Improvements in Coin-freed Lock-up Cycle Racks or Stocks.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 10th Feb., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coin-freed Lock-up Cycle Racks or Stocks.
I, JOHN MANN LOOKERBIE, of Newstead Wake Green Road, Moseley, near the
City of Birmingham, Manufacturer, 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 has relation to automatic or coin-freed lock-up or guardian cyclo
racks or stocks, principally to be used in public places and out of doors for the
purpose of temporily holding or taking charge of a bicycle in exchange for a
coin previously deposited in the apparatus, thus securing the machine against
theft.
By my invention, a wheel of the machine to be temporily held and secured
against theft is gripped at two points by means of two pairs of jaws, both of
which admit of being simultaneously locked in their gripping positions around
the wheel by a double-bolt or duplex coin-freed lock.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents an elevation of my improved
coin-freed lock-up cycle rack in use. From this view it will be seen that the
apparatus comprises a pair of jaws, carried at the end of a swinging arm and
adapted to grip the tyre and rim of the wheel at the top, and a second pair of
jaws carried on a base or attachment plate secured to a wall or other support, for
embracing the wheel tyre and rim at the front, both sets of jaws being locked in
their gripping positions by independent bolts operated or shot and withdrawn
simultaneously by coin-freed lock-mechanism contained within a fixed casing.
Figure 2 shows the apparatus in the position in which it is placed when out of
цве.
Figure 3 represents, partly in section and partly in elevation, the said
apparatus with the parts in the same positions as shown in Figure 2 and with
the cover plate of the lock-casing removed to show the arrangement of the coin-
freed mechanism for simultaneously shooting and withdrawing the two bolts
which respectively lock the swinging and the fixed jaws or grip.
Figure 4 is another view of the said gripping jaws in the same positions as
Figures 2 and 6.
Figure 5 represents an edge view of the upper jaw, showing its connection with
the swinging arm and Figure 6 another view thereof with the arm in section.
Figure 7 is a similar view to that shown in Figure 6, but with the arms opened
out to receive the part of the wheel to be gripped.
Figure 8 shows a detail part of the lock mechanism.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
The jaws a, for gripping the top of a wheel b, to be held consists of a pair of
curved arms a', of a size capable of embracing the tyre band rim b, of the said
wheel b, and having at their outer ends a³, rubber or other non-scratching tips a³,

page_text: whilst their inner ends have extending from them at a right angle, semi-circular
or half-round shanks a', with their flat sides a³, coming together and forming a
stem of a diameter equal to or slightly less than the inside of the outer end c, of
a swinging arm or tubular bracket c. These two shanks are jointed together at
a", in such a manner as to admit of them opening out horizontally (as represented
in Figure 7) when the joint has been drawn outwards and clear of the encircling
end of the bracket, or arm but when the joint lies within the arm, as shown in
Figures 6 and 0, the two shanks are locked together or rendered incapable of any
relative movement and the jaws are secured in their gripping positions. The inner
ends of the shanks a, are connected with a block d, fitting and capable of sliding
within the inside of the bracket arm, and having attached to it, one end of a
rod d, whose other end terminates in an eye or hollow boss 2, contained within
a swivelling box or casing e, to which the arm c is screwed or otherwise attached
so that the two parts move together the said box having trunnions e¹, working
in separated bearings f¹, of an attachment plate f, secured to a wall or other support.
The trunnion el, has a hole e, through it, and the eyed or hollow boss , also has
a hole, which, when the jaws a are in their closed or gripping positions, as
ropresented in Figures 3, 5 and 6, comes coincident with the trunnion hole e, so
that both of them admit of being engaged by the oue bolt gl, of a double-action
coin-freed lock g, in order to lock the rod d and the jointed shanks of the jaws
within the inside of the bracket arm, thereby preventing the surreptitious opening
of the said jaws and the removal of the machine whose wheel is being gripped
by them. To ensure the parts being taken into their proper positions as soon as
the shanks have been closed together and presented lignable with the open
end of the swinging arm, a spring is provided, one end h, bears against a
suitable fixed abutment such as h, in the inside of the arm, whilst the other
end 1³, bears against the eyed termination of the sliding rod d. This spring is
made active when the jaws are drawn outwards to clear the joint for opening
and then expands and acts against the rod to draw the parts into position for
locking.
