US567631A - Bicycle - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. YOUNG.

BIGYGLE.

No. 567,631. Patented Sept. 15 1896.

Ho mm D c NITED STATES CARL YOUNG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 567,631, dated September 15, 1896.

I Application filed February 10, 1896. Serial No- 578,7 27. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to bicycles, tricycles, or the like, and has for itsobject to provide a new and improved vehicle of the class described, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a tricycle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view in part section, some of the parts being omitted. Fig. 3is a section 011 line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4:, Fig. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the clamping-ring.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

In Fig. l I have illustrated a tricycle to be used in carrying mail or other material, and which consists of the wheels A and frame 13, carrying the ordinary accompanying parts.

. A box or receptacle G is placed between the two rear wheels, back of the seat. A cover or canopy D is fastened to the box 0, and is adapted when raised to protect the rider from the rain or sun. This canopy is adapted to be folded at the sides and laid back over the box 0, so as to cover the same and protect whatever material may be carried therein. This canopy is provided with the rods D D at each side, the rod D being pivoted to the box. Said rods are connected to the crossrods D D. A central rod D is provided with a sleeve D, adapted to slide therealong, said sleeve having pivotally connected therewith the rods D By this construction the canopy may be folded like an umbrella, by sliding the sleeve D along the rod D Ahinged piece 'D is connected with the rod D and with the box 0, and is adapted to hold said canopy over the rider or allow it to be moved back so as to cover the box. The pedal-shaft E is provided with a sprocket-wheel E, which is connected by a chainwith a sprocket-wheel 011 a shaft E, said shaft having "one end of a coil-spring E" connected therewith, the other end of said coil spring being connected to the barrel E; A sprocket-wheel is connected with said barrel, so as to rotate therewith, and is connected by a chain with a sprocket wheel E on the rear axle; divided into two parts, each providedrwith a beveled gear.E' The sprocket-wheel E has connectedtherewith the two beveled pinions E adapted to engage the beveled. gears E said pinions being connected with a sleeve E on the axle. This forms a balance-gear, which insures the rotation of the shaft when the machine is being moved forward, and which allows the wheels to revolve in opposite directions in turnin g short corners.

The crank-shaft E has keyed thereto the disks F F. Said disks are provided with projecting ar1ns,-the material between the arms being cut away so as to form grooves, which vary in depth from one arm toward the other, as shown in Fig. 4. A roller F3 is placed in each of said grooves, and is provided with a spring F tending to force it toward the shallow part of the groove A spring-ring G surrounds each of said disks, as shown. This Said rear axle isring is not continuous, but is separated by y the space G, (see Fig. 5,) and is normally in such a position that its diameter may be decreased by moving the two ends nearer together, so as to decrease the-size of said space. These spring-rings normally press against the shells HH, which are journaled to the shaft and .which have connected therewith the pedal-cranks H H Also mounted upon the shaft are the. beveled gears H II", provided with projecting edges, which project over the disks F F, as shown in Fig. 3.

The spring-rings G are rigidly connected at one end to the shells H II by means of the pins 11, and are connected to the beveled gears II and II at the other ends by means of the pins 11 Two beveled pinions I and J are mounted upon the shafts I .J which are held in position by means of the sleeve I on the shaft E and the frame J I have described these several parts in detail and have set forth a specific construction in the drawings, but it is evident that I may vary this construction without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not wish to be limited by the drawings and description herewith presented.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: When it is desired to operate the tricycle, the rider alternately presses down upon the pedals. If, for example, the rider presses downwardly upon the pedal-crank H (see Fig. 4,) the said crank will be rotated and will carry with it the elastic ring G. Since said ring is in contact with the rollers F said rollers will be moved toward the shallow part of the slots in which'they are located,

