Now that's interesting. I wonder how Atom thought it was going to be able to patent a design that was also being made in Italy by a different company. The only Italian Atom body that I have is stamped Merate S.I.C.C. in addition to Atom Made in Italy. The early 70s notched Regina bodies I have are just stamped Regina Extra Made in Italy, or Regina G. S. ORO Merate is followed by an arrow pointing right, which I always interpreted to mean that the the outer cone is left threaded, so must be turned to the right to remove. Later, splined Oro bodies are screened Regina Oro, with a date, such as 10 Italy 80. I don't know if this is just a manufacture date, or a patent date.
Is there a web page anywhere that provides more information about these classic freewheels?
Steve Barner, wondering who needed an 18 tooth position 5 (smallest) cog on a 5 speed freewheel, as he looks in his wooden case Regina race kit, in Bolton, Vermont
<classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Tuesday, December 24, 2002 12:03 AM Subject: Bté SGDG (Was: Regina & Atom)
> Stephen Barner a démandé:
>
> > can anyone explain what Bte' SGDG means? I've always wondered about
that.
>
> I had to look through 5 of my French dictionaries before I found the
> skinny on this.
>
> It is an abbreviation for "Breveté sans guarantie du gouvernement."
>
> That translates literally to "patented without guarantee of the
government."
>
> It's basically equivalent to "patent pending" or "patent applied for."
>
> Sheldon "Not Easily Stumped" Brown
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