Improvements in the Handle Bars and Brake Gear of Velocipedes, for the Purpose of Allowing the Handle Bar to be Turned into Line with the Wheels.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 13th Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Handle Bars and Brake Gear of Velocipedes,
for the Purpose of Allowing the Handle Bar to be Turned into
Line with the Wheels.
I MARK MACER of Belgrave House Enfield Highway in the County of
Middlesex, Wheelwright, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to allow the handle bars of velocipides to be
turned into the same plane as the wheels, thus reducing the width of the
machine. Now according to this invention I attach the handle bar to a tee piece
of which the vertical portion is somewhat longer than usual and in the said vertical
portion I form a spiral or bayonet slot which engages with a pin or stud in the
steering tube or pillar.
If the slot is spiral I form a vertical slot at the top thereof and a horizontal slot
at the bottom the said horizontal and vertical slots forming continuations of the
spiral. Or I may form the handle bars with hinges or pivots in such a manner
that the handles will fold either downwards or together.
A convenient method of carrying this part of my invention into practice is by
attaching the handle bars to the tee piece by means of horizontal pivots so that
the handles will fold downwards, and to secure the handle bars in the steering
position I attach to the tee piece a circular or other suitably shaped piece of metal
rotating on a pin or stud attached to the tee piece. the said piece of metal having
slots therein at opposite extremities thereof.
When the slots are in line with the handle bars they will fall down but if the
slots are at right angles to the bars the latter will be secured in the proper position
for steering.
Or I may attach the handle bar tube to a slotted socket having attached thereto
the lamp holder and a spring lever which latter engages with a socket on the tube
attached to the steering fork.
The socket on the said tube has a rim provided with slots into which the spring
lever falls when the handle bar is turned at right angles to the wheel and secures
the handle to the steering fork.
Or I may attach a collar to the upper end of the tube which is secured to the
front fork which tube is slit at its upper end and has also a cross slot formed
therein.
A pin secured to the handle bar tube engages with the said slot so as to prevent
the handle bar from rising while allowing it to be turned round either to the right
or left.
in the collar is a recess in which works a block secured to a clamping
screw in such a manner that when the clamping screw is turned in one direction
the block is forced onto the slit tube and secures it to the handle bar tube a turn
in the opposite direction allows the handle bar to be turned into line with the
wheels.
Or I may secure the collar to the handle bar tube by means of a set screw or
the usual clamping device thus allowing the height of the handles to be adjusted to
suit the convenience of the rider.
In this case the vin would be attached to the clamping block.

page_text: The brake rod may be connected to the brake lever 'on the handle bar in the
manner described in my former Specification No. 18492 of 1893 or in any other
suitable way.
These improvements may be attached to existing machines at a small cost.
Dated this 13th day of November 1894.
T. E. HALFORD,
11 Furnival Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Handle Bars and Brake Gear of Velocipedes,
for the Purpose of Allowing the Handle Bar to be Turned into
Line with the Wheels.
I MARK MACER of Belgrave House Enfield Highway in the County of
Middlesex Wheelwright, 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 :-
:-
The object of this invention is to allow the handle bars of velocipedes to be
turned into the same plane as the wheels thus reducing the width of the
machine.
Now according to this invention I attach the handle bar to a tee piece of which
the vertical portion is somewhat longer than usual and in the said vertical portion
I form a spiral or bayonet slot which engages with a pin or stud in the steering
tube or pillar.
If the slot is spiral I form a vertical slot at the top thereof and a horizontal slot
at the bottom thereof the said vertical and horizontal slots forming continuations
of 'the spiral.
Or I may form the handle bars with hinges or pivots in such a manner that the
handles will fold downwards or together. A convenient method of carrying this
part of my invention into practice is by attaching the handle bars to the tee piece
by means of horizontal pivots so that the handles will fold downwards and to secure
the handle bars in the steering position I attach to the tee piece a circular or other
suitably shaped piece of metal rotating on a pin or stud attached to the tee piece
the said piece of metal having slots therein at opposite extremities. When the
slots are in line with the handle bars the latter will fall down but if the slots are at
right angles to the handle bars the said bars will be secured in the proper position
for steering.
Or I may attach the handle bar tube to a suitable socket having attached thereto
the lamp bracket and a spring lever which latter engages with a socket on the tube
attached to the steering fork.
The socket on the steering tube has a rim provided with slots into which the
spring lever falls when the handle bar is at right angles to or in line with the
wheels and so secures the handle bar to the steering fork.
Or I may attach a collar to the upper end of the tube which is secured to the
front fork which tube is slit at its upper end and has also a cross slot formed
therein.
A pin secured to the handle bar tube engages with the said slot so as to prevent
the handle bar from rising while allowing it to turn round either to the right
or left.
In the collar is a recess in which works a block connected to a clamping screw
in such a manner that when the said screw is turned in one direction the block is
forced on to the slit tube and secures the latter to the handle bar tube. A turn

