US445914A

US445914A - Henry waterson

Info

Publication number: US445914A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 1908-02-03

Description

(No Model.)

H'. WATERSON. HANDLE FOR VELOGIPBDES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY IVATERSON, OF ASTON, ENGLAND.

HANDLE FOR VELOCIPEDES.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,914, dated February 3, 1891.

Application filed July 31, 1890. Serial No. 360,527. (No model.) Patented in France January 28, 1890, No. 203,404.

T0 all who/it it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IENRY IVATERSON,of Aston, England, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, have invented certain new or Improved Pneumatic or Air-Belfer IIandles or Grips for the Steering-Handle Bars, Brake- Levers, or other Parts o f Bicycles, Velocipedes, and other Carriages, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in France, No. 203,404, dated January 2S,,.1890;)`and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled iu the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has for its obj ect to provide an elastic, compressible,l1ollow handle or grip for a bicycle or other wheeled vehicle, and to provide means whereby the hollow handle or grip will be restored Eto its normal bulged condition after being compressed by the hand and then released from pressure. To accomplish this object my invention involves the features of construction, the combination or arrangement ,of parts, and the principles of operation herenafter described and claimed.

I will describe and illustrate my invention in connection with a handle or grip for the steering-handle bar of a bicycle. I form the handle or grip of vulcanized india-rubber and construct it of an inner cylindrical tube and an outer air-chamber, preferably of a bulbous or ellipsoidal figure, surrounding the greater part of the said inner cylindrical tube,the ends of the air-chamber being closed. The internal diaineter of the inner cylindrical tube of the handle or grip is less than that 'of the handle-bar on which it is fixed, so that by drawing the said inner cylinder upon the handle-bar it is so expanded that its elasticity binds it firmly on the handle-bar; or'

the non-vibratory handle or grip may be used` without the continuous internal cylindrical tube for gripping the handle-bar. In this case the bulbous or ellipsoidal vulcanized-india-rubber air-chamber or air-c'ushion has short cylindrical ends or collars, which are dra-wn uponand fixed to the handle-bar in any convenient way. A small air valve 01' perforation may be used in the air chamber or cushion for infiating the same.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in elevaticn, and Fig. 2 in longimodified handles or grips, asv hereinafter described.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

I will first describe the handle or grip represented in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.

c is the cylindrical handle-bar.

(Z is the inner cylindrical tube of the handle or grip, which is drawn upon the said handie-bar o, and c is the closed air-chamber or air-cushion surrounding the said inner cylindrical tube (Z, the said cylindrical tube and air chamber or cushion being made of Vulcanized india-rubber, which is elastic and can be compressed by the hand, While the contained air will restore the handle or grip to its normal bulged condition after being compressed by the hand and then released from pressure. The said air-chamber or air-cush ion e have the bulbous or ellipsoidal figure represented, the diameter of the said chamber being greatest at its middle (see the section, Fig. 3) and diminishing as it approaches the closed ends of the Chamber; but Ido not confine myself to any particular shape of the airchamber or air-cushion of the handle or grip. The oontraction of the long continuous inner tube cl of'the handle or grip after it has been drawn upon the handle-bar c suffices to hold the said handle or grip firmly upon the handle-bar. The said grip may, however, be further secured in its place by india-rubber or other cement.

I inflate the closed air Chamber or' cushion e, or produce the required pressure of air within it to sufiiciently resist the grip of the rideris hand in the following way: At the middle and projecting on the inner side of the air-chamber e a block or thickened piece 82, of india-rubber, is made, as in the ordinary manufacture of inflated india-rubber articles.

Through this block or thickened piece 82 a.

fine hole or perforation is made, and into this hole the fine and pointed tubular nozzle of an air-syrnge is passed, and by working the said syringe the closed air-Chamber is inflated to the required degree. On. withdrawing the IOO ' or grips before described.

nozzle of the air-syringe from the fine hole in the block a? the elasticityor contraction of the said block closes air-tight the said fine hole and the air-Chamber or air-cushion is preserved in its infiated state. By interposing between the hand of the rider and the metallic (or other) steering-bar c of the Velocipede the air-chamber o r air-cushion c the vibration or tremor of the velocipede is not transmitted to the hand or is transmitted only to a limited extent. w

