Technical Field

The invention relates to a device for locking a bicycle and the like, said bicycle comprising a frame, a front fork, which is attached to the frame, and a front wheel, which is mounted on the front fork. Below only bicycles are de scribed but the principle is the same for motor bicycles and motorcycles.

Prior Art

A bicycle is usually provided with a bicycle lock, which has a locking means attached to a rear frame member of the bicycle and locks a rear wheel of the bicycle by means of a shackle, which is inserted through the rear wheel and prevents the rear wheel from rotation and thus the bicycle to be used.

A disadvantage of such a bicycle lock is that it does not fasten the bicy cle to any object, such as a fixed bicycle rack or a pole. Thus, the bicycle can be removed even if it is locked.

Bicycles can also be locked by means of e.g. a U-lock which is inserted through a front wheel of a bicycle and around a bicycle rack. However, if locked in this way, the front wheel can be removed from a front fork, on which it is mounted, and the rest of the bicycle be stolen, only leaving the front wheel behind.

Object of the Invention

In recent years there has been a tendency of bicycles to become more exclusive and expensive, and with the arrival electric bicycles this tendency has increased even more. Electric bicycles have their expensive electric mo tor placed either in the front wheel or on the frame of the bicycle, which means that even a part of a bicycle, such as the front wheel or the frame, is attractive to thieves. Thus, today there is a need for better ways to lock and secure bicycles in their entirety.

One known way to do so is to use a single lock or two locks in combi nation with a chain or wire, which is thread through parts of the bicycle and around a fixed bicycle rack or a pole. Another way is to use two locks, one of which is a so-called U-lock large enough to pass through the front wheel, the frame of the bicycle and around a fixed bicycle rack or a pole. However, these known ways are cumbersome and do therefore tend to be rarely used.

In the light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to pro vide a more user-friendly solution to lock and secure a bicycle in its entirety.

Brief Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention this is achieved by means of a de vice for locking a bicycle and the like, said bicycle comprising a frame, a front fork, which is attached to the frame, and a front wheel, which is mounted on the front fork, said device comprising at least one locking arm, which has a length exceeding a radius of the front wheel and comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is to be securely attached to the front fork and renders the locking arm rotatable in relation to the front fork substantially in parallel with the front wheel, and wherein the second end comprises at least one orifice, that renders insertion of a shackle of a U-lock possible through both the at least one orifice and the front wheel.

By means of the rotatable locking arm the front fork and the front wheel become easily attachable to a fixed bicycle rack or a pole by means of an or dinary U-lock, whereby theft of these parts of a bicycle are hindered. And as the front fork is difficult to unmount from the frame, the remainder of the bicy cle is hindered from theft as well, especially if a second lock is used to secure a rear wheel of the bicycle to the frame. Further, when not in use for locking, the locking arm can easily be rotated to a position in parallel or substantially in parallel with the front fork and easily be locked in that position e.g. by means of the U-lock and a bracket mounted on the front fork above the front wheel, whereby the U-lock is safely stowed away too. Thus, according to the present invention it is possible to provide a solution which is user-friendly both when used for locking and when not in use for that purpose.

Preferably, the at least one locking arm consists of a flat bar. Such a bar is easy to produce even out of high-grade material and does not add much weight to a bicycle. Preferably, said second end of the at least one locking arm comprises a plurality of round or oblong orifices. If a plurality of preferably oblong orifices is provided, use of different U-locks and threading of their shackles is facili tated substantially.

Preferably, said first end of the at least one locking arm comprises a hole for a pivot, which is to be securely attached to the front fork and about which the locking arm is rotatable. Again, to simplify construction of the lock ing arm, a pivot hole in said first end is preferred compared to other more complicated solutions.

Preferably, said pivot is arranged to be securely attached to the front fork by means of a bracket. Such a bracket is favorable as it renders secure mounting of the locking arm on the front fork easier.

According to one embodiment, said bracket consists of a single part which is arranged to be welded to the front fork. This solution is one that ap pears suitable for a locking arm mounted in a bicycle factory.

According to another embodiment, said bracket consists of a single sleeve, which by means of a through hole can be slid onto a leg of the front fork and secured thereto by means of a set screw or the like. This solution is useful only in cases where a leg of a front fork enables such a sliding motion, but when that is the case, mounting of the bracket becomes extremely easy.

According to a further embodiment, said bracket comprises two coop erating parts, which are arranged to enclose a leg of the front fork and to be secured thereto by means of screws. This solution is a universal one that ren ders mounting of the locking arm easily possible on arbitrary front forks.

Preferably, said at least one locking arm has a large enough width to cover a screw or screws used to secure said bracket on the front fork. This is an important feature as it renders it impossible to access said screw or screws once the locking arm is mounted.

Preferably, said pivot comprises a circular shaft arranged to journal the locking arm and a plain convex head arranged to securely attach the locking arm to the front fork. The circular shaft can be threaded or not depending on the way the pivot is to be attached to the front fork, but the convex head of the pivot is always plain to prevent use of tools to break the pivot loose. According to one embodiment, the circular shaft of the pivot comprises a circumferential groove, in which a locking pin is insertable to permanently secure the circular shaft of the pivot on said bracket. The locking pin is prefer ably one that is knocked into a hole in the bracket from one side thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is described in greater detail with reference to the ac companying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows two versions of a locking arm;

Fig. 2 shows two versions of a pivot;

Figs. 3a-e illustrate different ways to mount a locking arm;

Figs. 4-6 show a bicycle secured to a by means of locking arms; and

Figs. 7 and 8 show different ways to stow away locking arms when not in use.

