Improvements in Detachable Mud Guards for the Wheels of Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Detachable Mud Guards for the Wheels of Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
I, ERNEST JOIN WOODWARD, of No. 4 Heath Street, Balsall Heath, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick Hotel Waiter, do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in detachable
mud guards for the wheels of bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes, by which
improvements greater protection is obtained for the rider than is afforded by tho
use of ordinary mud guards. Detachable mud guards constructed according to my
invention have the further advantage that instead of being detached, when not
required for use they may be carried on the velocipede in a collapsed state.
Detachable mud guards made according to my invention are especially applicable
to gentlemen's safety bicycles and I will describe my invention as applied to a
gentleman's safety bicycle but the mud guard hereinafter described for the front
wheel of the gentleman's safety bicycle is applicable to the front wheel of a lady's
bicycle as well as to the front wheel of a tricycle or other velocipede.
I will first describe a mud guard constructed according to one arrangement of
my invention for the front wheel of the safety bicycle.
The said front mud guard consists essentially of two parts, namely, a flexible and
preferably elastic part made from a strip of thin sheet india rubber, elastic webbing,
fabric or the like, the other part consisting of metallic arms and stays for
supporting the flexible and elastic part when the mud guard is in use and preserving
it concentric or practically concentric with the wheel.
The flexible strip of fabric, india rubber or the like which I will hereinafter
call the mud guard proper is provided at that end which when in use is the upper
end, with a metallic cross bar the ends of which are formed into hooks for engaging
with the upper ends of the branches of the steering fork, the said
cross bar being situated behind the bridge of the steering fork when the mud guard
is in use. When the mud guard is tot in use the mud guard proper is rolled on
the cross bar described. The other or lower end of the mud guard proper is pro-
vided with a light metallic crossing strip or wire the ends of which terminate in
eyes for the purpose hereinafter described. Intermediate light metallic crossing
strips or wires are provided for the mud guard proper, the said intermediate cross
strips or wires being arranged at from three to four inches apart. The ends of the
intermediate cross strips or wires are hook shaped.
The mud guard proper is supported when in use over the rear part of the front
wheel of the bicycle by two curved arms situated respectively on each side of the
said wheel and parallel to the same, the said curved arins having a radius somewhat
greater than that of the wheel. Each of the said curved arms is made in two parts,
one of which is capable of sliding upon the other or fixed part for the purpose of
lengthening or shortening the mud guard. The upper or fixed parts of the two
curved arms are attached respectively to the branches of the steering fork imme-

page_text: diately under the bridge of the same by spring or other clips hinged to the upper
ends of the fixed parts of the said curved arms. The curved arms are kept i
position when the inud guard is in use by metallic stays jointed to the lower end
of the fixed parts of the arms, the free ends of the said stays having hinged to them
spring or other clips by which they are attached to the respective branches of the
steering fork near the bottom end of the said fork.
The mud guard proper is attached to the supporting arms after a sufficient length
has been unrolled from its top cross bar by the hooks of the intermediate cross
metallic strips engaging with the said supporting arms the eyes of the bottom cross
metallic strip passing over the ends of the sliding parts of the supporting arms
and bearing against stops near the said ends. When it is desired
to lengthen or shorten the mud guard it is only necessary to detach the top cross
bar and unwind therefrom or wind thereon a sufficient length of the flexible mud
guard proper, the sliding parts of the supporting arms being adjusted to the lengua
desired. A mud guard of the kind described possesses the advantage over ordinary
detachable mud guards when in use that being carried by the steering fork it follows
the turning motion of the front wheel and at all times catches the mud thrown from
the said wheel.
When it is not required to use the mud guard and it is not desired to detach it
from the velocipede the mud guard proper is first removed and rolled on its top
cross bar and is in its rolled up condition pressed into position on the branches of
the steering fork again. The hinged clips of the stays of the supporting arms are
detached from the branches of the steering fork and the supporting arms in their
closed condition are turned down and their free ends are engaged with hooks pro-
vided at opposite ends of the axle of the front wheel; the hinged stays are turned
up and their hinged clips are pressed on the upper ends of the branches of the
steering fork immediately under the clips of the supporting arms.
In constructing a front wheel mud guard according to another arrangement of
my invention I dispense with the supporting arms and stay for the same herein-
before described. I connect the flexible mud guard proper to the branches of the
steering fork in the manner described with respect to the first arrangement of the
front wheel mud guard. I provide one of the intermediate cross metallic strips
near the lower end of the mud guard proper with a middle loop for engaging with
a hook carried by a clip arranged on the lower tube of the cycle frame. The lower
end of the mud guard proper depends from the looped metallic cross strip engaged
with the hooked clip referred to preferably below the level of the hottom bracket
of the bicycle.
