New or Improved Means for Attaching Air Pumps or Inflators to the Frames of Velocipedes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Jan., 1898-Accepted, 5th Mar.,.1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Means for Attaching Air Pumps or Inflators to
the Frames of Velocipedes.
We, JOHN WILLIAM WILKINSON, of 141, Alexandra Road, Winshill, in the
County of Derby, Brewer, and ROBERT CHAPLIN, of 27, Durand Gardens, Clapham
Road, in the County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to produce a special clip or flexible connection by
means of which the end of the barrel or plunger of an air pump or inflater, such
as is generally in use at the present time for inflating the pneumatic tyres of
velocipedes, may be firmly attached at a convenient point to the frame of the
velocipede in such a way as to obviate the necessity of altogether detaching the
pump from the velocipede when it is required for use, and thus to facilitate the
act of pumping air into the tyres, to lessen the liability of the pump or inflater
to scratch or chip off the enamel of the velocipede frame and to prevent or reduce
rattling when riding on rough roads.
In carrying our invention into practical effect, we construct a clip one side
of which encloses a flexible connection or universal joint, and the other side of
which serves as a clamp for fixing to the velocipede.
This joint may consist of a rubber band or tube of suitable width and diameter,
one end of which is wired or otherwise fixed to a nozzle formed on the end of the
barrel or plunger of the air pump, and the other end of which is enclosed within
the metal or other frame of the clip; a metal bush fitting tightly within this end
of the rubber band and thus securely fixing it within the said clip. One end of the
usual rubber tube for connecting the pump to the tyre valve may be screwed on
to the said nozzle, either by a screw or other suitable connection, or may be wired
thereto, together with the rubber band or tube forming the joint; or the said
bush, fixing the rubber band within the clip, may have a screw thread cut upon
its internal surface, the end of the connecting tube having an externally screw
threaded connection for engaging therewith.
We do not however confine ourselves to any particular form of flexible joint, as
it is obvious that the latter may be constructed in a variety of ways, for instance,
the said rubber band may be replaced by a steel coiled spring, or we may use a
double hinge joint, or the pump plunger may project a short distance beyond the
barrel and have a ball formed near the end thereof, or a ball may form a part of the
pump nozzle, the said ball forming a universal ball and socket joint with a suitable
socket formed in one side of the clip.
The free end of the connecting tube is attached, when in use, to the tyre valve
in the ordinary way, and when not in use, we arrange this tube, which is generally
from 15" to 18" in length, either to slide telescopically within the pump plunger
and be retained therein by a suitable cap screwed or otherwise fitted to the end

page_text: of the plunger, or to be turned up and have the free end thereof secured in a suitable
clip which may be situated on the pump barrel.
The other end of the pump is secured to the velocipede frame, when not in
use, by means of any suitable clip of ordinary construction.
When it is required to use the pump, the free end thereof is removed from this
clip, the connecting tube connected to the tyre valve, and the tyre inflated in the
usual way, the fixed flexible or universal joint permitting the pump to be inclined
in any convenient position during the operation, and the bicycle or other velocipede
acting as a holder or stay, and thereby considerably reducing the amount of work
involved.
"
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention" Office, Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.
A New or Improved Means for Attaching Air Pumps or Inflators to
the Frames of Velocipedes.
We, JOHN WILLIAM WILKINSON, of 141, Alexandra Road, Winshill, in the
County of Derby, Brewer, and ROBERT CHAPLIN, of 69, Elliscombe Road, Old
Charlton, in the County of Kent, and late of 27, Durand Gardens, Clapham Road,
in the County of London, Engineer, 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:-
The object of our invention is to produce a special clip or flexible connection by
means of which the end of the barrel or plunger of an air pump or inflator, such
as is generally in use at the present time for inflating the pneumatic tyres of
velocipedes, may be firmly attached at a convenient point to the frame of the
velocipede in such a way as to obviate the necessity of altogether detaching the
pump from the velocipede when it is required for use, and thus to facilitate the
act of pumping air into the tyres, to lessen the liability of the pump or inflator
to scratch or chip off the enamel of the velocipede frame and to prevent or reduce
rattling when riding on rough roads.
In carrying our invention into practical effect we construct a clip one side
of which encloses a flexible connection or universal joint, and the other side of
which serves as a clamp for fixing to the velocipede.
