Improvements in Devices for Bolting or Locking the Steering Gear and Brake Gear of Velocipedes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PREDIVNAL DITUIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Bolting or Locking the Steering Gear
and Brake Gear of Velocipedes.
I, JULIO DANIEL AMENÁBAR, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. London, of the Eye Infirmary,
Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in devices for bolting or locking the
steering gear and brake gear of velocipedes.
The device for bolting or locking the steering gear preferably consists of a
transversely hinged plate, one part of which is provided with a hole or slot, so
that it may be attached to the steering stem under the lock nut of the ball-bearing
head, in the position usually occupied by the lamp bracket, which it may be
adapted to replace. The other part of the plate takes the form of a fork and
normally lies turned over forwards onto the firstly described part of the plate, where
it is preferably retained by a light spring catch. To lock the steering, the fork is
turned over backwards and downwards so as to span the top tube of a full diamond
framed velocipede, or a rearwardly projecting stud (preferably taking the form
of a tubular case) attached for the purpose to the steering head socket in the case
of a dropped framed velocipede.
The device is preferably provided with a lock, of any suitable construction,
which is brought into action by turning the fork right down, beyond the point
necessary to lock the steering gear of the machine.
The brake locking device is applicable to brakes having a plunger rod fitted
parallel or approximately parallel to the head of the machine and adapted to
move more or less in the direction of its length. The portion of the plunger rod
adjacent to the front or lamp bracket part of the above mentioned plate is pro-
vided with a toothed rack, an aperture of suitable form being made in the said
portion of the plate to allow of the movement of the plunger rod and the rack
therein. On the said plate, preferably on the underside thereof, is pivotted a lever
the front end of which is adapted to engage with the above mentioned rack, when
forced in the direction thereof against the action of a suitable spring. The other
end of the lever is preferably formed with an incline or cam adapted to be engaged
by the fork or a part, such as the lock, attached thereto. So that, if the brake be
first forced 'on' when the steering locking device is locked the front end of the
lever engages in the rack on the plunger rod and holds the brake on, and thus
prevents the wheel or wheels which is or are braked from revolving until the
locking gear is released.
The brake locking device may be used alone, by removing the parts which
prevent the steering gear from moving when the above described steering locking
device is locked, and in this case, the above mentioned lever may sometimes

page_text: be operated and held by any suitable means other than those above described, such
as a handle and spring catch.
Dated this 29th day of March 1898.
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry,
75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
9, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Devices for Bolting or Locking the Steering Gear
and Brake Gear of Velocipedes.
I, JULIO DANIEL AMENÁBAR, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. London, of the Eye Infirmary,
Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, 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 improvements in devices for bolting or locking the
steering gear and brake gear of velocipedes and in order that the same may be
properly understood I will describe the same with the aid of the accompanying
drawings, wherein
Figure I is a top side plan and Figure II is an underside plan of the device.
Figure III is a side elevation of the device as applied to a diamond frame safety
bicycle and shows the device out of action.
Figure IV is a similar view of the device applied to a lady's safety bicycle and
shows the device in action.
Like numerals indicate like parts in all the figures
The hinged plate 2 is provided with a hole 3, so that it may be attached to the
head 6 under the lock-nut 5 in the position usually occupied by the lamp bracket,
which it may be adapted to replace. To the plate 2 is hinged (4) a fork 7 which
normally lies turned over forwards on to the said plate as shown in Fig. III,
where it is preferably retained by a light spring catch 8, so that it cannot fall
back into action accidentally.
The device is provided with a lock, of any suitable construction, which is brought
into action by turning the fork right down. For example, the lock may be con-
tained in a case 11 fixed to the back of the fork 7 and may be adapted to engage
by a spring action with the studs 12 on the plate 2, when the fork is carried
beyond the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. IV into the position shown in
full lines in the same figure. The fork may be released by undoing the lock with
a suitable key.
Secured to the portion of the plunger rod 15 adjacent to the front or lamp
bracket part 16 of the plate 2 is a toothed rack 17. This rack is preferably secured
on the plunger rod by a collar 18 at each end, through which the said rod passes,
and by set screws 19 threaded through the said collars 18, preferably directed from
the back thereof and inserted before the said rod is attached to the machine, so
that when in position, the screws 19 are rendered inaccessible by reason of the
obstruction offered by the head 6, and the rack cannot be fraudulently loosened on
the rod 15. A sleeve 20 may be introduced between the rack 17 and tubular
part 31 of the plunger to prevent fraudulent shortening of the plunger as a whole.
The plunger and rack normally pass freely through the aperture 22 in the plate 2,
which aperture is made large enough to allow of considerable variation in the size

