Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for the Storage and Transport of Cycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Loft 24th July 1897-Accepted 23rd Oct. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for the Storage and
Transport of Cycles.
I, GEORGE HERBERT HEAD, of Christ Church Vicarage, Hampstead Heath, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to apparatus for the storage and transport of cycles, its
object being to enable a number of cycles to be conveniently stored, or transported
by a rail or a road vehicle, in a device by which stowage space is economised. This
economy of space is obtained because the apparatus is so constructed that the bicyles
received in it have their handle-bars out of line with each other, and therefore the
distance apart of adjacent machines can be made considerably less than the length
of the handle-bars.
Such a device according to this invention may comprise a series of segmental
troughs attached or attachable to any convenient support, each trough being so
shaped as to receive and retain one or more of the wheels of a cycle in such a manner
as to keep the machine in a vertical plane. The individual troughs of the series are
preferably disposed approximately parallel to each other and wholly or in part at
different heights from the ground, the object of thus disposing them being to ensure
that the handle-bars of the different machines received in the troughs shall be out of
line with each other for econonising space as aforesaid, whether the rear or front
wheel or both wheels of each cycle be placed in the trough.
In combination with each trough it is preferred to employ additional supports for
the machines to prevent the possibility of accidental subjection of any machine to
lateral stress which would tend to rack or twist the frame or wheels, or cause it to
collide with adjacent machines; such additional support may consist of a sling or the
like dependent from above the machine, or a crutch or strut extending up from the
floor. These devices would be suitably shaped to engage with any desired part of
the machine so as either to suspend it, or keep it upright, and preferably should be
hinged or fitted into sockets or otherwise so arranged as to fold up or down, or to
unscrew or to be otherwise removable.
As an alternative to the troughs hereinbefore referred to, any holders structures or
devices of wood, metal or other material may be employed which will afford equivalent
support to the wheels or other parts of the different machines in such a manner as to
bring adjacent handle-bars out of line. For example an alternative construction
according to this invention may comprise a platform or floor or wall with depressions
therein at suitable intervals or with alternate elevations and depressions or a series of
steps the width of each of which need be only a fraction of the maximum width of a
inachine; for instance each could be of a width a little in excess of the extreme
width across the pedals. In proximity to this platform are pendants or struts as
aforesaid or holders for the wheels of the machines; such holders may consist of pairs
of semi-circular or quadrantal supports, in which the rear wheel of the machine can
be inserted and retained. The cycles are placed on the elevations or steps of the

page_text: platform and in the depressions if any and thus the handle bars are out of line, the
machines having their handle-bars at different levels. Such a platform and its
appurtenances could be readily formed in or applied to a railway or road van for
instance.
A further alternative construction, according to this invention, is one in which a
platform, circular, and arranged to rotate about a vertical axis, is provided with
supports for a series of machines, which would be placed upon it with the handle-bars
outward. This circular platform might, if desired, have elevations troughs or steps
thereon or depressions therein, and supports such as have herein before been referred
to, except that the machines would preferably be radially or tangentially disposed
instead of being placed parallel to each other.
Slopes or inclines may be provided on or near the said platform or any of the
devices hereinbefore referred to to facilitate the placing of the cycles in the
apparatus.
Where apparatus according to this invention is employed in railway vehicles it is
convenient to be able to suit the storage capacity of the vehicle to the variations in
cycle traffic at different seasons of the year; for this purpose the platform or wall or
the like to which the troughs or other supports are secured can be made in sections
provided with means for readily securing them in place, whereby the number of
sections in a van or the like can be increased or reduced from time to time as may
be necessary.
Dated this 26th day of October 1896
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for the Storage and
Transport of Cycles.
I, GEORGE HERBERT HEAD, of Christchurch Vicarage, Hampstead Heath, in the
County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the storage and transport of Cycles, its
object being to enable a number of Cycles to be conveniently stored or transported in
rail or road vehicles, by means of devices which economise storage space and hold the
Cycles in a firm and rigid manner.
The devices I employ for this purpose consist firstly of a series of troughs adapted
to embrace a segment of the wheel and a series of slings adapted to engage with any
suitable part of the machine but preferably adapted to engage the handle bar at its
middle part or with the back portion of the saddle, according as the back or front
wheel is placed in the trough.
The troughs are so arranged that alternate troughs are at slightly different heights
from the floor of the van, so that the handle bars of adjacent machines lie in different
planes, and the slings are pendant from a rod near the roof of the vehicle. Both
these supporting devices namely the troughs and slings are hinged as hereinafter
described so that they can be folded up out of the way when not in use and are also
readily removable. And the slings may be adjusted so as to be at any suitable height
from the ground as will hereafter appear. In order that this my invention may be
more clearly understood I shall refer to the drawings attached hereto, and although I

