Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 20th Oct., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by FREEMAN HIGH-SPEED BICYCLE Co., a
corporation organised under the laws of the State of Maine, and having its
head-quarters at Portland, in the said State of Maine, United States of
America.]
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 essence of this invention is in the way and manner the bicycle driving road-
wheel receives its rotary impelling movement, and in a flexible bicycle-frame and
efficient brake, substantially as hereinafter described, and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
The object of this invention is to attain a greater speed of a bicycle with less
exertion, and also attain an efficient brake without injury to the wheel tire or rim,
and a more comfortable riding machine.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 represents a side view of a bicycle, illustrating the features of this
invention, more clearly shown in detail through the following views.
Figure 2, is a plan transverse detail section, taken on line w-w of Figure 1.
Figure 3, is a detail sectional view, taken on line a-x, of Figure 2.
Figure 4, is a detail perspective view of the frame-portion caps of the frame-
spring joint, illustrated by the view, Figure 2, above mentioned.
Figure 5, is a sectional view, taken on line y-y, of Figure 2, and
Figure 6, is a cross section, taken on line - of Figure 1.
1 represents the front or driven bicycle road-wheel, 2 the mud-guard arms, and
3 the mud-guard.
4 denotes the bicycle frame-fork, 5 its bearings for it to swing in and 6 the handle
bar.
7 represents the hand brake-lever fulcrumed in the usual manner to the handle-
bar. This lever has one end forked with suitable engaging points that engage the
annular groove freely in the collar 8, freely fitted to the telescoping-rod 9 of the
handle-bar.
10 denotes a connecting rod, that connects the above collar and one arm of the
lever 11, which is fulcrumed to the frame portion 12. The other arm of said lever
is pivotally connected to the connecting rod 13, which has its opposite end connected
to the lever a. All of these brake-lever connections are pivotal connections with
the exception of the connection of the connecting rod 10 with the collar 8, which is
a fixed connection, but may be a pivotal connection, if desired.
14 represents the saddle-post of the frame portion 12, and 15 the saddle and
saddle-spring post adjustably fitted to above mentioned saddle-post in the usual
manner.
Figure 1 illustrates the frame-portion 12 as being in two parts, the upper one
curving from the fork and blending into the saddle-post, which has a branch secured
to the trunnion of the spring-case hollow shaft B; and the other part is curving
from the said fork with its lower end secured to the trunnion & on the opposite
side of aforesaid hollow shaft; also these two parts aforesaid as being rigidly
combined by intermediate parts 12'. This form of construction of the frame
portion 12 is optional as the above mentioned two curving parts can be substituted

page_text: by one curving part provided with suitable fork-bearings at one end and the other
end rigidly secured to the spring-case hollow shaft B while the opposite side of said
hollow shaft can have secured thereto the saddle-post proper; it is not wished to be
limited to this frame portion 12 constructed as illustrated, in Figure 1, but desired
to have the freedom of securing any suitable means to the respective trunnions b
and of the flexible frame mechanism or means, clearly illustrated in several of
the views of the drawings, to act and attain the end sought through the aforesaid
frame portion 12.
16 represents the other bicycle-frame portions which connect the spring-case
hollow shaft collars B' and the axial shaft c of my bicycle driving road-wheel C.
This connection of the frame portion with the above mentioned shaft is in the
ordinary manner to take up the slack of the wheel engaging chain 17 as denoted by
the forked end 16' and take-up screw 18 therein.
19 and 20 denote the chain engaging wheels of which the former will be dealt
with later on. The latter is secured to the crank-shaft D to which are also secured
the crank-arms D'.
