US3863503A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multispeed, chainless vehicle drive system
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-04-30
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Granted: 1975-02-04
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Expires: 1993-04-30
Abstract
Abstract A multispeed, chainless bicycle drive and transmission system wherein the drive train includes a shiftable drive shaft connecting the pedal crank shaft and driving wheel by means of vertical gear wheels mounted transversely thereon having a multitude of concentric series of gear teeth for providing different drive or gearing ratios. The geared drive shaft is moved from one series of gear teeth to another on one or both of the gear wheels to change the gear ratio by means of two independently moving, splined, concentric shaft members which mate through contact gears with the selected gear teeth series. The splined shaft members are mounted within a tubular housing via three ball bushings which permits both longitudinal and rotational movement of the enclosed shaft members. A springloaded ball system is used to assure proper relative positioning of the splined shafts with respect to the selected gear teeth series.
Inventors
- 👤 David C Loeb
- 👤 Robert Trestman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 12:19
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H3/00; F16H3/02; F16H3/20; F16H3/36; F16H3/366; B; B62; B62M; B62M11/00; B62M11/04; B62M17/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/19; Y10T74/19219; Y10T74/19293; Y10T74/1933; Y10T74/19377; Y10T74/19414; Y10T74/19419; Y10T74/19442
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
308 words
A multispeed, chainless drive system for a vehicle of the occupant propelled type conmprising: a first gear wheel mounted on a rotatable drive axle: a second gear wheel spaced from said first gear wheel and mounted on a rotatable vehicle drive wheel, both of said gear wheels having projecting therefrom multiple rows of concentric gear teeth disposed in a circular array about the axis of rotation of said gear wheel; variable length drive shaft means mounted between and rotatably interconnecting said first and second gear wheels for transmitting the rotating force from the drive axle and first gear wheel to the second gear wheel and ultimately to the vehicle drive wheel, both ends of said drive shaft means having contact gear means fixedly mounted thereon for mating individually with selected one of said rows of concentric gear teeth on each said gear wheels, said drive shaft means further including first and second, elongated, concentric rotatable shaft sections, each carrying one of said contact gear means, one slidably mounted in a longitudinal or axial direction within the other to vary the effective length of the said drive shaft means to position said contact gear means with different ones of said rows of concentric gear teeth, said first and second shaft sections being connected together to rotate in unison and in combination extending across from one gear wheel to the other; and gear shifting means mounted on the vehicle and attached to said shaft sections for moving the contact gear means from engagement with one row of gear teeth to another row by relatively moving said shaft sections for moving the contact gear means from engagement with one row of gear teeth to another row by relatively moving said shaft sections in a longitudinal or axial direction with respect to each other and with respect to said gear shifting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
308 words
A multispeed, chainless drive system for a vehicle of the occupant propelled type conmprising: a first gear wheel mounted on a rotatable drive axle: a second gear wheel spaced from said first gear wheel and mounted on a rotatable vehicle drive wheel, both of said gear wheels having projecting therefrom multiple rows of concentric gear teeth disposed in a circular array about the axis of rotation of said gear wheel; variable length drive shaft means mounted between and rotatably interconnecting said first and second gear wheels for transmitting the rotating force from the drive axle and first gear wheel to the second gear wheel and ultimately to the vehicle drive wheel, both ends of said drive shaft means having contact gear means fixedly mounted thereon for mating individually with selected one of said rows of concentric gear teeth on each said gear wheels, said drive shaft means further including first and second, elongated, concentric rotatable shaft sections, each carrying one of said contact gear means, one slidably mounted in a longitudinal or axial direction within the other to vary the effective length of the said drive shaft means to position said contact gear means with different ones of said rows of concentric gear teeth, said first and second shaft sections being connected together to rotate in unison and in combination extending across from one gear wheel to the other; and gear shifting means mounted on the vehicle and attached to said shaft sections for moving the contact gear means from engagement with one row of gear teeth to another row by relatively moving said shaft sections for moving the contact gear means from engagement with one row of gear teeth to another row by relatively moving said shaft sections in a longitudinal or axial direction with respect to each other and with respect to said gear shifting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The drive system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a bicycle, the rotatable drive axle is pedal driven, and the drive wheel is the rear wheel of the bicycle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The drive system of claim 1 wherein said two shaft sections are connected by being splined together along their axial length at least along the lengths which are centrally located between both said contact gear means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
87 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said drive shaft means and said gear shifting means further include the following; an outer sleeve in which said two shaft sections are mounted for rotation and longitudinal displacement with respect to each other, said sleeve being fixedly mounted to the frame of the vehicle, both said shaft sections and said sleeve having cooperative mating positioning means on each one of said shaft sections for properly positioning said shaft sections with respect to said sleeve and with respect to each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
The drive system of claim 4 wherein said positioning means includes a resilently biased projection on one of the elements and a series of mating receptacles on the other element spaced apart the same distance as said multiple rows of concentric gear teeth; whereby said projection is moved from one mating receptacle to another as said contact gear means is moved from one row to another.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The drive system of claim 5 wherein said resiliently biased projection is a spring-loaded ball mounted in said sleeve, and said receptacles are mating spherical depressions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
The drive system of claim 5 wherein each one of said shaft sections includes an exterior, parallel, elongated extension structure fixedly attached to it but positioned on the exterior of the main body of said sleeve, the mating of said projection and said receptacles occuring between said extension structure and the exterior surface of the main body of said sleeve.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The drive system of claim 7 wherein two, separate gear shift cable means are attached to said extension structures for individually moving said extension structures, and hence said shaft sections, with respect to said sleeve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The drive system of claim 1 wherein said contact gear means are mounted on the opposite, distal ends of said shaft sections.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1846187A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-03 | 1978-08-05 | 1979-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-03 | 1982-08-05 | 1983-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-03 | 1986-08-05 | 1987-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |