Mounting bracket for handlebar crossbar

• US 5,064,157 A
• Filed: 05/01/1990
• Issued: 11/12/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jim O'Neal Distributing Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jim O'Neal Distributing Inc.
• Inventors: O'Neal, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Gary L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILANO, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US07/517,584
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 248/230, 248/231, 403/191, 403/235, 403/236, 403/344, 74/551.1, 74/551.8
• US Class Current: 248/230.1
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/12 Handlebars; Handlebar stems
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/125 Extensions; Auxiliary handlebars
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/08 using bands
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/048 for rods or for tubes without using the innerside thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2078 Handle bars

Abstract

A mounting bracket used to mount a crossbar on a handlebar of a bicycle, motorcycle or similar vehicle. Two of the mounting brackets, one at each end of a crossbar, are used to mount the crossbar on a handlebar. Each mounting bracket has a sleeve portion that fits around the handlebar. The sleeve portion is clamped to the handlebar by a first bolt passing through apertures in clevis arms extending outward from the sleeve portion that are integrally formed with the sleeve portion. The crossbar has a lug at each end thereof. Each lug of the crossbar is secured between the clevis arms of a corresponding one of the mounting brackets by a second bolt that passes through apertures in the clevis arms and the lug. The first bolt is located between the end of the lug and the handlebar, and the second bolt is located between the end of the lug and the ends of the clevis arms. As such, the first bolt is used to clamp the sleeve portion of the bracket to the handlebar and the second bolt is used to secure a corresponding crossbar lug to the clevis arms of the bracket. The sleeve portion is of a predetermined thickness and has arcuate-shaped grooves therein that provide flexibility in order to facilitate clamping the sleeve portion around the handlebar. Apertures or slots passing through the sleeve portion may be used to provide flexibility instead of grooves.

Claims

1. A mounting bracket used to mount a crossbar to a handlebar, said crossbar having a lug at each end thereof with an aperture passing through each of said lugs, comprising:

a sleeve portion removably fitting around said handlebar;

clevis arms integrally formed with said sleeve portion and extending from said sleeve portion, said clevis arms having first and second pairs of apertures passing therethrough and integrally formed straight arm portions and angled arm portions, said angled arm portions being at an angle with respect to said straight arm portions, said angle selected so that said mounting bracket is adapted to fit said crossbar and said handlebar;

first fastening means engaging said first pair of apertures in said clevis arms for removably clamping said sleeve portion to said handlebar; and

second fastening means engaging said second pair of apertures in said clevis arms and said aperture in a corresponding one of said lugs of said crossbar for removably securing said one lug between said clevis arms.

2. The mounting bracket of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second fastening means comprises a bolt threaded into a nut.

3. The mounting bracket of claim 1 wherein said first fastening means is located between said handlebar and an end of said one lug.

4. The mounting bracket of claim 3 wherein said second fastening means is located between said end of said one lug and ends of said clevis arms.

5. The mounting bracket of claim 4 wherein each of said first and second fastening means comprises a bolt threaded into a nut.

6. The mounting bracket of claim 5 wherein said sleeve portion has arcuate-shaped grooves therein.

7. The mounting bracket of claim 6 wherein said clevis arms have counterbores therein, each of said counterbores for a corresponding one of said nuts and said bolts.

8. The mounting bracket of claim 7 wherein said angle between said angled arm portions and said straight arm portions is about 129 degrees.

9. The mounting bracket of claim 7 wherein said angle between said angled arm portions and said straight arm portions is about 153 degrees.

