US3831978A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Drive transmission for a bicycle or the like
Assignee: TRANS WORLD PROD Inc
•
Filing: 1973-03-12
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Granted: 1974-08-27
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Expires: 1993-03-12
Abstract
Abstract A drive transmission for a bicycle or the like including a housing having a pair of spaced shafts journaled for rotation within the housing. A sprocket is fixedly secured to each of the shafts and a plurality of spaced cams are mounted off-center on one of the shafts for rotation with respect to the shaft on which they are mounted. A like number of spaced one-way clutches are mounted on the other shaft for free rotation in one direction with respect to the other shaft and fixed rotation in the other direction with respect to the other shaft. The clutches are aligned with their respective cams and resilient means interconnect each of the clutches with its aligned cam. In this manner, when the sprocket on the shaft having the cams thereon is rotated, such as by a bike pedal connected thereto, the clutches are turned in the one-way direction for a short distance on their respective shafts due to the interconnecting resilient means. If a resistance to turning is placed on the shaft having the clutches thereon, such as by interconnection of the rear wheel of a bike to the sprocket thereon, more tension is placed on the resilient means than it can overcome. Accordingly, the resilient means, which may be either an extension or compression spring, extends or compresses to rotate clutches to a lesser degree, thereby automatically changing the turning ratio between the pedal sprocket and the rear wheel.
Inventors
- 👤 D Dunder
- 👤 S Wiley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 05:01
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62M; B62M1/00; B62M1/36; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/15; Y10T74/1503; Y10T74/1508
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A drive transmission for a bicycle or the like including: a housing; a pair of spaced shafts journaled for rotation within said housing; a sprocket fixed for rotation with its respective shaft mounted on each of said shafts; a plurality of spaced cams rotatably mounted on one of said shafts, said cams being mounted off-center both on said one of said shafts and with respect to one another; a like plurality of spaced clutches mounted on the other of said shafts and rotatable thereon in only one direction, each of said clutches being aligned with its respective cam on the said one of said shafts; and a like plurality of resilient means operatively connected at one end to one of said cams and at its other end to the clutch aligned with said one of said cams for imparting rotation to its respective clutch in its one-way direction on its respective shaft when said shaft on which said cams are mounted is rotated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A drive transmission for a bicycle or the like including: a housing; a pair of spaced shafts journaled for rotation within said housing; a sprocket fixed for rotation with its respective shaft mounted on each of said shafts; a plurality of spaced cams rotatably mounted on one of said shafts, said cams being mounted off-center both on said one of said shafts and with respect to one another; a like plurality of spaced clutches mounted on the other of said shafts and rotatable thereon in only one direction, each of said clutches being aligned with its respective cam on the said one of said shafts; and a like plurality of resilient means operatively connected at one end to one of said cams and at its other end to the clutch aligned with said one of said cams for imparting rotation to its respective clutch in its one-way direction on its respective shaft when said shaft on which said cams are mounted is rotated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The drive transmission of claim 1 wherein said cams are generally annular with an inner portion fixedly secured to said one of said shafts and an outer generally annular portion rotatable about said inner portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The drive transmission of claim 2 wherein all of said inner portions are generally circular and mounted off-center on said one of said shafts, the inner portion of one of said cams being mounted generally diametrically off-center with respect to the inner portion of an adjacent cam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The drive transmission of claim 1 wherein each of said resilient means is an extension spring.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The drive transmission of claim 1 wherein each of said resilient means is a compression spring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
261 words
In a bicycle having at least a frame, a rear driving wheel having a rear wheel sprocket mounted for rotation on said frame, a front wheel freely rotatable on said frame, and a pedal sprocket journaled for rotation in said frame, said bicycle including: a housing mounted on said frame; a pair of spaced shafts journaled for rotation within said housing; a sprocket fixed for rotation with its respective shaft mounted on each of said shafts; a first chain operatively engaging both said sprocket on one of said shafts and said pedal sprocket; a plurality of spaced cams rotatably mounted on said shaft on which said sprocket operatively engaging said pedal sprocket is mounted, said cams being mounted off-center both on said last-mentioned shaft and with respect to one another; a like plurality of spaced clutches mounted on the other of said shafts and rotatable thereon in only one direction, each of said clutches being aligned with its respective cam on the shaft on which said sprocket operatively engaging said pedal sprocket is mounted; a second chain operatively engaging both said rear wheel sprocket and the sprocket mounted on the shaft on which said clutches are mounted; and a like plurality of resilient means operatively connected at one end to one of said cams and at the other end to the clutch aligned with said one of said cams for imparting rotation to its respective clutch in its one-way direction on its respective shaft when said shaft on which said cams are mounted is rotated by rotation of the pedal sprocket.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
261 words
In a bicycle having at least a frame, a rear driving wheel having a rear wheel sprocket mounted for rotation on said frame, a front wheel freely rotatable on said frame, and a pedal sprocket journaled for rotation in said frame, said bicycle including: a housing mounted on said frame; a pair of spaced shafts journaled for rotation within said housing; a sprocket fixed for rotation with its respective shaft mounted on each of said shafts; a first chain operatively engaging both said sprocket on one of said shafts and said pedal sprocket; a plurality of spaced cams rotatably mounted on said shaft on which said sprocket operatively engaging said pedal sprocket is mounted, said cams being mounted off-center both on said last-mentioned shaft and with respect to one another; a like plurality of spaced clutches mounted on the other of said shafts and rotatable thereon in only one direction, each of said clutches being aligned with its respective cam on the shaft on which said sprocket operatively engaging said pedal sprocket is mounted; a second chain operatively engaging both said rear wheel sprocket and the sprocket mounted on the shaft on which said clutches are mounted; and a like plurality of resilient means operatively connected at one end to one of said cams and at the other end to the clutch aligned with said one of said cams for imparting rotation to its respective clutch in its one-way direction on its respective shaft when said shaft on which said cams are mounted is rotated by rotation of the pedal sprocket.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The bicycle of claim 6 wherein said cams are generally annular with an inner portion fixedly secured to said one of said shafts and an outer generally annular portion rotatable about said inner portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The bicycle of claim 7 wherein all of said inner portions are generally circular and mounted off-center on said one of said shafts, the inner portion of one of said cams being mounted generally diametrically off-center with respect to the inner portion of an adjacent cam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The bicycle of claim 6 wherein each of said resilient means is an extension spring.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The bicycle of claim 6 wherein each of said resilient means is a compression spring.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The bicycle of claim 6 wherein the ratio between the pedal sprocket and said rear wheel ranges between about 1:5 and 1:1/2.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The bicycle of claim 11 wherein said ratio is varied relative to the resistance to turning put on the sprocket on which the clutches are mounted by the revolution of the rear wheel.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-26 | 1978-02-25 | 1978-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-26 | 1982-02-25 | 1982-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-26 | 1986-02-25 | 1986-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |