Improvements in or relating to Luggage Carriers for Cycles and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1900-Accepted, 26th May, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Luggage Carriers for Cycles
and the like.
I, ARTHUR CHARLES DOWNING, of 3, Oakfield Road, Stroud Green, London, N.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to construct a luggage carrier for cycles and the like
in an improved manner, whereby its application or detachment is greatly facilitated
and the cost of production of such articles is reduced.
I form the carrier of wire or strip metal and bend or manipulate the same to form a
platform (on which the luggage is carried) a pair of loops or bends and a pair of hooks
or slips. The loops or bends fit on the back struts of the frame and the hooks or clips
engage with the top member of the frame; the hooks being preferably passed through
between or alongside the struts and around the top or diagonal tube, or seat pillar
or other convenient part of the frame. Between the hooks and the loops I prefer
to form a shallow bend by means of which the loops are locked to the struts, and
(or) I sometimes employ a strap or equivalent device for a similar purpose.
Similarly, between the platform and the loops I sometime form a single or double
coil in each side of the wire frame, so as to render the same flexible and suitable for
carrying photographic cameras and the like.
The carrier is probably constructed of one piece of wire or strip metal, the ends
forming the hooks before described; but the carrier may be similarly constructed and
the ends finished off as part of the platform, a simple bend being substituted for the
hooks. The platform may he formed with cross wires or from gauze or other light
material suitably secured to the wire frame; in some cases the platform is formed
independently of the attachment device and suitably attached thereto for use.
Dated 1st July 1800
ARTHUR C. DOWNING.
Improvements in or relating to Luggage Carriers for Cycles
and the like.
I, ARTHUR CHARLES DOWNING, late of 3, Oakfield Road, Stroud Green, but now of
18, Crayford Road, Tufnell Park, London, N., Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to provide means for attaching luggage carriers to
cycles and the like and means whereby the cost of production of such articles is
reduced.
I form the carrier of wire or strip metal and bend or manipulate the same in such
a manner that the carrier can be readily attached to the back struts without the aid
of bolts, nuts and clip3, and like securing devices usually employed.

page_text: And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one form of my invention: Figs. 2 and 3
are detail views.
Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 1, but illustrating another form: Figs. 5 and 6 are
modifications.
Fig. 7 is a further modification and Figs. 8 and 9 are alternative devices whereby
the invention is rendered adaptable to all patterns of frames. Fig. 10 is a detail
view.
Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a form of platform or carrier suitable for
heavier weights, and foldable.
Fig. 12 illustrates a device, following the principle of the means of attachment, for
supporting the platform or carrier.
The various devices are described as applied to a bicycle viewed from behind.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a is the frame of the platform or carrier; the wire
is manipulated to form the half clips or bends b and are again bent slightly at c to
engage with the back of the struts, the ends of the wire being formed into hooks d
to engage with the top tube of the frame, as shown. Thus, the bends are so formed
and arranged that by raising the free ends of the wire, from the position shown by
dotted lines, the bends b and c acting as resisting recesses are forced against and grip
the struts. As an alternative I sometimes arrange the hooks d to engage with the
seat pillar, their position being illustrated by Fig. 2; similarly the ends may be
finished off as illustrated by Fig. 3 and provided with the fastening therein shown.
In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, a bifurcated attachment is shown; a strap e is used instead
of the bends c, the wire being shaped as illustrated at c¹: also the ends of the wire
form part of or are attached to the platform, a simple bend sufficing to sustain the
carrier while the grip is obtained by means of the strap e. Fig. 4 illustrates a design
suitable for attachment outside the struts, as also does Fig. 6, the position of the
strap being differently arranged as will be readily seen; in Fig. 5 the design is for
attachment within or between the struts, the straps (indicated by the dotted lines)
passing round behind the struts and being fastened off in front between the carrier
and the struts.
In order to render the carrier adaptable for all (or most) patterns of frames, I con-
nect the carrier frame by a bar or strap or equivalent device to take the place of the
two bends b, such devices being illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 11 by way of example.
