Improved Means of Locking Bicycles and other Steered Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improved Means of Locking Bicycles and other Steered Vehicles.
:
I, JOSEPH HAAG of 22, Avenue de la Mairie, Rosny-sous-Bois (Seine) France,
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 :--
My Invention relates to a locking device for velocipedes, motor cars, and other
steered vehicles, for preventing the machine from being wheeled away by a thief and
for indicating by the position of the steering wheel that the machine has been stolen.
The essential feature of the Invention consists in locking the handle bar to the
steering fork spindle by a device whereby it is rendered loose at same time that the
steering wheel is locked in the transverse position, the locking bolt being secured in
that position by a combination lock.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this
Specification wherein Figure 1 represents the fork locking device in the inoperative
position, the handle bar being in position for use. Figure 2 shews the fork locking
device in the locked position and the handle bar loose to prevent the bicycle being
used. Figure 3 shews one of the rotary studs of the combination lock. Figure 4 is
a face and edge view of the lock plate. Figure 5 shews the slot and notches in the
steering fork spindle for receiving the bolt and studs of the combination lock. The
same letters of reference denote like parts in all the Figures.
The handle bar a is loose on the steering fork spindle b and is normally locked
thereto by a sliding bolt c engaging by its upper end in a notch in the boss of the
handle bar the bolt being received in a vertical slot d in the spindle b and being
locked in engagement with the handle bar by the locking studs h hereafter described.
In order to lock the steering wheel cross-wise it is first turned to that position and
then the bolt c is pushed down by means of its lug e so as to disengage its upper end
from the handle bar and engage its lower end in a notch f in the head g of the steering
fork pillar socket in which position it is locked by a combination of rotary studs h
mounted in the bolt c, the shanks of the studs projecting through a plate at back
of bolt c and being retained by means of cotter pins and each stud having a flattened
tongue i of a thickness to just slide in a groove k countersunk in the bottom of the
slot d in the spindle, the groove being provided with circular recesses j permitting of
turning the studs h so that their flattened tongues stand cross-wise of the groove k

page_text: thereby preventing all motion of the bolt c.
The planes of the tongues i of different
studs are in different angular relation to the pins or indexes on the heads of the
studs so that a secret "combination "lock is formed, of which it is necessary to know
the combination key before the bolt c can be unfastened.
The same locking device may be applied either to the steering handle bar or below
it and the device may be otherwise varied without departing from the Invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :—
A steering fork locking device whereby the handle bar is made loose and the
steering fork spindle is locked in its socket in the cross-wise position of the wheel,
said locking device consisting of a bolt in sliding connection with the spindle and
adapted to engage with the handle bar, or with the spindle socket, in combination
with a series of rotary locking studs forming a secret "combination" lock adapted to
slide in and when turned to enter into locking engagement with recesses in the
spindle as specified.
Dated this 12th day of February 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK.
.53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.