GB2414218A

GB2414218A - Bicycle lock

Info

Publication number: GB2414218A
Application number: GB0411177A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Simon Tyler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-05-19
Filing date: 2004-05-19
Publication date: 2005-11-23
Also published as: GB0411177D0

Abstract

A bicycle lock comprises a cylindrical shaft 2 having a coiled cable 5 extendibly mounted therein. The shaft 2 has a first end to which is attachable a seat member 1 and a second end which is engageable with a portion of a frame of a bicycle so as to secure said seat to said frame. Furthermore, the cable 5 is movable relative to the shaft 2 between a first position, in which it is fully retracted into the shaft 2, and a second position, in which it extends from the shaft 2 such that it is to operable to secure the shaft 2 to a fixed structure via a locking part 7 formed on the free end of the cable 5 that is engageable with a complementary locking part 3 formed on the shaft 2.

Description

241421 8

BICYCLE LOCK

This invention relates to bicycle locks.

Bicycle locks are well known, but suffer from the disadvantage that they are awkward to carry around, especially when riding a bicycle. Additionally, they do not secure the seat of the bicycle, many of which are now designed to be removable, meaning bicycle users often have to remove and carry the seat with them in order to avoid it being stolen when the bicycle is left in public. Clearly, this is inconvenient.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bicycle lock that secures a bicycle and its seat in an inoperative and immovable condition. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bicycle lock that removes the need to carry an independent locking device.

According to a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a bicycle lock comprising a cylindrical shaft (which will also act as the seat column) and a securing device extendibly mounted within the cylindrical shaft, the securing device being movable relative to the shaft between a first position in which it is substantially fully retracted into the shaft, and a second position in which it extends from the shaft whereby, in use, said securing device is operable to secure the shaft to a fixed structure, the shaft having a first end to which, in use, is attachable a seat member, and a second end which, in use, is engageable with a portion of a frame of a bicycle so as to secure said seat to said frame.

A bicycle lock in accordance with the aforementioned embodiment of the invention has the advantage that is self-contained within the cylindrical shaft of an otherwise standard bicycle seat, which, when used, removes the need for a user to carry around an independent locking device. Additionally, the bicycle lock secures the bicycle seat as well as the bicycle, meaning users do not have to remove and carry the seat with them in order to avoid it being stolen when the bicycle is left in public.

In this invention the securing device is constituted by a cable that can be extended through the wheel and frame of a bicycle, wrapped round a structure and then secured l back onto the cylindrical shaft, thus securing the bicycle and any attached seat member. In particular, the cable is constituted by any conventional material known for use in bicycle locks that can somehow be extended from, and retracted back into, the cylindrical shaft.

In an advantageous development of this embodiment, the cable is either coiled or mounted on a reel so that it naturally retracts back into the cylindrical shaft after use.

Alternatively, or in addition, the cable is anchored within the bottom end of the cylindrical shaft for safe storage. In a particularly advantageous development of this embodiment, the cable is mounted within the cylindrical shaft via a sliding attachment that allows it to slide longitudinally between the upper and lower ends of the cylindrical shaft, thus increasing the limits to which the cable can extend.

In particular, for the purpose of securing the cable back onto the bicycle once it has been wrapped round a structure, it is proposed that the free end of the cable carries the first part of a locking device, which, in use, is connectable to a complementary locking part provided on the cylindrical shaft. It is also possible that the complementary locking part could be provided elsewhere on the bicycle, for example on a seat member or cross-bar. Alternatively, the free end of the cable carries a locking device that can directly secure itself to a railing or be looped round a structure and directly secured back onto the cable, thus securing the bicycle.

In an alternative embodiment the securing device may be realised as a cross-bar member that is slidably engaged in the cylindrical shaft for storage but can be pulled out through the lower end so as to extend transversely of the cylindrical shaft and, when in conjunction with a seat member attached to the top end of the cylindrical shaft, form a lockable cross-bar capable of securing a bicycle and seat member to a set of railings or similar structure.

In an alternative development of this embodiment, the seat member has attached to it, or as part of it, one half of a locking device so as to provide an alternative point of fixation for a locking device.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a bicycle lock, according to a first embodiment, with a retracted cable; Figure 2a is a side view of the bicycle lock of Figure 1 with the cable extended and secured to another part of the bicycle seat assembly; Figure 2b is a side view of the bicycle lock of Figure I with the cable extended and secured to another part of the bicycle seat assembly. In this advantageous version the cable is mounted within the cylindrical shaft via a sliding attachment that allows it to slide longitudinally between the upper and lower ends of the cylindrical shaft, thus increasing the limits to which the cable can extend.

Figure 3 is a side view of the bicycle lock of Figure 1 showing an alternative lock type.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the invention comprises a bicycle seat assembly having a cylindrical shaft 2 with an upper end, to which a seat member 1 is attached, and a lower end, which, in use, is engageable with a portion of a frame of a bicycle so as to secure the seat assembly to said frame. An extendable cable 5 is housed within the cylindrical shaft 2 and has a first end, which is secured proximate to the top end of the cylindrical shaft 2 at 4, and a second end, to which a first part of a locking device 7 is attached, said second end being anchorable within the bottom end of the cylindrical shaft 2 by, for example, a rubber bung, catch or screw thread 6. A complementary part of the locking device 3, to which the first part 7 is connectable, takes the form of a locking device and is attached to the top end of the cylindrical shaft 2 (as illustrated) . However, it should be understood that the locking device 3 can be provided anywhere on the bicycle, such as the underside of the seat member 1, or the frame, and that the lock device can take the form of any conventional lock known for use in bicycle locks. Additionally, in order to increase the limits to which the cable 5 can extend, it is possible that its first end can be secured to the inside of the cylindrical shaft 2 via a sliding attachment that allows it to slide longitudinally between the upper and lower ends of the cylindrical shaft 2.