page_text: in the opposite direction allows the handle bar to be turned into line with the
wheels.
Or I may attach the collar to the handle bar tube by means of a set screw or
the usual clamping device thus allowing the height of the handles to be adjusted to
suit the convenience of the rider. In this case the pin would be attached to the
collar or clamping block.
The brake rod may be connected to the brake lever on the handle bar in the
manner described in my former Specification Number 18492 dated October 3rd
1893, or in any other suitable way.
The improvements may be attached to existing machines at a small cost.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
explain the same with reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings in
which :-
Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section of a portion of the steering head of a
bicycle baving the handle bar attached thereto by means of a collar and clamping
block.
Fig. 2 is elevation of same.
Figs. 3 and 5 are sections shewing methods of securing the handle bar tubes of
bicycles to the steering tube by means of spring levers and slotted sockets.
Figs. 4 and 6 are elevations of same.
Figs. 7 and 8 are front views of a portion of the handle bars and tee piece of a
bicycle shewing method of securing the handle bars and tee piece to the handle
bar tube by means of a pin and slot.
Fig. 9 is side view of same.
Fig. 10 is section shewing method of securing bicycle bandle bars to the tee piece
by means of hinges or pivots.
Fig. 11 is plan of same.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the figures.
a is the handle bar tube b b the handle bars c the tube attached to the steering
fork d the lamp bracket.
In Figs. 1 and 2 f is a collar secured to the tube a by the usual lugs and
bolt passing through holes in the lugs. h is a set screw tapped into the collar f
and engaging with a cross slot in the tube c to prevent the collar from rising. i is
a block sliding in a recess in the collar f and capable of being forced on to
the tube c by means of the clamping screw j the tube c being slit at it upper
edge.
When the screw j is turned in one direction the block is forced on to the
tube c and causes it to grip the tube a and bold the handle bar in the position for
steering.
When the screw is turned in the opposite direction the pressure of the block
is removed and the handle bar can then be turned into line with the wheels.
In Figs. 3 and 4 k is a collar clumped to the tube a in the usual way to this
collar is attached the lamp bracket and a lever normally maintained in the
position shewn by the spring m. This lever engages with a slot in the collar n
clamped or otherwise secured to the tube c.
The collar n has a ball race formed therein as shewn at Fig. 3.
By pulling the end of the lever outwards the handle bar may be turned into
line with the wheels and secured in that position by allowing the lever to engage
with the slot n¹.
In Figs. 5 and 6 the lever is pivoted to the collar n and engages with slots in
the collar k. o is a pin the end of which enters a groove in the collar n to prevent
the collar k from rising.
Or the spring lever nay take the form of a bolt constantly urged in the
direction necessary to secure the handle bars to the steering tube by means of a
spring.
In Figs. 7. 8 and 9 the tee piece is free to rotate on the tube a when the

page_text: horizontal portion of the slot q is level with pin p which is accomplished by lifting
the handle bar until the slot is in the required position.
The spiral slot shewn at Fig. 8 may be of any suitable shape and size to allow
the handle bar to be turned into line with the wheels.
In Figs. 10 and 11 the handle bars 6b are pivoted to the tee piece r by means
of pins or rivets s so that the handles will fall down when the slots, in the
disc t are parallel with the bars bb but when the disc t is turned into the position
shewn the handles will be maintained in the position for steering.
The disc t rotates on a bolt u tapped into the tee piece which is brazed to the
tube q in the usual way.
I
When the handle bar is turned in line with the wheels the steering wheel may
be locked in line with the back wheel by making the slots N into which the spring
lever drops when the handle bar is in line with the wheels shallow so that a
projection on the spring m enters a slot in the steering head and so locks the
steering wheel but when the lever enters the deep slot to secure the handle bar in
the position for steering the steering wheel is released.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Securing the handle bar of bicycles to a tee piece having a bayonet or spiral
slot therein the said tee piece being connected to the handle bar tube or steering
tube by means of a pin or set screw secured to the said tube and engaging with
the slot in the tee piece substantially as herein before specified and for the purpose
stated.
2. In a bicycle the combination of handle bars pivoted to a tee piece with a
means for retaining the said bars in the position for steering for the purpose stated.
3. In a bicycle the combination of handle bars bb pivoted or hinged to a tee
piece with a slotted disc t rotating on a pin or bolt u secured to the said tee piece
substantially as hereinbefore specified.
น
4. In a bicycle the combination of a collar secured to the steering tube with a
collar secured to the handle bar tube one collar having a spring catch lever pivoted
thereto engaging with slots in the other collar substantially as hereinbefore specified
and for the purpose stated.
5. In a bicycle the combination of a slotted and slit steering tube attached to
the front fork with a collar attached thereto or to the tube attached to the handle
bar the said collar having a recess therein in which is a block actuated by a
clamping screw all substantially as hereinbefore specified and for the purpose
stated.
6. Locking the steering wheel of bicycles by means of a spring catch and slots
of various depths substantially as specified.
7. Constructing the handle bars of bicycles and connecting the same to the tubes
attached to the front fork substantially in the manner hereinbefore and illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Tenth day of August 1895.
T. E. HALFORD,
11 Furnival Street, Holborn, E.C., Agent for Applicant.