US648629A - Cyclometer. - Google Patents

Description

No. 648,629; Patented Mav I. |900. E. E. NEAL.

GYCLOMETEB.

(A pplcation filed Hayle, 1898.)

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'mi Nonms Pneus no.; PNovoLrmu. wAsHl No. 643,629. Patented May-l, |900.

E. la.v NEAL.

DYCLUMETER. (Appngeion mea may 16,l 1189s.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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E. NEAL. y'YuLoMETER. (Application man my 16,1898.)

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UNITED [STATI-3s PATENT Ormea.

ELMER E. NEAL, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR 'TO THE NE\V DEPARTURE BELL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

oYcLoivi ETER.

SFECIFICATION forming part o f Letters Patent No. 648,629, dated May 1, 1900.

Application filed May 16, 1898.. Serial No. 680,771. (No model.) I

To if/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER E. NEAL, of Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cyclometers; 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.

This invention relates generally to improvements in devices for registering and numbering and counting distances, weights, ac.; but it more particularly relates to improvements in what are'called cyclometers for use in registering the distances traveled by wheeled vehicles.

The drawings illustrate a particular form of embodiment of the invention which is adapted especially for use in connection with velocipedes or bicycles to count, register, and indicate the number of miles and parts of a mile which the bicycle travels. A

The development of the art and the tremendous increase in the use of bicycles, to-

gether with the accompanying desire for a distance-measuring instrument in connection therewith, have led to the. creation of a demand for the manufacture and distribution of cyclometers possessed of certain requisites which it has been attempted by this invention to satisfy.

To this end this invention consists in the production of a cyclometer small in size, of a construction compact and simple,so arranged as to exclude dust and dirt from the operat-I ing parts, positive in action, accurate in results, and very simple and inexpensive in manufacture.

A cyclometer of the form which it is attempted to illustrate must be carried upon the frame or axle of the bicycle contiguous to the revolving bicycle-wheel and in such relation thereto as that a trip secured to some part of the revolving wheel may strike a starwheel located at one end of the cyclometer. The star-wheel is iixed upon the end of a shaft which extends through Ithe cyclometer, and thus forms thc actuating mechanism. The case for the cyclometer is a small cylinder, preferably of metal, and is provided about the surface of its internal circumference with a strip of transparent membrane, which is iitted to the case in such a way that its ends butt against each other. It is of such width that the heads of the cyclometer butt'against the ed ges of said membrane, and thus is formed an air-tight interior. The' mechanism consists of index-rings with appropriate figures upon their external circumference. They are provided with internal gears on one side. On the other side of each is a groove continuous about the circumference,with the exception of two interior teeth placed in the path of the groove. Within the index-rings is provided means to support a shaft carrying a series of pinions, said pinions upon one side engaging the internal gear of the corresponding index-ring and on the other side having alternate teeth cut away, so as to be locked from turning by engagement with the internal plane of the adjacent ring. By means of the peculiar reducing'mechanism hereinafter to be described the first index-ring is caused to revolve slowly and continuously and to indicate the fractions of a mile traveled by the machine. Through the broad and narrow teeth of the pinions each index-ring is caused to revolve one-tenth of its circumference upon the complete revolution of the index-ring before it.

The form of improved construction illustrated in the drawings will be fully described hereinafter with reference thereto.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings and the letters marked thereon, the same letters designating the same parts or features Wherever they occur.

