US402460A - Bicycle - Google Patents

Description

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G. KIBBE.

BICYCLE.

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G. KIBBEL.

BIGYGLE. I No. 402.460. Patented Apr. 30. 1889.

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v G. KIBBE."

I BIGYGLR. I V V No. 402,460. v PatentedAprQBO 1889.

" NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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: SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,460, dated April 30, 1889.

Application filed October 2'7, 1888. Serial No. 289,299. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE KIBBE, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Amsterdam, in the county of Montgomery and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

lVly present invention relates to an improvement in bicycles, and particularly to that class commonly known as safety-bicycles,- having both wheels approximately equal in size, although, of course, the driverwheel may be of any desired size, the object of the invention being to perfect in all its details the construction of a safety-bicycle, so that the propulsion of the bicycle may be facilitated in all respects with the least expenditure of effort on the part of the rider;-

and the invention consists, essentially, in an improved driving mechanism having the combination of gearing and multiple-pedaled levers, a novel construction of various parts of the frame, a divided seat-rod for supporting the seat in such a manner that it can be adjusted close to the wheel above which it is located, a new position for the steering-head in front of the steering-rod, instead of upon or behind the same, as is usual in machines in common use, certain novel constructions of'the bearings or casings wherein the axles of the wheels are carried, the springs interposed between the front forked standard of the machine and the bearings of the forward wheel, the modified form of the drive-gearing and the actuating leverage whereby said combination is adapted to be used on a single side or on both sides of the bicycle, and in various details in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my improved machine, substantially as will be hereinafter described, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

-In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved safety-bicycle complete in all its parts. Fig 1 is a modification of the spring between wheel-bearing and standard. Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the same as Fig. 1 in partial section on the line w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail side elevation of the actuating-gearing for the drive-wheel and the multiple-pedaled lever connected thereto, the parts being arranged in asomewhat different manner from those shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a modification. Fig. 4c is a top edge plan view of the same parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one form of pedal-frame. Fig. 6 is a view of a complete pedal. Fig.7 is a view of another form of pedal-frame provided with a rubber cushion instead of the ordinary pedal. Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the large gear and its surrounding casing, (which form a part of the drive-gearing,) showing the arrangement of the balls which form the ball-bearing between said gear and its case when the balls are disposed in a single series. Fig. 9 is detail view of the devices used to support the seat or saddle of the machine. Fig. 10 is a similar section to Fig. 8, showing the arrangement of the balls when they are disposed in two series. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the modified form of my improved bicycle, and shows certain varia tions and changes from the general structure exhibited in Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is a detail view of the lower end of the forked front standard, and also the bearings of the forward wheel as employed in the modified construction of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation on the line y y of Fig. 11. Figs. 14 and 15 show details in the construction of the rear fork and the case or bearing for the rear wheel.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout all the different figures.

A denotes theforward wheel, and B the rear wheel, of my improved bicycle.

D designates the lugs upon the. forked front standard, E, in such a manner as to exert pressure upon the forward wheel, A, as occasion requires, the handle of the brake being, as is usual, located in proximity to the steering-bar 0, carried on the upper end of the rod on the forked standard. The fork of said standard passes down alongside of the wheel, each end being connected to the bearing of axle a of wheel A. In my present invention, however, I do not contemplate making this connection between the standard and the axle-bearinga brake, arranged in beardirect one, but prefer to interpose between the lower ends of the standard and the axlebearings certain springs, whereby the jar incident to the motion of the wheel may be counteracted and any unpleasant jarring thereof upon the rider obviated.

1) indicates one of the bearings for the axle a, and consists of a strip of spring metal adapted to surround said axle and having opposite projections that are clamped together by a suitable bolt, as shown. By loosening the bolt it is obvious that the bearings can be easily removed from the axle. To this bearing 1) the elliptic spring 0 is secured, (see Fig. 1,) the ends of said spring being inturned and connected to the fiat spring 0, attached to the lower end of the forked standard. This is one example of my improved arrangement of an interposed spring between the bearing for the wheel-axle and the standard that carries the steering-bar. Other various flexible or yielding constructions may doubtless be devised for use in this same connection, and what I have just described is given merely as an example for carrying the idea of an interposed spring into practical effect.

In Fig. l is shown a modification of the spring, the part 6 being dispensed with.

Fastened to the forked standard and extending around the rear side of the wheel A in close proximity thereto is a mud-guard, I, held in place steadily by the connection 6.

