Improvements in Adjustable Handle Bars.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1896-Accepted, 20th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Handle Bars.
We, JOHN GALT, residing at 34 Close Avenue, in the City of Toronto in the
County of York, in the Province of Ontario, Civil Engineer, ARCHIBALD
PATERSON RANKIN, residing at 25 Collier Street, in the said City of Toronto,
Marine Engineer, PETER RUTHERFORD WRIGHT, residing at 71 Beaty Avenue,
in the said City of Toronto, Merchant, and MARY ELLA WRIGHT, residing
at 71 Beaty Avenue, in the said City of Toronto, wife of the said Peter Rutherford
Wright, 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 certain new and useful improvements in the steering
apparatus of bicycles, tricycles, quadricycles, tandem-bicycles and like vehicles, and
the object of the invention is to provide the steering post with a handle bar, the
shape and elevation of which can be altered by the rider without dismounting;
and the invention consists essentially of making the handle bar in two equal
sections, the inner end of each of which is fitted with an eye, having an internal
segmental gear extending partially across its face, and fitting the steering post
with a horizontal pin, on which are mounted the said eyes, providing the said pin
with two obliquely opposed semi-circular recesses, uniting with each other at or
about the middle of the pin to form a slot therethrough, providing each of the said
recesses with a pinion, each adapted to mesh with the gear in the eye of its
respective handle bar section and with each other at the slotted part of the pin, in
order that the movement of one handle bar section will cause a simultaneous
corresponding movement on the part of the other handle bar section; the whole
device being hereinafter more fully set forth.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the handle bar sections in one position.
Fig. 2 is a similar view showing them in a second position.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the head of the steering post, and the horizontal
pin.
Fig. 4 is a similar view with the pin partially in section showing the pinions in
their place meshing with each other.
Fig. 5 is a view of the pin from the opposite side.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the eye of one of the handle bar sections.
Fig. 7 is a similar view of the other section.
Fig. 8 is a view of the pinions.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the Specification and
drawings.
A represents the steering post, to the top of which is brazed, or otherwise
fastened, a bead a. B represents a horizontal pin preferably formed integrally
with the head a. At one side of the pin B is a semi-circular recess C, which
extends from one end of the pin to beyond the middle of the same. At the
opposite side of the pin is a similar recess C, which extends from the opposite
end of the pin to beyond the middle. The union of the recesses C-C at the
middle of the pin form a slot c, which is utilized in the manner hereinafter set
forth. D represents a pinion located within the recess C, and D' represents a
pinion located within the recess C'. The teeth d-d' of the pinious D-D¹ respec-
tively project slightly beyond the perimeter of the pin B. The inner end of the

page_text: teeth d-d of the pinions D-D¹ respectively overlap and mesh through the
slot, and by doing so the movement of the pinion D is transmitted to the pinion D',
The pinion D is provided with a spindle b, which is journalled in
a circular hole e formed in the pin B. The pinion D' is provided with a spindle b
journalled in a similar hole. It might here be stated that the recess C extends
through the head a to its outer side face, in order that the pinion D can he readily
inserted into the recess C. Mounted on the pin B contiguous to the inner side
face of the head a is the eye F of the handle bar section G. Mounted on the
pin B contiguous to the eye F is the eye of the handle bar section G. The
inner face of the eye F is provided with a semi-circular gear or internal segmental
gear H, the teeth of which extend partially across the inner face of the eye, and
between the end of the gear H and the side face of the eye F, contiguous to the
eye F¹, is a clearance h, entirely devoid of teeth. The inner face of the eye F' is
provided with a gear H similar to the gear H, the teeth of which extend partially
across the inner face of the said eye. Between the end of the gear H¹ and the
side face of the eye F, contiguous to the eye F, is a clearance . The semi-
annular gear H meshes with the pinion D, whilst the semi-annular gear H¹ meshes
with the pinion D'. The clearance & precludes any possibility of the teeth of the
semi-annular gear H meshing with the teeth of the pinion D'. The teeth of the
semi-annular gear H' mesh with the teeth of the pinion D', and the clearance h
prevents any possibility of the teeth of the semi-annular gear H' meshing with the
teeth of the pinion Ď. The end of the pin B opposite the head a is screw-
threaded, and fitted on the screw-threaded end of the pin is a lock cap or nut I,
provided with a lever . The inner face of the head a, both side faces of the
eye F, and the inner side face of the eye F, are serrated. The serrations g
interlock and assist in maintaining the handle bar sections rigidly in their adjusted
position.
The operation of the device is as follows: By releasing the locking cap or nut 1,
the handle bar sections can be moved in either direction. Assume that the handle
bar section G is moved upwards or into the position shown in Fig. 1; the teeth of
the semi-annular gear H meshing with the teeth of the pinion D, and the teeth of the
pinion D meshing with the teeth of the pinion D', and the teeth of the pinion D'
meshing with the teeth of the semi-annular gear H', cause the handle bar
section G to move upwardly in the 'direction indicated by arrows, simultaneously
with the section G, and to the same extent of movement. The reverse movement
of the handle bar section G would cause the reverse movement of the handle bar
section G. When the handle bar sections have been adjusted to their proper
position, the locking cap or nut I is screwed tightly against the adjacent side face
of the eye F¹ of the handle bar section G'; this locks the handle bar sections
securely in their adjusted position. It is possible for the rider to adjust the handle
bar sections without dismounting, and to lock the handle bar sections in their
adjusted position. By means of this device the handle bar sections can be raised
or lowered as required into any position, and when storing the wheel in a hallway,
or limited space, they can be lowered against the upper reach bar, and thus enable
the wheel to occupy a more limited space than it otherwise would.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, we hereby declare that what we claim is:
1. A steering apparatus for vehicles consisting of a steering post, a handle bar
comprised of two independent sections working from the same centre, and a means
for simultaneously moving in the same direction each of the handle bar sections,
substantially as specified.
2. A steering apparatus for vehicles consisting of a steering post, a head for the
steering post fitted to receive two pinions, a handle bar comprised of two independent
sections, each section having an eye fitted with a gear adapted to engage its
respective pinion, substantially as specified.
3. A steering apparatus for vehicles consisting of a steering post, a horizontal

