore described variable speed driving gear for cycles and motor
carriages having the different parts constructed, arranged, and adapted to operate
as set forth with reference to, and as shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11.
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of July 1899.
FREDERICK J. CHEESBROUGH, Fel. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
Grant & Maddison's Bank Buildings, Canute Road, Southampton,
Applicant's Agent.