Improvements in Hand Rests for Bicycle Handle Bars.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hand Rests for Bicycle Handle Bars.
I, ALEXANDER WILLIAMS BIDDLE, residing at Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia,
in the County of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of
America, Physician, 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:-
It is well known that in the prolonged use of the bicycle, the constant gripping
of the grips of the handle-bar and the vibration of the bar incident to the running
of the machine, have a tendency to occasion fatigue, and stiffening and numbness,
in the hands, wrists, and arms, of the rider,-
,-a matter of serious consideration to
instrumental musicians, artists, draftsmen, engravers, and others with whom the
perfect command and capacity for normal movement of the fingers and wrist is a
first consideration.
This result, in fact, is so well understood that riders constantly rest themselves.
either by riding "hands-off" or by removing the hands from the grips and grasping
the body portion of the handle bar.
Many devices, moreover, designed to afford the desired relief have been resorted
to, and spring handles, and wooden, or other springy as opposed to rigid, handle
bars, have been more or less generally employed.
My invention aims to overcome the fatigue incident to the use of the ordinary
type of handle bar, and, to such end, comprehends the provision upon a handle bar
of hand rests, or devices applied to the bar, which are of such preferably hemi-
spherical or generally curved or convex upper-surfaced form, as will serve to
measurably fill the cavity of the palm of the open hand, aud upon which the rider
may with comfort or absence of the fatigue due to the closing and retaining for a
long time closed of the hands, simply lay or rest his open or extended hands, and
give support to the carpal and metacarpal bones, and, at the same time, effect the
steering by forward pressure in an approximately horizontal plane with the heel of
either band against the inner portion of either hand rest.
A handle bar embodying my improvements is represented in the accompanying
drawings, and hereinafter described, the particular subject-matter which I claim as
novel being hereinafter definitely specified.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a handle bar embodying my improvements,
and unprovided with the usual grips.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same, illustrating the contemplated application
of one of the open or extended hands of the rider to one of the hand rests.
Figure 3 is a side elevational view,-sectional in the plane of the dotted line
applied to the handle bar of Figure 2, and sight being taken in the direction of the
arrows applied to said line, of the right hand end portion of said handle bar of
Figure 2, of the right hand-rest, and of the hand open or extended applied
thereto.
Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the ordinary type of grip-provided handle
bar, embodying my improvement.
Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the end portion of an ordinary
handle bar, showing one of iny hand rests applied thereto close up against the
arin

page_text: Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of my hand rests, provided with a split.
or open tightening-screw provided collar for attachment to and adjustment upon
the handle bar.
Figure 7 is a similar view of a hand rest, embodying a closed or continuous collar
having a set screw for effecting the attachment of the rest to the handle bar and
its adjustment thereupou in any preferred position.
Figure 8 is a transverse sectional elevation of a handle bar and a hand rest
embodying my invention, made hollow, and equipped with an attaching strap
adapted to effect its application to the bar.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In the drawings,
A represents the handle bar of a bicycle, erected, as shown in Figures 1 and 4,
upon the usual stem or post a.
a are handle grips of the usual ellipsoidal type, applied to the han lle bars shown
in Figures 4 and 5.
Bare my improved hand rests, adapted, as is preferable, to be removably attached
to the handle bar, but, if desired, to be made integral therewith.
The form of the handle rests is not of the essence of invention so long at least as
the rests are of a suitable form to comfortably receive, fill, and rest the hollows of
the palms of the open or extended hands upon.
I prefer, however, to make the rests hemi-spherical as shown in the drawings,
hemi-spheroidal, or of a generally curved or rounded form, the edges of which are
smooth and curved to avoid the discomfort that would arise from a sharp edged or
angular contour.
The material of which the rests are formed is, moreover, inconsequential, and
they may be made of metal, hard rubber, wood, composition, celluloid, or other
preferred material; and either in the natural finish, or plated, enamelled, or covered
with cloth or leather, as the character of the material selected may permit.
The means by which the rests are secured to the handle bar, is likewise
immaterial, but I find it convenient, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, to provide the
under surface, or base plate so to speak, of the rest, with either a split collar B*,
as in the construction shown in Figure 6, or with a continuous collar B**, as in the
construction shown in Figure 7,-the collars being formed each with a central
circular aperture through which the handle bar passes, and being respectively
secured thereon by the tightening screw 6 as in Figure 6, or by a set screw b* as in
Figure 7.
I also find it convenient where, for instance, the rest is made hollow, as in
Figure 8, to provide it with a separate base or keeper b³, conveniently secured to
it by attaching screws, and provided with a flexible attaching strap b', the free
end of which is adapted to be secured to the keeper by a clamping screw b³.
All of these devices for attaching the hand rest are, however, typical merely of
means for effecting attachment, and I do not limit myself to them. They answer
the purpose but they are not essential..
As is indicated in the drawings, the rests may be placed in different positions
upon the handle bar,-nearer together or further apart,-and they may, if desired,
be used on a bar that is unprovided with grips or handles of any character.
While, moreover, I prefer to apply the rests so that their upper surfaces are
approximately level, as shown in the drawings, yet it is obvious that a slight
inclination from the horizontal, as, for instance, downwardly and to the rear, will
be preferable for the rider who affects a particular attitude.
Where the rests are used upon handle bars without grips, the upward pull
resorted to in hill climbing, may be made upon the bar itself by grasping it to the
side of the grips.
The advantages of the invention have been sufficiently set out in the preamble,
and it is sufficient to add that the rests serve to rest the open or extended palms
upon, and, by filling, so to speak, the cavities of the palins, permit of the extension
of the fingers and consequently relieve the fatigue of the hands which is incident

page_text: to their closure upon or constant gripping of a handle or other cylindriform
surface upon which they are adapted to be and in fact are closed, and at the
same time to afford means for the steering of the machine by the slight forward.
pressure upon them exerted in the plane which they occupy.
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:
1. In combination with a bicycle handle bar, two broad slightly convex upper-
surfaced hand rests conforming substantially in form and extent to the open palms.
of the hands of the rider, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. In combination with a bicycle handle bar, two broad slightly convex upper-.
surfaced band rests conforming substantially in form and extent to the open palms
of the hands of the rider, and means for attaching said hand rests to said handle
bar, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. In combination with a bicycle handle bar, two broad slightly convex upper--
surfaced hand rests conforming substantially in form and extent to the open palms
of the hands of the rider, and means applied to said hand rests for permitting of
their independent adjustment with respect to said handle bar, substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
A
A n 1005
Witnesses
FREDERIC NORMAN DIXON.
THOMAS KEYS LANCASTER.
ALEXANDER WILLIAMS BIDDLE.