Improvements in Adjusting and Locking the Handle Bars in the Heads of Handle Bar Stems of Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct 1806
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1897-Accepted, 21st Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1897-Accepted, 21st Aug., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjusting and Locking the Handle Bars in the
Heads of Handle Bar Stems of Bicycles, Tricycles, and other
Velocipedes.
We, THE "NEW HUDSON" CYCLE COMPANY LIMITED, of Summer Hill Street,
Parade, Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Cycle Manufacturers and ALFRED
HENRY WEBSTER, of No. 145 Alston Street, Birmingham, aforesaid, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:--
The said invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in the
handle bars of bicycles tricycles and other velocipedes and parts connected there-
with, by which improvements the said handle bars are made capable of an angular
motion for the purpose of altering the inclination of the handle bars with respect
to their stems, when it is desired to adjust the height or position of the handles
of the velocipedes, the said handle bars being readily unlocked and locked to
permit of the adjustment and fixing after adjustment.
We will describe the said invention with respect to the handle bar of a safety
bicycle.
We make in the middle of the handle bar, that is, in that part which occupies
the horizontal socket or tubular part of the T shaped lug at the head of the handle
bar stem, a series of teeth the handle bar at that part resembling in cross section
an ordinary ratchet wheel. We form in the vertical stem of the T shaped lug
and at opposite sides, that is, at front and back, holes for the cross locking bolt
hereinafter described to pass through and work in. The hole in the front side
of the vertical stem of the T shaped lug is of a square or rectangular figure while the
hole in the rear side of the T shaped lug is of a circular figure. The
cross locking bolt occupying the holes described has for the greater part of its
length an angular figure in cross section, the said locking bolt terminating in a
screw pin on which a screw nut bearing against the rear side of the T shaped lug
herein before described takes for drawing up or relaxing the locking bolt. The
locking bolt is of much greater size at its front or head end than at or about its
middle or part where the screw pin commences, the said larger head end passing
into the small middle part by a concave curve on its upper side, in the face of
which concave curved part is a series of, say three or four, cross ratchet like teeth.
The curved part of the bolt described has a radius equal or nearly equal to that
of the cross sectional radius of the middle part of the handle bar and the ratchet
like teeth of the locking bolt are so arranged that when the locking bolt is in place
they oppose or engage with the ratchet teeth of the middle part of the handle bar
and prevent the handle bar from turning in its socket.
When it is wished to turn the handle bar for adjusting the position of the
handles it is only necessary to partially unscrew the screw nut hereinbefore
referred to when on the turning of the handle bar the locking bolt is forced back
until its ratchet like teeth are disengaged from, that is, are out of the path of the

page_text: ratchet teeth of the handle bar. After the adjustment of the handle bar the screw
nut described is screwed home when the locking bolt is drawn forward and its
teeth made to engage with the ratchot teeth of the handle bar and the said handle
bar is again firmly locked in position.
The horizontal tubular part of the T shaped lug of the handle bar stem is
preferably in the form of a clip which may be tightened from time to time by
crossing screw pins to compensate for wear.
Dated this eighth day of October 1896.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in Adjusting and Locking the Handle Bars in the
Heads of Handle Bar Stems of Bicycles, Tricycles, and other
Velocipedes.
We, THE "NEW HUDSON" CYCLE COMPANY LIMITED, of Summer Hill Street,
Parade, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Cycle Manufacturers, and ALFRED
HENRY WEBSTER, of No. 145 Alston Street, Birmingham, aforesaid, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The said invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in the
handle bars of bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes and parts connected there-
with, by which improvements the said handle bars are made capable of an angular
motion for the purpose of altering the inclination of the handle bars with respect
to their stems, when it is desired to adjust the height or position of the handles
of the velocipedes, the said handle bars being readily unlocked and locked to
permit of the adjustment and fixing after adjustment.
We will describe the said invention with respect to the handle bar of a safety
bicycle.
We make in the middle of the handle bar, that is, in that part which occupies
the horizontal socket or tubular part of the T shaped lug at the head of the handle
bar stem, a series of teeth the handle bar at that part resembling in cross section
an ordinary ratchet wheel. We form in the vertical stem of the T shaped lug
and at opposite sides, that is, at front and back, holes for the cross locking bolt
hereinafter described to pass through and work in. The hole in the front side
of the vertical stem of the T shaped lug is of a circular figure while the
hole in the rear side of the T shaped lug is of a square or rectangular figure. The
cross locking bolt occupying the holes described has for the greater part of its
length an angular figure in cross section; the said locking bolt terminating in a
screw pin on which a screw nut bearing against the front side of the T shaped lug
hereinbefore described takes for drawing up or relaxing the locking bolt. The
locking bolt is of much greater size at its rear or head end than at or about its
middle or part where the screw pin commences, the said larger head end passing
into the small middle part by a concave curve on its upper side, in the face of
which concave curved part is a series of, say three or four, cross ratchet like teeth.
The curved part of the bolt described has a radius equal or nearly equal to that
of the cross sectional radius of the middle part of the handle bar and the ratchet
like teeth of the locking bolt are so arranged that when the locking bolt is in place
they oppose or engage with the ratchet teeth of the middle part of the handle bar
and prevent the handle bar from turning in its socket.