The other gripping jaws i, of the apparatus are also affixed to the wall or
support through the medium of an attachment plute i, arranged in line with but
a suitable distance below that to which the swinging bracket is pivoted. From
this plate, a fixed bracket, projects outwardly and carries a second and branched
or double armed bracket 3, to the arms it, of which. a pair of gripping levers i,
are respectively pivoted or jointed at, so as to be capable of swinging in a
horizontal plane. Each of these levers, which are adapted to encircle the tyre and
rim of the wheel to be held at the front, has three arms 7, 8, 9, the first named 27,
of which have rubber or other non-scratching tips 0, close the front of the space j
intended for the reception of the wheel, and the second named carry spoon shaped
plates, which come against the sides of the tyre and steady the gripped wheel
when the jaws are closed, but when they are opened, these plates are presented for
the wheel to impinge against on first being introduced, thereby rocking the levers
upon their joints in such a manner as to bring the tips into the position shown
in Figures 1 and 4, at the back of the rim of the wheel, which is thereby com-
pletely encircled. The third arms, of the levers have connected to them, the
opposite ends A, of a flat spring k, whose middle part . is secured to the branched
bracket, and the pressure exerted by this spring tends to force the said arms,
forwards of or beyond the centres, upon which the levers swing and thus assist
in the closing of the jaws around the wheel, whilst the tips of the said arms have
stops such as, adapted, when the jaws are opened, to engage in notches 3, in
the edges of the bracket, thus preventing the gripping levers being opened too
far and ensuring that the impingement plates shall he preserved in a proper
position for an introduced wheel to come against. Slots such as ", may be formed
in the levers at the points where the pivots 8, pass through, which admit of the
anid levers being forced slightly inwards by the spring when closed, so as to
exert a spring grip on the tyre of the wheel to be held.

page_text: Attached to one of the gripping levers of these jaws is a gapped or forked arm m,
with the forked end m', coming, when the jaws are closed, into the path of, and
adapted to be engaged by, the end of a second bolt of the coin-freed lock, the
arrangement being such that when the bolt is shot, the jaws are effectively locked
against being opened for the removal of the wheel.
Instead of employing a forked or slotted arm attached to one of the levers for
the bolt to engage with, each lever may carry a rearwardly extending arm or
projection, between which the bolt comes when shot and thereby prevents them
being opened out.
The coin-freed lock may be of any suitable construction so long as the same has
a pair of bolts adapted to engage, preferably simultaneously, with parts con-
nected with the two sets of jaws and so lock them in their closed and wheel
gripping positions. I, however, prefer to employ a lock of the construction repre-
sented in Figure 3 and partly in Figure 8, of the drawings, in which a slide g³,
is employed for simultaneously actuating both the bolts g' and g³. This slide
is suitably guided in its traverse and has arranged in connection with it, a
gravitating catch o, rocking upon a pivot o' and having an arm o³ extending
into a coin box or space y', arranged at the back of the slide for the reception of
the deposit coin. This arm o³, has a hooked or equivalent end o³, which normally
engages behind the rib o, constituting one side of the coin space and thereby
blocks the slide against making its traversing movement. When in this position,
which is represented in full lines in Figure 8, a shoulder o, on the said catch
forms a block against the key p, being rotated in the direction which would
traverse the slide, whilst a post or stud q, prevents its rotation in the other direc-
tion, thereby rendering it impossible for the key to be removed from the lock
when the bolts are not shot, but when a coin is introduced into the coin shoot g³, it
falls into the coin box y and strikes against the end of the catch o, which is
rocked upon its pivot, taking the said end o³, clear of the rib o', and the shoulder o
out of the path of the key, as represented by the dotted lines in Figure 8, leaving
the key free to be turned for traversing the said slide, which it does by the blade
engaging with the notch of, and the bolts are shot. On the other hand, when
the slide has been traversed in the opposite direction for withdrawing the bolts as
soon as the key has taken the slide full back, and comes again onto the blocking
post q, the catch, which has a counterpoise leg o7, is free to rock and by so doing
the end o, of its arm o¹, engages the rib o, and blocks the slide and the
shoulder, blocks the key, the cutch remaining in this position by gravity until
a fresh coin is introduced. Tumblers 08, whose plates are engaged by a stump o³,
on the slide, are also provided for blocking the said slide in its forward position
when the bolts are shot.
The slide is connected to the bolt g', through the medium of a link g³, and
a long arm g, arranged as shown, with one end g, pivoted to the said bolt g¹, and
the other end, to the bolt g, whilst it is shot simultaneously with the first one,
on the slide being traversed, through the medium of a bell-cranked lever glo,
pivoted at g, to the lock casing with one of its arms gls, being pivoted to the slide,
whilst the other arm g, is connected to the bolt 9, by a stud #", on the one
engaging an elongated hole g³, in the other.
