The invention relates to a bicycle pump provided with an elongated pump housing, with a pump piston positioned within the pump housing, which is secured to a piston rod, and with a handle co-operating with said piston rod.

With the conventional bicycle pump a handle extending transversely to the piston rod is usually secured to the end of the piston rod projecting from the pump housing. Such bicycle pumps provided with a handle which is fixedly connected to the piston rod are less suitable for being taken along on the bicycle. In connection therewith pumps have been developed with a view to being taken along on the bicycle, which are provided with a handle concentrically surrounding the piston rod, which handle concentrically surrounds the pump housing in the telescoped position. With such a construction it is difficult, however, to exert the force required for inflating a tyre on the piston rod.

According to the invention the handle is adjustably connected to the hollow piston rod in such a manner, that in a first position for operating the pump said handle extends transversely to the hollow piston rod near the end of the hollow piston rod remote from the piston, and that in a second position said handle is accommodated within the hollow piston rod at least along part of its length.

When the construction according to the invention is used it is possible to carry out an effective pumping action by means of the handle extending transversely to the piston rod when it is desired to use the pump, whilst the pump, when not in use, forms a compact unit without any impeding projections because the handle is at least partially accommodated within the hollow piston rod, so that the pump can readily be taken along on the bicycle. A second aspect of the invention relates to a bicycle pump provided with an elongated pump housing, in which a pump piston connected to a piston rod is movable by means of said piston rod, whilst a pump hose is connected to one end of the pump housing.

With conventional pumps one end of the pump hose is usually pushed over a nipple secured to the pump and secured thereto by means of a clamping ring or the like. In practice it has become apparent that already soon leakage occurs at the connection of the pump hose to the pump housing.

Furthermore constructions are known wherein an externally threaded nipple is provided at one end of the pump hose, which can be screwed into a correspondingly threaded hole in the pump housing. During use of the pump the hose frequently tends to become unscrewed thereby, which likewise leads to leakage during pumping.

According to the invention said pump hose and said pump housing are interconnected by means of a coupling piece attached to one of said two parts of the bicycle pump and a coupling means attached to the other one of said two parts, the construction of said coupling piece and said coupling means being such that the coupling piece can be inserted into the coupling means with a force fit, while forming a closed passage between the interior of the pump housing and the pump hose.

By using the construction according to the invention the pump hose can be attached to the pump housing in a simple manner whilst effecting an effective sealing, whilst there is no risk of the pump hose becoming detached during normal use.

The invention furthermore relates to a bicycle pump provided with an elongated pump housing, with a pump piston which is reciprocatingly movable within the pump housing by means of a piston rod, and with a pump hose secured to the pump housing, said pump hose at its free end being provided with a connecting device for connecting the pump hose to a tyre valve provided with a ring.

In order to secure the end of the pump hose to the valve use is sometimes made of a clamp more or less in the shape of a clothes-peg, one leg of said peg engaging under the valve ring. Such a clamp forms an impeding projection, whilst in practice it has furthermore become apparent that it is still not possible in many cases to secure the end of the pump hose effectively to the valve by means of a clamp of this type.

According to the invention the connecting device is provided with a connecting piece of a resilient material, which can be pushed over the valve, said connecting piece surrounding at least part of the valve when placed on the valve, and being provided with a thickening, which can be deformed by means of a shell-shaped member being slidable over the connecting part, in such a manner that said thickening is sealingly pressed against the outer circumference of the valve upon being deformed.

A satisfactory enclosure of at least part of the valve can be effected by means of the connecting piece, whilst at the same time an

adequate fixation of the connecting piece to the valve can be realized. The connecting piece and the shell-shaped means being slidable over the connecting piece may thereby extend concentrically about the extension of the central axis of the pump hose, so that no impeding projections are required for connecting the pump hose.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a combination of a bicycle having a frame and a bicycle pump, which is provided with a pump cylinder, a pump piston being movable within the pump cylinder, and a pump hose. Conventional bicycle pumps to be taken along on the bicycle are clamped between two ears secured to the frame and have to be detached from the bicycle in order to be used. During pumping it is practically impossible to support a pump of this type, so that the pump housing must be held with one hand whilst the piston rod needs to be moved to and fro with the other hand. This makes inflating a bicycle tyre with a pump of this type a very awkward activity.

According to the invention the pump cylinder is pivotally coupled to the bicycle frame near one end.

The bicycle pump may therefore remain coupled to the frame when inflating a tyre, so that the pump housing only needs to be pivoted in the right direction, whilst the forces exerted during pumping can be transferred directly to the frame of the supported bicycle, which facilitates said pumping considerably.

In addition to that theft or loss of the pump is prevented because of the fixed connection between the pump and the bicycle.

The invention will be explained in more detail hereafter with reference to an embodiment of the construction according to the invention illustrated in the accompanying Figures.

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a part of the frame of a bicycle and a bicycle pump coupled to said bicycle.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the annular means, by which the bicycle pump is secured to the frame.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a part of the pump housing, with a piston and a piston rod accommodated therein. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a part of the upper end of the piston rod and a part of a handle coupled to said piston rod, shown in spaced-apart relationship.

Figure 5 shows a part of the piston rod of the bicycle pump with a handle coupled thereto.

Figure 6 is a plan view of Figure 5.

Figure 7 shows a part of the piston rod of the bicycle pump and a part of the handle in a position which is changed with respect to Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a part of the bottom of the pump housing with a coupling means and one end of the pump hose, with a coupling piece intended for co-operation with said coupling means. Figure 9 shows the upper end of the valve of a bicycle tyre and one end of the pump hose, with a connecting device for connecting the pump hose to the valve.

Figure 10 shows the parts illustrated in Figure 9 in a second position. Figures 11 and 12 show, in a similar manner as in Figures 9 and

10, a second embodiment of a connecting device.

Figures 13 and 14 show, in a similar manner as in Figures 9 and 10, a third embodiment of a connecting device.

Figure 1 diagrammatically shows a part of a frame 1 of a bicycle, near the connection of two frame tubes to the crankshaft housing.

A split clamping ring 2 made of a slightly resilient material is provided around one of the frame tubes, which clamping ring may be clamped down on the frame tube by means of a tightening screw 5 to be passed through two ears 3 and 4 of the clamping ring. In the clamping ring slits 2', extending in the longitudinal direction of the clamping ring 2 are alternately provided in opposite ends of said clamping ring, said slits assisting in the spring action of the clamping ring 2. The clamping ring may thereby be provided around frame tubes having different diameters, in such a manner that in mounted condition the clamping ring is still rotatable with respect to the frame tube when a certain frictional force is overcome.

The clamping ring 2 is provided with another projecting ear 6, to which the bottom end of a bicycle pump 8 is pivotally coupled by means of a pin 7 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the frame tube.

As already said before the clamping ring 2 is provided in such a manner, that said clamping ring is rotatable about the frame tube

in question, so that when it is desired to use the bicycle pump it may be pivoted into a desired position with respect to the frame tube, in order to make it possible to inflate the bicycle tyres without difficulty, whilst the forces exerted during pumping are directly transmitted to the bicycle frame thereby.

When not in use the bicycle pump may be secured near its upper end in a manner which is usual for pumps to be taken along on the bicycle. Preferably the construction of the pump will thereby be as described in more detail below. The pump 8 comprises a cylindrical pump housing 9, in which a piston 10 is movable to and fro by means of a piston rod made up of a hollow tube 11 positioned within the pump housing 9 (Figure 3).

A chamber 12 having a larger diameter than the pump cylinder 9 is provided at the bottom end of the pump housing or pump cylinder 9, which chamber is provided with an opening which can be closed by means of a cover 13, as is diagrammatically indicated in Figure 1.

Near its upper end the tubular piston rod 11 is provided with two opposed projecting ears 14 (Figures 4 - 7), which support a pin 15 extending between said ears, transversely to the longitudinal direction of the hollow piston rod 11. A handle 16 is coupled to the upper end of said hollow piston rod 11 by means of said pin 15.

The handle 16 is substantially built up of two elongated parts

17 and 18 extending parallel to each other, which are interconnected near their ends by curved connecting parts 19. The elongated parts are provided with ribs 20 and 21 at their facing sides, the height of said ribs gradually increasing towards the centre of the handle.

Near the centre of the handle opposed recesses 22 and 23 respectively are provided in said ribs, which, as will be apparent from Figure 7, are bounded on one side by boundary surfaces 24 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the handle 16 and on the other side by sloping boundary surfaces 25. Near the boundary surfaces 25 the distance between the ribs 20 and 21 is thereby larger than near the boundary surfaces 24.

In the position illustrated in Figure 7 the handle 16 extends perpendicularly to the hollow piston rod 11, whereby the pin 15 is positioned within the recesses 22 and 23 and the handle projects substantially the same distance on both sides of the hollow piston rod

11. The handle may thus be gripped with both hands so as to move the piston rod 11 to and fro when using the pump.

The elongated part 17 has thereby been forced slightly upwards by the pin 15 under elastic deformation, as a result of which the part 17 is pressed against the upper end of the hollow piston rod 11, so that a connection which is free from play is ensured between the handle 16 and the piston rod 11 during pumping.

