Improvements in Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 26th Sept. 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like.
We, JESSE ANTHONY, and ARTHUR EVERITT, residing at Albuquerque, in
the Territory of New Mexico, United States of America, Gentlemen, 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:—
This invention relates to a device for varying the speed of bicycles, tricycles'
and other machines and the novelty will be fully understood from the following
description and claims when taken in connection with the annexed drawings in
which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle showing our improvements applied.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of one half of the drive wheel showing one-half of the
hub in elevation and the other half in section, and the speed varying sprockets in
plan.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of a portion of the handle-bar showing the lever and con-
nections for manipulating the sliding disk or clutch disk.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the handle-bar and pivoted lever-bar with the
catch carried by the lever-bar and the tooth or lug on the handle-bar to receive the
catch.
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the axle and hub of the drive-wheel showing
the slide disk or clutch disk in elevation, and
Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the rear speeding sprockets.
Referring by letter to said drawings:
A indicates a bicycle which may be of any ordinary or approved construction or
a tricycle or other wheel machine may be employed instead thereof.
Bindicates the pedal or crank shaft which is arranged in the frame in the usual
manner and carries at opposite ends the pedals a, for turning said shaft. Suitably
secured to this shaft is a high-speed sprocket wheel C, and secured in a similar
manner and near the opposite end thereof is a low-speed sprocket D.
E indicates the rear driving wheel which is arranged on an axle b, suitably
journaled in the frame as shown. This drive-wheel has a hub sleeve d, and the
hubs e, to which the spokes are secured are provided with a suitable number of
transverse holes f, there being four shown in each hub in the present illustration.
Findicates a disk which is arranged loosely upon the hub sleeve on the outer
side of one of the hubs e. This disk which is designed to slide on said sleeve or
box, carries a suitable number of clutch rods G. These rods may be secured to
the disk F by means of threads on their outer sides taking into screw-threaded
holes g, or fixed thereto in any suitable manner. These horizontal rods G project
from opposite sides of the disk F so as to enter holes h. in the speeding sprockets H
arranged on the hub box or sleeve of the drive wheel and said rods play through
the holes in the hubs of the drive wheel. The speeding sprockets H are arranged
on the hub box or sleeve on the outer sides of the drive-wheel so that they may
rotate independently thereof when not engaged by the rods before mentioned. It
will be observed that the sprockets H are arranged at such distance apart that
when the bolts.or rods G are thrown in engagement with one sprocket they will be
out of engagement with the other sprocket and the rods are of such a length that
they may be disengaged from both speeding sprockets when desired.
I indicates an angle lever or finger lever. This lever is journaled at its angle in
abracket or bearing, which is secured in turn to one of the bars of the machine
frame. This lever is forked or bifurcated at its lower end as shown at k, and is
provided with friction rollers I, to embrace the sliding disk. Said lever is connected

page_text: at its opposite end with the lower end of a rod L which rod is connected at its
opposite end to a lever m, which is pivoted to one of the bars of the frame as
shown at n.
This lever m, is connected midway of its length with one end of a
rod M which is in turn connected at an intermediate point with a lever N. The
lever N is pivoted at one end to the main frame and its opposite end is connected
with a rod P which is connected in turn at an intermediate point to a hand
manipulating lever Q.
This lever is pivoted at one end to the handle-bar as shown at p, and its opposite
end carries a vertically-disposed catch R. This catch has two or more engaging
shoulders or lugs q, and the bar carrying them is preferably of a yielding nature,
so that the shoulders or lugs which are beveled on their upper sides may ride
over and engage with a tooth or shoulder 7, which is beveled on one side as
shown.
S indicates a leaf or flat spring which is secured at one end to one of the bars of
the main frame and the opposite end bears against the forked branch of the angle
lever I so as to keep the bolts or rods G normally in engagement with the left hand
speeding sprocket H.
T indicates a sprocket chain which connects the high speed sprocket on the pedal
or crank shaft with one of the sprockets on the hub of the drive wheel and
U indicates a similar sprocket chain which connects the slow sprocket D with the
opposite speeding sprocket of the drive wheel.
The tooth R being secured to the handle-bar as better shown in Fig. 4, when it
is desirable to engage the teeth or lugs 7, with the tooth, it is simply necessary to
press upwardly on the hand-lever Q by grasping both said lever and the handle-
bar. When the first shoulder or tooth of the yielding catch R is brought in
engagement with the tooth r, on the handle-bar, the bolts will be drawn from
engagement with both sprocket-wheels H and in this position the machine may
descend a grade or run without the movement of the pedals but when the next
tooth or shoulder of the catch is engaged, the bolts or rods G will be drawn from
engagement with the left hand sprocket H and thrown into engagement with the
right hand sprocket H thereby changing from high to low speed and vice versa.
will thus be observed that the speed of the machine can be changed from fast to
slow while in motion at the will of the rider without causing any change in the
movements of the pedals.
It
While we have described specifically and in detail all of the devices herein shown,
yet we do not wish to limit ourselves to such construction of parts as we reserve the
right to make such changes as fairly fall within the spirit of our invention and while
we have shown our improvements as applied to a bicycle yet it is obvious that such
improvements might be applied to tricycles or such machinery in which it is
desirable to change the speed while the machine is in motion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and -in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination with a drive-wheel of a bicycle, of two sprocket wheels
arranged to turn on the hub thereof, a crank or pedal shaft, a large sprocket wheel
and a small sprocket wheel respectively secured to said shaft, sprocket chains
connecting the sprocket wheels in pairs, and a clutch for fixing either of the
sprocket wheels on the drive-wheel shaft or hub with said drive-wheel, substantially
as specified.
2. The combination with the drive-wheel of a bicycle and the crank or pedal
shaft thereof, connected by a gearing of different size, a clutch for disengaging one
set of gearing from the drive-wheel and engaging the other set with said wheel,
said clutch being also adapted to disengage the drive wheel from the crank or pedal
shaft so that said shaft may remain idle while the drive-wheel is turning, substan-
tially as specified.
3. The combination with the frame of a bicycle of a forked angle lever pivoted.

page_text: thereto, rods pivotally connecting the angle lever with a hand-lever pivoted to the
handle-bar of the machine, a disk adapted to slide on the hub box of the drive-
wheel, bolts or rods carried by said disk and speeding gears arranged on the hub of
said wheel, substantially as specified.
4. The combination with the drive-wheel of a bicycle of the disk adapted to
slide thereon and carrying the rods or bolts, the speeding sprockets arranged loosely
on the hub or sleeve of said wheel and having holes to receive the bolts or rods, the
pivoted angle-lever having one end forked to embrace the sliding disk, a spring
pressing against said lever, a hand-lever carrying a catch and pivoted at one end to
the handle-bar and rods and levers pivotally connecting the handle-lever with the
forked angle-lever whereby the clutch bolt or rod may be engaged and disengaged
from one or both of the speeding sprockets on the drive-wheel, substantially as
specified.
5. In a bicycle, the combination with speeding mechanism, substantially as
described, of the handle-bar carrying the beveled tooth or lug, the hand-lever
pivoted to the handle-bar and carrying the yielding toothed catch whereby the
speeding mechanism may be changed from fast to slow and the driving-wheel allowed
to run without moving the pedals, substantially as specified.
6. The combination with a bicycle, of mechanism for varying the speed thereof
while in motion, said mechanism being also adapted to disengage the drive-shaft or
pedal-shaft from the drive-wheel while the latter is allowed to run, and comprising
a slide clutch on the hub of the drive-shaft, an augle-lever for engaging said clutch
and pivoted to the frame of the machine, a hand-lever pivoted to the handle-bar,
a spring for normally holding the clutch in one position and a series of rods
and levers connecting the angle-lever with the handle-lever, substantially as
specified.
7. The combination with a bicycle, of mechanism for varying the speed thereof
while in motion, said mechanism being also adapted to allow the pedals and shaft to
remain idle while the drive-wheel is in motion, and consists of a clutch on the hub
of the drive-wheel, a spring pressed angle-lever adapted to engage the clutch, a
hand-lever pivoted to the handle-bar, a yielding catch secured to said lever and
adapted to engage the handle-bar at predetermined points, and a series of rods
and levers connecting the angle-lever with the hand-lever, substantially as
specified.
Dated this 6th day of August 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.