page_text: have shewn an arrangement
which the Cycles are disposed longitudinally
may
preferred arrange the devices so that the Cycles are disposed transversely in the van.
In the Drawings:-
Fig. 1. represents a longitudinal section of a van with my devices in position.
Fig. 2. shews a transverse section of the same.
Fig. 3. is a plan of one of the troughs.
Fig. 4. is a detail view of part of a sling.
I shall describe my invention as fitted to one end of a van but I wish it to be
clearly understood that the devices may he fitted to one or both ends or alternatively
to the side of a van, or may be fitted in a room or shed where Cycles are to be stored.
(1.) represents the troughs made according to my invention to embrace a segment
of one wheel of a Cycle and this may be either the back or the front wheel as
preferred.
These troughs are alternately arranged slightly above and below a mean level, one
of the raised troughs being shewn in dotted lines. The troughs being carried
alternately by the horizontal bars (2) fixed in proximity to the end of the van.
The troughs are mounted so that they can be readily removed, the slots (3) being
arranged to permit the bar (2) to pass through. It will be seen that there are two
bars (2) disposed near the floor and two other bars (2) disposed half way up the end
of the van and troughs (1) when hooked over these upper bars (2) will serve to
support a series of Cycles near the roof and above the Cycles which are disposed near
the floor.
The troughs (1) support the wheels by the rounded ends of the slots formed in the
troughs and the wheel is thus held entirely by its tyre so that the same sized trough
will adequately support a 26, 28 or 30 inch wheel.
The troughs are retained in a horizontal position by an iron plate (4) attached to
the end of the van against which a downward extension (5) of the trough (1) bears.
The troughs are preferably free to slide longitudinally on the bars (2) although if
preferred each trough may be mounted on a separate pin instead of several troughs
being mounted on one bar but in any case the troughs should not be able to approach
nearer to one another than 6 or 8 inches, so that if the two rows of troughs are
employed the adjacent troughs in the same bar must not approach nearer than 12
or 16 inches and to this end distance pieces (6) may be employed between the
adjacent troughs as shewn in Fig. 2. The outward end of these troughs are preferably
provided with a sort of lip (7) as shewn in the drawings which serves to guide the
wheel into the trough when the Cycle is being placed in position.
When not in use the troughs can be removed or folded up against the end of the
van and are retained in this position by a catch (8) or pin as shown.
The slings (10) are hung from a bar (11) fixed across the van near the roof. These
slings are formed of two bars (13) and (14) arranged to slide on one another and to
be clamped by the cam-clutch (15) as shewn in Fig. 4. in detail or other similar
device. The upper bar (13) is provided with a hook (12) at its upper end which
embraces the rod (11) and is sufficiently broad to impart lateral rigidity to the sling
and if necessary the mouth of the hook may be closed by one or more holts as shewn
in the drawing, and the same bar (13) is formed at its lower end so as to embrace
the bar (14) and carries the said cam-clutch (15) which enables the bar (14) to be
fixed in any desired position.
The bar (14) is formed at its upper end so as to embrace the bar (13) and carries
both at its lower and upper ends suitably added hooks (16) and (16) which are
adapted to engage with the handle har saddle or other portion of the cycle, it being
understood that if the Cycle is being stored in the upper portion of the van the wheel
will be placed in a trough supported by one of the upper pair of bars (2), and the
handle bars or other portion of the Cycle will be supported by the upper hook (16")
whereas if the Cycle is to be stored near the floor a trough on the lower rods (2) will
be used and the lower hook (16).
It will be understood that the hooks (16") are arranged at one side of the bar (14)
so that the bar may not come in contact with the frame of the Cycle. Instead of

page_text: the upper hooks (16) formed on the bar (14) I may use short and unadjustable
hooks (19) arranged to depend from the bar (11) as shewn in Fig. 2.
By means of the cam-clutch or other adjusting and clamping device the height of
the hooks (16) and (16) can be arranged to suit any particular Cycle and also when
the said slings (10) are not in use they can by releasing the cam-clutch be turned up
and hooked over the bar (18) which is fitted parallel to but a suitable distance away
from the bar (11) and will thus be safely retained in a horizontal position just under
the roof.
The operation of placing a Cycle in position is as follows. The unoccupied trough
nearest the wall is lowered, the wheel inserted, the corresponding sling is unhooked
from the bar (18) and hooked under the handle bar or other suitable portion of
the Cycle and the bar (14) is then raised to the required height and clamped. The
Cycle will then be held quite rigidly and firmly whether stacked in the upper or
lower tier and can be got out without disturbing any neighboring Cycle. The only
fittings which require fixing in the van are the several bars (2), (11) and (18) the
troughs and slings being merely hooked on to them.
When folded up neither the troughs or slings interfere with the luggage
accommodation in the van.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In apparatus for the storage and transport of Cycles the employment of troughs
arranged substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for the storage and transport of Cycles the employment of a sling
adapted to fold up into the roof and provided with hooks substantially as and for the
purposes described.
3. In apparatus for the storage and transport of Cycles the combination of a trough
and sling.
4. The complete trough substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 1 & 3 of
the accompanying drawings.
5. The complete sling substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 4 of the
accompanying drawings.
This 4th day of Inly 1807