Improvements in Locks.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locks.
FRANK VILLIERS-STEAD, Electrician, 44, Gutter Lane, Cheapside, London, E.C., do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in locks, and is especially applicable to
bicycles or other motors. I use a small tube of metal or other material, to be
inserted or fixed upon any of the standards or tubes of the machine. Within this
sinall tube, I have fixed a double toothed piston rod, held in position by two flanges;
upon this piston rod I have cut into, or fixed upon, one of the toothed ratchets,
which ratchet is actuated by a wheeled key. I have the other ratchet controlled by
a spring push catch, fixed upon the cycle standard, which engages a stop fixed upon
the piston rod, when the rod is released by the pressure upon the push catch, it is
forced down the tube by a spring fixed to the rod which is held by one of the
flanges, or without the spring the rod falls down and can be gripped by the key.
At the end of the piston rod I have fixed a grip, which falls upon, and holds the
crank axle or cycle wheel; when the key is inserted its wheel actuates the catch,
and working the ratchet of the piston rod, forces down the grip upon the axle crank,
or cycle wheel.
I have a spring catch holding the locking ratchet which is pushed off the locking
ratchet by the insertion of the key, when the key can be turned, thus firmly fixing
the griplock upon the wheel or wheel axle, when the key is removed, a catch
falling into the ratchet, holds firin the grip lock upon the crank axle or wheel, and
the cycle is locked.
When the key to release the lock is inserted, it pushes off and releases the catch,
and then winding up the ratchet, the push spring catch falls into, or upon the rod
stop thereby holding clear the grip lock from the treadle axle crank, or wheel.
This lock can be applied to a break pad which would press upon the cycle wheel.
Dated the Twenty-second day of October 1896.
I, FRANK VILLIERS-STEAD, of 44, Gutter Lane, Cheapside, London, Electrician, 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 cycle-lock and is characterized by the
application to the steering-fork tube of a cycle or the like, of means of the nature

page_text: locked so as to be prevented from rotating so that the vehicle cannot be ridden away
or even wheeled away with the steering wheel on the road and the wheel can only
be released by the holder of the key of the locking mechanism.
On the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1, represents a sectional elevation of a cycle head-tube and steering-fork-
tube fitted with the improved lock, showing the same out of action;
Fig. 2, represents a like view, showing the lock in action;
Fig. 3, represents an elevation, at right-angles to Fig. 1;
Figs. 4, and 5, are sections, respectively on A-B, and C-D, Fig. 1.
Figs. 6 and 7, represent the unlocking key;
Fig. 8, is a like view, on an enlarged scale, to Fig. 4, of a modification; and
Fig. 9, is a sectional elevation, in part, of the device applied conjunctively with
brake apparatus.
a, represents the cycle head-tube, b, the steering-fork-tube, and c, c¹, the steering-
wheel tyre and rim.
To the end aforesaid, the invention is characterized by the application, in
combination, to the steering-fork-tube of a cycle or the like, of a rod d, carrying
a tyre-lock d¹, or adapted to apply a brake-block e, to the tyre c, a spring detent f,
serving, until released by the cyclist, to hold the lock rod out of action but in
position for actuation, a spring g, serving, when the lock-rod is released from the
detent, to depress the rod and to apply the tyre-lock or brake-block to the wheel-
tyre, and a spring pawl h, and ratchet apparatus, serving, until itself released by the
cyclist by the proper key serving to unlock the device, to keep the lock-rod depressed
and the tyre-lock or brake-block applied to the wheel-tyre.
The rod d, is squared and is guided by and has facility of endway movement in
upper and lower guides b¹, crossing the tube b, and partakes of the movements of
such tube about.its axis. The tyre-lock d', is fitted to the lower end of the rod,
which, at any convenient part of its length, is fitted with the spring g, which is so
applied as to constantly tend to depress the lock d¹, or brake e, into engagement
with the tyre c. The detent f, may be adapted to engage with the rod at any
convenient part of its length, and, at such part, the rod is formed with a recess f¹,
with which the detent f, is caused automatically to engage, when the rod is raised to
its inoperative position, vide Fig. 1, by a spring f, which normally tends to keep
the detent in position for engagement with the recess.
