LOCKING DEVICE FOR LOCKING A BICYCLE

Abstract: In order to improve the locking of a bicycle which is provided with a bicycle lock with a built-in cable- or chain-lock (12), a locking device according to the invention is configured in such a manner that the cable-lock (12, 14) can be locked only providing that the locking ring (6) is locked. The lock hereby affords better protection, the reason being that providing that the cable-lock is used, then both the lock's normal locking ring (6) as well as the cable-lock (12) have to be broken open. This is achieved by preventing the locking pawl (4, 33) from entering into a locking engagement with the locking groove (15) in the locking piece (14) unless the locking pawl (4, 30) is engaged with the locking groove (10) in the locking ring (6).

Description: LOCKING DEVICE FOR LOCKING A BICYCLE. The invention relates to a locking device for the locking of a spoked wheel mounted in a fork on a bicycle, said device comprising a retaining part secured at the one leg of the fork, and in which a locking element in the form of a locking ring or locking arm is housed and movable between a releas¬ ing position and a blocking position, where the blocking element points towards an engaging part at the other leg of the fork, in that the blocking el- ment can be secured in said engaging part by means of a locking element, and also a locking groove in the form of an opening in which a locking piece can be introduced and secured by means of locking elements, said locking piece being fastened to a cable or chain. Locks of this kind, which are commonly known as bi- cycle locks, are used for the locking of a spoked wheel. In most cases, such locks are sufficient to prevent unauthorized removal of the bicycle. However, there are situations in which the possibil- ities exist of breaking open such locks, which in practice means when there is time enough for this work to be carried out undisturbed. In such cases, the known locks are not able to af- ford the necessary resistance against being broken open, the consequence being that these locks are often supplemented with so-called chain- or cable -locks. These consist of a piece of chain or cable of a length, for example, of between 50 and 150 cm. The ends of the cable or chain can be locked together, either in an integrated lock housing or by means of a loose padlock. This extra locking equipment enables the bicycle to be secured, in that the cable or the chain can sur¬ round the spoked wheel or the frame and possibly a further external element such as a bicycle rack or the like. Solely from the point of view of security, this sol¬ ution is satisfactory, but it involves considerable inconvenience for the user. For example, the cable- or the chain-lock has to be taken along on the jour¬ ney, which can be an inconvenience since it takes up room in a bag, pocket, basket or carrier, and there is also the inconvenience of the extra key, which the lock requires, and which must similarly be taken care of. Finally, this kind of lock requires the use of both hands for its mounting and operation, i.e. locking and unlocking. This is due to the fact that the ca¬ ble is difficult to manipulate because of its springy characteristics in relation to the bicycle, which therefore requires that the lock must be held firmly with the one hand while the locking parts are brought together and locked. In order to avoid these inconveniences, it is known from US Patent publication no. 4,033,160 to incorp¬ orate a cable in a lock with a C-shaped locking member . This lock with built-in cable-lock is an improve¬ ment in relation to the known lock combined with a loose cable-lock, but it is only of help with re¬ gard to the actual handling. This locking device is namely arranged in such a manner that the two locking systems can be used completely independently of each other, which can result in inadequate locking when only the cable lock is used. The cable-lock is a relatively infer¬ ior lock, and therefore a poorer lock than the actual bicycle lock with blocking member. The object of the invention is to avoid the dis¬ advantages of the known constructions, and this is achieved with a locking device in which the locking elements secure the locking ring or the locking arm at the same time as the locking piece is secured by the locking elements. It becomes possible hereby to lock either by means of a locking ring or locking arm alone, or by a combination of the two locking arrangements by means of one and the same lock , and with the use of only one hand. In addition to the considerable operation¬ al advantages of this construction, considerable security lies in the fact that at least the best of- the locks, i.e. the locking ring or locking arm, • must always be used in order