To operate the apparatus, a user removes the bicycle seat assembly fig 1 from a bicycle and pulls out the extendable cable 5, having detached it from the bottom of cylindrical shaft 2. By threading the cable through the wheel and frame of the bicycle and around a secure, stationary object such as a lamp post, the user can then secure the bicycle, and its seat, in an inoperative and immovable condition by attaching the two ends of the locking device 3 and 7 together. When ready to move the bike again, the user unlocks the locking device 3 and 7, retracts the cable 5 back into the cylindrical shaft 2 and detachably secures the loose end of the cable 5 back to the bottom of the cylindrical shaft 2.

It is clear from the teachings that the invention can be easily retrofitted to a bicycle by removing an old bicycle seat from its frame and replacing it with the invention as described. To avoid leaving the user with a surplus bicycle seat assembly, which is clearly undesirable as seat members, in particular, can be highly personalised and expensive; the user removes a bicycle seat assembly from its frame and simply switches the seat member onto the cylindrical shaft 2 before fitting the new cylindrical shaft 2 and seat member combination back onto the bicycle frame. In this way, only the old cylindrical shaft becomes surplus to requirements once the device has been retrofitted to a bicycle. s

Figure 1, 2a & 2b I - seat position 2 - seat column 3 - locking device part B 4 - cable securing device - retracting coil 6 - "Bung" 7 - locking device part A Figure 2a Cable extended with non-sliding cable securing device Figure 2b Cable extended with sliding cable securing device Figure 3 (detail) Padlock type locking device

Claims

1. A bicycle lock comprising a cylindrical shaft and a securing device extendibly mounted within the cylindrical shaft, the securing device being movable relative to the shaft between a first retracted position and a second extended position, in which, in use, it is operable to secure the shaft to a fixed structure, the shaft having a first end to which, in use, is attachable a seat member, and a second end which, in use, is engageable with a portion of a frame of a bicycle so as to secure said seat to said frame.

2. A bicycle lock according to claim 1 wherein the securing device, when fully retracted into the cylindrical shaft, is anchorable within the second end of the shaft for safe storage.

3. A bicycle lock according to claim I or 2 wherein the securing device is mounted within the cylindrical shaft via a sliding attachment that allows it to slide longitudinally between the first and second ends of the cylindrical shaft.

4. A bicycle lock according to any of claims 1-3 further including a first part of a locking device provided on the extendable end of the securing device, which, in use, is connectable to a complementary part of the locking device.

5. A bicycle lock according to claim 4 wherein the complementary locking part is provided on the cylindrical shaft.

6. A bicycle lock according to claim 4 wherein the complementary locking part is, in use, provided on a seat member of the bicycle.

7. A bicycle lock according to any of the previous claims wherein the securing device can, in use, be extended through the wheel and frame of a bicycle, wrapped round a structure and then secured back onto the bicycle.

8. A bicycle lock according to any of claims l-3 or 7 further including a locking device provided on the extendable end of the securing device, which, in use, is directly engageable to a fixed structure so as to secure the bicycle thereto.

9. A bicycle lock according to any of claims 1-3 or 7 further including a locking device provided on the extendable end of the securing device, which, in use, can be looped round a structure and directly engaged back onto itself so as to secure the bicycle to the structure.

lO. A bicycle lock according to any of the previous claims wherein the securing device is mounted within the cylindrical shaft via a reel, the reel being operable to wind the securing device thereon so as to move it towards its retracted position.

11. A bicycle lock according claim 10 further including biasing means associated with the real which urge the real into a first rotational position in which the securing device is fully wound thereon.

12. A bicycle lock according to any of claims 1-9 wherein the securing device is formed into the shape of a coil spring, the loops of which are biased towards each other so as to have a compact rest state

13. A bicycle lock according to any of claims wherein the securing device is \

14. A bicycle lock according to any of claims 1-4 or 8 wherein the securing device includes a retaining bar.

15. A bicycle lock according to claim 14 wherein the retaining bar can be configured to extend transversely of the cylindrical shaft such that, in use, it forms a lockable cross-bar member, which, in conjunction with a seat member and the cylindrical shaft, is capable of securing a bicycle to a set of railings or similar structure.

16. A bicycle seat assembly comprising a scat member having a seat stem extending therefrom in the form of a cylindrical shaft, the seat stem having a securing device mounted within it which is movable relative to the stem between a first retracted position and a second extended position, in which, in use, it is operable to secure the seat assembly to a fixed structure, the free end of the stem being, in use, engageable with a portion of a frame of a bicycle so as to secure the seat assembly to said frame.

17. A bicycle seat assembly according to claim 16 wherein the seat member has attached to it a fixation point to which a locking device is securable.

18. A bicycle seat assembly according to claim 16 wherein the seat member has, as part of it, a fixation point to which a locking device is securable.

19. A bicycle lock substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. A bicycle seat assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.