Le Chemineau derailleur (1st style)

The 1912 Le Chemineau derailleur was developed by Joanny Panel, based on a prototype built by Paul de Vivie. In many ways it defined many of the attributes of a modern derailleur. It has a guide pulley that moves in and out, moving the chain across a sprocket cluster, it has a sprung arm that provides chain tension with a tension pulley on it, and it was controlled by a single cable, working in opposition to a spring.

Eerily the centre to centre distance on the pulley arm is 75mm - a measurement commonly found today. The tension pulley has 10 teeth - another recurring theme.

Unfamiliar to us today are the ideas of mounting the derailleur on the underside of the chainstay, and of using a toggle chain to pull the derailleur along a rod - but both these ideas would have been totally mainstream as late as 1960.

This well used example (look at the wear on the teeth) is one of three in this collection. I think that this is an early example. Its pulley arm is oval in cross section and has a small hook at the top to take the spring.

Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Themes: Who invented the derailleur?
Country: France
Date of introduction: 1912
Date of this example: unknown
Model no.: unknown
Weight: 329g excluding mounting plate, toggle chain and spring
Maximum cog: 28 teeth?
Total capacity: 28 teeth?
Pulley centre to centre: 75mm
Index compatibility: friction
Chain width: 1/8”
Logic: low normal
B pivot: none
P pivot: sprung
Materials: steel

Le Chemineau (1st style) additional image 01

Le Chemineau (1st style) additional image 02

Le Chemineau (1st style) additional image 03

Le Chemineau (1st style) additional image 04

Le Chemineau (1st style) additional image 05

Le Chemineau (1st style) additional image 06

Le Chemineau (1st style) additional image 07

Le Chemineau (1st style) additional image 08

Browse associated documents.

Gaston Rivierre - 1931? postcard scan 1 of 2

Publisher: Random images of riders
Date: 1931?
Derailleur brands: Chemineau, Rivierre
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

Gaston Rivierre - postcard scan 1 thumbnail

French Patent # 439,224 - Chemineau

Publisher: L’Institut national de la propriété industrielle
Date: French application January 1912
Derailleur brands: Chemineau, As, de Vivie
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

French Patent 439,224 - Le Chemineau thumbnail

L'Auto 03/05/1914 - Le Championnat de la Polymultipliée

Publisher: L'Auto
Date: 3rd May 1914
Derailleur brands: Audouard, Chemineau
Derailleurs: Audouard 4 speed, Le Chemineau

L'Auto 04/05/1914 - Le Championnat de la Polymultipliée

Publisher: L'Auto
Date: 4th May 1914
Derailleur brands: Audouard, Chemineau
Derailleurs: Audouard 4 speed, Le Chemineau

Chermineau - letter 1917

Publisher: Chemineau
Date: 1917
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau (1st style)

Unknown French magazine 1918 - Chemineau ad

Publisher: Unknown French magazines
Date: 1918
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

TCF Rev Mens 02/1919 - Chemineau ad

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: February 1919
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle February 1919 - Chemineau advert thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens 05/1919 - Chemineau ad

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: May 1919
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle May 1919 - Chemineau advert thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens 09/1919 - Chemineau ad

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: September 1919
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle September 1919 - Chemineau advert thumbnail

Le Chemineau - window transfer scan 1 of 2

Publisher: Chemineau
Date: 1919?
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

Le Chemineau - transfer scan 1 thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens - 12/1920 La Bicyclette de Tourisme au Concours des Voges scan 3 of 3

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: December 1920
Derailleur brands: Audouard, Chemineau
Derailleurs: Audouard, Le Chemineau

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle December 1920 - La Bicyclette de Tourisme au Concours des Voges scan 3 thumbnail

Desvages - leaflet 1920?

Publisher: Desvages
Date: 1920?
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

Desvagues - leaflet (1st style) scan 1 thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens - 07/1921 Troisième championnat de la bicyclette polymultipliée

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: July 1921
Derailleur brands: As, Audouard, Boizot, BSA , Chemineau, de Vivie, Phillips, Sturmey-Archer
Derailleurs: Audouard, Boizot 4 speed, l’As, Le Chemineau

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle July 1921 - Troisieme championnat de la bicyclette polymultipliee scan 1 thumbnail

Cycles de Route & Grande Tourisme “Le Chemineau”

Publisher: Chemineau
Date: 1921?
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

Desvages - leaflet 1921?

