Improvements in or relating to Steering or Handle-bars for Cycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Steering or Handle-bars
for Cycles.
I, BRUNO NAUMANN of Am Priesnitzer-Schlage, Dresden-Neustadt in the
German Empire, Councillor of Commerce of the Kingdom of Saxony, 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:
The handle bars or steering bars of cycles, as hitherto constructed, have been.
inserted, direct, into the tube of the "fork" and connected with it by being.
compressed within a sleeve. When it was necessary to turn the handle-bar a
position at right angles to the wheel, all the rider has been able to do was to
estimate the angle by sight. Furthermore, the removal of the handle bar from.
the machine has hitherto been a troublesome operation since it has necessitated, a
preparatory loosening of the tube of the fork.
The object of this invention is to enable the handle-bar to be set at right angles
to the wheel automatically, and to be very readily removed from the machine-
without its being necessary to loosen the tube of the fork for the purpose; so that
the cyclist can take the handle-bar away with him when he has to leave his
machine and as cycles cannot be steered or controlled without handle-bars, the
removal of that part of the machine is a reliable means of protection from theft,
and one, in fact, which will prevent the cycle from being used even temporarily,
except by the right person.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which one form of the improved arrangement is represented by way, of
example.
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of the improved handle-bar with the
tube of the fork and the corresponding part of the cycle-frame;
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the handle-bar and brake lever;
Figure 3 is a partial plan of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4, Fig. 1; and Figures 5, 6.
and 7 are detail views.
The handle bar b, Figures 1, 2 and 3 is inserted with its shaft or shank 6¹ which
may, for example, be provided with a square stud such as 62 at its lower end-into
a special tube c (see also Figures 5 and 6), situated within the tube d of the fork ;.
the said square 62 engaging in a corresponding aperture or recess c³, formed in a
narrow or reduced portion of the tube c. Owing to this arrangement, the handle-
bar will not only of its own accord, assume the desired position at right angles to.
the wheel, but also in all cases retain the same level or height in the relation to
the said tube c. The tube c has a slot c¹ at the top provided with a tightening
screw passing through the lugs so that by tightening the said screw the shank b
of the handle bar b is secured within the said tube.
The sleeve a is fitted with a slot a' and with a tightening screw a³ passed through
the cheeks a², the fork-tube being provided with a slot d at the top, and, at d²,.
carries a screw thread for the reception of a correspondingly tapped nut, so that
the fork tube is retained in the cycle-frame g in such a manner that the said tube d,.
while it can revolve, is prevented from being axially displaced; and by tightening
the screw a' which will be assisted in its action by the slot d' in the fork tube d a.
rigid connection of the latter with the tube c will be obtained.

page_text: When in the arrangement herein described, it is desired to adjust the position of
the handle-bar bb as to its beight or level, it is only necessary to loosen the
screw a and then to raise or lower the tube c along with the handle bar bb',
within the fork tube d, as much as may be desired, and where it is required to
remove the handle bar from the machine entirely, all that is needed is to loosen the
screw c³, whereupon the handle-bar can be removed by drawing its shank 61 out of
the tube c.
The adjustment of the handle-bar at right angles to the wheel and at a constant
height in relation to the tube c offers the further advantage of rendering a
connection or attachment of the brake-lever e to the brake funnecessary. Instead
of being so connected, the said brake lever e by its knob or button will, of its own
accord, as shewn in Figure 1, invariably assume the same position, whenever the
handle-bar bb is inserted into the tube c, and it will also, consequently, in all cases
act in the proper position, or at the required point, upon the brake-rod f. The
two parts may, therefore, be kept separate from each other as stated.
In order to always retain the brake-lever e at the required distance from either
of the arms of the handle bar (as the case may be) a spring his specially interposed
between the latter and the lever in the manner illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.
The stud 62 on the shank 61 of the handle bar, and the corresponding recess c² in
the reduced portion of the tube c may obviously be of auy convenient shape other
than square; and it is only necessary that these parts be provided with a projection
or stop, or present a plane surface in such a situation as to cause the handle-bar bb¹
at all times-to-taka_un_a_nosition_st_right-angles-to-the-whoal-
The lugs or cheeks at on the sleeve a serve to secure the lamp-holder
which the brake rod f is passed.
through
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
A handle-bar for cycles which takes up a position at right angles to the wheel
or cycle, and can be readily removed without the necessity for loosening the fork-
tube d, the shank of the said bar being inserted into a tube such as c, detachably
connected with the said fork-tube the said shank having an angular stud, such as b³
adapted to enter an aperture such as c² of corresponding shape, formed in the said
tube c, all substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 20th March 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
Agents.