Operating lever for a bicycle derailleur

Claim 1

An operating lever for a bicycle derailleur, said derailleur including a return spring, said operating lever comprising a fixing member, a lever body, a support means including a lever shaft for supporting said lever body rotatably with respect to said fixing member and a resistance applying means for tightening said fixing member with respect to said lever shaft in a radially inward direction thereof so as to apply a resistance to rotation of said lever body, said resistance having a magnitude sufficient to overcome a spring force of said return spring, said fixing member including a bore for said lever shaft and a slot in continuation of said bore so as to allow said bore to be adjustable in size, said resistance applying means comprising an adjusting screw for reducing said bore in its diameter, said lever shaft being provided on a support member separate from said lever body, and a unidirectional rotary transmission being provided between said support member and said lever body, said unidirectional rotary transmission rotating together with said support member only when said lever body rotates in one direction and freely rotating with respect to said support member when said lever body rotates in the other direction.