Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 5th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1898
I, Alfred CHARLES RICE, of 26, Saint Michael's Road, Bowes Park, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved coin-freed holder or stand, for locking
cycles in thoroughfares, shops, houses, and elsewhere, and so preventing them
being stolen or taken away in error.
The cycle may be secured to the holder or stand by any suitable part, say the
head, or one of its wheels.
In a stand, constructed in accordance with my invention, there is a pair of claws
pivotted at one end of a sliding locking block or bar adapted to project from the
casing containing the mechanism. Said mechanism is so arranged that the weight
of a coin will disengage a catch and allow a door or flap, at the front of the
casing, to be opened, so as to enable one or more of a number of keys or levers to
be depressed by hand. Suspension rods, suitably guided, are pushed rearward
through the movement of said keys or levers and depress each a rocking bar and
cause the same to engage the sliding locking block or bar and retain it in its inward
position.
In this position the pivotted retaining claws are caused to enter partially into an
aperture in the casing and thereby to close automatically, and grip the cycle which
had been previously placed against the head of the locking block or bar. This bar
and the rear ends of the claws fit the aperture in the casing, and said claws cannot
be opened to release the cycle until the locking block or bar has been moved
outward, after first lifting, by any suitable means, the suspension rods and rocking
bars, above mentioned, out of engagement with the locking block or bar.
The means for lifting the suspension rods and their rocking bars out of engage-
ment with the locking block or bar, may consist, say of push pieces (one for each
rod) adapted to be operated from the outside of the apparatus.
.
The sliding block or bar is likewise so arranged that on being pushed in to hold
the cycle it locks the door-catch and prevents the door from being opened by any
unauthorised person, even on the introduction of a coin, or the like.
In conjunction with the sliding locking block or bar, I provide means for returning
the suspension rods to their initial or forward position on the outward movement of
such block or bar
I also provide means for ascertaining which of the keys has been depressed on
the cycle being secured to the holder or stand; and said means may consist in
providing each key with a point or punch adapted to pierce or perforate a card or
paper strip. Such card or paper strip, is retained by the owner of the cycle so as
to remind him which of the keys he operated when securing his cycle.
Or I may provide card board tickets, or thin metal plates, and perforate the same
in such a manner as to correspond with any suitable number of the push-pieces,
and in connection therewith I employ a spring controlled plunger or block having a
slit into which the ticket or plate can be inserted and so come into proximity with
the free ends of the push pieces. On depressing this plunger or block, the

page_text: perforations in the ticket, or plate, pass over the ends of the corresponding push-
pieces without actuating them, but on the imperforate parts of the ticket, or plate,
coming into contact with the remaining push-pieces, these latter will be operated
and so actuate the corresponding suspension rods and allow the cycle to be released.
1000
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, & 5A, Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.
An Improved Coin-freed Holder or Stand for Cycles.
I, ALFRED CHARLES RICE, late of 26, Saint Michael's Road, Bowes Park, in the
County of Middlesex, and now of Daybrook, in the County of Nottingham, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters
and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My invention relates to an improved holder or stand for enabling cycles to be
safely left in thoroughfares, shops, houses, and elsewhere, without risk of their
being stolen or taken away in error.
According to the said invention, the holder or stand, of which there may be
several arranged at suitable distances apart, is provided with a pair of retaining
claws secured to a slide, block, or plate, and adapted to engage some convenient
part of the cycle. After such engagement, the slide is pushed inwards and is
locked by the mechanism in such a position that the claws cannot be opened until
the said mechanism is released from the outside. The arrangement is such that
the person using the stand or holder can, after inserting the proper coin and so
effecting the release of a door, or doors, set the locking mechanism to a combination
corresponding to a perforated or slotted check or ticket, with which he is provided,
and thus render it impossible for any unauthorized person to effect the release of
the said locking mechanism.
And in order that my invention may be readily understood, I will describe the
same fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein :
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of my improved cycle stand or holder,
and
Fig. 2 is a front view thereof.
Figs. 3 and 4 are elevations, from opposite sides, shewing the internal mechanism
removed from the casing.
Fig. 5 is a front view, and
Fig. 6 a plan of the said mechanism, certain parts being omitted, in this latter
figure.
Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the same on the line x, x, of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a detail plan of the slide or block with its retaining claws, and
Fig. 9 is a section thereof on the line y, y, of the previous figure.
Fig. 10 shews the inner side of the doors, detached from the casing.
Figs. 11 and 12 are vertical sections on the line 3, 3, of Fig. 10, looking in oppo-
site directions.
Figs. 13 and 14 shew two of the checks or tickets made use of with this stand or
holder, one being perforated, the other slotted.

page_text: a is an outer casing serving to enclose the mechanism of the stand or holder, and
capable of being secured to a wall, or other suitable support.
b are the retaining claws. aforesaid, which are provided with rubber or other
appropriate liners or fillets 61, to prevent injury to the part of the cycle embraced
by them.
c is the slide, to the outer end of which the said claws are pivoted. This slide
works in and out of an aperture or mouth a² of the casing a, and has secured above
and below its outer end a pair of plates c¹ which serve. to retain in position the
pivots 6 of the said claws. The upper of these plates c¹ is removed in Fig. 8 for
the sake of clearness.
The arrangement is such that when the slide c is pushed back, the claws are
forced together by the lateral edges of the mouth a¹, whereas, when it is moved
outward, as it is by the spring ex, (extending from a tailpiece cº on the slide to a
partition a² in the casing) the claws are thrown apart, as in dotted lines Fig. 8, by
reason of heels on them engaging the said edges of the mouth.
d is a frame which carries the operating mechanism, and are guide rods on
which the slide c travels by means of the lugs c²..
e is a lever pivoted at the side of said frame. It carries a coin bucket eland an
adjustable weight e², the former being arranged beneath a coin shoot f¹ communi-
cating with a coin slot f in the top of the casing. The front end of this lever e is
adapted to rest behind a triangular catch g², on one of a pair of sliding doors g,
arranged at the front of the casing, the lever thus serving as a latch, as hereinafter
described.
.
These doors are arranged to move on guide rods g², carried by the outer casing,
and passing through lugs g³ on said doors, which latter are connected with each
other by a bent rod g', lever g5, and link 96. The lever g5 carries a long pivot
pin g adapted to fit in a pair of sockets d³ at one side of the frame. The doors are
thus caused to move apart simultaneously when either of them is pushed aside.
The weight e2 is so adjusted that a coin falling into the bucket e¹, will cause the
lever to tilt and raise its front end against a block 98, thus rendering the doors free
to be slidden apart. Thereupon, the block g³ is removed from the latch lever e which
allows the bucket e¹ to fall, and the coin drops into a cash chamber a", the door of
which is kept locked. The movement of this lever is limited and guided by a wire
loop es, and as soon as the coin has fallen out of the bucket the weight e2 brings the
lever back to its normal position ready to re-engage the catch g¹.
The doors being released and opened, access can thus be had to the interior of.
the casing for the purpose of operating a series of keys or levers h forming part
of the mechanism for locking the slide c in its inward position. These keys or
levers are of bell-crank shape and are pivoted loosely on a rod, their bosses or
hubs h² being made wide enough to act as distance pieces. The rear ends of said
keys are connected by hooks or links h³ with the corresponding members of a set
of suspension or connecting rods i, while their front ends carry index plates ht on
which are numerals identifying the levers.
In order that the keys, when operated, shall always make a complete movement,.
a flat presser bar h5 having its ends fitting in slots ho in the frame, is arranged to
act on studs ' on the hubs of the keys, the pressure being obtained by springs h³
acting, by means of yokes ho upon the bar h³. When a key is operated, one side,
of its stud h, in the first part of the movement, lifts the bar ³, but after the key.
has moved a certain distance, the pressure of said bar acts on the other side of the
stud and thus assists the completion of the movement.
kare rocking bars or tumblers, by means of which the actual locking of the
slide c is effected; they are mounted on a shaft and their rear ends, when
depressed, dip into a groove or depression c³ in the said slide c. These tumblers
are connected with the rods whose lower ends are twisted and threaded on to
short guide rods ², carried at an inclination to the tumblers between projections /^
thereon. The guide rods project between a pair of adjustable cross bars
carried in a slot d in the frame d, and serve to limit the throw of the tumblers.

