An Improved Device for Locking the Steering Mechanism of Cycles and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 15th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Locking the Steering Mechanism of Cycles
and the like.
I, ARTHUR GANDERTON, of 41, Witton Road, Aston, near Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
:-
The invention pertains to the steering mechanism of cycles and other similar
vehicles, and has for its object an improved device whereby the same is locked
to the machine framing in order to prevent the said steering mechanism being
operated other than by the owner of the machine. The said improved device is
distinctly valuable on account of its neat, simple, and minute construction, also
its various secret combinations necessary to operate it, and its adaptation as a
component part.
It consists essentially of a clip-like bracket. part, adapted to be fixed either to
the steering pillar or a member of the framing by a cross pin, the sides of which
are extended and fitted each with an eye or hole to form a bearing for the
trunnions or pivot ends of a bolt carrying part hereinafter described. This bolt-
carrying parts consists essentially of a thin box-like casing bodily connected at
one end to the bracket clip, as aforesaid (by means of the trunnions or
pivots and
eyes or holes herein before mentioned) to hinge or swivel. Within this box-like
casing is located a bolt adapted to slide therein, and extend through the end
thereof, the inner end of the same being bifurcated or formed with two projecting
parts, each adapted to engage a groove or slot formed within each of two rotatable
discs fixidly mounted within the box casing walls. Each of these rotatable discs
has indexed fingers on its axis outside the box casing, and the face of the casing
adjacent thereto is indexed by figures or letters, wherewith to form collectively
and in conjunction with the fingures a secret combination capable of being con-
stantly varied, only known to the owner of machine fitted with such a device.
Thus this box-like casing, carrying the bolt and rotatable tumblers, is hingedly
or jointedly connected to a rigidly attached bracket clip, affixed to either the
steering pillar, or to a member of the framing. Now from the underside of this
hinged part projects a peg or a series of holes adapted to engage, when the hinged
part is in a locking position, a series of holes or a peg rigidly fitted to the
steering pillar, or the framing member, or, in other words, that part to which the
bracket clip, as aforesaid, is not fixed. When the peg engages any of the holes
the bolt is shot out from the box casing, and projects at the back of a stop carried
by the fixed clip bracket, which prevents the disengagement of the peg and hole
until the bolt is again withdrawn. The bolt is locked in its shot out position by
forming a combination with the rotatable discs, the gaps thereof, which receive
the extensions of the bolt, being removed out of coincident position until the secret
combination is used to bring them coincident again.
Instead of a peg upon the box-like casing the underside thereof may be shaped

page_text: like a saddle to fit across one of the tubular members, as aforesaid, and so prevent
the head of the machine turning.
I may form the acting end of the bolt with a gap or its equivalent to engage
pegs or their equivalents upon the framing or steering pillar member, giving the
same results as the arrangement previously described.
I wish it to be particularly understood that in any of the forms described the
arrangement and number of pegs, holes, or their equivalents, is sufficient to lock
the steering mechanism and the front wheel at an angle, or out of a direct line
with the framing.
Dal
1011
C T1
1007
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Device for Locking the Steering Mechanism of Cycles
and the like.
I, ARTHUR GANDERTON, of 41, Wilton Road, Aston, near Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Mechanic, 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 the steering mechanism of cycles and similar vehicles,
and has for its object an improved device whereby the same is rigidly locked to
the machine's framing in order to prevent the said steering mechanism being
operated other than by the owner of the machine. The improved steering lock
device is important on account of its neat and minute construction, its simplicity
and the difficulty of surreptitiously operating it, and it also being made as a com-
ponent part capable of being attached to any existing machine..
The said steering lock device consists essentially of a hinged or jointed link,
either carried by the steering post or a member of the machine's framing, pro-
vided with a sliding bolt controlled by rotatable tumblers or discs, the said bolt
being adapted to engage a stop part, either upon the machine's framing or the
steering post, to prevent the swinging movement of the jointed link, and a
bifurcated part, pin, or peg, adapted to either fit saddlewise upon the framing
member, or to engage holes or their equivalents carried thereby, when the said
jointed or hinged link is in a certain or steering-locking position.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings the steering lock device according to
this invention is shown applied to the crown portion of the socketted head and
framing and the clip-like bracket of the steering post which connects the latter
anti-frictionally to the socketted head. In Fig. 1 a view is shown partly in
elevation and partly in section with the device in its position for locking the
steering mechanism to the top front bar member of the framing, in Fig. 2 a plan
of this view with the greater part of the device in section, and in Fig. 3 a like
plan but with the device entirely in elevation. In these views the jointed link
carrying the sliding bolt and the rotatable tumblers or discs is carried upon the
clip-like bracket of the steering pillar by cranked side plates fixed upon the clip-
like bracket's transverse pin or bolt, and the said link carries a bifurcated rear
extension for fitting saddlewise on to the tubular framing's member as aforesaid,
In Figs. 4 and 5 is shown in side view and plan a modified form of steering
lock device, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the points of difference being that in the modification
the rotatable tumblers are horizontally disposed and the end of the bolt abuts on