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of the cycloxneter, taken on-the line l l of Fig. 2, a small part on the upper right corner showing the gears in elevation. Fig. 2 is an end View of the cyclometer with the head removed and represents the actuating-pinion, gears, and spring. Fig. 3 is a view of the cyclometer in cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. e isa perspective view of a core' constituting a means to support the shaft carrying the pinions,l Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the star-wheel. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the chambered nut. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the index-rings IOO viewed from the posterior side of the cyclometer. Fig. S is a similar view of an indexring viewed from the anterior side of the cyclometer. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the index-ring-actuating pinions. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the cycloineter in position upon the bicycle-Wheel. Fig. 11 represents the sheet of transparent membrane. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the transparent membrane prepared for insertion in the case. Fig. 13 is a viewin cross-section of the inet-al tubing out of which is formed the case. Fig. 1-t is a view in cross-section of the case after having been drawn into form with the around the circumfereiice.

membrane inserted therein. manifest that the scale of the drawings of said Figs. 11 to l-t is not entirely uniform with the scale of the other figures, some of the figures having been enlarged to show the parts more plainly. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the core prepared to receive means for p0- sitioning the pinions. Fig. 1G is a sectional view of the core on line 1G 1G of Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is a side elevation of one of the springs within the core. Fig. 1S is a side elevation of one of the latchets.

A is a cycloineter-case made, preferably, as above stated, of metal and, as represented in the drawings, cylindrical in form.

C and C are heads which inclose the ends of the eycloineter and protect the parts from the intrusion of air and dust.

J is a membrane (transparent, of course) formed into shape and forced into the interior of the case, with the ends butting tightly together, as shown plainly in Fig. S at J'. The membrane, which I `find can con veniently be made of celluloid,is cut to such a size as that the heads or en'd-inelosing means of the cyclometer-case butt tightly against its edges In this waya perfectlystight lining is formed for the interior of the cyelometer, forming a smooth internal circumferential surface and having joints perfectly tight where the ends come together and where the edges meet the heads or means for inclosing the ends of the cycloineter.

K is the body part of an interiorly-grooved core, illustrated plainly in Fig. 1l as a means for supporting the shaft Il. The upper portion is milled out, as here illustrated, leaving a plane surface, which is marked 71.2. The shaft B provides a means for actuation be- 'tween the star-wheel A, fixed upon its anterior end, and the mechanism for operating the index-rings. A chainbered nut or washer Il is screwed upon a projection of the core between the star-wheel and cycloineter-head. In the chamber of the nut is placed a packing M, of felt, leather, or otliersubstance, to protect the interior from the intrusion of dust. The core has no support at its posterior end, as illustrated in the drawings, but is held in position against the head C by the Washer and is held against rotation by upsetting the metal in the head, as at Z.

7; in Fig. at represents a recess across the It is of course' end of the core to accommodate a spring In, which is forced into place by screwing a pinion D on the posterior end of the shaft B. In this way the internal supporting-core is maintained in position and the star-wheel A and chambered nut L are held yieldingly against the anterior end of the cyclometer, so that there is sufficient friction in the turning ofthe star-wheel A to prevent accidental displacement.

E isan intermediate gear, preferably loose, which meshes on one side with the 'teeth of the pinion I). This gear E may be fixed to a plate at the end of the core by a pin; but it is illustrated and it is preferably used loose, as shown.

F is a ring fixed in the case within the head C and provided with teeth (marliedj) forming an internal fixed gear. Next this internal lfixed gear is an index-ring G, which is loose and has ils bearing exteriorly upon the inner circumference of the membrane heretofore described or interiorly upon the circumferential surface ofthe core, as may be preferred. Other similar index-rings are provided, the number of which depends upon the number of figures necessary to mark the distance dcsired to be recorded by the cyclonieter. In the drawings are shown five of these indexrings. Eachindex-ring is provided upon the right or posterio-rly to the actuating means with an internal gear provided with teeth, (marked 92.), In the embodiment shown in the drawings each posterior gear has twenty teeth, excepting the first, which, as is hereinafter explained, is provided with one less tooth than the fixed gear F.` Upon the left of each index-ring, as shown in Fig. S, is formed a groove, except where it is broken by the pro jection of two teeth g3 and g". The last or anterior ring can of course be left entirely plain.