In Fig. 7 the wires are passed through or enclosed in a sleeve f; thus, the right hand
wire passes to the left and the left hand wire to the right, the free ends being coiled
at and bent at h¹ a cross bar or piece el being threaded in or on the coil ; the ends
are finished off as eyes and provided with a strap g or analogous means for straining
the side wires a¹ or holding them in such strained position. In Fig. 8 two straps e, e
are shown, the struts being gripped between them in a similar manner to that em-
ployed with the device shown in Figs. 1 and 7. Fig. 9 is a further modification, a bar e¹
pivoted to one of the side wires at e² and a strap or bar e (the length of which is in all
cases preferably adjustable) being employed. The side wires a¹ may also be adjustable
in length by any suitable means such as the well known method shown by Fig. 10.
Fig. 11 illustrates a carrier suitable for carrying heavier weights and one which is
capable of being folded to lie close to the side wires or struts for purposes of storage
or general convenience. The carrier frame a is jointed at i to loops formed in the
side wires a¹, one loop acting as a pivot on which the bar e works; the other end of.
the bar is slotted to engage with the other loop so that it may be turned upward on
its pivot (as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 9) when attaching or detaching the
carrier to or from the back struts. An additional frame k is jointed to the side wires
at and is formed with a coil m at each side encircling the side wires of the frame a
in such a manner that on raising the frame a the frame k is raised with it, the side
wires of the frame a sliding in the coils m: the frame k is also formed with a spring
catch, hook or other device n, so that when the frames are extended as shown they

page_text: become rigidly locked together by such catch, hook, or the like. When it is desired
to fold the carrier, the catch or the like is first disengaged when the two frames are
free to be moved upwardly.
The carriers herein described may be supported when desirable by a strut frame,
such as that shown in Fig. 12; the principle of attachment of the frame o is similar
to that employed for the carrier. The ends of the frame o are formed with resisting
bends o¹ and o² arranged in a volute form so that by straining the frame o upwardly
the bends grips the back struts of the cycle. As shown, the frame o is attached to
the carrier frame a by a hooked or bent over end p, the lowest portion p¹ of the hook
forming a seat or bearing for the frame wire a and the other portions are arranged to
act as a spring clip, whereby accidental disengagement is prevented. Thus, when the
strut frame o is adjusted to the back struts and its upper end strained upwardly and
engaged with the frame a, the bends grip the back struts, and the whole forms a
carrier suitable for carrying heavy weights.
All the parts of the carrier or strut which come in contact with the frame of the
cycle are covered with rubber, leather, or other suitable material to increase the grip
and to prevent damage to the enamel. The platform may be formed with the
frame a by cross wires or gauze or other light material suitable for the purpose, or it
may be formed independently and be attached thereto: also the carrier may be
formed with one or more coils at each side (Fig. 7) so as to render the same
flexible and suitable for carrying photographic impedimenta and fragile articles
generally.
I do not confine myself to the particular patterns of carriers illustrated, as they
may be varied without departing from the means of attachment described: for
instance, the side wires a¹ of the device shown in Fig. 9 may be extended downwardly
(instead of upwardly) and strained and engaged with their respective struts, i.e. a
reversal of the method adopted herein. Similarly, the platform itself may be
attached to or spring from the side wires immediately above the upper resisting bends
or surfaces and arranged to be strained and secured downwardly to cause the bars e e¹
to grip the struts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. Means for attaching luggage carriers to the back struts of cycles and the like,
consisting of a pair of resisting surfaces arranged on a pair of side wires or members
so that they occupy positions at back and front of the struts, when attaching, and in
such a manner that by straining and securing the ends of said side wires or member
the resisting surfaces are caused to grip the struts, and so secure the carrier thereto,
substantially as set forth.
2. Means for attaching luggage carriers to the back struts of cycles and the like,
consisting of a bifurcated attachment each limb of which carries a resisting bend or
recess, arranged to engage the front of the struts, and a strap or equivalent device
connecting the limbs at the back of the struts in such a manner as to strain and
cause the bends or recesses to grip the struts, substantially as set forth and illustrated
by Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of the drawings.
3. The combination, with the means of attachment herein before described and
claimed, of the particular designs and constructions of luggage carriers herein before
described and shown by the drawings.
4. The combination, with the means of attachment hereinbefore described and
O claimed, of the strut frame arranged and operating substantially as described and
shown by Fig. 12 of the drawings.