Improvements in or relating to Free Wheel Brake Mechanism for Cycles and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1900-Accepted, 4th Aug., 1900
PROVIDIONAL DITIVATION
Improvements in or relating to Free Wheel Brake Mechanism for
Cycles and the like.
We, HUMBER & COMPANY LIMITED, of 32, Holborn Viaduct, in the City of
London, and FREDERICK EASOм, of 53, City Road, Beeston, in the County of
Nottingham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to free wheel brake mechanism for cycles, motor
vehicles and the like, but as it is particularly suitable to a free wheel bicycle
we will here describe it as so applied. In a free wheel bicycle, in which the
brake is applied by means of a clutch upon the crank axle, the brake is applied
by back-pedalling but the objection to such brakes as ordinarily made is that
the checking action is too sudden and no freedom is allowed to the operation
of the feet in back-pedalling so that the brake which is very powerful is applied
too suddenly and the rider finds himself in the position of having either to
apply his brake more powerfully, and more suddenly than he in most cases
desires, or to pedal ahead which he does not want to do. It is important with
mechanism of this description that the clutch action upon the crank axle should
be quite positive but that some means of freedom between that and the actual
application of the brake should be provided; this can be accomplished by the
present invention in the following manner.
We employ any suitable form of clutch upon the crank axle and preferably
inside the bottom bracket and to an arm extending from such clutch we pivot
a rod, cord, or equivalent by which the brake is to be applied. The brake we
prefer to use is a band brake upon the hub of the road wheel, the operation of
such a brake being more gentle than that of the rim brake now commonly used,
although this invention can be applied to a rim brake if desired. The band
brake is applied by the pulling action of the rod or cord when the clutch is
operated, but in order to allow of the play previously mentioned the rod is
passed through the arm, link or other device by which the band is tightened
and provided with stops at a suitable distance apart. By this means when the
rider pedals backwards and tightening the clutch draws forward the rod, the
latter does not immediately seize the brake, but slides through the brake arm
until the latter reaches the stop at the end of the rod which then draws forward
the arm and applies the brake as will be well understood. Both stops upon the
rod are adjustable so that the rider can regulate the amount of play permitted.
This play, besides the advantages previously mentioned affords a further advan-
tage that when the wheel is running free and the rider not working a certain
amount of oscillation is permitted to his feet as they rest upon the pedals with-
out applying the brake at all unless he desires to do so; this is an important
advantage as we have found in practice that it is practically impossible for the
rider to keep his feet and cranks perfectly still while running and that unless
some provision for play is made at every oscillation the brake is applied whether
wanted or not. .
In applying the invention to a rim brake the brake may be substantially of
ordinary construction and preferably hung from above and applied by pulling

page_text: it forward against the rim; in this case the rod or cord which applies the brake
can be connected with the clutch arm which may advantageously be placed in
the centre of the crank axle and bottom bracket-the freedom for the pedals
previously mentioned may be provided in the manner already described where
the rod connects with the brake or in other convenient position.
Dated this 4th day of October 1899
BOULT WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in or relating to Free Wheel Brake Mechanism for
Cycles and the like.
We, HUMBER & COMPANY LIMITED, of 32, Holborn Viaduct, in the City of
London, and FREDERICK EASOM, of Riseholme, Chilwell Road, Beeston, in the
County of Nottingham, late of 53, City Road, Beeston, Nottinghamshire,
Engineer, 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 free wheel brake mechanism for cycles, motor
vehicles and the like, but as it is particularly suitable to a free wheel bicycle
we will here describe it as so applied. In a free wheel bicycle, in which the
brake is applied by means of a clutch upon the crank axle, the brake is applied
by back-pedalling but the objection to such brakes as ordinarily made is that
the checking action is too sudden and no freedom is allowed to the operation
of the feet in back-pedalling so that the brake which is very powerful is applied
too suddenly and the rider finds himself in the position of having either to
apply his brake more powerfully, and more suddenly than he in most cases
desires, or to pedal ahead which he does not want to do. It is important with
mechanism of this description that the clutch action upon the crank axle should
be quite positive but that some means of freedom between that and the actual
application of the brake should be provided.
