Improvements in the Handles of Bicycles and Tricycles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 6th June, 1889-Accepted, 13th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Handles of Bicycles and Tricycles.
I WILLIAM BLAKELY of Vernon Princess Road, Bournemouth West, Dorsetshire,
Estate Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to the handles of bicycles and tricycles and has for its object
to diminish the effect of jarring or vibration on the hands and arms of the rider.
The invention consists in the employment of elastic or semi-elastic materials
applied and retained in position in the various ways hereafter described.
According to one mode of carrying the invention into effect 1 interpose between
the horn or other handle and the tang or spindle on which it is fixed an elastic
lining or bushing formed of one or several pieces and applied in various ways. For
example, the bushing may be composed of india-rubber tubing slipped on to the tang
or of strips of india rubber cork, thick woollen fabric or other elastic or semi-elastic
material, let edgowise into longitudinal grooves in the bore of the handle or in the
tang or spindle or partly in both, or of strips of woollen fabric wound on the tang or
spindle, or of a knitted or woven tube slipped on so as in any case to completely
insulate the handle from the tang. Whichever form of hushing may be employed,
washers of india-rubber are interposed between the ends of the handle and the
shoulders or collars by which it is secured on the tang, these washers being of such
diameter as to project in the form of flanges beyond the circumference of the
handle.
In some forms of bushing these flanges are formed on the ends of rubber tubes
which enter the ends of the handle and form the bushing therefor. The edges of
the washers or flanges are bevelled or otherwise formed so as to make a soft end to
the handle. The tang is screw threaded to receive a screw collar whereby the
bushing or the covering for the tang (in case no horu or other handle be used) may
be compressed longitudinally so that the amount of elasticity and the consequent
deadening of the vibrations may be regulated at the will of the rider.
Instead of using a horn or other hard handle the tang may be covered by india
rubber in the form of V or bevelled edge collars slipped on the tang in close juxta-
position, and compressed by the screw adjustment above referred to, the ends of the
handle being provided with washers or flanges projecting beyond the circumferance
of the handle as in the former case. Instead of using a tube of indiarubber alone I
may use a compound tube formed of indiarubber encased in a thick woven seamless
tubular sheathing such as is used for hose pipes. This covering would terminate in
flanges or washers as before and may be compressed longitudinally by the above
described screw adjustment. It affords the necessary elasticity and an excellent grip
for the hands.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Handles of Bicycles and Tricycles.
I, WILLIAM BLAKELY, of Vernon, Princess Road, Bournemouth West, Dorsetshire,
Estate Agent, 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:-
My Invention relates to the handles of bicycles and tricycles, and has for its object
to minimize the effect of jarring or vibration on the hands and body of the rider.

page_text: The Invention consists in the employment of elastic or semi-clastic materials
For
applied and retained in position in the various ways hereafter describo.
example, I may interposo between the handle and its tang or spindle, an elastic lining
or bushing formed of one or several pieces. The bushing may be composed of india-
rubber tubing slipped on to the tang; or of strips of india rubber, cork, thick woollen
fabric, or other olastic or semi-elastic material insorted edgeways into longitudinal
grooves in the bore of the handle or in the tang or spindle or partly in both, or of
strips of woollon fabric wound on the tang or spindle, or of a knitted or woven tube
slipped on so as, in any case, to completely insulate the handle from the tang.
Whichever form of bushing may be employed, washers of india rubber are interposed
between the ends of the handle and the shoulders or collars by which it is secured on
the tang, these washers projecting in the form of flanges beyond the circumference of
the handle. In some forms of bushing, these flanges are formed on the ends of
rubber tubes which enter the ends of the handle and form the bushing therefor.
