IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM FREDRICK HEALY of Bridgeport in the County of Fairfield and State
of Connecticut, one of the United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare
the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My Invention relates to certain novel and usefull improvements in bicycles and
has for its object to provide a simple and compact device for increasing the speed
of bicycles whereby for every completo revolution of the cranks two revolutions of
the wheel will have been performed, but with out an increase of friction pro-
portionate to the increased speed and with theso ends in view, my Invention
consists in the details of construction and combination of clements hereinafter
described and in detail explained and then specifically designated by, the claims.
In order that those skilled in the art to which my Invention appertains may
more fully understand how to make and use my improvements, I will proceed to
describe the same referring by letter to the accompanying Drawings in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of the hub of a bicycle containing my improvements
and showing portion of a fork attached to ono side.
Figure 2 a longitudinal section of my improved bicycle hub showing the gears
in operative position partly in section and partly in elevation, the bearings and
bolts therein contained and a vertical section of an outside bearing showing its
means of attachment to the fork of the bicycle.
i
Figure 3 an end elevation of the hub showing the plate provided with lugs for
the attachment of the fork and a viow of the outer surfaces of the ring nuts
showing the serrations by which in connection with the check block they are
securely held.
Figure 4a front elevation of a bicycle provided with my improvement and
showing the respective attachments of the forks upon either side of the wheel
and of the cranks upon either side of the driving shaft.
Figure 5 a section of the hub taken through the line xx (see Fig. 2) and showing
the arrangement of the balls in the inner and outer bearings, and
Figure 6 a section taken through the hub at the line yy and showing the
arrangement of the light and loose collars whose ends form part of the track for
the balls which form the bearings.
Similar letters denote similar parts in the several Figures of the Drawing.
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page_text: A is a cylindrical shell adapted to contain the mechanism of my improvement
and B D are heads closing the ends of said shell and having upon their peripheries,
holes, (see Fig. 1) adapted to receive the spokes of the wheel. In the face of the
shell A is an opening, and the plate A' is attached to the shell A by screws and
serves as a cover for the opening. The two heads B D differ in their construction.
The head B is constructed of one piece having as a part thereof the inward
projection C.
The head D is constructed from two concentric collars F G the outer of which F
is firmly secured to the shell by screws a and turns with the wheel upon the
bearings Has will be presently explained.
The inner collar G is rigidly attached to the fork K by means of the plate I
having upon its face the lugs J which embrace the fork upon either side and are
securely attached thereto by a screw or bolt. E is the driving shaft passing entirely
through the hub and at whose centre is rigidly secured or cast integral therewith
the tight collar L projecting from the opposite sides of which at right angles are
the crossheads M. Upon either side of the collar L are the tight collars Q forming a
part of the shaft and beveled at their inner ends. Near their outer ends these
collars are provided with grooves cut in their peripheries and in shape half
octagonal in longitudinal section, for the purpose of forming a track for the
balts S. Tare loose collars surrounding the fast collars Q and are beveled at.
either end so as to present a bearing surface against the balls S which travel in the
track formed at the inner end of the collars by the surfaces of the tight collars Q
the loose collars T and the inner face of the projection C and at the outer ends of
the collars by the hemi-octagonal grooves R the beveled surfaces of the ring nuts
next described. U are ring nuts threaded externally, beveled at their forward
ends to form a part of the track for the balls S and designed to engage with
threads upon the inner circumference of the heads B D for the purpose of
tightening or easing the bearings just described.
Cut in the inner circumference of the collar F is a groove W half-octagonal in
shape and parallel to the cross section of the collar and in the periphery of the
collar G is cut a groove X similar to the groove W save that one side is cut down
and threaded to engage with the threads upon the ring nut V so that when the
collars are in position and the ring nut V in place (as shown in Fig. 2) a track is
formed octagonal in shape and adapted to contain the balls S₁ which run in
the bearing H. The ring-nut V is in all respects similar to the nuts U save
in size.
The outer surface of the nuts UV is serrated as shown in Fig. 3 and the check
block Y is provided upon its inner surface with teeth adapted to engage with the
serrations on the nuts U V. This block is secured to the outer surface of the
inner collar G and its ends hold the nuts firmly in position by the engagement of
the teeth upon the block with the serrations on the nuts U V.
Rigidly attached by lugs c to the projection C of the head B is a beveled gear O
(shown in section at Figure 2) and rigidly attached by lugs b to the inner collar G
of the head D, is another beveled gear O' both these gears are uniform in size pitch
and number of teeth. Upon the ends of the cross heads M are short shafts M¹
carrying transverse gears Ñ attached to said shafts by means of screws P in such
manner as to leave the gears free to turn upon the short shafts. The gears N are
identical in size pitch and teeth with the gears 0 0¹. The teeth of the transverse
gears N engage with the teeth of the gears 001 at the points of contact defy
(Fig. 2) for the purpose presently explained. Z are cranks attached to the shaft E
for the purpose of revolving it.
The operation of the Invention is as follows; by one revolution of the driving
shaft E one entire revolution will be imparted to the cross heads M which are
fixedly attached thereto and consequently to the transverse gears K. As has been
previously noted the inner collar G of the head D is rigidly attached to the fork K 5
so that it is held secure as against any rotary movement. The gear O' therefore
always remains stationary. The gear Ŏ is allso immovably attached to the inner

page_text: face of the projection, C by the lugs c but the head B is in no way attached to the
forks, consequently any motion transmitted to the gear O is applied directly to
the head B of which said gear forms a part and which is free to revolve independent
of the shaft E.