To give this necessary freedom the clutch mechanism is connected with the
brake through the medium of some device such as a sliding connection or a
loose link, so that the clutch is permitted a certain amount of movement before
bringing the brake into action.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 illustrates this invention applied to a band brake, and
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a clutch mechanism and rim brake provided
with a sliding connection according to this invention.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The band brake A may be of any known construction and is operated by a
rod B connected at its free end to a clutch mechanism also of any known con-
struction. The end of the rod 3 remote from the clutch mechanism is carried
through a link C, which when pulled upon in the direction indicated by the
arrow is arranged to draw together the two ends of the band brake A. The
rod B slides freely through the link C, and may be arranged to run upon rollers.
That end of the rod which projects beyond the link is screw-threaded and pro-
vided with nuts B¹.
The operation of this device is as follows:-
When the rod B is inoperative it takes up the position indicated by dotted
lines in the drawing so that the nuts B are not in contact with the link C.
If now the clutch mechanism is operated so that the rod is drawn forward in

page_text: the direction indicated by the arrow the first movement of the clutch will carry
the rod forward until the nuts B are brought against the link C, during which
movement the band brake is not operated. As, however, the clutch is still
rotated the rod B will be drawn still further forward and the nuts B¹ forced
against the link C so that the band brake is brought into operation.
The clutch mechanism is, by the means described above allowed a certain
amount of movement before it commences to operate the band brake, the amount
of such movement being regulated by the distance at which the nuts B₁ are set
from the link C when the rod B is in its normal position. The operating rod B
may be returned to its normal position by any convenient device, such as a
spring.
Both nuts B are detachable so that they may be locked together in any
position upon the threaded portion of the rod B.
Figure 2 shows an exactly similar arrangement applied to a rim brake. The
clutch mechanism within the bottom bracket D) is connected at B2 to an operat-
ing rod B which slides through a yoke and is provided on that side of the
yoke remote from the clutch with nuts B¹. The yoke is connected to brake
blocks operating in any well-known manner. The brake blocks together with
the yoke E are brought back into their position of rest after having been applied
by springs E and to prevent the yoke E from being drawn back by these springs
until it comes into contact with the nuts B' it is provided with a projection E²
adapted to engage a stop F secured to the lower back part of the machine.
The operation of this device is exactly similar to that already described with
reference to Figure 1 and therefore needs no further description.
It is obvious that devices equivalent to the sliding connection interposed
between the clutch mechanism and the brake may be used to permit a certain
amount of free movement of the clutch mechanism, for instance the same end
might be effected by connecting the operating rod to the brake mechanism by
a couple of pendent links, or by connecting the clutch mechanism to the brake
by means of a chain or other flexible device permitting a certain amount of
slack when not in operation. Again a spring may, if desired, be interposed
between the nuts B₁ and the link C, Figure 1, or the nuts B' and yoke E,
Figure 2, or the rod may slide in a tubular casing or cylinder containing a
compression spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In a back-pedal brake mechanism for cycles and the like the employment
between the clutch mechanism and the brake of a device whereby the clutch
is allowed a certain amount of movement before it commences to operate the
brake substantially as and for the purpose described
2. In a back-pedal brake mechanism for cycles and the like the combination
with the brake of a sliding connection between it and the operating rod sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The brake operating mechanism substantially as described or illustrated
in Figure or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of June 1900.
For HUMBER & CO., LD.,
JAS. T. ALLBUTT,
Liquidator,
FREDERICK EASOM,
Boult, Wade & Kilburn,
Agents for the Applicant.
For HUMBER & CO., LD).,
JAS. T. ALLBUTT,
Liquidator,
FREDERICK EASOM,
Boult, Wade & Kilburn,
Agents for the Applicant.