Improvements in Cycles, Cycle Locks, and Cycle Stands, for Securing Cycles Against Theft and Damage whilst in Transport, in Storage, or when Left Temporarily by the Rider.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1896-Accepted, 25th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles, Cycle Locks, and Cycle Stands, for Securing
Cycles Against Theft and Damage whilst in Transport, in
Storage, or when Left Temporarily by the Rider.
A communication by JEAN BAPTISTE FONDU, of 86, Boulevard de la Senne,
Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer 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 :-
Robbery of cycles increases daily to a great extent, and several means have
been devised for security but to this day none have proved to be sufficiently
secure.
There is also a drawback in the transporting of cycles by rail in that it is
impossible to avoid damage to them when sent in a great number. After a deep
study of the question my correspondent has devised means whereby cycles and the
like may be secured out of the robber's reach, whilst the cyclist may transport
or store his machine securely without being inconvenienced by any useless devices
or evolutions.
The actual system of storage universally employed at all establishments,
circuses etc., etc. consists in a wooden or metal frame, stand or rack divided into a
certain number of compartments so disposed as to receive one of the cycle wheels.
Such a system affords no security. In fact on the machine being left by itself,
any one may run away with it. Besides it may happen that a not very scrúpulous
cyclist might exchange a defective machine for a good one; this happens frequently
nowadays. By the present invention robbery or exchange of machines becomes
impossible, as in fact the moment the cycle is inserted in this apparatus automatic
grippers close and embrace the tyre and rim and make it impossible for the cycle
to be disengaged without a special key. Consequently cycles and all their fittings
which are to be left outside, are secured against theft. To prevent the exchange
of a machine by a not over scrupulous cyclist or even by thieves who are up to
this trick, this system is supplied with a distributor of tickets in cases. This
distribution is produced automatically by the simple fact of inserting the machine.
In possession of his ticket bearing the number of the compartment, the cyclist
may go on business without being distressed about his machine; and when wishing
to regain possession he need only hand to the person in charge of the stand, who
keeps the key, the ticket bearing the number of the compartment in which his
machine is secured. The ticket is then put back into the apparatus, as the ticket
box contains only one ticket in order to prevent fraud. If it happen that a ticket
should be mislaid, the color or number of it is changed.
This overcomes all attempt at robbery or fraud; and constitutes the most
important feature of the invention.
This ticket is preferably made of pasteboard or of metal in a case in which may
be introduced a very thin leaf of paper folded to the dimensions of the case; this

page_text: leaflet of paper will contain notices and references useful to cyclists and other
people according to the destination for which the ticket has been delivered, that
is to say:
A. indications as to the roads bordering the places provided with my apparatus
which are suitable for cycling.
B indications of the hotels of the country and the clubs' headquarters.
C indications where the improved stands may be found.
D advertisemeut of specialities of houses supplied with this apparatus.
E references for the conveyance of cycles by rail &c.
F references concerning the establishments, museums, theatres, exhibitions
etcetera, where the ticket is to be delivered.
In the accompanying drawings Sheets 1, 2, 3 and 4 show clearly the various
applications of this invention.
Fig. 3, Sheet 1, shows a wooden frame, stand or rack provided with safety
locks W having automatically closing jaws.
Fig. 1, Sheet 2, is an elevation of the same showing the wheel of a cycle gripped
in the rack. The wheel introduced into the rack must ride over a cross-piece 1
having a segmental section so that when reaching the top of the cross-piece, the
wheel will run down the other side and enter the jaws CC (indicated by dots) an
bumping against the back parts B B of same will cause them to close automatically
without the aid of any intermediate movements. These parts B B of the jaws are
thus pushed into the position shown in full lines, whilst the jaws C C also take
the position indicated in full lines. The tyre D and rim E of the wheel are thus
perfectly embraced and the cycle is supported without the aid of claws or wood-
work. By the closing of the jaws a sliding plate F mounted near the pivots His
pushed to the right by the hinged part G. In this position a slot I in said plate
registers with an opening of a box containing a ticket J, and allows the latter to
escape through the opening and to fall by its own weight on to a tray M (Figure 1).
At the same time a spring bolt K engages in an opening L in the slide F, and thus
locks the gripper or jaws C C so as to make it impossible for same to be opened
without a key. To open the gripper without spoiling the enamel on the wheel
rim, a push Ñ is provided which may be moved as soon as the bolt K is disengaged
from the entrance L of the slide F by means of the key. The parts of the jaws
in contact with the rim of the wheel may be covered with a soft material such
as, cloth, caoutchouc, leather, or the like. The jaws are kept open by small
pawls OO provided with springs PP, which pawls engage in notches R R formed in
the jaws. This system of gripping jaws which are normally open and cannot be closed
except by a violent bump from the wheel of the cycle, has the advantage of
preventing people tampering with them, as they might do if the jaws were free, in
which case the cyclist would bump his cycle against the jaws when closed and
would require the key to open them again before he could insert his cycle. The
jaws are pivoted on the axes S S, in the centre of which axes screws T for fittings
are placed having unslit heads so as to prevent their being taken out. These
screws secure the lid which carries the ticket box V as well as the locking bolt K
and the pin V1 for guiding the key.
Description of the movement of the spring bolt is unnecessary as it is an
unpickable lock of any known construction.
The box W contains the whole mechanism and is fixed to the upper cross-piece Z
by wood or metal screws, according to the material employed inserted from the
inside of the box, to prevent its being taken to pieces. Uprights X X are fixed.
to the upper and lower parts of the frame, the number of these depending on the
number of machines to be held by one rack. The cycles may also be placed
alternatively on both sides of the rack to enable more machines to be inserted.
This system of automatic grippers may be applied to walls, the exterior of private
houses or in halls or lobbies. The system would then be supported on pivot
brackets as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 12, so as to take any desired position to
keep the cycle out of the way.

page_text: The bracket a may be placed either on the wall, or screwed against a door, or on
a board similar to the upright pieces Z of the rack.
When the device is to be placed on an outside wall, the box W may be secured
in the bracket a by means of a padlock placed through the hole of a shank b,
Figure 4, attached to the box, whereby the device may be taken off on unlocking
the padlock. As the distribution of tickets is useless in those cases where the
devices are placed in private houses, the ticket box is in such cases dispensed with
as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 12.
The locking of the gripper may be effected directly in the lid of the box, as
shown in Figures 5 and 12, (Sheets II and IV).
The locking movement shown in Figure 12 is arranged as follows:-
A plate having a large slot cut in it is pivoted to the box at j and is formed
with one or more notches in one edge of its slot. The jaws carry a stop k which
works in the slot of the plate i and is adapted to be engaged and locked by said
notch or notches when the jaws of the gripper are closed. A key is then necessary
to move the plate i in order to disengage the stop k from the notch so as to
perinit of the jaws opening. After moving the plate i, the key meets an edge or
lug on the slider g and on being still further turned moves the slider and opens
the jaws which are then kept open by the pawls m m which engage in the notches n n
of the jaws o o.
Four arrangements of cages built in metal so as to contain a great number of
cycles are shown in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 13.
The Figures 6 and 7 show a stand or rack of cylindrical form arranged to
receive machines all round radially to its centre.
An entrance A, B, C, D, is left between the upper and lower cross-pieces to
permit of a person entering and leaving the stand in order to take the safety ticket
and to release the cycles. With this system of rack, there is sufficient space for
the handle bars and there is therefore no fear of damage to the cycles as with the
old form of rack.
By this improved system of cycle rack with locking jaws, the machine may be
placed on the two wheels as at A (Figures 6 and 7) or on one wheel only, the
other being kept in the nipper as shown at B. In the first case the apparatas is
built to the height of the centre of the wheel, as shown by the drawing in full
lines; if a wheel is placed on end as shown at B, the height of the stand would be
increased sufficiently to allow the upper wheel to engage itself in the gripper of
the box W, as shown in dotted lines. This cylindrical arrangement of stand shown
in Figure 6 or a straight arrangement as shown in Figure 9 may be placed on
public roads, in halls, circuses, etcetera. The case shown in Figure 9 is particularly
applicable for the packing of cycles in railway vans either at the sides or at the
end of the van.
By arranging this apparatus in the way described so as to receive the machines
on end and by the means for turning the handle bars shown in Figures 10 and 11
which will be hereinafter described, a great number of cycles may be packed in a
very limited space as shown in Figure 9, indeel 25 cycles with the movable handle
bars of this system could be be packed in the space hitherto required by 8 cycles
with fixed handle bars.
By this new system the placing of machines in, vans can be instantaneously
effected with safety and the cycle can be removed without damage to its owner.
With an ordinary system of handle bars one can arrange the wheels alternately
one on top of the other, so that the handles will not be entangled and the insertion
of the cycle in the rack will be easy. The grippers and floor bars may also be
arranged alternately in two levels so that the handle bars will be at different
heights and lie one above the other. The cycles can be transported in an
exceedingly practical manner. The traveller will take in addition to his travelling
ticket a ticket for the cycle of uniform rate on which the clerk will write down the
destination. This ticket will be given to the guard who will see that he has a
cycle to deliver at the station named, and the machine will be placed in the rack.

