Improvements in Gear-cases for Cycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: This print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 11 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883) as required by
the decision of the Chief Examiner of the 5th day of January, 1898.
Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION. (AMENDED.)
Improvements in Gear-cases for Cycles.
I, HARRY J. BUELL, Harnessmaker, of the City of Fort Wayne, in the County of
Allen and the State of Indiana, one of the United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 relates to improvements in detachable cases or shields for inclosing
the chain-driving gear of bicycles and other cycles.
The sprocket wheels and driving chain of ordinary cycles in common use are not
inclosed or protected, and are usually located relative to the ground or supporting
wheels as to collect and retain dust and mud when in use, thereby greatly impairing
the efficiency, security, and ease of operation of the vehicle by increasing the
friction of the driving gear and subjecting it to greater wear.
The object, therefore, of my invention is to provide a light, neat, cheap and
substantial case or shield for inclosing the chain driving gear of bicycles or other
cycles, so constructed and arranged as to be readily and conveniently detached or
replaced in position, and also adapted for a limited longitudinal adjustment for the
varying distance between the supporting wheels.
My invention comprises a two-part shell or case of sheet-metal, preferably of
aluminium, adapted to inclose the sprocket wheels and driving chain, having an
extended longitudinal opening in the central portion thereof, the inner and open
faces of which are closed by a detachable interlocking closer.
In the accompanying drawings similar reference numerals indicate correspond-
ing parts throughout the several views.
Fig. 1 is a side view of my invention in section in position for use upon a
bicycle, shown only in part, showing the relative arrangement of the inclosed
driving-gear.
Fig. 2 is a detail of my improved gear-case in longitudinal central section.
Fig. 3 is a detail plan of the lower case-section, showing the arrangement of the
means for securing it to the bicycle frame.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of Fig. 2 on the line C-C looking toward the rear end
thereof, showing the manner of interlocking with the adjacent edges of the respec-
tive case-sections.
Fig. 5 is a rear end view of the closer showing the retaining spring and the
corrugated sides thereof.
Fig. 6 is a side view of the closer.
Fig. 7 is a modified form of my invention showing the case-sections constructed
with telescoping sections.
Figs. 8 and 9 are enlarged details of the clip by which my improvement is
rigidly attached to the bicycle frame.

page_text: Fig. 10 is an end view in cross-section of the reduced end of my improved case
on the line B-B of Fig. 11 showing the manner of securing the adjustable slides
employed in another modified form.
Fig. 11 is a side view of the rear end of my invention showing one of the adjust-
able plates in position therein.
Fig. 12 is a view in cross section on the line A-A of Fig. 7 looking toward
the forward end thereof.
My improved gear-case is made of sheet-metal, preferably stamped or pressed
from sheet aluminium of sufficient thickness to give it strength, firmness, and
durability, while at the same time preserving its lightness; it is formed of two
nearly equal parts or sections 9 and 10 which are uniform in thickness and of nearly
equal width, the lower section 10 having its lower side slightly bowed or convex to
permit a limited amount of slack in the driving chain 8 without contact or friction
therewith.
The said hollow-case sections 9 and 10 are each designed to be stamped or pressed
from a single sheet of sheet-metal preferably aluminium, with a sufficient width of
space between their sides to receive and contain with proper clearance the
sprocket-wheel 7 fixed as usual on the crank-shaft 6, the sprocket-wheel 14 on the
rear axle 1 and the driving chain 8 connecting said wheels, Fig. 1.
When the said case-sections are united the properly corrugated meeting edges
thereof will form a close dust-proof interlocking union, and are rigidly but detach-
ably secured together as follows: On the rear end of the upper case section 9 and
at or near the upper edge thereof is rigidly secured a rearwardly projecting hori-
zontal transverse loop or eye 15, Figs. 2 and 3, adapted for a locking engagement
with the downwardly curved hook 16 rigidly fixed upon the rear end of said case-
section 10 at or near the upper end thereof, thereby rigidly securing the rear ends
of said sections against either lateral or longitudinal displacement.
To the inner face of the forward end of said case-section 10 and near the upper
edge thereof is rigidly secured by a rivet, bolt, or in other proper manner an
upwardly projecting spring 17, Figs. 2 and 7, having upon its upper end a fixed
outwardly projecting threaded bolt 18. At a proper point near the lower edge of
the forward end of said section 9 is arranged a suitable perforation adapted to
receive the said bolt 18 which is then secured therein by a proper threaded nut
on the free end of said bolt, Fig. 7, thereby rigidly securing said forward ends
together.
The closer 11 is made of one piece of sheet-metal, preferably aluminium, folded
upon itself, having its forward end and diverging sides slightly concavo-convex, the
said forward end being adapted to conform to the adjacent perimeter of the said
wheel 7, the upper side to permit of a limited slack of the driving-chain, and the
lower side to conform to the convex lower side of said section 10.
The free ends of said closer are bent to meet in a perpendicular plane and are
rigidly secured together by a bent spring 19 when in position, whose lower end is
rigidly secured to one of said ends, and whose free end is adapted to engage and
hold the other meeting end of said closer, as seen in Fig. 2. The edges of the said
closer 11 are properly corrugated and are adapted to be embraced by and form a
holding engagement with the adjacent sides of the said united sections which are
also correspondingly corrugated as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 7. When the said
closer is thus placed in position it cannot be displaced under ordinary conditions
of service except by the removal of the said case-section 9.
The said case-sections at their junction are provided with suitable lateral open-
ings 20 and 21, the former for the axle 1 of the rear wheel 2 and the latter for
the hub or journal of the crank-shaft 6. The rear and reduced end of section 9 is
provided upon its upper face with a proper oil cup 22 for the purpose of lubricat-
ing the said driving chain.
When the said gear case is placed in position the tubular brace-rod 12 will pass
diagonally through the opening 23 in the said closer 11, the rear end of said case
being arranged between the rear wheel 2 and the seat-supporting rod 3, and the