II is a shaft rotating in bearings at its ends formed by the slots in the core at 71y /i/. .As represented in the drawings and for the de nominations to be used in this cyclometer, this shaft carries four pinions I. (Represent ed inorein detailiii Fig. El.) Fach pinienhas each alternative tooth t" cut ofi ou the posterior side, as shown in Fig. 9 of the draw ings. The shaft carrying the pinions andthe pinions rest inside the circumfereiicc of the index-rings. Posteriorly the cut-away portion of the pinion I engages or rests upon the internal plane surface gf of each index-ring, and therefore the two teeth t' each side of the cut-away tooth t" resting against the plane surface of the interior circumference of thc ring form a locking arrangement by which the pinion is held from turning as the posterior index-ring is rotated upon the core, the index-ring resting upon the pinion or slipping upon it without turning the pinion upon the shaft Il'. Anteriorly both the teeth i and t" of the pinion are in mesh with the gear on the posterior side of the index-ring (l, so that whenever the pinion is permitted to rotate it IIO will turn the next anterior index-ring 1., and the uncut portion of a leaf i is not only in mesh with the adjacent gear, but a portion of it rests in the groove Q6. If preferred, the groove g may be formed in the posterior face of the anterior index-ring, in which case the groove will be omitted from the anterior side of the posterior ring, and instead the two teeth gs and g4 may project from the face of the posterior ring into the path of the groove. This is a detail of manufacture depending upon the quality of metal used and the convenience of the maker. The requisite is that the broad leaves shall lock on the internal plane surface of the posterior ring and that the narrow leaves shall have opportunity to ride between the rings until they come in contact with the tooth g3 or g4.

The thickness of the intermediate gear E is sufficient, as shown in Fig. l, to engage at once both the teeth on the fixed gearF` and the teeth on the interior gear of the indexring G next to the fixed gear F. These gears upon F and G are differential-that is, in this illustration the gear on G has one less tooth than the gear on F.

The cyclometer must of course be provided with some means of attachment to the bicycle adjacent to the wheel, and a mode of adj ustably attaching it thereto is shown in Fig. 10. r is a trip fixed to a spoke of the bicyclewheel. P O is a clamping device attached to the axle and'fixed there securely by the nut Q. a is a rib, upon the outside of which are fastened the clamps by means of a screw in such a way that the cyclometer can be affixed at a point nearer to or farther away from the wheel within lthe limit of the length of the cyclometer.

The operation of the device is as follows: As the bicycle-wheel rotates the trip 7' will strike the points of the star-wheel A and move the same by one point at each rotation.- Thus the shaft B is caused to rotate, and with it the pinion D. This pinion engaging with the intermediate pinion E causes it to revolve upon the teeth of the fixed gear F. As before remarked, the thickness of the pinion E is sufficient to permit it to engage not only the teeth of the fixed gear F, but also the teeth of the gear formed on the posterior side of the adjacent ring G. The pinion E will therefore revolve upon the gears of both F and G. Upon making one revolution upon the fixed gear F the index-ring G will be caused to move forward in rotation one tooth, because it has one tooth less than the fixed gear F. This rotation will also be continuous, it will be observed, because ofthe relationship of the teeth of the gea-r F tothe teeth 0f the gear G. (Illustrated in the posterior upper part of the sectional view shown in Fig( l.) This rotation, therefore, of the firstindex-ring G will be very slow and as it rotates the first pinion I upon the shaft H will contin-ue stationary because locked from movement by the contact of the teeth t' with the internal plane surface g5 of the first index-ring. The pinion is constructed so that the sheaves or teeth i extend the full width of the pinion. out off and so arranged in reference to the location of the index-rings that while the teeth t' rest upon the interior plane surface of the posterior index-ring, posteriorly and engage the teeth of the gear anteriorly the teeth t" travel upon the surface of a groove gbetween the rings through part of their width posteri-v orly and also engage the teeth of the gear on Jthe next internal index ring anteriorly. When a posterior index-ring, however, shall have rotated so that a tooth 11'.' shall come in contact with a tooth g4 or g3 in the path 'of the groove g, the pinion will be caused to turn, this being allowed by the tooth 'L' dropping into the depression g77. Therefore until the index-ring shall have moved around so that a tooth i of the pinion shall have been introduced in to the depression Q7 between the teeth g4 g3, so as to permit the pinion I to yrotate' past the depression inthe gear Q7 formed by the teeth g3 and g4, the pinion is loclged against turning, and with it the series of index-rings and pinions anterior thereto. The'depression Q7 of course extends entirely across the width of the index-ring. As the pinion is thus permitted and caused to rotate, its teeth being in engagement with the teeth g2 of the internal gear of the second ind ex-rin g, said second index-ring will be caused to rotate throughy two teeth or,as the teeth are arranged in the cyclometer illustrated in the drawings, through one-tenth of its circumference. Vhen the second index-rin g shall have thus been caused to complete oiienotation, the next pinion will;

