Improvements in Bicycle Pumps.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycle Pumps.
I, JOHN FREDERICK BRAUN, Manufacturer, of 1504 North Seventeenth
Street, Philadelphia, in the County of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide the usual hand pump carried by
bicyclists with means to steady it when pumping, so that all strain shall be
removed from the valve tube and flexible hose on the pump, and furthermore to
reduce the labor of the operator in inflating the tire.
In carrying out the preferred construction of my invention I provide the piston
rod of the pump with an adjustable U shaped frame which may be moved down
and beyond the flexible tube connecting with the air valve, or upward so as to lie
substantially against the face of the cylinder when being packed for carriage.
I prefer to form this frame when hinged, somewhat tapering so as to be easily
turned down over the spokes of the wheel after the pump has been attached to
the air valve of the tire. In applying my improved air pump in practice the
steadying frame is turned or adjusted upward against the cylinder of the pump,
the rubber hose is then secured on to the air valve and the pump bent down some-
what approaching a horizontal position and the steadying frame revolved about its
axis between the spokes and project down to the ground, so that the pump cylinder
is upon one side of the wheel while the end of the steadying frame is upon the
other side of the wheel. By connecting the steadying frame with the end of the
piston, the cylinder of the pump may be reciprocated without putting any material
strain upon the rubber tube of the pump or upon the air valve tube of the tire.
It also greatly reduces the labor in pumping the tire when the same is almost
inflated.
My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved pump'showing the same in position when
in use;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my improved pump with the steadying frame
turned down;
Fig. 3 is a similar view with the steadying frame turned upward;
Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a modfication of the steadying frame; and
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of my invention.
A is the pump cylinder. B is the piston rod and piston. C is the flexible
connecting hose or tube for connecting the piston rod with the air valve J of the
wheel. In this class of pump the piston rod and piston remain stationary while
the pump cylinder is reciprocated upon them. D is a cross head secured to the
lower end of the piston rod, and E is the steadying frame pivoted to the said cross
head on transverse pivots e. The steadying frame is preferably stamped out of a
flat piece of sheet meta! made U shaped and the two arms thereof thrust into
position for fitting with the cross head while the lower or pointed end F is curved
as at H so as to fit the cylinder of the pump when it is turned back upon it for
packing as indicated in Fig. 3.
The steadying frame E has its center cut away to form the aperture G so that
it cau freely pass or swing over the flexible tube C as is very clearly shown in

page_text: Fig. 2. Furthermore, by providing the opening G it permits the cylinder A to
extend up through said opening when the steadying frame is turned back for
packing as indicated in Fig. 3. I prefer to form the lower end of the steadying
frame E somewhat pointed or sharply rounded as at F so that it will take a firm
hold upon the ground or floor and avoid slipping. In practice the parts are
brought to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the pump is then secured upon the air
valve. When this is done the steadying frame E is turned over upon its pivots e
and caused to pass between the spokes of the wheel. Its free end F is then
brought down to the ground as indicated in Fig. 1. It will thus be seen that the
steadying frame is substantially in line with the piston rod so that in operating
the cylinder upon the piston and its rod the strain produced thereby will be taken
up by the steadying frame E and practically no strain will be put upon the flexible
tube C or the valve J.
In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the steadying frame consists of a U shaped
wire adapted when folded up to fit over the end of the piston.
The
In place of having the steadying frame pivoted as above described, said frame
may be made of bent wire and adapted to slide as shown in Fig. 5. In this case
the cross head D₁ is provided with holes through which the wire forming the
steadying frame E' passes. It will be seen that the wire is bent at E to form a
shoulder to act upon the cross head when the pumping operation is going on.
upper end of the frame is bent over the cylinder of the pump as at E³. It will be
understood that the two sides of this frame E' are alike. To condense the pump
from position shown in Fig. 4, the steadying frame is raised at its free end F¹ so
that the shoulder E may be worked through the cross head, and then the frame E¹
is bodily pushed through the said cross head to be brought into position upon the
side of the cylinder. In this manner the steadying frame is jointed to the cross
head with practically the same advantageous results as the hinging or jointing of
the frame E in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
I do not confine myself to the mere details of construction of these improvements
as the same may be more or less modified without departing from the spirit of my
invention.
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:
The bicycle pump substantially as hereindescribed having the steadying frame
hinged or jointed to the piston rod.
Dated this Wife
JOHN FREDERICK BRAUN.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.