Improvements in Luggage Carriers for Bicycles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Luggage Carriers for Bicycles.
I, ROBERT CARR WALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at
1533 Herbine Avenue, in the City of Philadelphia, County of Philadelphia, State
of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to the class of devices adapted to be attached to bicycles'
and when mounted in position thereupon to serve to receive and support various
articles of luggage.
It being a desideratum in the use of bicycles to render the machines as light as
possible, it is of advantage to constract luggage carriers of a detachable character
so that when no luggage is to be carried they may be removed.
It is the object of my invention to provide a neat strong and inexpensive luggage
carrier, so constructed as to be capable of quick and convenient application and
removal.
In the drawings I illustrate my improved luggage carrier as applied to the
steering head or vertical front bar of a bicycle, which, in the ordinary type of
safety bicycle constitutes perhaps the most convenient location for a bundle and
affords an advantageous place for the attachment of the carrier.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a fragmentary detail elevation of a portion of the steering head of a
bicycle, illustrating the application of my improved luggage carrier.
Figure 2 is a similar view of the same parts showing however a bundle in place
within the luggage carrier, and showing the carrier as removed from the clamp.
Figure 3 is a top plan of the yoke and the bar G.
Figure 4 is an elevational view of the clamp member B and yoke D.
Figure 5 is a transverse sectional plan on the line of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of luggage carrier shown
as removed from the clamp.
Figure 7 is a top plan view of the same.
Figure 8 is a view of the steering head and applied clamp and of the luggage
carrier of Figure 6 employed to carry a bundle but removed from the clamp.
Figure 9 is an elevational view of the luggage carrier of Figures 6 and 7.
Figure 10 is a fragmentary detail elevation of a portion of the steering head of
a bicycle, illustrating in connection therewith a modified form of luggage carrier.
Figure 11 is a top plan and Figure 12 an elevation of the luggage carrier of
Figure 10.
Figure 13 is a side elevation of the steering head of a bicycle, illustrating the
application of a clamp and also illustrating the luggage carrier of Figure 10 as
containing a bundle, but removed from the clamp.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A is the steering head of the bicycle; BC are the two members of a two-part
clamp, connected by bolts and adapted to be clamped upon the upper portion of the
steering head just below the steering handle. This clamp may be of any preferred
construction. The clamp member B, which is preferably the member existing on
the side of the steering head adjacent to the saddle, embodies a vertical extension b,
which conveniently terminates at a point just above the steering handle or bar and
upper end of which is preferably of quadrangular or polygonal cross-section.
D is what I term the carrier yoke, which constitutes the base of the luggage
carrier proper, said yoke being a shank of metal of any desired length but
approximately the length of the average bundle which it is intended to carry.
[Price 8d.]
the

page_text: Said yoke embodies midway of its length a vertical socket or aperture d corre-
sponding in plan to the cross-section of the extension b. The yoke D is adapted
to be seated by means of its socket upon the extension b, and, when in place extends
along in parallelism with the handle bar and just above the latter, in which position
it is inconspicuous and not liable to interfere with the motions of the rider or the
operation of the machine.
A screw hole extends from the edge of the yoke to said socket d, in which is
entered a thumb screw E the inner or advance end of which abuts against the
extension b and by the tightening up of which screw the yoke is secured to said
extension.
In order to etain the screw E against loosening under the vibrations of the
machine I provide a lock or binding nut F and mount the same upon the screw E,
by the screwing up of which nut against the edge of the yoke the screw E is
firmly secured.
Upon the yoke D are mounted the luggage securing devices themselves, of which
several forms are illustrated in the drawings.
In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, an angular bar of metal or wire, G, is attached to
the yoke, said bar being of such profile as to form with the yoke a quadrangular
fraine. The extremities of the bar G are attached to said yoke by being entered
in suitable sockets in the respective extremities of said yoke. H H are buckle
flaps secured in suitable slots in the yoke, and h h are straps secured to the opposite
portion of the bar G. To secure an article within this luggage carrier it is rested
upon the frame and the straps h are carried over it, engaged with the buckle flaps H
and drawn taut. When no bundle lies in the carrier the straps are simply wrapped
or folded compactly about the frame G and the yoke.
In Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, I show the yoke Ď as provided with parallel exten-
sions II, or strap bars, in the outer extremities of which, in suitable bearings, are
mounted the winding bars i* i*, each equipped with a suitable winding handle i.
In this embodiment of the invention the straps h are ordinarily wound one upon
each of the winding bars, from which bars said straps are unrolled when required
to receive and retain a bundle.
In Figures 10, 11, 12, and 13, I illustrate an embodiment of the invention in
which the yoke D is provided with strap bars J each of which embodies two strap
slots. In this embodiment of the invention, a separate strap runs through both
slots of euch yoke bar,-which straps are then carried around any bundle to be
carried, and buckled in the ordinary manner, or, if no bundle is to be carried, are
wrapped around the yoke in a compact manner.
In practice, in the use of my improved luggage carrier the two-part clamp B C
is attached to the steering head or other part of the machine to which it is to be
applied, and is intended to remain in place thereupon,- and the luggage carrier
yoke is temporarily applied to the bicycle when required for use by being mounted
upon the extension 6 of said clamp. The character of the connection between the
clamp and the yoke is, as will be understood, such that while the latter can be
applied and removed with great facility, it nevertheless is, when applied in position,
firmly retained against accidental displacement.
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. The combination to form a luggage carrier, of a structure consisting of a
rigid supporting yoke the extremities of which are provided with rigid strap bars
or supports extending transversely with respect thereto, which structure embodies
strap eyes or recesses at or near its respective extremities, straps or kindred luggage
engaging devices mounted on said bars, and means for supporting or attaching said
yoke to a bicycle frame or kindred support, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination to form a luggage carrier, of a structure consisting of a rigid
supporting yoke, the extremities of which are provided with strap bars or supports

page_text: extending transversely with respect to it, straps or kindred luggage engaging
devices mounted on said strap bars, and a clamp adapted for attachment to a
bicycle, said clamp and yoke being detachably connected by means of an extension
projecting from the one and taking into a corresponding socket formed in the other,
and means for locking said parts in engagement, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination to form a luggage carrier of a structure consisting of a rigid
supporting yoke embodying at or about its longitudinal centre un angular socket
and provided with two transversely extending strap bars or supports, straps or
kindred luggage engaging devices mounted on said bars, and a clamp adapted for
permanent engagement with a bicycle frame and provided with a vertical extension,
the upper portion of which is fitted and takes into the socket in the yoke,
substantially as set forth.
4. The combination to form a luggage carrier, of a structure consisting of a
supporting yoke provided with strap bars or supports extending forward from said
yoke and at right angles with respect thereto, strap eyes or recesses in said bars
adapted to receive straps or kindred luggage engaging devices, a clamp adapted for
attachment to a bicycle or kindred device, said yoke and clamp being connected by
means of a vertical extension projecting from one of said devices which takes into
a socket formed in the other of said devices, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination to form a luggage carrier, of a yoke provided with strap
bars or supports formed integral therewith, extending forward from said yoke and
at right angles with respect thereto, strap eyes or recesses in said bars adapted to
receive straps or kindred luggage engaging devices, an angular socket formed in
the central portion of said yoke, a thumb screw entered in said yoke so as to
project into the socket, and a clamp adapted for attachment to a bicycle frame or
kindred device and provided with a vertical extension the upper end of which
corresponds in cross section to the shape of the socket in the yoke and is adapted
to enter said socket for a short distance only, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination to form a luggage carrier, of a rigid strap bar adapted to
receive and support an article of luggage,-a clamp adapted to be secured to and
remain upon the frame work of a bicycle, a socket formed in one of said devices,-
a vertical extension projecting from the other of said devices, the extremity of
which extension is adapted to enter said socket, and means for temporarily
securing said extension in said socket, substantially as set forth.
7. A luggage carrier comprising a strap bar with which is engaged a strap or
kindred article, a winding bar upon which said strap may be wound, and a suitable
handle or projection by which said winding bar may be rotated, substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 26th day of January A.D. 1892.