Improvements in Steering Locks for Cycles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in Steering Locks for Cycles.
I, FREDERICK EASOM, of 53 City Road, Beeston in the County of Nottingham,
Cycle Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to what are known as steering locks for cycles, the object
being to temporarily lock together the two members of the steering head so that
the machine cannot be steered, or in the case of a bicycle if placed with the handle
against a wall the handle and steering fork will not turn round and cause the
machine to tumble over. In carrying out the invention I may provide two adjacent
lugs one upon the fixed member of the steering head and the other upon the
movable member, and through corresponding holes in these place a pin preferably
with a head by which it can be held and turned. The pin or head may be flattened
to engage with a corresponding flat upon one of the members or otherwise so
arranged that when in place it cannot turn round. The pin may be bored out by
preference eccentrically and contain a spindle with a cam upon it projecting in or
through a groove in the pin and so arranged that when the spindle is turned in
one way it completes the circumference or periphery of the pin which may be
round and when turned in another it projects beyond the surface of the pin and
entering a groove or recess in one of the lugs or between the lugs the pin
cannot be withdrawn and the two parts are consequently locked together. The
lock may be operated by an ordinary watch or similar key entering through the
hole in the head of the pin. The spindle may be square, triangular or other
suitable shape.
Any convenient means may be employed to prevent the lock from accidentally
turning from the position whether locked or unlocked, in which it is placed ;
conveniently a spring may be used for this purpose.
The head of the pin may be milled for convenience of turning and it may be
adapted to receive a chain or equivalent to prevent it from being lost or it be
entirely independent and may be carried in the rider's pocket.
may
In a modification the pin may be so constructed that when inserted in the lugs
it cannot itself turn, and turning the milled head or equivalent may then project.
the lock and secure it in position; this form would work satisfactorily but it is
generally preferred to have a separate or independent key.
Dated this 16th day of February 1895.
FREDERICK EASOM.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Steering Locks for Cycles.
I, FREDERICK EASOM, of 53 City Road, Beeston in the County of Nottingham,
Cycle Foreman, 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 what are known as steering locks for cycles, the object
being to temporarily. lock together the two members of the steering head so that the
machine cannot be steered, or in the case of a bicycle if placed with the handle
against a wall the handle and steering fork. will not turn round and cause the
machine to tumble over.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which ;-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the application of the preferred form of
my improved lock to the steering head of a cycle, and the key for securing and
releasing it.
Fig. 2 is a section of the same on line 2-2 of Fig. 3.
Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sections taken on the line 3-4 of Fig. 2, showing
the locking pin respectively engaged and disengaged.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views showing the preferred construction of the
locking pin, the pin here represented embodying slight modification as compared
with that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and
Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive represent a modification, Fig. 8 being a vertical section
of the device as when locked, Fig. 9 a perspective view as when unlocked and open
and Figs. 10 and 11 horizontal sections on the line 10-11 of Fig. 8 as when locked
and unlocked respectively.
Figs. 2 to 11 inclusive are drawn to a larger scale than that to which Fig. 1 is
drawn.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In carrying out the invention I may, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, provide two
adjacent lugs A. and B; one (A) upon the fixed member A' of the steering head
and the other (B) upon, the movable member B, and through corresponding holes
in these, place a pin C preferably with a head C₁ by which it can be held and
turned. The pin or head may be flattened as at C3 Fig. 2 to engage with a corre-
sponding flat B2 upon one of the members or otherwise so arranged that when in
place it cannot turn round; in the drawing the flat B2 is shown on the movable
member B. The pin C as shown may be bored out by preference eccentrically and
contain a spindle D with a cam or wing D¹ upon it projecting in or through a
groove or recess D2 in the pin and so arranged that when the spindle is turned
in one direction, it, as shown in Fig. 4 completes the circumference or periphery
of the pin C which may be round and. when turned in another direction, it'
as shown in Fig. 3, projects beyond the surface of the pin and entering a
groove or recess B³ as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. in one of the lugs A or B
(in the drawings it is shown in the lug B) or between these lugs, the pin cannot be
withdrawn and the two parts A' B' are consequently locked together. If desired
the groove or recess B may be formed partly in one and partly in the other of the
lugs A B. The lock may be operated by an ordinary watch or other key such
as E Fig. 1 entering through the hole C³ in the head of the pin C. The head of
the spindle D may be triangular as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, square as shown in
Fig. 7 or other suitable shape.
