Improvements in and connected with Locking Apparatus for Cycles and like Vehicles, and in Means for Fixing same thereto.
Year: 1896

page_text: Pate of Application, 9th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Locking Apparatus for Cycles
and like Vehicles, and in Means for Fixing same thereto.
We, ARTHUR HENRY DICKINSON, of 216, Malpas Road, Brockley, in the
County of Kent, Ironmonger, and HENRY JAMES FISHER, of 102, Shooter's Hill
Road, Blackheath, in the County of Kent, 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:-
Our present invention relates to certain important improvements in or connected
with locking apparatus for cycles and like vehicles such as is referred to in our
prior Patent No. 8830, A.D. 1896, and the purposes of our said improvements are
first, to improve and strengthen the locking apparatus and to render picking or
forcing impossible; and second, to provide better kinds of clips for securing the
lock casing to the stay tubes which are applicable to all kinds and sizes of cycle
frame tubes without drilling or alteration, and whereby the lock can be readily
attached to and removed from the stay tubes, but only when the locking bolt is
retracted; and generally to render the whole appliance thoroughly secure against
fraudulent operation or removal.
These improvements we will describe in reference to the drawings.
Figs. 1 and 2 are internal elevations showing the improved locking arrangements,
and Fig. 3 shows the new securing screw bolt;
Figs. 4 and 5 are internal views of a new and alternative arrangement of locking
bolt and lock respectively showing the bolt withdrawn and shot;
Figs. 6 and 7 are internal end views showing the lock levers hereinafter
explained;
Figs. 8 and 9 are cross sections of two alternative arrangements of our improved
fixing clips with the lock casings secured thereto; and
Figs. 10 and 11 show details hereinafter referred to.
Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2: Within a neat and shallow casing A made
preferably of nickelled metal or aluminium is placed the locking bolt B the inner
end of which may conveniently be formed as shown. The bolt is constantly
pressed inwardly by the spring b, but may be shot by hand by the knob C which
projects through the case A as originally described and as now shown in Figs. 8
and 9. When moved forward the bolt B is engaged and held forward by the
catch L which is then pressed up by its compressed spring 1, the catch and tumblers
are arranged substantially as described in our prior patent above cited, or indeed
in any convenient manner, but such that the catch can only be withdrawn from its
engagement with the bolt B by a special key when inserted at the keyhole K, and
then the bolt is withdrawn by the force of the (then compressed) spring b. The
catch L has according to our improvements a flat or square side at 13 for a purpose
hereinafter explained. R is the screw bolt for securing the lock casing A to the
clips M which encircle the stay tubes T T below referred to. It passes through
the casing as in our prior patent, but according to our present improvements we
form up on it a square at r and a circular recess at 1, Fig. 3 to admit of rotary
motion. The object of the square part r on the screw R is as follows.. It will be
seen that this comes within the casing A, and when the bolt B is retracted as in
Fig. 1, the square r is clear of all parts and the screw R can be turned, and the
whole removed if desired; but when the bolt B is shot as in Fig. 2, the side.