page_text: outer end thereof being arranged between the frame sections 4 and 5, and the
pedal-crank.
The said gear-case thus arranged is rigidly secured to the said rod 12 near the
extremities by the two-part clips 24 identical in construction, or in other proper
manner.
The said clips, Fig. 8, have their base riveted to the respective case-sections 9, 10,
Figs. 1 and 2, and have their outer ends provided with screw-threaded perforations,
and are then rigidly secured together by the screw 25 in said perforations.
In Fig. 7 is shown a modified construction in which each case section is formed
of two telescoping sections, the rear sections 91 and 10' telescoping with the forward
sections 9 and 10 to a sufficient extent to afford a limited longitudinal adjustment
or extension of said gear-case for variations in the distance between the two re-
voluble wheels. In this construction the said closer 11 is also made correspondingly
telescoping.
In Figs. 10 and 11 is shown another modification for fitting different sizes of
wheels consisting of a pair of laterally apertured plates 26 mounted so as to slide
in proper longitudinal guideways in the opposite sides of the rear end of said
gear-case, the coincident openings of said plates being adapted to admit the said
rear axle 1, though the preferred form of construction is that shown in Fig. 1
Referring now to the preferred form of construction, the manner of placing my
improved gear-case in position for use and of detaching the same is briefly stated
as follows: The operator first places the rear end thereof in position on the said
axle 1, as described, with the hook 16 in a locked engagement with the fixed loop
or eye 15. The closer 11 is then sprung into position crossing the said rod 12
diagonally, the corrugated edges of said closer interlocking with the adjacent
corrugated edges of said case-sections, the spring 19 preventing the rear ends of
said closer from spreading, the forward end of said case-sections being at the same
time fitted about the said crank-shaft and rigidly united by means of the said
spring 17 and the nut 18. The said clips 24 are then rigidly secured to the respec-
tive ends of the said rod 12 by the said holding screws, the adjacent edges of the
said sections being provided with interlocking corrugations. The said driving
gear will be then free to operate in said case without impinging upon any portion
thereof, as the sides are constructed to permit a limited slack of both the upper
and lower portion of the driving chain.
To remove my improved gear-case the screws in the said clip 24 are removed
and the spring 17 disengaged from the adjacent end of said section 9 after which
the said case-sections can readily be detached from their interlocked union with the
closer 11 and readily removed. By disengaging the free end of said spring 19
the meeting ends of said closer 11 can be sufficiently spread to permit of its
ready removal from the rod 12. My improved gear-case is thus light, simple, and
economical in construction, of few parts, readily and conveniently placed in posi-
tion or removed therefrom, and is absolutely dust-proof.
The manner of operating the modified forms are substantially identical with
that described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I am aware that it has
been previously proposed to construct gear cases of three principal parts two of
which run round the outside of the chain and chain wheels, and divide approxi-
mately in a plane passing through the axes of the chain wheels, the third part
being situated between the two runs of the chain and formed to allow the passage
of the chain stay and that I do not claim such construction generally, my claims
being limited to the specific combination of parts, and I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a gear-case for cycles, the combination of two separable interlocking
sections, each formed of a single piece of sheet-metal, an interlocking closer formed
of a single piece of metal folded upon itself as described and having its intor

page_text: locking edges corrugated for the purpose specified, and means for detachably
securing said case-sections together and to the cycle frame, all substantially as
described.
2. A two-part gear-case for cycles, comprising two separable interlocking
sections 9 and 10, each section being stamped from a single piece of sheet-metal,
having means for rigidly securing the ends of said sections, and a closer 11 folded
and corrugated as described and adapted to admit the brace-rod 12 and to close
the inner and open faces of the said case-sections by an interlocking engagement
with the sides thereof, all substantially as described.
3. A gear-case for cycles formed of front and rear telescoping parts by which
the said case can be lengthened or shortened, each part being formed of two separ-
able interlocking sections arranged as shown, a telescoping two-part closer adapted
for an interlocking engagement with said sections, and means for securing said
front and rear parts to the cycle frame, all substantially as described.
4. The combination in a two-part gear-case for cycles of two separable inter-
locking sections, constructed as described, provided with means for rigidly secur-
ing the ends of said sections together, a corrugated and interlocking closer 11
adapted to admit the brace-rod 12 and to close the inner and open faces of the
said case-sections by an interlocking engagement with the sides thereof as shown,
means for securing said sections to the bicycle frame, and the adjustable plate 26
arranged as described in the rear end of said case for the purpose of providing
for variations in distance between two revoluble wheels, all substantially as
described.
Signed by me at Fort Wayne, Allen County, State of Indiana, United States of
America this 29th day of January A.D. 1897.
HARRY J. BUELL.
J. C. Chapman,
Associate Agent, 70, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agent.