Improvements in Bicycles, Velocipedes, and such like Carriages.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1891-Accepted. 17th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles, Velocipedes, and such like Carriages.
1, THOMAS LEIGH MITCHELMORE, of 31 Derby Road, Nichols Town, South-
ampton, in the County of Hampshire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to bicycles, velocipedes, and such like carriages, and
comprises various improvements hereinafter described.
The main object of my invention is the improvement of that part of a velocipede
known as the handlebar lug, and the making of the same in such a manner so that
the handlebar can be very readily placed in a more or less vertical position whereby
the breadth of the carriage is reduced at will, rendering it convenient to pass same,
in and out of narrow doorways and the like.
I will describe this my invention as applied to a safety bicycle.
According to one form or modification of my invention I make the handlebar lug
in two pieces jointed and connected together in manner to be hereinafter more fully
described.
The part which passes over and embraces the steering pillar is one piece, and the
clip or eye through which the handlebar passes and to which it is connected is the
other, together forming the complete handlebar lug-I shall hereinafter refer to
the former as the collar piece, and the latter as the eyepiece.
In passing I note that the joint is always situated between the steering pillar
and the handlebar.
The collar piece is held in any desired position upon the steering pillar by a clip
fitting provided at the bottom and forming part of the collar piece, or the latter
may be brazed to the steering pillar and then the clip would not be required.
-
The eyepiece is tee shaped one part forming a bolt,—which I shall hereinafter
refer to as the connecting bolt, the other the clip, or eye for the handlebar, this
bolt passes through the collar piece and also through the steering pillar in a
direction lengthways of the bicycle, a hole, or holes, or a vertical slot being provided
in the steering pillar for the purpose; the point of the connecting bolt projects
slightly beyond the back part of the collar piece and a thread is formed upon the
point and a screw nut provided upon same.
Sometimes I arrange for the connecting bolt to form part of the collar piece
(instead of the eyepiece as herein before described) and it would then pass through
the eyepiece and the handlebar and be set up at the back of the eyepiece by the
screw nut.
Presuming that the eyepiece and handlebar is in the riding, that is, the engaged
position, and it is desired to turn the handlebar into the vertical, that is, the
disengaged position, the nut before mentioned is unscrewed, the eyepiece is thereby
disengaged from the collar piece and consequently the handlebar which is then free
to fall into the vertical position.
To re-engage the collar and eyepieces and thereby restore the handlebar to the
horizontal riding position the nut is screwed up thus bringing the two parts of the
handlebar lug together and locking same.
To further secure the eyepiece and therefore the handlebar in the engaged
position, projections are provided upon the eyepiece at the joint, which engage with
corresponding recesses in the collar piece when the two pieces are brought together
by means of screwing up the nut, and as a further security the shank of the

page_text: connecting bolt may be of rectangular section at the shoulder fitting when screwed
in a correspondingly shaped recess in the eye or collar piece.
Dated this 17th day of February 1891.
HERBERT P. BLAKE, M.I.N.A.,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles, Velocipedes, and such like Carriages.
I THOMAS LEIGH MITCHELMORE, of 31 Derby Road, Nichols Town, South-
ampton, in the County of Hampshire, Engineer, 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 bicycles, velocipedes, and such like carriages and comprises
various improvements hereinafter described.
The main object of my invention is the improvement of that part of a velocipede
known as the handlebar lug and the making of same in such a manner so that the
handlebar can be very readily placed in a more or less vertical position, whereby
the breadth of the carriage is reduced at will rendering it convenient to pass same
in and out of narrow doorways and the like.
I will describe this my invention as applied to a safety bicycle referring to the
accompanying drawing in which,
Fig. 1, is a side view in sectional elevation of one form of my invention shewing
the handlebar in the horizontal, that is the riding position.
Fig. 2, a complete plan on top of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, a side view in elevation of the same but shewing the handlebar in the
vertical, that is the disengaged position.
Fig. 4, a plan on top of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, a side view in sectional elevation of another form or modification of my
invention.
Fig. 6, a complete plan on top of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7, a side view in sectional elevation of another form or modification of my
invention.
Fig. 8, a complete plan on top of Fig. 7.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
According to my invention I make the handlebar lug in two parts and in one form
(as shewn at Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4,) the part B, passes over and embraces the steering
pillar C, the other part A, is that which carries the handlebar d. I shall hereinafter
refer to the part B, as the collar piece and to the part A, as the eye piece.
The eye piece A, is connected to the collar piece B, by the bolt e, which forms
part of the eye picce A,-the bolt e, passes through the collar piece 13, and also in
this arrangement (as shewn at Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4,) through slots or holes provided
for the purpose in the steering pillar C.
Upon the eye piece A, I provide projections g, g, and correspondingly formed
recesses g¹, ¹, in the collar piece B, shaped as illustrated, or of other suitable form
for the purpose, or obviously if preferred, the projections may be formed upon the
collar piece, and the recesses in the eye piece.
These projections when housed in the recesses serve to prevent any twisting action
of the eye piece and--consequently the handlebar-after the two parts A, and B,
are brought together and screwed up; as a further security to this end I may also
provide if preferred for the shoulder p, of the bolt e, to be of rectangular shape
in cross section-instead of round as shewn more especially at Figs. 3, and 4,-
fitting when screwed up in a correspondingly shaped recess in the collar piece B.
The two parts A, and B, can be almost instantly brought together and fixed, and

