Year: 1885

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chaucery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me
from abroad by La Société Les fils de Peugeot frères (Manufacturers) of Valentigney
(Doubs) France) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to change gear for velocipedes generally and more
especially for bicycles. It is advantageous to gear up for rapid travelling and
to gear down for ascending inclines and when travelling over heavy roads; the
change gear of this Invention enables this to be done either by hand or foot
without stopping or dismounting.
The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings
as applied to a bicycle.
The change gear in this case is partly enclosed within the hub of the driving
wheel and is composed of the following parts. A figures 2 and 2 is the crank
axle carrying the usual cranks and pedal. Upon this axle is keyed an internal
tooth wheel B gearing with one or more pinions C turning freely upon stud pins a
mounted on the hub of the wheel their axes being parallel with that of the latter.
The pinions C also gear with a wheel D fixed on a sleeve in which axle A turns
freely, and upon which sleeve the hub of the driving wheel also revolves freely.
One of the cheeks of the hub carries the pinion C while the other is provided with
a rim E figure 4, having notches e to receive the lugs p of a slide F working in a
groover made in a disc G, figure 5, which is rigidly fixed on the end of the sleeve
of wheel D. One or more springs H (figure 6) of any suitable form serve to hold
the lugs p, of slide F, in the notches e. In this position all the parts described are
locked together and turn as one piece. Thus locked it is termed the "normal
working." The mechanism above described is entirely enclosed by means of boxes
formed at the one side by the cheek plate which carries the pinions and the
internal tooth wheel keyed on the crank axle, and at the other side by the cheek
plate which carries the notches e and the guide for the slide bolt the head only of
said bolt projecting through an opening in said cheek plate.

page_text: K is a part jointed to the frame and operated by a rod t which may if desired be
concealed within the front fork, which rod is connected to a lever M Figures 1
and 1b mounted on the steering handle within reach of the riders hand.
The part K is so arranged, that when brought to the position K¹ Figures 2
and 2 bis by the lever M it allows the head of the slide bolt to protrude; it being
held in this normal working position by the springs H. A spring is placed at
back of part K which tends to constantly press it into the plane of rotation of the
head of the slide bolt, which it does do when lever M is released. In this case, the
slide bolt is caused, by the action of the part K when it meets it, to slide in
the groove of disc G until the projections p. are completely disengaged from
notches e; the bead of the slide bolt engaging in a notch made in part K, and being
held by it, prevents the rotation of wheel D. By continuing to rotate the crank
shaft, and, consequently, the internal tooth-wheel B at the same speed as before,
the wheel D being fixed, there results a diminution of speed of the velocipede
wheel, which will be the greater the less is the difference between the diameter of
the internal tooth-wheel B and that of wheel D. The mechanism may also be com-
bined so as to gear up instead of gearing down, by fixing for example, the toothed
ring to the nave, and mounting the pinions on the part keyed on the crank shaft.
Figures 1 and 1 bis show the method employed to bring and retain the part K
into the position K¹. If the lever M be pressed so as to cause it to lie along the
steering handle its end will bear upon the bevelled surface of a ring N which
recedes until it engages in a notch made in said ring, at which moment the ring is
forced forward by a spring, and holds the lever M in the desired position without
its requiring to be held by the hand. This, when working at a normal speed. In
order to obtain a different speed, it is simply necessary to push the ring N back-
wards until lever M is released from the notch, when the part K being no longer
retained is thrust forward by its spring, engages with the slide bolt, throws it out
of gear, and holds it as before described. To return to a normal speed, the end of
lever M is re-engaged in the ring N, when the slide bolt, being free to be acted on
by its springs, engages in the first notches in the disc which present themselves
opposite the lugs, this movement being the more quickly effected, the more
numerous are such notches. The apparatus may also be arranged to work at a
normal speed when the lever M is released from ring N, and at a slow speed when
it is engaged therein. The rod t may be operated in any other manner than by a
lever as shown, such as by a spring, cam, etc and the lever may also be secured by
any other means than that shown. The part K is so made, as to allow the head
of the slide bolt to pass freely when it is desired to back the velocipede, whatever
may be the position of the part K. In what are known as "safety" bicycles with
driving wheel of small diameter worked by an endless chain, the mechanism would
be applied in exactly the same way, except that shaft A instead of being the crank
shaft would be provided with two endless chain wheels R driven by two other
chain wheels, fixed upon the crank axles. This arrangement is referred to in
Figures 1. bis and 2 bis. Figures 1. and 2 represent an ordinary bicycle, with
direct action.

