Improvements in Cycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
I, GEORG FRIEDRICH JOHANN KONRAD SOHÄFER, of 29 Kronenstrasse,
Hanover, in the German Empire, Mechanician 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 cycles and has for its object the prevention of the theft
of the machine if the rider leaves it for a while without supervision.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I now proceed to
describe the same reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a part sectional view of the handle bar and steering post.
Figures 2 and 3 are views of a device for releasing the brake lever from the
other part of the gear.
I carry out my invention by dividing the handle bar from the post or spindle that
is attached to the fork and thus instead of making it in one piece, the connection
between the two parts is arranged so that it can be easily loosened or made
again.
According to the mode shown in the drawings of carrying out my invention a
square or other equivalently shaped pin z is inserted into the upper part A of the
divided steering post. The end of the pin is tapered wedge like. The shape of
this pin corresponds to the shape of the lining of the steering post B. A sleeve h
is fastened to the steering post. A bolt is inserted into and is guided by the
sleeve and a spiral springs is placed around the said bolt. One end of the spiral
spring & presses against the bottom of a cap k screwed to the sleeve, and the other
end presses against a pin passed through the bolt. A ball shaped projection lis
arranged on the end of the bolt extending beyond the sleeve in order to facilitate
the handling of the bolt.
When the cycle is in a ridable condition the pointed end of the bolt / which is
pressed forwards by the pressure of the spiral spring enters into a recess of the pin
or shank and thus connects the two parts of the guiding bar so that they turn
together. When the rider dismounts and has to leave his machine for some time
without supervision he protects himself against the use of his machine by some
unauthorized person by disconnecting the upper part of the guiding rod with the
handle bar from steering post attached to the wheel and taking the same with him.
In order to disconnect the same it is only necessary to draw the bolt out of the
sleeve so far that the pointed end of the bolt becomes disengaged from the recess.
When he wishes to make the machine ridable again he has only to insert into and
push down the upper part of the guiding rod into the steering post. The wedge face
of the bolt now strikes against the pointed end of the bolt and presses the same
back, and when the pin z descends further in the steering post, it enters into the
recess again.
If the lever of the hand brake is hinged to the handle bar the hinge pin f, according
to Figure 2, is elongated to form a bolt f¹ which, in the manner described is
inserted into a sleeve provided with a cap k and is furnished with a spiral spring s'.
The binge is loosened by the withdrawal of the bolt f. In order that the bolt
shall remain in the withdrawn position, it may be provided with a longitudinal rib
which corresponds with the recess in the cap. The bolt, after having been with-
drawn to some extent, must be somewhat rotated so that the rib is placed over the
non-recessed part of the cap see Figure 3.

page_text: 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:
1st. A cycle in which the guiding rod or bar is divided into two easily connected
parts in order to allow the rider to prevent the illicit use of the machine by readily
disconnecting the upper part of the guiding bar from the machine substantially as
described.
2nd. The construction and arrangement of a handle bar and steering post and
accessories substantially as described and illustrated in and by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 17th day of 1000
FELL & JAMES,
Agents for the Applicant.