page_text: A ticket or the like is also given to the traveller to enable him to claim his
cycle when he reaches his destination. If the traveller does not go with his
niachine, the ticket will bear also the word "Depôt" and the number of the
machine so that the cyclist may get his machine at the depôt. The application of
this system can be made equally well in luggage rooms of stations where there is
always want of room. All kinds of packing is thus dispensed with and a cycle will
be better protected in the rack than it was when packed up.
By this innovation much valuable time will be spared both to the traveller and
to the staff of the station as the traveller will put his machine himself in the van.
Figures 10 and 11 (Sheet 4) show the means designed in order to enable a great
number of cycles to be arranged in a very limited space by the position given to
the handle bars which can be pluced parallel to the wheels, if necessary the handles
can also be put down which facilitates the conveyance of the machines by railway
and prevents them being destroyed or spoiled as before stated by all the handles
becoming entangled. The changing of the handle bars can
instantaneously and may be done whilst walking without affecting the stability of
the same in all positions.
be effected
As will be seen from the drawings the part o of the handle bar is adapted
to be engaged over the upright steering tube p on which are soldered one or
more ribs q.
The socket O is provided with four slots to receive the ribs 9 whereby it may be
set at 90 or 180 degrees to its normal position. If the handle bar is to be placed
parallel to the two wheels it is given a quarter turn and if the curve of the
handles is to be reversed to effect a change of the height of support it is given a
half. turn.
To adjust the handle as above it is necessary to take out the screw r giving it a
few turns as it is screwed in the ring S brazed to tlie tube O. This ring has
a small eye in which is engaged the end of a spiral spring, the other end of which
is fixed under the fork so as to keep the slots of the socket O against the ribs q.
To strengthen the slotted tube or socket a ring is rivetted or brazed at its lower
part to cover the slots and the ribs. The same result may be attained by ferruling
the ribs and notches in the tubes so as to avoid the ring 9. The tube o may also
be placed inside the steering tube p instead of outside. To strengthen the handle
bar at the point where the hole is provided for the locking pin or screw r, a ring w
is brazed in the tube v aud the piu passes through this ring.
In the case of a cycle with the handle bar fixed to the steering tube, the
connection will be made by a winged screw r as shown by Figure 10 so as to make
it easier to take the bar off quickly. In this way the other cycles placed in its
neighbourhood are not damaged by the handles getting entangled.
Figure 13 shows the cycle in position in the van. As will be seen the apparatus
is much simpler, the grippers W being placed on an irou rail 2 fixed to the sides of
As soon as the wheel is introduced in the gripper, a ticket falls onto the
tray 3 and is handed to the traveller.
the van.
To disengage easily the cycle, a bracket 4 is fixed at the top of the van to carry
a lever 5, to one of the extremities of which is connected a rod or link in
connection with the locking bolt of the gripper and to the other end of which lever
is placed a handle 7 on which is fixed a plate 8 bearing the number of the
compartment in which the cycle is inserted. To the floor of the van is fixed a
cross-piece 9 stopping the back wheel which is also engaged in a fork 10 so as to
keep the cycle vertical.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the saine is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is-
1. An improved cycle stand or rack having a safety lock adapted to be
automatically actuated upon any part of a cycle being inserted in it substantially
as described.

page_text: 2. The system of gripping boxes mounted on pivots or hinged to allow the cycle
to take any desired position in whatever place where the herein described system of
cycle stand is applied, substantially as described.
3. The method of automatically distributing checks or tickets in cycle stands by
the simple insertion of a cycle in the cycle stand or rack, said ticket bearing the
number of the compartment, substantially as described.
4. The new application to cycle stands of cased-tickets containing useful notices
for people to whom the tickets are delivered on a cycle being stored before
they enter a circus, exhibition, museum, station, or other public place, substantially
as described.
5. The application to railway vans of the system of cycle stand with safety lock
adapted to issue checks or tickets bearing the number of the compartment or rack,
substantially as described.
6. The improved system of metal stands or racks for cycles for use in the street
and in railway vans and luggage rooms substantially as described with reference to
Sheets I II III and IV of the accompanying drawings.
7. The arrangement whereby the handle bars of cycles may be placed parallel
to the cycle wheels, whereby a greater number of machines may be stored on
a given space without damaging them, substantially as described.
8. The improved cycle lock for securing a machine against theft or damage
consisting of a pair of hinged jaws suitably supported and adapted to receive the
tyre and rim of the cycle wheel and to close automatically thereon on the wheel
being pushed into them, said jaws having means for holding them normally in an
open position and means whereby they are automatically locked when closed,
substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of May 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.