page_text: When it is wished to turn the handle bar for adjusting the position of the
handles, it is only necessary to partially unscrew the screw nut hereinbefore
referred to, when on the turning of the handle bar the locking bolt is forced back
until its ratchet like teeth are disengaged from, that is, are out of the path of, the
ratchet teeth of the handle bar. After the adjustment of the handle bar the screw
nut described is screwed home when the locking bolt is drawn forward and its
teeth made to engage with the ratchet teeth of the handle bar and the said handle
bar is again firmly locked in position.
The horizontal tubular part of the T shaped lug of the handle har stem may be
in the form of a clip which by being tightened from time to time by crossing
screw pins compensate for wear.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in front elevation a portion
of the handle bar and handle har stem of a safety bicycle provided with the
adjusting and locking mechanism constituting the said invention, and Figures 2
and 3 are vertical sections of the same taken in planes at right angles to one
another.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawing.
a, a is the handle bar and b the stem of the same.
The said handle bar a, a is connected to the stem by the T shaped lug_c.
The middle part of the handle bar a, a, that is, the part which occupies the
horizontal tubular socket c is formed with a series of ratchet like teeth a³ as will
be best seen by reference to Figure 3 and crossing the vertical stem of the T shaped
lug is a cross locking bolt d the upper curved face of which has teeth capable
of engaging the teeth of the handle bar for locking the same in position. The
bolt d is brought into its locking position and fixed in that position by screwing
up tightly the screw nut e on the screwed end of the bolt d. The head end d' of
the bolt d is of an angular figure in cross section and fits an angular hole in the
rear side of the vertical stem of the lug e for the purpose of preventing the rotation
of the screw bolt d on the screwing up of the screw nut e. The handle bar a, a
is prevented from lateral movement in the horizontal tubular socket of the lug c
by forming in the handle bar at one side of the ratchet like teeth an annular groove f
and engaging therein the pointed end of a set screw y taking in a screwed hole
in the lug e.
When it is wished to alter or adjust the position of the handles of the handle
bar the screw nut e is relaxed and the handle bar is turned in the direction of the
arrow in Figure 3. By this action the screw bolt is forced back and its teeth
moved out of the path of the ratchet teeth of the handle bar a; the handle bar
is thus released and the handles of the said handle bar can consequently be raised
or lowered to any position desired and may be re-locked in that position by the
screwing up of the screw nut e and the re-engagement of the teeth of the bolt d
with the ratchet teeth as of the handle a.
We wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the angular
figure of the head d' of the bolt d as the said head may be circular and be prevented
from turning by providing it with a rib or feather on its underside or other part
for taking in a key way in the vertical stem of the T shaped lug c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we claim
as the said invention:-
The improvements in adjusting the locking the handle bars in the heads of the
handle bar stems of bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes hereinhefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, the said improvements consisting
in forming on the middle part of the handle bar a series of ratchet like teeth and
providing the handle bar stem with a cross screw bolt having on its curved upper
face or part correspondingly shaped teeth for engaging on the drawing up of the

page_text: cross screw bolt with the ratchet like teeth on the middle of the handle bar and
thereby locking the same in the position to which it has been adjusted substantially
as described and illustrated.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of June, 1001.
THE NEW HUDSON CYCLE CO., LTD.
W. G: HILLS,
EDWARD A. WILSON,
GE. PEARS,
Secretary
} Directors.
THE NEW HUDSON CYCLE CO., LTD.
W. G: HILLS,
EDWARD A. WILSON,
GE. PEARS,
Secretary
} Directors.
ALFRED HENRY WEBSTER.