I construct a mud guard for the rear wheel of a safety bicycle in the following
manner.
I employ two flexible and preferably elastic strips for the mud guard proper, the
one for the front of the rear wheel being provided at its lower end with a hook for
engaging with the bridge of the chain stay fork of the rear wheel and at its upper
end with a metallic strip or wire looped at its middle, the said loop engaging with
a hook of a clip attached to the upper end of the seat pillar tube of the bicycle
frame. This front strip of the back wheel mud guard may he used independently
of the part of the said back wheel mud guard hereinafter described.
The second flexible strip is situated over the upper part of the rear wheel and
its front end is provided with a looped har which is engaged with the hooked
clip on the seat pillar tube hereinbefore referred to. The other end of the said
second strip is provided with a wire, the ends of which are engaged with hooks
terminating the free ends of two wire stavs one on each side of the wheel connected
respectively by spring or other hinged clips to the bottom ends of the branches of
the back stay fork of the rear wheel, the said wire stays extending backwards and
making about a right angle with the branches of the back stay fork. The last
named wire stays are preserved in position by short stays jointed to the mud guard
stays at about their middle the said short stays being connected by hinged clips to
the branches of the hack stay fork,

page_text: When the mud guard is not required for use the hinged clips of the short stays
are disconnected from the branches of the back stay fork and are raised and con-
nected with the top ends of the said branches of the back stay fork, the long mud
guard stays coming parallel with the said branches of the back stay fork and
engaging with hooks on the short stay clips. Instead of detaching the spring or
other clips of the short stays, they may be left in position on the branches of the
back stay fork the ends of the short stays jointed to the middles of the long or mud
guard stays being provided with tubes or sleeves for sliding on the mud guard stays
in closing the mud guard stays against the branches of the back stay fork.
Dated this twenty-first day of September, 1896.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Detachable Mud Guards for the Wheels of Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
I, ERNEST JOHN WOODWARD, of No. 4 Heath Street, Balsall Heath, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Hotel Waiter, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention 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 the improvements hereinafter described in detachable
mudguards for the wheels of bicycles, tricycles, and other velocipedes, by which
improvements greater protection is obtained for the rider than is afforded by the
use of ordinary mud guards. Detachable mud guards constructed according to
my invention have the further advantage that instead of being detached when not
required for use they may be carried on the velocipede in a collapsed state.
Detachable mud guards made according to my invention are especially applicable
to gentlemen's safety bicycles and I will describe my.invention as applied to a
gentleman's safety bicycle, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings of
which Figures 1 and 2 represent respectively in side and back elevation a safety
bicycle to which my improved mud guards are applied the said mud guards being
in position for use, and Figure 3 represents in side elevation the said bicycle with
the mud guards in their collapsed state.
Figures 4 to 14 both inclusive represent parts of the mudguards detached drawn
to a larger scale than Figures 1, 2 and 3.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawings.
I will first describe the mudguard of the front wheel of the bicycle.
The said front mud guard consists essentially of two parts, namely a flexible
part A preferably elastic and made from thin sheet india rubber, elastic webbing
or the like, and another part consisting of a pair of metallic supporting arms a, a
and stays bb, situated respectively on opposite sides of the wheel, for supporting the
flexible and elastic part A when the mud guard is in use and preserving it con-
centric or practically concentric with the wheel.
The flexible strip A of fabric, india rubber or the like, which I will hereinafter
call the strip A or mud guard proper, is provided at that end, which when in use
is the upper end, with a metallic cross bar C (see the portion of the mud guard
proper A represented in Figure 4) the ends of which cross har terminate in eves c, c
for engaging with hooks d (see Figures 5 and 6) fixed by clips e to the branches f, f
of the steering wheel fork. At or near the other or lower end of the strip A is

page_text: another and similar cross wire C¹ the ends of which terminate in eyes for engaging
with the extreme ends of the arms aa the eyes bearing against stops a, al on the
said arms a (see Figure 3). Intermediate wires 2, 2, 2 are provided for the
strip A at distances apart preferably of from three to four inches. The ends of these
intermediate wires c³, c, ca are hook shaped, as is represented in the section of the
strip A represented in Figure 7, for engaging with the curved supporting arms a.
The curved supporting arms a, a are jointed at their upper ends to the clips e, e
(see Figures 5 and 6). The said supporting arms have a radius somewhat greater
than that of the wheel and are preserved parallel or nearly parallel to the sides of
the wheel. The curved supporting arms a, a are kept in position when the mud
guard is in use by the metallic stays b, b which are jointed at their inner ends to
clips e, e (see the sectional view Figure 8) on the lower ends of the branches f, f
of the steering wheel fork and at their other or outer ends to short tubes or
sleeves 61, 61 capable of sliding on the curved supporting arms a, a. In Figures 3
and 5 the sleeve 61 is represented in the raised position which it occupies when the
mud guard is not in use.
