Untitled record

Application filed March 23,1896. Serial No, 584,368. (No model.)

To all whoW/ l.b ύυι,πίι wn,(Wri,

Beit known that I,Maximilian Gessler, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new 5 and useful Improvement in Bicycle-Locks, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements το in bicycle-locks.

The object is to provide a lock which is adapted to be adjusted within the front tubing of a bicycle-frame so as to be entirely hidden from view, whereby no unsightly ex15 terior projections are left, the lock beingadapted to be operated by means of a key inserted in the keyhole horizontally or laterally. .

With the above primary object in view the 20 invention consists of the devices and parts or their equivalents, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forward portion of 25 a bicycle equipped with my device. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through a portion of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of one side of the locking mechanism. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the 30 opposite side of said locking mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the cylinder. Fig.

is an end view of the cylinder. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the bolt. Fig. 8 is a view at right angles to Fig.. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail view 35 of the key; and Fig. 10 is a similar view to

Fig. 2, showing the locking mechanism in a different position.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 11 indicates the head-tube of a bicycle-frame; 40 12, the steering-tube; 13, the handle-bar, and 14 the handle-bar tube telescoping into the steering-tube.

In the application of the invention shown in Fig. 2 the locking mechanism is disposed 45 in the steering-tube below the lower end of the handle-bar tube. This locking mechanism consists of a casing 15, which is provided with an interior transverse chamber 16, communicating with an opening 17, leading there50 to. Above and branching from the chamber 16 is a supplemental chamber 18, which upon one side of the casing extends to an opening 1.9 and upon the opposite side of said casing leads to an opening 20. Below the opening 20 is a smaller branching opening 21. A 55 cylinder 22 is adapted to fit within the chamber 16. This cylinder is provided with a central longitudinal opening 23 and upon one side is formed with a worm-groove 24. Upon its opposite side are cut a series of circum- 60 ferential slots 25, said slots being intersected by a longitudinal slot 26, which'longitudinal slot extends to the central opening 23, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. To one end of the casing is fitted loosely a cap 27, provided 65 with a slot 28, which is adapted to be brought into register with the longitudinal opening 23 of the cylinder, so as to admit of the key being inserted in place.

The bolt is indicated by the numeral 29 and 70 is cut out for a desired distance upon one side to form a concavity 30, leaving an enlarged end head 31. This bolt fits in the supplemental chamber 18 and is consequently arranged against the upper side of the cylinder,the con- 75 cave portion fitting the curved contour of the cylinder and the depending part of the head 31.extending down alongside of the end of said cylinder. Within the concave portion of the bolt is a projection 32, which preferably ex- 80 tends diagonally across the concavity. This projection is adapted to engage the wormgroove 24 of the cylinder. The bolt and cylinder, it will of course be understood, are adj usted together before being inserted in place 85 within the casing and after being thus adjusted together are passed through the openings 17 and 19 of the respective chambers 16 and 18, the inner end of the bolt being in line with the opposite opening 20. g_O

Extending upwardly from the lower end of the casing is an inclined slot 33, in which is fitted and secured a plate 34, provided with a series of wards 35, which register with and fit in the circumferential slots 25 of the cyl- 95 inder. While I have shown the bolt 29 as arranged, above the cylinder and the plate 34 as extending up from the lower end of the casing, yet I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to this particular disposition of 100 parts, inasmuch as it is obvious that the casing may be reversed, so that the bolt will be supported below the cylinder and the plate 35 will extend downwardly from the upper portion of the casing. 105

In Figs. 1 and 2 the casing and locking

585,337 mechanism disposed therein are shown as arranged within the steering-tube just below the lower end of the handle-bar tube. The steering-tube and the head-tube are neces5 sarily provided upon one side with the keyholes 36 and 37, respectively, the hole 37 being in line with the loose cap 27 of the cylinder and the hole 36 being brought into register with the hole 37 and with said cap when io the steering-tube is adjusted to a certain position revolubly within the head-tube. Upon the opposite side said steering-tube and headtube are provided with openings 38 and 39, respectively, the opening 39 of the head-tube 15 beingin line with the opening 20 and the opening 38 being adapted to.be brought into register therewith when the steering-tube is adjusted revolubly within the head-tube to a certain extent. In the form illustrated in 20 Fig. 10 of the drawings the casing is inserted in the lower end of the handle-bar tube in line with the upper tube 40 of the bicycle-frame. In this case the handle-bar tube of course should be provided with a key-opening 41 in 25 line with the opening 36 and with a bolt-opening 42 in line with the opening 38.

The key employed in connection with the lock is shown in detail, Fig. 9, and is indicated by the numeral 43. It is provided with 30 a series of clefts, or grooves 44, which, when the key is inserted in place, fit in the longitudinal slot 26 of the cylinder, and its clefts or grooves register exactly with the circumferential slots 25 of the cylinder,thereby form35 ing uninterrupted circumferential grooves in which the wards 35 of the plate 34 fit. The key is therefore free to turn the cylinder to the limit required for shooting the bolt outward for locking or forcing the bolt inwardly 40 for unlocking. If, however, any straight instrument or any key other than the proper key is inserted, the same will at once contact with the wards 35, and the cylinder will thereby be prevented from being turned, and 45 hence the lock cannot be operated. In order to limit the extent of the turning of the cylinder in either direction by the key 43, one end of the cylinder is provided with the shoulders 45 45, which will respectively contact 50 with the wards 35 when the cylinder is turned in either direction. The shoulders, however, permit sufficient turning of the cylinder to shoot the bolt outwardly when turned in one direction or inwardly when turned in the op55 posite direction.

The small opening 21 is for the accommodation of the end of the key when said key is inserted in place.

In the operation of the device when the key 60 is turned in one direction the cylinder is rotated, and the worm-groove 24 thereof acting on the projection 32 of the bolt will cause said bolt to be forced outwardly through the openings 38 and 39 in the form of device illus65 trated in Fig. 2, thereby securely locking the steering-tube against turning. In practice the handle-bar of the machine is first operated to throw the front wheel at an angle, and when in this position the opening 38 of the steering-tube is brought into register with 70 the opening 39 of the head-tube, whereby the bolt may be forced outwardly to effect the locking. It is therefore obvious that it will be impossible to ride the machine while the steering-rod is thus securely locked. In the 75 Fig. 2 form the end of the bolt is visible and projects slightly through the bolt-opening 39 of the head-tube. If it is thought more desirable that no portion whatever of the locking mechanism be visible, the arrangement 80 shown in Fig. 10 may be adopted, in which case the end of the bolt passes through the bolt-openings 42, 38, and 39 when the steering-tube is turned, so that all of said openings register, the projecting end of the bolt 85 being located within the upper tube 40 of the bicjmle-frame.

While I have herein shown, described, and claimed specifically particular locking mechanism, yet I do not wish to be thereby under- 90 stood as restricting myself to the exact form shown, inasmuch as the broad invention resides in locking mechanism disposed within the front tubing of the bicycle-frame, the bolt of which is adapted to be forced hori- 95 zontally through registering bolt-openings in the steering-tube and head-tube or in the handle-bar tube, steering-tube, and headtube, said locking mechanism adapted to be actuated by means of a key inserted laterally iog or horizontally through the tubing.