page_text: of the upraised tumbler L comes against one side of the square r of bolt R,
and therefore the screw R cannot be turned or moved in any way until the
bolt B has been retracted, and since this can only be effected by a special key
as originally described, it will be obvious that perfect security against fraudulent
removal of the lock is assured. Adjacent to the square within the case we
provide a vertical guard plate O which gives great vertical strength to the
middle part of the lock case, preventing bending and still further obviating
removal of the holding bolt R even if great force be applied in attempting to
unscrew it.
To still further strengthen the fastening we may in some cases provide the
auxiliary, internal lever H centred at h on the lock case and having a pin and slot
connection at its end with the bolt B. When the bolt B is retracted by its
spring as in Fig. 1, the lever H lies in the position therein shown, but when the
bolt is shot by operation of the knob C as in Fig. 2, then the end ² of lever H
engages the flat of the spring catch L and serves to relieve strain upon the centre
pin of the spring catch L and to augment the strength of the whole appliance
as will be readily understood on examination of the figures. The appliance can
thus only be removed when unlocked, and is absolutely secure against removal
when locked.
Referring next to the improved construction of lock shown in Figs. 4 to 7.
The object of the form adopted is, first, by providing more levers to give greater
scope for permutations of keys and less liability to one key fitting any other lock;
and second, to make the bolt B itself engage the square on the securing bolt R
and prevent its being turned when the bolt is shot and the machine locked as above
described. The bolt B is made of the form shown with an angled or extension B¹
to which any convenient number of spring-pressed lock levers L are pivotted at / so
as to move with the bolt B; the levers L'are of shapes such as are shown in Figs. 6
and 7, each differing to accommodate different keys. When the bolt is retracted
as in Fig. 4, the nutched ends are held up by and rest on a shelf a' fixed within
the casing A. When the bolt is shot forward by mechanism, such as we have fully
described in our original patent, all these levers L move forward with it and clear
the shelf a taking the position shown in Figs. 5 and 7, i.e. behind its inner end, so
that the bolt cannot be forced back and can only be retracted by use of its special
key. In this position the right angle 6' of the bolt B engages the square r of the
bolt R as will be seen in Fig. 5, thereby preventing its being turned or moved
whilst the bolt remains shot. The key hole K is formed at the end of the casing,
and the wards of the key are such as to raise all the levers L until they clear the
shelf a', and then the bolt B is retracted by its spring 6, leaving the square r clear
so that the screw bolt may then be turned if desired.
We have not in these figures shown any of the lock mechanism beyond that
which is new, since what we have already otherwise described is applicable.
The spacing apart of the lower rear frame tubes varies somewhat in different
machines; we have therefore devised the forms of clips illustrated in cross section
in Figs. 8 and 9.
Our improved clips are made in two parts M M of resilient metal straps and
bent to encircle in some degree the lower part of each stay tube TT. The end
parts mare carried up with an inward incline as shown which gives an outward
spring, and each has either one large hole m', Fig. 10, or two smaller holes m', m',
Fig. 11, formed in it adapted to fit over an upwardly projecting continuous or
interrupted ledge a formed on each end of the casing A and to grip by outward
pressure and hold same securely. In one arrangement the inner and lower end of
each clip M is curved upwardly as shown in Fig. 8 and fitted with a collar m² fitted
and fixed in a square hole cut therein, and such collar m² has an internally threaded
circular hole.
In the arrangement of Fig. 8 the lock case has two securing screwed bolts R R
constructed as above described, and to fix the appliance the spring clips M M are first
placed around the tubes T T, and the projections a a of the casing A passed

page_text: through the openings m³ m', then the screw bolts RR are inserted through the
holes of the lock case and screwed tightly up into the collars m² m², thus drawing
up the clips tightly around the tubes T T and tightening the grip of the ends of
the clips inside the ledges a a; the nut is then screwed up under collar m².
In the alternative arrangement shown in Fig. 9, the clip is also made in two.
separately similar parts M M, and each is flanged up inwardly at m m, and they
are connected through similar collars m² by one right and left hand adjusting
screw m having a centre boss or nut m³ with a screwed hole through it. After the
bi-part clip M M is applied to the tubes T T as above described, the casing A is
placed in position, the ends m of the clip are passed over ledges a of lock casing A,
and the clip is then tightened by screwing up the double handed screw m³; the
bolt R is then screwed into the boss m³.
In both the cases above referred to, the tension upon the clip M serves to draw
its ends inside the ledges a so that it cannot slip off the casing, and thus the lock is
securely held. When the bolt B is retracted, that is, when the lock is not in use,
the bolt R can be unscrewed and the lock detached, but when bolt B is shot and
the lock in use, the bolt R cannot be unscrewed and therefore the lock cannot be
detached.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In locking apparatus for the purpose above referred to, the improved means-
for preventing turning of the screw bolt R securing the lock casing to the fixing
clip when the bolt is shot, but releasing same when the bolt is retracted, consisting
of a square portion formed on the said screw bolt within the lock casing and
adapted to engage with a flat portion formed on the spring catch when its position
is changed on shooting the bolt, substantially as above described and illustrated in
the drawings.
2. The use in combination with the safety arrangement referred to in the
preceding claim of the supplementary locking lever H arranged and operating
substantially as described in reference to and shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
3. The combination of parts forming our improved locking apparatus arranged
and adapted to operate substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2
and 3.
4. The improved arrangement of multiple lever sliding lock mechanism described
in reference to Figs. 4 to 7, in which the bolt B is angled and formed as set forth
above so as when shot to directly engage and prevent turaing of the securing.
screw bolt R, but when retracted to free the same, all constructed and operating
substantially as above described and illustrated.
5. The construction and use for the purpose above set forth of a two-part clip
such as is described in reference to Fig. 8 wherein each part is formed as shown
and after being placed in position as described is tightened up and the whole
secured by an independent screw bolt passing through the lock casing and through
its inner end, substantially as described and illustrated.
6. The construction and use for the purpose above set forth of a two-part clip
such as is described in reference to Fig. 9 wherein both parts after being placed in
position are adjusted by the double ended screw m' and the whole secured by one
screw bolt passing through the lock casing, and a boss upon adjusting screw,
substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 9th day of December 1896