A New or Improved Pneumatic or Air Buffer Handle for Obtaining a Non-vibratory Grip or Hold of the Steering Handle Bar, Brake Lever, or other Parts of Bicycles, Velocipedes, and other Carriages.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th June, 1890-Accepted, 23rd Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Pneumatic or Air Buffer Handle for Obtaining
a Non-vibratory Grip or Hold of the Steering Handle Bar,
Brake Lever, or other Parts of Bicycles, Velocipedes, and other
Carriages.
HENRY WATERSON 15 Potters Hill Aston County of Warwick, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The purpose of my invention is to provide a non-vibratory bandle for bicycles,
velocipedes and other carriages upon which the rider requires to hold such handles by
interposing an air chamber between the metallic handle bar or other part of the
bicycle, velocipede or carriage, and the hand of the rider in such manner as hereinafter
described in order to relieve the rider from the vibration which is transmitted to the
hands and arms when the handles composed of metal, bone, ivory, or other solid
substances are used.
I will describe my invention in connection with the handles of a bicycle though
the same description is applicable to the handle bar, brake lever, or any other part
of bicycles velocipedes or carriages which may require to be held by the hand of
the rider.
Upon the metallic handle bar or other part of such bicycle requiring to be held by
the hand, I slide a cylindrical india-rubber tube of a length equal to the required
handle, and internally of such diameter for a certain distance from each end as
will ensure a perfectly tight fit upon the handle bar, whilst in the central portion
of my india-rubber cylinder I have a larger internal diameter and the space thus
left between the handle bar and the internal diameter of the enlarged or central
inner surface of the india-rubber cylinder or tube forms a perfectly air tight chamber.
In order to secure a sufficient volume and pressure of air within the chamber.
formed as described I insert at any convenient point of the india-rubber cylinder, a
small air valve through which I force or blow in the necessary amount of air and so
extend and force outwards the outer diameter of the handle until it is sufficiently firm
and resisting under the grasp of the riders hand.
I further provide at each end on the outside of the india-rubber cylinder or tube, a
clip or band of sheet metal which encircles the diameter of the india-rubber
cylinder and firmly secures the ends of the same on and around the handle bar
and hermetically closes both ends of the air chamber before described.
Where it is desirable to dispense with the metal clips or bands used for securing the
ends of india-rubber cylinder to handle bar 1 form the air chamber within a
cylindrical india-rubber tube having a parallel hole running longitudinally through its
centre and the circumference of which stretches tightly upon the handle bar, thus
surrounding the metallic bar by an elongated ring of india-rubber outside of which
inner tube or shell and between it and the outer shell of my india-rubber cylinder or
tube I leave a circular space running longitudinally to within a certain distance of cach,
end, thus the air chamber formed is a cavity entirely formed of and encased by india-
ubber and the handle bar not passing directly through the air chamber renders it,
innecessary to hermetically seal the surface of contact of the india-rubber cylinder or
ube with the metallic handle bar.
Dated this 9th dev of October 1880

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Pneumatic or Air Buffer Handle for Obtaining
a Non-vibratory Grip or Hold of the Steering Handle Bar,
Brake Lever, or other Parts of 'Bicycles, Velocipedes, and other
Carriages.
I HENRY WATERSON of No. 15 Potter's Hill, Aston in the County of Warwick
Commercial Traveller do hereby declare the nature of my invention and the manner
in which the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
| My invention has for its object to construct non-vibratory handles or grips for the
steering handle bars and other hand gripped parts of bicycles tricycles and other
velocipedes and carriages; that is, handles or grips which shall wholly prevent or
greatly diminish the transmission of the tremor or vibration of the travelling vehicle
to the bands of the rider of the said vehicle; and my said invention consists in effecting
this object by making the handle or grip in the form of an air chamber or air cushion
on the handle bar or part to be gripped, the said air chamber or air cushion being
constructed substantially as hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing.
I will describe and illustrate my invention in connection with a handle or grip for
the steering handle bar of a bicycle.
I form the handle or grip of vulcanized india rubber and construct it of an inner
cylindrical tube and an outer air chamber preferably of a bulbous or ellipsoidal figure
surrounding the greater part of the said inner cylindrical tube the ends of the air
chamber being closed. The internal diameter of the inner cylindrical tube of the
handle or grip is less than that of the handle bar on which it is fixed so that by
drawing the said inner cylinder upon the handle bar.it is so expanded that its elasticity
binds it firmly on the handle bar.
Or the non-vibratory handle or grip may be used without the continuous internal
cylindrical tube for gripping the handle bar. In this case the bulbous or ellipsoidal
vulcanized india rubber air chamber or air cushion has short cylindrical ends or collars
which are drawn upon and fixed to the handle bar in any convenient way.
A small air valve or perforation may be used in the air chamber or cushion for
inflating the same.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in elevation and Figure 2 in
longitudinal section a non-vibratory handle or grip of the first described kind and
Figures 3 and 4 represent cross sections of the same taken respectively on the dotted
lines a a and b, b Figure 1.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawing.
c is the cylindrical handle bar; d is the inner cylindrical tube of the handle or grip
which is drawn upon the said handle bar cand e is the closed air chamber or air
cushion surrounding the said inner cylindrical tube d the said cylindrical tube and air
chamber or cushion being made of vulcanized india rubber. The said air chamber or
air cushion e has the bulbous or ellipsoidal figure represented the diameter of the said
chamber being greatest at its middle (see the section Figure 3) and diminishing as it
approaches the closed ends of the chamber but I do not confine myself to any
particular shape of the air chamber or air cushion of the handle or grip...The
contraction of the long continuous inner tube d of the handle or grip after it has been
drawn upon the handle bar e suffices to hold the said handle or grip firmly upon the
handle bar. The said grip may however be further secured in its place by india rubber
or other cement.
с
I inflate the closed air chamber or cushion e or produce the required pressure of air
within it to sufficiently resist the grip of the rider's hand in the following way.
At the middle and projecting on the inner side of the air chamber e a block or

