Improvements in Driving-gear, chiefly designed for Bicycles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1894-Accepted, 16th June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving-gear, chiefly designed for Bicycles.
I, EDWARD JAMES O'CONNOR, residing at Number 18 Buckingham Street, in
the City of Hartford, County of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, United
States of America, Mechanic, 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 :-
The invention relates to the driving mechanism of the class of chainless safety
bicycles, and the object is to provide an easy running and noiseless driving
mechanism for such machines which while simple and cheap will be strong, durable
and readily adjustable. To this end my invention consists in details of the
construction and arrangement of the parts making up the driving mechanism of
such a machine, as more particularly hereinafter described and pointed out in
the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a side view of a machine embodying my improvements;
Figure 2 is an enlarged plan of the driving mechanism with parts cut in section
to show construction ;
Figure 3 is a side view of the same with parts broken away;
Figure 4 is a side view of the yoke that is attached to the frame for supporting
the pedal shaft ;
Figure 5 is a side view of one of the brackets that are attached to the frame for
supporting the driving wheel axle ;
Figure 6 is a similar view of the opposite bracket;
Figure 7 is a detail view of one of the ball cones used with these latter
brackets; and
Figure 8 shows a supplemental ball case.
The tubular frame shown in the drawings is mounted on any ordinary wheels,
and provided with the usual seat, steering fork and handles of a common safety
bicycle. In front of the driving wheel the lower side tubes 1 of the frame, are
connected with a yoke 2 that has bearings for the shaft 3 to the ends of which the
pedal cranks are attached. The ends of the yoke are perforated, and in these
perforations are placed hardened ball cups 4 that are flanged so that when in
position in the perforations in the ends of the yoke they cannot be forced through
by pressure froin the inside. The crank shaft is threaded so that the cones 5 may
be easily adjusted against the balls in the cups, which cones are locked in position
after adjustment, by means of clamping nuts 6, washers usually being placed
between the nuts and the cones.
Borne on the shaft, near the middle of the fork, is a bevel gear 7 that meshes
with a bevel pinion 8 secured to a shaft 9 that passes through one of the side
tubes 1. The end of this connecting shaft 9 is provided with a key seat adapted
to receive a key, and the hub of the pinion 8 is also provided with a key seat by
means of which the rotation of the pinion with the shaft is assured. Screwed into
a threaded socket adjacent to the front end of the shaft is a hollow cone 10, and
between the tapering end of this cone and the back of the pinion 8, which is made
hollow, or cupped, are placed anti-friction balls which form the bearing for this
end of the connecting shaft. A nut 11 is screwed upon this end of the shaft
against the face of the pinion in position to secure a proper adjustment of the balls
between the pinion and cone, and a locking cap 12 is secured to the pinion by
means of interengaging screw threaded parts, the thread by which the cap is

page_text: secured to the pinion being preferably opposite to that by which the sleeve is
secured to the shaft 9. By means of this construction the pinion is adjustably
held very securely to the end of the shaft.
Formed integral with, or secured to the end of the shaft 9, at the other end, in
front of the hub of the driving wheel is a bevel gear 13 that meshes with an
inward facing bevel gear 14. The back of the gear 13 that is in front of the hub
of the driving wheel, is hollowed out; and between it and the cone 15, screwed
into a threaded socket in the end of the bracket 16 that is secured to the end of
the tube 1, are placed the anti-friction balls which form the bearing for this end
of the connecting shaft. After the pinion 8 has been adjusted properly with
relation to the gear 7 and held by means of the threaded sleeve 11 and locking
cap 12, its ball bearings are adjusted by means of the movable cone 10; then the
bearings at the opposite end of the shaft 9 are adjusted by means of the cone 15,
so that the bearings are held tight, with the gear and pinion in perfect mesh.
The bracket 16 curves out and back from the end of the side tube, and its rear
end is provided with an oblong perforation, through which passes a hollow bolt 17
the shank of which is slightly smaller in diameter than the longest diameter of the
perforation through the end of the bracket. A nut 18, having a conical inner end
screws upon this bolt; and between the conical end of the nut and the walls of a
recess in the outside or back face of the gear 14, are placed anti-friction balls
which form the bearings for this end of the hub of the driving wheel. The gear 14
is formed integral with or secured to the end of the hollow wheel-hub 19, to the
disks of which the spokes of the wheel are fastened in the usual manner.
On the inside of the bracket 16 are formed lugs a, and loosely supported between
these lugs is a supplemental ball bearing case b. This supplemental case is provided
with a shaft opening, the edges of the opening being grooved. This supplemental
bearing is so formed as to receive the shaft adjacent to one of the flanges of the
hub to which the spokes are secured; against this flange is supported the cone c
projecting into the opening in the supplemental case. A cone d is adjustably
secured to the shaft as by means of interengaging threaded parts, and projects
within the opening in the supplemental case opposite to the cone c, the bearing
faces on each of the cones c and d facing each other, and forming a ball race
between said faces and the groove in the supplemental case b.
When a proper
adjustment of the cone d has been secured it is held in place by means of a lock-
nut e also secured to the shaft by interengaging screw threaded parts.
In a recess in the opposite end of this hub, is secured a ball cup 20, between
which and the conical end of the nut 21 are placed the balls that form the bearing
for this end. The nut 21 is screwed upon the hollow bolt 22 that passes through
the oblong perforation in the end of the bracket 23 formed integral with or secured
to the end of the side tube. A tie rod 24 with a head at one end and set and
clamp nuts at the other passes through the hollow bolts 17 and 22 and the hub of
the wheel to hold the parts together.
To adjust the parts, the wear of the balls and the meshing of the gears at this
end, the set nut on this tie rod is screwed to the correct position, and then the clamp
nut is tightened against it, so as to prevent its turning loose. This clamps the
parts together. On the backs of the cone-nuts 18 and 21 are formed lugs 25 that
fit into grooves 26 on the inner faces of the brackets 16 and 23. These lugs prevent
the cones from turning when the bolts are being tightened, and also permit them
to be moved forward or backward when the bolts are loosened, for, as above stated,
the perforations in the ends of the brackets through which the bolts pass are longer
in diameter than the diameter of the bolts. This permits the free and easy
adjustment of the hub which bears the gear 14, forward or backward when the bolts
are loosened so that the gears will mesh properly. The brackets 16 and 23 may of
course be formed integral with the ends of the tubes which make up the side frame,
or may be secured thereto as shown; and to these brackets are secured the upright
braces of the frame. The yoke 2 is formed so as to receive the middle and front
braces of the frame, and it is also preferably held together or stiffened by means.

