Improvements in Crank Shafts and Bearings for Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Crank Shafts and Bearings for Bicycles and other
Velocipedes.
I, WILLIAM HENRY FAUBER of 6618 Wentworth Avenue, in the City of
Chicago and State of Illinois United States of America, Manufacturer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to he
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in velocipedes or bicycles and more
especially to the crank or pedal shafts of such machines and means for mounting
them on the frames thereof. The invention consists in the matters hereinafter
described and pointed out in the appended claims.
In that class of velocipedes or bicycles wherein the crank shaft is mounted in a
supporting sleeve provided with anti-friction roller bearings, the two annular parts
or rings constituting the main parts of the bearings have commonly been attached
one to an end of the sleeve and the other to the crank shaft, so that in order to
detach the crank shaft from the frame it becomes necessary to remove the crank
arms from the shaft and remove the latter end wise through that part of the
bearing which is attached to the machine frame. This prior construction has the
obvious disadvantage of making it necessary to make the crank arms in all cases
detachable from the shaft and of requiring the detachment of the crank arms from
the shaft whenever it is desired to remove the shaft for the purpose of repairing
the machine or parts thereof.
In a construction embodying my improvement the stationary annular parts or
nembers of the anti-friction bearings have detachable connection with the tubular
part or sleeve attached to the frame, and the said sleeve is provided with a longi-
tudinal slot or opening of sufficient width to allow the insertion and removal
through it of the crank shaft, whereby the crank shaft may be removed from the
frame by disconnecting the stationary members of the bearings from the ends of
said sleeve or sleeves and then shifting the shaft sidewise or downward from
engagement with the sleeve.
As a further improvement I construct the crank arms in one piece with the
crank shaft and make said arms throughout their entire length of less diameter
than the openings in both annular parts or members of the bearing, so that after
the stationary part or member of the bearing has been disconnected from the said
sleeve and the movable member of the shaft both parts may be entirely removed
from the shaft by slipping them end wise over the crank arm. Important advantages
gained by making the crank arms integral with the crank shaft are that in this
construction the cranks cannot work loose on the shaft after continuous usage and
hard wear on the machine; the cranks and shaft can be removed from the machine
without hammering and consequent liability of injury to the same or other parts
of the machine; the liability of the joints connecting the crank arms to the shaft
becoming loose as the result of removing and replacing the crank arms is avoided,
and the crank shaft thus made while having ample strength is much lighter and
more neat in appearance and may be more cheaply constructed than when the
crank arms are detachable from the shaft.
The invention may be more readily understood from the following description
of one form of construction embodying the same as shown in the accompanying
drawings wherein
Figure 1 is a view showing the crank shaft of a bicycle in side elevation with
the bearings and adjacent parts of the machine in central vertical section.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

page_text: The construction illustrated in this instance as embodying my invention is that
adapted to a rear driving safety" bicycle or one wherein the crank shaft is
mounted in the frame and gives motion to the rear wheel of the bicycle by means
of sprocket wheels and a chain belt. In said drawings, A. indicates a transverse
sleeve or tube which is secured in the usual manner to the frame, the parts or
members of which are indicated by A1 A2 A3. The sleeve is herein shown as
made integral with the parts of the frame. Said sleeve is arranged generally in
the same manner as are the similar sleeves heretofore used in this class of bicycles
to afford support for the crank shaft which passes through the same, the sleeve in
this instance however differing from those heretofore used in having an opening
at one side through which the axle may be laterally removed and inserted.
B indicates the crank shaft which passes longitudinally through the sleeve A
and through the medium of which motion is transmitted to the driving wheel of
the machine. Means for giving motion to the said driving wheel are herein
shown as consisting of a sprocket gear A' affixed to said crank shaft at one side
of the sleeve A and adapted to receive a chain belt which passes over a similar
sprocket wheel on the shaft of the driving wheel. The driving wheel and con-
necting gearing form, however, no part of the present invention and are not
therefore herein illustrated. Said crank shaft B is provided at each end with
crank arms C to the outer ends of which are attached pedal shafts D D. The
crank arms C C are made integral with the shaft B and the pedal shafts D D
are similarly made integral with the crank arms, these parts as shown being
connected with each other by curved or circular bends a a affording smooth or
rounded surfaces at the points of connection between said parts.
Anti-friction roller bearings for the shaft consist, as shown, of rings d d
removably secured to the shaft, and other rings d' attached to the ends of the
sleeves A, said rings d d¹ being provided with opposing annular surfaces between
which are placed a plurality of balls or rollers, as common in anti-friction bearings.
The rings d d of said anti-friction bearings are shown as secured to the shaft B
by means of interior screw-threads on the ring engaging corresponding screw-
threads formed on the shaft. The parts of the shaft over which the rings d d
fit are made larger than the parts of the shaft outside of the same, so that said
rings when disconnected from the screw-threads may be removed by slipping or
passing them over the outer ends of the shaft and the crank arms attached thereto.
Such enlargement of the shaft also makes the same stronger and more rigid at its
screw-threaded parts. The stationary members or rings d¹ of the bearings are
secured to the sleeve A by means of a screw-threaded connection, herein shown as
formed by means of external screw-threads on the sleeve engaging interior screw-
threads on the said rings. The sprocket-wheel A2 is shown as secured by means
of a key to the shaft at a point outside of and adjacent to the bearing at one end
of the sleeve, and a jamb-nut d² is shown as applied to the movable threaded part of
the shaft so as to bear against the ring d of the bearing at the opposite end of
the sleeve to hold the same in place when adjusted to its proper position.
As hereinbefore stated, the sleeve A is provided with a lateral opening wider
than the shaft B to allow the insertion and removal of the latter. In order to
prevent access of dust and dirt to the parts I prefer to employ a segmental curved
plate badapted to fill the opening in the sleeve and to complete the cylindrical
form thereof, the ends of said inserted piece b being screw-threaded in continuation
of the screw-threads on the sleeve itself, as clearly seen in Figure 1, so that when
the filling piece is inserted in place and the rings d' d' of the bearings screwed
upon the ends of the sleeve said filling piece is held firmly in place. The employ-
ment of said filling piece, while not essential to the carrying out of the main
features of my invention, may in many instances be found advantageous, because
serving to prevent access of dirt or dust to the interior of the sleeve."
In assembling the parts of a bearing made as above described the two annular
parts or rings d d' constituting each bearing are slipped over the ends of the shaft
and the shaft is then inserted sidewise through the opening in the sleeve A after

