Derailler system for a bicycle

A derailler system for a bicycle including a sprocket system having a plurality of drive sprockets and a chain for driving a wheel of said bicycle at different speeds comprising:

• a movable carrier member having an idler sprocket rotatably mounted thereon for selectively shifting said chain into engagement individually with said drive sprockets;
• a guide system for guiding movement of said carrier member along a path essentially parallel with the axis of said sprockets to urge said chain between individual sprockets, said guide system including a first and a second guide member thereof movable relative to each other;
• a shifting mechanism including a shift lever for enabling shifting of said movable carrier to a plurality of shifting positions corresponding with said drive sprockets;
• a cam member fixedly mounted on said first guide member of said guide system;
• a cam follower member including a cam follower rotatably mounted on said second guide member of said guide system;
• transmission means for enabling said cam member and said cam follower member to be moved relative to each other by operation of said shift levers;
• and additional guide means for maintaining said cam follower member in contact with said cam member during relative movement therebetween thereby to effect movement of said movable carrier member during said relative movement;
• said transmission means being connected to effect rotation of said cam follower member relative to said first guide member by operation of said shift lever thereby to effect movement of said first guide member of said guide system by engagement of said cam follower member with said cam member;
• said guide system being formed as a four-member guide system including said second guide member as a frame-mounted carrier member affixed with said bicycle, said movable carrier member connected as a fourth guide member of said guide system, said first guide member pivotally mounted on said second guide member, and a third guide member of said guide system, said first and said third guide members of said guide system being of differing lengths and connected to intersect each other with the first and third guide members at their intersecting point being joined by a first joint and wherein said first and said third guide members in addition are connected with said frame-mounted carrier member by means of a second and third fulcrum, said first and said third guide members being connected with said movable carrier member by a fourth and a fifth fulcrum, respectively, said five fulcrums being designed with two of the fulcrums as sliding joints.

A derailler system for a bicycle including a sprocket system having a plurality of drive sprockets and a chain for driving a wheel of said bicycle at different speeds comprising:

• a movable carrier member having an idler sprocket rotatably mounted thereon for selectively shifting said chain into engagement individually with said drive sprockets;
• a guide system for guiding movement of said carrier member along a path essentially parallel with the axis of said sprockets to urge said chain between individual sprockets, said guide system including a first and a second guide member thereof movable relative to each other;
• a shifting mechanism including a shift lever for enabling shifting of said movable carrier to a plurality of shifting positions corresponding with said drive sprockets;
• a cam member fixed mounted on said first guide member of said guide system;
• a cam follower member including a cam follower rotatably mounted on said second guide member of said guide system;
• transmission means for enabling said cam member and said cam follower member to be moved relative to each other by operation of said shift levers;
• and additional guide means for maintaining said cam follower member in contact with said cam member during relative movement therebetween thereby to effect movement of said movable carrier member during said relative movement;
• said transmission means being connected to effect rotation of said cam follower member relative to said first guide member by operation of said shift level thereby to effect movement of said first guide member of said guide system by engagement of said cam follower member with said cam member;
• said second guide member of said guide system comprising a frame-mounted carrier affixed to said bicycle, said first guide member of said guide system comprising an arm pivotally mounted relative to said second guide member, said guide system further including a third guide member extending generally parallel to said first guide member and also pivotally mounted relative to said second guide member, said movable carrier member comprising a fourth guide member of said guide system pivotally interconnected with both said first and said third guide members thereof.

A derailler system for a bicycle including a sprocket system having a plurality of drive sprockets and a chain for driving a wheel of said bicycle at different speeds comprising:

• a movable carrier member having an idler sprocket rotatably mounted thereon for selectively shifting said chain into engagement individually with said drive sprockets;
• a guide system for guiding movement of said carrier member along a path essentially parallel with the axis of said sprockets to urge said chain between individual sprockets, said guide system including a first and a second guide member thereof movable relative to each other;
• a shifting mechanism including a shift lever for enabling shifting of said movable carrier to a plurality of shifting positions corresponding with said drive sprockets;
• a cam member fixedly mounted on said first guide member of said guide system;
• a cam follower member including a cam follower rotatably mounted on said second guide member of said guide system;
• transmission means for enabling said cam member and said cam follower member to be moved relative to each other by operation of said shift levers;
• and additional guide means for maintaining said cam follower member in contact with said cam member during relative movement therebetween thereby to effect movement of said movable carrier member during said relative movement;
• said transmission means being connected to effect rotation of said cam follower member relative to said first guide member by operation of said shift lever thereby to effect movement of said first guide member of said guide system by engagement of said cam follower member with said cam member;
• said cam member being formed with a cam surface defining a number of engaging plateaus with a transitional flank being provided between each of said plateaus, with at least parts of said plateaus being formed as arcs of circles having an identical radius of curvature the central points of which are situated on a circular locus extending about the point at which said first guide member is pivotally connected with said second guide member, the radius of said circular locus corresponding with the distance between the pivot point of said first guide member relative to said second guide member as a common center and the pivot point of said cam follower member relative to said second guide member.