Fig. 5 represents in section a modified handle orl grip constructed according` to my invention. In this modification the outer part of the handle has a bulbous figure, and its end is nearly closed, and the air-Chamber or ai r-cushion e is confined to the bulbous outer part, so that while the air-Chamber part e of the handle is capable of a limited yielding when gripped the inner or chamberless part is solid or non-yielding. The rider can thus grip either the yielding or non-yielding part of the handle, as he may require. The airchamber at the outer part of the handle is inflatecl by passing the nozzle of an air-syringe through a fine hole in the block 82, as hereinbefore described, and a hole cfi in the nearly-closed end of the handle permits of the escape of air when the tubular part (Z is drawn onto the end of the handle-bar c.

Fig. 6 represents in elevation and Fig. 7in longitudinal section a non-vibratory handle or grip in which the inner cylindrical tube is) omittcd, and the vulcanizecl india-rubber air chamber or cushion has tubular ends 01' collars for fixing it to the handle-bar instead of a continuous internal tube, as in the handles In this modified handle or grip the bulbous or ellipsoidal air chamber or cushionfhas oylindrical ends or collars g g, which arc drawn upon the handle-bar c and fastened thereto, so as to close both ends of the handle or grip fand form the said handle or grip into an air chambe or cushion.

The fastening of the ends g g of the chamber f upon the handle-bar may be effected by coiling fine Wire, catgut, or other cord around the said ends, as represented at h h, or by means of metallic clips or bands made to encircle and bind the said ends of the Chamber upon the handle-bar.

In order the more efiiciently to bind the tubular ends g g upon the handle-bar, the parts of the handle-bar on which the'tubular ends g g are fixed may be grooved or have a screW-thread -cut upon them, into which grooves or screw-thread the tubular ends are forced by the binding Wire or cord, as represented at '27, Fig. S.

Those parts of the handle-bar on which the tubular ends or collars g g fit may be coated with india-rubber cement, in order the more effectively to make the contact between the said tubular ends g g and handle-bar airtight.

To prevent the possibility of failure in the action of the air Chamber or cushion f, a small automatic valve opening inward, as represente'd at 7a, Fig. 7, may be employed. Should any air escape by pressure on the airchamber f, when this pressure is removed the said air-chamber f expands to its normal shape, drawing in air at thevalve 78.

The valve 7r, Fig. 7, and the construction and appliances hereinbefore described for introducing compressed air into the chambers e and f may be dispensed with, as by making the walls of the closed chambers of the grip of sufficient thickness any required resistance to compression by the hand may be obtained and the restoration of the grip to its normal figure on the relaxation of the pressure of the hand effected.

The new or improved non-vibratory handles or grips described and illustrated may be applied to the steering-handle bars and brake-levers and other handles or handgripped parts of ivelocipedes generally, and

also to the holding-handles of carriages, such as bath-chairs and perambulators.

In the manufacture of the elastic compressible hollow handle the inner wall is formed from a tube of unvulcanized rubber, and the outer wall is built up, making the joints at the ends by pieces of canvas, and leaving a cavity between the tube and outer wall. Thecavity before being closed is supplied with a quantity of Water or any fluicl that will expand when heated, and the whole is then vulcanized in a mold. The hollow handle is subsequently infiated, which is preferably effected by an instrument made to pierce the outer wall of the handle for working up an air-pressure iherein. Then the air-forcing instrument is withdrawn, the hole made thereby closes and makes a tight joint.

I-Iaving now particularly descrbed and ascertained the nature of my invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I deelare that I claim as my inven- 'Lion-- 1. A hollow, elastic, and com pressible indiarubber handle or grip for a bicycle or other vehicle, having an air-chamber containing confined air to form an air-cushion, said air serving to restore the handle or grip to its normal bulged condition after being compressed by the hand and then released, substantially as described.

2. A hollow, elastic, and comprcssible indiarubber handle or grip for a bicycle or other vehicle, having an air-chamber and an airinlet opening for ntlating the handle or grip, so that the confined air forms a cushion and serves to restore the handle or grip to its normal bulged condition after being compressed by the hand and then released, substantially as described.

I'IENRY lVATERSON. [L. s]

Witnesses:

RICHARD SKERRETT, ARTHUR J. POWELL.

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