GB2222851A

GB2222851A - Improvements relating to bicycle clamps

Info

Publication number: GB2222851A
Application number: GB8921303A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Mastroddi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-09-20
Filing date: 1989-09-20
Publication date: 1990-03-21
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-20
Also published as: GB8921303D0; GB8822118D0; GB2222851B

Abstract

An arm 1B of the clamp slides within another arm 1A and can be located so that hooked end portions 3 of the arms 1A and 1B are located respectively around the wheels of the bicycle. A locking unit 2 will then be locked by means of a key 4 so as to fix the clamp and at the same time a free end 7 of a security chain or cable 5 passed round a fixed structure is secured within the locking unit 2 the other end of the cable 5 being mounted at 6 on arm 1a; the aim is to prevent wheel removal. As shown, a final tightening movement of arm 1A with respect to arm 1B is created by lowering a lever 9 which has a tooth 11 to engage a rack 13 at the end of arm 1B. A locking arm 14 is then rotated and is fixed by rotation of key 4 the end 7 of cable 5 being held by a groove (15, Figure 6) in arm 14 sitting in a groove (17, Figure 6) in cable 5. The embodiment of Figures 8, 9 has a curved end (3A) and a downwardly directed portion (20). <IMAGE>

Description

"Improvements relating to Bicycle Clams The standard existing bicycle clamp comprises a chain or cable incorporating a locking mechanism enahlina the two ends to be secured together. The chain will be passed around a part of tbe bicycle and then around a fixed structure, such as a lamp post or railings. One particular difficulty with this arrangement is that at best only the frame and one of the wheels can be secured to the fixed structure and the possibility remains for a thief to remove the other wheel from the bicycle frame.

In order to resolve the above difficulty, this invention provides, from one aspect, a clamp for a bicycle and comprising a pair of arms each terminating at one end with a hook portion and whose other ends are slidably interengaged, a locking device, whose lock can be operated to secure the two arms in a desired interengaged relationship and a security chain or cable permanently attached to one of the arms and engageable at its other end with the locking device so as to be secured by the locking device when in the locked condition.

The hooked portions of the arms can then be positioned around the two wheels and the locking device will be secured in such a way that the hook portions cannot be removed from either of the wheels. The security chain or cable will then be attached in the usual way to an existing fixed structure.

In a preferred arrangement the locking device includes a lever rotatable between a first position wherein it secures the two arms against sliding with respect to each other and a second position where relative sliding of the two arms is allowed, said lock being arranged to be able to secure the lever when in said first position. The lever arrangement provides secure locking of the two arms once they have been suitably positioned. It is preferred that the lever should engage with one of said arms in such a way that sliding movements of that one arm with respect to the other arm will be caused upon rotation of the lever.

This effects a final tightening of the interlinked arms to ensure that the hook portions are not loosely mounted onto the two wheels. Ideally, the lever will enterengage with said one arm by means of a rack and pinion or other toothed interengaging construction.

Another preferred feature is that the hook portions and other parts of the arms are so formed that when the arms are slid together essentially closed formations at the open ends of the hook portions are created. Each wheel can then be located within a closed loop so that, even if a wheel can be removed from the frame, it cannot be removed from the clamp.

It is preferred that the lock should be key operated in such a way that when the key is in the position wherein the locking device is released, the key cannot be removed from the locking device.

The bicycle clamp may, with advantage, include clips or other securing devices whereby the clamp may be attached to part of the frame of the bicycle for transportation.

The invention may be performed in various ways and preferred embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are plan and side views respectively of one preferred form of bicycle clamp of this invention; Figures 3 and 4 illustrate details of the clamp shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 5 is a plan view of part of the locking system of the clamp of Figures 1 and 2, in an open condition; Figures 6 and 7 are side views of the locking system of Figure 4 in the partly closed, and in the locked positions respectively; and Figures 8 and 9 are plan and side views of an alternative form of bicycle clamp of this invention.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a bicycle clamp comprising a pair of arms 1A and 12 which are slidably interengaged with one another within a unit 2 and which each carry a hooked end portion 3.

In use the hooks 3 will be locked around the two wheels of a bicycle and the arms 1A and 1B wil be slid towards one another until the hooks 3 are in a position where they cannot be detached from the wheels. A key 4 in the unit 2 will then be turned to lock the two arms against relative movement. A security chain or cable 5 is suitably mounted at 6 onto one of the arms 1R, the other end (see also Figure 3) of the cable 5 being receivable within the unit 2. 17hen the key 4 is turned to the locking position the end of the cable 5 will be secured against removal of the unit 2. Mounting clips or brackets 8 (see also Figure t) enable the bicycle clamp to be attached to part of the framework of the bicycle for transportation when the bicycle is in use.

As shown in Figures 5 to 7 the arm 1B is received within a passageway of the arm 1A, and can he moved in and out to achieve a desired inter-relationship between the two arms whereby the hook members will be securely mounted about the wheels of the bicycle. Once this condition has been achieved a lever 9 will be rotated about a pivot 10 on the unit 2 so that a gear tooth 11 will enter into the troughs 12 of a rack 13 at the end of the arm 1B and create a final tightening movement of the arm 1A with respect to the arm 13 as the lever 9 is lowered to the position shown in Figure 6. The lever can then be secured in that position by rotation of a locking arm 14 which will then be fixed against rotation by the operation of the key 4. The rotatable arm 14 has a groove 15.Also, the unit 2 is provided with a recess 16. Prior to the final locking operation the head end 7 of the security cable 5 will be fed into the recess 16 and will then be held against removal by the rotatable arm 14 whose groove 15 will sit in the groove 17 in the head 7 of the cable 5. Thus, when the key 4 has been operated the lever 9 cannot be noved so that the two arms 1A and 1B are locked by the interengagement of the tooth 10 with the rack 13. Furthermore, the security cable 5 is positively interengaged with the locking mechanism, the other end of the cable 5 being secured to part of the arm 1A.

The example of the bicycle clamp shown in Figures 8 and 9 is similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 in that the two arms 1 and 13 are slidable, one within the other, and can be locked in position by a locking unit 78 controlled by a key 19. However, the curved end 3A at the end of the arm 1A extends in the other direction and includes a downwardly directed portion 20. When the arm 13 is pushed fully home the free end 21 of this arm will co-operate with the extension 20 so as to form a closed loop which will thus encircle a wheel. The end 3B of the arm 1 will similarly be moved adjacent to an upstanding portion 22 of the locking unit 18 to form another closed loop which will encompass the other wheel (and part of the frame of the bicycle). Thus even if one of the wheels is removed from the frame it cannot be detached from the clamp.

Claims

1. A clamp for a bicycle, and comprising a pair of arms each terminating at one end with a hook portion and whose other ends are slidably interengaged, a locking device whose lock can be operated to secure the two arms in a desired interengaged relationship and a security chain or cable permanently attached to one of the arms and engageable at its other end with the locking device so as to be secured by the locking device when in the locked ocndition.

2. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein the locking device includes a lever rotatable between a first position wherein it respectively secures the two arms against sliding with respect to each other and a second position where relative sliding of the two arms is allowed, said lock being arranged to be able to secure the lever when in said first position.

3. A clamp according to Claim 2, wherein said lever interengages with one of said arms in such a way that sliding movements of that one arm with respect to the other arm will be caused upon rotation of the lever.

4. A clamp according to Claim 3, wherein the lever interengages with said one arm by means of a rack and pinion or other toothed interengaging construction.

5. A clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the hook portions and other parts of the arms are so formed that when the arms are slid together essentially closed formations at the open ends of the hook portions are created.

6. A clamp according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said lock is key operated and when the key is in the position wherein the locking device is released, the key cannot be removed from the locking device.

7. A clamp according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, including clips or other securing devices whereby the clamp may be attached to part of the frame of the bicycle for transportation.

8. A clamp for a bicycle and substantially as herein described with reference to any of the examples shown in the accompanying drawings.