Shift mechanism for bicycle
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A shift mechanism for a bicycle or the like comprisinga drive sprocket assembly including at least one drive sprocket;
- means for rotating each drive sprocket;
a wheel sprocket assembly including at least one sprocket;
a chain interconnecting a sprocket of the drive sprocket assembly and a sprocket of the wheel sprocket assembly;
at least one of the sprocket assemblies including at least two sprockets of different diameters;
means for pivoting at least a segment of one of said two sprockets to place the teeth of said pivoted portion of one of said two sprockets in alignment with teeth of the other of said two sprockets;
a movable guide channel;
a guide pawl;
means attaching the guide pawl to the pivoted segment;
means for positioning the guide channel according to the sprocket on which the chain is to be entrained; and
means directing the pawl through the guide channel whereby the position of the pawl as it passes through the guide channel determines the position of each pivoting segment of a sprocket.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A shift mechanism for a bicycle and the like wherein a chain is shifted from sprocket to sprocket by an operator controlling a lever to position a camming surface to direct a guide pawl to tilt a segment of one sprocket whereby the tilted segment aligns with a nontilted sprocket during chain shifting.
69 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A shift mechanism for a bicycle or the like comprising
a drive sprocket assembly including at least one drive sprocket; -
means for rotating each drive sprocket; a wheel sprocket assembly including at least one sprocket; a chain interconnecting a sprocket of the drive sprocket assembly and a sprocket of the wheel sprocket assembly; at least one of the sprocket assemblies including at least two sprockets of different diameters; means for pivoting at least a segment of one of said two sprockets to place the teeth of said pivoted portion of one of said two sprockets in alignment with teeth of the other of said two sprockets; a movable guide channel; a guide pawl; means attaching the guide pawl to the pivoted segment; means for positioning the guide channel according to the sprocket on which the chain is to be entrained; and means directing the pawl through the guide channel whereby the position of the pawl as it passes through the guide channel determines the position of each pivoting segment of a sprocket. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A cluster of sprockets comprising
at least three sprockets having alternating teeth and grooves therearound of different diameters and each including a pivoted segment, the said segments being formed with a common break line such that the portion of break line at each adjacent pair of sprockets extends as a straight line through the sprockets either tooth to tooth, groove to groove, tooth to groove or groove to tooth and with the break line for each adjacent pair of sprockets being offset from the break line for each pair of sprockets adjacent thereto and with the break line at the sprocket of each pair common to both pairs having a staggered break line such that a portion of said staggered break line is common to each pair of sprockets.
Specification