page_text: Light wire springs
guide rods, prevent any looseness in working.
surrounding the lower ends of the rods i, and pressing on the
When the rods i are pushed back by depressing the keys h, they slide to the
rear of the guides 2, from the position shewn in Fig. 7 to that shewn in Fig. 3,
and, owing to the inclination of these guides, force down the rear ends of the
tumblers into the groove c³, thus locking the slide c in its inward
position.
In this position, the retaining claws bare drawn partly within the mouth or
aperture a, and are thereby closed, thus gripping the part of the cycle, say the
head, or the frame, which had previously been placed between them and pressed
against buffers ct of leather, or rubber, secured in the front end of the slide c, in
which end are also recesses c to receive the brake rod of the cycle.
The said claws cannot therefore be opened to release the cycle until the slide has
been moved outward, after lifting the tumblers out of engagement with the groove
or depression c³.
The means for thus disengaging the tumblers, comprise a series of push piecesor
pins each normally kept raised by a spring land arranged to work through a
guide plate 2 in the upper part of the stand or holder, there being one such pin for
each of the tumblers.
The connection between these pins and the tumblers, is offected by the aforesaid
rods i, and by a series of levers m mounted independently on an axle m³, and
separated by rings or washers m². Each rod i is connected to the rear end of one
pair of these levers, and its corresponding pin is connected to the front end of the
same pair. The upper part of each pin is reduced in diameter, as shewn at 13, and
fits into a spring controlled head or plunger o, wherein are holes o* to receive the
same. This head or plunger is carried by a pair of depending lateral arms o¹, and
the spring o2 which keeps it raised, is situated at the back of the mechanism and
acts on a cross bar o³ carried by a pair of levers of. The rear ends of these levers
rest on stops of on the frame d, whilst their frout ends are connected to the afore-
said arins o¹, and thus support the plunger o.
The pins are depressed by means of checks or tickets n, of cardboard, or thin
metal, which are inserted in this plunger. They are divided into spaces numbered
in a manner corresponding to the numbering of the index plates h of the operating
keys or levers h. Certain of the spaces are perforated, or slotted, by punching out
their numbers, as at n³, whilst the others are left blank or imperforate, so that each
check or ticket presents a different combination of punched and imperforate parts
to any other.
The plunger o has a slot or aperture of to receive the check or ticket, suitable
stops of being provided for the latter to rest against, as shewn in Fig. 7, with its
perforations n¹ exactly in line with the apertures ox in which work the ends 13 of
the pins.
It will be readily understood therefore, that when a check is inserted in the
slot 05, and the plunger is depressed, the imperforate parts of the check will force
down those pins which come beneath them, the other pins passing freely through
the perforations n¹ and being therefore unaffected.
If the right check be used, the pins which are depressed will be those which are
connected with the rods i that are in the rearward or locking position (Fig. 3), and
consequently owing to the tilting of the levers m these rods will be caused to draw
up the rear ends of the tumblers and release the slide c. If, however, it were
attempted to use the wrong check, that is one having a different combination of
holes to that to which the levers were set, then either some of the rods i in the rear
position (Fig. 3) would not be affected, or some of the rods in the front position
(Fig. 7) would be drawn up by the levers m, thus depressing the rear ends of their
tumblers and so more effectually locking the slide c.
The latter is so arranged that when pushed back into its inner position to hold
the cycle; it fixes or locks the catch or lever e, thus preventing the doors from
being opened by any unauthorized person, even on the introduction of a coin, or

page_text: the like. This locking is effected by means of an approximately vertical arm p,
carried by the slide. The upper end of this arm is bent over horizontally, as at p!,
and when the slide is pushed backward fits under a bent wire p2 (Figs. 4 and 5),
secured to the lever e, and keeps the latter engaged with the catch g' on one of the
halves of the door.
Means are also provided, in conjunction with the slide c, for effecting the return
of the rods to their forward position on the outward movement of said slide, and
for locking the plunger o, so as to prevent it being mischievously tampered with, when
the slide c is drawn out, in which position it may be held by a suitable catch.
To these ends an arm r is secured on each side of the slide c, and the upper ends
of these arms are connected by a cross bar r¹. When the slide is drawn forward,
this bar engages and also moves forward any of the rods i that may be in their
rearward position. Furthermore, the said cross bar passes through slots in the
lower ends of a pair of levers & whose upper ends & form hooks, as shown, and are.
adapted to engage the bar o carried by the levers of supporting the plunger o, so
locking the latter. This engagement takes place on the forward movement of the
cross bar r, due to drawing out the slide c.