for the cable-lock to serve as a supplement hereto, and herewith provide a double locking of the bicycle. It is precisely because of this blocking of the use of the cable-lock alone that this device affords a significant safeguard , the reason being that the cable- or the chain-lock must always be used at the same time as the fixed lock. As disclosed in claim 2, by allowing the locking elements to lock both the locking ring or the lock¬ ing arm and the locking piece on the cable or the chain, one can suffice with a single locking ele¬ ment and thereby simplify the operation. Finally, as disclosed in claim 3, it is expedient to use two pawl systems which can be disengaged simultaneously, in that the possibility is hereby provided of building up a compact and robust re¬ lease construction. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawing, where fig. 1 shows a lock with locking ring and cable -lock with common locking element, seen from the front and with a part-section seen in the direction I-I in fig. 3, fig. 2 shows a section through this lock before the securing, seen in the direction II-II in fig. 1 , fig. 3 shows a section through the lock in the secured position, seen in direction III- III fig. 4 shows a chain-lock with locking ring and cable-lock seen from the front and partly in section, fig. 5 is a perspective drawing of a lock with locking arm and cable-lock with common locking elements fig. 6 is a perspective drawing of an embodiment of a lock with locking arm and cable-lock with separate locking elements, and fig. 7 shows the use of the locking device in con¬ nection with a bicycle and a fixed post. In figs. 1-3 is shown an example of an embodiment of a ring-lock with a combination lock and provided with an integrated cable-lock. The lock itself comprises a lock housing 1 with a keyboard 2 and a retaining part 9 in which a lock¬ ing ring 6 can slide towards and away from an en¬ gagement part 8. In order to strengthen the lock, there is also built in a steel hoop 5, which extends on the back of the housing 1 and down into the engagement and retaining parts 8, 9. From the one side of the housing, there extends a cable 12 which is securely fastened to the housing 13 or the like. The cable has a suitable diameter of, for example, 8 or 9 mm, and can be coated with clear plastic. The length can be, for example, 50 cm or more de¬ pending on requirements. At the opposite end of the cable there is secured a locking piece 14 with a locking groove 15 in the form of a notch or recess. This locking piece 14 can be inserted into a lock- ing track 21 in the side of the housing. The housing 1 has built-in locking elements in the form of a plate-formed pawl 4 , which is suspended in an upper axle 3 so that it can move from an unlocked position as shown in fig. 2, where the pawl is free of engagement with both the groove 15 in the locking piece 14 and also the groove 10 in the locking ring 6. When the lock is to be activated, the locking ring 6 is moved downwards until the pawl 4 engages with the groove 10. Hereafter, the locking piece 14 can be inserted into the locking track 21 where it is secured by the pawl 4 which engages with the lock- ing groove 15 as shown in fig. 3. In fig. 4 is shown an example of an embodiment in which the locking elements are a combination lock. The combination is set by means of knobs 25 placed externally on the front of the housing 1. Each knob 25 is connected to a disk 26 inside the housing, said disks being provided with a notch 27 in their periphery. When the combination lock is set for opening, all of the notches 27 point upwards as shown in fig. 4. Above each of the disks 26 there is mounted a pin 28 which is pressed downwards by means of a spring 29 towards the periphery of the disk 26. There is a pin 28 opposite each disk 26, and as will appear from the drawing the lock is in the unlocked posi¬ tion. In this position, a transverse release arm 35 can be pressed in with a finger from outside against the pressure of a spring 36 at the end of the arm, in that the lowered position of the pins 28 releases a not-shown blocking of the movability of the arm 35. In other words, the arm 35 can only be pressed in when the lock is correctly coded for unlocking. On the arm 35 there are mounted a num¬ ber of wedge elements 34 which are able to lift associated locking pawls, as will be explained in the following. The locking ring 6 in the example shown has two locking grooves 10 for the locking pawls 30. These pawls 30 are also pressed down by means of a spring 29. The pawls 30 are provided with a recess against which a wedge element 34 can lie, and as shown lift the pawls 30 free of the locking grooves 10 when the arm 35 is pressed in towards the left of the _ drawing. The outer pawl 30 is further