Abstract:
The invention relates to a chain catcher used on multiple chainring arrangements on bicycles in combination with a derailleur to prevent the drive chain from slipping off the smallest chainring into the space between the chainring and the bicycle frame. The embodiment of a chain catcher according to the invention permits especially simple mounting and adjustment by using an additional fastening element. The corresponding method includes completion of the positioning, fastening, and adjustment of the derailleur before the chain catcher is installed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Modern bicycles usually have several sprocket wheels, also known as chainrings, attached to or mounted on the pedal crank mechanism. A front derailleur serves to change the drive chain from its engagement with one chainring to engagement with an adjacent chainring. To do so, it has a chain guide which is moved in a direction across the plane of the chainring by means of a parallelogram mechanism and acts directly on the chain. 
         [0002]    The essentially good function of a guide for the drive chain due to the chain guide cannot, however, with absolute certainty prevent the drive chain from becoming disengaged and slipping laterally on the inside of the smaller of the chainrings and entering the space between the chainrings and the bicycle frame when switching from engagement on the larger chainring to engagement on the next smaller chainring. For the cyclist, there is no possible way to return the chain back to one of the chainrings, which is a severe disadvantage, in particular, in a racing situation. 
         [0003]    For this reason, additional chain guide devices, also known as “chain catchers,” have been introduced; they are installed directly or indirectly on the bicycle frame in addition to the derailleur. One embodiment of such a device is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 2011/0230287. The chain catcher used there is an elongated part with multiple bends, which is clamped securely with the same screw used for fastening the derailleur on the derailleur holding part. One disadvantage of such a device is the need to perform the adjustment of both components simultaneously when the derailleur and the chain catcher are installed. The derailleur must be aligned in height and also in the angular orientation in relation to the seat tube of the bicycle frame and optimized with respect to its ability to effect chain shifting between two or more chainrings. The chain catcher must be positioned in its lateral position in relation to the smallest chainring without disturbing the optimal position of the derailleur, which is possible only with great difficulty. 
         [0004]    There is a need therefore, for a chain catcher that is simple to install and adjust. The invention satisfies the need. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    An object of the chain catcher according to the present invention is therefore to simplify installation and adjustments. According to an embodiment of the invention, additional mounting means are provided for mounting the chain catcher for this purpose. This yields the possibility of performing the installation and orientation of the chain catcher and the derailleur independently of one another and in succession. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The invention is explained by way of example below based on the attached figures. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a preferred embodiment of the chain catcher according to the invention for installation on a derailleur holding part which is connected to the seat tube of the bicycle frame; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an embodiment of the chain catcher according to the invention as shown in  FIG. 1  in a detailed view; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a chain catcher according to the invention in a second embodiment for installation on a derailleur with a mounting clamp in a detailed view; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a chain catcher according to the invention in a third embodiment; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a chain catcher according to the invention in a fourth embodiment; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the embodiment according to  FIG. 1  parallel to the seat tube; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the embodiment according to  FIG. 4  parallel to the seat tube; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the embodiment according to  FIG. 5  parallel to the seat tube. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  shows the chain catcher  1 , which is installed with an additional chain guide or chain catcher mounting element  2  in the form of a mounting screw  19  on the front derailleur in relation to the bicycle frame  30  and consequently also in relation to chainrings on the pedal crank mechanism (not shown). The main components of the derailleur  4  include a base part  5 , a parallelogram mechanism  6  and a chain guide  7 . The base part  5  is fastened to the derailleur holding part  20  on the bicycle frame  30  with a front derailleur mounting element, in this embodiment, a fastening screw  3  which is screwed into an inside fastening thread  11  in the base part. The derailleur holding part  20  is fixedly connected to the bicycle frame  30  by clamping, soldering, welding, gluing or riveting or by means of some other type of fastening. 
         [0016]    The chain catcher  1  has a guide section  14 , a connecting section  17  and a mounting section  15  on the end opposite the guide section  14 , said end having a mounting opening  13  as well as a circumferential surface  16  on the internal circumference of the mounting opening  13 . A mounting screw  19  is arranged in the mounting opening  13  and brings the circumferential surface  16  in the mounting section  15  into frictionally locking contact with the contact surface  12  on the fastening screw head  8  of the fastening screw  3 . The circumferential surface  16  and the contact surface  12  may have a conical shape. Due to the resulting wedge effect, relatively minor forces of the mounting screw  19  in the direction of the axis A, the central axis of the contact surface  12 , are sufficient to secure the chain catcher  1  reliably in its angular position about the axis A (see  FIG. 2 ). The inside mounting thread  22  for screwing in the mounting screw  19  is arranged concentrically in the fastening screw  3  along the axis A. 
         [0017]    The individual parts for fastening the derailleur and for installing the chain catcher  1  according to  FIG. 1  are also shown in detail in an exploded diagram in  FIG. 2  and in a sectional diagram in  FIG. 6 . For fastening the derailleur  4  on the derailleur holding part  20 , the fastening screw  3  is inserted into an elongated hole  31  in the derailleur holding part  20  and is screwed into an inside fastening thread  11  in the base part  5 . The derailleur  4  can be offset in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the elongated hole  31  with respect to the bicycle frame  30  and thus also with respect to the chainrings. 
