A New or Improved Support for Bicycles, more especially Designed for their Safe Conveyance as Passengers' Luggage on Railways.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1897-Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1898
A New or Improved Support for Bicycles, more especially Designed
for their Safe Conveyance as Passengers' Luggage on Railways.
I, JOHN WILLIAM COCKERILL, a Surgeon Captain in the Army Medical Staff, of
No. 17, Whitehall Place, London, S. W., do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention consists of a metal bracket mounted on a metal base plate, upon
which is hinged two parallel metal bars, terminating in a metal tube; sliding
telescopically into which is a bar, which terminates in bifurcated ends, each of which
terminates in a lobster claw shaped holder made to fit a bicycle handle bar. The
before mentioned tube is fitted near the lower end, with a screw which fixes the
lower bar at any desired length.
In order to allow the bracket to be fixed at any angle, the segment of a toothed
disc, is mounted upon the base plate so as to project between the two parallel bars
above mentioned, and upon these latter before they unite is fixed a screw, the teeth
of which engage with the teeth upon the disc; in such a way that when the screw
is turned, it travels upon the toothed disc, carrying the bracket with it.
This screw can be either made as a fixture, or can be hinged: in the latter case
a spring will be required to keep the teeth engaged with the teeth of the disc; or,
as an alternative, a spring catch engaging with the teeth of the disc can be
provided.
The above described bracket has been designed more especially to facilitate
the safe conveyance of bicycles as passengers' luggage, and, I will now describe
how it is to be fixed, and, the modifications which are required to be made in the
luggage van. The main object in view being that the permanent fixtures should
be such as not to interfere with the storage of ordinary luggage, and that when
bicycles are placed in the van, each of them can be easily removed without inter-
fering with the others, or moving the other baggage; and that the storage room
for ordinary luggage should not be unduly diminished. To carry out these objects,
a platform is built in the van of suitable depth, approximating the length of a
bicycle, and a suitable height, say about 4 feet.
In
The space under the platform is intended for the storage of the bicycles and the
space above for the storage of luggage. On the under surface of the platform at
suitable distances, are fixed the brackets above described. Exactly below each a
groove is made in the floor, the groove being in width and depth suitable to
receive a pneumatic tyred bicycle, and extending to the back of the space.
order to prevent damage against the side of the van to the projecting mudguard
usually fixed to bicycles; a stop, a couple of inches in breadth, shaped to receive the
tyre, and about a foot high is fixed to the floor. In order to provide greater
security, a wedge grooved above to fit the tyre, and shaped below to fit the groove
non the floor, may be added.

page_text: To place the bicycle in the van, all that is necssary is to push it backwards along
the groove on the floor, the back stop will prevent it going too far. The bracket
is now brought down, and adjusted on the handle bar, and fixed; after seeing that
the bicycle is pushed back as far as possible. The wedge can, if desired, be in-
serted in front of the front wheel, but the support will hold the bicycle quite firmly
without it.
The same principles can also be applied to storing bicycles in factories, shops,
and private houses, and the bracket can be made to support the bicycle from the
side, being fixed to the wall instead of as described, and in this case the holder may
be shaped to fit the handle bar steering tube or frame. In all cases to further
secure the bicycle the claws of the holder can be closed by means of a catch, or by
a leather strap fastening by studs upon the holder.
1007
A New or Improved Support for Bicycles, more especially Designed
for their Safe Conveyance as Passengers' Luggage on Railways.
I, JOHN WILLIAM COCKERILL, a Surgeon Captain in the Army Medical Staff of
No. 17, Whitehall Place, London, S.W., do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
My invention consists of a metal bracket mounted on a metal base plate, upon
which is hinged two parallel metal bars, terminating in a metal tube; sliding
telescopically into which is a bar, which terminates in bifurcated ends, each of which
terminate in a lobster claw shaped holder made to fit a bicycle handle bar. The
before mentioned tube is fitted near the lower end, with a screw which fixes the
lower bar at any desired length. In the attached drawings similar letters refer to
similar parts.
