Improvements in Alarms for Road Vehicles
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Alarms for Road Vehicles,
I, THOMAS CHARLES WILLIAMS, of Grenville House, Penmaenmaur, in the
County of Carnarvon, Cycle Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
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This invention relates to an improved alarm or signal suitable for cycles
and other road vehicles, and it consists essentially of one or more air pumps
adapted to be operated by one or other of the wheels of the vehicle by means of
one or more cranks and connecting rods, motion being imparted to the axle
carrying the cranks by means of one or more friction discs or wheels, and of
one or more sirens or their equivalents connected with the said pump or pumps,
the arrangement being such that the friction discs or wheel are brought into
contact with one of the wheels of the vehicle by means of any suitable mechanism
such as that used to apply plunger or spoon brakes.
The friction discs or wheels can be conveniently formed in one with the cranks.
I do not limit myself to the use of a siren as any such device actuated by
air may be employed.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
I, THOMAS CHARLES WILLIAMS, of Grenville House, Penmaenmawr, in the
County of Carnarvon, Cycle Agent, 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 an improved alarm or signal suitable for cycles
and other road vehicles, and it consists essentially of one or more air pumps
adapted to be operated by one or other of the wheels of the vehicle by means of
J

page_text: one or more cranks and connecting rods, motion being imparted to the axle
carrying the cranks by means of one or more friction discs or wheels, and of
one or more sirens or their equivalents connected with the said pump or pumps,
the arrangement being such that the friction discs or wheels are brought into
contact with one of the wheels of the vehicle by means of any suitable mechanism.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates some methods of carrying my
invention into practical effect:-
Figure 1 is a broken view in side elevation of an alarm adapted to be operated
by the front wheel of a cycle.
Figure is a broken view-partly in section-in front elevation thereof, and
Figure is a broken view, on a reduced scale, of the alarm fitted to the rear
wheel of a bicycle.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
Two or more air pumps A, A', carried by a suitable frame X are operated by
friction wheels B, B₁, mounted on an axle carried by the frame X, by means of
connecting rods a, a¹, connected with the piston rods a², a³, of the pistons of the
pumps and with crank pins b, 61, formed or fixed on the friction wheels B, B'.
The two pumps A, A¹, are connected to one or more sirens, whistles or their
equivalents Y either independently of each other or preferable as shown wherein
both pumps discharge their compressed air through suitable non-return valves
into a chamber y in or on which the sirens Y or their equivalents are fixed.
Suitable non-return valves are also preferably provided on the lower ends of the
pump cylinders, as shown.
The friction wheels B, B¹, are adapted to be rotated so as to work the pumps
by being caused to contact with the wheel tyre Z of the cycle or other vehicle
to which the alarm is attached.
A convenient method of bringing the friction wheels B, B¹, into contact with
the wheel tyre Z is to hinge the frame X to a clip on the crown of the front
forks by links and fix the upper part of said frame X on to the rod X¹ of a
plunger or spoon brake (as illustrated by Figures 1 and 2). The said rod is
operated by the usual pivotted lever on the handle bar. When the alarm is
to be operated by the rear wheel of a bicycle it is attached by means of hinges
or links a, a, in any convenient manner to the rear forks z so as to allow of the
friction wheels B, B', being brought into contact with the tyre Z of the rear
wheel, when a pivotted lever on the handle bar is operated, by means of suitably
arranged connecting cords or rods and levers, any suitable form of spring is
employed to keep the apparatus in its normal or inoperative position.
It will be understood that the air pump or pumps may be mounted in any
other convenient way or position on a cycle or other vehicle and operated either
directly or indirectly from one or more of the wheels of such vehicle and further
that the siren, whistle or other signal operated directly or indirectly by com-
pressed air may be mounted on any convenient part of the vehicle, the
compressed air being led thereto by flexible or other tubing.
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:
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(1) An alarm for road vehicles, consisting essentially of one or more air pumps
adapted to be operated by one or other of the wheels of the vehicle and so
arranged as to be thrown in and out of gear therewith, and of one or more sirens
or their equivalents connected with the said pump or pumps, as set forth.
(2) An alarm for road vehicles, consisting essentially of one or more air
pumps adapted to be operated by one or other of the wheels of the vehicle
by means of one or more friction wheels so mounted or arranged as to be
capable of being thrown in or out of engagement therewith and of one or more
sirens or their equivalents connected with said pump or pumps, as set forth.

page_text: (3) An alarm for road vehicles, constructed arranged and adapted to operate,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
Dated this 17th day of October 1898.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent.
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.