Improved Driving Apparatus for Bicycles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
Improved Driving Apparatus for Bicycles.
I, FELIX SCHWEIKERT, of 10, Bussestrasse, Hamburg-Winterhude, in the Empire
of Germany, Statuary, 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 driving apparatus for bicycles, in which the motion
is transmitted by means of specially formed tooth wheels, which, as compared with
other driving apparatus in which tooth wheels are likewise employed, have the
advantage, that the danger of a tooth being damaged, is obviated by the large-
ness of the cross section and the friction of the teeth is very slight.
In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1, shews the driving apparatus applied to
a bicycle, and
Figs. 2 and 3, are front and side views on a larger scale of two such tooth wheels.
The whole driving apparatus consists of the tooth wheel a fixed to the pedalling
shaft, the tooth wheel 6 engaging with the tooth wheel a and being seated on a
shaft having two bearings. For the transmission of the motion to the hind
wheel, the tooth wheel d also seated on the shaft c is employed. The last named
wheel engages with the tooth wheel e seated on the shaft of the hind wheel.
The pair of tooth wheels, illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, on a larger scale, are
furnished with teeth of quite special form, which renders transmission possible
notwithstanding that the axes of the wheels are placed perpendicularly one above
the other. The teeth of the wheels, in the case of a large pitch, sit spiral like on
the circumference and are arched in order than when set in motion, there may be
as little friction as possible. In the case of the small wheel, the arch or curve
must be larger, whilst the circumference is smaller, and the number of rotations
greater. The teeth likewise are rounded off at the top, as also the sides may be,
in order to make the work easier. The friction of the wheels would be substan-
tially reduced if the latter were to run in an oil box, which can be easily applied
to any bicycle.
As these teeth can be made with a very large cross section, the apparatus would
prove very advantageous in the case of shocks, whereas, on the contrary, in the
old systems, there is the drawback that the size of the cross section must be regu-
lated always according to the tooth wheel.
This apparatus should soon assert its superiority over the old systems, being
suitable for any kind of bicycle in use, as it can be easily fixed to any wheel.
The construction of the wheels a, b, d, &c, are similar & will be readily under-
stood with reference to Figs. 2 & 3 of the drawings.
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
Driving apparatus for bicycles, consisting of a shaft c with two bearings and
two pairs of tooth wheels a b, de, such wheels being furnished with teeth, which are

page_text: seated on the circumference in spiral form, are arched at the top and rounded off,
and may if desired, be arched at the sides, the tooth wheels also running, if so
preferred, in an oil box, substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 25th day of April 1899
HUGHES & YOUNG,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for Applicant.