Control means for shifting gears on dual shift bicycles
OwnerJack B. Darbyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An easy to operate control means for shifting gears on dual shift bicycles is described. The control means is constructed so that the front and rear derailleurs of a dual shift bicycle are controlled together to shift to any selected gear from any engaged gear with a single operator action. The design permits the operator to preselect the new gear to be used while continuously pedaling in the present gear, with the actual gear change being made at the operator's discretion. The design also facilitates a rapid series of up shifts or down shifts without requiring intervening gear selections.
Claims30
In a dual shift bicycle having a plurality of drive gears and including a frame, a drive chain, a front sprocket cluster including a plurality of sprockets, a front derailleur associated with the front sprocket cluster and movable to positions for shifting the drive chain into engagement with the sprockets thereof, a rear sprocket cluster including a plurality of sprockets, a rear derailleur associated with said rear sprocket cluster and movable to positions for shifting the drive chain into engagement with the sprockets thereof, a front derailleur shift means operatively connected at one end to the front derailleur and movable for positioning the front derailleur, and rear derailleur shift means operatively connected at one end to the rear derailleur and movable for positioning the rear derailleur, the improvement comprising:
- means for shifting between the gears on said dual shift bicycle by moving the front and rear derailleur shift means to position said front and rear derailleurs, including
- control means including a front control member operatively engaged with said front derailleur shift means and movable through shifting movements between a plurality of control positions and a rear control member operatively engaged with said rear derailleur shift means and movable through shifting movements between a plurality of control positions,
- means for selecting for each of said front and rear control members a selected control position to which said front and rear control members are to be moved in a rear shifting movement from a present control position to a selected control position,
- and means operatively engageable with said front and rear control members for actuating the same through said shifting movement with said front and rear control members being positioned together in accordance with two selected control positions of the selecting means when said actuating means is actuated,
- said selecting means being operable independently of said actuating means so that the shifting between the gears of said dual shift bicycle is performed in two sequential operations, the first operation being the selection of a desired new gear and the second operation being the actual shifting into said selected gear.
In a dual shift bicycle having a plurality of drive gears and including a frame, a drive chain, a front sprocket cluster including a plurality of sprockets, a front derailleur associated with the front sprocket cluster and movable to positions for shifting the drive chain into engagement with the sprockets thereof, a rear sprocket cluster including a plurality of sprockets, a rear derailleur associated with said rear sprocket cluster and movable to positions for shifting the drive chain into engagement with the sprockets thereof, a front derailleur shift means operatively connected at one end to the front derailleur and movable for positioning the front derailleur, and rear derailleur shift means operatively connected at one end to the rear derailleur and movable for positioning the rear derailleur, the improvement comprising:
- means for shifting between the gears on said dual shift bicycle by moving the front and rear derailleur shift means to position said front and rear derailleurs, including
- control means including a front control member operatively engaged with said front derailleur shift means and movable through shifting movements between a plurality of control positions and a rear control member operatively engaged with said rear derailleur shift means and movable through shifting movements between a plurality of control positions,
- selector/actuator means for selecting for each of said front and rear control members a selected control position to which said front and rear control members are to be moved in a gear shifting movement from a present control position to a selected control position and engageable with said front and rear control members for actuating the same through said shifting movement,
- said control position selection operation being independent of said actuation of said control members through said shifting movement so that the shifting between the gears of said dual shift bicycle is performed in two sequential operations, the first operation being the selection of a desired new gear and the second operation being the actual shifting into said selected gear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.