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Člark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me
from abroad by La Société Les fils de Peugeot frères (Manufacturers) of Valen-
tigney (Doubs) France, 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 change gear for velocipedes generally and more
especially for bicycles. It is advantageous to gear up for rapid travelling and to
gear down for ascending inclines and when travelling over heavy roads; the change
gear of this invention enables this to be done either by hand or foot without
stopping or dismounting.
The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings as
applied to a bicycle.
The change gear in this case is partly enclosed within the hub of the driving
wheel, and is composed of the following parts. A, figures 2 and 2b is the crank
axle carrying the usual cranks and pedal. Upon this axle is keyed an internal
tooth wheel B gearing with one or more pinions C turning freely upon stud pins a
mounted on the hub of the wheel, their axes being parallel with that of the latter.
The pinions C also gear with a wheel D fixed on a sleeve in which axle A. turns
freely, and upon which sleeve, the hub of the driving wheel also revolves freely.
One of the cheeks of the hub carries the pinions C while the other is provided
with a rim E (figure 4) having notches e to receive the lugs p of a slide F working
in a groover made in a disc G, (figure 5,) which is rigidly fixed on the end of the
sleeve of wheel D. One or more springs H, (figure 6) of any suitable form serve
to hold the lugs p, of slide F, in the notches, e In this position all the parts
described are locked together and turn as one piece. Thus locked it is termed the
"normal working."
The mechanism above described is entirely enclosed by means of boxes formed
at the one side by the cheek plate which carries the pinions and the internal tooth
wheel keyed on the crank axle, and at the other side by the cheek plate which
carries the notches e and the guide for the slide bolt, the head only of said bolt
projecting through an opening in said cheek plate. K is a part jointed to the
frame and operated by a rod t which may if desired be concealed within the front
fork which rod is connected to a lever M (figures 1 and 1s) mounted on the
steering handle within reach of the rider's hand. The part K is so arranged that
when brought to the position K¹ (figures 2 and 2 bis) by the lever M it allows the
head of the slide bolt to protrude; it being held in this normal working position
by the springs H. A spring is placed at back of part K which tends to constantly
press it into the plane of rotation of the head of the slide-bolt which it does do
when lever M. is released. In this case, the slide bolt is caused by the action of the
part K when it meets it to slide in the groover of disc G until the projections p
are completely disengaged from notches ; the head of the slide bolt engaging in
a notch made in part K and being held by it, prevents the rotation of wheel D.
By continuing to rotate the crank shaft and consequently the internal tooth-wheel B
at the same speed as before, the wheel D being fixed there results a diminution of
speed of the velocipede wheel which will be the greater, the less is the difference
between the diameter of the internal tooth wheel B and that of wheel D,

page_text: The mechanism may also be combined so as to gear up instead of gearing down,
by fixing, for example, the toothed ring to the nave and mounting the pinions on
the part keyed on the crank shaft.
Figures 1 and 1 bis shew the method employed to bring and retain the part K
into the position K¹. If the lever M be pressed so as to cause it to lie along the
steering handle its end will bear upon the bevelled surface of a ring N which
recedes until it is presented to a notch made in said ring at which moment the
ring is forced forward by a spring and holds the lever M in the desired position
without its requiring to be held by the hand This when working at a normal
speed.
In order to obtain a different speed, it is simply necessary to push the ring N
backwards until lever M is released from the notch when the part K being no
longer retained is thrust forward by its spring, engages with the slide bolt, throws
it out of gear, and holds it as before described. To return to a normal speed the
end of lever M is re-engaged in the ring N when the slide bolt being free to be
acted on by its springs engages in the first notches in the disc which present
themselves opposite the lugs, this movement being the more quickly effected the
more numerous are such notches.
The apparatus may also be arranged to work at a normal speed when the lever M
is released from ring N, and at a slow speed when it is engaged therein. The rod t
may be operated in any other manner than by a lever as shewn, such as by a spring,
cam, etc and the lever may also be secured by any other means than that shown.
The part K is so made as to allow the head of the slide bolt to pass freely when
it is desired to back the velocipede, whatever may be the position of the part K.
In what are known as "safety bicycles" with driving wheel of small diameter
worked by an endless chain, the mechanism would be applied in exactly the same
way, except that shaft A instead of being the crank shaft would be provided with
two endless chain wheels R driven by two other chain-wheels fixed upon the crank-
axles. This arrangement is referred to in figures 1 bis, and 2 bis.
Figures 1 and 2 represent an ordinary bicycle with direct action.
It will be understood that the form, dimensions, and arrangement of the various
parts will vary according to the kind of velocipede to which they are to be
applied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is;
1st. The application to bicycles of change gear contained within the hub of the
driving wheel and capable of being operated either by hand or foot without
stopping or dismounting as bereinbefore described.
2nd. In a change gear for bicycles, the combination of internally toothed-wheel B
keyed on the crank axle A, pinions C turning upon studs a mounted on the hub
of the driving-wheel, toothed wheel D loose on the axle A, rim E having notches e,
slide F provided with springs H and disc G, said slide being controlled by piece K,
rod t and lever M, substantially as described and shewn in the drawings.
3rd. A change gear for velocipedes consisting in the combination of wheels and
pinions B, C, D, E, spring pressed slide F, piece K controlled by rod t, lever M
connected to the steering bandle ring N, grooved disc G, and projections P as
herein before described and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1886