An Improved Housing or Cabinet for Bicycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: An Improved Housing or Cabinet for Bicycles.
We, WILLIAM HENRY TIMMS and GEORGE WEBB, both of Chiswell House, Fins-
bury Pavement, in the County of London, Furniture Designers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to cabinets or "fitments" adapted for the reception and
protection of bicycles and their appurtenances; the combination being of such a
character as to lend itself to artistic treatment and to be suitable for use in the
halls or even sitting rooms of dwelling-houses.
According to one mode of carrying out our invention, the form and dimensions
of the cabinet are such as to admit an ordinary bicycle placed on end, that is to say
with one wheel above the other. The major portion of the front may be open,
except for a curtain, whilst the handle-bar and seat occupy a dwarfed portion to-
wards one side closed by a door. The opening of the door may be arranged to effect
the withdrawal of the curtain. The bicycle is introduced from the front and is
suspended within the cabinet by one of the wheels, preferably the front wheel, or
by the wheel-fork, from a hook; the cabinet being closed by a door or doors or by
curtains. If preferred, both sides of the cabinet may be made to correspond out-
wardly; the spaces being arranged or fitted for the reception of bicycle accessories,
or of coats or other wearing apparel. Provision may also be made for the utiliza-
tion of the cabinet as a hat and umbrella stand.
The
According to an alternative mode of construction, the bicycle is introduced from
the side and suspended as previously described; the cabinet being closed by a
suitably formed door. A guide such as a metal bar or rail may be placed near
the floor of the cabinet for preventing lateral displacement of the machine.
hook from which the bicycle is suspended may be fixed, in which case it is
preferably arranged so that the axial centre line of the wheels is maintained approxi-
mately vertical; or the hook may be arranged to slide or run on a bar or rail inside
the cabinet. The sides may be rendered useful for the reception of hats and
umbrellas, and the available spaces in the construction of the cabinet be arranged
to serve for either decorative or useful purposes as may be required. A calendar
may be provided on the face of the cabinet with spaces for recording the various
runs accomplished.
The cabinet may be arranged for enclosing a bicycle of the tandem type, or,
desired, it may be constructed to enclose two or more machines.
if
Instead of suspending the machine from a hook which engages the rim of the
wheel, a bifurcated holder may be employed, whereby the machine may be sus-
pended from the fork of the frame or from the spindle or hub of the wheel.
Tth
1907

page_text: inserting the machine which is accomplished by suspending the front wheel from
the hook g, the operator meanwhile holding the cord g², and then directing the
back-wheel in the guide h. By then gently pushing and hauling, the machine will
be housed in position; the cord g² being made fast by means of the cleat g³.
The sides or ends of the cabinet may be rendered useful for the reception of hats
and umbrellas, and the available spaces in the construction of the cabinet be
arranged to serve for either decorative or useful purposes as may be required. For
instance, the parts C may serve as a cupboard for the reception of bicycle accessories.
A calendar may be provided in a suitable position on the face of the cabinet with
spaces for recording the various rups accomplished.
The cabinets herein described and illustrated are adapted for the reception of a
single machine; but they may be arranged for enclosing a bicycle of the tandem
type, or, if desired, they may be constructed to enclose two or more machines.
Instead of suspending the machine from a hook which engages the rim of the
wheel, as above described, a bifurcated holder may be employed, whereby the
machine may be suspended from the fork of the frame or from the spindle or hub
of the wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we claim :—
1. A cabinet for bicycles constructed substantially as herein described and
adapted for the reception of the machine reared on end.
2. The improved bicycle-cabinet arranged substantially as described with refer-
ence to Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings, and designed to admit the
machine from the front, the major portion of the opening being covered by a
curtain.
3. The improved bicycle-cabinet arranged substantially as described with refer-
ence to Figs. 7 to 9 of the accompanying drawings, and designed to admit the
machine from one end, the opening being covered by a door.
4. In a bicycle-cabinet of the kind illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying
drawings, and in which the opening is covered partly by a door and partly by a
curtain, arranging the curtain to be drawn to-and-fro as the door is closed" or
opened, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 17th day of November 1897.