rotate in the same Way as heretofore described of the first pinion and cause the third indexrin g to rotate through one-tenth of its circumference, and this will be true of each succeeding index-ring and pinion. Each indexring is provided upon its circumference at regular intervals with figures representing fractional notation. These figures can be seen through the transparent membrane which forms an interior lining to the cyclomet-ercase, as heretofore described, through a rectangular aperture in said case. (Indicated in 3 by the letter g.) As shown in the drawings, the first posterior index-ring will indicate fractions of a mile. The second indexring will represent units. The third indexring will represent tens. The fourth indexring will represent hundreds, and the fifth index-ring will represent thousands. The cyclometer, therefore, will register distances traveled up to 9,909.9 miles. A cyclometer can of course be made upon this principle to record anygreater or less number of miles by the addition or exclusion of a corresponding number of index-rings.

The above is a description of the mechanism and construction of a cyclometer which is simple in construction and accurate in operation. On account of the positive character of the actuation through the pinions and The sheaves il are- IOO IZO

bearings if it is desirable, as it undoubtedly is in operation, to have the parts worl; smoothly and evenly and if it is desired to have a perfect alinement of the figures shown in the opening g it is found useful to employ devices to secure the smooth working of the parts and an accurate alinement of the hgures, which is illustrated in Figs. l5 and 1G. The core K is slotted or channeled at jjjzy't. A peeuliarly-formed spring m is laid in each of these slots, as shown in Fig. 16. The spring m, as herein illustrated, is a piece of springwire flattened and bent back upon itself, so vthat the straight part fm will lie flat upon the base of the channel. The upper part m2 is curved at the end, so that its end ms will butt against the notch o' in the latchet. A latchet O is inserted in each slot and held in posit-ion by being threaded onto the shaft B. This latchet is held in place against the pinion across the edges of two of the teeth t' zi on the posteriorportions,where the pinion t" has been cut away,by the resiliency of the spring, which forces it into such position by being placed in contact with it against a notch at o'. The spring needs to have sufficient strength to press the latchet against the teeth 't' t' and force the pinion, and consequently the indexrings, in engagement with the pinion firmly into a position which will consequently be a constant one. The construction of parts herein described necessarilypresupposes a certain slight looseness and play of the parts, which need not, however, be very great. It will be noticed that each spring acts independently, but that all coact to keep the index-rings in a position so that the figures thereon will be in astraight and constant line, resuming their position after the indexrings have been r0- tated by the pinions. The result of this use of the latchets and springs will be a smooth working of the pinions upon the rotation of the indeX-rings and a maintenance of the pinions, and consequently the index-rings against which they press and with which they engage, in a constant position, and consequently a perfect alinement of the figures, indicating the distance traveled.

It is manifest that there may be sundr* modifications of the construction illustrated in the drawings described above which may be introduced without changing the principle of the mode of construction and operat-ion which may be preferred by different makers or which may be necessary to adapt the instrument for use under different conditions. It will be seen, however, that the cyclometer herein illustrated and described is exceedingly simple in construction, positive in action, and certain in result.