Fig. I is a side elevation.
with
Fig. II a Front Elevation of the bracket or arm; A is the base plate, B a bar
upon which are hinged C, the metal bars terminating in the metal tube D sliding
telescopically into which is the bar E, which terminates in bifurcated ends F, each
of which terminates in a holder G. H is the screw fixing the bar E at any desired
length. In order to allow the bracket to be fixed at any angle the segments of a
toothed disc J is mounted on the base plate A so as to project between the two
parallel bars C, and upon these is fixed a screw K, the teeth of which engage
the teeth upon the disc, in such a way that when the screw is turned it travels upon
the toothed disc carrying the bracket with it. The screw K can be made as a fixture,
or can be hinged L, in the latter case a spring M keeps the teeth of the screw
engaged with the teeth of the disc; or as an alternative a spring catch engaging
with the teeth of the disc can be provided. In the drawing the teeth of the disc J
are not shewn for the sake of simplicity.
It is obvious that the various details described above may be varied without
departing from the spirit of the invention; as for example shown in Fig. III,
where the bar B is elongated so that the bracket can be moved upon it and fixed at
any desired position with the screw N, and the disc J may be omitted if desired,
or other means may be used for adjusting the telescopic arm.
The above described bracket has been designed more especially to facilitate

page_text: ·
the safe conveyance of bicycles as passengers' luggage, and, I will now describe
how it is to be fixed, and the modifications required in the luggage
vall. The main object in view being that the permanent fixtures should
be such as not to interfere with the storage of ordinary luggage, and that when
bicycles are placed in the van, each of them can be easily removed without inter-
fering with the others, or moving the other baggage, and that the storage room
for ordinary luggage should not be unduly diminished. In order to carry out these
objects a platform is built in the van of suitable depth, approximating the length
of a bicycle and a suitable height, say about 4 feet.
Fig. IV shows a side elevation of a van N being the platform. On the under
surface of the platform, at suitable distances, are fixed the brackets above described.
Exactly below each, a groove is made in the floor, the groove being in width and
depth suitable to receive a pneumatic tyred bicycle, and extending to the back of
the space; this groove may be conveniently made of wooden battens O. In order
to prevent damage against the side of the van to the projecting mudguard usually
fixed to bicycles; a stop P, shaped to receive the tyre, is fitted.
Fig. V is a bird's eye view showing arrangements of bicycles in the van.
O being the battens on the floor.
It may be noticed that if the number of bicycles permit they may be placed as
shewn by those numbered 1 and 2, with one or more spare grooves between them,
in this case a bicycle may be removed without interfering with the others.
If, however, there are more bicycles to be conveyed than can be carriel in this
way, they must be carefully arranged so that the pedals do not injure the adjacent
machines. By taking advantage of the various types and heights of the machines
see 2, 3 & 4; they may be stowed very closely together, and as they are im-
movably held where placed, if properly arranged they will travel without injury.
The same principles can also be applied to storing bicycles in factories, shops,
and houses; and the bracket can be made to support the bicycles from the side,
being fixed to the walls instead of as described, and the holder may be shaped to
fit the handle bar, steering tube, or frame.
In all cases to further secure the bicycles the claws of the holder can be closed
by means of a catch, or by a leather strap fastening by studs upon the holder, as
shown in Fig. 1, II, and III by reference letter I.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
I. An adjustable telescopic arm or bracket, carrying holders for supporting a
bicycle, with means for fixing the same to a wall, or side of a van, or to a platform
or shelf, and the like, substantially as described with reference to Fig. I, II & III.
II. A platform, shelf, or the like so arranged that a bicycle may be placed below
it in combination with means for holding the said bicycle under the same, sub-
stantially as herein described with reference to Fig. IV.
III. A groove upon the floor formed by means of battens or otherwise, and
suitable to receive the tyres of a bicycle, in combination with means for holding
the bicycle in the same, substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. IV
& V.
IV. The method of carrying bicycles in railway vans, substantially as herein
described with reference to Fig. IV & V.