Merate (north of Milan) is the town in which the first chain factory was located (they had factories in other cities). Regina was the first name of Ettore Cattaneo's mother. The company started shortly after WW I. The registered name was Societa Italiana Catene Calibrate, while Regina was only a trademark. (The abreviation S.I.C.C. stamped on the freewheel fits the available space better.)
In 1946 the registered name was changed to Societa Italiana Catene Calibrate Regina, in short, "Regina" or "Catene Calibrate". Main office was moved to Milan after WW II. The arrow shows the direction to turn the top plate (cone) to remove (left hand thread, right to remove).
Chuck Schmidt SoPas, SoCal
Stephen Barner wrote:
>
> I did a quick Google search and came up with a link that referenced Regina
> as SOCIETA ITALIANA CATENE CALIBRATE REGINA S.P.A., CORSO MAGENTA, 46-20123
> MILANO, Italy. Looks like Regina is just part of the company name. Perhaps
> the abbreviation S.I.C.C. wa intended to obfuscate the fact that the
> freewheels were actually being made by Regina. BTW, the reference I found
> was a patent announcement for an electromechanical bicycle transmission,
> granted in 2000.
> http://www.delphion.com/
> T=pdf The device incorporates six sensors, a computer, a shift motor, and
> operator controls & display. Maybe someday bike mechanics will have to
> purchase OBD-III scanners from the friendly Snap-On man! (Your 1996 or later
> smog-maker incorporates OBD-II technology--On-Board Diagnoctics.)
>
> Steve Barner, Bolton, Vermont
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Angel M Garcia" <wa2vuy@mindspring.com>
> > To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> > Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 11:56:18 -0500
> > Subject: [CR]=?iso-8859-1?Q?Re:_Bt=E9_SGDG_=28Was:_Regina_&_Atom=29?=
> >
> > ....The only Italian Atom body that I have is stamped Merate S.I.C.C. in
> > addition to Atom Made in Italy.....
> > Steve Barner=20
> >
> >
> > S.I.C.C.=3D Societa Italiana Catene Calibrate (as I learned looking =
> > through some old Regina boxes).=20
> > Angel Garcia
> > Morris County, NJ =20