The handle may be moved with respect to the hollow piston rod 11, from the operating position shown in Figure 7 in the direction according to the arrow A, whereby the two parts 17 and 18 will be forced apart slightly resiliently by the upper side of the pin 15, in order to move the pin 15 out of the recesses 22 and 23. This movement of the handle 16 with respect to the hollow piston rod 11 and in particular with respect to the pin 15 secured to the piston rod 11, which is to be forced out of the recesses 22 and 23, is facilitated by the tapered configuration of the boundary walls 25 of the openings 22 and 23. By moving the handle 16 in the direction according to the arrow A said handle may be brought to the position shown in Figures 5 and 6, wherein one end 19 of the handle 16 has reached a position near the pin 15. From this position the handle may be turned through 90 ^° in the direction according to the arrow B, and then be pushed into the hollow piston rod 11, in such a manner that the handle is accommodated within the hollow piston rod 11.

A sealing cap 16' (Figure 1) secured to one end of the handle thereby joins the upper end of the pump cylinder 9 and engages around said upper end of the pump cylinder 9 with a flange 16", in order to effect a drip water-tight sealing of the pump cylinder 9 when the pump is not in use.

As is furthermore shown in Figures 3 and 8 two clamping strips 27 and 28 of substantially L-shaped section, which form a coupling means, are secured to the bottom plate 26 closing the pump cylinder 9 at one end. Said coupling means made up of the clamping strips 27 and 28 is intended for co-operation with a coupling piece 30 secured to one end of the hose 29 of the bicycle pump. Said coupling piece 30 consisting of a slightly resilient material comprises a more or less cup-shaped housing 31, which at its open end is provided with a connecting flange 32 surrounding the housing. The mouth of the cup-shaped housing is thereby surrounded by a slightly protruding circular lip 33 forming part of the coupling piece.

A ball 34, which functions as a non-return valve, may be accommodated within the cup-shaped housing 31.

The end of the hose 29 may be fixed to the cup-shaped housing 31 in a suitable manner, for example by vulcanizing or the like. The interior of the hose 29 is in open communication with the interior of the cup-shaped housing 31 thereby.

In order to couple the hose to the pump opposed edge portions of the flange 32 may be moved between the bottom plate 26 and the legs of the clamping strips 27 and 28 extending more or less parallel thereto, as is indicated by means of the arrow C in Figure 8. In order to facilitate the insertion of the flange, the clamping strips are tapered along part of their lengths, as will be apparent from Figure 8. Upon insertion of the flange the circular lip 33 will take up a position in which it surrounds the outlet opening 35 provided in the bottom plate 26 of the pump housing. It will be apparent that a suitable selection of the thickness of the flange 32, of the distance between the bottom plate 26 and the legs of the clamping strips 27 and 28 extending parallel thereto and of the dimensions of the circular lip 33 will make it possible to secure the coupling piece 30 firmly to the pump housing by means of the clamping strips 28 and 28 which form the coupling means, whilst at the same time an effective sealing is effected around the opening 35 provided in the pump housing for the discharge of air moved by the piston 10.

As is furthermore shown in Figures 9 and 10 a connecting device 38 is provided at the free end of the hose 29 of the bicycle pump, in order to connect the hose to a conventional valve 37 provided with a knurled ring 36 of a bicycle tyre. The connecting device 38 comprises a connecting piece 39 made of a resilient material, which comprises a cylindrical shell

40, which is closed at its upper end by a closing part 41, in the centre of which an elongated recess 42 is provided, which is open at its bottom end.

As is apparent from Figure 9, the closing part 41 is at its bottom end provided with a downwardly tapered part, which extends into the space surrounded by the shell 40.

The recess 42 is in open communication with a stepped bore 43 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the closing part

41, in which the end of the pump hose 29 of the bicycle pump is secured, for example by glueing or vulcanizing.

The shell 40 is provided with a circular flange 44 at its free end, which in the unloaded position shown in Figure 9 gradually widens towards the outside and towards its free end relative to the longitudinal central axis of the closing part. The connecting piece 39 is surrounded by a shell-shaped means 45 which is closed at one end, said shell-shaped means being movable in the longitudinal direction of the connecting piece 39 relative to said connecting piece 39. For this purpose the pump hose 29 is passed through a slotted hole 46 provided in the wall of the shell-shaped means 45. The shell-shaped means 45 is provided with an enlarged flange 47 at its open bottom end, against whose inner boundary edge the flange 44 of the connecting piece 39 abuts in the manner shown in Figure 9, in the position ready for pushing the connecting piece 39 onto the valve 37.