page_text: thickened piece e² of india rubber is made as in the ordinary manufacture of inflated
india rubber articles. Through this block or thickened piece e² a fine hole.or
perforation is made and into this hole the fine and pointed tubular nozzle of an air
syringe is passed and by working the said syringe the closed air chamber is inflated to
the required degree. On withdrawing the nozzle of the air syringe from the fine hole
in the block e the elasticity or contraction of the said block closes air tight the said
fine hole and the air chamber or air cushion is preserved in its inflated state.
By interposing between the hand of the rider and the metallic (or other) steering
bar c of the velocipede the air chamber or air cushion e the vibration or tremor
of the velocipede is not transmitted to, the hand or is transmitted only to a limited
extent..
.
Figure 5 represents in section a modified handle or grip constructed according to
my invention. In this modification the outer part of the handle has a bulbous figure
and its end is nearly closed and the air chamber or air cushion e is confined to the
bulbous outer part so that while the air chamber part e of the handle is capable of a
limited yielding when gripped the inner or chamberless part is solid or non-yielding.
The rider can thus grip either the yielding or non-yielding part of the handle as he
may require. The air chamber at the outer part of the handle is inflated by passing
the nozzle of an air syringe through a fine hole in the block e² as hereinbefore
described and a hole a³ in the nearly closed end of the handle permits of the escape of
air when the tubular part d is drawn onto the end of the handle bar c.
Figure 6 represents in elevation and Figure 7 in longitudinal section a non
vibratory handle or grip in which the inner cylindrical tube is omitted and the
vulcanized india rubber air chamber or cushion has tubular ends or collars for fixing
it to the handle bar instead of a continuous internal tube as in the handles or grips
before described. In this modified handle or grip the bulbous or ellipsoidal air
chamber or cushion f has cylindrical ends or collars g g which are drawn upon the
handle bar c and fastened thereto so as to close both ends of the handle or grip fand
form the said handle or grip into an air chamber or cushion. The fastening of the
ends g, g of the chamber fupon the handle bar may be effected by coiling fine wire
catgut or other cord around the said ends as represented at h, h or by means of
metallic clips or bands made to encircle and bind the said ends of the chamber upon
the handle bar.
In order the more efficiently to bind the tubular ends g g upon the handle bar the
parts of the handle bar on which the tubular ends g g are fixed may be grooved or
have a screw thread cut upon them into which grooves or screw thread the tubular
ends are forced by the binding wire or cord as represented at ii Figure 8.
may be
Those parts of the handle bar on which the tubular ends or collars 9, 9 fit
coated with india rubber cement in order the more effectively to make the contact
between the said tubular ends g, g and handle bar airtight.
To prevent the possibility of failure in the action of the air chamber or cushion fa
small automatic valve opening inwards as represented at k Figure 7 may be employed.
Should any air escape by pressure on the air chamber when this pressure is removed
the said air chamber f expands to its normal shape drawing in air at the valve k. The
valve Figure 7 and the construction and appliances hereinbefore described for
introducing compressed air into the chambers e an may be dispensed with as by
making the walls of the closed chambers of the grip of sufficient thickness any required
resistance to compression by the hand may be obtained and the restoration of the grip
to its normal figure on the relaxation of the pressure of the hand effected.
The new or improved non-vibratory handles or grips described and illustrated may
be applied to the steering handle bars and brake levers and other handles or hand
gripped parts of velocipedes generally and also to the holding handles of carriages such
as bath chairs and perambulators.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
as my invention of "A new or improved pneumatic or air buffer handle for

page_text: obtaining a non-vibratory grip or hold of the steering handle bar brake lever or other
parts of bicycles velocipedes and other carriages."
A pneumatic or air buffer handle or grip consisting of an air chamber or air
cushion of elastic vulcanized india rubber preferably of a bulbous or ellipsoidal figure
placed upon the part or parts of the handle bar or other handle to be gripped by the
rider or propeller, the said air chamber or air cushion being constructed and applied
in the ways and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawing.
Dated the Twenty-first day of June 1890
HENRY WATERSON.