Improvements in or connected with the Handles of Bicycles and Tricycles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 26th June, 1891-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1891
Improvements in or connected with the Handles of Bicycles and
Tricycles.
I WILLIAM HOLLIER Junr., of 84 High Street, West Bromwich, in the County
of Stafford House Decorator, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with the handles of
bicycles and tricycles, and primarily in the former, and its object is, to construct
and arrange such handles and their adjacent parts so that when not in use, or,
during transit, or, in package, they may be folded into a much smaller width, by
means of a hinged joint therein, or its equivalent.
Much inconvenience is experienced often in these machines, when passing them
through narrow doorways, or, when leaning them against a wall, or when packing
them for transit &c., by reason of the disproportion of the width of the handles, to
the other part of the machine, and it is to obviate these difficulties that I have
made this my invention.
At or near the junction of the handle or handle bar, with the steering post, I
provide a hinge joint or its equivalent, so that the outstanding part may be turned
inwards, upwards or downwards, but generally the former, or in some cases it may
be disconnectable at such part.
I further provide that when the handle, or bar, is in its normal (working) position,
it shall be firmly retained in such position, by a suitable locking device. This may
be done as follows:-
Upon the said bar I may provide a sliding sleeve, which, when the bar is
outstanding, shall slide on to and over the joint, half of its length covering the
joint upon the one side and half upon the other side, thus firmly retaining it in its
working position.
A spring or catch may be employed to keep the sleeve in position. Or a catch
action may be employed without the said sleeve, to effect the same purpose.
The brake lever &c. which generally lies beneath and connected to the handle
bar, is modified to accommodate the aforesaid arrangement.
Dated this 25th day of September 1890.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Handles of Bicycles and
Tricycles.
I, WILLIAM HOLLIER, Junior, of 84 High Street, West Bromwich, in the
County of Stafford, House Decorator, 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, and accompanying drawing, that
is to say:
My invention relates to improvements in, or connected with, the handles of
bicycles and tricycles, more especially to the former, and it has for its object novel
methods of constructing and arranging such handles and their adjacent parts
so that they may be very easily and quickly folded back; so as to occupy

page_text: comparatively little space, and greatly facilitate the carriage or packing of the
machine.
Considerable inconvenience is often experienced in these machines when taking
them through narrow doorways, or when leaning them against a wall, or when
packing them, by reason of the disproportionate width of the handles as compared
with the other parts of the machine, and by my invention such inconvenience is
prevented.
In order to put the invention in operation I provide at or near the junction of
the handle or handle bar with the steering post a hinge joint upon which the
projecting part carrying the handle can be turned either inwards, upwards, or
downwards, as may be determined, but generally the former.
Or, in some cases it may be capable of being altogether disconnected at such
part. I further provide that when the handle or bar is in its extended or working
position, it shall be firmly retained in such position. For this purpose I sometimes
provide a sleeve sliding upon the bar which when the latter is extended can be
moved on to and over the joint half of its length covering the joint upon the one
side and half upon the other side thus firmly retaining the handle in its extended
or working position. A spring or catch or detent of any suitable kind may be
employed to keep the sleeve in position. Or a similar catch may be employed,
without the sleeve, to retain the bar in its extended position.
The brake lever &c. which generally lies beneath and connected to the handle
bar is modified to accommodate the aforesaid arrangement.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention.
Figure 1 is a back view, partly in section, of my improved handle bar.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same, shewing the handles folded back, and Figure 3
a plan shewing them extended.
Figures 4 and 5 are plans of a somewhat modified form of my invention, shewing
the handles extended and folded back respectively.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, a is the upper end of the vertical steering post of the
machine, having a transverse socket b, in which the centre c of the handle bar is
fitted and fixed. The ends of this part c are jointed by horizontal joints at d, d¹,
to the outer parts e, e', of the handle bar which carry the handles, so that the
latter can be turned inward at right angles or nearly so, as shewn in Figure 2, or
extended for use as shewn in Figures 1 and 3. Sleeves f, f', fit and can move
endways upon the handle bar, so as either to cover the joints d, d', when the bars
are extended, and to hold them rigidly in position as shewn in Figures 1 and 3,
or when moved along the bar (as shewn in Figure 2) to allow the handles to be
turned in as shewn.
Catches (not shewn in the drawing), or pins or screws (as indicated at g) may be
used to fix the sleeves f, f¹, in their proper position, or to limit their movement.
In Figures 4 and 5, the outer parts e, e¹, of the handle bar are not jointed directly
to the central part c, but are jointed at d, d, to sliding pieces h, h¹, which fit and
slide in the said centre part c. These pieces are made of such shape in cross section
that they cannot turn round in the part c, but can only move endways, and stops
of any convenient kind (not shewn, in the figures) are arranged to limit their
outward movement.
When the handle bars are extended, as shewn in Figure 4, the joints d, d', are
pushed into the part c until collars i, ¹, come in contact with the ends of the
latter as shewn, and they are then fixed in position by thumb screws at k, k¹ or by
suitable pins or catches. When it is desired to fold the handle bars in, the
screws k, k, are unscrewed, and the sliding pieces h, h', drawn out of the tube c,
until the joints d, d', are exposed, and the handle bars can then be folded back at
right angles, or nearly so, as shewn in Figure 5.
I do not confine myself to the precise form arrangement and proportions of the
several parts of the apparatus, which may be varied more- or loss to suit varying
circumstances, but,

page_text: 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. In the handles of bicycles and tricycles, the combination of the central part c
of the handle bar, the outer parts e, e', the joints d, d', and the moveable sleeves f,f',
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3,
of the accompanying drawing.
2. In the handles of bicycles and tricycles, the combination of the central
tubular part of the handle bar, the outer parts e, e¹, the sliding pieces h, h¹,
0 joints d, d, the collars i, i', and the fastenings k, k', substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 26th day of June 1891.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.