Any convenient means may be employed to prevent the spindle D from
accidentally turning from the position whether locked or unlocked, in which it is
placed conveniently a spring may be used for this purpose, though generally I find

page_text: sufficient friction is exerted on the spindle D or wing D' to make the spindle secure
against that contingency.
I find it convenient to make the spindle D and wing D¹ in one piece as shown
in Fig. 7, and to enable this to be fitted into the pin C I provide the latter with a
cap which fits over the end of the spindle and is secured to the pin. C by a
rivet G passing through the holes G, Figs. 5 and 6; in this arrangement the space
between the upper end of the cap F and shoulder C* of the pin C constitutes the
recess D2 in which the wing D' works.
The head C¹ of the pin C as shown in the drawings may be milled for convenience
of turning, and it may be adapted to receive a chain or equivalent to prevent it
from being lost, or as shown it may be entirely independent and may be carried in
the rider's pocket.
In a modification the pin may be so constructed that when inserted in the lugs
it cannot itself turn, and turning the milled head or equivalent may then project the
wing and secure the pin in position; this form, would work' satisfactorily but it is
generally preferred to have a separate or independent key.
In the modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the same principle is used but I form
the pin C in two separable portions c c', to the former of which is secured an arm H
and to the latter an arm I. At their meeting faces the two portions of the pin are
adapted to engage with each other as by a tenon c² on the piece c, fitting into a
recess in the piece c' or vice versa.
To the arm I is secured a hollow cylinder J containing a coiled spring K
through which and the cylinder J passes a pin H' secured to the arm H. On this
pin is secured or formed a collar H2 against which the upper end of the spring K
bears, the lower end of the spring resting on the closed end of the cylinder J all as
shown in Fig. 8.
The upper end of the pin H' is provided with a head or button H³ to enable it
to be moved longitudinally against the action of the spring K which tends always
to hold the two portions ce together; after these portions have been forced apart
they can be moved independently of each other about the axis of the pin H¹ and
cylinder J as shown, for example, in Fig. 9. The spindle D in this example is
pivotted to the arm I and it and the wing D¹ therein are enclosed within a cap L
which is perforated as at L' for admitting the key for turning the wing D' into and
out of engagement with the recess H formed in the pin H'.
When the device is open as in Fig. 9 the pin-portion c¹ may be passed through
the lugs A B and the pin-portion c afterwards swung round so as to coincide
with after which, by means of the key, the wing D¹ may be turned into
engagement with the recess H4, and the whole thus made secure.
When it is desired to release the steering head the wing D' is disengaged from
the recess H, the head or button H³ pressed down and the arm H swung aside so
that the pin-portion c¹ can then be withdrawn from the lugs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. For locking the steering head of a cycle a pin such as C having a wing such
as D' which may be moved relatively thereto, so as to cause it to project or not
beyond the periphery of the pin substantially as described.
2. For locking the steering head of a cycle a pin such as C in which is eccen-
trically fitted a relatively movable spindle such as D having a wing such as D¹
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. In a steering lock for cycles the combination with two lugs such as A and B
having a groove or recess such as B in one or both of them or between them of a
pin such as C having a wing such as D' movable relatively thereto so that it may
be made to engage with or be disengaged from the recess substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 4. In a steering lock for cycles the combination with two lugs such as A and B
having a groove or recess in one or both of them or between them and a pin and
appurtenances such as set forth in Claim 2 of means for preventing the rotation of
the pin in the lugs substantially as described.
5. The complete steering-head locking device substantially as described and
illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
6. The complete steering-head locking device substantially as described and
illustrated in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of November 1895.
FREDERICK EASOM.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.