Improvements in or connected with Folding Handles for Bicycles and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 6th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Folding Handles for Bicycles and
similar Vehicles.
I, CHARLES ALSTROM, of 76, Great Eastern Street, in the County of London,
Cabinet Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
An improved method of constructing bicycle handles which when not in use
can be folded downwards without impairing their rigidity while being used for
steering the machine and I carry this out by the following means namely:-
I affix at right angles to the steering post a cross head with arms suitably shaped
to receive the handles to each arm of such cross head I affix a handle by means of
a pin passing through arm and handle at a point considerably below the centre of
each of them upon this pin the handles revolve-a part of the handles projects
inwards beyond the pin towards the other handle & upon this part of it a recess
is cut to receive a corresponding projection or shoulder on the screw pin hereinafter
mentioned below such recess the end of the handle is sloped off to bear upon the
side of a triangular stop inserted in the centre of the cross head. The screw pin
is formed with an octagonal or other suitably shaped head & works and thread
formed in the triangular stop before mentioned & such stop is welded or otherwise
firmly affixed to & forms the centre of the cross head and the several parts are
so arranged that when the handles are put in position and the screw pins is screwed
down by the application of a spanner to the octagonal head or by other appropriate
means the projections or shoulders thereupon fit into the recesses at the ends of the
handles and the handles can no longer be moved by any downward pressure and
they are also secured against motion by upward pressure by means of their sloping
ends bearing against the triangular shaped stop which forms as before stated the
centre of the cross head. In order to protect the joints of junction between handle
and cross head from external injury I construct two sleeves sliding upon and over
the joint of junction between the fixed arms of the cross heads and the moveable
handles with bayonet jointed recesses inside them to catch a projecting button
on the arm of the cross head.
Dated this 25th day of November 1897
Improvements in or connected with Folding Handles for Bicycles and
similar Vehicles.
I, CHARLES ALSTROM, of 76, Great Eastern Street, in the County of London,
Cabinet Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in and in the construction of the handles

page_text: of bicycles and similar vehicles so that when not in use the handles can be folded
downwards without impairing their rigidity when they are being used for steering
the machine. The chief object of my invention being to diminish the space
usually taken up by the width of the handle bars and so enable the cycle to be
packed in a sniall crate or travel or be stored with the least possible inconvenience
and so as to occupy less room than is at present taken up.
To accomplish this object I fix at right angles to the top of the steering post a
cross head with arms suitably shaped to receive the handles and to each arm of such
cross head I affix a handle by means of a pin passing through arm and handle
at a point considerably below the centre of each of them. Upon these pins the
handles pivot. Part of each handle projects inwards beyond the pin towards the
other handle and a recess is cut upon the upper side of this inwardly projecting
part to receive a corresponding projection or shoulder upon the screw pin herein-
after mentioned while on the lower side a clip is formed to fit into a corresponding
recess in the triangular stop hereinafter mentioned for the purpose of giving
greater security to the handle bars.
Below this clip the end of the inwardly projecting portion of the handle is
sloped off to bear upon the side of a triangular stop inserted in the centre of the
cross head. The screw pin is formed with an octagonal or other suitably shaped
head and works in a thread formed in the triangular stop before mentioned.
The triangular stop is welded or otherwise firmly affixed to and forms the centre of
the crosshead and upon the handles being placed in the ordinary position for use
the sloped off portion of the inwardly projecting handles takes upon the correspond-
ing side of the triangular stop and the clip enters into the recess formed to receive
it preventing upward or lateral motion of the handles. The screw pin is then
tightened in the usual manner and an annular projection below the head fits into
the recess on the inwardly projecting portions of the handles thus preventing any
downward movement of the handles. To release the handles for folding it is
only necessary to unscrew the pin. In order that my invention may be fully
understood I will describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a section of the handle shewing the bars rigidly fixed for use.
Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively plan and section of the same with the bars folded.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the screw pin.
a are the arms of the cross head-
bb are the handle bars.
ce are the pins.
dare the recesses cut to receive the shoulders of the screw pin.
ee are such shoulders.
ff are the clips formed to fit into the recesses cut in the triangular stop.
gg are such recesses.
his the triangular stop.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I am aware
that broadly it is not new to provide bicycles and similar vehicles with folding
1 but what I ha...
HARPER & BATTCOCK,
23, Rood Lane, London, E.C.,
Agents for Applicant.