An Improved Cycle Holder.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Cycle Holder.
FRANCIS ELLIOTT STUART of Volthurst Florence Road Ealing, London W. Electrical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An automatic cycle holder for gripping the tyre of a cycle wheel, and holding it,
uutil released by unlocking the holder with a key. The cycle-holder when
unoccupied is always capable of receiving, automatically gripping, and retaining a
wheel when pushed into it. The insertion of the tyre into the holder automatically
actuates the locking mechanism, by which the machine is retained.
This automatically locking holder consists of a frame holding two spur wheels, or
two sets of spur wheels, mounted horizontally each on its own axis, side by side, at
such a distance from one another that one wheel may be revolved without engaging
with the other; the hollow formed by two of the spurs on each wheel when opposite
or nearly opposite one another being sufficient to hold a sectional portion of the tyre.
Mounted at an angle on the frame and pivotted at one end, I provide a bar having
the end furthest from the axis cut vertically to form teeth, into which teeth the
spurs of the revolving spur wheel will so engage that the spur wheel will normally
only revolve, to any appreciable extent, in one direction; the pivotted bar will
engage one spur, when in use, by means of a spring; the teeth of the bar acting as a
ratchet, and the spur as a pawl; thus allowing the wheel to revolve in one direction
but .preventing its return in the other.
By inserting the tyre as far as it will go into a slot, centrally situated between the
two spur wheels, in the frame; the tyre pushes in front of it two of the spurs, until
the two corresponding spurs next following block the entrance into the slot, (the
arrangement being similar to that of an ordinary turnstile) and thus prevents the
withdrawal of the tyre, yet leaving sufficient space for the spokes of the wheel.
A spring lock, operated by a movable key is provided on the frame by means of
which the pivotted tooth bar is thrown out of gear with the spur wheel; the cycle
may then be withdrawn from the holder. On removing the key, the spring lock
allows the pivotted tooth bar to return to its normal position, when the holder is
then ready for another cycle.
I prefer to employ wheels each having four spurs equidistant apart; but I may
instead employ one such wheel, and in place of the second wheel a moving fork
which may be half a wheel, a spring being employed to cause its return on the
withdrawal of a cycle.
In combination with this apparatus I may employ suitable contacts for the
opening, or closing, of electric circuits; by means of which an alarm may be given
by insertion of a key in the lock; or by anyone tampering with the instrument or
tyre.

page_text: An Improved Cycle Holder.
FRANCIS ELLIOTT STUART of Volthurst Florence Road Ealing, London W.
Electrical Engineer 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:-
An automatic cycle holder for gripping the tyre of a cycle wheel, and holding it
until released by unlocking the holder with a key. The cycle holder when
unoccupied is always capable of receiving, automatically gripping aud retaining a
wheel when pushed into it. The insertion of the tyre into the holder automatically
actuates the locking mechanism by which the machine is retained.
This automatically locking holder consists of a frame holding two spur wheels or
two sets of spur wheels, mounted horizontally each on its own axis, side by side, at
such a distance from one another that one wheel may be revolved without engaging
with the other; the hollow formed by two of the spurs on each wheel when
opposite or nearly opposite one another being sufficient to hold a sectional portion
of the tyre.
Mounted at an angle on the frame, and pivotted at one end, I provide a bar
having the end furthest from the axis vertically cut to form teeth, into which teeth,
the spurs of the revolving spur wheel will so engage, that the spur wheel will
normally only revolve to any appreciable extent in one direction; the pivotted bar
will engage one of the spurs when in use by means of a spring; the teeth of the bar
acting as a ratchet, and the spur as a pawl, thus allowing the spur wheel to revolve
in one direction, but preventing its return in the other.
By inserting the tyre as far as it will go into a slot; centrally situated between
the two spur wheels, in the frame; the tyre pushes in front of it two of the spurs,
one of each wheel, until the two corresponding spurs next following block the
entrance into the slot, (the arrangement being similar to that of an ordinary
turnstile) and thus prevent the withdrawal of the tyre, yet leaving sufficient space
for the spokes of the wheel.
A spring lock operated by a moveable key is provided on the frame, by means of
which the pivotted toothed bar is thrown out of gear with the spur wheel, thus
allowing the spur wheel to revolve backwards, and the bicycle wheel to be withdrawn
from the holder.
On removing the key the spring lock allows the pivotted toothed bar to return to
its normal position, when the holder is then ready for another cycle.
I prefer to employ wheels each having four spurs equidistant apart, or I may
instead employ one such wheel, and in place of the second wheel any suitably shaped
piece of metal that will in conjunction with the revolving spur wheel secure the
cycle wheel.
In combination with this apparatus I may use suitable cheeks on each side of the
slot, so as to steady the wheel in an upright position when placed in the slot, and
these cheeks may extend above and below the slot. In combination with this
apparatus, I may combine suitable contacts for the closing of electric circuits, by
means of which an aların may be given by the insertion of a key, or the removal of
a machine.
I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying sheet
of drawings, the same letter denotes the same part in all the figures.
Fig. 1. shews the apparatus arranged in a frame or box.
Fig. 2. is the front sectional view.

page_text: B. B' are the spur wheels.
C. is the pivotted bar, pivotted at C².
D is the locking cam.
E is a spring.
F. F are the axis of the spur wheels.
G. is an outline of the sectional area of an inflated pneumatic bicycle tyre, shewing
a spoke at G²
The working of the apparatus may be thus briefly described.
The apparatus may be fixed against a wall or other suitable support; at a suitable
distance from the ground to engage with cycle wheels.
On pushing a cycle wheel (section G shewn) into the slot H. H of the frame A. A,
the two spurs of the spur wheels immediately touching the tyre will move inwards
revolving on their axis F. F and the two spurs b' immediately following will engage
on the back of the tyre and hold it firmly, and the opposite spur 63 on the left hand
spur wheel B, will engage in the tooth or teeth of the pivotted bar C, and thus lock
the spur wheel B, and prevent it being revolved back again; thus the cycle wheel is
held and cannot be withdrawn.
Any ordinary lock and key mechanism may be used, the locking mechanism being
attached to the frame A. A, so that when the key is inserted and turned in the
lock the pivotted bar C is moved on its pivot C2, sufficiently as shewn by the dotted
line, to allow the spurs of the spur wheel to move past the teeth of the bar C,
without engaging with them, and thus allow the cycle to be withdrawn; and the
grip on its wheel released.
The cheeks of the slot H, H, are made sufficiently high to prevent the wheel
from falling out of the perpendicular; and to hold the bicycle wheel in an upright
position.
Immediately one wheel is withdrawn the holder is ready to receive another,
without any resetting, provided the key has been withdrawn from the lock; as the
spring E will immediately pull the pivotted bar C, against the spur wheel, until-its
teeth can engage with the spur next revolving the wheel can always revolve inwards
but never outwards unless released by the key..
More than one tooth is cut in the bar C, so that cycles with different sized wheels
may be held, the wheel of the cycle being pushed into the slot as far as it will go
the spur will follow into cach tooth until the spur in front of the tyre cannot be
pushed in any further,
These cycle holders can be made in several shapes, and to fix on the wall, ground,
or on any suitable support.
The pivotted lever bar C can also be actuated by means of an electric lock
operated from a distance, instead of by a mechanical key lock.
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. The combination of a cycle holder and lock; in which the cycle wheel rim, or
other suitable part of the cycle, when placed in the holder, is held fast automatically,
and can only be released by a key.
2. The combination of a cycle holder, and one or more revolving or moving spur
wheels, as herein shewn, as and for the purpose set forth.
3. A cycle wheel holder in which a spur wheel will normally only revolve in one
direction.
4. A combined cycle holder and lock; which when unoccupied; is always ready
and capable of receiving, gripping and retaining the wheel rim, or other part of a
cycle when pushed into it; without requiring to be unlocked.
5. An automatic cycle wheel holder, requiring a key to free the holding
mechanism, so that the wheel can be removed.

page_text: 6. A combined cycle holder and lock, in which the insertion of the tyre into the
holder automatically actuates the locking mechanism, by which the machine is
retained.
7. The means herein described for retaining the cycle wheel in the holder.
8. The means employed for holding the cycle wheel.
9. The combination with each other of the various mechanical parts as herein
described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Seventeenth day of May 1897.
FRANCIS ELLIOTT STUART.