IMPROVEMENT IN ODOMETERS OR INSTRUMENTS FOR INDICATING THE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS OF A WHEEL, OR THE DISTANCE OR DISTANCES TRAVELLED OVER BY A BICYCLE OR WHEEL CARRIAGE."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Samuel Ritchie, of the State of Massachusetts,
of the United States of America, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENT IN
ODOMETERS OR INSTRUMENTS FOR INDICATING THE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS
OF A WHEEL, OR THE DISTANCE OR DISTANCES TRAVELLED OVER BY A
BICYCLE OR WHEEL CARRIAGE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Samuel Ritchie
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th April 1881.
EDWARD SAMUEL RITCHIE, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United States
of America. "IMPROVEMENT IN ODOMETERS OR INSTRUMENTS FOR INDICATING
THE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS OF A WHEEL, OR THE DISTANCE OR DISTANCES
TRAVELLED OVER BY A BICYCLE OR WHEEL CARRIAGE."
A material part of my odometer consists of two or other suitable number of.
pairs of magnets and a carrier therefor; another or material part of the said
odometer consisting in a magnetic needle, a train of gears, a dial and a hand, and
a suitable frame or supporter for them, all being substantially and to operate as
hereinafter described.
The carrier of the magnets, as arranged for use on a bicycle, is composed of two
semi-circular blocks or pieces of brass or other suitable material, provided with
connected devices, so that it may be readily adapted to and fixed upon the axle of
a bicycle in order to revolve therewith. The magnets are arranged in the carrier
that their north poles are in contact or contiguity, and their south poles also in
contact or contiguity. Near them in a frame, or hanger, or train and dial
supporter, is a short magnetic needle or bar fixed at its middle to an arbor, upon
which is secured the first gear or pinion of a train composed of any suitable
number of gear wheels or pinions, the arbor of the last wheel of the train carrying
a hand to travel around a dial properly divided and marked to represent distances
run by the bicycle wheel,
The dial or train supporter carrying the magnetic needle is attached to or hung
upon the axle of the bicycle to turn freely upon it so as to be stationary relatively
to the magnetic carrier, and held by force of gravity from revolving with it.

page_text: The force of attraction and repulsion of the magnets while the wheel revolves
will so act on the magnetic needle as to cause it to make one revolution for each
revolution of the wheel. The dial may be marked to indicate the number of such
revolutions or distances run, which will be indicated by the hand.
I do not confine my Invention to the use of two magnets, as described, as two or
more of pairs of magnets may be used with their like poles in contiguity. It is
evident that the dial supporter may be fixed to the axle to revolve with it, and
the magnet carrier to turn freely and held from revolving by force of gravity, the
relative condition and action remaining the same.
When applied to a wheel carriage the ring magnet or magnets, whether in a
continuous ring or in separate parts may be fastened to the hub of the wheel, the
case carrying the magnetic needle being attached to the axle-tree in such manner
that such case is to be held in one relative position with respect to the revolving
magnet or magnets, and the needle actuated by attraction and repulsion as set
forth.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Samuel Ritchie in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th October 1881.
EDWARD SAMUEL RITCHIE, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United States
of America. IMPROVEMENT IN ODOMETERS."
Figure 1 denotes a vertical section of a measuring instrument of my improved
kind as applied to the axle of the wheel of a bicycle; Figure 2 is an end view of
the semicircular magnets and their carrier; Figure 3 is a front view of the
supporter of the magnetic needle and its train, dial, and hand to be described;
Figure 4 is an edge view of the said supporter; Figure 5 is a section showing the
train or geering to be described; Figure 6 denotes approximately the direction
assumed by the magnetic needle on its arbor being in positions, as shown relating
to a single pair of arcal magnets; Figure 7 denotes approximately the direction
assumed by the magnetic needle on its arbor being in the positions as shown
relatively to two pairs of arcal magnets.
The nature of my Invention is defined in the claim or claims hereinafter
presented.
A material part of my odometer consists of two or other suitable number or pairs
of magnets and a carrier-therefor; another or material part of the said odometer
consisting in a magnetic needle, a train of geers, a dial and a hand, and a suitable
frame or supporter for them, all being substantially and to operate as hereinafter
described.
The carrier of the magnets as shown and arranged for use on a bicycle is
composed, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, of two semi-circular blocks or pieces a¹ of
brass or other suitable material provided with connecting devices so that it may
be readily adapted to and fixed upon the axle B of a bicycle in order to revolve
therewith. The magnets are arranged in the carrier at C, D, as shown in Figure 2,
that is, with their north poles in contact or contiguity, and with their south poles
also in contact or contiguity. Near them and in a frame, or hanger, or train and
dial supporter E is a short magnetic needle or bar F fixed at its middle to an
arbor a, upon which is secured the first geer or pinion b of a train composed of any
suitable number of geer wheels or pinions c, d, e, f, g, h, i, k, l, m, the arbor n of the
last wheel of the train carrying a hand o to travel around a dial P properly
divided and marked to represent distances run by the bicycle wheel.
The dial or train supporter carrying the magnetic needle, as described, is
attached to or hung upon the axle B to turn freely upon it so as to be stationary
relatively to the magnet carrier and held by force of gravity from revolving
with it.
The force of attraction and repulsion of the magnets while the wheel revolves
will so act on the magnetic needle as to cause it to make one revolution for each
revolution of the wheel. The dial may be marked to indicate the number of such
revolutions or distances run, which will be indicated by the hand.
I do not confine my Invention to the use of two magnets, as described, as two
or more of pairs of magnets may be used with their like poles in contiguity. It is
evident that the dial supporter E may be fixed to the axle to revolve with it, and
the magnet carrier to turn freely and held from revolving by force of gravity, the
relative condition and action remaining the same.
When applied to a wheel carriage the ring magnet or magnets, whether in a
continuous ring or in separate parts, may be fastened to the hub of the wheel, the
case carrying the magnetic needle being attached to the axletree in such manner

page_text: that such case is to be held in one relative position with respect to the revolving
magnet or magnets and the needle actuated by attraction and repulsion as set
forth.
What I claim as of my Invention in the above described odometer is as follows,
viz. —
1. The combination of a shaft or axle with two or more magnets and a case or
support therefor, made in parts, as set forth, so as to render it capable of being
attached to the said axle with a separate case carrying a magnetic needle to be
operated, substantially as specified.
2. I claim in combination with a shaft or axle and a case or frame carrying a
magnet or magnets a separate case bearing a magnetic needle, the said cases being
so arranged that one shall be fastened so as to revolve with the shaft or axle, while
the other remains loose to be held from revolution by force of gravity.
3. The combination of one or more magnets forming a ring or portions thereof,
and arranged to revolve around an axis with a magnetic needle, disposed in or on
a separate case or carrier and arranged substantially as shown and described,
whereby the mutual attraction and repulsions of such magnet or magnets and
needle, the latter shall be caused to revolve in a direction opposite to that of the
said magnet or magnets.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Samuel Ritchie, have hereunto set
my band and seal, this Ninth day of September, A.D. 1881.