The edges of the washers or flanges are bevelled or otherwise forme so as to make a
soft end to the handle. The tang is serow-threaded to receive a screw collar whereby
the bushing or the covering for the tang (in case no horn or other handle be used)
may be compressed longitudinally so that the amount of elasticity and the consequent
deadening of the vibrations, may be regulated at the will of the rider. Instead of a
horn or other hard handle, india-rubber in the form of V or hovelled alge collars may
he slipped on the tang side by side and compressed together.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specifi-
cation, in which figure I is a central longitudinal section of a handle having a tubular
elastic bushing or sleeve: Figures 2 and 3 are a longitudinal and cross-section
respectively of a handle in which the elastic bushing is formed of strips of rubber.
Figures 4 and 5 are similar views to figures 2 and 3 of which they represent a
modification. Figure 6i is a longitudinal section of a handlo built up of dises of
india rubber.
Referring to figure 1, a is the ordinary handle of horn or other hard material,
and is the tang of the handle bar. e is a sleeve or bushing of rubber tube, and d
are flanges on the ends of the tube or washers of the same material, the hamile a
being chambered at the ends to receive the washers which are interposed between the
shoulder and the lock-nuts e screwing on the end of the tang between which the
sleeve and handle are confined, direct contact of the handle a and tang b and
the consequent transmission of vibration thus being avoided.
In figures 2 and 3, fare strips of elastic material (india-rubber, cork, thick woollen
fabric, etc.,) let into longitudinal grooves in the bore of the handle, the said strips
boing sot radially (in the direction of their width) to the tang & and projecting edge-
wise into the boro so as alone to bear against the tang b, the bore being made largo
enough in diameter to leave clearance between the tang and the handle, as shewn.
The grooves might be made in the tang instead of the handle, or the strips might be
partly let into grooves in both; or the grooves, and consequently the strips instead of
being longitudinal might run in a spiral direction.
In figures and 5, the handle is made in segments and the strips extend
through to the circumference, the whole of the segments and strips, being bound
together by caps g at the ends, as shown in figure 1.
In figuros 2, 3, 4, and 5, d are elastic washers and the tightening nuts and serow,
as before.
In figuro 6, the handle is built up of discs thronded or slipped on the tang, said
discs being Vedged and the end ones being of larger diameter, to keep the rider's
hands from slipping off. The discs are clumped between ond washers ik and com-
prossed, to suit the ridor, by means of lock-nuts a screwing on the tang. Tho
circumferentially grooved or corrugated form of the handle, consequent on the V edge
form of the discs, affords a softer and batter grip for the hand at same time that the
grooves allow free ventilation between the hand and the landle.
If it is not desired that the handle should prosent a corrugated surface, us above
described, I may wind strips of cane m or other equivalent material spirally around

page_text: the handle so as to fill up the grooves and form a nice clean gripping surface for the
hand whilst retaining the desired elasticity of the body of the handle.
It will be obvious that the body of the handle, instead of being built up of flat
discs, may be formed of cones fitting inside one another.
I would also have it understood that instead of making the body of the handle
wholly of india rubber, I may make it partly of india rubber and partly of
"Woodite," papier maché, or other equivalent flexible substance, of the same form as,
and arranged alternatoly or otherwise with, the discs or cones of rubber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe that I have
recently learned that it has been heretofore proposed to make the handles of bicycles
and tricycles of solid india rubber, and I disclaim such construction which possosses
certain disadvantages which my Invention overcomes; and I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved means of lessening the transmission of vibration to the handles of
bicycles or tricycles, which consists of a sleeve or bushing of elastic material inter-
posed between the handle and its tang or spindle, substantially as specified.
2. The improved means of lessening the transmission of vibration to the handles of
bicycles or tricycles, which consists of strips of elastic or semi-clastic material inter-
posed between the handle and its tang or spindle, as specified.
3. The combination, with the elastic sleeve, bushing, or strips, interposed between
the handle and its spindle, of means of compressing the same longitudinally, for ad-
justing its degree of elasticity, as specified.
4. The construction of bicycle and tricycle handles of juxtaposed discs of elastic
material compressed longitudinally on the tang or spindle, substantially as, and for
the
purpose, specified.
Dated this 5th day of June 1889.
WILLIAM BLAKELY.