Improvements in Mud Guards for Velocipedes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1897-Accepted, 17th July, 1897
[Communicated from abroad by THE CHICAGO BICYCLE MUD GUARD COMPANY of
Chicago, County of Cook, and State of Illinois, United States of America.]
Improvements in Mud Guards for Velocipedes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:—
The invention relates to that class of devices usually secured to some part of
the velocipede frame and held in a suspended position over the wheel so as to
arrest the flying particles of mud and dirt, and the invention has for its primary
object to provide an improved and simple construction of mud guard which
shall be capable of folding into a compact form when not in use.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mud guard which shall be capable
of rolling up into a small compass while on the machine and be in readiness for
immediate use when desired.
Other objects of the invention are to provide improved means for the attachment
of the mud guard to the velocipede frame whereby it will move in unison with the
steering wheel and thus always be in position to arrest the mud.
With these ends in view the invention consists in certain features of novelty
in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts by which the said
objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing, are attained, all as fully
described with reference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly
pointed out in the claims.
In the said drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle equipped with the improved mudguard.
Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the guard, partly broken away.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof taken on the line 3-3
Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a view of the rear wheel of a velocipede showing a modification of
the guard by which the wheel is covered on both sides.
Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation of a part of the fork head and the upper
end of the improved guard showing a modification in the means for clamping
the device to the forks.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the clamping device.
Figure 8 is a detail view of the lash or binding wire hereinafter described before
it is bent into the form shown in Figure 7, and
Figure 9 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the form of
guard shown in Figure 5.
Like signs of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.
In carrying out the invention there is employed a cylindrical casing composed
of a barrel I having threaded ends upon which are screwed cap pieces 2-3 and
077

page_text: in which cap pieces are journalled the ends of a hollow roller 4 which is itself
provided with an internal shaft 5. Sleeved upon this shaft 5 is a coil spring 6
whose one end is provided with a projection 7 secured to a hook 8 on the barrel 1
or other part of the casing while the other end of such spring is received by a
suitable socket in the end of the roller 4 as clearly shown at 9 in Figure 4. This
roller 4 is provided with end flanges 10 between which is rolled a flexible guard
or strip 11 composed of rubber, canvas or any other suitable material and passing
out through a longitudinal slot 12 formed in the barrel 1. The inner extremity
of the strip 11 is attached in any suitable way to the roller 4 while its outer
extremity is provided with a cross-bar 13 having a perforated ear 14 in which
engages one extremity of a rib or bar 15 whose other extremity is secured in any
suitable manner to the casing or to some part connected therewith. The normal
tendency of the spring 6 is to wind the guard or strip 11 upon the roller 4 in the
barrel while the rib 15, when in position as shown more clearly in Figures 2
and 3, holds the strip or guard extended and elevated in the proper position over
the wheel, the inertia of the spring 6 serving to maintain the perforated ear over
the reduced end of the rib 15 and also to hold the outer end of the rib 15 in its
socket. This latter socket is preferably formed in a boss or enlargement 16 on a
part of the casting of bracket 17 which holds the barrel 1, and the rib 15 is
preferably composed of a number of short sections having respectively a conical
pin 18 and socket as clearly shown in Figure 3 whereby the rib may be taken
apart and done up in a compact form for carrying in the tool bag or other con-
venient place. The end of the section which enters the socket in the boss 16 is
also preferably conical as shown at 19 so that the end pressure will tend to tighten
The parts when in position and at the same time they may be readily dis-jointed.
In the guard over the rear wheel the sections of the rib 15 are straight while
the one arranged over the front wheel is curved to conform to the wheel, but
either form may be used in either place. When the guard is curved however it
is desirable to arrange the rib 15 on the inner side, the strip 11 being stretched
over it.
The barrel is preferably slotted entirely through one end as shown at 20 so
that when desired the entire strip 11 may be drawn out by removing the
cap 2.
The casing may be secured to the frame of the velocipede by any suitable
clamping device. In Figures 1, 2 and 3 is shown a bracket 17 provided with an
arm 21 at each outer end of which is a clip 22 of proper form for grasping the
bars 23 or forks 24 or for securing the device to any other part of the velocipede
frame.
In the form of the invention shown in Figure 5 the roller 4 is wound with an
additional strip or guard 11 which is carried forwardly between the members 23
of the frame and being provided at its outer end with one of the cross bars 13 and
perforated ears 14, is hooked to a clamp 25 secured on the saddle mast 26 having
a hook or any other suitable attachment for engagement with the perforated
ear 14 shown in Figure 3, thus providing the rear wheel with a guard on both
sides. The strip 11 is provided at its ends contiguous to the roller 4 with a
slot or opening 27 so that it may be passed over the boss 16 before the rib 15 is
put into place.
In Figures 6, 7 and 8 is illustrated a modified form of clamp or device for
securing the guard to the frame of the velocipede, and particularly to the front
forks. This consists of a T-shaped portion 28 secured to or formed integrally
with the bracket 17 which embraces and holds the barrel 1. The lower end of
the vertical portion of this T-shaped piece 28 is provided with a perforation through
which passes an I-screw 39 having an adjusting nut 30 while each extremity of
the horizontal portion of the T-shaped piece is also perforated and receives one of
the threaded ends of a wire 31 which is first passed through the eye-screw 29 and
then through the perforations at the upper end of the portion 28 and on the rear
side of such portion 28 they are provided with nuts 32 whereby the wire 31 may be
shortened or lengthened. This T-shaped portion 28 is placed against the rear side

