Handlebar adjusting device

A device for releasably attaching an end handlebar portion, said end handlebar portion having an attachment end and a gripping end, to a central handlebar portion, said central handlebar portion having a connection to a steering post and an attachment end displaced from said steering post, and for selectably locking the handlebar portions together in a preselected position, said device comprising:

• a first coupler member, including first attaching means for attaching said first coupler member to the attachment end of the central handlebar portion, and first locking means for cooperating with locking means on another coupler member;
• a second coupler member, including second attaching means for attaching said second coupler member to the attachment end of the end handlebar portion, and second locking means for cooperating with the locking means on the first coupler member to releasably lock said handlebars in the preselected position;
• connecting means interconnecting said first and second coupler members for relative rotation between a plurality of predetermined positions;
• retaining means operatively associated with said connecting means, said retaining means being movable between a retaining condition for selectively retaining the locking means of said first and second coupler members in a locking condition to fix the handlebar portions in selected positions, and a releasing condition for freeing the locking means to unlock said coupler members to free the handlebar portions for movement to different positions, said retaining means including:
• knob means attached to said connecting means for actuating said retaining means, and
• blocking means operatively connected to said knob means and movable between a blocking position for blocking said coupler members against relative movement from a locked condition, and an unblocking position for enabling relative movement of said coupler members.

In a bicycle having a front wheel and a steering post extending in generally upward and downward directions when the bicycle is in an upright position, a handlebar attached to the steering post, the handlebar having junctures at positions displaced from and on opposite sides of the steering post to divide the handlebar into an attached handlebar portion extending in opposite directions from the steering post and gripping handlebar portions spaced from the sterring post, the gripping portions being bent to extend generally parallel to the wheel and downward, a pair of coupling assemblies each comprising cooperating pairs of releasable coupler members attached to the handlebars at the respective junctures and configured to selectively lock each gripping handlebar portion against rotation relative to the adjacent attached handlebar portion when the respective cooperating pairs of members are retained together and to unlock each gripping handlebar portion for rotation relative to the adjacent attached handlebar portion in a plane transverse to the wheel when the respective cooperating pairs of members are released, connecting means interconnecting the respective pairs of coupler members, and retaining means for selectively retaining and releasing the locking configurations of the respective pairs of coupler members, each of said retaining means being operatively associated with one of said connecting means and being movable between a retaining condition for selectively retaining the respective pair of coupler members in a locked condition and a releasing condition for unlocking the pair of coupler members, each of said retaining means including knob means attached to said connecting means for actuating said retaining means and blocking means connected to said knob means for movement between a blocking position for blocking the pair of coupler members against movement from a locked condition and an unblocking condition for enabling relative movement of the pair of coupler members;

• the gripping handlebar portions being adjustable, when the respective cooperating pairs of members are unlocked, to and lockable in, a racing position wherein the gripping portions are at elevations below the place of attachment of the attached handlebar portion to the steering post and a touring position wherein the gripping portions are at elevations at least as high as the place of attachment of the attached handlebar portion to the steering post.