By a revolution of the shaft E the transverse gears N describe not only a
revolution around the axis of the driving shaft but allso by their engagement
with the teeth of the stationary gear O' a complete revolution around the short
shafts M', their axes, this as will be readily understood imparts the two-fold speed
thus acquired to the movable gear O, thereby causing it and the head B to which
it is rigidly attached to describe two revolutions to each entire revolution of the
driving shaft E.
To explain somewhat more in detail :-
If the head B were rigidly attached to the driving shaft E if the collar Q carrying
the cross heads and transverse gears were loose upon the shaft and the gear O free
to turn, it is obvious that the crossheads and transverse gears would perform no
function whatever and that the head B would revolve once and once only to each
revolution of the shaft. They would be mere uscless generators of friction instead
of valuable parts as when combined and operated in my Invention.
By the motion of the cranks Z the shaft E and the tight collar L and cross
heads M thereto attached acquire a rotary motion in the direction shown by the
arrow seen upon the collar L in Fig. 2.
As the transverse gears revolve around the shaft E upon the ends of the cross
heads they acquire by the engagement of their teeth with the teeth of the
stationary gear 0¹ an independent rotary motion around the short shafts M in the
direction shown by the arrow seen upon the transverse gear N, Figure 2. As the
gears N and O¹ are all provided with the same number of teeth, this independent
motion must be equal to one revolution of the gears N upon their axes, the short
shafts, for every revolution of the driving shaft E. The driven gear O whose sole
function is to receive the motion from the transverse gears and which is in no way
dependent directly upon the shaft for its motion, must therefore receive from the
gears N not only the speed derived from the motion of the gears N around the
shaft but also the speed imparted by the revolution of the transverse gears upon
their axes the short shafts. In short, the motion of the gears N around the shaft E
furnishes motion which causes the gear O to revolve once at every revolution of
the shaft.
The motion of the gears N around their independent axes M' furnishes another
revolution of the gear O to each turn of the shaft E and these two sources of
power furnish motion which cause the gear O to make two complete revolutions
to each turn of the shaft E, and in the direction shown by the arrow seen upon
the gear O. As the gear O is rigidly attached to the head B and as the head B
shell A and outer collar F of the head D are firmly secured one to the other and as
the heads B D carry in their peripheries the spokes of the wheel, it will be readily
seen that the double revolution just described will cause the wheel of the bicycle
to revolve twice to each revolution of the cranks.
The function of the bearings formed by the combination of the balls S the
groove R in the tight collars Q and the beveled ends of the loose collars T is merely
to allow the shaft E to revolve within the hub with the least possible friction and
the result obtained by the use of the bearings H is that the outer collar F is left
free to revolve around the inner collar G which is held fast to the fork K. I am
well aware that ball bearings have been used in manuy connections for lessening
friction of bearing surfaces and that they have been very commonly used in
connection with bicycles upon the ends of the forks for the purpose of allowing
the axle or driving shaft to turn easily and I do not wish to be understood as
laying claim broadly to any such construction the gist of my Invention in this
regard resting in the ball bearings situated within the hub of a bicycle whereby
the hub may be permitted to revolve around and independent of the axle. The
advantages gained by the use of the pattern and arrangement of the gears in

page_text: my improvement are that while the two revolutions of the wheel for every one of
the cranks is accomplished as desired, the mechanism required to accomplish this
result occupies so little space that a hub of ordinary size is competent to enclose
it; being situated within the wheel the mechanism cannot be injured by the falling
of the machine, it is out of reach of the foet of the rider and by the use of the
shell is fully protected from dust or dirt. By the use of various multiplying dovices
heretofor used the appearance of the bicycle was greatly damaged, they were
liable to become useless from dust and dirt and the use of oil necessary for their
operation rendered the machine dirty. The appearance of a bicycle provided with
my improved mechanism is in no way changed save that by the connection of the
peripheries of the hub flanges the hub in my improvement is seen to be somewhat
larger than in ordinary bicycles.
By the use of the shell in my improvement all dust and dirt is excluded from
the working parts and the two heads are firmly held together.
The plate A¹ is readily detachable and permits ready access to the mechanism
for the purpose of cleaning or oiling or for repairs.
The outside bearing shown as attached to the fork K in Fig. 2, is merely for the
purpose of showing some means of attachment to the end of the driving shaft and
I do not wish to be understood as claiming either its construction or operation
neither of these being of the gist of my Invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to he performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The collar L rigidly secured to the axlo and having projecting therefrom
crossheads M carrying gears N in combination with gear wheel O' secured to the
stationary collar G, gear wheel O secured to the heads BC hub A collar F and
means for rotating the axle, substantially as described.
2. In the hub of a bicycle the combination of the tight collars L having grooves R
the loose collars T and balls S with the ring nuts U threaded externally and
arranged around the tight collar, substantially as shown.
3. In a bicyclo hub, the nuts V in combination with the collars F G and the
balls S substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.
4. The clock block Y adapted to firmly hold the ring nuts U V having upon its
inner face, teeth or serrations,-in combination with the head to which it is
attached and the nuts which it secures, substantially as shown and described.
Dated the 10th day of May 1884.