page_text: again disconnected at will, first, by screwing, and then unscrewing the nutƒ; upon
unscrewing the nut the eye piece is separated, that is, pushed back, from the collar
piece, the nut being always kept close up to the facing e', of the collar piece by
means of the screw, which engages with the recess e, formed in the nut, this
arrangement allows of the nut being turned freely, but at the same time keeps it
from moving in and out of the collar piece B.
When the projections, are brought clear of the recesses ',', the eye piece-
and therefore the handlebar-is free to drop into the vertical position as shewn
at d, (Figs. 3, and 4,) to reconnect the parts it is only necessary to reverse the
operation, that is, to lift the handlebar into the horizontal riding position and to
screw up the nut f
The outer rim, of the nut is milled, and probably the nut can be unscrewed
and again screwed up sufficiently tight by the fingers, but if found necessary a
spanner may be used upon the projecting square or hexagonal part of the
nut to tighten the latter up and thereby to ensure the close fitting of the
parts A, and B.
When my improved handlebar lug is fitted according to the hereinbefore described
form of my invention, slots or holes will be provided (as hereinbefore mentioned) in
the head of steering pillar through which the bolt e, will pass, the latter and with
it consequently the complete handlebar lug fitting and handlebar-can thus be slid
up and down in the slots, or passed through any one of the holes as desired whereby
the handlebar can be adjusted in height to a limited extent upon the steering pillar,
being held in the desired position upon same by the clip attachment 62, which forms
part of the collar piece B.
According to a modification of my invention I sometimes arrange for the complete
handlebar lug fitting to be fitted and brazed into the top part of the steering
pillar C, (as particularly illustrated at Figs. 5, and 6,) but it is obvious that such
or similar modification would not alter the essential features of my invention, and
that I may adopt this or any convenient method of attaching and fixing the handle-
bar lug fitting to the head of steering pillar.
Sometimes I may arrange as another modification of my invention-for the
connecting bolt e, to form part of the collar piece B, instead of the eye piece A, as
hereinbefore described, the bolt e, in this arrangement would pass through the eye
piece A, and the handlebar d, but the re-arrangement of the parts made necessary
by this method of fitting my invention will be clearly seen and understood-upon
referring to Figs. 7, and 8, in the accompanying drawing, and to the description of
my invention as hereinbefore set forth.
It is noted that my invention may be readily fitted to existing velocipedes, and
further that the fact of turning the handlebar down into a more or less vertical
position does not interfere with the efficiency or usual method of fitting the ordinary
"break" attachment to such like machines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of any said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The improved velocipede handlebar lug fittings consisting of the parts
constructed and arranged in manner or similar thereto and for the purpose
as hereinbefore substantially described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
2nd. In a velocipede, an arrangement whereby the handlebar can be almost
instantly placed in a more or less vertical position and afterwards restored to the
horizontal position in manner as herein before substantially described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawing.
3rd. In a velocipede handlebar lug the making of same in two parts A, and B,
working in combination in manner, or similar thereto, as hereinbefore substantially
described.

page_text: 4th. In a velocipede handlebar lug fitting as hereinbefore described the particular
form, arrangement, and method of fitting and working the nut f, for the purpose
as herein before substantially described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
Dated this 5th day of September 1891.
HERBERT P. BLAKE, M.I.N.A.,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.