Gear changing mechanism for bicycles and the like

Claim 1

IN A GEAR CHANGE MECHANISM FOR BICYCLES AND THE LIKE, A TRACTION WHEEL, MULTIPLE DRIVE MEMBERS ARRANGED FOR DRIVING CONNECTION WITH SAID TRACTION WHEEL IN FREE WHEELING RELATION THERETO, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID DRIVE MEMBERS TO ROTATE SAID TRACTION WHEEL, AND MEANS OPERABLE AUTOMATICALLY UPON ATTAINMENT OF A PREDETERMINED SPEED OF ROTATION OF SAID TRACTION WHEEL TO SHIFT THE DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID TRACTION WHEEL AND SAID DRIVE MEMBERS FROM ONE OF SAID DRIVE MEMBERS TO ANOTHER THEREOF, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS INCLUDING A RATCHET AND PAWL DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID TRACTION WHEEL AND ONE OF SAID DRIVE MEMBERS, WHEREIN SAID PAWL COMPRISES A WEIGHT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID TRACTION WHEEL FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID RATCHET BY THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE PRODUCED BY ROTATION OF SAID TRACTION WHEEL, A COUNTER WEIGHT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID TRACTION WHEEL IN OPPOSITION TO SAID PAWL WEIGHT, AND NEUTRALIZER MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID PAWL WEIGHT AND SAID COUNTER WEIGHT FOR MOVEMENT IN UNISON, AND A FREE WHEEL DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID TRACTION WHEEL AND THE OTHER OF SAID DRIVE MEMBERS.