Improvements in or relating to Handle Bars for Cycles and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Handle Bars for Cycles and the like.
1, HERBERT BINGHAM, of 6, Eenhoorn Straat, Rotterdam, Holland, Cycle Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or relating to handle bars for cycles
and the like, and has for its object to provide a means whereby the handlebar may
be rotated upon its main axis and locked in any position to which it is thus
adjusted, and may also be rotated in such a manner that its main axis-usually
horizontal-may occupy any position in a vertical plane.
In carrying this invention into effect the handle bar is preferably carried in
a tubular socket the interior of which is provided with a liner or clamping piece
adapted to be pressed against the portion of the handle bar within the socket by
means of a screw plug. The socket has a tubular extension preferably at right
angles thereto which contains the screw plug above referred to and fits into the
head of an approximately T-shaped socket carried by a tube which engages with
a forked stem or steering tube of the machine. The tubular extension and the
T-shaped socket can be caused to engage so as to be non-rotatable in relation to
each other by means of a pin on the one part engaging a slot in the other or by
the use of an equivalent device.
The interior of the tubular extension in addition to being screw-threaded to
receive the screw by which the clamping piece is adjustable also receives, prefer-
ably in the same screw threads, a nut encircling the screw plug, and adapted to
bear upon the latter to serve as a lock nut therefor, and also to bear upon a washer
resting against the outer end of the T-shaped socket, so that by screwing up
the nut the tubular extension within the socket can be drawn into the latter end-
wise so as to be tightened up and held secure against angular movement
By rotating the handle bar in the socket in which it is directly supported, the
handles may be given angular adjustment at any time to suit the convenience of
the rider, and by combining this angular adjustment with a similar adjustment
of the tubular extension, the handle bar may be caused to assume a position
in which it lies vertically and longitudinally in the machine, instead of projecting
laterally; it is particularly advantageous to be able to effect the adjustment of
this nature last indicated for convenience of storage or transport of the machine.
The washer hereinbefore referred to is not essential, for clearance between the
parts to enable them to be adjusted to the requisite extent may be obtained other-
wise than by its employment.
D1
1
AT
1007
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Handle Bars for Cycles and the like.
I, HERBERT BINGHAM, of 6, Eenhoorn Straat, Rotterdam, Holland, Cycle Manu-
facturer, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in or relating to handle bars for cycles
and the like, and has for its object to provide a means whereby the handle bar may
be rotated upon its main axis and locked in any position to which it is thus
adjusted, and may also be rotated in such a manner that its main axis-usually
horizontal may occupy any position in a vertical plane.
In carrying this invention into effect the handle bar is preferably carried in
a tubular socket the interior of which is provided with a liner or clamping piece
adapted to be pressed against the portion of the handle bar within the socket by
means of a screw plug. The socket has a tubular extension preferably at right
angles thereto which contains the screw plug above referred to and fits into the
head of an approximately T-shaped socket carried by a tube which engages with
a forked stem or steering tube of the machine. The tubular extension and the
T-shaped socket can be caused to engage so as to be non-rotatable in relation to
each other by means of a pin on the one part engaging a slot in the other or by
the use of an equivalent device.
The interior of the tubular extension in addition to being screw-threaded to
receive the screw by which the clamping piece is adjustable also receives, prefer-
ably in the same screw threads, a nut encircling the screw plug, and adapted to
bear upon the latter to serve as a lock nut therefor, and also to bear upon a washer
resting against the outer end of the T-shaped socket, so that by screwing up
the nut the tubular extension within the socket can be drawn into the latter end-
wise so as to be tightened up and held secure against angular movement.
By rotating the handle bar in the socket in which it is directly supported, the
handles may be given angular adjustment at any time to suit the convenience of
the rider, and by combining this angular adjustment with a similar adjustment
of the tubular extension, the handle bar may be caused to assume a position
in which it lies vertically and longitudinally in the machine, instead of projecting
laterally it is particularly advantageous to be able to effect the adjustment of
this nature last indicated for convenience of storage or transport of the machine.
The washer herein before referred to is not essential, for clearance between the
parts to enable them to be adjusted to the requisite extent may be obtained other-
wise than by its employment.
•
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of one con-
struction of handle bar according to this invention.
Figure 2 an elevation showing the bar adjusted to a position different from that
seen in Figure 1, the socket D in the clamping devices being omitted for the sake
of clearness.
Figure 3 is a central vertical section through the axis of the steering tube B.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In these drawings the handle bar is shown at A, the ends to which the handles
are attached being shown at A'. B is the steering tube of the machine to which
the handle bar is attached by means of a socket C, having a tubular extension C
which enters the socket D at the top of the steering tube B.
The handle bar A may be rotated in the socket C and the extension C¹ is
capable of rotation in the socket D, the latter being secured to the steering tube B.