I claim as my inventionl. A cyclometer comprising in its construction a cylindrical ease, said case being provided with a protected slot or opening to permit a view of the interior; an actuating-shaft journaled in the heads or ends of the ease provided with a pinion upon the end opposite the application of force; a core supported upon said shaft loosely and prevented from turning by a connection with a head of the case, said core having a recess within its ends on the side adjacent to the opening in the case, said ends being slotted; a series of index-rings supported upon said core between itand the case; ashaf't bearingpinionsloosely mounted thereupon supported in bearings formed by the aforesaid slots in the endsof.' the core, said pinions being arranged in combination with said index-rings so as to trans` mit motion from one index-ring to the next in order; a fixed internal gear adjacent to the first index-ring and an intermediate gear meshing on one side with the pinion of the actuating-shaft and on the other with the internal gear of both the :fixed gear and internal gear of the first index-ring differential to that of said fixed gear, and means to actuate said shaft, substantially as described.

2. A cyclometer eomprisingin its construction a cylindrical case with an opening along its length and provided with a rib by which it may be adjustably attached through a clamp to the axle of the bicycle, a transpar* en-t membrane formed inte shape and :forced into the interior of the cylindrical case so that the ends butt tightly against each other, heads to inclose the end of the cylinder' to butt tightly against the edges of said inembrane, an actuating, reducing, and transmiti ting mechanism consisting of a shaft caused to rotate by means of. a trip on the wheel ofa bicycle coming in contact with the star-wheel fixed to the anterior end of said shaft, a pin ion on the posterior end of said shaft, a fixed ring provided with an internal gear, a first index-ring loose in the case adjacent to said fixed ring, provided with an internal gear having a different number of teeth from the fixed gear, an intermediate gear meshing on one side with the pinion and on the other side at once with the gears on the fixed ring and the gear on the loose index-ring, aseries of indexrings each provided posteriorly with an internal gear, and anteriorly with a groeve in whose path is a spur-gear, a series of pinions upon a shaft supported within the circumference of said index-rings, each alternate tooth being out away posteriorly, so that posteriorly the pinion is locked against motion by contact with the internal plane of the index-ring and permitted to turn by engagement of a broad tooth with a recess in the index-ring only upon the spur-gear coming in contact with a short tooth, anteriorly the teeth of said pi11- ion being in engagement with the posterior gear of the index-ring next in order, means to provide against accidental movement of the star-wheel, all so arranged and combined that with each revolution of the wheel the shaft may be actuated, a slow continuous movement be given to the first indeiering, and a fixed intermittent motion to each index-ring successively, substantially as described.

o. The combination with a cyclomcter-case consisting of a metal cylinder with an opening along its length, a membrane formed into shape and forced to fit closely the interior of said /cylinder with ends butting tightly together, the said membrane having a transparent portion through Which the indications can be read, heads inclosing the ends of the cylinder butting closely against the edges of the membrane, of index-rings, an actuatingshaft, and reducing` and transmitting mechanism to actuate the index-rings as herein set forth.

4t. A cyclometer comprisingin its construction a cylindrical case, suitable actuating means, a recessed oore provided With a series of channels, a series of index-rings surrounding said core, a series of pinions upon a shaft supported by said core Within, and in operative connection with, the series of index-rings, reducing mechanism intermediate of the operatiig means and said series of index-rings and the pinions, and means for positioning said index-rings consisting of latchets loosely mounted upon the actuating-shaft in the channels of the cores andsprings substantially as described Within said channels to press the latchets against the pinions, so that they in turning shall maintain the index-rings in a constant position and thus provide for a perfeet arrangement of the figures and smooth Working of the parts, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

ELMER E. NEAL.

Vit-nesses:

ROGER S. NEWELL, JOHN J. JENNrNGs.

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