Improvements in and in connection with Mud-guards for Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec.. 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 20th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Mud-guards for Cycles and
other Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM HENRY SNOW, of Alderwasley, Wirksworth, in the County of
Derby, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to mud-guards for cycles and other vehicles; its objects
being to provide a mud-guard which, when not in use, is rolled up and occupies
very little space on the machine, but which, when extended, is sufficiently firm and
rigid to serve its purpose with efficiency.
In order that my invention may be readily understood, I will describe by way of
example the manner in which I prefer to apply my improved mud-guard to an
ordinary chain-driven bicycle of the open diamond frame type:-Above the driving
wheel and between the arms of the upper fork of the diamond frame, I fix a box
in which the rolled-up mud-guard is contained. The mud-guard is made in two
lengths; the rear length covering the upper portion of the wheel and the forward
length reaching from the box to a point near the pedal-shaft. Each length is
attached to and rolled up on a separate roller; the rollers being mounted on spindles
which rotate in bearings in the box. On one side of the box, there is a barrel
containing a coiled spring, one end of which is connected to the barrel and the
other end to a central spindle which rotates in bearings in the ends of the barrel.
The inner extremity of the central spindle is furnished with a spur-wheel, which
gears with a spur-pinion on each of the roller-spindles. The roller-spindles
can thus be made to rotate faster than the central or driving spindle, so that a
considerable length of mud-guard can be quickly drawn into the box. If the two
portions of the mud-guard are unequal in length, the spur-pinions must vary in size
to correspond. The outer end of the rear length of the cover is attached to a
supporting fork jointed on. the spindle of the driving wheel or to the lower part of
the frame. The supporting fork is connected on each side of the machine to the.
fork of the frame by a pair of rods having their inner ends jointed together; the
outer end of one rod of each pair being jointed to the supporting fork and the outer
end of the other rod to the fork of the frame. There are also shorter intermediate
supporting forks attached to the rear length of the mud-guard; these forks being
jointed at intervals to and carried by folding arcs made of short lengths of flat wire
jointed together and also jointed at the ends to the supporting fork and to ears on
the sides of the box. The forward length of the mud-guard passes over a permanent
support composed of one or more wires running parallel to the rim of the wheel and
attached at one end to the box and at the other end to the arms of the lower fork
of the frame. The outer extremity of the forward length of the mud-guard may
be secured either to the wire support or to the frame of the machine. The slots in
the box for the passage of the mud-guard may be curved, and if necessary a brush
or other device may be placed near each slot for cleansing the mud-guard.
To extend the mud-guard, both lengths are drawn out until the jointed rods
come in line with one another, whereupon the inner ends of each pair are slightly
depressed by hand so as to open to the utmost extent the joint connecting them
together. These rods thus become locked, and hold the supporting fork firmly in
its extended position. The drawing out of the mud-guard causes the spur-pinions
on the roller-spindles to turn the central spindle and compress the coiled spring.
The extended mud-guard is kept taut by the compressed spring acting through
its spindle and spur-wheel on the spur-pinions of the roller-spindles. Immediately

page_text: the inner ends of the jointed rods between the supporting fork and the frame have
been slightly raised in order to unlock them and the outer end of the forward
length of the mud-guard has been released, the compressed spring acting through
its spur-wheel on the spur-pinions of the roller-spindles draws both lengths of the
mud-guard into the box and brings the supporting fork up to the frame; the
jointed arcs and intermediate supporting forks being at the same time folded up.
The mud-guard for the front wheel may be mounted on a roller contained in a
box furnished with a coiled spring connected directly to the roller-spindle, as
gearing might in this instance be dispensed with. The supports for the extended
guard would be similar to those employed for holding the rear length of the
mud-guard pertaining to the driving wheel.
Dated the 18th day of December 1893.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Mud-guards for Cycles and
other Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM HENRY SNOW, of Alderwasley, Wirksworth, in the County of
Derby, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to inud-guards for cycles and other vehicles; its objects
being to provide a mud-guard which, when not in use, is rolled up and occupies
very little space on the machine, but which, when extended, is sufficiently firm and
rigid to serve its purpose with efficiency.
In order that my invention may be readily understood, I will describe with
reference to the accompanying drawings and by way of example the manner in
which I prefer to apply my improved mud-guard to an ordinary chain-driven
bicycle of the open "diamond-frame" type.
Fig. 1 is a view showing, in side clevation, the rear portion of the frame of the
bicycle, a portion of the driving wheel, and the improved mud-guard and its
appurtenances.
Fig. 2 is a corresponding end elevation.
Fig. 3 is a view drawn to an enlarged scale representing, partly in side elevation
and partly in vertical section, the box wherein the rolled-up mud-guard is
contained.
Fig. 4 is a corresponding longitudinal section.
