Improvements in and in connection with Locks for Velocipedes, other Vehicles, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th May, 1897- Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897
Improvements in and in connection with Locks for Velocipedes,
other Vehicles, and the like.
We CECIL HOWARD CRIBB, of 137 Shaftesbury Avenue W. Analytical Chemist and
HUGH HENRY FRANCIS HYNDMAN of 5 Denning, Road Hampstead N.W. Analytical
Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
. It has for its object an improved form of lock for velocipedes and other vehicles
in order to prevent the use of the same by unauthorised persons.
For this purpose we employ a number of rings sliding on one of the parts of the
framework of the velocipede or other vehicle or on one of the nuts affixed thereto,
in such a way as either to prevent the rotation of one or more of the. wheels, or
to lock the steering.head, by causing a pin or, socket fixed directly or indirectly
to one of the rings to engage a corresponding socket or pin on the movable
part of the velocipede or other veliicle.
The rings are so arranged that they can revolve on, and also slide along, the
tube: or rod on which they are' placed, being kept together by an inner tube with
flanges at either end,.(between them and the rod or tube on which the whole
slides), or other suitable means.
By means of a groove or grooves on the inner surface of each ring, together
with corresponding pins, fixed to and projecting from the encircled tube or rod,
together with. longitudinal notches on the rings and a longitudinal slot in the
intermediate tube, the rings as a whole act as a permutation lock; so that they can
only slide along the tube or rod when the longitudinal notch in each ring is in such
a position as to allow the projecting pin or pins to pass through it.
On the outer circumference of each ring, numerals, letters, the name & address of
the owner, or other suitable device may be engraved stamped or otherwise marked.
The lock being operated in the usual manner by turning the rings until certain
predetermined marks on them are brought into alignment.
To facilitate the use of the lock at night one or more slightly projecting pins or
knobs may be fixed on each ring, by which the owner of the vehicle may after the
necessary practice, operate the lock by the sense of touch alone.
To obviate the danger of selflocking when the vehicle is in motion, it is arranged
so as to be locked in the out position as well as the in, and the size of the pins over.
which the rings move is so arranged if desired, that when the lock is not in action it
is fixed by the rotation of one ring only & released in a similar manner whereas
when the lock is in use two or more rings can rotate and to unlock it the two or more
rings must be brought into the right positions.
As a further precaution when the lock is on a horizontal part of the frame work or
nut, it is so arranged that the notches in the rings must be brought to the lower side
before the lock can be opened, whereas the natural tendency of the rings when the
vehicle is in motion will be to assume that position in which the lightest (i.e. the
notched) part is uppermost.

page_text: Improvements in and in connection with Locks for Velocipedes,
other Vehicles, and the like.
We, CECIL HOWARD CRIBB of 136 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W. Analytical and
Consulting Chemist and HUGH HENRY FRANCIS HYNDMAN of Trinity College
Cambridge, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The object of our invention is an improved form of lock for velocipedes and the
like in order to prevent the use of the same by unauthorised persons.
For this purpose we employ, in the manner hereafter described, a device of the
nature of a permutation lock affixed to the velocipede or the like in such a way as to
render it possible either (1) to lock the steering head or (2) to prevent the rotation
of one or more of the wheels.
The details of the permutation lock as herein set forth are the same for either of
the two modifications above mentioned and are shown in the drawings appended
hereto Figs. I, II & III of which Figs. I & III are longitudinal sections through
different planes such as X, X & Y, Y, in Fig. II while Fig. II itself is a transverse
section through Z-Z in Fig. III except that the ring a, a, is not shown in section
but is drawn in outline as seen from the side.
In Fig. III is shewn the pin, h, which may be pushed forward into a hole in the
head & steering tube or may engage a suitable projection in the head clip thus fixing
the head as in the ordinary head lock.
Fig. IV shews the lock as applied to the hub of the front wheel. ff represents the
prolongation of the ordinary nut on which the flanged tube b, b, & the encircling
rings a, a, slide (the details are not shown in this figure, but are the same as in
Figs. I to III) i is the hub, jone limb of the front fork & g the axle pin.
The pin his here represented as projecting over the hub, an extension of which it
may engage when in its forward position as in the figure, or with hubs in which the
spokes are fixed sufficiently near the outside the pin / may pass into the triangular
space between adjacent spokes and thus prevent the wheel from moving.
