Improved Cycle-pedals and Toe-clips therefor.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 26th July, 1894-Accepted, 1st Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Cycle-pedals and Toe-clips therefor.
1, CHARLES D'ALBERT, Engineer, of 22 Rue de Dunkerque, Paris, France,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
My invention comprises two parts of which one relates to improvements in
cycle-pedals and generally all kinds of pedals used in vehicles propelled by foot-
power, and the other to improvements in so-called "foot supports," which are
sometimes applied to cycle-pedals for the purpose of presenting a secure &
determined position of the rider's foot upon the pedal.
Referring to the first part, it has been hitherto difficult, if not impossible, to
make entirely solid cycle-pedals on account of the relatively great amount of
weight of the metal employed. The various entirely metallic pedals devised up to
the present, such for instance as those in which the bearing surfaces for the foot
are formed of two toothed or sharp-pointed cross pieces, assume the shape of a slim
frame which does not offer a sufficiently broad bearing surface for the foot and
moreover expose the sole of the shoe to considerable wear and tear.
The improved pedal devised by me is entirely made of aluminium or of an alloy
of aluminium, whereby, in addition to the advantage due to extreme lightness, a
relatively large bearing surface is at all times secured for the cyclist's foot, whilst
at the same time a pedal so devised is less costly, more durable and stronger. A
pedal made under my improvements is formed of a body cast in one piece of
aluminium or any suitable alloy of aluminium, having a central boss for receiving
the axis around which the pedal rotates, and having also side projections or guards
for preventing the cyclist's foot from moving sidewise upon and leaving the pedal.
The pedal is suitably hollowed out or cut out at convenient places for the purpose
of reducing the weight thereof without diminishing its strength. The two faces of
the pedal are grooved lengthwise so as to leave bearing surfaces for the foot, the
said bearing surfaces being roughened or indented for the purpose of preventing
the shoe from slipping. Such bearing surfaces may also be provided with suitable
indented or roughened steel strips or plates which are secured by being inserted in
suitable dove-tailed channels in the pedal.
Instead of making a pedal of one single piece of aluminium, as hereinbefore
stated, the pedal can also be formed of two pieces, quadrangular in cross section,
and grooved longitudinally on each of their four respective faces; each of the two
pieces is mounted so as to be capable of rotating with friction on an axis. The
ends of each axis are fitted and held in cheeks in the center of which the main axis
of the pedal passes and turns in ball or other bearings.
Referring to the second part, the improvement has for its object to devise a so-
called "foot-support" capable of being applied to and taken off a pedal without
the use of screws or bolts, whilst at the same time it can be readily secured in place
with the necessary steadiness and safety. The support is formed of steel or other
strong wire, one end of which is bent into the proper shape so as to form a kind of
socket for receiving the toe portion of the cyclist's foot, whilst the remaining end
is composed of two parallel wires which are laid into grooves cut transversely into
the faces of the pedal proper, whether made of one or two parts. The extreme
ends of the two wires are connected by a cross bar adapted to fit either one of the
longitudinal grooves cut into the foot rests.
When I construct the foot rests of two parts, as hereinbefore explained, the two
axes upon which the rests are respectively mounted are somewhat below a horizontal
plane passing through the center of the central axis around which the pedal itself

page_text: rotates. The purpose of this arrangement is to so counterbalance the pedal that
when provided with its foot-support, as herein stated, it will have a constant
tendency to assume a horizontal or approximately horizontal position. The rider
is thus enabled to introduce the toe portion of his shoe into the said support at
once, without having to cause the pedal to turn and to present the support in 5
suitable position.
Dated this and day of October 1802
CHARLES D'ALBERT,
By L. W., per F. B.
.
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Cycle-pedals and Toe-clips therefor.
I CHARLES D'ALBERT, Engineer, of 22 Rue de Dunkerque, Paris, France
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:
My invention comprises two parts of which one relates to improvements in
cycle-pedals and generally all kinds of pedals used in vehicles propelled by foot-
power, and the other to improvements in so-called toe-clips which are sometimes
applied to cycle-pedals for the purpose of presenting a secure and determined
position of the rider's foot upon the pedal.
Referring to the first part, it has been hitberto difficult, if not impossible, to
make entirely solid cycle-pedals on account of the relatively great amount of
weight of the metal employed. The various entirely metallic pedals devised up to
the present, such for instance as those in which the bearing surfaces for the foot
are formed of two toothed or sharp-pointed cross-pieces, assume the shape of a slim
frame which does not offer a sufficiently broad bearing surface for the foot and
morcover expose the sole of the shoe to considerable wear and tear.
The improved pedal devised by me is entirely made of aluminium or of an alloy
of aluminium, whereby, in addition to the advantage due to the extreme lightness,
a relatively large bearing surface is at all times secured for the cyclist's foot,
whilst at the same time a pedal so devised is less costly, more durable and stronger.