page_text: which the rings d' d' are connected with the ends of the sleeve and the rings d d
then brought in proper relation to the stationary rings d¹ d'and secured in place.
In case it is necessary to remove the shaft in repairing the machine or for other
purposes, it is only necessary to shift the rings d d outwardly away from the
rings d' d' and then disconnect the rings d' d' from the ends of the sleeve when
the shaft can be removed laterally from within the sleeve and will thereby be
entirely detached from the frame. Said shaft can therefore be detached from the
frame without the removal of the crank arms so that in case a construction is used
wherein the crank arms are made separate from and attached to the ends of the
crank shaft said arms may be left attached to the shaft during the removal and
replacing of the shaft, unless their detachment is required for some special purpose.
The employment, when the crank arms are made in separate pieces from the shaft,
of the construction described, by which the shaft may be removed from the frame
without taking off the crank arms, is of great advantage for the reason that the
removal and subsequent attachment of the crank arms is an undertaking requiring
considerable time and trouble.
This
In the construction illustrated and above described all parts of the crank shaft
and crank arms exterior to the anti-friction bearings are made smaller than the
parts of the shaft adjacent to the bearings and the parts at the junction of the crank
arms with the shaft are so rounded or otherwise shaped that the annular members
or rings constituting the bearings may be removed over the crank arms.
feature of construction, in connection with the supporting sleeve provided with a
lateral opening in the manner described, constitutes an important and valuable
part of my invention for the reason that it enables the crank shaft and crank arms
to be made in one piece and thereby affords the necessary strength in the connection
between the crank arms and shaft while enabling these parts to be much more
cheaply constructed and giving them a neater and better finish or appearance.
As a further improvement I make the pedal shaft continuous or in one piece
with the crank arms and make the connection between these parts in the same
manner as that between the crank arms, to wit, of less size than the openings of
the annular parts or rings constituting the bearings, and so shaped as to allow the
said rings to be easily slipped or passed over the same. The obvious advantage of
the construction last described is that it enables the shaft, crank arms and pedal
shafts to be made of one piece of metal, thereby obtaining the requisite strength
in a light, compact and neat structure.
In connection with the shaft and crank arms made in one piece, in the manner
described, I make the central opening of the sprocket wheel A larger in diameter
than any part of the shaft or crank arm exterior to the same, so that the wheel
may be easily slipped over the crank arm in assembling the parts or in removing
the wheel for renewal or repairs.
It is obvious that the features of construction herein described comprising an
open or slotted tube or sleeve, having screw-threaded or clamp engagement with
the stationary member of an anti-friction roller bearing, may be employed as well
as in connection with each fork of the supporting frame of that class of bicycles
in which the crank shaft forms the axle of the driving wheel, as to velocipedes or
bicycles having crank shafts made separate from the driving wheel such as is
herein illustrated.
The general features of construction herein described may obviously be employed
in connection with an "ordinary" machine of that class known as a geared ordinary
or one where the crank shaft is separate from the driving wheel and is connected
with the same by gearing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
The combination with a machine frame, of a crank-shaft and crank-arm
inade integral with each other, and a bearing for the shaft comprising an annular

page_text: part or member surrounding the shaft, those parts of the shaft and crank-arm
exterior to the bearing being made in all parts smaller in size than the diameter of
the shaft at the point where the said annular part or member of the bearing engages
the same, whereby the latter may be removed over the crank-arm, substantially as
described.
2:The combination with a machine frame, and crank shaft, of a transverse
supporting sleeve attached to the rame and provided with a lateral opening for
the insertion and removal of the shaft, and an anti-friction roller bearing for the
shaft of which the stationary annular part or member is secured to the end of the
sleeve, substantially as described.
3: The combination with a machine frame, of a crank shaft and crank arms
made integral with each other, a transverse supporting sleeve attached to the frame
and provided with lateral opening for the insertion and removal of the shaft and
anti-friction roller bearings of which the stationary annular parts or members are
attached to the ends of the said sleeve, those parts of the shaft and crank arms
exterior to the bearings being made in all parts smaller in size than the diameter
of the central openings of the annular parts or members of the bearing, whereby
the latter may be removed over the crank arms, substantially as described.
Dated the 20th day of December A.D. 1892.
WILLIAM HENRY FAUBER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.