When the mudguard is not required for use the strip A or mud guard proper is
detached by unhooking it from the supporting arms a, a and is rolled on the lower
cross wire, C, an india rubber ring being passed on to the rolled up strip to preserve
it in that condition. The stays bare raised and the arms a closed into the position
represented in Figures 3 and 5 and are retained in that position by engaging the
arms a in hook shaped catches y fixed to the lower clip e as is best seen in Figure 8.
The eyes c, c of the cross wire C of the strip A are engaged with the hooks d, d
the rolled up strip occupying the position represented in Figure 3. Or the front
wheel mud guard may be wholly detached from the bicycle by removing the
clips e, e from the branches f, f of the steering wheel fork.
A mud guard of the kind described and represented possesses when in use the
advantage over ordinary detachable mud guards in the respect that being carried
by the steering fork it follows the turning motion of the front wheel and at all
times catches the mud thrown from the said wheel.
Each of the curved supporting arms a, a may be made in two parts one of which
is capable of sliding telescopically upon the other or fixed part for the purpose of
lengthening or shortening the mud guard.
The front wheel mud guard hereinbefore described and represented is applicable
to ladies' safety bicycles as well as to gentlemen's safety bicycles.
I will now describe the mudguard for the rear wheel of the bicycle.
For the rear wheel mud guard I may employ two flexible and preferably elastic
strips or mud guards proper but I prefer to combine the said strips, that is, to make
them in one continuous length as is represented in the Drawings, the said single
strip being marked H, H. The part H' of the flexible strip is provided with a
hook at one end for engaging that end with the bridge or crossing stay i of the
chain stay fork of the rear wheel and at the junction of the part with the
part H2 of the said strip a metallic loop & is provided for engaging with the hook
of the clip fixed on the seat pillar tube m of the bicycle. The part H2 of the strip
when the mud guard is in use overhangs the upper part of the rear wheel and the
rear end of the said part H³ is supported by arms and stays n, o, p. The said
supporting wires or arms, n are jointed at their inner ends to clips
on the branch r, r of the back stay fork of the bicycle and eyes terminating cross
wires on the rear end of the part 3 of the strip engage with the outer ends of the
said arms n. The said arms are kept in their open position Figures 1 and 2 by
the stays 0, 0
jointed at their inner ends to clips s, s on the branches r, r (see
Figures 9 and 10) of the back stay fork and at their outer ends to tubular sliding
pieces o², on the arms n, n (see Figures 12 and 13). The part H2 of the strip is
also supported near its rear end by intermediate supporting arms pp, the inner
ends of which are jointed to tubular pieces 12, 72 (see Figures 9
and 11) on the long arms π n; the said intermediate arms. P, pass

page_text: through the tubular pieces o, o to which the outer ends of the stays o, o are
jointed as will be best understood by references to Figures 12 and 13.
When the mud guard is not required for use the strip H H is detached and the
arms n, and stay o are closed as is represented in Figure 3 the arm n engaging
with the hook shaped catch s¹ of the clips s (see Figures 9 and 10) and also with the
hook shaped catch o' of the sliding piece o as is best seen in Figures 12 and 13.
The detached strip H1, H2 is rolled on its end cross wire as is represented in
Figures 3 and 14 where the rolled strip is marked H, an india rubber ring & being
passed on to the rolled strip and the eyes of the axial cross wire being passed on to
the ends of the turned up arms n as is represented in the said Figures 3 and 14.
The rear wheel mud guard may be completely detached by removing the clips s, q
from the back stay fork.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention of "Improvements in detachable mud guards for the wheels of bicycles,
tricycles and other velocipedes":-
First; A detachable mud guard for the front or steering wheels of velocipedes
consisting essentially of a flexible and preferably elastic strip of india rubber, fabric
or the like, capable of being rolled and unrolled, the said strip having on it a series
of cross wires the end cross wires terminating in eyes and the intermediate cross
wires terminating in hooks, the said flexible strip being used in conjunction with
curved supporting arms hinged to clips on the branches of the steering fork the
curved supporting arms being kept in their open position by jointed or folding
stays, the several parts being constructed, combined and used substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly; A detachable mud guard for the rear wheels of bicycles and like
velocipedes consisting essentially of a flexible and preferably elastic strip, capable
of being rolled and unrolled, supported by being stretched between the bridge or
cross stay of the chain stay fork and a hook on the top of the seat pillar tube and
stays or arms jointed to clips on the back stay fork and extending to the rear of
the back or driving wheel of the bicycle the several parts being constructed, com-
bined and used substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Dated the Tenth day of June 1907