This joint may consist of a rubber band or tube of suitable width and diameter,
one end of which is wired or otherwise fixed to a nozzle formed on the end of the
barrel or plunger of the air pump, and the other end of which is enclosed within
the metal or other frame of the clip; a metal bush fitting tightly within this end
of the rubber band and thus securely fixing it within the said clip. One end of the
usual rubber tube for connecting the pump to the tyre valve may be screwed on
to the said nozzle either by a screw or other suitable connection, or may be wired
thereto, together with the rubber band or tube forming the joint; or the said
bush, fixing the rubber band with the clip, may have a screw thread cut upon
its internal surface, the end of the tube having an externally screw threaded
connection for engaging, therewith.
We do not however confine ourselves to any particular form of flexible joint, as
it is obvious that the latter may be constructed in a variety of ways, for instance,
the pump plunger may project a short distance beyond the barrel and have a ball
formed near the end thereof, or a ball may form a part of the pump nozzle, the said

page_text: ball forming a universal ball and socket joint with a suitable socket formed in one
side of the clip.
The free end of the connecting tube is attached, when in use, to the tyre valve
in the ordinary way, and when not in use, we arrange this tube, which is generally
from 15" to 18" in length, either to slide telescopically within the pump plunger
and be retained therein by a suitable cap, screwed or otherwise fitted to the end
of the plunger, or to be turned up and have the free end thereof secured in a
suitable clip which may be situated on the pump barrel. Or this tube may be
entirely disconnected from the pump.
The other end of the pump is secured to the velocipede-frame, when not in
use, by means of any suitable clip of ordinary construction.
We will now proceed to more particularly describe our invention in connection
with the accompanying drawings, in which the same letters of reference indicate
like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a clip and flexible connection or joint made according
to our invention showing a clip having two sides a and a', the side a¹ of which
encloses a flexible connection or joint consisting of a rubber band or tube b, having
one end thereof fixed by means of the wires e to the end of the plunger d of an
air pump and having the other end thereof firmly held in the side a¹ of the
clip by means of the metal bush e. The rubber connecting tube f being formed
to slide telescopically within the pump plunger d when travelling.
The bush e is internally screw threaded and may be closed when required by
the screw plug which is attached to the clip by means of the chain and swivel h¹.
The side a of the clip serves as a clamp to fix the joint to any convenient part of
the velocipede.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the clip shown in section in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shows another convenient form of flexible connection made according
to our invention, in which a ballo is formed upon the end of the pump plunger d,.
and the side a of the clip is adapted to form a socket to receive the ball o, a ball
and socket joint being thus formed. The side a of the clip forming the necessary
clamp for attaching the joint to the velocipede. The end of the plunger d has a
nozzle formed at the side thereof, to which one end of the connecting tube f is
attached.
It is obvious that the ball o might equally well be attached to a tubular extension
formed on the end of the pump barrel.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the clip shown in section in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 shows a pump or inflator attached to the frame m of a bicycle near
the bottom bracket thereof by means of a flexible connection as shown in Fig. 1,
and having the other or free end thereof secured to the cycle frame by means of
a clip of ordinary construction c¹.
P
Fig. 6 shows a pump or inflator p attached to the frame m of a bicycle near the
bottom bracket thereof by means of a flexible connection as shown in Fig. 3 and
having the other or free end thereof secured to the bicycle frame by means of a
clip of ordinary construction . In this fig. the rubber or like connecting
tube f is shown laid along the side of the pump for travelling and has its upper
end secured, when in position, by means of a hook or the like 7, shown in Fig. 7,
which engages with the clip c
If preferred, the tube f instead of being carried either telescopically as in Fig. 5,
or by means of a hook as in Fig. 6, may be entirely detached in the usual way when
travelling.
When it is required to use the pump, the connection is made by means of the
tube f with the tyre valve in the usual way, the free end of the pump is released
from the clip c¹ and the tyre in inflated by means of pumping; the fixed flexible
joint permitting the pump to be inclined in any convenient position during the
operation of pumping and the bicycle or other velocipede acting as a holder and
thereby considerably reducing the amount of work involved.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
-
(1) An air pump or inflator for inflating the pneumatic tyres of velocipedes
having one end of the barrel or plunger thereof firmly attached to any convenient
part of the velocipede by means of a clamp and flexible connection, and having
its other end removably attached to the velocipede by means of a spring clip of
ordinary construction, operated substantially as and for the purpose described.
(2) The method of attaching one end of the barrel or plunger of an air pump or
inflator, for inflating the pneumatic tyres of velocipedes to any convenient part
of the velocipede by means of a clamp and flexible connection substantially as and
for the purpose described.
Conun a
inD DIC ST
1030.
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention" Office, Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.