IMPROVEMENTS IN ALARM APPARATUS FOR BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Harrington, of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ALARM APPARATUS FOR BICYCLES AND OTHER
VELOCIPEDES."
Sealed the 28th February 1879, and dated the 5th September 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Harrington at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th September 1878.
JOHN HARRINGTON, of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight.
APPARATUS FOR BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ALARM
The Invention has for its object improvements in alarm apparatus for bicycles
and other velocipedes. For this purpose I mount at the upper part of the "fork
a bell or gong, and on a suitable axis I mount a hammer lever, one end of which is
in close proximity with the bell or gong, and the other near to the spokes of the
main wheel. This latter end is preferably provided with a roller surrounded with
a ring of india-rubber, so that when in action it shall not injure the spokes.
When not required to sound an alarm or warning, the hammer is held by a lever
catch away from the gong or bell, and consequently the other end of the hammer
lever is held away from the spokes, but when an alarm or warning is required to bo
sounded, the lever catch is acted upon by the hand of the rider to release the
hammer, and at the same time allow the other end of the hammer lever to assumė
'such a position that in the revolution of the wheel the spokes on one side of the
latter shall strike against the hammer lever, and turn it slightly on its axis, thereby
causing the hammer to strike the bell or gong every time a spoke strikes the lever,
and to continue to do so as long as the catch lever is held away from the hammer
lever.
The hammer lever is acted upon by a spring to cause it to strike the bell or gong,
and it is provided with a suitable stop, as is well understood, to keep it clear of the
gong or bell, except at the moment of striking the latter.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Harrington in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th March
1879.
JOHN HARRINGTON, of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight.
APPARATUS FOR BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES.'
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ALARM
The Invention has for its object improvements in alarm apparatus for bicycles
and other velocipedes. For this purpose I mount at the upper part of the "fork"
a bell or gong, and on a suitable axis I mount a haminer lever, one end of which is
in close proximity with the bell or gong, and the other near to the spokes of the
main wheel. This latter end is preferably provided with a roller surrounded with
a ring of india-rubber, so that when in action it shall not injure the spokes.
When not required to sound an alarm or warning, the hammer is held by a lever
catch away from the gong or bell, and consequently the other end of the hammer
lever is held away from the spokes, but when an alarm or warning is required to be
sounded, the lover catch is acted upon by the hand of the rider to release the
hammer, and at the same time allow the other end of the hammer lever to assume
such a position that in the revolution of the wheel the spokes on one side of the
latter shall strike against the hammer lever, and turn it slightly on its axis, thereby
causing the hammer to strike the bell or gong every time a spoke strikes the lever,
and to continue to do so as long as the catch lever is held away from the hummer
lever.
The hammer lever is acted upon by a spring to cause it to strike the bell or gong,
and it is provided with a suitable stop, as is well understood, to keep it clear of the
gong or bell except at the moment of striking the latter.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a back elevation, and Figure 2 is a side view, both partly in section,
of parts of a bicycle or tricyle with one form of my Invention applied thereto; and
Figure 3 is a front elevation, and Figure 4 is a plan, partly in section, of a slightly
modified form of my Invention.
In all the Figures like parts are marked with similar letters of reference.
"
a, a, represent parts of tho driving wheel; b, the "fork;" c, the "head;" and d,
the steering bar; e is a bell or gong which is fixed to the upper part of the "fork
by a bracket f; g is the hammer lever, which is pivotted at h to the bracket f, and
is acted upon by a spring i to cause the hammer g' to strike the bell or gong e; the
tail end of the hammer lever g is provided preferably with a roller g³, surrounded
with a ring of india-rubber, so that when in action it shall not injure the spokes.
ง
According to the arrangement shown at Figures 1 and 2, when it is not required
to sound an alarm or warning, the hammer g' is held by a lever-spring catch j away
from the gong or bell e, and consequently the roller g of the hammer lever g is held
away from the spokes a, but when an alarm or warning is required to be sounded,
the lever catch is acted upon by the hand of the rider to release the hammer g¹,
and at the same time allow the roller g³ to assume such a position that in the revo-
lution of the wheel a the spokes on one side of the latter shall strike against such
roller g³, and thereby turn the hammer lever g slightly on its axis, thus causing the
hammer g¹, by the action of the spring i, to strike the bell or gong e every time a
spoke strikes the roller g³, and to continue to do so as long as the catch lever is held
away from the hammer g¹.
A stop acts within a short slot in the hammer lever to keep the hammer g¹ clear
of the gong or bell e, except at the moment of striking the latter.

page_text: The arrangement represented at Figures 3 and 4 is actuated in a similar manner
to that above described, except that the roller g³ of the hammer lever g is held away
from the spokes a by a spring when an alarm is not required to be sounded, but
is permitted to come into position to be acted upon by the spokes by depressing the
lever j, which is connected by a wire j¹ to a chain, which passes partly around a
guide roller m, and is connected to the spring . The hammer lever g is mounted
loosely on its axis, which latter is rigidly fixed, and the spring i is fixed at one end
to such axis, and at its other end bears against the hammer lever g.
Thus by
depressing the lever j' the spring is pulled in the direction of the arrow, and
thereby permits the spring i to carry the hammer lever g with its roller g³ into
position to be acted upon by the spokes of the wheel a, when an alarn will bo
sounded so long as the lover j is depressed, but by liberating such lever j the spring
is permitted to act upon the hammer lever g to carry it out of position.
A stop n is employed in the arrangement represented at Figures 3 and 4 in lieu
of the stop employed in the other arrangement described.
k
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and modes in which I
carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is, arranging
and constructing alarm apparatus for bicycles and other velocipedes in such manner
that one end of the hammer lever is, when an alarm is required to be sounded,
caused to assume such a position as to be acted upon by the spokes of the driving
wheel, and when not required is held away therefrom, in manner substantially as
heroin shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Harrington, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
JOHN HARRINGTON. (LS.)