The connecting piece 39 may be pushed onto the valve 37 in the direction according to the arrow D, whereby the bottom end of the tapered portion of the closing part 41 will come to lie on top of the knurled ring 36 at one stage. Upon being pushed further downwards said bottom end of the closing part will be firmly pressed against the upper side of the usual knurled ring 36, so as to effect an air-tight sealing at that location, beside the sealing that has already been effected by the cylindrical shell 40 surrounding the knurled ring 36. Thereupon the shell 45 will be moved with respect to the connecting piece 39, as a result of which the flange 44 is deformed and at least partially pushed under the bottom edge of the knurled ring 36, so as to clamp the connecting piece 39 down on the valve in the position shown in Figure 10.

It will be apparent that in this manner a solid and at the same time airtight attachment of the connecting piece 39 to the valve 37 has been effected.

When the shell-shaped means is moved upwards again with respect to the connecting piece 39, in a direction opposite to the arrow D, the flange 44 can spring back again from the position shown in Figure 10 to the position shown in Figure 9, after which the connecting device 38 may be removed from the valve.

When not in use the hose and the connecting device 38 may be stowed away in the chamber 12, which can be closed by means of the cover 13. Figures 11 and 12 show a variation on the connecting device described above with reference to Figures 9 and 10. The parts in Figures

11 and 12 that correspond with the parts shown in Figures 9 and 10 are thereby provided with the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

As will be apparent from Figures 11 and 12, the shell 40 of this embodiment is at its upper end provided with a connecting piece 48 which is slightly tapered in upward direction and which is integral with the shell 40, said connecting piece connecting the shell to a wall part 49, which extends substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the shell 40 in unloaded condition. A passage 50 is formed in the centre of said wall part 49, to which passage the hose 29 is connected, in the manner illustrated in the Figures. The hose 29 is thereby passed through a hole 51 provided in the upper wall of the shell-shaped means 45.

Also this connecting device may be pushed over the valve, in such a manner that the wall part 49 will come to abut against the upper boundary surface 52 of the valve. When the shell-shaped means is pushed further downwards (arrow D), the wall part 49 will be pressed firmly against said surface 52 with a certain amount of deformation, so as to effect an airtight connection. Then, when the force exerted in the direction according to the arrow D exceeds a certain value, the enlarged flange 47 will snap under the knurled ring 36 in the manner described above and ^• illustrated in Figure 12, in order to secure the connecting device 38 to the valve 37, whilst likewise an airtight connection has been obtained between the hose 29 and the valve by means of the deformed wall part 49. The closing device may be removed in a simple manner again by moving the shell-shaped means in a direction opposite to the arrow D.

Figures 13 and 14 show a so-called French valve 53, which is fixed with respect to a rim 55 of a bicycle wheel or the like by means of a clamping ring 54 screwed onto said valve 53. A French valve of this type is provided with a valve mechanism, which may be brought to a position suitable for inflating the bicycle tyre on which said valve 53 is mounted by rotating a ring 56, and which may be closed by rotating said ring 56 in opposite direction.

The connecting device 38' shown in Figures 13 and 14 is provided with a connecting piece 39', in a similar manner as the connecting device described above and illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, and with a shell-shaped means 45' surrounding said connecting piece. A detailed

description of the connecting device 38' will not be necessary, therefore. The only essential difference between the embodiment of the connecting device shown in Figures 9 and 10 and the construction according to Figures 13 and 14 is the fact that in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 13 and 14 a downwardly tapered extension 57 is provided under the circular flange 44' of the connecting piece 49' made of a resilient material.

When said connecting device 38' is pushed over the valve 53, the bottom edge of the extension 57 will come to abut against the upper surface of the ring 54. When the means 45' is pushed downwards, the bottom end of said extension 57 will be slightly deformed in order to obtain an airtight sealing between the bottom end of the extension 57 and the upper surface of the ring 54. Then, when a predetermined force on the shell-shaped means 45' is exceeded, the shell-shaped means 45' will be moved with respect to the connecting piece 39', as a result of which the circular flange 44' is deformed and pressed firmly against the outer circumference of the valve 53 at a position spaced from the ring 54, as shown in Figure 14, as a result of which an airtight connection of the connecting piece 39' to the valve 53 can be effected at that location as well. Then the bicycle tyre may be inflated in the usual manner, whereby the air is admitted to the tyre through the valve mechanism, which has been opened prior to placing the connecting device 38' on the valve 53, by rotating the ring 56.

It will be apparent that the constructional details used in the various embodiments according to Figures 9 - 14 may be combined with each other.