d represents a key that locks both the chain wheel and the adjacent crank-arm, to
the crank-shaft, which has near its ends a threaded-portion d to engage the
threaded-nuts d 2. These nuts, as with the nuts 62 that will be presently described,
have ball-bushings d 2' and 2¹ respectively secured thereto in a separable manner,
the object of which is to save the nuts from being destroyed through the action of
the balls of the respective ball-bearings E and F which would occur if said nuts
were not provided with aforesaid bushings or ball engaging portions. The other
parts B and B' are bushed in a similar manner as with the nuts. This is for the
same reasou as above mentioned with regard to the nuts. The spring-case
hollow shaft B surrounds the crank-shaft between the chain driving-wheel and
the crank-arni secured to the opposite end of said shaft, and effects the bearings E
for the said shaft to rotate on or in. This hollow shaft as before mentioned
has the trunnions and 6 provided thereon which are designed as with said
hollow shaft to effect respectively an efficient saddle-post connection, a fork
engaging frame connection, and a crank-shaft bearing and other features which
will presently appear. The above mentioned nuts 2 engage the threaded-
portions 63 on the periphery of the aforesaid hollow shaft, and can be provided
with any ordinary means capable of preventing their moving after being adjusted
to make satisfactory the bearings F. The same can be done with the nuts d 2
which is quite necessary as is known to those skilled in the art. The collars B¹
cover the vertical sides of the spring case B" of the hollow shaft aforesaid and
receive the above mentioned ball-bearings F on the hollow shaft, which said
bearings are optional in construction as with the other ball-bearings illustrated
throughout the accompanying drawings. These collars B₁ have trunnions 4 and
spring contact-portions, or walls b5 To these trunnions are secured the frame
portions 16 above mentioned, and with the walls b5 contact the springs G, that are
encased within the case B of the hollow shaft aforesaid. These springs are
arranged, as more clearly illustrated by the view Figure 3, each side of the
walls 5 of the collars B₁ and engage the spring engaging portions 4 of the spring
compressing devices H designed to increase the power of the springs. These
devices consist of a threaded-shaft having right and left threads and a square
key-head extending from the outer surface of the spring case of the hollow
shaft that is provided with suitable bearings for said shaft, as illustrated in
Figure 3.
h2 represents nuts that respectively engage the threaded-shaft aforesaid, and
h3 denotes levers which are pivotally connected to the above mentioned spring
engaging portions 4 and to the travelling nuts aforesaid in such a manner as to
form toggle-joints, as illustrated by aforesaid view. Thus by turning the screw-
shaft in a rotary direction the nuts will either draw nearer to each other or go
farther apart according to the rotary direction of said shaft, hence the spring
engaging portions will either increase or diminish the force of the springs through

page_text: the levers 3 connecting such and the nuts. The spring engaging walls b5 of the
collars are oppositely located thereon, see Figure 4, and so arranged that they
engage each other as illustrated clearly by the view, Figure 3, in which the
walls 5, cross-hatched, represent the walls belonging to the collar removed as
represented by the aforesaid view. This is to make the movement of the opposite
collars or caps on the hollow shaft equal, and to equalize the spring force and
strain created, through the association of the devices just described and through
the occupation of the bicycle saddle. The nuts d2 and 62, previously described,
further act as collars to prevent a lateral movement of the hollow shaft and the
crank-shaft and of the frame portion hollow shaft engaging collars or caps, just
described.
21 represents the pedals which are retained in the usual manner by the crank-
arms.
Having described the flexible bicycle frame, now will be described brake-
mechanism, and bicycle driving road-wheel mechanism. To the hollow shaft, which
as seen does not revolve, is secured rigidly the armed portion I which I term the
spring-brake retaining member. I represents a circular spring which has one side
open and the ends i effecting said openings so designed as to form suitable surfaces
for the cam A to engage. This cam has a shank, or shaft a', that receives a
bearing on the arm i 1 of the retaining member I as shown by Figure 2. To this
cam-shank is secured the arın a¹ that engages the connecting rod 13 before
described. The opposite side of this spring from that which has the opening, is
suitably held by the arm i 2 of the before mentioned retaining member through the
connecting bolt 3. This spring is located so as to contact the inner surface of the
driving chain-wheel, which is so designed as to permit said spring to enter as
as represented by the numeral 20'.
Figures 2 and 5, represent the spring out of contact with the chain wheel. Thus
the brake is not applied, but by causing the hand part of the brake-lever 7 to
approach the handle-bar, it will be readily seen by following the movement of the
respective brake-levers, that the arm a' will move upward and thus cause the cam A
to further separate the ends i of the brake-spring I, and hence cause such spring to
contact the chain-wheel through having its opposite side held by the retaining
member aforesaid, and effect a most efficient brake.
