Improved Mudguard for Cycles or other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left 22nd July 1896-Accented. 12th Sept. 1896
Improved Mudguard for Cycles or other Vehicles.
WALTER NICHOLLS 200 Arthur Street Small Heath, Birmingham Coffin
Furniture Manufacturers' Manager do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
I take a piece of round or other shaped case, of any metal, of about the required
length, having a portion cut out leaving a space nearly the full length of tube or
case, I pass through the centre of said tube or case, a spindle of iron, wood or
other suitable substance, which is fitted into a hole in the cover made to fit each
end of tube or case, the holes in both ends of case to be of a size that will allow
the spindle to revolve freely, & yet not allow it to fall out, to the said spindle is
fixed a piece of waterproof cloth or other suitable material, of sufficient length and
breadth, to suit requirements.
Fitted to the spindle and case, near the end of said case is a spring or springs
coiled or spiral, inside, and fixed in, in such a manner, that if the end of the cloth
is pulled, the spring or springs will be coiled up tightly, and when the cloth is
released, the spring or springs will open and cause the spindle to revolve and the
cloth will wrap or roll round the spindle inside the tube or case and thus be out of
sight.
I purpose causing the metal to project somewhat under the space, in tube or case
through which the cloth or other material is drawn which acts as mudguard, so
that if the mudguard bas mud upon it, the projecting metal on case will scrape it
off as it is drawn through the space into the case.
It will be seen from above explanations that what I claim is a mudguard,
contained in a case that need not be detached, when not in actual use, but is
allways on cycle or other vehicle ready to be drawn out of case & fixed easily in
position by the end of cloth or other material being attached to folding or
stationary projections or arms.
The case containing the mudguard is fitted in a suitable place on the cycle or
other vehicle by the aid of steel clasps or in any other manner that may be
beneficial..
Dated this 28th day of March 1896.
WALTER NICHOLLS.
I, WALTER NICHOLLS, Works Manager, of Gladys Villa, Gladys Road, Hay
5 Mills, late of 200, Arthur Street, Small Heath, in the City of Birmingham, 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 :-
My invention has reference to an improved form of mud-guard for attachment

page_text: to cycles and other vehicles, the object being to produce a guard which can be
conveniently carried upon the machine without being extended, when so required,
and which is capable of easy manipulation for bringing it into action to cover or
protect the wheels.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings
Figure 1 is a part sectional plan and part plan of my mud-guard; Figure 2 is a
side elevation of the same;
Figure 3 a plan of another portion of my mud-guard when closed; and Figure 4
the side elevation of the same.
Figures 5 and 6 show my mud-guard applied to a safety bicycle.
In carrying my invention into effect I mount a case cylinder, or tube A. upon a
bracket or clip B B having the rods or clips B carrying also another cylinder C
thereon, the rods provided with nuts D to tighten the two outer peripheries of the
cylinders C and A against the rod or backstay E. 1 mount within my cases or
cylinders a spindle tube or barrel F connected to a spiral spring G, which spiral
spring is made fast to the fixed cap or end H of the cylinder, so that when the tube
or barrel or spindle F is rotated, the spiral spring is coiled, and by its torsional
strain serves to keep the pull tight on the material K which is unwound from the
cylinder or barrel.
Around the cylinder, barrel or spindle H I wind a strip of water-proof cloth K,
or other suitable material of sufficient length and width to pass from the backstay E
to the front fork L, the end of the strip having a hook eye or clip k to engage
with or fasten on to the stay L or on to an eye or other ring-like attachment upon
the rod or tube L. The mud-guard thus has one strip K which passes from the
back of the front wheel to cover also the front of the back wheel, the coiling case
or cylinder being placed as shown in Figure 5 on the machine, made in the
form shown in Figures 3 and 4; or placed on the back fork as shown in
Figure 6.
I employ a separate coiling case C for covering the back wheel, the strip K
being held at the outer end by an arm N or arms carried from a boss or bosses
from the case, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6. I bend the rod or rods
sometimes to suit the curvature of the wheel.
"I may make the arms to be detachable from the cylinders so that when the
mud-guard is not in use the machine has nothing projecting over the wheel.
I carry the arm or arms N upon clips or supports placed upon any suitable portion
of the machine.
I modify the form of attachment or clasps or clips for securing the spring cases
to the machine, and I vary the size of the opening or slot in the cases for the strip
to pass through to suit the material employed, sometimes placing a bib-like
projection upon the mouth of the opening to act as a scraper when the mud-guard
is being coiled into the case after it has been in use.
I sometimes construct a simple mud-guard without an automatic coiling device,
by omitting the spring and by fixing the spindle so that a lever or handle may
turn the spindle to coil and uncoil the covering.
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. The combination of a spiral spring with a strip or strips of material to form
a mud-guard, so that the material may be coiled or uncoiled from its case or
chamber substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The improvements in mud-guards for cycles and other vehicles substantially
as and for the purposes herein before described.
3. The construction and arrangement of a spring box or chamber having a guard
or strip of material within, which case or chamber is capable of being readily

page_text: attached to the framework of the cycle or other vehicle substantially as herein-
before described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of July 1896
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.