Abstract:
A bicycle lock attached to a beverage container holder securable to a bicycle frame is provided. The lock is attached to the bottom of the bottle holder in order to position the lock in an easily accessible and out of the way location on a bicycle frame. The lock includes an extendible cable which can be encircled about the bicycle frame and an immovable object and reengaged with the lock to ensure that the bicycle cannot be stolen.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to bicycles and more specifically to a bicycle lock secured to a water bottle holder attachable directly to a frame of a bicycle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to prevent bicycles from being stolen, a number of different types of bicycle locks have been developed. The bicycle locks take many shapes and forms in order to effectively prevent the theft of a bicycle. 
     While most of the bicycle locks that have been developed are highly effective in preventing the unauthorized removal of a bicycle, one of the major drawbacks with regard to bicycle locks is that the locks are most often very unwieldy due to the heavy bars or chains associated with the locks. As a result, because an individual riding a bicycle has to maintain his or her balance on the bicycle at all times, the presence of an unwieldy bicycle lock on either the bicycle or the rider can be a nuisance and possibly a danger to the rider. To remedy this, a number of bicycle locks have been developed which include mounting arrangements for securing the bicycle lock to the frame of a bicycle. However, most of these locks which are mounted to the bicycle frame are still fairly large and unwieldy, and can present the same types of problems as non-mounted locks when a person is riding a bicycle. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to develop a bicycle lock which can be secured to the bicycle frame in a highly unobtrusive manner to avoid any interference with the person riding the bicycle. Further, it is desirable that the locking device be capable of securely locking a bicycle to immovable object to effectively prevent the bicycle from being stolen. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a bicycle lock which is securable to a bicycle frame in an unobtrusive manner. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a bicycle lock which is capable of securing a bicycle to an immovable object in a reliable fashion. 
     It still another object of the present invention to provide a bicycle lock attached to a water bottle holder is securely mounted to the bicycle frame. 
     The present invention is a bicycle lock securable to a bicycle frame. The bicycle lock is attached to a bracket that is mountable directly to a tube of a bicycle frame. The bracket is also adapted to function as a water bottle or beverage container holder, as are well known in the prior art. The bicycle lock is mounted to the bottom end of the bracket such that the lock does not interfere with an individual riding the bicycle or with the insertion of a water bottle into the bracket. The lock includes an extendible and retractable cable that can be withdrawn from the lock, extended around a suitable immovable object and the bicycle frame, and engaged within a locking orifice on the lock to retain the bicycle and lock in attachment with the immovable object. 
     Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of practicing the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bicycle lock constructed according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the bicycle lock of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a bicycle lock apparatus constructed according to the present invention is indicated at  10  in FIG.  1 . The lock apparatus  10  includes a bracket  12  and a lock  14  secured to the bracket  12 . The bracket  12  is formed of a pair of tubular members  16  that each include a generally vertical rear portion  18 , a generally horizontal bottom portion  20 , and a generally vertical front portion  22 . The tubular members  16  are joined at the rear portions  18  and front portions  20  by a rear end member  24  and a front end member  26 , respectively. 
     The bracket  12  also includes a mounting member  28  that is positioned and attached between the rear portions  18  of each tubular member  16 . The mounting member  28  includes a curved outer wall that is adapted to conform to the shape of bicycle frame (not shown) to which the bracket  12  is attached. Mounting member  28  also includes openings  30  through which a fastener (not shown), such as a screw or bolt, can be inserted to engage the bicycle frame and fixedly secure the bracket  12  to the frame. 
     The apparatus  10  also includes a support member  32  positioned across the bottom portions  20  between the rear portions  18  and front portions  22  of the tubular members  16 . The support member  32  is fixedly secured to the bottom portions  20 , such as by an adhesive or mechanical fastener, and includes a pair of recesses  33  that receive part of each of the bottom portions  20 . The member  32  provides a generally flat support surface for a beverage container, such as a water bottle, which is positionable in the bracket  12 . The support member  32  also includes a central opening  34  through which a fastener  36  can be inserted to engage and retain the lock  14  positioned beneath the bracket  12 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, the lock  14  can be any type of small, retractable lock, such as the Retractor 3000, manufactured by Kryptonite of Canton, Mass. As shown in FIG. 2, the lock  14  includes a top surface  38 , a bottom surface  40 , a first end  42  formed between the top surface  38  and bottom surface  40  spaced from the bracket  12 , and a second end  44  formed between the top surface  38  and bottom surface  40  and positioned benneath the bracket  12 . The top surface  38  includes an opening  46  in which the fastener  36 , such as a threaded screw, retaining clip, or other equivalent fastening means is received to attach the lock  14  to the bracket  12 . 
     The first end  42  of the lock  14  includes a rotatable combination mechanism  48  disposed between a pair of end portions  50 . While the rotatable combination mechanism  50  is shown, it is contemplated that a key-operated, or other conventional type of lock mechanism could also be used. A cable  52  is disposed within one of the end portions  50  with one end of the cable  52  extending outwardly from the end portion  50 . The other end of the cable  52  is secured to an rewind mechanism (not shown) disposed within the lock  14  such that the cable  52  can be selectively withdrawn and retracted from within the lock  14 . The rewind mechanism also includes a releasable stop (not shown) that is activated by a switch  54  disposed on one side of the lock  14 . By depressing the switch  54 , the stop is disengaged from the rewind mechanism such that the cable  52  can be withdrawn from within the lock  14 . When the cable  52  has been withdrawn to a desired length, a switch  54  can be released, enabling the stop to prevent further extension or retraction of the cable  52 . When it is desired to fully retract the cable within the lock  14 , the switch  54  can be depressed to enable the rewind mechanism to completely retract the cable  52 . 
     The free end of the cable  52  includes an engagement portion  56  that can be inserted into a locking opening  58  disposed in the end portion  50  opposite the cable  52 . The locking opening  58  is adapted to receive the engagement portion  56  of the cable  52  in such a manner as to lockingly retain the engagement portion  56  therein to effectively lock the apparatus  10  and bicycle to the immovable object. When it is desired to remove the engagement portion  56  from the opening  58 , the combination mechanism  48  is rotated to provide the appropriate numerical combination to enable a button  60  disposed adjacent the locking opening  58  to be depressed. When the button  60  is depressed, the mechanism is disengaged and the engagement portion  56  can be removed from the opening  58  to remove the bicycle from the immovable object. 
     While the foregoing description describes the best mode currently contemplated of carrying out the present invention, various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter regarded as the invention.