Improvements in Pneumatic Handles for Use on Cycles or for other purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Handles for Use on Cycles or for other
purposes.
I, SYDNEY SMITH, of 171 Osmaston Road, Derby, in the County of Derby,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to pneumatic handles for use on cycles or for other purposes
in which vibration or other phenomena occur and the effect of which it is desirable
to neutralise or to reduce to a minimum by affording a certain amount of elasticity
and resilience in the said handle.
My invention has for its object, the provision of a greater amount of elasticity
and resilience and range of movement than has been effected up to the present.
I am aware that pneumatic handles have been in use for some time past, but
the benefit derived from them has been very small indeed by reason of the small
capacity of elasticity and resilience obtained on account of the method adopted in
supporting the handle and the small range of movement permissible thereby.
The form of pneumatic handle employed up to the present time has been that of
an annular cavity, enclosed by external and internal walls and ends, the cavity
being filled with air or other fluid and the whole being placed about the tube or
other handle which has usually been of from to of an inch diameter. The
external diameter of the handle is limited by the diameter that can be conveniently
gripped by the hand z. -1 inches, and after allowing inch as the thickness
of the inside and outside walls of the handle, an annular space of inch only
remains as the range of elastic movement, hence the inefficiency of the device to
thoroughly absorb vibration.
My invention consists in providing a skeleton centre support or one of small
diameter which can be rigidly or detachably attached to the tubular or other handle
bar, and upon this said support I fix an expansible and inflatable air reservoir, the
ends of the reservoir being attached to the centre skeleton or slim support so as to
be hermetically jointed thereto.
I provide means for the attachment of a pump to the handle and means to retain
the fluid under pressure within the same, which may be conveniently effected
through the outer end of the skeleton or slim centre support.
I may enclose the air tube within an envelope of non-elastic or even slightly
elastic material, of any nature that may be agreeable to the hand.
Assuming that the diameter of the centre support to be inch and inch to be
the thickness of the outside walls of the handle, the annular space filled with air
in a handle of 13 inches diameter would be inch all round or 4 times the amount
that is permissible in pneumatic handles as made at present, and in consequence
the elasticity and resiliency is very great and the neutralising of vibration of the
handle bar is completely effected.
1
CAL
100
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Pneumatic Handles for Use on Cycles or for other
purposes.
J, SYDNEY SMITH, of 171 Osmaston Road, Derby, in the County of Derby,
Gentleman, 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 pneumatic handles for use on cycles, or for other purposes,
in which vibration or other phenomena occur, and the effect of which it is desirable
to neutralize or to reduce to a minimum, by affording a certain amount of
elasticity and resilience in the said handle.
My invention has for its object, by a special construction of the stem and
envelope of the handle, the provision of a greater amount of elasticity, resilience
and range of movement, than has been effected up to the present.
I am aware that pneumatic handles have been in use for some time, but the
benefit derived from them has been very small indeed, by reason of their small
elasticity and resilience, resulting from the method, hitherto adopted, of supporting
the handle, and from the small range of elastic movement of the pneumatic
envelope permissable thereby. The form of pneumatic handle employed hitherto
has been that of an annular cavity enclosed by external & internal walls, and ends,
the cavity of small volume being filled with air or other fluid, and the whole being
placed about the tube or other handle, which has usually been of from to of an
inch diameter. The external diameter of the covered handle is limited by the
diameter that can be conveniently gripped by the hand, viz. 14 inches; and after
allowing of an inch as the thickness of the inside and outside walls of the envelope,
there remains only of an inch between the walls of the elastic envelope, in the
Hence
case of the annular cavity, as the limit of range of elastic movement.
results the inefficiency of such a device to thoroughly absorb vibration.
And in order that my invention may be the better understood, I now proceed to
describe the same in relation to the drawings hereto annexed, and to the letters &
figures marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of my pneumatic handle.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof.
Fig. 3 is an outside view.
I provide a small or skeleton stem A, which is rigidly or detachably attached to
the tubular or other handle bar B; and upon this stem or support A, I fix an
expansible & inflatable air reservoir or envelope C, of any suitable air-tight
material. The ends of the envelope or reservoir are attached to the centre stem
or support, so as to be hermetically jointed thereto. This, by preference, I do by
fastening one end of the envelope to the extension stem at H where it fits over the
handle bar, by binding the same by wire, in a circular groove provided for the
purpose, & I cover the same by a ferrule. The other end of the envelope I grip
against a flange or shoulder K, on the stem by means of a nut L.
I provide a screwed union D or other suitable connection for the attachment of
a pump to the air reservoir of the handle, and a valve E, which may be a rubber
band over the hole far air supply, or other suitable means such as a screwed cap
or cock to retain the fluid under pressure within the same. The air supply may be
conveniently effected through the outer end of the central stem A, by the bored
hole F as shown.
I may enclose the air reservoir or envelope C, within a further covering of
non-elastic or slightly elastic material G, such as rough or cheap rubber, or canvas,
of such a nature as may be agreeable to the hand, & to confine the more elastic

page_text: inner envelope; or the two said envelopes may be amalgamated together in
manufacture.
In the case where the centre stem, as shown, is about of an inch in diameter,
& the thickness of the outside wall of the envelope is of an inch, the annular
space filled with air in a handle of 1 inches external diameter would be an inch
all round which is much greater in amount that is permissable in pneumatic
handles as made at present; and in consequence the elasticity and resiliency of my
device is very great, & the neutralisation of vibration of the handle bar is
completely effected.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1st. In a pneumatic handle the combination of an external air-tight and
inflatible envelope with and hermetically attached at each end to, a skeleton stem
of small diameter, rigidly or detachably attached to the large tubular or other
handle bar, to give great elastic resiliency & provided with means for attachment of
air pump and a retaining valve, substantially as described.
2nd. In a pneumatic handle the combination of an inner stem combined with, and
forming part of the inflating orifice and valve, and an external flexible envelope
hermetically attached to the ends of and forming an air receptacle about the
said stem, substantially as described.
3rd. In a pneumatic handle, a central stem adapted to support an external
inflatible envelope and to form an air conduit from without and seating for
retaining valve for inflating the same, substantially as described.
4th. In a pneumatic handle the combination of an inner inflatible and very
elastic pneumatic envelope embracing the handle stem, with an external protectiv
and retaining cover with little or no elasticity, substantially as described.
5th. In a pneumatic handle, the combination and arrangement of parts, substan-
tially as described and illustrated herewith.
Dated this 4th day of October 1894.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.