page_text: the side of the transverse pin of the bracket clip of the steering post, and in the
first arrangement the rotatable tumblers are arranged vertical, and the bolt takes
into a central recess within the transverse pin.
The same letters of reference are used to indicate similar parts in the whole
of the Figs.
The hinged or jointed link a, which forms the principal part of the device, is
mounted upon the transverse clamping pin c² of the clip-like bracket c by cranked
side plates 3,, through the medium of trunnions or pegs a³, carried by the
jointed link a, taking into eyes or holes within the cranked portions of the
said side plates. These side plates are threaded upon the transverse pin c³, and
are clamped in their position as shown, so as to be rigid, either by the screwing
up of the nut of the transverse pin or other suitable means.
The jointed link a consists for the most part of a nearly circular hollow box-
like part or casing a³, having upon its tail end a bifurcated branch or fork-like
extension q, and upon its side a removable closure plate a³, the former part being
felt-lined and adapted to fit saddlewise on the top front bar member m of the
framing, and the latter part to form the closing plate to the box-like casing after
the latter's interior mechanism has been fitted.
The clip-like bracket c is carried upon the steering post or pillar m³ working
through the socketted head m², and constitutes the means for clamping the handle
bar stem m to the said steering post.
Within the box-like casing a³ of the link a, which has a vertical swinging
movement within the eyes c5 of the sides plates 3, is arranged a reciprocating
bolt d, and two rotatable tumbers e, g, the said bolt being disposed in the said
casing longitudinally, and the said tumblers transversely upon a horizontal axis.
The tumblers or discs e, g, have each a gate or gap within its periphery, respec-
tively marked e², g2, wherein the inner end d of the bolt d takes when the said
bolt is withdrawn, and the swinging link obtains its freedom of movement on the
joint. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the end d² of the bolt rests upon the peripheries of
the tumblers, and the said bolt is in a shot position, its nose d³ engaging within
a slot in the transverse pin of the bracket c. The tumblers eg are inde-
pendent of each other as to their rotation upon their axis, and each is provided
with an adjustable indexed plate or disc arranged upon the respective sides of
the box-like casing a³. The adjustable index plate of the tumbler e is
marked, and it is carried upon a screwed part of the said tumbler's axis,
whilst the indexed plate of the tumbler g is marked g³, and is carried upon the
screwed part of the said tumbler's hollow axis; nuts es, g³, respectively, locking
the said indexed plates to their carrier parts. The said indexed plates are
arranged to make one complete rotation upon the screwed axis carrying them
to vary their positions in respect of their particular tumblers, and, to do this, it
is only necessary to loosen their particular lock nuts, adjust them on the screwed
parts, and again screw up the lock nuts.
Upon the top edge of the box-like casing a³ is an arrow mark n, constituting a
common point for determining the position of the indexed plates in order to put
the secret combination of letters or figures into operation for unlocking the
steering mechanism.
To unlock the steering mechanism the jointed link a³ must be lifted so that its
saddle or tail end a clears the frame bar m, and, to allow of this, the nose-end d³
of the bolt d must first be withdrawn from engagement with the slot co in the
pin To withdraw the bolt's nose as desired the gates or
gaps eg, of
the tumblers e, g, must be brought coincident with each other and opposite the
end of the bolt d, and this can only be effected, by the person who knows the
secret combination, by rotating the indexed plates until that combination is
obtained at the arrow mark. Thus, if a combination of O, 7, was the unlocking
one of the steering lock device, an O on the one indexed plate and a 7 on the other
would have to be brought into line with the arrow mark to bring the gates of the
tumblers opposite the end of the bolt.

page_text: In Figs. 4 and 5 the rotatable tumblers are shown disposed horizontally upon
a vertical axis, and portions or fingers ³, g³, form the means for putting the secret
combination into practice around the indexed top side of the enclosing casing,
and the bolt's nose end abuts only against the pin c, instead of taking into a
slot in the said pin, but in all other respects this device is the same
Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
as in
It is obvious that the secret combination can be altered at any time with ease
by slightly adjusting the indexed plates relative to the arrow mark n, and that
by duplicating the number of tumblers very complicated combination can be
obtained.
By this invention the steering can be locked at an angle, either right or left
of a straight line through the framing, by locking the device with the bifurcated
end of the casing a³, not saddlewise upon the tubular member, but at the side of
it, so that the machine would not run in a straight line.
Instead of jointing the link a to the clip-like bracket c by the side plates
shown it may be done direct by extending slightly the ears of the said bracket.
as
Having now particularly 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. In cycles and the like, the means for locking the steering mechanism
to the framing consisting of a swinging link carried by a part of the steering
mechanism or a part of the framing, adapted to connect these two parts together,
a bolt or shoot sliding within the one end of the said link, adapted to control the
swinging movement of the same against a stop, either upon the steering
mechanism, or the framing, and a means for locking the said bolt in its engaged
position with the said stop, substantially as described.
Second. In cycles and the like, the combination with the steering post and the
framing of a swinging box-like link a carried upon and by the bracket clip of the
steering mechanism and having at its tail end a bifurcated part or its equiva-
lent a, a sliding bolt d working longitudinally within the said link's inner end a
transverse bolt pin or its equivalent carried upon the steering post which forms
a stop to the sliding bolt, rotatable tumblers e, g, having gates or gaps e³, g³,
within them, located within the interior of the said link to form the governing
means to the sliding bolt, and indexed plates e³g³ carried respectively upon the
tumblers axes, for the purpose substantially as described.
Third. In cycles and the like, the combination with the steering post and the
framing of a clip-like bracket c affixed to the steering post and provided with a
transverse pin with a slot within it, a box-like swinging link a having
trunnions a on its one end and a bifurcated part a upon its other end, cranked
side plates forming the bearing means of the trunnions and the connection
means of the said link to the bracket clip c, a bolt & sliding longitudinally within
the box-like link whose one end is adapted to engage the slot in the pin c² and
whose other end bears against the peripheries of rotating parts, rotatable
tumblers eg provided with gates e2 g into which the inner end d² of the bolt is
adapted to take, and adjustable indexed plates c³, c, mounted upon the tumblers
axes, substantially as described.