Toe-clips for Cycle Pedals.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 20th Nov., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Toe-clips for Cycle Pedals.
I, HENRY LEE YOUNG, residing at the S.E. corner of Main and Jackson
Streets, Elkhart, County of Elkhart, State of Indiana, U.S.A. Inventor, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
"
The improvement is more especially intended for cycles, and will be described
as applied to a bicycle pedal of the style known as rat-trap." It can be easily
applied and removed at will, and is effectually guarded against being revolved
out of position, even if the attachment becomes slightly loosened. It receives the
toe of the shoe between wings which extend upward, one on each side of the toe,
and are curved inward at the proper angle to serve officiently. This end is
attained by having the wings rise from the base at the proper distance apart to
press fairly against the edges of the sole and thereby hold the toe in position
under all ordinary conditions and extend upward and bend inward, so as to pro-
tect the foot, and above the foot without pressing on it. The inward bends
of the wings lie above the foot and out of contact with it under ordinary con-
ditions, but when the foot is lifted so that it leaves the base of the clip it engages
with the upper portion of the wings. The condition allows the toe clip to serve
all its ordinary functions including the vigorous lifting on the pedal by the
foot, which is sometimes required in mounting hills or passing through soft
places, but does not press on the upper part of the foot in ordinary riding.
The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent
what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.
Figure 1 is a side view of the improved toe-clip.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.
Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the connection of the clip to the
pedal, the latter being indicated in dotted lines.
Figure 4 is on a larger scale, and shows a portion of the clip in its relation
to the adjacent portion of the pedal, the latter being shown in section on the
line 44 in Fig. 2
Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view with the foot in position, the view being
taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line 5-5 in Fig. 2.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding. parts in all the figures
where they appear.
A is a bicycle pedal which may be of an ordinary and long approved form,
having the usual hole for receiving a screw-bolt B, which is engaged by a nut. B¹,
and provided with a washer B³, which serves as the holding means for the toe-
clip.
My toe-clip may be formed from a single piece of sufficiently stout sheet
steel. I will designate it by the letter D, using super-numerals when necessary
to indicate special parts. D¹ is a portion bent downwards at right angles, forming

page_text: a rigid lug, which applies against the pedal A, and is provided with a vertical
slot d to receive the bolt B.
The toe-clip is formied with horns D³, D³, which are allowed to remain un-bent.
They extend rearward in the plane of the body and engage over the upper edge
of the adjacent portion of the pedal A. They determine the height at which the
toe-clip is fixed, and especially prevent the toe-clip from tilting to the right or
the left. Instead of depending only on the strong friction induced by the grip
of the bolt B and nut B₁ to resist such displacement, these horns D³ ensure the
holding of the toe-clip correctly.
On each side near the front of the clip are upwardly extending wings
marked D, D³, curved inwardly. I have shown them as provided each with a
considerable opening d', d, and prefer that they be so formed. They are joined
to the main body D at a taper matching to the contour of the corresponding part
of an ordinary shoe. They press laterally against the edges of the sole without
inducing any pressure on the top of the foot except in the rare cases when great
effort is to be made and the foot is lifted in the clip.
I can form my clip of various materials, including hard rubber, but propose
ordinarily to make it of steel, copper-coated and nickeled. I propose to make
the clips of two or more sizes and styles. It is easy to effect the engagement of
the shoe with the clip and to instantly disengage it by the natural backward
movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
i. A toe-clip provided with rearwardly projecting horns to engage the upper
edge of the pedal, adapted to serve as herein specified.
2. In a toe-clip for a cycle pedal, the rearwardly extending horns formed in-
tegrally with the clip and adapted to engage the pedal and to serve therewith,
and with fastening means B, B', substantially as herein specified.
. A toe-clip for cycle pedals comprising the main body portion and side wings
for the toe extending upwardly and inwardly, so set and shaped as to engage only
the sole of the shoe under ordinary conditions, the downwardly bent lug having
the sint to receive the fastening screw, and the rearwardly projecting horns, the
whole formed integral, substantially as herein specified.
4. The within described toe-clip comprising the main body portion tapering
forward provided with upwardly and inwardly ourved wings D4, D5 set in corre-
spondingly oblique positions, the rear portion of the clip having the extended
horns, D³, and downwardly extending lug D1 having the slot d, the whole
formed integral, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 13th dox of Santambor 1807
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agents,
62 Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents for the Applicant.