Bicycle sprocket chain cleaner
OwnerRobert Thalmanninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This is a bicycle sprocket chain cleaner that includes a housing and a removable cover wherein the chain while still on the bicycle is placed in the housing and the cover is placed on the housing to enclose a portion of the chain. The chain may then be rotated in a counterclockwise manner wherein it passes through the cleaner and is cleaned of dirt and other foreign matter. Within the housing there is a solvent reservoir and a plurality of brush members adapted to contact the chain and clean the same. Some of the brushes will wick the solvent to the chain to assist in cleaning the same. In addition there is a solvent drain means associated with the housing to assure the chain is drained of solvent as it leaves the cleaner.
Claims16
A bicycle sprocket chain cleaner for cleaning a bicycle sprocket chain while the chain is still mounted on a bicycle and said bicycle has a rear wheel and front wheel wherein the chain includes articulated pivoted links having bottom, top and opposed sides with sprocket openings therein to engage sprockets of a pedal sprocket wheel and gear wheels of said bicycle rear wheel and said chain being capable of moving through said cleaner without elevating said rear wheel during cleaning of said sprocket chain, said cleaner including:
- a housing having opposed ends, opposed side walls and a bottom, said opposed ends including an entry opening and an exit opening respectively for said chain, and a portion of said chain is positioned in said housing with adjacent portions extending out through said respective entry and exit openings;
- cleaning means mounted within said housing to engage different portions of the articulated links of said chain to clean the same as said links pass said cleaning means;
- a cover adapted to fit on said housing and cover the same;
- chain engaging means within said housing to maintain said articulated links of said chain in contact with said cleaning means.
Apparatus for cleaning a bicycle chain while said chain is still mounted on said bicycle wherein said chain is formed of articulated links having bottoms, sides and tops with sprocket receiving openings extending vertically through said links, said openings adapted to receive sprockets of a pedal sprocket wheel and gear wheels of said bicycle and said bicycle gearing being of such a construction that counterclockwise pedal rotation will be free wheeling and allow said chain to rotate counterclockwise, said apparatus including:
- a housing having a chain entry end and a chain exit end, a pair of opposed side walls extending between said ends and a bottom surface having a first portion adjacent said entry end sloping downwardly and a second portion adjacent said exit end sloping downwardly;
- a solvent reservoir formed between said first and second portions of said bottom surface of said housing;
- a bottom brush adjacent said entry end mounted on said first portion and projecting upwardly to engage the bottom of said articulated links,
- a pair of side brushes mounted on each of said side walls in spaced opposed relationship to engage the side of said articulated links;
- a top brush mounted to overlie and contact the top of said articulated links;
- said bottom and side brushes extending into said reservoir to drawup solvent to said articulated links for cleaning the same;
- a cover to fit on said housing, said cover including chain engaging means to depress said articulated links thereunder and maintain a portion of the chain within said housing in contact with said brushes.
A method of cleaning a bicycle chain while the chain remains on the bicycle around a pedal sprocket wheel and gearing means on the rear wheel of said bicycle, the pedal sprocket wheel including opposed foot pedals, said chain having an upper and lower generally horizontal reach, said method including the steps of:
- removing the cover of a bicycle chain cleaner;
- exposing the interior of an elongated housing of said cleaner, said housing having an entry opening and exit opening in respective ends thereof and having generally parallel side walls and a bottom;
- placing a portion of said lower reach of said chain in said housing with an adjacent portion extending from both said entry and exit openings;
- replacing said cover on said housing whereby apparatus thereon will depress said portion of said chain from the horizontal within said housing to engage the same with chain cleaning means mounted on said housing and said cover;
- rotating said pedal sprocket wheel in a counterclockwise direction whereby said chain lower reach will move from left to right and said rear wheel will free wheel and not rotate;
- and
- moving said chain through said cleaner from said entry end to said exit end whereby all portions of said chain will be cleaned by said cleaning means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.