Description of Preferred Embodiments

Below preferred embodiments of the present invention are described with reference being had to the figures.

Fig. 1 shows what the design of a locking arm 2 of the device accord ing to the invention can look like. It is made of a strip of sheet material of a durable metal and has a length exceeding radius of a front wheel of a bicycle of which it is to be used. At a first end there is a hole 14 for attachment to holes 30 or brackets 4 on a front fork 1 of a bicycle described below. At the other end there are several orifices shaped as circular holes 15 or oblong slots 16 and arranged to be used in conjunction with a shackle of a U-lock 6 also described below. Finally, the width of the locking arm 2 is adapted to cover a single screw 19 or two screws 20 used to secure a bracket 4 on said front fork 1 which will be further elucidated below.

Fig. 2 shows a pivot 5 of the device according to the invention used to journal and secure the locking arm 2. The pivot has a plain convex head 21 so that it, once mounted, cannot be loosened with tools. A circular shaft 23 of the pivot 5 may be provided with a thread 22 or be provided with a circumfer ential groove 24.

In fig. 3a shows a hole 30 in a leg of a front fork 1 is shown. The hole is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a front wheel 3 held by the front fork 1 (c.f. figs. 4-8). The hole 30 may be threaded and/or continuous to fit a pivot 5.

Fig. 3b shows an embodiment of a bracket 4 to mount the locking arm 1 by means of a pivot 5 which can be used if the bracket 4 is welded to a front fork 1 . There is a threaded hole 29 for a pivot 5, the hole 29 being perpendic ular or substantially perpendicular to the front wheel 3. The pivot 5 used to se cure the locking arm 2 to the bracket 4 is threaded into the hole 29 and locked therein by means of a suitable locking means.

Fig. 3c shows another embodiment where the bracket 4 is to be welded to a front fork 1 . The bracket 4 has a large hole 18, which is perpen dicular or substantially perpendicular to the front wheel 3 and has a diameter fitting the circular shaft 23 of a pivot 5. A smaller locking hole 17 is provided, which is directed perpendicular to the larger hole 18 and which is not continu ous. The locking hole 17 is placed within the outer diameter of the larger hole 18. The pivot 5 is inserted into a hole 14 in the locking arm 2 and further into the bracket 4, and then a locking pin 13 is beaten into the locking hole 17 to secure the inserted pivot 5, which has its groove 24 place right opposite to the locking hole 17. Once in place, the locking pin 13 can no longer be removed.

Fig. 3d shows a front fork 1 having a straight design. The bracket 4 may in that case be made integrally with a hole 18 for the front fork 1 . The bracket 4 is slid onto the front fork 1 and then locked by drilling a hole 25 into the front fork 1 and by screwing a screw 19 from the bracket 4 into the hole 25. The width of the locking arm 2 is, as indicated above, large enough to cover the screw 19 which thus cannot be loosened.

Fig. 3e shows that the bracket can also be made in two parts. An inner part 26 sits on the inside of the front fork 1 and includes threaded holes 28 for screws 20. These screws 20 are located in the outer part 27. The outer part 27 has through holes 18 and comprises locking pins 13 to lock a pivot 5 hold ing a locking arm 2. A hole 25 is drilled in the front fork 1 and a screw 19 of the bracket 27 is screwed into the hole 25. Again, the width of the locking arm 2 is large enough to cover screws 19 and 20 which thus cannot be loosened.

Fig. 4 shows a bicycle having a frame 7, a front fork 1 and a front wheel 3. Two locking arms 2 (just one locking arm 2 is possible too) are mounted on the front fork 1 and are rotated such they render is possible by means of a U-lock 6, which is inserted through orifices 16 of the locking arms 2, the front wheel 3 and through a bicycle rack 8, to lock the entire bicycle in place.

Figure 5 shows a bicycle having a frame 7, a front fork 1 and a front wheel 3. Two locking arms 2 are mounted on the front fork 1 and are rotated such they render is possible by means of a U-lock 6, which is inserted through orifices 16 of the locking arms 2, the front wheel 3 and around a post 9, to lock the entire bicycle in place.

Figure 6 shows how the bicycle can be locked to a bicycle holder 10, which is attached to a car. The two locking arms 2 are rotated such that a U- lock 6 can be inserted through orifices 16 of the locking arms 2, the front wheel 3, the bicycle frame 7 and around the bicycle holder 10.

Fig. 7 and 8 show that when using a bicycle, the locking arms 2 can be locked with their orifices 16 to a brace 12 by means of a U-lock 6. The brace 12 can be attached to the front fork 1 or to a bicycle basket 11.

Together with an approved U-lock and a rear wheel lock, the device according to the present invention renders it possible to safely secure an en tire bicycle (front, rear wheel and bicycle frame) without causing a user too much trouble. Flence, the device according to the present invention is more likely to be frequently used than previously known devices of the kind.