Above the driving wheel A and between the arms B of the upper fork of the
diamond frame, I fix a box C in which the mud-guard D D', when rolled up, is
contained. The mud-guard is made in two lengths D and D'; the rear length D
covering the upper portion of the wheel A, and the forward length D₁ reaching
from the box C to a point near the pedal-shaft E. Each length is attached to and
rolled up on a separate roller; the rollers being mounted on spindles F and F¹
which rotate in bearings in the box C. In Fig. 4, the roller ff for the length D¹
is in two parts, the inner end of the length being placed and held between these
parts, which are connected together and tightened by screws, as indicated in
dotted lines. A similar roller is employed for the length D. On one side of the
box C is a barrel G containing a coiled spring G' whereof one end is connected to
the barrel by a bolt g whilst the other end is secured by means of a screw g¹ to a
spindle G arranged to rotate in bearings formed in the ends of the barrel. The
inner extremity of the spindle G* is furnished with a spur-wheel G³, which gears
with spur-pinions F' and F' on the roller-spindles F and F. The roller-spindles

page_text: are thus made to rotate faster than the central or driving spindle, so that a
considerable length of mud-guard can be quickly drawn into the box. If the two.
portions of the mud-guard be unequal in length, as shown in the drawings, the
diameters of the spur-pinions F2 and F3 or of the rollers must vary in size to
correspond, as indicated in Fig. 3. It will be obvious that the spring G' is not
essential. When dispensed with, I provide a handle on the end of the spindle G*
and wind up the lengths D and D' by hand. The outer end of the rear length D
of the guard is attached by a hook d to a supporting fork H jointed to pieces H*
at the lower part of the frame, as represented, or on the spindle of the driving
wheel. The supporting fork H is connected on each side of the machine to a
piece H** on the fork B of the frame by a pair of rods, such as K and K', having
their inner ends jointed together by a pin k; the outer end of one rod (K) being
jointed (at k¹) to the supporting fork and the outer end of the other rod (K') to
the fork of the frame (at ²). There are also intermediate supporting forks H', H'
and H attached to the rear length D of the mud-guard; these forks being
jointed at intervals to the pieces H*. These intermediate supporting forks are
slotted; pins, such as k³, on the bars K engaging in the slots of the fork H', these
pins passing through the slots of the fork H; and pins, such as kª on the bars K¹
engaging in the slots of the fork H. If preferred, these intermediate supporting
forks may be jointed to and be carried by folding arcs made of short lengths of
flat wire jointed together and also jointed at the ends to the supporting fork and to
ears on the sides of the box C. The forward length D' of the _mud-guard passes
over a permanent support composed of two flat wires, such as L, running parallel
to the rim a of the wheel A and attached at one end to the box C and at the other
end to the arms of the lower. fork B' of the frame. The outer extremity of the
forward length D' of the mud-guard may be secured by a hook d' either to the
wire support or to the frame of the machine.. Instead of the open hooks d d¹,
any other suitable devices, such for instance as spring-hooks, may be employed.
The slots in the box for the passage of the mud-guard D D' may be curved; and,
if desired, a brush may be placed near each slot for cleansing the mud-guard.
In Fig. 4, a straight slot is shown by the dotted lines c.
To extend the mud-guard, both lengths D and D₁ are drawn out until the
bars K and K¹ have been moved from the position iudicated in dotted lines in
Fig. 1 to that represented in full lines in that figure. The thumb-nuts k* are then
tightened; the supporting forks being thus firmly held in their extended positions.
Or, if jointed rods be used, both lengths D and D' are drawn out until these rods
arrive nearly in line with one another; whereupon the inner and adjoining ends of
each pair of rods may be slightly depressed by hand until the joint connecting
them together is opened to its utmost extent; the rods thus becoming locked and
holding the supporting fork H firmly in its extended position. The drawing out of
the mud-guard causes the spur-pinions F2 and F3 to turn the central spindle G* and
thus compresses the coiled spring G. The extended mud-guard D D' is kept taut
by the compressed spring G¹acting through its spindle G* and spur-wheel G³ on
the spur-pinions F and 13. Immediately the nuts * have been unscrewed, or the
inner ends of the jointed rods between the supporting fork and the frame slightly
raised in order to unlock them, the outer end of the forward length D¹ of the
mud-guard having been released, the compressed spring G', acting through its
spur-wheel G on the spur-pinions F and F³, draws both lengths D and D' of the
mud-guard into the box and brings the supporting fork H up to the frame; the
bars K and K', or the jointed arcs and the intermediate supporting forks H¹, H³
and H³, assuming at the same time their folded position, as indicated in dotted
lines.
The mud-guard for the front wheel may be mounted on a roller contained in a
box furnished with a coiled spring connected directly to the roller-spindle, as
gearing might in this instance be dispensed with. The supports for the extended
guard would be similar to those employed (for holding the rear length of the
mud-guard pertaining to the driving wheel.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. For cycles and other vehicles, the improved mud-guard and appurtenances,
constructed and operating substantially as described with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
2. For cycles and other vehicles, a-mud-guard comprising two lengths of flexible
material secured to rollers contained in a suitable box or casing, the roller-spindles
being furnished with pinions gearing with a wheel on a central spindle which when
rotated causes the rollers to turn in opposite directions so as to wind up or to
permit the withdrawal of both lengths of the mud-guard simultaneously, sub-
stantially as herein described.
3. For cycles and other vehicles, a mud-guard comprising two lengths D and D¹
of flexible material secured to rollers, such as ff, mounted on spindles F and F
rotating in bearings in a box or casing C, spur-pinions F and F on the spindles F
and F gearing with a spur-wheel G on a spindle G* actuated by a spring G, the
lengths D and D' being supported when extended by suitable framework, sub-
stantially as herein described.
4. In cycles and other vehicles, the employment of spring mechanism, such as
illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, for coiling up the
mud-guard, substantially as herein described.
5. In cycles and other vehicles, the improved means for supporting an extended
mud-guard, comprising a supporting fork jointed to the frame of the machine,
intermediate slotted supporting forks also jointed to the frame of the machine,
and radius-bars, respectively mounted on the said supporting fork and frame, and
carrying pins working in slots in the intermediate supporting forks, substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 18th day of September 1801