and said ring will be coneected with the disk F so as to rotate the same, thus rotating the sprocket-wheel E and winding the spring E \Vhen this crank has reached the lower limit of its motion, the operator bears upon the Opposite crank H when the same effect upon the disk F is produced. As the crank H moves downwardly it also rotates the beveled pinion H, (see Fig. 3,) and hence, through the aid .of the pinions I J and beveled gear H moves the crank H back to its former position. During this backward movement the rollers F are moved to the deepest part of their slot, and hence the ring G is free from the disk F. This operation is repeated and the spring E is wound. Said spring being connected with the rear axle drives the machine forward. When it is desired to stop the machine, the rider simultaneously bears down upon both of the cranks H and H Since the elastic rings G are connected at one end to the beveled pinions and at the other end to the pedal cranks, this operation will cause the ends of the rings at the point where they are divided by the space G to move toward each other and the rings will be clamped upon the outer end of the arms F and will thus act as a brake to stop the rotation of the pedal-shaft. It will therefore be seen that I have here asimple and efficient construction which acts when the pedals are moved alternately to drive the machine forward, and when the two pedals are pressed upon by the feet of the rider simultaneously acts as a brake to stop this motion.

It will be noticed that I have here two means of connecting the spring-rings G with the pedal-shaft. \Vhen connected therewith through the agency of the rollers F, the shaft will be rotated by a movement of the pedalcrank, and when connected therewith through the agency of the arms F the rings tend to retard the motion of the pedalshaft. It will also be seen that these two connections are independent of each other.

I claim 1. The combination in a bicycle, of a pedalshaft, pedal-cranks associated therewith each adapted to make a partial rotation, an open ring connected at one end with each of said pedal-cranks, intermediate gear mechanism connecting the other ends of the two open rings, braking-surfaces connected with the shaft and opposed to said rings, a clutch associated with each of said pedal-cranks and adapted to connect them with the crankshaft when they are alternately operated, the whole being so constructed that when the pedal-cranks are simultaneously pressed, the spring-rings are forced against their opposed braking-surfaces.

2. The combination in a bicycle, of a pedalshaft, pedal-cranks each adapted to make a partial rotation, connecting devices between the pedal-cranks and shaft to operatively connect them, a series of beveled gears connecting said pedals, so that the operative movement of one brings the other to the beginning of its stroke, and two split spring braking-rings between the pedals and the beveled gears, bearing-surfaces opposed to the rings and associated with the shaft and connected with the pedals and beveled gears, so that when both pedals are simultaneonsly pressed, the rings will engage their opposed surfaces and retard the shaft.

3. The combination in a bicycle of a pedalshaft, pedal-cranks each adapted to make a partial rotation, two spring-rings, one connected with each of said pedal-cranks, disks opposed to them and connected with the shaft, a series of openings or spaces in said disks, a series of rollers in said spaces provided with springs adapted to normally press them into contact with said springrings, intermediate gear mechanisms connecting said spring-rings together and also connecting the pedals so that a movement of one causes an opposite movement of the other, whereby, when the cranks are alternately pressed, the spring-rings and rollers will engage so as to rotate the shaft, and when they are simultaneously pressed, the spring-rings will be forced into engagement with the disks so as to retard the movement of the shaft.

4. The combination in a bicycle of a pedalshaft, pedal-cranks each adapted to make a partial rotation, spring-rings having separated ends each connected at one end with one of said pedal-cranks, and each opposed to a disk connected with the pedal-shaft, a series of projecting arms on said disks, a series of rollers interposed between said arms and elastically pressed against said spring-rings, two beveled gears loosely mounted on said pedal-shaft, each connected with one end of one of said spring-rings, intermediate beveled pinions to operatively connect the beveled gears, the whole so arranged that when the pedal-cranks are alternately actuated they will be connected with the shaft so as to operate the same, and when actuated simultaneously will be connected with the shaft so as to retard its motion.

5. A bicycle comprising a driving-shaft,

pedal-cranks adapted each to make only a partial rotation, a spring-ring connected with one of said pedal-cranks, an opposed brakingsurface on the driving-shaft, clutching deshaft is retarded, and when either pedal is Vices for connecting said pedal-cranks with operated, the shaft is rotated. said shaft, an intermediate gear mechanism to connect the pedal-cranks together through CARL YOUNG the spring-ring, so that when both pedals are \Vitnesses: simultaneously pressed, the springring is FRANCIS W. PARKER,

forced against its opposed surface, and the E. C. BOWLING.

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