page_text: of a tie rod 27, that passes from one side to the other beneath the gears. Dust
guards 28 and 29 are placed over the gears at the crank shaft and at the rear-
wheel, to protect the parts from dust, sand and the elements, so that they will keep.
clean and work freely.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In combination, a crank-shaft bearing a gear and supported by the frame, a
connecting shaft supported in a part of the tubular frame, one end of said shaft.
bearing a pinion in mesh with a gear on the crank-shaft, said pinion being supported
upon balls and fastened to the shaft by means of an adjusting sleeve and locking
cap in front of the pinion, the opposite end of the shaft bearing a gear in mesh.
with a gear on the hub of the driving wheel, all substantially as described.
2. In combination, a crank-shaft bearing a gear and supported by the frame, a.
connecting shaft supported in a part of the tubular frame, one end of said shaft
bearing a pinion in mesh with the driving gear, said pinion being supported upon
balls, a key-seat located in the shaft and pinion and containing a key, a sleeve
with an interior thread screwed upon the end of the shaft, a locking cap enclosing-
the sleeve and secured to the hub by means of interengaging screw-threaded parts,
the opposite end of the connecting shaft bearing a gear in mesh with a gear on the
hub of the driving wheel, substantially as specified.
3. In combination, a crank-shaft bearing a gear and supported by the frame
between the shaft-bearings, a connecting shaft shorter in length than the distance
between the crank-shaft and the hub of the driving wheel supported in a part of
the tubular frame, said shaft bearing at one end a pinion in mesh with the gear
on the crank-shaft and bearing at the other end in front of the hub of the driving
wheel a gear in mesh with a gear on an extension of the hub of the driving wheel
which latter gear is outside the former, substantially as specified.
4. In combination, a crank-shaft bearing a gear and supported by the frame, a
connecting shaft supported by the frame and bearing at one end a pinion in mesh
with the gear on the crank-shaft, and bearing at the opposite end a rearwardly
facing gear in mesh with an inwardly facing gear on the hub of the driving wheel,.
substantially as specified.
5. In combination, a crank-shaft bearing a gear and supported by the frame, a
connecting shaft supported in a part of the frame and bearing at one end a pinion.
in mesh with the gear on the crank-shaft and at the opposite end a gear in mesh
with a gear on the hub of the driving wheel, brackets projecting from the ends of
the lower side tubes of the frame to the axle of the driving wheel, said brackets.
having oblong slots, a tie-rod passing through the oblong slots, and adjustable
cones connected by the tie-rod for holding anti-friction balls in contact with portions.
of the hub of the driving wheel, substantially as specified.
6. In combination, a crank-shaft bearing a gear and supported by the frame, a
connecting shaft supported in a part of the frame and bearing at one end a pinion
in mesh with the gear on the crank-shaft and at the opposite end a gear in mesh
with a gear on the hub of the driving wheel, brackets projecting from the ends of
the lower side tubes of the frame, said brackets having oblong slots and longitudinal
mortises, cones held to the ends of the brackets in the mortises, and balls between.
the cones and portions of the hub of the driving wheel, substantially as specified.
7. In combination, a crank-shaft bearing a gear and supported by the frame, a
connecting shaft supported in a portion of the frame and bearing at one end a pinion.
in mesh with a gear on the crank-shaft and at the opposite end a gear in mesh
with a gear on the hub of the driving wheel, brackets projecting from the ends of
the lower side tubes of the frame, studs passing through the ends of the brackets,
cones adjustably mounted on these studs, and a tie-rod passing through the hollow
hub and both of the cone-bearing studs in the ends of the brackets, said rod holding
together the independent cone-studs and the brackets, substantially as specified.

page_text: 8. In combination, a crank-shaft bearing a gear and supported by the frame, a
connecting shaft supported in a part of the tubular frame and bearing a gear in
mesh with a pinion on the driving shaft, and a supplemental ball-bearing case
supported on the frame and engaging the hub of the driving wheel between the
end bearings, all substantially as described.
Dated this Thirteenth day of Anil 1804
EDWARD JAMES O'CONNOR.
D. Young & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.