Support for the brake-operating lever and the gear-operating lever of bicycles and the like

• US 4,974,469 A
• Filed: 05/30/1989
• Issued: 12/04/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Campagnolo S.R.L.
• Original Assignee: Campagnolo S.R.L.
• Inventors: Romano, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): LUONG, VINH
• Application Number:
  US07/358,052
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 74/489, 74/488, 74/502.2, 74/501.5 R, 192/4 R, 192/4 A
• US Class Current: 74/502.2
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 23/06 Levers
• CPC Class Codes: B62L 3/02 for control by a hand lever hand levers for control of cycles in general B62K23/06
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 25/04 hand actuated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20287 Flexible control element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20438 Single rotatable lever [e.g., for bicycle brake or derailleur]

Abstract

A support for brake-operating levers adapted for connection to a handlebar of a bicycle includes a pin for the articulation of an operating lever for the front or rear derailer, which is mounted on an auxiliary body whose position is adjustable relative to the support. The auxiliary body may be connected to a lever support mounted on the handlebars in a configuration such that the operating lever is placed above or below the median plane of the support.

Claims

1. A brake and derailer operating assembly comprising a support body adapted to be mounted on a handlebar,

a brake operating lever pivotally mounted on said support body,

a first hole in said support body,

a rod having a first end slidably and rotatably mounted in said hole for adjusting the position of said rod relative to said support body,

locking means for locking said rod in an adjusted position relative to said support body, said rod having a second end opposite said first end, a pin secured to said second end of said rod and disposed perpendicular thereto and

a derailer operating lever mounted on said pin for rotation relative to said pin.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said pin has a first portion and a second portion, limit means mounted on said first portion to limit rotation of said derailer operating lever, a second hole disposed in said second end of said rod and having a notched peripheral surface, said second portion of said pin having a notched outer surface complementary to said notched periphery of said second hole for enabling adjustment of the angular position of said pin relative to said rod.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a threaded hole in said body perpendicular to said first hole and screw means threaded into said threaded hole for engagement with said rod disposed in said first hole.

4. An assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a flexible operating cable connected to said brake operating lever and resilient means interposed between said brake operating lever and said support body for returning said brake operating lever independent of forces acting on said cable.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein said resilient means comprises a flat spring having a first end portion connected to said brake operating lever and a second end portion acting on said support body.