Improved Brake Apparatus for Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Brake Apparatus for Cycles and other Vehicles.
We, NOAH THORNING, of 477, Bethnal Green Road, London, Manufacturer,
and THOMAS ANDERSON HANSON of 77, Amersham Road, New Cross, London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to brake apparatus for cycles and other vehicles in
which the brake is applied laterally to the wheel rim in lieu of to the wheel tyre
as ordinarily, and consists in certain improved means of fitting and applying
such brake apparatus, whereby the fitting of such apparatus will be simplified,
and the means of actuating the same will be more direct in their action, and the
action of the brake will, consequently, be more effective.
In brake apparatus of the nature aforesaid, a pair of oppositely arranged brake-
block holders or levers, which are pivotally connected to a bracket which by
clips and bolts is rigidly connected to the crown of the steering fork in front of
the latter, constitute the means of applying the pressure to the wheel rim, the
lower arms of the levers being branched apart and shaped to partially encircle
the tyre and wheel rim opposite which latter the levers are fitted with brake-
blocks formed of facings of leather, rubber or other suitable material secured
to metal carrying plates which are adjustably connected to the levers in any con-
venient manner, or, may be fixedly connected to the levers in any convenient
manner.
According to the present improvements, we adapt the upper arms of the levers
to be operated by the ordinary vertically reciprocating brake rod and connections
so as to cause the brake-blocks to be applied to the sides of the wheel rim when
the brake rod is actuated by the pressure of the hand in an ordinary manner,
and to be released from bearing against the wheel rim by the action of the
spring which returns the brake rod and its attachments to their normal positions
when released from the pressure of the hand.
To this end, the upper arms of the levers are formed with inclined slots
adapted to be engaged by pins projecting from arms laterally projecting from
the brake rod, the lower end of which is or may be inserted in a slot in the said
bracket to guide its movements, and is encircled by a spring which tends to
maintain the brake rod and the lever arms and the brake-blocks in their normal
positions. In this arrangement, when it is required to apply the brake, the brake
rod is actuated by the usual hand lever in an ordinary manner, and causes the
levers to apply the brake-blocks to the sides of the wheel rim, and, when the
hand pressure is released, the spring which returns the brake rod and its attach-
ments to their normal positions also causes the brake block levers to return to
their normal positions.
Or, the upper arms of the levers may be pivotally connected to a pair of toggle
levers pivotally connected to the brake rod, in which case, the depression of the
brake rod will separate the upper ends of the levers and cause their lower ends to
apply the brake blocks to the sides of the wheel rim, and all parts will be returned
to their normal positions by the spring operating on the brake rod, as aforesaid.

page_text: Or, the brake-block levers, instead of both being pivotally connected to a
bracket clipped to the steering fork, may be independently clipped to the arms
or crown of such fork and formed with projecting studs upon which the oppositely
arranged levers are respectively pivotally connected.
In another modification, the application of the brake levers to the wheel rim
may be caused or effected by the brake rod, by means, for example, of arms
laterally projecting from the brake rod and formed with inclined under faces
adapted to engage with the upper ends of the brake-block lever arms, and, when
the brake rod is depressed, to thrust the upper ends of the levers apart and cause
their lower ends to apply the brake blocks to the sides of the wheel rim. In
such case, as there is no positive connection of the brake rod to the brake levers.
as there is in the herein previously described modifications, the return of the
levers to their normal positions may be effected by a spring applied to the upper
arms of the brake-block levers and constantly tending to draw them towards each
other and keep the brake-blocks out of engagement with the wheel rim.
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DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
Apparatus for cycles and other venicles.
We, NOAH THORNING, of 477, Bethnal Green Road, London, Manufacturer,
and THOMAS ANDERSON HANSON of 77, Amersham Road, New Cross, London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to that kind of brake apparatus for cycles and other
vehicles in which the brake is applied laterally to the wheel-rim instead of to
the wheel-tyre as ordinarily, and consists in certain improved means of fitting
and applying such brake apparatus, whereby the fitting of such apparatus will
be simplified, and the means of actuating the same will be more direct in their
action, and the action of the brake will, consequently, be more effective.
In describing our invention we will refer to the accompanying drawings in
which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of our improved brake, and Fig. 2 a side
elevation thereof.
In brake apparatus of the nature aforesaid, and as shown, the means of apply-
ing the pressure to the wheel-rim comprise a pair of oppositely arranged brake-
block holders or levers, A A pivotally connected to a bracket which, by clips and
bolts, is rigidly connected to the crown of the steering forks in front of the latter
or they may be mounted and centred separately as at a a upon a pair of clips or
clamps secured to the fork f; the lower arms ¹ a¹ of the levers A A are
branched apart and shaped to partially encircle the tyre C and wheel-rim C¹
opposite which latter the levers are fitted with brake-blocks d d formed of facings
of leather, rubber or other suitable material secured to metal-carrying plates d'
which are fixed or adjustably connected to the levers A A in any convenient
manner.
According to the present improvements, we adapt the upper arms of the levers
to be operated by the ordinary vertically reciprocating brake-rod 9 and its con-
nections so as to cause the brake-blocks d d to be applied to the wheel-rim C¹
when the brake-rod g is actuated by the pressure of the hand in an ordinary

page_text: manner and to be released from bearing against the wheel-rim by the action
of a spring.
To this end the reciprocating brake-rod g is provided with arms or lateral pro-
jections such as o o formed with inclined under faces o¹ o¹ adapted to engage with
the upper outwardly inclined ends a² a2 of the brake-lever arms A A in such
manner that when the brake-rod g is actuated by the usual hand-lever so as to
be depressed or moved towards the wheel C the inclined faces o' o' thrust the
upper ends a² a² of the brake-levers apart and cause the lower ends a¹ a¹ to apply
the brake-blocks d d to the sides of the wheel-rim. When the hand pressure is
released it will be seen that the parts are returned to normal position by a
spring S applied to and connecting the upper brake-lever arms as a² and constantly
tending to draw them towards each other and keep the brake-blocks normally
out of engagement with the wheel-rim C¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. The improved brake apparatus comprising a pair of pivotted and oppositely
disposed rim-brake levers having their upper ends inclined outwardly and
adapted to be engaged by the inclined faces of lateral projections upon an operat-
ing rod so that when the said rod is depressed the said brake-levers are operated
so as to bring their lower ends together to brake the wheel rim, substantially
as described.
2. The improved brake apparatus for cycles and other vehicles comprising the
combination of parts constructed arranged and adapted for use substantially as
described in reference to the accompanying drawings.
Javc
unis wellen day of August 1899.
For T. A. HANSON,
-
J. C. Chapman & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.