Improvements in and relating to Mud Guards for Bicycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 19th June. 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Mud Guards for Bicycles.
1, JAMES BROWN a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing
at 48 Windsor Street, in the City of Toronto in the County of York and Province of
Ontario in the Dominion of Canada, Carpenter, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the saine is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to prevent mud and water from spattering over the
bicycle or the rider when the bicycle is being used over muddy roads or in wet
weather.
Referring to plans which form a part of this specification,-
Figure One is a drawing of a bicycle with the device in question adjusted to the
hind wheel ready for use, but raised away from the front wheel and showing its
position and adjustment when not in use.
Figure Two shews two alternative methods by Devices 16 and 17 for attaching
the mud guard to the frame of the wheel.
By Device 16 the mud-guard is attached in a fixed manner to the two side members
of the frame behind without any stay; it is only adapted for use on the hind wheel.
This device 16 consists of a pair of rods 11 each attached at one end to the flat
strip 6 to which the brush Fig. 4 is attached; the rods have their opposite ends
formed into hooks or clips 22 adapted to engage and partially embrace the said side
members of the frame. A removable clamp 23 of any well known construction is
employed to secure each rod rigidly to the said member.
Device 17 consists of a flat piece of steel having holes to enable it to be fastened
permanently to the axle of the wheel, by unscrewing the axle nuts, slipping the axle
into the holes as shown in 17 and then screwing on the axle nuts again. This device
is intended only to obviate the use of the lower spring clamp, and the braces holding
the guard are attached in the same manner as to 13.
Figure Three is an enlarged figure of the mud guard shewing in more detail
certain parts of the frame and joints and method of adjustment.
Figure Four is a drawing exhibiting in more detail the construction of the spring
clamps and also of the brush device which operates to clean the wheel.
Figure Five is a drawing exhibiting in full detail the construction of the brush,
6 being frame, 7 adjusting screw, 8 metal clamp, 9 rubber stock with projecting
rubber tongue 19 and 10 brushes.
Figure Six is a drawing shewing in detail the construction of the spring clamps.
11.6 is a shaped frame detachably secured to the fork of the bicycle in front
and to the side members of the frame behind by means of spring clamps 14 and 15.
This frame 11.6 has a hinged joint 18 and eyelets 20 and 21. At the bend of
the U the frame consists of a flattened strip of metal adapted to hold by means of a
series of clamps 8 and adjusting screws 7 the brush or scraper 9.10 in such manner
as to make it adjustable to the tire of the bicycle 2.
12 is a stay which is also detachably secured to the fork of the bicycle in front and
to the side members of the frame behind by means of spring clamps 14 and 15.
When the device is set for operation the stay 12 is rigidly fastened to the frame 11 at
the eyelet 20 by means of a set screw.
To place the device in the proper position when not in use as shewn on front wheel
Figure One the brace 12 is detached from the frame at the point 20 by unscrewing
D

page_text: the set screw and the frame 11 is then lifted to the position shewn on front wheel.
The brace 12 is then brought to the eyelet 21 and fastened there by means of a set
screw.
Between
The brush or scraper by which the mud and water is cleared from the tire is
constructed as follows,-9 is a U shaped rubber stock about one half an inch square
forming a back in which the bristles 10 are fastened as in an ordinary brush. I
prefer to make this stock of soft rubber because that is most readily adjustable to the
shape of the tire. These bristles are placed in two parallel rows, one above the other,
around the inside of the U shaped rubber stock as shown in Figure Four.
these two rows of bristles there is a rubber tongue 19 coming to within about one
eighth of an inch from the end of the bristles, to prevent water from being carried
by the tire through the bristles. 7 is an adjusting screw passing through the frame 6
and by means of which the rubber tongue and brush are adjusted so
as to fit
accurately to the tire of the bicycle, 6 being a flat strip of metal somewhat thin and
which yields readily to pressure and adapts the brush to the wheel when not running
truly. The effect of this device is wholly to prevent mud or water from adhering
to the tire of the bicycle so as to be subsequently thrown either upon the framework
of the bicycle or upon the person of the rider.
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. A mud guard for bicycles consisting of a U shaped flexible frame carrying in
the inner curve of its bent end a flexible brush or scraper adjustable to the tire and
capable of being attached by suitable means to the frame of the bicycle in the manner
and for the purpose specified.
2. A device for detachably securing a mud guard such as is above referred to to a
bicycle frame, being the combination of the frame 6.11 having a hinged joint 18 and
eyelets 20 and 21 and adjusting screw 7 with the stay 12 and spring clamps 14 and 15
as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with a bicycle frame of a U shaped frame 6.11 having a
hinged joint 18, eyelets 20 and 21 with stay 12, spring clamps 14 and 15 detachably
securing the mud guard to the bicycle frame and fitted with the U shaped adjustable
brush or scraper 8, 9, 10 as and for the purpose described.
Date is oven way of vanuary, A.D. 11.
J. C. Chapman,
JAMES BROWN.
Chartered Patent Agent, 70 Chancery Lane, London, Associate Agent.