Improvements in Brakes for the Wheels of Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 26th June, 1894-Accepted, 28th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for the Wheels of Bicycles, Tricycles, and
other Velocipedes.
I, JOHN VERNON PUGH, of Whitworth Works, Rea Street South, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
:-
”
My improvements have reference to brakes for the wheels of bicycles, tricycles
and other velocipedes of the kind for which Letters Patent were granted to
Adolphe Clément dated March 17th 1892 No. 5290.
A brake of the kind referred to consists essentially of two blocks preferably of
vulcanised india rubber supported upon parallel horizontal spindles situated on
opposite sides of the tyre of the wheel on which the brake acts. The spindles of
the said blocks are carried by a frame capable of a rising and falling motion. In
the normal state of the brake the said frame and blocks are supported by a spring
at such a height that the blocks are not in contact with the tyre of the wheel but
the rider can at pleasure depress the said blocks on to the tyre by a hand lever or
its equivalent. When the blocks are depressed on the tyre their acting faces take
a position tangential to the parts of the tyre on which they respectively bear in
consequence of their freedom to turn on the spindles carrying them.
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in brakes of
the kind referred to. I make the two spindles carrying the blocks of the brakes
together with the cross piece by which they are connected of one piece of steel
wire preferably hardened and tempered the said wire constituting a fork on the
two parallel branches of which the two brake blocks are respectively situated and
turn. The said fork is fixed in the frame carrying it by the two ends of the
branches of the fork taking into depressions formed in the frame for their reception,
the cross part of the wire between the branches of the fork engaging by a spring or
anapping action with the hooked termination of a bar carried by the frame and
situated parallel to the branches of the fork. The fork carrying the blocks can be
readily removed when desirable for repair or otherwise, and when in position the
said fork is not liable to displacement as the pressure by which the brake is put
into action tends to hold the fork more firmly in position.
By my improvements the headed and screwed pins and screw nuts employed in
the ordinary construction of the said brakes are dispensed with and the construction
of the said brakes is not only simplified but by my improvements separate or
detachable parts liable to be lost are dispensed with.
Dated this 24th day of October 1893.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for the Wheels of Bicycles, Tricycles, and
other Velocipedes.
1 JOHN VERNON PUGH, of Whitworth Works, Rea Street South, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My improvements have reference to brakes for the wheels of bicycles tricycles

page_text: and other velocipedes of the kind for which Letters Patent were granted to
Adolphe Clément dated March 17th 1892, No. 5290.
A brake of the kind referred to consists essentially of two blocks preferably of
vulcanized india rubber supported upon parallel horizontal spindles situated on
opposite sides of the tyre of the wheel on which the brake acts. The spindles of
the said blocks are carried by a frame capable of a rising and falling motion. In
the normal state of the brake the said frame and blocks are supported by a spring
at such a height that the blocks are not in contact with the tyre of the wheel but
the rider can at pleasure depress the said blocks onto the tyre by a hand lever or
its equivalent. When the blocks are depressed on the tyre their acting faces take
a position tangential to the parts of the tyre on which they respectively bear in
consequence of their freedom to turn on the spindles carrying them.
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in brakes of the
kind referred to. I make the two spindles carrying the blocks of the brake
together with the cross piece by which they are connected, of one piece of steel
wire preferably hardened and tempered, the said wire constituting a fork on the
two parallel branches of which the two brake blocks are respectively situated and
turn. The said fork is fixed in the frame carrying it by the two ends of the
branches of the fork taking into depressions formed in the frame for their reception,
the cross part of the wire between the branches of the fork engaging by a spring
or snapping action with the hooked termination of a bar carried by the frame and
situated parallel to the branches of the fork. The fork carrying the blocks can be
readily removed when desirable for repair or otherwise, and when in position the
said fork is not liable to displacement as the pressure by which the brake is put
into action tends to hold the fork more firmly in position.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing represent respectively in front
elevation side elevation and plan a velocipede wheel brake of the kind described
containing my improvements; Figure 4 is a vertical section of the same taken on
the line, Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line y, y Figure 3:
Figures 6, 7 and 8 represent views of the parts of the brake detached as hereinafter
described.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
a, a, a, a is the frame of the brake connected by the screwed part a³ to the
lower end of the brake rod. The said brake frame consists of the nearly horizontal
projecting arm a having the book shaped termination a³ at its front end and the
cross arm or projecting side arms a, a at its rear end. The said projecting side
arins a, a have in them near their ends circular holes or depressions. The said
frame is shown separately in side and front elevation in Figure 6.
b, b are the india rubber brake blocks having axial holes, the said brake blocks
being represented detached in end elevation and longitudinal section in Figure 8.
c, c, c is the fork shaped wire on the branches c, c of which the brake blocks b, b
are situated, the said branches of the fork being connected at front by the cross
part or curved bridge piece c². The wire fork is represented in side elevation,
front elevation and plan in Figure 7.
The said brake is put together by introducing the ends of the branches c, c of
the wire fork c, c, c, the said branches c, c carrying the brake blocks b, b, into the
holes or depressions in the side arms a', a' of the frame and by an upward pressure
engaging the curved bridge piece of the wire fork by a spring or snapping action
with the hook shaped end a³ of the frame as best seen in Figures 2 and 4. When
the parts are thus put together the brake blocks b, b are firmly held or secured to
the frame a the branches c, c of the wire fork constituting spindles on which the
brake blocks b, b are capable of turning.
By my improvements the headed and screwed pins and screw nuts employed in
the ordinary construction of the said brakes are dispensed with and the construction
of the said brakes is not only simplified but by my improvements separate or
detachable parts liable to be lost are dispensed with. My improvements have the

page_text: further advantage that the parts of the brake may be readily detached for repair
or for the renewal of the india rubber brake blocks when worn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention of "Improvements in brakes for the wheels of bicycles, tricycles and
other velocipedes ";—
Making the spindles for the india rubber brake blocks of brakes of the kind
described of a fork shaped wire and connecting the said fork shaped wire to the
frame of the brake for the purpose and substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the Twenty-sixth day of June 1894
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.