2
To further guard against the tampering with the mechanism, an auxiliary
locking flange is provided at the rear of the slide c, and projects slightly over
the groove c³. Corresponding notches are formed in the rear ends of the
tumblers, and when these ends are depressed into the groove c³, a slight forward
movement of the slide c, due to the spring cx, causes the flange to enter the
notches ko. Consequently, before the tumblers can be disengaged by depressing
the plunger o, it is necessary to force the slide c backward slightly, until the
flange is clear of the notches k³. This renders it more difficult for a person'
unacquainted with the construction of the stand or holder to tamper with the same
successfully.
can
Prior to using the holder or stand, a check or ticket is obtained, say from an'
attendant, or from a suitable delivery apparatus. In fact, as the variety of checks
or tickets is so great any person may have a private ticket of his own, so that he
use any one of these stands or holders wherever he may find the same
disengaged. The proper coin, say a penny, is then introduced into the slot f, to
operate the lever e and so release the doors g, which can then be drawn apart.
The slide being in its outward or normal position, the cycle is pressed against the
leather buffers so pushing back the said slide and causing the claws b, as they'
return into the mouth a¹, to be forced together automatically and thus grip the cycle;'
without any manipulation being required.
To lock the slide c in this position, those keys corresponding to the blank or
unpunched numbers on the check or ticket are depressed (as in Fig. 3) thus forcing
backward certain of the rods i, and putting their tumblers into engagement with
the slide c. The doors are then closed and are re-engaged by the lever c which
rides up the incline of the catch g¹, whereupon it becomes impossible for any one
not possessed of the proper ticket to operate the mechanism and open the
claws b.
When, however, the owner of the cycle is ready to remove the same, he has only
to place the check or ticket in the mouth or slot of the plunger, and to depress
the latter, so causing those tumblers k which are retaining the slide to rise and
disengage the latter, thus setting the said slide free to be drawn out so that the
claws can be separated and the cycle removed.
It will be readily understood that the same check or ticket can be used repeatedly,
and even if one be retained by any person who has used the stand or holder, there
is no risk to others who may afterwards leave their cycles in the same, since all the
checks or tickets are different, the number of spaces therein (in this case 7)
permitting of an almost endless variety of combinations.
The outer casing a may be provided with a door, such as a³ secured by a lock,
the key of which may be left in charge of a responsible person, so that in the event of
accident, as for instance the user losing his check or ticket while his cycle is locked

page_text: in the claws b, access may be had to the interior of the stand or holder for
operating the releasing mechanism by hand. The back of the casing may also
be hinged and be secured by devices which can only be released through the said
door a³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be, performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A cycle holder or stand in which, on the introduction of a coin, the locking
mechanism can be set in accordance with one of a number of different checks or
tickets to engage a slide or block carrying pivoted claws adapted to hold and retain
the cycle, but which slide or block cannot be withdrawn to allow the cycle to be
freed, except on the operation of an externally actuated releasing mechanism, after
the insertion into the latter of the said check or ticket, substantially as set forth.
2. The employment, for locking the slide, of mechanism operated by. keys that
can be set to different combinations, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The means or arrangement whereby the check or ticket is utilized for the.
purpose of releasing the locking mechanism, substantially as described..
4. The arrangement for locking the doors, and the means whereby the coin
operated latch lever for securing thein is kept locked so long as the. slide is in its
inner position, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. The combination with the slide carrying the retaining claws, of locking
mechanism comprising a series of tumblers, connecting rods coupled thereto, keys
acting on said rods to engage the tumblers, and levers, and depressible pins
connected with these latter for disengaging such tumblers, substantially as
described.
6. The arrangement for restoring all the connecting rods to their normal position
on the drawing out of the slide, and for locking the plunger which actuates the
depressible pins, substantially as described.
7. For use in connection with a cycle-holder or stand, as herein before claimed, a
check or ticket divided into spaces corresponding to the keys of the locking
mechanism, some of these spaces being perforated or slotted, and others left
imperforate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
8. My improved cycle holder or stand having its parts arranged, combined and
operating substantially as herein before described and shewn in the annexed
drawings.
Dated this 4th
NL
1000
: