Improvements in Dress Guards for Cycles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dress Guards for Cycles.
I, MAX DIEHL, of 5, Lessingstrasse, Hannover, Kingdom of Prussia, German
Empire, Manufacturer, 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 dress-guards for ladies cycles and has for its object
to provide a guard which is easily capable of removal for cleaning both the guard
itself and the bicycle. To protect the dresses of lady cyclists from catching
between the spokes of the wheel and the consequent risk of a fall or of the dress
being torn or even the same becoming soiled, the device hereinafter more fully
described has been devised.
In the drawing annexed to this specification the improved device is shown in
which
Figures 1 and 2 represent a front and rear view, whilst Figures 3 to 8 show
details of my improved dress-guard.
The device consists of two sector-like frames A and B arranged on each side
of the rear wheel. These sector frames may be of wood, metal or any other
suitable material, and are provided or filled out with netting, as shown in the
drawing.
The netting can consist of cords or cane, the latter being preferable, for the
reason that cord in consequence of the influence of moisture soon becomes loose
and thus forfeits its attractive appearance. Furthermore in such a condition
the dress is easily caught by the cord, whereby, as is clear, the guard loses its
worth. Also a cleaning of the cord-netting is scarcely possible or is at least con-
nected with much loss of time and in any case is very inconvenient.
This is however quite different with the cane-netting, which always remains
in its proper stretched condition, can be easily washed without losing its attractive
colour and without any change in its stretched condition in the guard-frame.
The section of my improved guard-frames may either be polygonal or round,
the cords or the cane being secured within or upon the same in known manner.
The attachment of the guard to the machine must however be effected in such
manner that the following conditions are fulfilled, viz. :-
1. The guard-frame must be easily removable from the bicycle-wheel;
2. The sector-frames of the guard must be so arranged that they can partly
revolve upon the machine frame without being removed from the same.
The first condition is an absolutely necessary one because for the attachment
and removal of the said sector-frames neither hand tools nor any devices which
would occupy any special amount of time are desirable, whilst as regards the
second condition viz. the easy, quick and convenient cleaning not alone of the
sectors but also of the wheel itself this is also a necessary condition.
It is clear that various mechanisms might be employed to connect the sectors
with the frame to fulfil the above conditions, mentioned under 1 and 2. It is not
possible to describe each mechanism which I might employ (without departing
017

page_text: from the principle of my invention) but for the reason however that particularly
the convenient removal and turning outwards of the sectors is an important feature
of my invention, I will proceed to describe some practical arrangement which I
show in detail in Figures 3 to 8. In the same is assumed that the frames A and B
have a rectangular section.
For the convenient attachment and removal of the sector frame A and B, the
same are connected above and below to the lugs s, of a spring attachment clip
or elastic clamp S, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, 6 in section, and front view,
these spring clamps being passed over the, two fork-tubes R, Figures 1 and 2.
In these figures it is assumed that the two tubes R are of circular section, but
they can of course also have an oval, or half-round section, in which case the
before-mentioned spring clamp would of course receive'a corresponding shape.
Figures 3 and 5 illustrate how the frames can be turned outwards or opened, i.e.
how the same may swing or revolve upon the tube R by a hinge-like attach-
ment so that it is now possible to clean the same inside out. Furthermore it
is also clear that the swinging back of sector-frames must allow of the bicycle
wheel behind the guard becoming conveniently accessible for cleaning purposes.
If the section of the frame at the point of attachment to the clamp is "round" it
is apparent that the hinge lugs may be omitted, in which case the lugs S' of the
clamp S would be so bent around the guard-frame, that the same would revolve.
in the bent shanks So, which will be clear without any special illustration in
the drawing.
>
I will now proceed to describe the method of securing the guard at the circum-
ference of the wheel.
Here it is necessary to employ means, which would be suitable for bicycles of
any dimensions or of any kind and which would always be ready for use. For
the purpose amongst other possible constructions the device shown in Figures T
and 8 may be employed, in which the guard-frame is attached to the mud-guard
of the cycle, this method of attachment being an especially suitable one. Herein
a bridge piece or similar fitting, having depending ears such as P, is firmly con-
nected with the mud-guard A, at any convenient point and the hinged catch,
clip or turn buckle V brought on both sides into the position indicated by dotted
lines, it being clear that by turning the catch V so as to bring the same into its
closed position shown in Figure 7, the said sectors become securely held or
fastened between them and the ears of the mud-guard bridge. Furthermore it
is clear that as soon as the catch V is brought back to its original or open position,
the sector-frames may either be turned upon the tube R or both sector-frames
on one side of the cycle may be completely removed by simply releasing the
corresponding spring clamps from the said fork tube R.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
First Dress guards for ladies' cycles, consisting, on each side, of two guard
frames, hinged or attached to the cycle framing in such a manner as to be capable
of turning out flapwise, substantially as and for the purpose described and set
forth,
Secondly Dress guards for ladies cycles, consisting of sector like frames of
wood, metal or the like, filled in with a netting of cane or cord or with other
material, and provided with spring clamps or attachment clips adapted to embrace
the members of a cycle framing and to which clamps or clips the guard frames
are jointedly attached substantially as and for the purpose described and set
forth.
Thirdly dress guard for ladies cycles, consisting of two turn-out frames
of wood, metal or the like, filled in with cane, cord or other material and attached
to bridge pieces or other mud-guard supports by means of spring catches or hinged
clips, whereby the said guard frames are held securely together substantially as
and for the purpose described and set forth.

page_text: Fourthly The modification of the dress guard for ladies cycles, as applied to
guard frames of preferably round section, in which the lugs of the spring attach-
ment clips are bent around portions of the said frames, which are thereby jointedly
connected, substantially as described and set forth.
D 1 1
101
1
1000
By Henry Skerrett,
MAX DIEHL,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.