Multiple speed shaft drive for a bicycle

A bicycle comprising:

• a frame;
• a pedal crank rotatably connected to said frame;
• and
• a multiple speed shaft drive comprising:
• a drive assembly comprising:
• a rear wheel hub rotatably connected with the frame of the bicycle;
• a forward disk having a plurality of forward ring gears formed thereon, said forward disk being connected to the pedal crank of the bicycle so as to rotate therewith about a forward disk axis, said plurality of forward ring gears being concentrically disposed with respect to said forward axis;
• a rearward disk having a plurality of rearward ring gears formed thereon, said rearward disk being connected to said rear wheel hub so as to rotate therewith about a rearward disk axis, said plurality of rearward ring gears being concentrically disposed with respect to said rearward axis;
• a forward drive shaft having splines;
• a rearward drive shaft having splines;
• a free wheel mechanism connecting said forward drive shaft to said rearward drive shaft;
• a forward pinion gear slidably mounted in gearingly meshed relationship with respect to said splines of said forward drive shaft;
• and
• a rearward pinion gear slidably mounted in gearingly meshed relationship with respect to said splines of said rearward drive shaft;
• and
• a clutch assembly comprising:
• forward pinion gear reciprocation mechanism means for moving said forward pinion gear into gearingly meshed engagement with a selected forward ring gear of said plurality of forward ring gears of said forward disk;
• rearward pinion gear reciprocation mechanism means for moving said rearward pinion gear into gearingly meshed engagement with a selected rearward ring gear of said plurality of rearward ring gears of said rearward disk;
• clutch mechanism means located at said rear wheel hub for disengaging said selected rearward ring gear of said rearward disk from gearingly meshed engagement with said rearward pinion gear;
• and
• shift controller means for selectively actuating each of said forward pinion gear reciprocation means, said rearward pinion gear reciprocation means and said clutch mechanism means.

A multiple speed shaft drive for a bicycle, wherein the bicycle has a frame and a pedal crank rotatably connected to the frame, said multiple speed shaft drive comprising:

• a drive assembly comprising:
• a rear wheel hub rotatably connected with the frame of the bicycle;
• a forward disk having at least one forward ring gear formed thereon, said forward disk being connected to the pedal crank of the bicycle so as to rotate therewith about a forward disk axis, said at least one forward ring gear being concentrically disposed with respect to said forward axis;
• a rearward disk having a plurality of rearward ring gears formed thereon, said rearward disk being connected to said rear wheel hub so as to rotate therewith about a rearward disk axis, said plurality of rearward ring gears being concentrically disposed with respect to said rearward axis;
• a forward drive shaft;
• a rearward drive shaft having splines;
• a free wheel mechanism connecting said forward drive shaft to said rearward drive shaft;
• a forward pinion gear mounted to said forward drive shaft;
• and
• a rearward pinion gear slidably mounted in gearingly meshed relationship with respect to said splines of said
• rearward drive shaft;
• and
• a clutch assembly comprising:
• rearward pinion gear reciprocation mechanism means for moving said rearward pinion gear into gearingly meshed engagement with a selected rearward ring gear of said plurality of rearward ring gears of said rearward disk;
• clutch mechanism means located at said rear wheel hub for disengaging said selected rearward ring gear of said rearward disk from gearingly meshed engagement with said rearward pinion gear;
• and
• shift controller means for selectively actuating said rearward pinion gear reciprocation means and said clutch mechanism means.

A multiple speed shaft drive for a bicycle, wherein the bicycle has a frame and a pedal crank rotatably connected to the frame, said multiple speed shaft drive comprising:

• a drive assembly comprising:
• a rear wheel hub rotatably connected with the frame of the bicycle;
• a forward disk having a plurality of forward ring gears formed thereon, said forward disk being connected to the pedal crank of the bicycle so as to rotate therewith about a forward disk axis, said plurality of forward ring gears being concentrically disposed with respect to said forward axis;
• a rearward disk having at least one rearward ring gear formed thereon, said rearward disk being connected to said rear wheel hub so as to rotate therewith about a rearward disk axis, said at least one rearward ring gear being concentrically disposed with respect to said rearward axis;
• a forward drive shaft having splines;
• a rearward drive shaft;
• a free wheel mechanism connecting shaft forward drive shaft to said rearward drive shaft;
• a forward pinion gear slidably mounted in gearingly meshed relationship with respect to said splines of said forward drive shaft;
• and
• a rearward pinion gear mounted to said rearward drive shaft;
• and
• a clutch assembly comprising:
• forward pinion gear reciprocation mechanism means for moving said forward pinion gear into gearingly meshed engagement with a selected forward ring gear of said plurality of forward ring gears of said forward disk;
• clutch mechanism means located at said rear wheel hub for disengaging said selected rearward ring gear of said rearward disk from gearingly meshed engagement with said rearward pinion gear;
• and
• shift controller means for selectively actuating said forward pinion gear reciprocation means and said clutch mechanism means.

A clutch mechanism for a bicycle having a frame, a pedal crank rotatably connected to the frame, a rearward disk, a shaft drive gearingly connecting the pedal crank with the rearward disk, a shift controller and a free wheel mechanism, said clutch mechanism comprising:

• a rear wheel hub rotatably connected with the frame of the bicycle;
• means for slidably mounting the rearward disk with respect to said rear wheel hub, wherein said rearward disk rotates with said rear wheel hub;
• means for biasing the rearward disk slidably toward engagement with the shaft drive;
• and
• clutch regulator means connected with the shift controller and the rearward disk for sliding the rearward disk away from the shaft drive so as to disengage the rearward disk from the shaft drive responsive to the shift controller.