Publisher: Desvages
Date: 1921?
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

Desvagues - leaflet (2nd style) scan 1 thumbnail

Système “Le Chemineau”

Publisher: Chemineau
Date: 1921?
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

TCF Rev Mens - 06/1922 Le Concours de Bicyclettes polymultipliées de Chanteloup

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: June 1922
Derailleur brands: As, Boizot, BSA , Chemineau, Matocq, Phillips
Derailleurs: Boizot 4 speed, l’As, Le Chemineau, Matocq

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle June 1922 - Le Concours de Bicyclettes polymultipliees de Chanteloup scan 1 thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens 08/1922 - La Semaine d'Auvergne

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: August 1922
Derailleur brands: As, Audouard, BSA , Chemineau, Sturmey-Archer, Terrot
Derailleurs: Audouard, l’As, Le Chemineau, Terrot Modèle HT

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle August 1922 - La Semaine d'Auvergne scan 1 thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens - 06/1923 Les résultats du 5e Championnat de la Bicyclette polymultipliée

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: June 1923
Derailleur brands: As, Audouard, Boizot, BSA, Chemineau, Sturmey-Archer
Derailleurs: l’As, Super As, Audouard, Boizot Tri-direct, Boizot 4 speed, Le Chemineau

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle June 1923 - Les resultats du 5e Championnat de la Bicyclette polymultipliee scan 1 thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens - 10/1923 La bicyclette polymultipliée à Saint-Etienne

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: October 1923
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle October 1923 - La bicyclette polymultipliee a Saint-Etienne scan 1 thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens - 06/1924 Le 6e Critérium de la Bicyclette polymultipliée

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: June 1924
Derailleur brands: As, Audouard, Boizot, BSA, Chemineau, Cyclo, Peugeot, Sturmey-Archer, Terrot
Derailleurs: Super As, Audouard Le Crack, Boizot Le Montagnard, Boizot 4 speed, Le Chemineau, Le Cyclo 2 speed, Le Cyclo 3 speed

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle June 1924 - Le 6e Criterium de la Bicyclette polymultipliee scan 1 thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens - 08/1924 La Semaine cycliste du Dauphiné

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: August 1924
Derailleur brands: Audouard, Chemineau, Cyclo, Peugeot
Derailleurs: Audouard, Audouard Le Crack, Le Chemineau, Le Cyclo 2 speed, Le Cyclo 3 speed

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle August 1924 - La Semaine cycliste du Dauphine scan 1 thumbnail

Le Miroir des Sports 03/1925 - Le Championnat de la Polymultipliée...

Publisher: Le Miroir des Sports
Date: March 1925
Derailleur brands: Le Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

TCF Rev Mens 03/1926 - Chemineau ad

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: March 1926
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle March 1926 - Chemineau advert thumbnail

Opéra de Toulon programme 1928? Chemineau ad

Publisher: Opéra de Toulon
Date: 1928?
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau, Chemineau L’Izoard

Opera de Toulon programme 1928 - Chemineau thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens 02/1929 - Chemineau ad

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: February 1929
Derailleur brands: Chemineau
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau, Chemineau L’Izoard

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle February 1929 - Chemineau advert thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens - 02/1930 Les derniers perfectionnements du Cycle scan 1 of 2

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: February 1930
Derailleur brands: Chemineau, Cyclo, Super Champion
Derailleurs: Le Chemineau, Le Cyclo, Super Champion

T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle February 1930 - Les derniers perfectionnements du Cycle scan 1 thumbnail

TCF Rev Mens - 06/1930 Poly... ou pas Poly scan 2 of 2

Publisher: T.C.F. Revue Mensuelle
Date: June 1930
Derailleur brands: Boizot, Chemineau, Cyclo, Terrot
Derailleurs: Boizot Le Montagnard, Le Chemineau, Chemineau L’Izoard, Le Cyclo, Terrot Modèle HT