14 denotes a key that secures said retaining member on the hollow shaft.
As before mentioned the frame portions 16 connect the movable spring joint
collars or caps B¹ and the driving road-wheel axial center-shaft This
shaft is a stationary shaft and is so made by suitably engaging the ends of the
frame portion aforesaid. c1 represents the threaded-portion of said shaft which
the nut c2 engages. This nut, as with the nuts previously described, is provided
with a ball-bushing c 2¹ which is also employed on the other nuts k 1, k2 and k3
and respectively on the parts C1, C2, C3 and C 3 provided respectively with the
ball-bearings K, K1, K2 and K 3, and which said bushings or ball engaging
portions are represented by the close cross-hatching throughout the just mentioned
ball-bearings. For convenience it is mentioned that this matter has particular
reference to the detail view Figure 6.
The above mentioned part C1 is a driving hollow shaft which, as shown, receives
the bearings K before mentioned, on the stationary shaft in such a manner as to not
have a lateral movement on said shaft, and also have its bearings readily adjusted
through the manipulation of the before mentioned nut 2, which can be locked
where adjusted as with the above mentioned nuts by any well known means used by
those skilled in the art. This hollow rotary shaft C has the chain-wheel 19
secured thereto, as illustrated, and is also provided with the arms c3 and the above
mentioned bearings K 2 for the outer rotary shaft C 3, or tire-shaft to rotate on.
To the arms c3 are axially supported the gears L which are provided with ball-
bearings K 2.
k2 represents a ball-bearing take-up lock nut and c4 the axis of gear L, which
the aforesaid nut engages. Said axis or shaft is retained by the aforesaid arm c 3.

page_text: c5 denotes a gear which is concentrically secured to the tire hollow shaft C3 and
which engages the oppositely located gears L. This tire hollow. shaft is further
provided with the disks or arms C 31 which are represented by, Figure 1, to be arms
having secured thereto a disk of suitable gauzy material but which is optional as
regards the aforesaid portion C 3' so far as the same efficiently performs its
functions which will presently appear.
k represents the take-up nut of bearing K1 that engages the threaded
portion c6 on the outer periphery of the hollow driving-shaft C1.
C2 denotes an internal gear designed to be rigidly secured to the stationary
shaft, and provided with the tire hollow shaft portion C3 bearing K 3, and to
mesh with the oppositely located gears L axially carried by the arms 3 of the
driving hollow shaft C1. The aforesaid hollow tire shaft portion C 31 is so
employed to rotate on the hub of the internal gear aforesaid opposite to the
disk C 3' in the same rotary direction therewith as attained through the connecting
bolts c7 so as to create a suitable hub for the spokes represented by c8 to
concentrically connect the tire e 9 and aforesaid hub.
k3 denotes the ball bearing K 3 nut which engages the threaded portion C 10 on
the hub of the internal gear to adjust the aforesaid bearing and to act as a collar to
prevent a lateral movement of the hollow tire shaft hub portion which is provided
with a V-shaped ball-bushing.
cll represents a key that locks the internal gear aforesaid to the stationary
shaft.
c 12 denotes the flare of the hollow tire shaft disks which are so designed for
convenience in engaging the tire spokes. The connecting bolts c7 have their ends
shouldered as clearly shown by Figure 6, for their nuts to bring the respective
disks against said shoulders, in a solid manner and thus attain a rigid association of
the hollow tire shaft or hub parts.
