Improvements in or relating to Handle Bars to Reduce Vibration for Cycles and other Purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
Improvements in or relating to Handle Bars to Reduce Vibration for
Cycles and other Purposes.
WILLIAM FRASER, Engineer, "Dovedale," School Road, Moseley, Birmingham,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
The object of my invention is to obviate as far as possible the vibration on handle
bars, particularly the extreme ends which are generally covered with felt, cork,
velvet or some other soft material, but neither has sufficient resiliency to prevent
the jarring caused when riding, and particularly when on rough roads.
In carrying out my invention I prefer to use tube about the same dimension as
that at present in use, but with suitable ends for my pneumatic handles, which can
be inflated (with the ordinary air pump now used for the tyres) to suit the require-
ments of the rider; each handle being fitted with a suitable non-return air valve,
or one valve can be attached to the handle bar, and both handles simultaneously
inflated thereby. The pneumatic handle is applicable for any kind of handle bars,
and can be made in a variety of different shapes and forms, and produced in various
kinds of materials, which is also the case with the outside covering, but I prefer
to use buckskin, morocco, chamois or other soft suitable leathers. It is obvious
that the ends of the handle bars must be considerably reduced in diameter to make
provision for the necessary air cushion, and that the handle bar and the skeleton
frame for the pneumatic handles can either be made seperately or conjointly i.e.
the pneumatic handles can be made complete in themselves and afterwards attached
to the handle bars or, the handle bar and skeleton frame of the handles can be
manufactured and produced in one piece; the rubber tube can be attached and-
fixed in any suitable way to the skeleton frame work of the said handles, either by
means of wire, cement, ferrules or otherwise which is also the case with the outside
covering, but a perfect pneumatic handle can be produced either with or without
an outside covering, providing the rubber tube is manufactured with canvass or
insertion sheet, but, either would be modifications of my invention.
Dated this 18th day of June 1897.
0 Improvements in or relating to Handle Bars to Reduce Vibration for
Cycles and other Purposes.
I, WILLIAM FRASER, Engineer, residing at “Dovedale," School Road, Moseley,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of this
Pine R71

page_text: 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 consists in certain improvements in cycle and other handle-bars
and handles, which have for their object, primarily, the reduction to a minimum
of all vibration and jar upon the rider's hands, which is so evident with existing
handle bars, and, secondarily, a more comfortable and flexible grip than hitherto.
According to this invention the handles at the extreme ends of the handle bar
are made pneumatic or inflating, and the hollow interiors of the handle bar and
stem are used as a reserve chainber or as a reservoir, in order to feed the said
handles or preserve the air pressure within them. The handles, handle bar, and
handle bar stem are all in communication with each other, and all under a common
air pressure, for the express purpose of having a considerable volume of air under
pressure so as to prevent condensation and, as a consequence, deflation.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings the invention is illustrated, Fig. 1
representing a part vertical section of the complete handle bar and stem, Fig. 2 a
sectional plan of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a full sized longitudinal section of one of the ends
of the handle bar with its terminating handle, and Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the component
parts of Fig. 3 separate.
The handle bar a and handle bar stem d are made up of tubes brazed together,
at da, in the ordinary manner, but the lower end of the stem is hermetically
closed; an opening or passage d communicates between the handle bar and the
stem, and a non return valve a² is provided and fitted within the junction lug a³
and the handle bar a, for the purpose of inflating the said handle bar and stem
and handles.
The extreme ends a³ of the handle bar are fitted with pneumatic handles c,
identical in construction, each handle being in direct communication with the
handle bar and stem and simultaneously inflated therewith. Each handle is
built up of an outer cover and an air sack, the former being preferably buckskin,
chamois leather, or other soft material, and the latter rubber, canvas, or silk.