page_text: of the plunger rod and its distance from the head 6. On the said plate, and pre-
erably on the underside thereof, is pivotted (14) the lever 21, the front end 23 of
which is adapted to engage with the above mentioned rack 17 when forced in the
direction thereof against the action of a suitable spring, such as the compression
pring 24, which is threaded on the oscillating guide rod 25 pivotted to the lever 21
and passing through the eye 26 fixed to the plate 2. The other end of the lever
s formed with an incline or cam 27 adapted to be engaged by the fork or a part
(such as the case 11 of the lock,) attached thereto. A bridge guide 28 may be
employed to support and act as a stop for the front end of the lever 21. The
stud 29 enters between the jaws of the split clamp 30 and prevents the plate 2
rotating.
The apparatus is employed as follows: When the velocipede is to be used the
fork is turned back on the plate 2 as shown in Fig. III. To temporarily lock the
steering only, the fork 7 is turned down on its hinge 4 so as to span the top tube 9
of a diamond frame, or in the case of a lady's safety bicycle it will span the
stud 10 clipped to the head 6 for the purpose (and preferably taking the form
of a hollow case), as shown in dotted lines in Fig. IV. To lock the steering so
that only a person provided with the key can unlock it, the fork is turned further,
into the position shown in full lines in Fig. IV. If it be desired to lock the
دو
brake " on as well as lock the steering, the brake is held on by hand while the
fork 7 is passed from the dotted line position to the full line position in Fig. IV,
so that the lever 21 engages with the rack 17. The steering is released by undoing
the lock and turning the fork back to its original position (Fig. III); as the
casing 11 leaves the cam 27, the spring 24 carries the lever 21 out of engagement
with the rack 17 and the brake resumes its off" position.
86
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would have it under-
stood that I am aware that it has already been proposed to employ forks hinged to
the head and engaging with the frames of velocipedes for locking the steering of
velocipedes, some of which forks could be locked in position; and devices have
been proposed for locking the steering and brake at the same time, and brake
locks have been provided with racks, I therefore make no broad claim to any one
of such constructions, but what I do claim is:-
1. A device for bolting or locking the steering gear and brake gear of veloci-
pedes, comprising a plate adapted to be fitted to the head of the velocipede and
carrying a fork adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from the top tube or
equivalent part of the machine and also carrying a lever adapted to engage in a
suitable rack fixed to the brake plunger, such lever being actuated by moving the
fork, substantially as set forth.
2. In a device of the kind referred to in Claim 1, the use of a hinged fork which
when turned down a certain distance locks the steering temporarily, and when
turned down a certain further distance actuates a spring lock which retains the
fork in position and locks the steering until released by a suitable key, substan-
tially as set forth.
3. In a device of the kind referred to in Claim 1, the use of a spring catch to
engage the fork when folded up and releasably hold the same out of action, sub-
stantially as set forth.
4. In a device of the kind referred to in Claim 1, providing one end of the brake
on by the fork when the said
locking lever with a cam adapted to be operated
fork is caused to fully lock the steering, so that the end of the lever bearing the
cam is pushed out and held out, thus causing the other end of the lever to engage
with the rack on the brake plunger; together with a spring for disengaging the
lever from the rack when the fork is disengaged from the cam, substantially as
set forth:
5. In a device of the kind referred to in Claim 1, the use of a stud clipped to
the head of a lady's bicycle, for the purpose set forth,

page_text: 6. A device for bolting or locking the steering gear and brake gear of veloci-
pedes, constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1898.
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry,
75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry,
75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.