Alarm Mechanism for Bicyeles or the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Alarm Mechanism for Bicyeles or the like.
I, JAMES MADISON BUTCHER, of Denver, in the County of Arapahoe and State
of Colorado, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: -
My invention relates to improvements in alarm mechanism, more especially
intended for use in connection with bicycles, but, which may be employed in
many other relations where an alarm is needed or required. My object is to
provide a device of this class which shall be simple in construction, economical
in cost, reliable, durable and efficient in use; and to these ends, the invention
consists of the features, arrangements and combinations hereinafter described
and claimed, all of which will be fully understood by reference to the accom-
panying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.
In this drawing
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete device.
Fig. 2 is a central, longitudinal section taken through the same.
Fig. 3 is a top view of the device, the clamp being partly broken away.
Fig.
is a section taken on the line b-b, Fig. 2 the crank being shown in
the half-throw position.
Fig. 5 is a detail view of the double piston.
Fig. 6 illustrates the device applied to a bicycle and in position for use.
Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive illustrate another form of construction adapted to be
applied to the handle bar of a bicycle and operated by hand.
Fig. 7 is shown partly in elevation, and partly in longitudinal section taken
on the line y-y, Fig. 10.
Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line s-s, Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is similar to Fig. 7, the sectional part being shown in another plane.
Fig. 10 is an end elevation of the device.
Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line -, Fig. 1, looking toward the right.
Fig. 12 is a sectional detail taken on the line z-z, Fig. 11.
Similar reference, characters indicating corresponding parts in these views, and
referring first specially to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, let the numeral 5 designate a
casing preferably cylindrical in form, and enclosing the piston chamber 8.
Mounted exteriorly on this casing, are two whistle tubes designated by the
numerals 6 and 7 respectively. These tubes are made fast to the casing and are
provided with openings 6 and 7 respectively, located at the extremities remote
from each other, and adjacent the extremities of the casing 5. The apertured
extremity of each whistle tube is provided with one or more orifices 9 communi-
cating with one, extremity of a passage way 10, whose opposite extremity com-
municates with the piston chamber by means of an aperture 12. Within the
piston chamber 8 is located a double piston 13, composed of two heads 13
connected by a slotted arm 13°. Centrally journaled in the casing 5 and passing

page_text: through the slot 13d in the arm 13°, is a spindle 14 in which is formed a
crank 14. A pitman 15 is connected at one extremity with this crank, while
its opposite extremity is connected with one of the piston heads 13. One
extremity of the spindle 14 protrudes from the casing and is supported by a
bracket arm 16 in which it is journaled. Outside of the arm 16, the spindle 14
is provided with a disk 17 whose periphery is preferably composed of rubber.
Attached to the casing 5 exteriorly, is a bracket 18, whose free extremities
are formed into vertical tubes 18" connected by a cross head 18°. These tubes 18"
engage the vertical arms of a yoke 19. The cross head 18° is connected with
the top of the yoke by a coil spring 25. The lower extremities 19% of these
yoke arms are bent outwardly at right angles and clasped between two plates 20
and 21, connected by a set screw 22. The upper plate 20 is provided with a .ver-
tical flange 20 on which is mounted a small pulley 23 under which passes a
cord 24, one extremity of which is connected with the cross-head 18, while its
opposite extremity is attached to a lever 27 fulcrumed on the handle bar 28
of the bicycle in suitable proximity to one handle thereof. The cord 24 also
engages a guide 29 attached to the handle bar near the lever 27 (not shown).
The plate 21 is provided with a downwardly extending arm 30, whose lower
extremity is provided with a clamp 31 adapted to engage an
arm 32 of the
front fork of the bicycle. The alarm device is mounted on the machine in
suitable proximity to the tire 33 of the front wheel. The clamp is so adjusted
on the fork arm that the disk is normally held a short distance above the tire
of the wheel by the spring 25. When it is desired to operate the mechanism,
the free arm of the lever 27 is raised, upward and the cord 24 moved sufficiently
to draw the casing 5 downwardly, causing the disk to engage the wheel tire.
This engagement with the turning wheel of the machine rotates the disk and
its spindle 14 which, through the medium of the crank 14 and the pitman 15,
reciprocates the double piston 13 and forces the air alternately from the extre-
mities of the piston chamber 8 out through the aperture 12, the passage-way 10,
the orifices 9 and the openings 6 or 7 of the tubes 6 or 7 as the case may be,
producing a whistling sound whose tone is controlled by an adjustable cross
partition 35 attached to a set screw 36 which passes through a slot in the tube 6,
its outer extremity being attached to a sliding graduated plate 37. The tube 6
is provided, with an arrow located in suitable proximity to the graduated plate.
By loosening the set screw 36, the partition 35 may be so adjusted as to change
the tone of the whistle as desired. By means of this device, it is evident that
any number of whistles, for instance, all those belonging to any wheel club,
may be so regulated as to emit the same tone, while the whistles of another club,
may be set to give another tone and so on. It is believed that this adjustable
partition will form a very convenient feature of the device.
In case it is not desired to operate the alarm mechanism from the wheel of
the bicycle, a hand crank may be used (see Figs. 7, 8 and 9). In this case,
the device is mounted on the handle bar 28 in such a position that the crank
may be turned by the hand of the rider for the purpose of operating the spindle
and the piston. If the hand crank is used, it is preferred to employ gears for
the purpose of imparting to the spindle a number of revolutions for every revolu-
tion of the crank. While any desired gearing mechanism may be employed
for accomplishing this result, that shown in Figs. 78 and 9 is simple in
construction and thoroughly practicable in operation. The crank 38 is attached
to the outer extremity of the spindle 39, upon whose inner extremity is mounted
a fast gear 40 meshing with a pinion 41 fast on the crank spindle 14, which
in this form of construction does not protrude from the casing 5.
Instead of the tubes 6 and 7, chambers 42 and 43 (see Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive),
may be formed in the casing 5 which is sufficiently elongated or enlarged for
the purpose. These chambers are separated from the piston chambers by
transverse partitions 44, in which are formed openings 45 communicating with

