Improvements in the Construction or Adaptation of Vehicles for the Conveyance of Cycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1996
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Aug., 1897-Accepted, 9th Oct., 1897
Date of Applica
011, 2010
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Aug., 1897-Accepted, 9th Oct., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction or Adaptation of Vehicles for the
Conveyance of Cycles.
I, DAVID BAIN, of Glen Roy, East Parade, Harrogate, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the construction or adaptation of vehicles (more
especially railway luggage vans) for carrying cycles.
My object is to provide for the safe conveyance in vehicles such as railway
luggage vans of as many bicycles as practicable without very materially reducing
the ordinary luggage carrying capacity of such vehicles, when not occupied by
bicycles.
In
For this purpose, just above the floor of the vehicle I arrange a number of
pivoted or hinged curved supports, chocks or channelled arms, side by side, a
short distance apart, their upper surfaces being curved to a radius approximating
as nearly as may be to that of the rim of the average diameter of cycle wheel,
each alternate curved wheel supporting surface being higher than those at either
side of it, so that when, for example, the front wheels of a number of cycles are
placed upon such supports, the handle bars, of the machines will clear one another,
and when the supports are not required for use, they can be turned over out of
the way, thus leaving clear for ordinary luggage those portions of the floor of
the vehicle which, when in use, the supports rest on or project over.
conjunction with such pivoted or hinged wheel supports, means are provided
to prevent the machines falling over sideways. In some cases, as for example
where there is a shelf arranged transversely of the vehicle, I provide for each
machine a couple of uprights, between which the wheel will be located when
resting on the corresponding curved support. Where necessary I also provide
additional means for securing the machines against longitudinal movement.
One arrangement for this purpose is a hook adapted to engage with some part
of the machine, such as the steering spindle, and connected through the medium
of a spring to the wall of the van, or to some other fixed point. According to
one construction there is formed in the van a transverse box having in it a number
of slots corresponding to the number of machines to be accommodated, in which
slots the wheel supports are pivoted in such a manner that, when not in use,
they can be turned up into the slots so as to be out of the way, but when in use
they will be turned down, so that the slots will be open for the reception of the
wheels placed on the supports.
In some cases instead of providing uprights at the respective sides of each
support, to prevent the machines from falling over, I provide a couple of connected
arms or a bifurcated arm, able to be turned about a hinge or pivot, so as, when
not in use, to be held by spring catches or otherwise vertically or approximately
so against the wall of the carrying vehicle, but which, when required for use,
can be turned down into a position in which one arm or rod or prong of each
pair will be at each side of a wheel resting on the corresponding support, and

page_text: the distance between the free end of the pair of arms, rods or prongs and the
free end of the corresponding curved support will be less than the diameter of
the wheel to be kept in place.
By means such as above described a number of bicycles can be carried side by
side in such a manner that any one can be removed without disturbing the others,
and that, assuming some of the bicycle holders to be occupied and others not,
machines can be placed in the unoccupied holders without disturbing the machines
already in place.
Sometimes I provide also for carrying bicycles in the upper part of a vehicle.
For this purpose, according to one arrangement by which the bicycles. are to be
arranged transversely of the carrying vehicle, I secure to the roof of such vehicle
a couple of bars or rails on which a light carriage is adapted to travel, which is
provided with means for readily suspending to it, one by one, the bicycles to be
carried; or there may be a separate runner or carriage for each machine to be
carried; or suitable brackets, attached to the roof, or to transverse portions of
the framing of the carrying vehicle, may carry idle pulleys or anti-friction wheels
on which can travel a frame or wheel-less carriage provided with means for
readily suspending to it the bicycles to be carried. With this arrangement
machines can be suspended and moved one by one or otherwise from the neigh-
bourhood of the doors towards either end of the carrying vehicle, and bicycles
can be readily taken out and others placed. in carrying position..
In order to prevent bicycles so carried from. oscillating to such an extent as
to strike and injure one another, I provide pivoted arms adapted, when in use,
to project from the sides or roof or overhead runner, beyond the respective sides
of the rims of the carried bicycles, and to be turned into an out of the way
position and to be so held when not in use.
As will be evident, in carrying out my invention the nature of which is set
forth above, the details of construction may be variously modified to suit the
requirements of particular applications, and appliances according. thereto may
be made removeable.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1896.
13
Improvements in the Construction or Adaptation of Vehicles for the
Conveyance of Cycles:
I, DAVID BAIN, of Glen Roy, East Parade, Harrogate, in the County of York,
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:
My invention relates to the construction or adaptation of vehicles (more
especially railway luggage vans) for carrying cycles.
My object is to provide for the safe conveyance in vehicles such as railway
luggage vans of as many bicycles as practicable without very materially reducing
the ordinary luggage carrying capacity of such vehicles, when not occupied by
bicycles.
For this purpose, just above the floor of the vehicle I arrange a number of
pivoted or hinged curved supports, chocks or channelled arms, side by side, a
short distance apart, their upper surfaces being curved to a radius approximating