page_text: The tubular extension C¹ accommodates the cylindrical portion F of a clamp F F¹,
the portion F¹ being contained within the socket C and having that surface which is
in contact with the handle bar A shaped so as to conform thereto. The interior of
the extension C is further screw threaded to accommodate the screw plug E and
a screw bush G which preferably travel in the same thread as shown in the draw-
ing. The plug E is provided with a stem El formed on a squared end E³, this
latter projecting through the central hole of the bush G. The latter is provided
with a hexagonal head G¹ which, when the bush is screwed into the tube C¹, bears
against the end of the socket D and so draws the tube C tightly into the socket D.
The plug E serves to press the clamp F1 against the handle bar A, and so lock
it in its adjusted position. In order to give firmness to the handle bar, the socket C
may be provided with teeth C³ which engage with similar teeth D₁ upon the end
of the socket D. When the bush I) is screwed home and the tube C¹ drawn tightly
into the socket D, the teeth C2 and 11 mutually engage and prevent the rotation
of the tube C¹ within the socket D. When the bush G¹ is slacked out, the tube C¹
may be moved axially within the socket D so as to bring the teeth C2 clear of the
teeth D2, whereupon the handle bar may have its main axis tilted by rotation about
the axis of the tube C¹ to the position shown in Figure 2 and may, when in that
position, be again locked by so rotating the bush G as to bring the teeth C² and D¹
again into engagement.
A spring washer such as is shown at H is preferably inserted between the plug E
and the bush G so as to afford additional security against the slacking of either
screwed portion under the vibration of the machine. A handle bar constructed
as hereinbefore described is capable of three adjustments, namely, that about its
main axis as is indicated by the positions shown in dotted lines in Figure 1,
secondly by rotation about the axis of the tube C₁ which is indicated by Figure 2
and thirdly by rotation about the axis of the tube B; this latter adjustment allows
the main axis of the handle bar to be placed in a position further from or nearer
to the saddle by substantially twice the horizontal distance between the axis of the
tube B and the main axis of the handle bar. To effect this the bar is rotated
through 180° about the axis of the tube B and also about its main axis so as to
bring the handle ends A' to the right position.
The combination of the adjustment about the main axis with that about the
axis of the tube C¹ is of value when it is desired to stow a machine in a small space.
The combination of the adjustments about the main axis of the handle and the
axis of the steering tube enable the "reach" from saddle to handles to be varied.
The construction of locking device herein before described allows of the inde-
pendent adjustment of the handle bar by rotation about its main axis and by
rotation about the axis of the tube C¹, both the plug E and the bush G being
rotatable independently of one another.
Various modifications may obviously be made in the details of construction
herein before set forth without departing from the spirit of this invention. For
example while it is extremely advantageous to have a positive form of clutch such
as is afforded by the teeth C2 and D₁ to prevent accidental rotation of the handle
bar about the axis of the tube C, other forms of clutch may if desired, be employed
or friction alone relied upon. Further, the hexagonal head G¹ may conveniently
be replaced by a milled head, as may also the squared end E3 of the plug stem.
Or again, if desired or convenient, the plug E may be caused to bear directly upon
the handle bar without the intervention of a clamping piece such as F F¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A handle bar for a cycle or the like capable of angular adjustment about its
main axis, and of having its main axis turned out of the horizontal position.
2. A handle bar for a cycle or the like capable of angular adjustment about the
axis of the steering tube and its main axis.

page_text: 3. A handle bar for a cycle or the like capable of angular adjustment about its
main axis the axis of the steering tube and an axis substantially perpendicular
to these two.
4. In a cycle or the like a clamp for the handle-bar having a portion such as Fl
shaped to the handle-bar against which it presses and a cylindrical or other por-
tion F by which the pressure is transmitted to the portion F¹.
5. In a cycle or the like the combination with the handle bar and its socket of
a plug such as E having a shank such as E¹ E3 and a clamp such as F F.
6. In a cycle or the like the combination with a handle bar socket such as C C¹
and a socket D of a jaw-clutch formed by teeth C2 on the one socket and teeth D¹
on the other socket substantially as described.
7. In a cycle or the like the combination with a handle bar of a socket such as C
in which it is rotatably supported having an extension such as C¹ rotatably sup-
ported upon the steering tube B substantially as described.
8. In a cycle or the like a handle-bar rotatably supported by a socket C having
a tubular extension (with which engage a screw plug E and screw bush G Gi
substantially as described.
9. In a cycle or the like the combination of a handle-bar a substantially T-shaped
tubular socket such as C C a socket D a screw plug E clamp F F¹ and bush G G¹all
arranged and operating substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
10. The handle bar adjusting and clamping devices substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1898
HERBERT BINGHAM,
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.