Where the lock is used to fix the steering head the rings a, a, & the tube b on
which they slide encircle one of the tubes (preferably the top tube of a bicycle) of the
frame of the velocipede or the like.
Where the lock is used to prevent the wheel from rotating the rings & tube slide
either on a prolongation of the ordinary nut Fig. IV or on a special projection from
one limb of the fork.
The rings (a) of which the permutation lock is composed are grooved on their
inner surface k Fig. I and are kept together by a thin tube b with a flange at either
end (hereinafter referred to as the flanged tube) on which each ring can revolve on its
axis independently of the others while all of them together with the flanged tube
can slide longitudinally on the rod or tube which they encircle (c Fig. I, f Fig. IV).
This latter has, preferably on its lower surface (when horizontal) two or more
projecting pins (d, Figs. 2 & 3) at distances corresponding to the grooves in the rings
so that in one position of the rings and flanged tube a pin projects into the groove
in each ring through a longitudinal slit in the flanged tube, Figs. 2 & 3.
At one part of its inner circumference each ring is notched transversely
(e, Fig. 2 & 3) to such depth & width as will allow it to pass freely over the projecting
pins so that when and only when all the rings are turned on their axis till the notch in
each corresponds to the pin, the rings and flanged tube as a whole can slide
longitudinally along the tube or rod they surround,"

page_text: There may be as many as or more pins than there are rings and the former may be
so disposed that in one position of the rings and flanged tube every ring has a pin
projecting into its groove.
By turning the rings till the notch in each corresponds to the pin it covers the
whole arrangement can slide into another position in which it can be again fixed by
turning the rings on their axes.
The front flange of the flanged tube has on its front aspect a projection in the form
of a pin (h Figs. III & IV) or the like which when the whole arrangement is in a
certain position fits into a hole or engages a projection of that part of the velocipede or
the like the actual movement of which it is desired to prevent. In the case of the
lock being applied to the hub this pin may project into one of the triangular spaces
between the circumference of the hub and the interlacing spokes or into a
plate attached to the spokes or into a hole in the hub itself or an extension of
the latter.
The lock i.e. the flanged tube and its encircling rings may therefore be fixed in its
forward or locked, or in its backward or unlocked position by turning the rings so
that the notches no longer correspond with the pins. To avoid the possibility of the
jolting of the vehicle causing the rings to turn so that the notches in them correspond
to the pins-thus rendering self-locking possible, the pins are placed or the lower
side of the rod or tube (when horizontal) as already mentioned-whereas the natural
tendency of the rings when jolted is to assume that position in which the lighest i.e.
the notched part, is uppermost.
To enable the lock to be brought into action as rapidly as possible the size of the
pins on which the rings move is so arranged, if desired, that when the lock is not in
action it is fixed in position by the rotation of one ring only the other rings being
then incapable of rotation because the pin which each covers though small enough to
pass the notches is too large for the groove in that ring. In the forward position on
the other hand each ring covers a pin which is smaller than the groove & consequently
can rotate on its axis, so that when the velocipede or the like is locked, all the rings
must be rotated into the right position before it can be unlocked.
To enable the right position to be found (as of course, both the pins and the
notches in the rings are hidden by the latter) numerals or letters may be engraved
stamped or otherwise marked, as in ordinary letter locks, or the name and address of
the owner may be inscribed on the outer surface of the rings, the lock being operated
by turning the latter until certain predetermined marks are in alignment.
To facilitate the use of the lock at night one or more slightly projecting pins or
knobs may be fixed on each ring by which the owner of the velocipede or the like,
nay after the necessary practice operate the lock by the sense of touch alone.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention & in what. manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
(1) The plan of placing the rings of the permutation lock round an existing part
of the framework of the velocipede so that without injuring the framework or cutting
the rings the latter cannot be reinoved.
(2) The plan of making the permutation lock a part of or a substitute for one of
the nuts of the machine."
(3) The plan of putting the name & address of the owner round the rings.
(4) The use of pins of different sizes so that fewer rings need be rotated to release
the lock from the unlocked than from the locked position.
Dated this 13th day of May 1897.
CECIL H. CRIBB,
H. H. FRANCIS HYNDMAN.