Improvements in Mud-guards for the Wheels of Cycles and other Carriages.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 3rd June, 1896-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mud-guards for the Wheels of Cycles and other
Carriages.
I, ANTHONY PULBROOK, of 14 Victoria House, South Lambeth Road, in the
County of Surrey, Solicitor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
According to this invention I make the mud-guard for the wheels of a cycle or
other carriage of airtight flexible material in the form of a hollow chamber which
can be filled with a suitable compressible or non-compressible fluid, such as air or
water for example. The fluid when in the chamber may be at atmospheric
pressure, or at a pressure above that of the atmosphere. The chamber may be
filled with fluid by means of a pump through a charging or non-return valve
similar to that employed for the inflation of pneumatic tyres; or the fluid may be
introduced into the chamber by any other suitable means, and be retained therein
by hermetically closing the chamber, or otherwise.
The chamber may be adapted to be rolled up automatically or otherwise, when
emptied of fluid, so as to occupy comparatively little space when not in use; but
when required to be used as a mud-guard it can be filled with fluid and opened out
so as to form a suitably shaped guard that will effectually protect the rider from
dirt or mud thrown up by the wheels.
This mud-guard may be fixed permanently in position over the wheel or wheels
so as to be always available for. use, and be kept charged with fluid or not as may
be preferred; or it may be made detachable so that it can be removed from its
position over the wheel or wheels, emptied of fluid; rolled or folded
up and
stowed away when not wanted, and refixed. in place, and filled with fluid when
required.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1895.
A. PULBROOK,
Per. W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mud-guards for the Wheels of Cycles and other
Carriages.
1, ANTHONY PULBROOK, formerly of 14 Victoria House, South Lambeth
Road, in the County of Surrey, but at present residing at 8 Unwin Mansions,
Queen's Club Gardens, West Kensington in the County of Middlesex, Solicitor,
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:-
According to this invention I make the mud-guard for the wheels of a cycle or
other carriage, of airtight flexible material in the form of a hollow chamber which
can be filled with a suitable compressible or non-compressible fluid, such as air or
ID021

page_text: water for example. The fluid when in the chamber may be at atmospheric
pressure, or, by preference at a pressure above that of the atmospheric.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood I will now
proceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying sheet of drawings
in which
Figure 1 is a side view of the rear part of a bicycle with one arrangement of my
invention applied thereto,
Figure 2 is a back view taken at right angles to Figure 1, and
Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the collapsible mud-
guard.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of a modified form of inflatable mud-
guard, and
Figures 5, 6, and 7 are a plan, longitudinal edge view, and end view
respectively illustrating a further modification.
A is the ordinary frame of the machine B the hind wheel and C the mud-gnard
shown in position over the wheel B. The mud-guard proper consists of a hollow
airtight chamber C¹ of flexible material shaped preferably to conform more or less
to the contour of the wheel and of any suitable cross section, such as that shown
by way of example in Figure 3.
This hollow airtight chamber C₁ may be supported in position by means of
rods D D secured to the frame A in any suitable manner.
The chamber C¹ may be filled with air or other fluid by means of a pump
applied to a charging or non-return valve E similar to that employed for the
inflation of the pneumatic tyre; or the fluid may be introduced into the chamber
by any other suitable means, and be retained therein by hermetically closing the
chamber, or otherwise.
The mud-guard may be fixed permanently in position over the wheel or wheels
so as to be always available for use, and be kept charged with air or other fluid, or
not, as may be preferred; or it may be made detachable so that it can be removed
from its position over the wheel or wheels, emptied of fluid, rolled or folded up,
and stowed away when not wanted, and refixed in place and filled with fluid when
required.
In some cases the chamber C¹ may remain permanently fixed along the middle
of its length to the supporting rod Ď and when inflated or filled with fluid assumes
the shape in cross section shown by full lines in Figure 4; but when the chamber
is deflated or emptied of air or other fluid the sides being unsupported may be
caused to assume the pendant position shown by dotted lines in that figure and the
deflated chamber may then be wrapped round the rod D and be secured thereon
by tying with tapes, string, or otherwise.
In some cases the flexible airtight chamber may be mounted in transverse wire
frames such as those shown at F in Figures 1 and 3 each such frame being
provided with an eye F¹ that can be threaded on to the rod D. By this means
when the chamber C₁ is deflated or emptied of air or other fluid it may be
collapsed end wise by drawing the frames F along the rod D so that the chamber
is closed up somewhat like an accordion as shown to the left of Figure 1.
According to another arrangement also shewn in Figure 1 the frames F may be
retained, and the two ends of the chamber C¹ be connected by tapes or cords G
with a spring roller H similar to the roller of a spring-roller-blind, the spring of
the roller being of such a strength that when the chamber C¹ is deflated or
emptied of air or other fluid it will cause the roller to revolve and collapse the
chamber, as shewn to the left of Figure 1, but when air or other fluid is
forced into the chamber the pressure overcomes the resistance of the spring
and the chamber is extended or opened out to its full length as shewn to the right
of Figure 1.
According to another arrangement shewn in Figures 5, 6 and 7 one or more
spiral springs J, such as clock springs for example, are so connected with the
collapsible chamber C that when the latter is deflated the said springs cause

page_text: the chamber C to be coiled up on to itself somewhat in the manner indicated
by dotted lines in Figure 6, but when the chamber C is inflated, by means of the
charging valve E for example, the springs J and the chamber C are distended or
straightened out into the position shewn in full lines in the same figure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. A mud-guard for the wheels of a cycle or other carriage, which consists
of a hollow chamber of flexible airtight material, adapted to receive and retain a
compressible or non-compressible fluid, substantially as described.
Second. A mud-guard for the wheels of a cycle or other carriage, which consists
of a hollow chamber of flexible airtight material, in combination with spring roller
devices, whereby the said chamber is collapsed or closed up automatically when
the air or other fluid is allowed to escape therefrom and is expanded or opened out
by the pressure of the air or other fluid when the same is forced into the said
chamber, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the
drawings.
Third. A mud-guard for the wheels of a cycle other carriage, which consists of
a hollow chamber of flexible airtight material, in combination with one or more
spiral springs, whereby the said chamber is rolled up automatically when the
air or other fluid is allowed to escape therefrom, and is unrolled or opened
out by the pressure of the air or other fluid when the same is forced into the said
chamber, substantially as described with reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the
drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1896.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1896.
A. PULBROOK,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent,