Improved Locking Device for Velocipede Steering Gear
Year: 1898

page_text: I, ARTHUR LOCKETT, of Rose Cottage, Marsh Green, Biddulph, near Congleton,
in the County of Stafford, Joiner, do hereby declare the nature of my said inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My said invention relates chiefly to safety bicycles and has for its object to
prevent the unauthorised removal of such velocipedes when left standing in a
public thoroughfare, or in other situations, also to enable the wheels of the
machine to be held in alignment for tyre-pumping, cleaning or other purposes.
To that end I apply to the shell of the steering pillar a combined latch-and-lock
device, comprising a latch capable of taking into a groove, indent or slot in
the steering pillar, set in line with the frame of the machine, and thus holding
the front wheel in alignment with the rear wheel, and comprising a lock or bolt
designed by the aid of a key, carried by owner or user of the machine, to come
behind, or engage with, the said latch, and thus lock, as well as latch, the steer-
ing mechanism, until such times as the key is again inserted, and the bolt with-
drawn from behind, or from engagement with, the latch. Such duplex device
enables, the wheels to be latched only, or both latched and locked, and by operat-
ing the lock. by means of a loose key security against theft is obtained.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1898.
ARTHUR LOCKETT,
By John G. Wilson & Co., Agents,
Improved Locking Device for Velocipede Steering Gear.
I, ARTHUR LOCKETT, of Rose Cottage, Marsh Green, Biddulph, near Congleton,
in the County of Stafford, Joiner, 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 said invention relates chiefly to safety bicycles and has for its object to
prevent the unauthorised removal of such velocipedes when left standing in a
public thoroughfare or in other situations, also to enable the wheels of the machine
to be held in alignment for tyre pumping, cleaning or other purposes. To that
end I apply to the shell of the steering pillar a combined latch and lock device,
comprising a latch capable of taking into a groove, indent or slot in the steering
pillar, set in line with the frame of the machine and thus holding the front
wheel in alignment with the rear wheel, and comprising a lock or bolt designed
by the aid of a key, carried by owner or user of the machine to come behind, or
077

page_text: engage with, the said latch and thus lock as well as latch the steering mechanism
'until such times as the key is again inserted, and the bolt withdrawn behind or
from engagement with the latch. Such duplex device enables the wheel to be
latched only or both latched and locked, and by operating the lock by means of
a loose key security against theft is obtained.
The accompanying sheet of drawings illustrates the preferred construction of
my improved cycle locking device, Fig. 1 being a side exterior elevation, and
Fig. 2 a plan. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sections of the said device and of the
steering pillar to which it is applied, Fig. 3 shewing the pillar latched and
locked, and Fig. 4 shewing the pillar unlocked and unlatched.
Fig. 5 shews the inner face of the key hole plate.
The improved device comprises the casing (A) fixed to a curved plate, (B) by
which and a set of screws (C) it is attached to the hollow part (E) containing
the steering pillar (F).
In said plate (B), part (E) and steering pillar (F) are small holes (G) through
which a bolt or latch (H) contained within the casing (A) as illustrated is capable
of projecting when pushed forward by slide button (I) and of thereby latching the
pillar in one set position.
Within the casing (A) are the levers (J) and behind such levers is a slide
plate (K) with which a key inserted through opening (L) and upon stem or
stud (L) is designed to engage and in turning on said stud raise or lower the
said slide plate.
The levers are constantly pressed forward by the spring (M) which by the
notched opening (J) in each engage with a stud (N) on the slide plate, so that
as the key rotates and pushes past the lever, it raises the plate (K) and causes
the stud (N) to engage with the lower instead of the upper notch of the open-
ing (J) and so locks the plate in the raised position.
With the bolt (H) projecting through the steering pillar and the plate (K)
raised as aforesaid, it, the plate, comes behind a shoulder (H) on bolt (H), and
thereby locks, or prevents the withdrawal of the bolt until the plate is lowered
by the key.
In such manner it will be seen that I may either latch only, or both latch and
lock the steering pillar.
For preventing rattling of the bolt (H) I provide spring (0) and support the
bolt by parts (P).
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the precise method or means of attaching the
device to the machine, or to the exact proportion of parts as the same may be
varied without departing from my invention, and what I claim is:-
1 A device for latching only or latching and locking the steering pillar of
a velocipede, consisting of a casing with sliding bolt or latch adapted to engage
with the steering pillar and a slide plate or the like adapted in conjunction with
a set of levers when operated by a key to prevent the withdrawal of the bolt
from engagement with the steering pillar, substantially as herein set forth and
illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1899.
ARTHUR LOCKETT,
By John G. Wilson & Co., Agents.
55, Market Street, Manchester,