         [0018]    The fastening screw  3  has a fastening screw head  8  with a contact surface  12  on the outer circumference, a hexagon socket shape for engaging a hex-head wrench and, in axial continuation of the hexagon socket shape, an inside mounting thread  22  for screwing into the outside thread on the mounting screw  19 . The derailleur holding part  20  is clamped between the base part  5  and the fastening screw head  8  of the fastening screw  3 , wherein an additional retaining plate  10  is used. Due to the design of the engaged surfaces on the base part  5 , on the derailleur holding part  20  and on the retaining part  10  in the form of a cylindrical surface, it is possible to rotate the derailleur in relation to the bicycle frame  30 . The axis of rotation is aligned essentially in parallel to the seat tube of the bicycle frame  30 . 
         [0019]    With the help of an adjusting screw  25 , which is aligned in the direction D in a plane perpendicular to the axis A, a precision adjustment of the angular position of the chain catcher is possible. To do so, the adjusting screw  25  is steadied on the stop  26 , which may be designed or formed in one piece with the retaining plate  10 , with respect to the derailleur holding part  20 . The chain catcher  1  can be pivoted easily about the axis A because the contact surface  12  on the fastening screw head  8  and also the mounting screw  19  are arranged concentrically about the axis A. 
         [0020]    The derailleur shown in  FIG. 3  is designed with an additional clamp  18  with a derailleur mounting base  9 . The clamp  18  has an opening through which the seat tube of the bicycle frame  30  extends. For mounting the clamp  18  on the seat tube, the clamp  18  can be opened and closed again by pivoting it on a hinge  32 . The clamp  18  is secured on the bicycle frame  30  by means of a clamping screw  28 . The derailleur  4  can be oriented with respect to the bicycle frame  30  and thus with respect to the chainrings by turning the clamp  18  and by displacement vertically along the seat tube. Thus there is no need for adjustment options between the base part  5  and the derailleur mounting base  9 . 
         [0021]    The derailleur mounting base  9  is provided with a borehole through which the fastening screw  3  is inserted. The outside thread on the fastening screw  3  is screwed into an inside fastening thread  11  in the base part  5 . The derailleur includes, in addition to the base part  5 , a parallelogram mechanism  6  and a chain guide  7 . Neither of these two parts is shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0022]    The design of the chain catcher  1 , the mounting screw  19 , the fastening screw  3  and the adjusting screw  25  corresponds to the embodiment according to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0023]    Still more embodiments of the chain catcher are obtained by replacing the mounting screw  19  with a mounting nut  21 , which is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 8 . For mounting the chain catcher  1  on the derailleur  4 , the mounting nut  21  is screwed onto an outside mounting thread  23  on the mounting bolt  24 . 
         [0024]    The derailleur according to  FIGS. 4 and 7  has a fastening bolt  33  with an outside thread on the base part  5 . A fastening nut  34  is screwed onto this outside thread for fastening the derailleur  4  to the derailleur holding part  20 . The fastening nut has elements (like faces, not shown) on the outside circumference for engaging with a tool. The fastening bolt  33  is pressed into the base part  5  or glued or otherwise connected to the base part  5  or designed in one piece with the base part  5 , or the fastening bolt  33  is passed through a through-bore in the base part  5  and has a head on the end which is in the base part  5 . The retaining plate  10  and the mounting screw  19  are designed as in the embodiment according to  FIG. 1 . The chain catcher  1  has a modified mounting section  15  in relation to the embodiment in  FIG. 1 , to have surface contact with the fastening nut  34 . 
         [0025]    Additional embodiments of chain catchers  1  according to the invention are obtained when, as shown in  FIG. 2 , means for mounting the chain catcher  1  are provided in addition to the retaining plate  10  according to  FIG. 2 , again starting from an inside mounting thread in the retaining plate  10  or from an outside mounting thread on an additional bolt-shaped part on the retaining plate  10 . 
         [0026]    In another possible embodiment of a derailleur (not shown in the figures) with which the chain catcher  1  according to the invention is used, base part  5  and the derailleur mounting base  9  are designed in one piece on the clamp  18  according to  FIG. 3 , wherein the clamp  18  is retained and the fastening screw  3  is omitted. In this type of derailleur, there is an additional mounting thread  22  in the base part  5 , or an additional bolt protrudes in the manner of the fastening bolt  33  on the base part  5 , as also shown in  FIG. 7  with an embodiment of a derailleur without the clamp. A thread is again provided on this bolt for mounting the chain catcher  1  on the derailleur  4  by means of a chain guide mounting element  2 . 
         [0027]    While this invention has been described by reference to a particular embodiment, it should be understood that numerous changes could be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but that it have the full scope permitted by the language of the following claims.