page_text: of the fork-head usually composed of cross-bars 33 in which the upper ends of the
fork members 24 are secured. The portion 28 being if desired provided with teeth
or notches 34 for engagement with one of the cross-pieces 33 whereby the device
may be held to its adjustment. In putting the device in place the wire 31 is
first passed through the eye-screw 29 and its two ends are then carried forwardly,
between the fork members 24 and then backwardly over the upper cross-piece 33
and on either side of the steering stem 35. after which they are passed through the
perforations in the horizontal portion of the T-shaped piece 28 and the nuts 32
being tightened up the device is firmly bound against the rear side of the fork-
head. This form of clamp is also applicable to the different forms of fork-heads,
the cross-bars 33 being immaterial and where such bars are not employed the
tooth 34 will simply rest against the rear side of the fork whatever its form
may be.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1: A device for the purpose described having in combination a roller, a flexible
strip wound upon said roller, means for supporting said roller upon the velocipede
frame, and means for holding said strip extended, substantially as set forth.
2: A device for the purpose described having in combination a roller, a
plurality of flexible strips wound upon said roller, means for supporting the roller
upon the velocipede frame, and means for holding said strips extended in opposite
directions, substantially as set forth.
3: A device for the purpose described having in combination a spring actuated
roller, a flexible strip wound upon said roller, a bracket for supporting said roller upon
the velocipede frame, a rib socketed against said bracket at one end and having
its other end engaged by the extended end of said strip whereby the tension of
the spring will hold said rib in place, substantially as set forth.
4: A device for the purpose described having in combination a roller, a flexible
strip wound upon said roller, a bracket for supporting said roller upon the
velocipede frame and a jointed rod projecting from said bracket and adapted
to hold said strip extended, substantially as set forth.
5: A device for the purpose described having in combination a slotted casing,
a spring actuated roller journalled in said casing, a flexible strip wound upon
said roller and passing through the slot of said casing, means for supporting said.
casing upon the velocipede frame and a rib detachably secured to said casing and
to said strip for holding said strip extended, substantially as set forth.
6: A device for the purpose described having in combination a roller, two
flexible strips wound upon said roller, a bracket having the boss 16 by which said
roller may be supported upon the velocipede frame, one of said strips being pro-
vided with a slot for the passage of said boss, a rod secured in said boss for holding
one of said strips extended, and means for holding the other of said strips extended
in the opposite direction, substantially as set forth.
7: A clip or clamp for supporting a mud guard having in combination a piece
adapted to rest against a part of the velocipede frame; a flexible strip held at its
mid-length by said piece and its extremities being adjustably held to said piece
at a distance apart, substantially as set forth.
8: A device for the purpose described having in combination a T-piece pro-
vided with a perforation at the lower end of its upright portion, an eye-screw
passing through said perforation, a flexible wire or strip passing through said
I-screw and having its extremities passed through the perforations at the ex-
tremities of the horizontal portion of said T-piece, and nuts threaded on the
extremities of said strip, substantially as set forth.
9: A device for the purpose described having in combination a T-piece provided
with a perforation at the lower end of its upright portion, an eye-screw passing
through said perforation, a flexible wire or strip passing through said I-screw

page_text: and having its extremities passed through the perforations at the extremities of
the horizontal portion of said T-piece, nuts threaded on the extremities of said
strip, and said T-piece being provided with notches, substantially as set forth.
10: The combination with the front fork of the velocipede frame, of a mud
guard having a plate resting against the rear side of said fork, a flexible wire
secured at its mid-length to said plate and passing forwardly between the fork
members and backwardly over the fork head and having its upper extremities
adjustably secured to said plate, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of May. A D 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant