GB2229978A - Mudguard - Google Patents

Abstract

A mudguard 10 can be fitted to any type of bicycle but particularly to the "mountain bike" models and comprises an aerofoil section of lightweight, durable plastics material supported from a ball and socket joint which comprises a two section clamp 15 which can fit on to any vertical or horizontal member of the bicycle frame and is releasably secured thereto by tightening the wing-nut 16 of a single bolt 17. The fitting of the mudguard 10 is both easy and quick, because it requires no tools. <IMAGE>

Description

"WOLFGARD MUDGUARD" THIS INVENTION RELATES YO A MUDGUARD FOR THE REAR WHEEL DF A BICYCLE AND FOR THE METHOD OF RELEASABLY ATTACHING THE SAID MUDGUARD TO ANY CONFIGURATION OF DICYCLE FRAME.

The first bicycle was invented by a blacksmith in 1993 and it weighed 57 pounds - it haci a curved wooden frame4 the front of which was carved with a horses head and it had iran-tyred wheels of 32 inches diametes im the front and 47 inches in the rear. In 1870 the first light-weight all-metal bicycle was patented and was the first wire spoked wheei model. It was marketed for a cost of .?. or for @12 if with 2 speed gear.

The first preumatic types were fitted to cycles in February 1888 but Dunlop's patent for tyres fur the wheels of bicycles, tricycle--. and other road vehicles wa not takem out until November 1888. a patent had hawever bwen in enistence since 1847 but it was pept secret. The first mudguards appeared on bicycles in 1869 and were manufactured by Beeruyer of Crenoble The sage of bicycle manufacture has progressed through many phases but has probably achieved its highent pinnacle of success with the introduction of the "mauntein bike", weighint no more than 25 pounds and costing between f150 and f2000.

The weight factor is highly significant and very few modele are fitted with mudguards. However the need to prevent the discharge of mud and other deposits fluns from the tread of fast rotating tyres by centrifugal force can be just as important a-s the light-weight frame itself when travelling long distances in adverse weather conditions The physical well-being of the rider must be preserved without creating wind resistance or adding undue weight to the bicycle.

The "WOLFGARD" mudguard is a product of much research and its specification forms the basis of this patent appi ication According to the present invention there is provided a light-weight mudguard which can be attached to the many and varied configurations of "mountain bike" type bicycle frames.

It takes on the form of an aerofoil section and is no longer than 39 centimetres or wider than 11 centimetres at its wildest point or P centimetres at its narrowest point; it weighs no more than 160 grammes, including the clamp.

The "WOLFGARD" mudguard can be fitted and adjusted to any desired position above the rear wheel of a bicycle. Bonded "WOLFGARD MUDGUARD" into the profile of the "WOLFGARD" mudguard is a spherica extension which provides the means for attachment to the bicycle frame The spherical projection, or ball is clasped between two clamp sections which are shaped in such a. manner that one end wili grip the ball while the other end wili clamp on to a rod be, whether it lies horizontally or vertically, as part of the frame The two clamp sections are tightened together on to both the ball and the bicycle frame by a single bolt which passes through the centre of the clamp sections. Thee clamp sections are constructed in lightweight, durable and strong plastic material but the bolt is of 6 mm diameter steel. The bolt is tightened by 2 wingnut. Such is the simplicity of the invention5 its adaptability and effectiveness that it remains s only to define in more specific embodiment.

This is submitted by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure l shows the WOLFGARD mudguard in perspective Figure 2-' t illustrates the clamp device.

Figure 3 shows how the "WOLFGARD" mudguard is fixed.

Referring to Figure 1 the "WOLFGARD" mudguard 10 is shown attached to the clamp is by means of the ball 1 i and the aerofoil section 12 is releasably secured within the said clamp 15.

The two sides 13 and 4 follow a predetermined profile whith is devised to capture the centrifugally flund mud, water and other unwanted deposits picked up by the reread of the tyre of the bicycle wheel. The "ball and socket" attachment provided between the "WOLFGARD" mudguard 10 and the ciamp 15 enables the mudguard 10 to be adjusted to any angle cove the rear wheel and releasably secured in that position by manually gightening the wingnut 16 of a steel bolt 17 passing through the two halves of the clamp 15 The construction of a bicycle frame can take on several configurations and therefore the fitting of a mudguard must meet the varying profiles presented by these configurations.

In instances where the bicycle frame is structured so that the rear-wheel forked-ends are braced to the saddle support member without a cross brace or where a cross brace is high above the diameter of the wheel the rapid fitting of a mudguard can present some difficulty. With the 'WOLFGARD' mudguard 10 it may be clamped quickly and easily to either a horizontal or vertical member of the bicycle frame. This feature is illustrated in Figure .

"WOLFGARD MUDGUARD" The positioning of the ball 11 extends but a short distance from the attachment end of the mudguard 10 and this distance is determined by the mount of space needed by the socket ed of the clamp 15 to fit over and ere the bail 11 i any position. Were the ball 11 to te positioned too close to the mudguard 10 its movement would be restricted. The size of the ball 11 is provided with a area sufficient to offer resistance tu movement of the mudguard 10 under any conditions of road surface over which the bicycle is being ridden. Quite often bicycles are ridden over cobbled streets or roads which cause considerable vibration throughout the frame and also to the rider.In instances such as these it is imperative that the fastening between the mudguard 10 and the bicycle frame is reliably secure. The spherical area of the ball 11 is therefore of significant Importance.

The friction between the surface area of the ball 11 in contact with the matching concave surfaces 16 within clamp 15 rust be sufficient to resist mouvement of the mudguard 10 under the most severe forms of vibration. This requires great structural strength in the manufacture of clamp is and such is achieved in the uniqueness of its design es well as the material of which it is constructed.

The clamp 15 must be relatively short in length to enable adequate pressure to be transmitted by bolt 17 through wingnut 16 to the contact surfaces of both ball ii and within clamp 15.

Figure 2 indicates the shape of clamp 15 and in view 2a it has been shown separated ed to i 1 lustrate more clearly the friction surfaces far While it is essential that the mudguard 10 is prevented from movement caused. by vibration it is equally important that. the clamp 15 is prevented from movement when releasably attached to the bicycle frame.The clamp 15 can be attached to a vertical member of a bicycle frame or a horizontally positioned member and its two faces 19 will never come together or abut when being placed around such frame member because spacers are inserted within the clamps 15. The shape of the contact surfaces 20 of clamp 15 would accept any cylindrically round tube or solid member of the bicycle frame, whether lying vertically or horizontally.

(Figure 3). The positioning of bolt 17 through the two sections comprising clamp 15 is important because it must exert pressure on each section of the clamp 15 to grip both the ball 11 and the bicycle frame through surfaces 20 to resist movement in any direction. Additional pressure on the wing-nut 16 may be applied by y gripping the "wings" with a pliers of so suitable spanner. It can be seen then by reference to Figure 2 that the contact surface 20 in clamp 15 run transversely across the clamp sections while the contact surfacen 10 within the sections present half an "WOLFGARD MUDGUARD" inverse sphere. In each case the two halves of clamp 15 never come together or abut because this would reduce the frictional pressure than can be exerted against' bail 11 and the bicycle frame member. To allow tlor varying diameters of the tubular frame member of bicycles the clamp 15 may be fitted with two separate pairs of thickness spacers which are placed in the contact surface 20. These spacers are shown on Figure 2 as 20a and 20b.

Claims (10)

C L A I M S

1 "WOLFGARD" mudgard which is comprised of lightweight corrosion resistant, durable, plastic material which cas be releasably secured to the frame of a bicycle to shield the rider from centrifugally flung mud from the tread of a rear bicycle wheel tyre.

2 "WOLFGARD" mudguard as claimed in 1 which comprises a ball and socket joint facility which permits the mudguard to be swivelled to any required position above the rear wheel of the bicycle.

s "WOLFGARD" mudguard as claimed in 1 and 2 which comprises a clamp facility which enables the mudguards to be secured effectively to either a vertical or a horizontal member of a bicycle frame.

4 "WOLFGARD" mudguard es claimed in 1,2 and 3 which comprises a single through bolt with a wing-nut to securely tighten the clamp and to locate the munguard in any position or at any angle 5 "WOLFGARD" mudguard as claimed in 1,2,3, and 4 which comprises a facility which will enable it to be fitted to any type, make or shape of bicycle frame 6 "WOLFGARD" mudguard wubstantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 'C.O to of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A mudguard having a ball and socket fitment having means whereby it can be attached to the frame of a bicycle.

2. A mudguard according to Claim 1, in which the ball and socket fitment includes a clamp.

3. A mudguard according to Claim 2, in which the clamp comprises a pair of clamp sections and a fastener for drawing the clamp sections together.

4. A mudguard according to Claim 1, in which the mudguard includes a plastics moulding of curvate aerofoil configuration.

5. A mudguard according to Claim 4, in which the aerofoil moulding terminates in a spherical formation which provides the ball of the ball and socket fitment.

6. A mudguard according to Claims 3 and 5, in which each of the clamp sections includes a pair of spaced clamping surfaces, one for engagement with the spherical formation and the other for engagement with the frame of the bicycle.

7. A mudguard according to Claim 6, in which the fastener comprises a bolt and a wing-nut.

8. A bicycle fitted with a mudguard clamped to the frame of the bicycle by means including a ball and socket joint.

9. A mudguard for a bicycle, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

10. A bicycle fitted with a mudguard according to Claim 9.