Quick release assembly for bicycle wheels

Abstract

A lockable quick release assembly for securing removable parts such as a wheel to the fork of a bicycle frame with the assembly including a specialized handle which not only rotates a cam shaped member within the interior of the assembly but has a key means which allows locking of the assembly to the frame to prevent theft of the wheel. The assembly also has means to secure the handle to the assembly so it will not fall off during normal use of the bicycle, but can be removed if desired.

1. A lockable quick release assembly for securing removable parts such as a wheel to the fork of a bicycle frame comprising:
 a piston having an eccentric bore extending through said piston;  
 an axle secured to said piston in such a manner that said axle is at a substantially right angle to said bore of said piston;  
 a cam rotatably positioned within said piston bore with an end of said cam having integral therewith a key receiving member of smaller diameter than the diameter of said cam and positioned off center of said cam whereby a portion of a sidewall of said key receiving member is in line with a portion of the sidewall of said cam, said key receiving member being positioned at the opening of said piston bore;  
 a cylindrical shaped cap surrounding said piston with the wall thereof having an opening to the interior of said cap and in alignment with said piston bore and sized to accommodate said key receiving member, and means for securing said cap to said piston, said means including a pivot pin which extends from said cap through an opening in said piston and terminates in a cavity in said cam, the interior of said cap having space to allow for lateral movement of said piston; and  
 a handle having key means secured thereto, said key means being insertable into said key receiving member so that rotation of said handle results in rotation of said cam member causing movement of said assembly.  
 
     
     
       2. The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said pin is mounted in said cavity so as to permit rotation of said cam. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of  claim 2  additionally provided with means to secure said handle and key means to said assembly so that said handle and key means will not fall off during normal use but can be removed if desired. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of  claim 3  wherein said means includes a release clip mounted on said handle, a portion of said clip engaging with said cap to secure said handle and key to said assembly. 
     
     
       5. The assembly of  claim 4  wherein said release clip is provided with finger grips whereby squeezing said grips together causes disengagement of said handle and key from said assembly. 
     
     
       6. The assembly of  claim 5  wherein said release clip surrounds a portion of said handle, with an exterior side of said clip provided with a protruding rib which can be received in a corresponding groove located in the opening to the interior of said cap. 
     
     
       7. The assembly of  claim 6  wherein said release clip is provided with finger grips whereby squeezing said grips together results in a reduction in the size of said clip permitting the handle and clip to be inserted a distance into said cap opening. 
     
     
       8. The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said key means is an elongated, unitary, rigid structure provided with at least two flat surfaces, with said surfaces being at an angle to each other. 
     
     
       9. The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the edges of said surfaces are parallel. 
     
     
       10. An assembly for securing a removable part to a frame comprising:
   a piston carried by a cap for reciprocal movement, the piston having a bore;        a cam having first and second ends held by the cap for rotation in the bore along a fixed axis, wherein one of the first and second ends includes a key receiving member extending into an opening of the cap and the other of the first and second ends is held at the fixed axis of rotation by a pivot pin which extends from the cap through an opening in the piston and terminates in a cavity in the cam; and        a handle supporting a key engageable into the key receiving member for securing the handle to the cam.      
     
     
       11. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the opening holds the one of the first and second ends at the fixed axis of rotation.  
     
     
       12. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the key receiving member defines a diameter less than a diameter defined by the cam.  
     
     
       13. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the key receiving member is positioned off center of the cam.  
     
     
       14. The assembly of  claim 10 , further including a clip carried by the handle for detachably securing the handle to the cap.  
     
     
       15. The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the clip is movable between an expanded condition for engaging the cap and a collapsed condition for disengaging the cap.  
     
     
       16. The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the clip includes grips engagable for moving the clip between the expanded and collapsed conditions.  
     
     
       17. The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the clip supports a rib engageable with a groove located adjacent the opening of the cap in the expanded condition of the clip.  
     
     
       18. The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the key includes at least one angled surface.  
     
     
       19. An assembly for securing a removable part to a frame comprising:
   a piston carried by a cap for reciprocal movement, the piston having a bore;        a cam supported by the cap for rotation in the bore along a fixed axis, wherein the cam a )  includes a key receiving member extending into an opening of the cap and b )  is supported at the fixed axis of rotation at the opening by a pivot pin which extends from the cap through an opening in the piston and terminates in a cavity in the cam; and        a handle supporting a key engageable into the key receiving member for securing the handle to the cam.      
     
     
       20. The assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the key receiving member defines a diameter less than a diameter defined by the cam.  
     
     
       21. The assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the key receiving member is positioned off center of the cam.  
     
     
       22. The assembly of  claim 19 , further including a clip carried by the handle for detachably securing the handle to the cap.  
     
     
       23. The assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the clip is movable between an expanded condition for engaging the cap and a collapsed condition for disengaging the cap.  
     
     
       24. The assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the clip includes grips engageable for moving the clip between the expanded and collapsed condition.  
     
     
       25. The assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the clip supports a rib engageable with a groove located adjacent the opening of the cap in the expanded condition of the clip.  
     
     
       26. The assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the key includes at least one angled surface.