page_text: the auxiliary chambers enclosed by walls 46. The auxiliary chambers form
continuation of the piston chamber and the air escapes therefrom through small
apertures 47, passing thence to openings 51 where it escapes, causing the whistling
sound as before explained. In this form of construction, the chambers 42
and 43 take the place of the tubes 6 and 7 in the other form, or, that shown in
Figs. 1 to 6. The tubes are made of different lengths, so that the air escaping
from the opposite ends of the piston chamber will emit different tones. The
chambers 42 and 43 may also, if desired, be of different capacities for the same
reason. The tone of the whistles in the construction shown in Figs. 7 to 11
may be regulated by adjusting a radial partition 48 having a stem 48 to which
is attached the inner extremity of a movable cap 49, whose outer extremity is
exposed and provided with a head for convenience of adjustment. This cap 49
is inserted in the outer end of the cup 50, centrally located in each of the
chambers 42 and 43. The, wall of this cup is slotted to permit the necessary
movement of the stem of the radial partition. The end wall of each chamber is
so graduated (see Fig. 10), that the said partition may be accurately and corre-
spondingly adjusted on any number of devices, in order that all may produce
the same tone when in operation. A suitable clamp 52 (see Figs. 7 and 8) is
employed to fasten this form of the device to the handle bar of the machine.
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
→
1. In an alarm mechanism, the combination of a suitable casing, a piston
located therein, a spindle journaled in the casing and provided with a crank,
the pitman connecting the crank with the piston, a whistling chamber mounted
on the casing and communicating with the piston chamber, whereby as the
piston is reciprocated a whistling sound is produced.
2. In an alarm mechanism, the combination with a suitable casing enclosing
a piston chamber, a crank spindle journaled in the casing, a pitman connecting
the spindle with the piston, a whistling chamber mounted on the said casing
and communicating with the piston chamber, means for regulating the capacity
of the whistling chamber, and means for rotating the crank spindle.
3. In an alarm mechanism, the combination of a suitable casing enclosing
a piston chamber, a double, piston located in said chamber, a spindle journaled
in the casing and provided with a crank, a pitman connecting the crank on the
spindle with the piston, two whistling chambers communicating with the
respective extremities of the piston chamber, and means for rotating the crank
spindle.
.
A. The combination with a suitable clamp for fastening. the device to a bicycle,
of a spring supported, casing mounted thereon, a piston located in said casing,
a spindle journaled in the casing, a pitman connecting a crank on the spindle
with the piston, a whistling chamber communicating with the piston chamber,
an exposed disk fast on the crank spindle, and means connected with the casing
and engaging the clamp for moving the casing sufficiently to bring the disk
in contact with the tire of the wheel.
5. The combination of the casing enclosing a piston chamber and provided
with one or more whistling chambers communicating with the piston chamber,
a piston located in said chamber, a crank spindle journaled in the casing, a
pitman connecting the crank spindle with the piston, a disk mounted exteriorly
on the spindle, a bracket fast on the casing, a yoke engaging said bracket, a
spring connecting the bracket and the yoke, a clamp fastened to the yoke and
adapted to be attached to the bicycle, a lever mounted on the bicycle, a suitable
connection between the lever and the bracket, whereby the casing is actuated
sufficiently to bring the disk into contact with one of the bicycle wheels.
6. The combination with a casing enclosing a piston chamber, a piston located

page_text: in said chamber, a whistling chamber communicating with the piston chamber,
and suitable means for operating the piston, comprising a crank spindle jour-
naled in the casing, a friction disk fast on the spindle, and a suitable connection
between the crank spindle and the piston, whereby the rotation of the spindle
reciprocates the piston.
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Dated this 07th dose of Ontalon 1000