US594921A - William wanliss - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. WANLISS.

DEVICE FOR DRIVING BIGYGLES 0R VELOGIPEDBS.

o 0 W wk w W Patented Dec. 7, 1897.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM WANLISS, or JOHANNESBURG, sourrr AFRICAN REPUBLIC.-

DEVICE FOR DRIVING BICYCLES OR V ELOCIPEDES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Pate'ntNo. 594,921, dated December '7, 1897. Application filed October 30,1896.. Serial No- 610,580. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WANLISS, a British subject, and a resident of J ohannes- .burg, South African Republic, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Device for Driving Bicycles or Velociped es, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a means for driving bicycles and velocipedes, whereby the treadles are made to take a slightly-curved upward and downward motion in place of a circular one, the travel of the foot is lessened, and a considerable increase of leverage is gained.

Figure -1 shows the device in side elevation. Fig. 2 shows the device in plan. Fig. 3shows the device in end elevation viewed from the front of the machine.

My invention consists of two wheels S S, keyed or otherwise fixed to the spindle O of the driving-sprocket K of a' bicycle or velocipede, one being placed on either side of the sprocket. A series of cogs or teeth are cut or cast on a segment of the periphery of the wheels S S and into which gear the similar teeth of two sectors X, fixed to and working on radial levers B B, pivoted at their farther ends F as far as possible from the sectors in order to obtain the longest convenient radius.

The radial levers B B are of skeleton form and at the ends next to the sectors X are'provided with long slots which are wider for nearly one-half their length U than they are for the remaining portions, the total length of the slots being equal to double the distance 1 between the center of the wheels at O and of a small stud O in the end of one of the arms of each wheel plus the radius of a small friction-wheel revolving on the stud G and which travels in the slots of the radial levers B B, their action being, in combination with the latter, to carry the sectors up and past the uncogged portions of the wheels S S after the downward stroke has been made; but they do not come in contact with the narrower part of the slots until the downward stroke has nearly been completed. In' order that no stress may be exerted through the levers B B and that the whole of the leverage action may be through the medium of the cogs on the sectors X and wheels S S, the slots in the they enter the narrowportion of the slots in the radial levers and immediately commence to lift the latter and the sectors attached to them past the uncogged portions of the wheels S S in'readiness for the next downward stroke, the wheels S S being so keyed or fixed to the spindle O that while one sector is being depressed the other is being raised by means of the friction-wheel V and levers B B, as above described. The radial levers are made with two curved arms projecting outward at any convenient distance from their ends and which, together with the end of the lever B, are connected to a plain rim or sector D, to which the cogged sector X is fixed.

The radius of the pitch-line of the cogs in the sector X is equal to the distance between the pivot F of the radial lever and the pitchline of the cogs on the wheels S S, the number of the cogs in each sector being sufficient to cause the wheels to make nearly half a revolution before the sector falls out of gear and is ready to be raised for the next down- Ward stroke by the friction-wheel V and le-..

ver B B, as before described.

For the purpose of stiffening the sectors and to maintain their vertical action I form on the backs of the cogged sectors X webs or feathers E E, which travel in slots or grooves in either end M M of a triangular stay P, the

apex of which is fixed to the front stay J. of

the bicycle and the base to the box or bearing L, in which the driving sprocket-spindle 0 works.

The treadles A A are of bracket form and are'cast on or fitted in any convenient manner to the radial levers B B, and from the foregoing description it will be seenthat the foot has merely to move upward and downward almost in a vertical line instead of having to describe a complete circle, as in the present form of driving-gear.

In addition to the parts above mentionedthe following parts may be mentioned as forming a part of my machine:

H, I, J, N, and \V are parts of the frame.

G is the sprocket-chain, and Q the spindle of the small rear sprocket. v

T T are dotted lines showing the position of the radial lever at its upper and lower stroke.

V V are dotted lines showing position of friction-wheel when the sector is raised or lowered to its extreme limits of motion.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention, I declare that what I claim as new is- 1. The combination of two slotted radial levers each pivoted at one end and carrying a cogged sector at its other end with two wheels, a segment of the periphery of each of which is cogged to gear on the downward stroke with the sectors the connection between the wheels so that they will maintain a fixed relation to each other the feather or web in the back of the sector the triangular stay and guides in which the feathers or webs work, the pedals attached to the radial levers and the friction-wheel revolving on a stud in the outer end of one of the arms of each wheel, substantially as described in the foregoing specification and on the accompanying drawings.

2. In an improved device for driving bicycles and Velocipedes the slotted radial levers B, B carrying the cogged sectors X on their outer ends, the two wheels S, S a segment of the periphery of which is cogged, the shaft upon which the two wheels are rigidly mounted the feathers or ribs E, E at the back of the sectors, the triangular stay P, the guides M, M, the pedals A, A attached to the radial levers, the friction-wheels V on the ends of one arm of each of the two wheels S, S, substantially as described in the foregoing specification and on the accompanying drawwas.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM VVANLISS. \Vitnesses:

WILLIAM JOHN ROBSON, J OHN COMRIE.

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