Improvements in Bicycles for Securing them against Theft.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec.. 1896-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles for Securing them against Theft.
We, MAX MICHELSOHN of Karlsruhe, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany,
Merchant, and SIGMUND WOLF of Heilbronn on the Neckar, in the Kingdom of
Würtemberg, Germany, Engineer, 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 :-
This contrivance, shown in the accompanying drawing in four figures has the
object of making it possible for a person going business rounds on a bicycle to fix or
lock it, without particular trouble or expenditure of much time, in such a manner that
when to execute his errand he temporarily leaves his machine in the street or any
such place, no other cyclist can put the machine in motion.
This purpose is attained by enabling the usual lever of the brake to be arrested
in its closed position by means of a description of locking apparatus, whereby the
driving wheel is, for the time being, rendered immovable and the machine cannot be
used for riding, or be driven, until again free of this state of arrest. But putting the
wheel back again into a state of freedom from such state of arrest can only be
accomplished by the owner of the machine.
The idea of the invention for which a patent is now sought lies more especially in
an appliance fixed in one handle of the handle-bars which is wholly inconspicuous
during the ordinary operating of a bicycle, easily attachable to every existing
machine, and by means of which the lever of the brake as closed-i.e. in the position
it occupies when the brake is put on-can be arrested with a push.
The lever of the brake is released through the medium of a key whose wards or
unlocking shoulder may be of various patterns.
This result is attained by fixing on the lever of the brake (A) a latch-shaft or
interlocking pin (B) having a head somewhat resembling a broad arrow with barbs
truncated at right angles and forming a sharp elbow under the head at each side.
While the machine is in active use, this interlocking pin is held down decumbent by
a spring (b) in the inside hollow of the lever of the brake. In case of employment
of the interlocking pin it is lifted up vertically to the handle (C) of the handle-
bar (D) and pushed into the small aperture (e) provided in the exterior plate of the
mortise lock (E 1) (Figure 1) until the catching of two bolts (F and G) is felt or
heard.
Each of these two bolts in the mortise lock (E) is continually pressed inwards
through two guiders (H, H and J, J) by two springs (K and L), so that the inter-
locking pin (B) is fixed and thus the operated brake arrested so soon as the barbed
head of the pin has passed the bolts (F and G).
To effect the freeing of the latch-shaft or interlocking pin (B) a metal casing (M)
is let into the handle (C) and through the mortise lock. In this casing a partly
revolving key-hole or box (N) provided with two studs or projections (n and n₁) is
inserted. To these studs are hinged two flat thin bars (O and P) which by means of
the springs (Q and R) are kept continuously held in small notches in the bolts (F
and G). By turning the inner box or casing (N) slightly to the right, the bolts (F
and G) are temporarily drawn back by means of the thin bars (O and P), whereby the
interlocking pin (B) is released, and through the backward springing of the lever of
the brake pulls out of its own accord.

page_text: The same spring (b) which retains the interlocking pin (B) in its decumbent
position so works as to keep the pin when erected (see A, Figure 1) in causing the
arrest of the brake still standing stiff when withdrawn from the aperture (e).
To ensure with greater security that the barbed interlocking pin (B) shall not
deviate, or lodge. or strike against the exterior plate of the mortise lock (E 1), a
metal conductor may be affixed to this plate which will make the unhindered and
direct return of the pin (B) certain in all circumstances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
Improvements in bicycles for securing them against theft, the principal features
being that the lever of the brake can be arrested in the position it occupies when
pulled up to the handle-bars-i.e. when the brake is put on the driving wheel; that
a barbed interlocking pin (A) is hinged on the lever of the brake, which pin when
pressed into a mortise lock in the handle of the machine can be automatically
arrested and by a slight turning of a key can be set free again.
Dated this 18th day of December 1896.
MAX MICHELSOHN.
SIGMUND WOLF.