Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Suspending Cycles for Transportation.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 8th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb., 1898
InUIIUNAL OFLUTIVALIUM,
Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Suspending Cycles for
Transportation.
I, WILLIAM SHARP MACKIE, of 15 and 16, Aldermanbury, in the City and County
of London, E.C., Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
My invention relates to an improved device or apparatus for suspending
velocipedes or cycles during transit, and is more particularly designed for the
suspension of bicycles in railway vans, and has for its objects to economise space,
and to so suspend such vehicles that they may not be injured, or injure each other
during transit.
My invention consists of a metallic or other hook, clip, lock or other device or grasp,
rivetted, stitched or otherwise connected to the lower end of a resilient strap or
band, which may or may not be adjustable in length, and may be of rubber,
rubber composition, canvas, cloth, leather, or other material, or any desired com-
bination of such or other materials adapted for the purpose, the upper end of the
said strap or band being connected in any suitable manner to a metallic or other
plate or plates, or other device, adapted to permit the said strap or band to depend
therefrom, when the said plate or plates or other device is or are screwed or other-
wise fixed upon a vertical or horizontal surface, such for instance as the sides,
ends, or roof of a railway van.
The said plate or plates or other device may be provided at each side of the
said main strap or band, with a hook, clip, swivel or other device adapted to
receive and hold the upper ends of a pair of other and preferably narrower bands
of like or dissimilar lengths, or capable of adjustment and both of the same or
other material as that of the first named or main band, the said upper ends of the
latter or minor bands being each provided with a metallic or other plate or plates,
or other device or devices having a hole or aperture or other means by which
the said straps may be suspended upon the said hooks, clips, or the like, the lower
ends of the said minor bands being each provided with, or formed to provide a
hook, clip, or device adapted to grasp any portion of the frame of a cycle.
In suspending a gentleman's cycle the top horizontal bar would be deposited in
the metallic or other hook, clip or other device of the main strap, this being (if
necessary) lined with felt or other soft material so as not to injure the enamel of
the bar, in which case the two last named or minor bands, may depend idly from
the said point of suspension, but when a lady's cycle is to be suspended in lieu
of the gentleman's cycle, the free ends of the said narrow or minor bands may be
caused to spread apart, and engage with the fore and aft parts of the frame of the
machine, in which case the first named hook or other device would be idle, or it
may be possible to suspend both cycles simultaneously upon the one device but
I do not advocate this method.
The said suspending plates may be arranged in lines upon the ends or sides or
upon the roof of the railway van, and if the latter these may be placed either
longitudinally or transversely of the van and preferably in such a manner that

page_text: the plates in the one row alternate with those in the next, in order that the
machines when suspended thereon may occupy like positions, and for preference,
these would be so suspended that the front wheels of the machines in one row
would be in one direction, while those of the next would be opposite
thereto, and in order that the machines in either row may not
collide with, or even touch those in the next row, I provide lengths of rubber
tubing, cloth-ropes, or other resilient material, placed in suitable positions
between the machines and connected to hooks or other devices upon the walls
of the van.
The lower portion or floor of the van beneath the suspended bicycles may be
used for the storage of parcels and the like in the usual way.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Suspending Cycles for
Transportation.
I, WILLIAM SHARP MACKIE, of 15 and 16, Aldermanbury, in the City
of London, E.C., Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
My invention relates to an improved device or apparatus for suspending
velocipedes or cycles during transit or when not in use, and is designed with a
view to protect such machines from being injured and from damaging each other
when being conveyed from place to place in vehicles suitable for the purpose,
such for instance as railway luggage vans, the said device or apparatus being also
applicable for suspending such machines in sheds, outhouses or private and other
dwellings or other places.
In order that my said invention and the manner of using the same for the pur-
poses stated may be the better understood, I have hereunto appended a sheet of
drawings, of which
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my said device or apparatus, according to one
method of construction, which also illustrates the method of fixing same to a cross
beam of a railway van, or the beam of an outhouse, or the edge of a shelf or other
vertical surface, for the suspension of a gentleman's cycle.
Fig. 2 is a like view illustrating an alternative method of construction.
Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a pair of straps or bands to be connected
to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 for the suspension of a lady's cycle.
Figs. 4 and 5 are views illustrating the manner of using my said invention for
the suspension of a gentleman's and lady's bicycle respectively.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a split or divided band or strap the uses of
which will be hereinafter explained.
Fig. 7 is a small perspective view of a bracket, which may be conveniently
employed in outhouses, private and other dwellings or places to which the said
device or apparatus may be fixed when a beam or other means is not available.
For the purposes of my invention I construct of metal or other suitable material
a hook, or grasp such as A, preferably of the shape and configuration shewn in
Fig. 1, the lower end of which is curled at B in such a manner as to conveniently

page_text: receive the upper horizontal bar of a gentleman's bicycle, and to prevent possible
rupture of the enamel upon the said bar, the said curl may be lined with felt,
rubber, cloth or other soft material C. The upper end of AI rivet, screw, stitch
or otherwise connect to the lower end of a resilient strap or band D, which may
be of rubber, rubber composition, canvas, cloth, leather, or any desired com-
position of such or other suitable material, and when A and D are connected
together by rivets or screws as shewn, I may employ a back plate E of metal or
other hard material, so that the said screws or rivets may pass through A and D
and engage with E.
van.
The upper end of D (according to the arrangement shewn in Fig. 1) passes
through a horizontal slot a in a plate F, and passing up at the back of F is clipped
between this and a second and like plate G, suitable holes such as 6 being formed
in both plates for the reception of screws or rivets, which after passing through F
and D engage with G, and so firmly hold D between them. The said plates are
provided with other holes such as c by means of which these may be screwed
upon a vertical surface, such for instance as the side of a beam H of a railway
Or as an alternative arrangement I may construct the said front plate as
at F1 (Fig. 2) this being bent outwardly to form a recess d capable of receiving the
upper end of D, in which case the screws e that connect F1 with the plate G
may also serve for engagement with the beam H, whichever of the foregoing
arrangements I may employ the said plates would be provided with a pair of
holes f, one at each side of D, with which engage a pair of hooks or their equiva-
lents J, and with these engage the upper ends of a pair of bands or straps K
and K¹, of the same or other material as that of A, and may or may not be pro-
vided with means for adjustment of length, the upper ends of which have rivetted,
screwed or otherwise connected thereto metallic or other plates 9, each provided
with a hole h for the reception of the said hooks or the like J, while their lower
ends are bent or curled as shewn to render them adaptable for receiving and
holding a lady's bicycle as hereinafter explained, and in order to strengthen the
said curls and retain their formation as shewn, I may rivet or otherwise connect
to these metallic pieces m.
In suspending a gentleman's cycle the top horizontal bar of this would be
deposited within the curl B of the hook A, as shewn in Fig. 4, in which case the
straps or bands K and K' may depend idly from the hooks J as shewn in the same
fig., but when a lady's cycle is to be suspended the curled ends of the straps or
bands K and K' are employed, which engage with the fore and aft parts of the
frame, as shewn in Fig. 5, in which case the hook A B would be idle, and by
these means each device or apparatus is always available for either purpose.
In so far as regards railway and like vans, the said devices or apparatus may
he arranged in lines along or across the roof of the van, and preferably in such
a manner that the devices or apparatus in one row, alternate with those in the
next, in order that the machines when suspended thereon may also alternate with
each other, and for preference these would be so suspended that the front wheels
of the machines in one row would be in one direction while those of the next would
be in the opposite direction, and in order that the machines in either row may
not collide with those in the next, I provide between each row a length of tubular
or solid rubber, cloth, rope or other resilient material L, one end of each of which
may be connected to one end or side wall of the van, while their opposite ends may
each be provided with an eye n as shewn in Fig. 4, which may be caused to
engage with hooks upon the opposite wall of the van, but in cases where the other
contents of the van, or space or other conditions render the presence of such
cords or ropes L undesirable, I may provide pieces of split or divided rubber,
cloth, leather or other resilient material M (Fig. 6) the connected ends of which
may be so formed at pas to be easily connected to the hooks J, while the divided
or free ends of L may each be curled to form a hook r, stiffened by any suitable
means, so that when so suspended upon J the said curls or hooks may grasp the
handle bar N of the cycle, as shewn by dotted outline in Fig. 5, and so steady

page_text: the machine. The lower portion or floor of the van beneath the suspended
machines may be used for the storage of parcels and the like in the usual way.
Although I have herein before described my invention as adapted for the
suspension of cycles in railway vans and the like, it is obvious that the same is
applicable for the suspension of cycles in outhouses, or domestic or other dwellings,
when not in use, in which cases the said device or apparatus may be screwed
upon a beam, or be so arranged as to be connected to the edge of a shelf, but
where such beam or shelf does not exist I' may employ a bracket constructed
substantially as at P Fig. 7, the front portion of which s may be so formed as to be
capable of receiving and holding the plates F G or F1 G, while the depth of the
bracket from front to back may be such, that when fixed upon a wall or other
vertical surface, a bicycle suspended upon the fixed device or apparatus, may hang
clear of the said wall or the like.
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:--
1st. In an improved method of and means for the suspension of cycles in rail-
way. vans and other places, the herein described device or apparatus substantially
as set forth and shewn.
2nd. In a device or apparatus for the suspension of cycles, the combination of
a curled plate A, attached to a strap D, connected to plates such as F G or F¹ G,
carrying hooks such as J, for the suspension of straps such as K K', with means
for fixing the said plates upon a vertical surface such as H, or a bracket such as P
and means for keeping such suspended cycles out of touch with each other, sub-
stantially as herein described and shewn.
Dat this 9th dox of Danambar 1807
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.