A derailler system for a bicycle including a sprocket system having a plurality of drive sprockets and a chain for driving a wheel of said bicycle at different speeds comprising:

• a movable carrier member having an idler sprocket rotatably mounted thereon for selectively shifting said chain into engagement individually with said drive sprockets;
• a guide system for guiding movement of said carrier member along a path essentially parallel with the axis of said sprockets to urge said chain between individual sprockets, said guide system including a first and a second guide member thereof movable relative to each other;
• a shifting mechanism including a shift lever for enabling shifting of said movable carrier to a plurality of shifting positions corresponding with said drive sprockets;
• a cam member fixedly mounted on said first guide member of said guide system;
• a cam follower member including a cam follower rotatably mounted on said second guide member of said guide system;
• transmission means for enabling said cam member and said cam follower member to be moved relative to each other by operation of said shift levers;
• and additional guide means for maintaining said cam follower member in contact with said cam member during relative movement therebetween thereby to effect movement of said movable carrier member during said relative movement;
• said transmission means being connected to effect rotation of said cam follower member relative to said first guide member by operation of said shift lever thereby to effect movement of said first guide member of said guide system by engagement of said cam follower member with said cam member;
• said cam member being formed with a cam surface defining a number of engaging plateaus with a transitional flank being provided between each of said plateaus, with the position of said cam follower relative to said cam member changing as said cam follower moves from one of said plateaus to another of said plateaus, said system including means for temporarily altering the relative positioning of said cam member and said cam follower member to a greater degree than the relative movement effected by passage of said cam follower from one plateau to another plateau.

A derailler system for a bicycle including a sprocket system having a plurality of drive sprockets and a chain for driving a wheel of said bicycle at different speeds comprising:

• a movable carrier member having an idler sprocket rotatably mounted thereon for selectively shifting said chain into engagement individually with said drive sprockets;
• a guide system for guiding movement of said carrier member along a path essentially parallel with the axis of said sprockets to urge said chain between individual sprockets, said guide system including a first and a second guide member thereof movable relative to each other;
• a shifting mechanism including a shift lever for enabling shifting of said movable carrier to a plurality of shifting positions corresponding with said drive sprockets;
• a cam member fixedly mounted on said first guide member of said guide system;
• a cam follower member including a cam follower rotatably mounted on said second guide member of said guide system;
• transmission means for enabling said cam member and said cam follower member to be moved relative to each other by operation of said shift levers;
• and additional guide means for maintaining said cam follower member in contact with said cam member during relative movement therebetween to effect movement of said movable carrier member during said relative movement;
• said transmission means being connected to effect rotation of said cam follower member relative to said first guide member by operation of said shift lever thereby to effect movement of said first guide member of said guide system by engagement of said cam follower member with said cam member;
• said guide system comprising a rectangular guide system formed as a parallelogram-type guide member system, said system including four members which are comprised of said second guide member formed as a frame-mounted carrier member affixed with said bicycle, said first guide member pivotally connected with said second guide member and having said cam member affixed thereto, a third guide member pivotally connected at opposite ends thereof between said second guide member and said movable carrier member and said movable carrier member as a fourth guide member of said guide system, said movable carrier member being pivotally interconnected between said first guide member and said third guide member.

A derailler system for a bicycle indluding a sprocket system having a plurality of drive sprockets and a chain for driving a wheel of said bicycle at different speeds comprising:

• a movable carrier member having an idler sprocket rotatably mounted thereon for selectively shifting said chain into engagement individually with said drive sprockets;
• a guide system for guiding movement of said carrier member along a path essentially parallel with the axis of said sprockets to urge said chain between individual sprockets, said guide system including a first and a second guide member thereof movable relative to each other;
• a shifting mechanism including a shift lever for enabling shifting of said movable carrier to a plurality of shifting positions corresponding with said drive sprockets;
• a cam member fixedly mounted on said first guide member of said guide system;
• a cam follower member including a cam follower rotatably mounted on said second guide member of said guide system;
• transmission means for enabling said cam member and said cam follower member to be moved relative to each other by operation of said shift levers;
• and additional means for maintaining said cam follower member in contact with said cam member during relative movement therebetween thereby to effect movement of said movable carrier member during said relative movement;
• said transmission means being connected to effect rotation of said cam follower member relative to said first guide member by operation of said shift lever thereby to effect movement of said first guide member of said guide system by engagement of said cam follower member with said cam member;
• said cam follower member being a pulley having said transmission means in the form of a cable connected with the circumference thereof.

A derailler system for a bicycle including a sprocket system having a plurality of drive sprockets and a chain for driving a wheel of said bicycle at different speeds comprising:

• a movable carrier member having a idler sprocket rotatably mounted thereon for selectively shifting said chain into engagement individually with said drive sprockets;
• a guide system for guiding movement of said carrier member along a path essentially parallel with the axis of said sprockets to urge said chain between individual sprockets, said guide system including a first and a second guide member thereof movable relative to each other;
• a shifting mechanism including a shift lever for enabling shifting of said movable carrier to a plurality of shifting positions corresponding with said drive sprockets;
• a cam member fixedly mounted on said first guide member of said guide system;
• a cam follower member including a cam follower rotatably mounted on said second guide member of said guide system;
• transmission means for enabling said cam member and said cam follower member to be moved relative to each other by operation of said shift levers;
• and additional guide means for maintaining said cam follower member in contact with said cam member during relative movement therebetween thereby to effect movement of said movable carrier member during said relative movement;
• said transmission means being connected to effect rotation of said cam follower member relative to said first guide member by operation of said shift lever thereby to effect movement of said first guide member of said guide system by engagement of said cam follower member with said cam member;
• said cam member being movably adjustable relative to said first guide member upon which it is mounted.