It has been customary heretofore in the construction of bicycles to have the steeringhead located either upon the steering-rod or behind the same. I have found, however, that in order to secure the best results in steering, cause it to be more steady and true, and make the apparatus less sensitive to slight changes, this head should be placed in front of the steering-rod.

In Fig. 1, J denotes the steering-head on the forward end of the part F of the main frame of the machine and carried in the rearwardlyprojecting short arms f f, that are secured to the steering-rod E, aflixed to the forked stan dard E, said rod passing through a loop, F, formed in the frame F just behind the head J. The bearings f f are situated one above and one below this loop F. By this arrangement of the steering-head, therefore, 1 coneeive that much better results in the way of steering bicycles will be accomplished than is possible by the old methods.

I11 Fig. 1 themain frame of my machine is shown as being of the lowered or depressed pattern, so made that a lady may easily ride the bicycle. I do not wish to be confined to this particular form of frame in combination with all the improvements on the machine, as re cited throughout this specification. I have illustrated it as one form of frame that may be used, and have made therein certain improvements which I desire to protect. In Figs. 1 and 2 this frame consists of the part F, above referred to, which partakes of the curvature of the forward wheel and extends leverage and gearing down belowa horizontal line passing through the center of this forward wheel to a point where it connects with the part G of the frame, that is located in an inclined position, is forked (see Fig. 2) to inclose the rear wheel, and carries the driving mechanism and other parts of the machine arranged in connection with said rear wheel.

The driving mechanism of my present improved form of bicycle may be said to consist, essentially, of gearing combined with the axle of the drive-wheel (either wheel may be used as the drive-wheel by properly rearranging the driving mechanism) and levers having one or more pedals for operating these gears, said being adapted for use on one or both sides of the drive-wheel. In Fig. 3 the arrangement of this gearing is a little different from What it is in Fig. l as regards the supporting-frame and the manner of connecting to the gearing the operative leverage; still the principle is the same.

K denotes the large gear-wheel, which is arranged within a surrounding case, L, which is securely fastened to the main frame of the machine-as, for instance, the frame G in Fig. 1, the frame G in Fig. 3, or the frame G in Fig. 11said gear-wheel K being rotative within the case L, which rotation is aided and facilitated by a ball-bearing between the gear and the case, consisting of a single series of balls arranged as shown in Fig. 8 (see also dotted lines in Fig. 3) or a double series of balls arranged as shown in Fig. 10. The ballbearing may be omitted, if desired, (see Fig. 3%) and I am not confined to it. The gearwheel K is internally toothed, and meshing therewith is a pinion, M, keyed rigidly upon the axle g of the drit e-wheel. It is obvious, therefore, that if the large gear be rotated the pinion will be made to revolve, and thus the drive-wheel be driven. I rotate the gear K by means of levers having suitable pedals driven by the foot of the rider of the machine.

In Fig. 3, N denotes the actuating-lever, having thereon a couple of pedals, O O. The lever U is pivoted at h to the frame G. At a suitable point on the lever a connecting-rod, P, is pivotally attached thereto, the other end of said connecting rod being pivotally attached to the gear K. It is manifest, therefore, that the oscillations of the lever N will revolve the gear K and drive the pinion and also the drive-wheel.

In Fig. 1 the leverage is arranged in a somewhat dilferent way. There I have the lever N with a couple of pedals, O O, as before; but the end of this lever is pivoted to a link, Q, instead of being directly connected to the main frame, the other end of said link being pivoted to the end of the frame G, which is curved upward, so that its pivotal point is considerably above the axis of rotation of the drive-wheel. Furthermore, the connectingrod P, which is pivotally attached to the gear K, is in this instance, instead of being pivotally fastened to the lever N, rigidly secured thereon: By the arrangement of the parts shown in Fig. 1 I have what may be termed an elliptic motion, caused by the arrangement of the link Q and the different form of the main frame. This arrangement of parts will be found to provide a very effective driving mechanism.

It will be noted that I have said that the levers N are provided with two pedals, O O. This feature of the multiple-pedaled levers constitutes one of the important points of this invention, especially when it is combined with the gearing just described. By having these different pedals located at different distances from the pivotal point of the lever a change can be effected in the driving-power, and consequently in the speed, by simply changing the foot from one pedal to the other.

Fig. 5 shows simply the pedal-frame.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 I have shown different forms ofpedals for use with these levers. Fig. 6 exhibits a complete pedal, showing the pedal arranged within its frame and supported by its spindles. In Fig. 7 the pedal proper is dispensed with and the ordinary pedal-frame is provided with a rubber or other elastic cushion, t.