page_text: as nearly as may be to that of the rim of the average diameter of cycle wheel,
each alternate curved wheel supporting surface being higher than those at either
side of it, so that when, for example, the front wheels of, a number of cycles are
placed upon such supports, the handle bars of the machines will clear one another,
and when the supports are not required for use, they can be turned over out of
the way, thus leaving clear for ordinary luggage those portions of the floor of
the vehicle which, when in use, the supports rest on or project over.
conjunction with such pivoted or hinged wheel supports, means are provided
to prevent the machines falling over sideways.
In
Sometimes I provide also for carrying bicycles in the upper part of a vehicle
and for preventing bicycles so carried from oscillating to such an extent as to
strike and injure one another.
Referring to the accompanying illustrative drawings;-Fig. 1 shows a part
longitudinal section of a vehicle provided with means for the conveyance of cycles
according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the vehicle.
1, 1 are curved supports or channelled arms pivoted at 2, 2, and arranged side
by side a short distance apart, each alternate one being higher than those at
either side of it (see Fig. 2) for the purpose already mentioned.
The supports 1 are in Fig. 1 represented by full lines in the attitude which
obtains when they are in use, and by dotted lines in their out-of-the-way attitude
above referred to.
3, 3, are uprights so arranged that there are two to each of the supports 1, so
that when a machine is in position with its wheel upon a curved support. 1, tha
wheel will be located between the two corresponding uprights, to prevent the
machine falling over sideways. 3 is a seating (shewn in section in Fig. 1)
which I find it advantageous to fix to the wall of the vehicle.
As means for securing the machines against longitudinal movement, I have,
in Fig. 1 represented an arrangement comprising a hook 4 adapted to engage
with the steering spindle 5 of a machine and connected through the medium
of a spring 6 to the wall 7 of the van, or it might be to some other fixed point.
S is a shelf arranged transversely of the vehicle.
Fig. 3 shows a part longitudinal, section of a vehicle provided with another
ariangement according to my invention for the conveyance of cycles, the supports
or channelled arms being shown in the attitude which obtains when they are in
use.
Fig. 4 is a corresponding view showing the curved supports or channelled arms
being shown in their out of the way (out of use) attitude.
Fig. 5 is an elevation in a plan at right angles to Figs. 3 and 4.
According to this arrangement there is formed in the van a transverse box 9,
having in it a number of slots 10, corresponding to the number of machines to be
accommodated; in these slots the wheel supports 1 are pivoted as at 2, in such a
manner that, when not in use they can be turned up into the slots so as to be out
of the way, as represented in Fig. 4; but when in use, they will be turned down,
as represented in Fig. 3, so that the slots will be open for the reception of the
wheels placed on the supports.
To prevent the machines from falling over, I provide a couple of connected
arms (or it may be a bifurcated arm) able to be turned about a hinge or pivot;
so as, when not in use, to be held by spring catches or otherwise vertically or
approximately so against the wall of the carrying vehicle (see Figs. 4 and.5. but
which when required for use can be turned down into a position in which one
arm or rod (or prong) of each pair will be at each side of a wheel resting on the
corresponding support, and the distance between the free end of the pair of arms,
rods or prongs; and the free end of the corresponding curved support will be less
than the diameter of the wheel to be kept in place.
In the arrangement represented by Figs. 3, 4 and 5, 11 and 12 are two arms
connected together at 13 and 14 and mounted to turn upon a hinge or pivot at:15.

page_text: In Fig. 3 the connected arms are shown in an attitude which obtains when
they are in use.
Any convenient holding device may be employed for retaining the connected
arms or bifurcated arm in their or its out of use attitude.
3 is a seating similar to that shewn in Figs. 1 & 1*.
Fig. 6 shows in side elevation a modified arrangement according to my
invention."
Fig. 7 shows to a larger scale a cross section of the connected arms in the
line A B of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 shows a cross section of one of the curved supports or channelled arms"
in the line CD of Fig. 6.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation showing one of the curved supports or channelled
arms and the corresponding pair of connected arms turns up into their out of
the way (out of use) attitude, and Fig. 10 shows a plan or top view of the pair
of connected arms.
In these views, parts corresponding to those represented in Figs. 3-5 inclusive
are marked in the same reference numbers.
The springs 16 and 17 tend to keep the connected arms 11 and 12 in contact
with the sides of the wheel-tyre or rim when the said arms are in use (see Fig. 6)
and when the arms 11 and 12 are turned up the spring 16 tends to hold them up
(see Fig. 9).
The connecting arms 11 and 12 or one of them may be provided with a lug 18,
another being fixed to the wall of the vehicle so that when the arms are turned
up they may be so held by a pin passing through the two lugs as indicated in
Fig. 9 or some other holding-up device may be substituted.
At 19 (Figs. 6 and 9) is represented a spring catch adapted to hold up the
curved support or channelled arni 1 when out of use.
3 is a seating similar to, that shewn in Figs. 1 and 1.
Although I have shown the arms 11 and 12 connected together at both ends
it will be evident they might be connected at one end only or that they might
be connected for a greater part of, or even throughout, their length, so long as
the arrangement be retained whereby they serve to afford lateral support to the
bicycle.
. By means such as above described, a number of bicycles can be carried side
by side in such a manner that any one can be moved without disturbing the
others, and that assuming some of the bicycle holders to be connected and others
not, machines can be placed in, the unoccupied holders without disturbing the
machines already in place.
In some cases it may be convenient to use a rod with a hook at the end, or
some equivalent device for moving the curved supports or channelled arms into
position for use where for example one support is vacant and those on each side
of it are occupied.
Fig. 11 shows a part transverse section of a vehicle provided with means
according to my invention for the conveyance of cycles in the upper part of the
vehicle, a cycle being indicated in carrying position by dotted lines.
Figs. 12 show in plan an arrangement of pivoted arms adapted when in use
to project from the sides, of the vehicle beyond the respective sides of the rims
of the wheels of the carried bicycle and to be turned into an out of the way
position and to be so held when not in use.
Fig. 13 is a view to a larger scale in a plane at right angles to Fig. 11 looking
towards the left.
Fig. 14 is a plan or top view of part of the apparatus.
. In this arrangement the bicycles are arranged transversely of the carrying
vehicle. I secure to the roof of the vehicle a couple of bars or rails 21 and 22
on which a light carriage 23 is adapted to travel which is provided with means
for readily suspending to it, one by one, the bicycles to be carried.,
.In...the arrangement, shown, straps are used which are attached to the

page_text: longitudinal wooden bars 24, 25 of the carriage which bars at their under sides are
faced with some suitable material such as leather, 26, 27.
In order to secure a bicycle in position for being carried, the steering handle
is placed in two of the hooks 28 constituting a pair which depend from the
carriage frame, then the back portion of the bicycle is raised so that that portion
of the frame under the saddle rests in the corresponding depending hook 29.
The bicycle being thus supported is afterwards raised (it may be one end at
a time) and secured by the straps 30, 31 and 32 in the manner represented in
Figs. 11 and 13, there being two straps to the handle bar.
In order to prevent bicycles so carried from oscillating to such an extent as
to strike and injure one another, I provide pivoted arms 33, 34, adapted, when
in use, to project from the sides of the vehicle (as shown in Figs. 11 and 12) or
it may be (provided the arms be suitably modified) from the roof or from the
overhead runner beyond the respective sides of the rims of the carried bicycles
and to be turned into an out-of-the-way position and to be so held when not in
use.
As will be evident in carrying out my invention the details of construction
may be variously modified to suit the requirements of particular applications
and annliances according thereto may be made movable.
Referring to the arrangement above described for carrying bicycles in the upper
part of a vehicle; it may be modified as follows (that is to say) there may be a
separate runner or carriage for each machine to be carried; or suitable brackets,
attached to the roof, or to transverse portions of the framing of the carrying
vehicle, may carry idle pulleys or antifriction wheels, on which can travel a frame
or wheelless carriage provided with means for readily suspending to it the bicycles
to be carried. With this arrangement machines can be suspended and moved
one by one or otherwise from the neighbourhood of the doors towards either end
of the carrying vehicle, and bicycles can be readily taken out and others placed
in carrying position.
Having now partioularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. Adapting a vehicle for the conveyance of cycles by arranging therein a
number of pivoted or hinged curved supports, chocks or channelled arms side
by side, a short distance apart, their upper surfaces being curved to a suitable
radius and each alternate curved wheel-supporting surface being higher than
those at either side of it, so that when, for example, the front wheels of a number
of cycles are placed upon such supports, the handle bars of the machines will
clear one another and when the supports are not required for use, they can be
turned over out of the way, thus leaving clear those portions of the floor of the
vehicle which when in use the supports rest on or project over.
2. In a vehicle providing for the conveyance of cycles, pivoted or hinged
curved supports, chocks or channelled arms in conjunction with means adapted
to prevent the cycles falling over sideways substantially as described.
3. The bicycle holder for a vehicle comprising a pivoted or hinged curved
support, chock or channelled arm on which a bicycle wheel can rest, and a couple
of connected arms or a bifurcated arm mounted so as to be able to turn about a
hinge or pivot so as when not in use to be held by spring catches or otherwise
vertically or approximately so against the wall of the carrying vehicle, but which,
when required for use can be turned down into a position in which one arm or
rod or prong of each pair will be at each side of a wheel resting on the corre-
sponding support substantially as described.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts in a vehicle substantially as
shown in and described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawings whereby the vehicle is adapted for the conveyance of cycles.
5. The combinations and arrangements of parts described with reference

page_text: respectively to and illustrated respectively in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive and in
Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive of the accompanying drawings for the purpose mentioned.
6. Providing in a vehicle, for carrying bicycles in the upper part thereof,
apparatus comprising fixed bars or rails, a light carriage adapted to travel
thereon and means for readily suspending to it the bicycles to be carried,
substantially as described with reference to the example illustrated in
Figs. 11 to 14 inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1897..
D. DAIN.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.