provided with a dog 37 which is in engagement with a rocker-pawl 31 which can pivot around an axle 32 in the housing 1. The end of this pawl forms a locking pawl 33 which can engage with the locking groove 15 in the locking piece 14. As mentioned, in the position shown the lock is co¬ ded for opening, and will upon the pressing-in of the arm 35 lift the two locking pawls 30 free of the locking grooves 10 in the ring 6, whereupon by means of a spring this will be moved out of the engaging part 8 and into the retaining part 9. At the same time, the locking pawl 31 will be moved upwards by the locking pawl 30, thus swinging free of the lock¬ ing part 15, upon which the locking piece 14 can be withdrawn. When locking, it should be noted that a precondition for the locking of the locking piece 14 is that the ring-lock is in the locked position, whereby it is ensured that the ring-lock is always locked regard- less of whether or not the cable-lock is used. In the examples shown, the pawl is operated by a combination lock, but it lies within the scope of the invention to allow the pawl's movement to be controlled by other systems. Similarly, the pawl can have another suspension and appearance, depend¬ ing on the lock system selected. In fig. 5 is shown an embodiment of the device com- prising a lock with locking arm 17 which is housed in a retaining part 18 , and where the arm 17 can pivot upwards and be secured in an engaging part 19 with locking element 20, which in the example shown is a key lock. In the engaging part 19 there is a locking aperture 21 in which the locking piece 14 can be inserted and secured by means of locking elements. In fig. 6 is shown a further embodiment comprising a corresponding lock, but with a separate locking element 22 for the locking piece 14. This embodi¬ ment requires two locking elements, but it will provide extra security that two locking elements must be broken in order for the bicycle to be re¬ leased. Finally, in fig. 7 there is shown an example of the use of the device. A bicycle equipped with a device according to the invention can, by means of the cable 12 being led through an eye 23 on a post 24 or the like, be secured safely when the cable is inserted into the lock. If a rolled-up cable is used, this will lie reeled up in the form of a coil under the saddle, and not take up room when the bi¬ cycle is being used. It also lies within the scope of the invention to use a cable or a chain 12 which can be secured to a fixed object in the immediate vicinity of the bi¬ cycle, for example the post 24, as shown in fig. 7. The bicycle can hereby be locked securely by inser¬ ting the free end 14 of the cable or the chain into the locking aperture 21 in the locking device on the bicycle.

Claims: C L I M S 1. Locking device for the locking of a spoked wheel in a fork on a bicycle, moped or the like, said device comprising partly a retaining part (9, 18) secured at the one leg of the fork, and in which a locking element in the form of a locking ring (6) or locking arm (17) is housed and is mov¬ able between a releasing position and a blocking position, where the blocking element points to¬ wards an engaging part (8, 19) secured at the other leg of the fork, in that the blocking element can be secured in said engaging part by means of a locking element (4, 10, 20) , and partly a locking track (21) in the form of an aperture in which a locking piece (14) can be introduced and secured by means of locking elements (4, 10, 20, 22) , said locking piece (14) being fastened to a cable or chain (12) , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the locking elements (4, 10, 20, 30) secure the locking ring (6) or locking arm (17) at the same time that the locking piece (14) is secured by the locking elements (4, 20, 33) . 2. Locking device according to claim 1, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the locking elements for the locking piece (14) comprise a pawl (4, 31, 33) which can be moved into engagement with a locking groove (15) in the locking piece (14) when the pawl (.4) or a cooperating pawl (30) is opposite the locking groove (10) in the locking ring (6) or the locking arm (17). 3. Locking device according to claim 2, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that the cocperatingpawl (30) is hinged (37) to the pawl (31, 33) and suspended (32) in a surrounding lock housing (1) in such a manner that a direct displacement of the pawl (30) into and out of the locking groove (10) in the ring (6) will swing the pawl (33) into and out of the locking groove (15) in the locking piece (14) .

Inventors: DUNCH POUL PEDERSEN, DUNCH, POUL, PEDERSEN
Applicants: BASTA LAASEFAB AS, BASTA LAASEFABRIK A/S
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B62H5
IPC codes: B62H5