A New or Improved Appliance for Fixing and Removing the Cotter Pins of Cycle Cranks.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Appliance for Fixing and Removing the Cotter
Pins of Cycle Cranks.
I, CHARLES EDMUND DUFFIN of 2 Margaret Court, Oxford Market, London, W.
Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved appliance or apparatus, for the quick and
easy fixing and removal or displacement of the cotter pins of the pedal cranks of
bicycles, tricycles, and similar and other manumotive machines, usually employed.
for retaining the said cranks on the driving or pedal spindles, the object of my said
invention being, to dispense with the need of a hammer or its equivalent for this
purpose, thereby preventing the bending or other rupture of the pedal spindle,
which frequently occurs when the cotter pins are fixed or removed by this or
like means.
In order that my said invention, and the manner of its operation, may be fully
and clearly understood, I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings, in which,
Figs. 1 and 3 are vertical section and front elevation respectively of the said
appliance or apparatus, while Fig. 2 is a back elevation of the same as this would
appear when the frame thereof is constructed from iron, steel or other metal of
Tshape in cross section.
Figs. 4 and 5 are top plan and bottom plan of the same, from which the screw
has been removed.
Fig. 6 illustrates the manner of employing my invention for removing a cotter
pin as hereinafter explained.
I
carry my invention into effect by constructing of any suitable metal or metal
alloy, a frame A, which may be either solid, or of T, L or channel form in cross
section, but preferably the former, the ends of which are bent or curved so as to
form, or be attached to a head B, and foot E, in the former of which B, I drill or
otherwise form an internally threaded vertical hole or passage C, (shewn in Fig. 4)
which receives a threaded bolt or screw D, the head of which may be of any form
capable of receiving a spanner, or any other shape that would be convenient for
rotating D with the thumb and forefinger, such for instance as that of a fly nut,
and the said bolt may be threaded for the whole or any part of its length, sufficient
to permit this to be lowered and reach, or nearly so, the heel E, and rise to allow a
clearance for the crank end of the pedal to be placed between this and E, and I
prefer to form in the lower end of D a recess F for receiving the end of the cotter
pin, in order that this may not be bent aside by, or slip from D when pressure
therefrom is brought to bear upon the pin end. The foot or heel E may be
provided with a circular hole G, of such dimensions as to allow the thickest end
of an ordinary cotter pin to pass easily thereinto. Or I may find it convenient to
form a recess in the front face of E, extending inwardly as far as, and taking up
the position of G. Such an arrangement is shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 5,
which permits that the apparatus may be slid horizontally towards the cotter
pin, in certain cases where the apparatus could not be so conveniently placed
beneath it.
The apparatus being of such small dimensions as to be easily carried in the
pocket of the rider, or in the usual tool bag carried upon the machine, provides,
that the same may always accompany the rider without materially adding to the
weight of the machine, a desideratum of importance with all riders whether racing

page_text: or not, and the manner of using the apparatus is as follows, reference being made
to Fig. 6.
When the cotter pin H is to be removed, the pedal crank J would be placed in
such position that the heel or largest end a of H would be seated in the hole or
recess G in the foot of E, while the frame A would be held in a vertical position,
when, by rotating the screw bolt D, until its recess F engaged with the upper or
smallest end b of H, another half turn or thereabouts of the screw would be
sufficient to displace the said pin by reason of its taper form, which would then
fall through the hole or recess G, when the crank could be easily removed from
the crank spindle K if desired. This will be clearly understood by reference
to Fig. 6.
When the cotter pin H is to be returned or replaced, the position of the crank J
would be reversed, relatively to that shewn in Fig. 6, and the pin when as far home
as possible by the aid of the fingers, the apparatus would be placed in position so,
that the aperture F of the screw D would engage with the then uppermost, and
largest end 6 of H, when a turn or two given to D, would force the pin entirely
home, thus entirely dispensing with a hammer or its equivalent in both removing
and replacing the cotter, hence the object of my invention, and in order that the
enamel or electroplating of the pedal J, may not be injured by contact with the
heel E, a washer of leather or any other soft material may be interposed between
the said pedal and the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what I
claim is,
In an improved pocket appliance for fixing and removing the cotter pins of cycle
cranks, the combination of a metallic frame A, of solid, T, L or channel form in
cross section, bent or curved to form, or be attached to, a head B and heel E, the
former of which is provided with an internally threaded hole C, for receiving a
screw or bolt D, with any shaped head other than circular, and with a recess F
formed in the heel thereof, as at Fig. 1, and a plain hole or recess G in the
heel E as shewn in the same figure, the whole connected and operating substantially
as and for the purposes herein described, and shewn by the accompanying drawings,
particularly by that of Fig. 6.
Dated this 21st day of February 1894
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.