A pedal made under my improvements is formed of a body cast in one piece of
aluminium or any suitable alloy of aluminium, having a central boss for receiving
the axis around which the pedal rotates, and having also side projections or guards
for preventing the cyclist's foot from moving sidewise upon and leaving the pedal.
The pedal is suitably hollowed out or cut out at convenient places for the purpose
of reducing the weight thereof without diminishing its strength. The two faces
of the pedal are grooved lengthwise so as to leave bearing surfaces for the foot,
the said bearing surfaces being roughened or indented for the purpose of preventing.
the shoe from slipping. Such bearing surfaces may also be provided with suitably
indented or roughened steel strips or plates which are secured by being inserted in
suitable dove-tailed channels in the pedal.
Instead of making a pedal of one single piece, of aluminium, as hereinbefore
stated, the pedal can also be formed of two pieces, quadrangular in cross section,
and grooved longitudinally on each of their four respective faces; each of the two
pieces is mounted so as to be capable of rotating with friction on an axis. The
ends of each axis are fitted and held in cheeks in the center of which the main axis
of the pedal passes and turns in ball or other bearings.
The first part of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive of the
annexed drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3, & 4 showing one first arrangement, Figures 5 & 6
. a second arrangement and Figs. 7, 8 & 9 a third arrangement.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved cycle-
nedal

page_text: When I construct the foot-rests of two parts, as hereinbefore explained, the two
axes upon which the rests are respectively mounted are somewhat below a
horizontal plane, passing through the center of the central axis around which the
pedal itself rotates. The purpose of this arrangement is to so counterbalance the
pedal that, when provided with its toe-clips, as herein stated, it will have a constant
tendency to assume a horizontal or approximately horizontal position. The rider is
thus enabled to introduce the toe portion of his shoe into the said clip at once,
without having to cause the pedal to turn and to bring the clip into a suitable
position.
The second part of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 10 incl. to 15 incl.,
Figs. 10 & 11 showing one first arrangement, Fig. 12 a second arrangement, Fig. 13
a third arrangement and Figs. 14 & 15 a fourth arrangement.
According to the first arrangement, Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation on the line e, c
of Fig. 11, and Fig. 11 is a plan of Fig. 10. 23, 23 are the foot-rests proper, made
in accordance with any one of the herein before described arrangements under the
first part of my invention, and each fitted upon an axis 24, 24 the whole being
connected by cheek-pieces 25, 25 and nuts 26, 26. Independent of the longitudinal
channels 27, 27, the foot rests 23, 23 have transverse channels 28, 28 by means of
which the toe-clip can be secured as hereinafter explained.
My improved toe-clip is composed of a bent portion 29 for receiving the tip of
the foot and which is preferably formed of a strong wire, bent as shown, the same
being tied, soldered or otherwise fastened at 30. The two free ends of the wire
extend backward in the shape of two rods 31, 31 which are slightly bent and let
into the transverse channels 28, 28 made in the foot rests 23, 23. The ends of the
rods 31, 31 are secured into a cylindrical cross-bar 32 beyond which they may
terminate in spherical projections 33, 33 for assisting in putting the toe-clip on and
. taking it off the foot rests. The cross bar 32 fits into one of the longitudinal
channels 27 of the hind foot-rest.
Towards the central portion, the wire is bent twice over, somewhat in the rear of
the point 30 so as to form, together with the rods 31, 31 a clamp 34, the lower
horizontal portion of which fits against the underface of the front foot-rest.
Assuming the foot-rest to be held tightly between the cheek-pieces 25, 25, by the
nuts 26, 26 in such a manner that they can only be made to turn with a considerable
amount of friction, the toe-clip can then be placed and withdrawn in the following
way the front foot-rest is engaged between the rods 31, 31 and the clamp 34, s0
as to firmly hold the foot-rest, and the back foot-rest is slightly turned so as to
cause it to assume about the dotted position shown in Fig. 10 and allow of the
cross-bar 32 being fitted into the corresponding longitudinal channel 27 of the foot
rest, after which the latter is turned into its normal position shown in full lines
Such partial rotation of the foot rest causes the cross bar 32 to be firmly engaged
in the groove and at the same time tightens the rods 31, 31. When the parts thus
assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 10, the toe-clip is firmly applied to
the pedal. The clip can be withdrawn by following the same operations in the
reverse order.
According to the second arrangement, Fig. 12 is a side elevation showing a pedal
provided with a set of two inversely applied toe-clips. In this arrangement, the
clamps 35, 35 are each somewhat different from the clamp 34 shown in Figs. 10 & 11.
One clamp 35 is so formed that its vertical branch fits entirely or partially into
additional transverse channels formed in its foot-rest 23, the cross-bar 32 of the
opposite toe-clip being correspondingly cut away at its middle portion in order to
give free passage to the said branch of the said clamp 35.