OPERATION.
When the apparatus is not in use, the carrier arm of the top gripping jaws is
folded down and lies within the lower jaws as represented in Figures 2 and 3
and the internal mechanism of the apparatus is in the position represented in
Figure 3. Then when a person desires to make use of the apparatus to temporily
secure his cycle against theft, he first of all opens the lower jaws and turns the
carrier arm out of the way, the wheel to be held is then placed into the lower jaws
and the tyre strikes against the impingement plates, thereby automatically closing
these jaws around the wheel, which is held whilst the upper jaws are opened out.
This is effected by withdrawing their shanks and clearing the joint of the carrier

page_text: arm. The said arm is then brought into a horizontal position and the jaws
applied around the top of the wheel at or about the centre, as shown in Figure 1.
As soon as the shanks come together and coincide with the open end of the arm,
the spring enclosed within the latter draws the said shanks into the arm and
secures them against opening. The cycle is now effectually held and steadied by
the wheel being gripped at two separate points, but to secure it against theft, a
coin is introduced into the lock and the key thereof turned, whereby both the bolts
thereof are shot, the one being engaged with the eyed end of the rod connected
with the top jaws and preventing any movement thereof, whilst the other engages
the gapped arm attached to one of the lower jaws and renders it equally impossible
to open them. The person now removes the key, which is reinserted and turned
when the cycle is to be released, whereupon both the bolts are withdrawn, the coin
falls out of the coin box in the slide and the parts return to their normal positions
as represented in Figure 3, with both the jaws freed for opening.
I wish it to be understood that although I have shown and described a coin-
freed apparatus in which the lock has a pair of bolts adapted to lock both sets
of jaws in their gripping positions, yet I do not confine myself to such an arrange-
ment, as I may provide a lock with only a single bolt adapted to secure either the
bottom jaws or the top jaws, which would also effectually prevent the theft of the
machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declaro that what
I claim is:-
First: A coin-freed lock-up cycle rack, comprising two pairs of jaws adapted
to embrace or grip the wheel at two separated points and to be locked in their
gripping positions by a duplex or double-bolt coin-freed lock, substantially as
herein described and also as set forth in the accompanying drawings.
Secondly: A coin-freed lock-up cycle rack, comprising two pairs of jaws
adapted to embrace or grip the wheel at two separated points, and to be locked in
their gripping positions respectively by the bolts of a duplex coin-freed lock,
with the one pair of jaws being carried by a swinging bracket arm and the other
by a fixed arm, substantially as herein described and also as set forth in the accom-
panying drawings.
Thirdly: In a coin-freed lock-up cycle rack, in which the wheel to be held is
gripped at two separate points, the employment of a pair of gripping jaws carried
at the end of an arm or swinging bracket, with the joint of the said jaws, when
closed, coming within the said arm, and being there retained or locked by the
bolt of a coin-freed lock engaging with a sliding rod connected with the said
jaws, substantially as herein described and as set forth in the accompanying
drawings.
Fourthly: In a coin-freed lock-up cycle rack, in which the wheel to be held
is gripped at two separate points, the employment of a pair of opening and
closing gripping jaws carried by a bracket or wall plate and adapted to be locked
in their gripping positions by the bolt of a coin-freed lock engaging with a
slotted or forked arm or its equivalent arranged in connection with the said jawe,
substantially as herein described, and as set forth in the accompanying drawings.
Fifthly In coin-freed lock-up cycle racks, the combination with two pairs of
gripping jaws carried respectively by a swinging arm and a fixed bracket and
having their joints and locking parts arranged and operating as herein described,
of coin-freed lock mechanism having a pair of bolts, adapted, when shot, to engage
with and lock the said jaws, or mechanism connected therewith, substantially as
herein described and set forth.
Sixthly: A coin-freed lock for use in connection with lock-up cycle racks,
having mechanism for simultaneously actuating two bolts, substantially as herein
described and as set forth in Figure 3 of the drawings.
Soventhly: In coin-freed lock for use in connection with lock-up cycle racks,

page_text: preventing the removal of the key from the lock, other than when the bolt or bolts
is or are shot, by blocking expedients, such as a gravitating catch, and a stop or
stump, substantially as herein described and set forth.
Dated thie 9th Jan of Nara 1900
JOHN MANN LOCKERBIE,
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.