Adjustable Handle-bar for Bicycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Adjustable Handle-bar for Bicycles.
I, ROBERT SCOTT ANDERSON, residing at 128 Bleecker Street, in the City of
Toronto, County of York, Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada,
Machinist, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in adjustable bicycle handles and the
object of my improvement is, to provide a handle which can be adjusted to
different angles to the handle bar stem, and which can be easily and conveniently
adjusted to the various positions, by the bicycle rider without dismounting or even
retarding the velocity of his machine.
I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
in which
Figure 1 is a front view of the handle bar with one side of one half broken away
to show a cross section of the locking device which is understood to be duplicated
on the other half of the bar.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the double lug on the handle bar stem.
Figure 3 is a view of the locking bolt.
Figure 4 is a view of the hollow joint screw bolt.
Figure 5 is a view of the actuating, excentric or cam with its exterior extension
lever.
Figure 6 is an end view of one of the divided and toothed circular ends of the
divided handle bar.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The handle bar "A" is divided into two halves, and the ends of these halves
which are to engage with each other are enlarged and made to the form of a half-
circle and are recessed or channeled in the central part of each so as to fit over
and on the double lug b¹ b' of the handle bar stem B (Fig. 2). By the recessing
of the central part of the circular ends of the handle bar A each end is divided
into two circular and parallel discs a' a¹. These discs a¹ a¹ are toothed (Fig. 6) so
as to engage corresponding teeth formed on corresponding discs on the other half
of the handle bar A (Fig. 1). The centres of these recessed and circular ends of
the handle bar, are bored out, the holes so made corresponding in size to similar
holes c c made in the corresponding centres of the double lug b formed on the
handle bar stem B. Into these, when the ends of the bar are fitted over the double
lug of the stem B of the bar, are inserted hollow joint screw bolts D D (Fig. 4)
with check nuts upon them (Fig. 1). These screw bolts D also engage with a
thread formed in the hole of on of these discs of each engaging end of
the handle bar. Within these engaging ends of the handle bar and continuing
from the primary recesses and channels are further recesses within which
are inserted locking bolts E having the one end e' concaved and toothed
(Fig. 3) to engage corresponding teeth f¹ formed on the outer or opposite
segments of the double lug bb of the stem B (Fig. 1). The bolt E has at its
opposite end within the recess a spring F by means of which it is held into
engagement with the teeth f' on the lug b. Through the bolt E is made a hole g¹
round as to its one face and square as to the other m' and a corresponding round
opening is also made in the side of the handle bar on the same line when the bolt
teeth are engaged with the lug teeth. Through these openings is inserted the
excentric or cam H (Fig. 5) which is a round bolt recessed at right angles to its

page_text: axis, to one half its diameter at K' to a flat face, of sufficient width to fit accurately
the interior flat face of the bolt E through the hole, with which it engages. The
excentric or cam H has an extension lever il terminating in a thumb piece at j.
This extension lever is exterior to the handle bar and is operated from without.
When the extension lever is pushed downward or upward the excentric actuation
of the cam H forces the bolt E backward thereby disengaging its teeth from the
teeth in the lug b'. The interlocking teeth being thus separated, the handle bar
can be readily raised or lowered to the desired position. Upon revolving the
excentric cam which is done by throwing the extension lever back to its normal
position the bolt E is released and the spring G forces it forward when it
immediately engages with the lug 6 securely locking the handle bar to the
adjustment made.
While I prefer to use a locking device for each of the divided ends of the handle
bar it can be readily seen that one locking device in the one half of the handle
will effect the same purpose and I claim such a construction to be within the scope
of my invention.
I am aware that at the date of my invention it was not new to form the handle
bars of bicycles in two parts each pivotted to the stem adapted to carry it, and
also that there is no novelty in so engaging the adjacent ends of the bar that any
movement of one part is imparted to the other, and I do not claim such constructions
broadly, but
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 what
claim is
(1.) In an adjustable handle bar the two parts of which are pivotted to the stem
adapted to carry them, the use of spring controlled locking bolts in the said parts
having toothed ends adapted to engage with corresponding teeth on segmental
lugs on the stem adapted to carry the handle bar, and of eccentric pins actuated
by levers exterior to the bar and so engaging with the locking bolts as to provide
a means of disengaging them from the segmental lugs on the stem adapted to carry
the handle bar, as and for the purpose set forth..
(2.) In an adjustable handle bar the combination with the stem adapted to carry
it, of a divided bar the ends of which are pivotted to the said stem and have teeth
on their ends engaging with each other, of segmental lugs formed on or attached
to the said stem and having teeth on their outer edges, of locking bolts located
within the two parts of the bar and having toothed ends adapted to engage with
the teeth on the segmental lugs on the stem, of eccentric pins engaging with the
locking bolts and of levers carried by the said eccentric pins exterior to the bar for
operating the said locking bolts, as set forth.
(3.) In an adjustable handle bar the combination with the stem adapted to carry
it, of a divided bar the ends of which are pivotted to the said stem and have teeth
on their ends engaging with each other, of segmental lugs formed on or attached
to the said stem and having teeth on their outer edges, of locking bolts located
within the two parts of the bar and having toothed ends adapted to engage with
the teeth on the segmental lugs on the stem, of springs located within the two parts
of the bar and acting to press the locking bolts forward, of eccentric pins engaging
with the said locking bolts, and of levers carried by the eccentric pins exterior to
the bar for operating the said locking bolts.
URTON This 14th Aou
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.