The clamp 36 of the other toe-clip (this toe-clip being the one which is applied last,
i.e. after the first one has been fitted) is bent or curved at its vertical branch so as
to be clear of the cross-bar 32 of the first toe-clip, see the right hand side of
Fig. 12. The toe-clips are put on and taken off as in the arrangement described
with reference to Figs. 10 & 11.
A pedal provided with two toe-clips as just described is at all times balanced,

page_text: According to the third arrangement, Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a pedal which
is provided but with one toe-clip of either of the kinds herein before described.
Instead of fitting the rods 31 into the upper face of the foot-rests 23, as in the
arrangements shown in Figs. 10 & 11 and in Fig. 12, the said rods are placed under
the lower face of the foot-rests, whilst the clamp 37 fits over the upper face of the
foot rests. The remaining parts are the same.
In order to balance the pedal so as to cause it to assume automatically a
horizontal position as shown in the said Fig. 13, the axis 38 of the pedal is excentric
with reference to the two axes 39, 39 of the foot-rests, that is to say the axes 39, 39
are on one horizontal plane which is somewhat lower than a plane passing through
the axis 38.
According to the fourth arrangement, Fig. 14 is a side elevation in section on
the line d, d of Fig. 15 and Fig. 15 is a plan of Fig. 14. In this arrangement,
the foot rest is formed of one single piece of aluminium or aluminium alloy 40
into the upper and lower surfaces of which are let one or more dovetailed strips 41
of suitably serrated or roughened steel, held in position by means of screws 42 or
otherwise. In this instance, the channels 43, for the reception of the toe-clip,
are deeper than the thickness of the rods 44 in order to come underneath the
serrated strips 41, as will be understood from an inspection of Fig. 14.
The toe-clip differs from the toe-clips shown in the foregoing arrangements
insomuch as the ends of rods 44 are bent at 45 and engage holes 46 formed
in the foot rest 40, whilst the clamp 47 engages a hole likewise formed in the
foot-rest, see Fig. 14.
It is to be understood that the essential feature of the herein described toe-clip
resides in the possibility of securing it to a pedal, without the use of screws,
bolts, or other like fastening means, and that, as a matter of consequence, the
particular configuration of the rods and clamps of the clip may vary within
certain limits, the arrangement herein shown having only been set forth as an
example of the manner in which the toe-clip can be made and applied. For
instance, the rods of the clip might be so bent as to engage channels in several
faces of each foot rest if more than one be used for producing a pedal. Again,
by causing the clip rods to follow a particular configuration around the foot-rests,
the clamp might become superfluous, as the rods themselves would be sufficient
for holding the clip to the pedal.
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. The construction of cycle-pedals, made of aluminium or of an alloy of aluminium,
substantially as described.
2. The arrangement of cycle-pedals, substantially as described and illustrated
with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3 & 4 of the drawings.
3. The arrangement of cycle-pedal, substantially as described and illustrated
with reference to Figs. 5 & 6 of the drawings.
4. The arrangement of cycle-pedal, substantially as described and illustrated
with reference to Figs. 7, 8 & 9 of the drawings.
5. The arrangement of cycle-pedal comprising one or more main bodies 40, of
aluminium or of an alloy of aluminium, the faces of which are provided with
serrated or like surfaces 41 made of wear resisting metal, substantially as described
and illustrated in Figs. 14 & 15 of the drawings.
6. The arrangement of toe-clip, capable of being applied without screws or other
like fastening means, the said clip being mainly composed of rods 31, 31, let into
grooves 28, 28 in the foot rests 23, 23, also of a cross-bar 32 connecting the
rods 31, 31, and also of a clamp 34, substantially as described and illustrated in
Figs. 10 & 11 of the drawings.
7. The arrangement of two toe-clips, capable of being applied without screws or'

page_text: other like fastening means, the said clips being adapted as described & illustrated
with reference to Fig. 12 of the drawings.
8. A balanced cycle-pedal, the axis 38 of which is in a plane above a horizontal
plane passing through the axes 39, 39 of the foot-rests 23, 23, substantially as
described and illustrated with reference to Fig. 13 of the drawings.
9. A balanced cycle-pedal arranged as set forth in Claim 8, in combination with
a toe-clip, the rods 31, 31 of which are mainly applied against the underface of the
foot-rests 23, 23 for the purpose of 80 distributing the weight of the mass as to
cause the pedal with its applied toe-clip to assume a horizontal or approximately
horizontal position, substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 13 of the
drawings.
10. A toe-clip for cycle-pedals in which the rods 44, 44 are bent and introduced
into holes 46, 46 made in the foot-rest 40, and in which the clamp 47 is likewise
introduced into a hole of the foot-rest, substantially as described and illustrated in
Dated this 26th day of July 1894.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.