An Improved Brake for Cycles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1898-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Brake for Cycles.
I, ERNST BUSCHMANN, of Schlachthofstrasse, Glauchau i/S, in the Empire
of Germany, Merchant, 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:-
At present the ordinary brakes of cycles are for the most part put upon the
front wheel. This construction has, however, many disadvantages and one in
particular is that when applying the brake suddenly the tendency is to throw
the rider forward. The present invention has for its object the provision of
a novel cycle brake having a large brake surface which acts upon the rear wheel.
This braking surface or block is pressed closely on to the rear wheel by an auxil-
iary lever operated as hereinafter described from the handle bar.
The accompanying sheet of drawings illustrates the construction of the new
brake as follows:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cycle to which the brake is applied.
Figure 2 is a detail on an increased scale of the auxiliary lever.
Figure 3 is also a detail on an increased scale of the controlling lever attached
to the handle bar of the machine.
From the tubular member a of the cycle frame the brake block is suspended
by means of a spring attachment or suitable lever or wires d carried upon the
clamp in such a manner that the block passes between the stay tubes e of the
rear wheel. The auxiliary lever f is attached to the stay tubes e in the rear
by a clamp g in such a manner that it can be adjusted longitudinally on these
stay tubes as desired so as to act upon the brake block b. The auxiliary lever f
is acted upon by the torsion spring which normally pulls it out of contact with
the block b. Forming portion of the auxiliary lever is a small plate i which
presses against the block in order to force it into contact with the rear wheel
when so desired. To the top end of the auxiliary lever f a chain, band, wire,
or the like, is attached which passes over suitable guide pulleys to the handle
bar of the machine and the end of the wire at the latter place is fastened to the
displaceable lever (shewn in Figure 3). This lever is attached to the handle
bar by a clamp m and is connected at one end to the brake lever n operated by
the rider and at the other end to the chain k, and it is evident that the rider,
by pulling up the brake lever n, will effect a tightening of the chain k and
therefore a partial rotation of the auxiliary lever f, and, through i, effect pres-
sure of the block b upon the rear wheel. The centre of motion of the lever
can be altered by changing the positions of the fulcrums of the two levers
and n, in the slots o, o¹, and it is evident that the rider, by this means, can effect
a more or less powerful pull upon the cord, wire, or chain k. The cord, wire
or chain passing over the guide rollers shown in the drawings can be held
securely from dislodgement when slack by cover pieces such as p, p, as shown
in Figure 3.

page_text: Having now narticularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is —
1. An improved brake for cycles consisting of a pivotally hung block sus-
pended before the rear. wheel applied to that wheel by the movement of an
auxiliary lever partially rotated by the rider, when desired, by means of a chain,
cord, or the like, while on releasing the chain the pressure is removed by the
backward action of a spring or springs suitably placed.
2. The improved rear wheel brake for cycles substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings.
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MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.