In Fig. 11 I have represented a modification of the machine in several parts, especially as regards the driving mechanism. I still have in this figure the same gearing, consisting of the case L, surrounding the internally-toothed gear K, having a bearing within the case and meshing with a pinion, M, keyed to the axle of the wheel. With this gearing, however, I do not in the present modification employ the multiple-pedaled levers, but instead a crank consisting of the crank-shaft 7a, journaled in a downwardly-projecting fork, G, on the frame G2 just in advance of the rear wheel, said crank-shaft is carrying the pedals Z Z, affixed to each end of the crank-arms, which are at right angles to the cranks and connecting by the rod m with the gear K, said connectingrod being pivotally attached to the crank and to the gear. This combination of the gearing with the crank-motion maybe used on either side of the machine alone or upon both sides. I find this combination a convenient substitute at times for the combination of the gearing with the multiple-pedaled levers. In Fig. 11, moreover, the spring which in Fig. 1 was seen, to be interposed between the end of the front forked standard and the bearing for the axle of the front wheel is dispensed with, and the bearing b'has a projecting perforated plate,

1), adapted to enter nicely a slot or mortise in the lower end of the forked standard (see Fig. 12) and be securely fastened in place by suitable screws or bolts.

In Figs. 14 and 15 I have shown in detail the rear case affixed to the frame and affording a bearing for the rear wheel. The frame G2 is curved at n, the curved portion being perforated, as shown, to permit the attach ment thereto of the spring-metal band 0, which When affixed inplace upon the rear fork will assume the appearance indicated in Fig. 15.

Fig. 9 indicates the devices for supporting the seat or saddle II. It has the usual spring sliding sleeve, 19, on the rod 0", carried by the seat-frame, consisting of a cross-piece and the vertical rods R R, adapted to enter the clamp-. ing ends of the curved strap S affixed to the upper end of the frame T, which is securely upheld upon the main frame G, as shown in Fig. 1.1 The rods R R of the seat-frame may be adjusted up and down within the clamps on the curved strap S and held in any desired position to which they may be adjusted by means of the set-screws shown in Fig. 9, and thus the saddle H may be lowered or lifted, so as to be very near to or removed from the periphery of the driving-wheel. This construction enables the seat to be brought very close to the driving-wheel without coming in contact with it, since the divided seat-frame passes on each side of the wheel. In Fig. 1, U denotes a mud-guard for the rear wheel.

The placing of the steering point or head in frontof the steering-bar I consider an important feature of my bicycle. Such an arrangement of the steering-head gives a drag motion to the wheel and bar instead of the ordinary push motion.

The crank combination shown herein as a substitute for the multiple-pedaled-lever combination may be used by those riders who do not like the latter combination. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a bicycle, the combination of the actubeneath it, which is affixed to an adjustable ating-gearin g for the drive-wh eel, consisting of the pinion on the axle, the internally-toothed gear engaging it, the casing on the main frame, and the ball-bearing in said casing for the gear, the pedal-lever, connecting-rod between it and the gear, and the link pivoted to the said lever and the main frame, substantially as described.

2. In a bicycle, the combination, with the actuating-gearing for the drive-shaft, consist ing of the pinion on the axle, the internallytoothed gear engaging it, the casing on the frame, the ball-bearin g in said casing for the gear, and a pedal-lever, substantially as described.

3. In a bicycle, the combination of the forked standard E, the wheel A, its axle a, the axle-bearings b, and the interposed springs between the bearings and the standard, consisting of parts 0 and a, substantially as described.

4. In a bicycle, the combination of the forked standard E, the steering-rod E, carrying steering-bar O, the steering-head J, carrying bearings for said rod, and the frame F, supporting said head and looped at F to inclose the steering-rod, substantially as described.

5. In a bicycle, the combination of the forked standard E, the bearings Z) for the axle of the front Wheel, the interposed springs c 0 between said bearings and the standard, the steering-rod E, carrying the steering-bar, the steering-head J, located in front of the steering-rod and having bearings f f therefor, and the looped part F of the main frame, substantially as described.

6. In a bicycle, the combination of the saddle H, its spring connected to an adjustable sleeve, 19, the seat-frame having the horizontal rod 0* enter said adjustable sleeve and the Vertical rods R, and the part T of the main frame, having clamped ends adapted to receive and hold the vertical rods R R, substantially as described.

GEORGE KIBBE.

WVitn esses:

M. S. STovER, J. SPENCER FISHER.

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