10. A mounting bracket used to mount a crossbar to a handlebar, said crossbar having a lug at each end thereof with an aperture passing through each of said lugs, comprising:

a sleeve portion removably fitting around said handlebar, said sleeve portion being of a predetermined thickness facilitating flexibility thereof;

clevis arms integrally formed with said sleeve portion and extending from said sleeve portion, said clevis arms having apertures passing therethrough, said clevis arms adapted to removably engage a corresponding one of said lugs of said crossbar so that said one lug fits between said clevis arms, said clevis arms having integrally formed straight arm portions and angled arm portions, said angled arm portions being at an angle with respect to said straight arm portions, said angle selected so that said mounting bracket is adapted to fit said crossbar and said handlebar;

a first fastener engaging a corresponding pair of said apertures in said clevis arms and located between said handlebar and an end of said one lug so that said sleeve portion is removably clamped around said handlebar; and

a second fastener engaging another corresponding pair of said apertures in said clevis arms and said aperture in said one lug, and located between said end of said one lug and ends of said clevis arms so that said one lug is removably secured between said clevis arms.

11. The mounting bracket of claim 10 wherein said sleeve portion has means for providing flexibility therefor to facilitate clamping said sleeve portions to said handlebar.

12. The mounting bracket of claim 11 wherein said clevis arms have counterbores therein, each of said counterbores for a corresponding one of said first and second fasteners.

13. The mounting bracket of claim 12 wherein said angle between said angled arm portions and said straight arm portions is about 129 degrees.

14. The mounting bracket of claim 12 wherein said angle between said angled arm portions and said straight arm portions is about 153 degrees.

15. A mounting bracket used to mount a crossbar to a handlebar, said crossbar having a lug at each end thereof with an aperture passing through each of said lugs, comprising:

a sleeve portion removably fitting around said handlebar, said sleeve portion having grooves therein;

clevis arms integrally formed with said sleeve portion and extending outwardly from said sleeve portion, said clevis arms having apertures passing therethrough and counterbores at ends of said apertures, said clevis arms adapted to removably engage a corresponding one of said lugs of said crossbar so that said one lug fits between said clevis arms, said clevis arms including integrally formed straight arm portions and angled arm portions, said angled arm portions being at an angle with respect to said straight arm portions;

a first bolt engaging a corresponding pair of said apertures in said clevis arms and located between said handlebar and an end of said one lug, said first bolt having a head adapted to fit into a corresponding one of said counterbores in said clevis arms;

a first nut adapted to fit into a corresponding one of said counterbores in said clevis arms and adapted to engage said first bolt so that said sleeve portion is removably clamped around said handlebar;

a second bolt engaging a corresponding pair of said apertures in said clevis arms and said aperture in said one lug and located between said end of said one lug and ends of said clevis arms, said second bolt having a head adapted to fit into a corresponding one of said counterbores in said clevis arms; and

a second nut adapted to fit into a corresponding one of said counterbores in said clevis arms and adapted to engage said second bolt so that said one lug is removably secured between said clevis arms.

16. A combination of crossbar and mounting brackets for use with a handlebar comprising:

a crossbar having a lug at each end thereof, each of said lugs having an aperture passing therethrough; and

two mounting brackets, each of said mounting brackets removably secured to one of said lugs of said crossbar, each of said mounting brackets including;

(a) a sleeve portion removably fitting around said handlebar,

(b) clevis arms integrally formed with said sleeve portion and extending from said sleeve portion, said sleeve portion, said clevis arms having first and second pairs of apertures passing therethrough and integrally formed straight arm portions and angled arm portions, said angled arm portions being at an angle with respect to said straight arm portions, said angle selected so that said mounting bracket is adapted to fit said crossbar and said handlebar,

(c) first fastening means engaging said first pair of apertures in said clevis arms for removably clamping said sleeve portion to said handlebar, and

(d) second fastening means engaging said second pair of apertures in said clevis arms and said aperture in a corresponding one of said lugs of said crossbar for removably securing said one lug between said clevis arms.

17. The combination of crossbar and mounting brackets of claim 16 wherein each of said first and second fastening means comprises a bolt threaded into a nut.

18. The combination of crossbar and mounting brackets of claim 17 wherein said first fastening means is located between said handlebar and an end of said one lug.

19. The combination of crossbar and mounting brackets of claim 18 wherein said second fastening means is located between said end of said one lug and ends of said clevis arms.

20. The combination of crossbar and mounting brackets of claim 19 wherein said sleeve portion has groves therein providing flexibility therefor.