Improvements in the Means for Attaching Cyclometers and the like to Bicycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 8th Jan.; 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means for Attaching Cyclometers and the
like to Bicycles and other Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM CLIFFORD HOMAN, of Meriden, New Haven County, State of Connec-
ticut, United States of America, Inventor, 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 improvements in Cyclometers for bicycles and other
vehicles, and particularly to that class of cyclometers, known as barrel cyclometers,
in which the body of the cyclometer is substantially cylindrical and the register-
ing numerals appear through an opening or window in the side thereof.
My invention consists in providing a means in combination with a cyclometer,
whereby the latter may be readily adjusted as to its position.
The object of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, compact and
effective incans whereby the position of the cyclometer may be readily adjusted,
so as to make the registering numerals clearly visible to the eye of the rider, which
means also permits the ready and accurate adjustment of the cyclometer with
respect to the striker, ordinarily carried by the wheel of the vehicle, by which
means the said cyclometer is driven.
My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1. Is a view of the cyclometer and adjusting means, as it appears to
the eye of the rider.
Figure 2. Is a section through the parts shown in Figure 1 and
Figure 3. Illustrates a modification.
A is a cyclometer casing, through a window in the side of which registering
numerals, carried by a suitable train of parts, are visible as shown in Figure 1.
B is a star wheel operatively connected to the internal numeral bearing parts.
D represents one of the spokes of a bicycle wheel, and E is a striker carried by said
spoke, said striker being adapted to impinge at each revolution of the wheel
against one of the teeth of the star wheel B, giving to the same a partial rotation,
and thereby imparting motion to the registering mechanism.
Cyclometers are ordinarily attached at a point closely adjacent to the wheel of
the vehicle, and it is important that suitable means be provided, whereby the posi-
tion of the cyclometer may be accurately adjusted, so as to bring the star wheel,
commonly used, into the path of travel of the striker, and also so that the numeral
bearing devices may be set in a position to be clearly visible to the rider.
To accomplish these ends, I provide a suitably formed bracket or fixture F one
end of which is adapted to be secured to the frame of the vehicle, at any con-
venient place and in any desirable manner, ordinarily the free end of this fixture
is perforated and adapted to be slipped over that portion of the front wheel axle,
which projects outside the front fork tube, in which position it may be secured by
a nut. At the opposite end of the fixture F is provided an inwardly projecting
stem G. In the preferred construction, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the stem G
is tubular, the inner free extremity being split. GG are shoulders formed on
the inner surface of the tube adjacent said split extremity. His a screw, having a

page_text: suitable head or means at one end to permit its being turned, the opposite end
being by preference bevelled or tapered, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The
tubular stem G is internally threaded for part of its length to receive the screw Ḥ.
The casing A of the cyclometer is provided with a suitable opening or recess in
the end thereof to receive the stem G. This opening or recess is preferably in line
with, and concentric with, the axis of said casing, although it may be eccentric,
if desirable.
In operation, the casing A is slipped on to the stem G, the serew H being with-
drawn sufficiently to permit the split end of the said stem to contract sufficiently.
When the position of the casing has been so adjusted as to bring the star wheel B
into the path of travel of the striker E and to bring the window through which the
registering numerals are visible into the line of vision of the rider, the parts may be
securely fastened by turning the screw H in the said inward movement of the
screw spreading the split ends of the stem G and causing them to tightly contact
with the surrounding wall of the casing.
То
In the modification shown in Figure 3, G2 is an externally threaded stem,
adapted to enter a correspondingly threaded opening in the cyclometer. His a
nut on said screw threaded stem, said nut comprising the locking means.
adjust the parts shown in Figure 3 the nut H¹ is loosened so that by revolving the
casing A¹ in one direction or the other, the star wheel may be moved close to, or
farther away from the wheel of the vehicle.
In carrying out my invention, certain changes in construction may be desirable,
and I therefore do not limit myself to the specific form and arrangement of parts
herein shown, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes as are fairly with-
in the spirit and scope of my invention, for instance, any well-known means for
spreading the split ends of the stem G may be substituted in place of the means
herein shown and described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A combination of a cyclometer casing having a stem receiving opening there-
in, with a fixture carrying a laterally directed tubular supporting stem adapted to
.enter said opening, the free end of said stem being split, and locking means
carried within said stem whereby the inner end of the stem may be expanded to
secure the casing in the desired position.
2. The combination of a cylindrical cyclometer casing having an internal stem
receiving recess therein concentric with its axis, with a fixture carrying a laterally
directed tubular stem, adapted to enter said opening, the free end of said stem
being split and provided with internal shoulders, the opposite end being internally
threaded, a screw for entering said threaded end of the stem, the free end of said
screw being bevelled or tapered, and adapted to co-act with the shouldered split
inner ends of said stem to expand the inner end of the same and lock said parts in
the desired position.
Dated the 20th dose of Ontaban 1907