Improvements in Clamps for Securing Bells or other Articles to Velocipedes or other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1897-Accented, 8th May, 1877
Improvements in Clamps for Securing Bells or other Articles to
Velocipedes or other Vehicles.
1, ALVIN TRUE MORRILL, of 403 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of America, 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 for its object to improve the construction of clamps especially
adapted for securing bicycle bells to the handle-bars or any part of the frame of
a bicycle or other vehicle, as well as for attaching and holding other articles.
In accordance with this invention a bracket is provided which is constructed and
arranged to support the bell or other article, it being made as a hollow or skeleton-
like structure, and formed at one end with an engaging-projection and at the other
end with a bridge or cross-piece, and with a curved seat between said engaging-
projection and bridge or cross-piece, adapting it to fit upon and partially embrace
the handle-bar or any part of a frame to which it is desired to attach the bell or
other article.
A flexible metallic strip or band is provided which is made spring-acting and
substantially circular in shape to encircle the handle-bar, and said strip extends
from end to end of said bracket, and passes over the bridge or cross-piece, and
means are provided for adjustably connecting one end of said spring-acting strip
or band with said bracket, and its opposite end is formed with an engaging-portion
which is adapted to be brought into engagement and detachably connected with
said engaging-projection on the bracket and thereby locked.
The spring-acting circular strip or band will be contracted and snapped into
engagement with said projection and when disengaged therefrom will immediately
recover or expand.
For simplicity of construction the engaging-portion formed at the outer or free
end of said strip or band will be made as a hole, and said engaging-projection on
the bracket will be so shaped as to receive upon it the perforated end of the strip
or band, yet I desire to include within the spirit and scope of this invention any
other form or construction of engaging-portion on the outer end of the strip, as
well as any suitable form or construction of engaging-projection adapted to
receive it.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1, shows in side elevation a clamp for bicycle bells and other articles
embodying this invention, it being represented as detached from a handle-bar or
other part to which it is desired to attach it.
Figure 2, is a vertical section of the clamp shown in Figure 1, it being
represented as attached to a handle-bar, and
Figure 3, is an underside view of the clamp.
A represents a bicycle bell, which may be of any usual or suitable construction..
The bell A is placed upon and attached to a bracket a, which is made as a sub-
stantially rectangular hollow or skeleton-like structure, formed with an engaging-
projection a' at one end, and a bridge or cross-piece a' at the other end, and with
a curved seat a³ between them adapting it to fit upon a handle-bar or other
curved part.

page_text: A flexible metallic strip or band 6 preferably made spring-acting, and substan-
tially circular in shape, is provided, one end of which extends along the interior of
said bracket a from end to end, passing over the bridge or cross-piece a³, and said
end of the strip has secured to it within the bracket a, a block b' which has a
screw-threaded hole formed in or through it, and a screw c passes through the end
wall of the bracket a, and enters said hole in the block 6', thereby adjustably
connecting said end of the strip or band with the bracket.
As the screw c is turned to the right, the block will be drawn out, to take up or
tighten the strip or band, and as said screw is turned in the opposite direction the
opposite effect will be produced.
The opposite or outer end of said strip or band has an engaging-portion, which
is adapted to engage the engaging-projection a¹ on the bracket, and as herein
shown said engaging-portion is formed as a hole d, which is made of suitable shape
and size to enable said end of the strip to be easily slipped into engagement with
said engaging-projection a'.
In attaching the bell to a handle-bar with my improved clamp, the screw c is
turned toward the left, and the outer end of the circular strip or band thus loosened,
is then sprung over and caused to embrace the handle-bar, and the engaging-
portion or perforated end of said strip or band is then brought into engagement
with said projection a', as for instance, by more or less contracting said strip or
band and pressing it up on to said projection, and with one end of said strip or
band thus connected to the bracket, the opposite end will be drawn out by turning
the screw c in the opposite direction, until said strip or band has been drawn tightly
around said handle-bar.
To detach the bell the screw c will be turned to loosen the strip or band, when
by pressing it inward or slightly contracting it, its perforated end will disengage
the projection a' and the strip or band will immediately recover or expand, when
it can be easily removed from the handle-bar.
The bell can be thus easily and quickly attached to or detached from a
handle-bar or any frame or part to which it is desired to attach the bell or other
article.
It will be observed that by constructing the bracket a in any particular way
herein shown a long curved seat is provided between its ends to fit upon the
handle-bar, thereby affording a firm bearing; and furthermore, by providing a
bridge or cross-piece, the flexible strip or band can be extended from end to end
of the bracket, thereby more securely connecting it therewith, and when tightened
will cause the bracket to be brought into engagement with the handle-bar when
seated very firmly thereon; and furthermore, the perforated end engaging the
projection a¹ on the bracket as shown, is a very simple form of detachable
connection for this end of the strip.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A clamp for bicycle bells and other articles, consisting of a bell-supporting
bracket having an engaging-projection, a spring-acting strip or band, means for
adjustably connecting one end of said spring-acting strip or band with said bracket,
and an engaging-portion formed on the other end of said spring-acting strip or
band which may be brought into engagement with said projection by contraction
of said strip or band, and thereby locked, substantially as described.
2. A clamp for bicycle bells consisting of a bell-supporting bracket having an
engaging-projection, a substantially circular spring-acting strip or band, means for
adjustably connecting one end of said strip or band with said bracket, and an
engaging-portion formed on the other end of said strip or band which may be
brought into engagement with said projection by contracting said circular strip
or band and which will expand when disengaged therefrom, substantially as
described.

page_text: 3. A clamp for bicycle bells and other articles, consisting of a bell-supporting
bracket having an engaging-projection, a flexible metallic strip or band, means for
adjustably connecting one end of said strip or band with said bracket, and a hole
formed at the other end of said strip or band whereby it may be detachably
connected with said projection, substantially as described.
4. A clamp for bicycle bells and other articles, consisting of a bell-supporting
bracket having an engaging-projection at one end and a bridge or cross-piece at
the opposite end, and a seat between said engaging-projection and bridge, a flexible
metallic strip or band extending lengthwise said bracket and passing over said
bridge or cross-piece, means for adjustably connecting one end of said strip or
band with said bracket, and an engaging-portion formed upon the other end of
said strip or band, whereby it may be detachably connected with said engaging-
projection, substantially as described.
1
1005
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.