The air sack e, which is preferably made from a thin tube, as shown in Fig. 4,
is mounted upon a rigid handle frame g connected brazed or otherwise immovably
attached to the extreme end a³ of the handle bar. This rigid frame, which forms
a central support to the inflated handle-proper, is preferably of a tubular or hollow
construction, and is composed of metal; it consisting of a tubular waist part g
having a piercing g³ within it, an enlarged inner end g, having an inner cylindrical
concaved collar 9³, inwards of its extremity, brazed within the handle bar end,
and an outer bulbous, collar 96, having a circular groove or convexity 97 slightly
inwards of its end and a central piercing 98 through its outer walls. This central
support practically forms a frame rigid with the handle bar upon which is built
the pneumatic covering.
The air tube or sack is pulled over its central support and is firmly tied at its
inner end e upon the concave collar and at its outer end e³ upon the grooved part
of cylindrical convexity g², its extreme end being gathered in and tied as an extra
security.
The buckskin or chamois leather covering fits over the central support and the
inflated tube sheath-like, its outer end c³ being closed and its inner end fitted with
an internally screwed ferrule c', the latter being adapted to engage the externally
screwed open end of the handle bar for the purpose of the affixment in position of
the said cover, the latter pulling tight up against the end 96 of the central support.
The cover c² is the confining media to the blowing up or inflation of the air tube
or sack e, and is preferably made of a material allowing of little stretching.
The handles and also the handle bar and stem are inflated under a common pressure,
by way of the non-return valve a³, through the medium of an ordinary tire inflator
now carried by every cyclist; the air passing from the handle bar to the air sack c
by way of the bore of the central rigid support g and the piercing or hole g³. The
air pressure in the handles is sustained by reason of the handle bar and stem being

page_text: also charged, and being in communication therewith as the volume of air con-
tained under pressure in the parts is sufficient to keep that particular portion con-
tained within the air sack rarified or in physical equilibrium and prevent its
condensation or liquifaction.
Handles constructed according to this invention may, if necessary, be arranged
upon the handle bar as auxiliary grips, the same being shown in dotted lines on
Fig. 1.
This invention may be applied for the purpose of reducing the vibration upon
the handle bars of motor-cars perambulators and such like.
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 I
claim is:-
First. In cycle and other handles and handle bars; the combination with a
handle bar and stem, of a central handle support g, rigidly attached to the end
of the handle bar and formed with a tubular waist g² and enlarged ends g, ge, an
inflatable air sack sleeve or tube e adapted to surround the said central support
and to be slung from its enlarged ends, and a confining cover or sheath adapted
to enclose the central support and the air sack and to be resiliently cushioned
upon the latter substantially as described.
Second. In cycle and other handles and handle bars; the combination of a hollow
handle bar a or handle bar stem d, or a hollow handle bar and stem, capable of re-
taining air under pressure and fitted with a non-return valve a³, a central handle
support g rigidly attached to the handle bar end, the said support having a tubular
waist g², enlarged ends g', 96, and a hole or piercing g³, and being in communica-
tion with the bore of the handle bar, an inflatable air sack, tube or sleeve e sur-
rounding the said central support and slung from its enlarged ends, and a con-
fining cover or sheath 2 adapted to enclose the central support and the air sack
and to be resiliently cushioned upon the latter and to be connected onto the handle
bar end, substantially as described.
Third. In cycle and other handles and handle bars, the combination of a hollow
handle bar a or handle bar stem d, or a hollow handle bar and stem capable of
retaining air under pressure and fitted with a non-return valve a², a central handle
support g rigidly attached to the end of the handle bar and formed with a tubular
waist g³, enlarged ends g, g, a hole or piercing g³ and concave collars g³, g7, and
being in communication with the bore of the handle bar, an inflatable air sack
sleeve or tube e adapted to surround the said central support and to be slung from
and tied to the concave collars of its enlarged ends, and a confining cover or
sheath adapted to enclose the central support and the air sack and to be resili-
ently cushioned upon the latter, and to be connected onto the handle bar end by
screwing, substantially as described.
Dated this 1541 1
1 1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Also of Liverpool, London, and Manchester,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.