The detent is formed with a projecting pusher f³, by which the detent can, at the
will of the cyclist, be conveniently released from engaging with the rod, when the
pusher is opposite an aperture a¹, made in the cycle-head-tube.
The spring pawl h, is adapted to engage with ratchet teeth h¹, formed in the lock-
rod, and serves to prevent the tyre lock from being raised out of engagement with
the tyre unless and until the pawl is removed from engagement with the teeth h¹,
by its being operated by the appropriate key j, as hereinafter further referred to.
The lock-rod is also formed with teeth h³, by means of which, after the pawl has
been released from the ratchet, it can be raised either by a toothed wheel h*,
operated by a key j, Figs. 6 and 7, or by a wheel-key j, vide Fig. 8.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 7, the spindle of the wheel h, is supported by a bearing ho,
and is formed with a triangular or other suitable peculiarly shaped arbor h', vide
Fig. 3, adapted to engage only with key, having a correspondingly shaped
socket end j', vide Figs. 6 and 7. The pawl h, is fitted with a guard piece h²,
which surrounds the wheel arbor h', and is so shaped as to permit of the key
socket being inserted on to the arbor b7, while it prevents the wheel from being
turned by the key until the pawl h, has been disengaged from the ratchet. To this
end, the key is provided with a projection, which is adapted to bear against the
guard, and thereby to press the pawl h, from engagement with the ratchet teeth h¹.
This, however, can only be done when an aperture 62, made in the tube b,
opposite the arbor h', is opposite an aperture a², made in the cycle head-tube and
which is shaped to the size and formation of the key stem, vide Fig. 3.

page_text: In the modification represented in Fig. 8, the key is made as a wheel-key having
teeth js, adapted to engage with the teeth h³, of the rod d, and with a part j, serving
to disengage the pawl h, from the ratchet teeth h¹, by pushing it therefrom before
the rod can be raised by the turning of the key.
Assuming the parts to be in the position represented in Fig. 1, and it be desired
by the cyclist to lock the steering wheel in order to leave his machine. unattended
without fear of its being ridden or wheeled away, all that he need do is to press on
the pusher fs, by a projection j, on the key j, so as to force the detent f, out of
engagement with the rod d, whereupon, the spring g, instantly depresses the lock-
rod pressing the tyre-lock d', into engagement with the tyre. The cyclist may
augment the pressure of the tyre-lock on the tyre by depressing the lock-rod still
further by means of the key, and into whatever position the rod be depressed, the
pawl and ratchet teeth will hold it therein until the pawl be released and the rod
be lifted by the appropriate key j. Should it be attempted to steal the cycle by
piercing and deflating the tyre, the spring g, owing to the absence of resistance
offered by the inflated tyre, will then cause the rod to follow down the deflated tyre
until the lock d¹, bears against the wheel rim, and so will prevent the cycle from
being ridden or wheeled away.
In using the device conjunctively with a brake, vide Fig. 9, the rod d, is made
tubular to permit of the passage therethrough of a brake-rod k, which may be
Inanipulated from the handle-bar for its ordinary purpose of utility in any
ordinary manner, but, for the purpose of locking the tyre, the brake-block e, is
applied to the tyre by means of the rod d, in manner aforesaid, and, when so
applied, is released upon the rod d, being released and raised as hereinbefore
described.
In lieu of being applied directly to the tube b, the parts of the device may be
applied to a carrier tube removably applied to the tube b.
Though the invention is herein before described with particular reference to its
use as a cycle-lock, it will be understood that it is equally applicable as a lock
to the wheels of motor and other vehicles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
A cycle or other vehicle lock adapted to act on the steering wheel of a cycle
or the like, and characterized by the application, in combination, to the steering-
fork-tube, of a guided squared rod carrying a tyre-lock or adapted to apply a brake-
block to the tyre; a spring detent, serving, until released by the cyclist, to hold
the rod out of action but in position for actuation; a spring, serving, when the rod
is released from the detent, to depress the rod and to apply the tyre-lock or brake-
block to the wheel-tyre; and a spring pawl, serving, until itself released by the
cyclist by the proper key serving to unlock the device, to keep the rod depressed
and the tyre-lock or brake-block applied to the wheel-tyre; as set forth.
Dated this 14th day of August 1897
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.