Bicycle sprocket chain cleaner

Claim 2

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.

Claim 3

A bicycle sprocket chain cleaner as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing includes: cleaning solvent reservoir means associated with said cleaning means whereby solvent within said reservoir may be applied to said links to assist in cleaning the same.

Claim 4

A bicycle sprocket chain cleaner as defined in claim 2 wherein said housing includes: solvent drainage means adjacent said exit opening in said housing and said chain is adapted to ride over said means allowing solvent thereon to drain therefrom and return to said cleaning solvent reservoir means.

Claim 5

A bicycle sprocket chain cleaner as defined in claim 3 wherein said solvent drainage means includes: a block having a chain guide groove elevated above said bottom of said housing; a plurality of solvent drain passages extending through said block from said chain guide groove and communicating with said bottom, and said bottom being tapered downwardly from said exit opening to said reservoir to gravitationally allow solvent on said chain after cleaning to return to said reservoir for reuse.

Claim 6

A bicycle sprocket chain cleaner as defined in claim 1 wherein said cleaning means includes: a bottom brush adjacent said entry opening and projecting upwardly to engage the bottom of said articulated links and clean the same as they are moved under said brush; a pair of side brushes mounted on each of said side walls within said housing in spaces opposed relationship said brushes adapted to engage and clean the sides of said articulated links as they are moved under said brush; and a top brush mounted to overlie and contact the top of said articulated links and clean the same as they are moved under said brush.

Claim 7

A bicycle sprocket chain cleaner as defined in claim 5 wherein: a cleaning solvent reservoir is present in said housing and at least one of said brushes has a portion within said reservoir whereby solvent may be wicked up through said brush to said articulated links.

Claim 8

A bicycle sprocket chain cleaner as defined in claim 6 wherein at least three of said brushes have portions within said reservoir whereby solvent may be wicked up through said brushes to said articulated links.

Claim 9

A bicycle sprocket chain cleaner as defined in claim 5 wherein said top and bottom brushes include: a mid section of bristles of a longer length then bristles on either side thereof wherein said raised mid section may penetrate said sprocket openings to assure adequate cleaning.

Claim 10

A bicycle sprocket chain cleaner as defined in claim 5 wherein said top brush is mounted on said cover adjacent said chain engaging means.

Claim 11

A bicycle sprocket chain cleaner as defined in claim 1 wherein said chain engaging means includes: a rotatable roller mounted on said cover and extending into said housing to bear against a portion of said chain to maintain the same in contact with said cleaning means.

Claim 12

A bicycle sprocket chain cleaner as defined in claim 10 wherein said rotatable roller is a sprocket wheel having sprockets to engage said articulated links as they pass through said cleaner.

Claim 13

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.

Claim 14

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.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said housing includes: solvent drainage means mounted on said second portion adjacent said exit end and said articulated links ride over said means allowing solvent thereon to drain therefrom and return to said reservoir.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said chain engaging means includes: a sprocket wheel rotatably mounted on said cover, said sprocket wheel including sprockets to engage said articulated links as they pass through said apparatus.

Claim 19

A method as defined in claim 15 wherein the cleaner includes a solvent reservoir and there is an additional step of: filling said reservoir with solvent; and assuring proper positioning of said chain cleaning means in said reservoir to wick solvent to said chain.