Improvements in and relating to Mud Guards for Oyoles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in and relating to Mud Guards for Oyoles.
t
I, WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM of 26, Moor Lane, Clitheroe, in the County of
Lancaster, Cycle Maker and Repairer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
b
This invention relates to improved mud guards for cycles, which I preferably
construct of wood rendered flexible, tempered steel, or other flexible material, and
secure the same to the cycle in such a manner, that the same will be held bow-
shaped or conform to the curvature of the wheels or held in tension by suitable
attachments so that such mud guards will be easy of application, and may be
readily removed when required, whilst at the same time, they will afford ample
protection to the rider.
At
In carrying my invention into effect, I will first proceed with the guard that is to
protect the front wheel. This, assuming that it is made of flexible wood, is bent
like a bow to the curvature of the wheel, and at one end is made to fit the fork by
being notched, so that it will go between the prongs, and just under the fork
crown, It is also provided with hooks or catches which slip over the crown.
its other end it is formed with two eyelets, through which laces of leather or other
durable material proceed, which laces, after being secured to the axle of the wheel
in a novel manner about to be described or in any other suitable manner, draw the
inud guard to a bow shape.
The novel method of fastening the laces is as follows:-I secure to the axle of
the wheel a kind of buckle formed with a hole and a slot. The buckle is slipped
ou the axle by the hole, and then secured by screwing on the retaining nut. The
laces are provided with hooks, which, when the guard has been bent to shape, hook
into the slot of the specially prepared buckle. It will be evident that the guard by
this simple means of attachment may be readily fixed and removed without
unscrewing any nuts of the machine.
The back guard is preferably formed much longer than the front guard, and is
notched, so as to fit into the compression or horizontal stays of the machine. It is
also notched about midway of its length so as to fit into the vertical or supporting
stays of the machine, through which it is passed and extends to the rear portion of
the buck wheel.
It is likewise held in tension by laces, which are fastened in eyelets near its other
extremity, and these laces may be secured to the axle of the back wheel in a
similar manner to those previously described.
Dated this 9th day of October 1894.
F. RICHMOND,
12, Standish Street, Burnley, Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Mud Guards for Cycles.
I, WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM of 26, Moor Lane, Clitheroe, in the County of
Lancaster, Gycle. Maker and Repairer, 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 improved mud guards for cycles, which I preferably
construct of flexible wood or other flexible material, and secure the same to the
cycle in such a manner, that the same will be held bow-shaped or conform to the
curvature of the wheel, and thus,be, held in tension by suitable attachments, so that
such mud guards will be easy of application, and may be readily, removed when
required, whilst at the same time, they will afford ample protection to the rider.
In carrying my invention into effect, I'will: first proceed with the guard that is
to protect the front wheel:
This, assuming that, it is, made of flexible wood, is bent' like a bow to, the
curvature of the wheel; and at one end is made to fit the fork by being notched,' so
that it will go between the prongs, and just under the fork. crown.
It is also
provided with hooks or catches, which slip over the crown.. At its other end it is.
formed with two eyelets, through which laces of leather or other durable material*
proceed, which laces, after being secured to the axle of the wheel, in a novel
manner about to be described or in any other suitable manner, draw the mud guard
to a bow shape.
"
The novel method of fastening the laces is as follows:
Isecure to the axle of the wheel a kind of buckle formed with' a hole and a slot.
The buckle is slipped on the axle by the hole, and then secured by screwing on the
retaining nut. The laces are provided with hooks, which, when the guard has
been bent to shape, hook into the slot of the specially prepared buckle or eyelet.
It will be evident, that the guard by this simple means of attachment may he
readily fixed and removed without unscrewing any nuts of the machine. The
position of the book and the buckle or eyelet may of course be reversed.
The back guard is preferably formed much longer than the front guard, and is
notclied so as to fit into the compression or horizontal stays of the machine. It is
also notched about midway of its length, so as to fit into the vertical or supporting
stays of the machine, through which it is passed, and extends to the rear portion off
the back wheel. It is likewise held in tension by laces, which are fastened in
eyelets near its other extremity, and these laces may be secured to the axle of tho
back wheel in a similar manner to those previously, described.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a. front.elevation of a bicycle with my
improved mud guard attached.
A is the front wheel, to which is attached mud guard A', constructed of flexible
wood or other yielding material. As seen in Figs. 2 and 3, which are plan and
side views respectively of this guard, it is provided at one end with a couple of
booked or cranked projections B. Tho wood at this end is also cut away, so that
it may slip just under the fork crown, whilst the hooks just come over the crowny.
and are forced against the same by the bending of the guards in the manner
bereiunfter explained. These hooked, projections are screwed and fixed to the
wood by two nuts or bosses screwed' on each side as shewn, so as to be adjustable.
The top portion of the front guard having thus being secured, the guard is now
bent bow shaped, so as to conform to the curvature of the bicycle wheel, and in
this position it is held in tension by attaching two laces B₁ at the extreme end of
the guard, and then by simple means the laces are attached to the axle of the
wheel, so as to be readily detachable. The means of detachably securing the
Jaces B to the axle of the wheel will be at once apparent by reference to Fig. 4,

page_text: which illustrates a hook or catch piece C employed for this purpose, which we
preferably slip on the axle of the wheel, and maintain in position by screwing on
the retaining nut. The lacos Bare provided witli an eyelet or kind of buckle D,
which when the guards have been bent to the required shape engages with the
hooked portion of the catch piece C. In this way, the front guard is held in
tension rigidly and firmly in position, and may be easily removed by disengaging
the eyelet D from the catch piece C.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the rear mud guard E, constructed in accordance with
my invention, whilst in Fig. 1 this guard is shewn as attached to the machine. It
is likewise constructed of flexible wood or other flexible or yielding material, and
at one end is cut away, so as to fit into the horizontal or compression stays F of
the machine. At G about midway of its length, the back guard is notched, so as
to fit into the vertical or supporting stays H of the machine, and may be provided
with rubber band I to fix without chafing. This guard is also provided with
laces J, which after being fastened to the other end of the guard then engage with
the catch piece C by means of eyelet D in a similar manner as previously
described. In some cases, the laced ends of the guard may be fish tailed as shewn
in dotted lines in Fig. 5 to be more effective for the purpose intended. They may-
also be made to taper in thickness towards their lower ends, which will enable
them to take the required curvature. This tapering has reference more particularly
to the rear guard. Instead of tapering the wood, a leather attachment Q (see
Fig. 1) may be employed, secured to the saddle spring R or its carrier, and
eyelet S in rear guard E, and adjusted by regulating block U.
The flexible guards are thus beld in tension to the curvature of the wheels in a
peculiar and novel manner, and secured by a simple means of fastening, which
enables them to be readily detached in a very short space of time, without removing
any nut or other part of the machine. Fig. 6 is a method of securing the guard to
a round crown of a bicycle instead of to the usual type. Fixed by nuts to the
guard is holder L, carrying claw clip M, which is tightened against the round
crown by thumb nut N, thus drawing the parts firmly together. In Fig. 7 is
shewn catch B. provided with thumb nut for securing guard to the fork:
crown P.
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. The improved construction and arrangement of a tensional mud guard, and'
means of fastening the same to a cycle wheel, substantially as shewn and described.
2. Forming a mud guard of flexible material, and holding the same in tension to
the curvature of a cycle wheel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 8th day of Jul, 1895.
F. RICHMOND,
12, Standish Street, Burnley, Agent for the Applicant.