page_text: pin extending from the steering post, a handle bar comprised of two independent
sections, each section having an eye through which passes said pin, and a means for
simultaneously moving in the same direction each of the handle bar sections,
substantially as specified.
4. A steering apparatus for vehicles consisting of a steering post, a horizontal
pin extending from the head of the steering post, a handle bar comprised of two
independent sections, each section provided with an eye through which passes the
said pin, an annular gear on the inner face of each of the eyes, two engaging
pinions fitted to the pin adapted to engage respectively with the gear in the eye of
the handle bar sections, substantially as specified.
5. A steering apparatus for vehicles consisting of a steering post, a horizontal
pin extending from the steering post, a handle bar comprised of two independent
sections, each section having an eye through which passes the said pin, a seini-
annular gear cut on the inner face of each of the said eyes, the teeth extending
partially across the same, leaving a clearance contiguous to the adjacent meeting
faces of the said eyes, two engaging pinions fitted to the said pin, each engaging
with the teeth of the semi-annular gear of its respective handle bar section,
substantially as specified.
6. In a steering apparatus for vehicles a handle bar consisting of two independent
sections, the inner end of each section fitted with an eye, an annular gear on the
inner face of said eye, the teeth of which extend partially across the face of the
same, leaving a clearance contiguous to the adjacent meeting face of the said eye,
substantially as specified.
7. In a steering apparatus for vehicles, a handle bar consisting of two independent
sections, the inner end of each section fitted with an eye, an annular gear on the
inner face of said eye, the teeth of which extend partially across the face of the
same, leaving a clearance contiguous to the adjacent meeting face of the said eye,
in combination with two engaging pinions fitted to the head of the steering post
substantially as specified.
8. In a steering apparatus for vehicles, the combination of the steering post, a
horizontal pin fitted to the steering post, two obliquely opposed recesses formed in
the horizontal pin, extending inwardly from their respective ends and uniting at
the middle to forin a slot through the said pin, a pinion located in each of said
recesses, the teeth at the inner ends of which mesh through the said slot,.
substantially as specified.
9. In a steering apparatus for vehicles, the combination of the steering post, a
horizontal pin fitted to the steering post, two obliquely opposed recesses formed
in the horizontal pin, extending inwardly from their respective ends and uniting at
the middle to form a slot through the said pin, a pinion located in each of said
recesses, the teeth at the inner ends of which mesh through the said slot, in com-
bination with a handle bar comprised of two independent sections, each section
having an eye through which passes the said pin, an annular gear on the inner
face of each eye, adapted to engage with its respective pinion, substantially as
specified.
10. In a steering apparatus for vehicles, the combination of the steering post, a
horizontal pin fitted to the steering post, two obliquely opposed recesses formed in
the horizontal pin, extending inwardly from their respective ends and uniting at
the middle to form a slot through the said pin, a pinion located in each of said
recesses, the teeth at the inner ends of which inesh through the said slot, in com-
bination with a handle bar comprised of two independent sections, each section
having an eye through which passes the said pin, an annular gear on the inner face
of each eye, adapted to engage with its respective pinion, and a cap to lock the
handle bar sections in their adjusted position, substantially as specified.
11. In a steering apparatus for vehicles, the combination of the steering post, a
horizontal pin fitted to the steering post, two obliquely opposed recesses formed in
the horizontal pin, extending inwardly from their respective ends and uniting at
the middle to form a slot through the said pin, a pinion located in each of said.

page_text: recesses, the teeth at the inner ends of which mesh through the said slot, in com-
bination with a handle bar comprised of two independent sections, each section
having an eye through which passes the said pin, an annular gear on the inner face
of each eye, adapted to engage with its respective pinion, the side faces of the eyes
of the handle bar sections serrated to engage with each other and with the serrated
side face of the head of the steering post, substantially as specified.
12. In a steering apparatus for vehicles, the combination of the steering post, a
horizontal pin fitted to the steering post, two obliquely opposed recesses formed in
the horizontal pin, extending inwardly from their respective ends and uniting at
the middle to form a slot through the said pin, a pinion located in each of said
recesses, the teeth at the inner ends of which mesh through the said slot, in
combination with a handle bar comprised of two independent sections, each section
having an eye through which passes the said pin, an annular gear on the inner face
of each eye, adapted to engage with its respective pinion, the side faces of the eyes
of the bandle bar sections serrated to engage with each other and with the serrated
side face of the head of the steering post, and a cap or nut to lock the handle bar
sections in their adjusted positions, substantially as specified.
13. The adjustable handle bars herein before described and illustrated in Figs. 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
14. The steering post hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of
the accompanying drawings.
15. The handle bar hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of
the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 7th day of May 1896
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.