Having particularly described the parts or construction of my bicycle driving
road-wheel the following matter relates the peculiar action of the respective
operating parts thereof. The wheel engaging chain 17 transmits the movement of
the driving chain-wheel 20 to the driven chain-wheel 19 secured to the driving
hollow shaft of the bicycle driving road-wheel. Upon this driving hollow shaft
receiving a rotary movement; the gears L carried by said shaft in mesh with the
stationary internal gear secured to the stationary shaft, and with the hollow tire
shaft gear, not only travel around the stationary shaft, but receive a planetary move-
ment while so travelling around the stationary shaft through being in mesh with
aforesaid stationary internal gear, thus such gears, receiving such an action, it will
be readily seen, impart their movement to the hollow tire shaft gear and conse-
quently to the tire or road portion of said wheel, which is caused to revolve several
times to once of the hollow driving shaft around a common center.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
First, in a bicycle, the combination with the crank-shaft, the road-wheels, and
mechanical devices operatively engaged therewith to actuate said wheels, of a
bicycle frame mechanism having its wheel connecting fork holding portion and the
saddle-post secured to a suitable spring containing and crank-shaft bearing case,
and the hind wheel connecting portion secured to suitable collars or caps, suitably
mounted on aforesaid case, each side of the spring containing portion, the case
provided with suitable crank-shaft bearings, and with bearings for the collars
or caps, spring pressure adjusting devices operatively on said spring containing
portion, suitable spring contacting surfaces on the collars or caps, springs contacting
said surfaces and pressure adjusting devices, substantially as, and for the purpose
described.
Second, in the spring controlled pivotal joint of the frame, substantially as
described, the combination with the frame connecting collars or caps, the spring

page_text: containing and crank-shaft bearing case, and the said case-springs, of a spring
pressure adjusting mechanism consisting of a shaft receiving suitable bearings on
aforesaid case, having right and left threaded-portions, travelling nuts engaging
such portions, levers connecting said nuts and oppositely located spring engaging
portions, and said threaded-shaft having a key engaging head protruding from the
surface of the aforesaid spring-case of the crank-shaft bearing case, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
Third, in the spring controlled pivotal joint of the frame, substantially as
described, the combination with the spring containing and crank-shaft bearing case,
said case-springs, and spring pressure adjusting devices, the crank-shaft, having
suitable bearings in aforesaid case, and having engaged therewith the nuts d 2, the
saddle post rigidly secured to said case and the fork holding frame portion also
secured to said case, and such case provided with the ball bearings F, of the caps or
collars B' engaging said bearings F and provided with the spring engaging
trunnions 65 and the frame connecting tenons 64, the frame portion 16 being
secured to aforesaid collar tenons and suitably engaging the axial shaft of the
other of the bicycle-wheels, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Fourth, in a bicycle brake-mechanism consisting of a spring brake holding
portion I secured to the crank-shaft bearing case of the bicycle-frame, a circular
spring having one side open and the opposite side suitably retained by the aforesaid
retaining or hold portion, a suitable cam engaging both walls or ends of the opening
in said spring, and having a shaft loosely passing through an arm of the above
retaining portion I, a lever secured to said cam-shaft, and a rod pivotally connected
to the opposite end of said cam-shaft engaging lever, and said rod in operative
engagement with other rods and lever suitably retained by the bicycle-frame in
such a manner as to operate said split spring brake while engaging the handle-bar,
and said spring brake being located within the driving chain-wheel, and said wheel
being so designed to receive within the same said spring brake, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
Fifth, in a bicycle driving road-wheel, the shaft c adjustably fitted in the respec-
tive ends of the bicycle-frame and held by such frame from rotating, a hollow
driving shaft receiving suitable bearings on aforesaid stationary shaft, said bearings
being designed to prevent a lateral movement of said hollow driving-shaft, a
suitable chain engaging wheel secured to said hollow driving-shaft in operative
engagement with suitable driving devices, said hollow shaft having arms, gears
axially supported by said arms on suitable bearings, an internal gear rigidly secured
to aforesaid stationary shaft and in mesh with said axially retained driving hollow
shaft gears, a hollow shaft receiving suitable bearings on aforesaid driving hollow
shaft and having a gear in mesh with aforesaid driving hollow shaft gears and
provided with suitable disks designed to form a suitable spoke engaging hub, said
hollow hub shaft bearings being designed to prevent a lateral movement of said
hollow spoke hub or shaft, spokes connecting said hub and the tire or rim of the
wheel, and such tire portion of said wheel so receiving it impelling rotary movement,.
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 19th day of Sentember 1891
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.