Improvements in Driving-mechanism and Brakes for Velocipedes.
Year: 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving-mechanism and Brakes for Velocipedes.
. L
J
.:
We, CHARLES OSCAR BARNES, of 722, Prospect Avenue, Buffalo, and EDWARD
ALFRED JONES; of Military Road; Tonawanda, both in the County of Erie and
State. of New York, United States of America, Machinists, 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 cycle brakes of the class commonly known as back
pedal brakes.
.. I .
The invention has for its objects to provide a reliable brake of this character
which shall be simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, which avoids
all contact with the wheel tires, and in which the parts are located adjacent to
the crank shaft hanger in such manner as to be convenient of assemblage and
easy of access for making repairs.
In the accompanying drawings consisting of two sheets: Figure 1 is a side
elevation of the crank-shaft, sprocket wheel and adjacent parts of a bicycle,
equipped with our improved brake. Figure 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view
thereof, partly in horizontal section. Figure 3. is a transverse section of the
machine taken immediately in rear of the transverse brake lever, the parts in
front of this lever being omitted. Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on
the line 4-4, of Figure 2, and drawn to a reduced scale. Figure 5 is a longi-
tudinal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, and drawn to a reduced
scale, and Figure 6 is a similar section to Figure 5, with the inner face plate
of the brake actuating arm omitted.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.
A is the crank shaft, B the hanger supporting the shaft and having ball
bearings of any ordinary or approved form, and C the frame tubes or members
extending from the rear side of the hanger. In the drawings, two parallel tubes
are shown but a single tube may be employed, if desired.
The sprocket or driving wheel which is mounted on the crank shaft consists
of an inner disc or hub portion 1 rigidly secured to the shaft by any suitable
means and an outer or rim portion 1) mounted loosely on the hub and connected
therewith by a clutch of any suitable construction which compels the rim portion
to turn forwardly with the crank shaft in propelling the machine, but allows
the rim to turn forward freely independently of the hub and the crank shaft
when the latter remains at rest in coasting. In the construction shown in the
drawings, the rim portion is confined upon the hub by an integral annular
Hange & extending inwardly from the central opening of the rim on one side
of the wheel and a ring or cap d' secured to the opposite side of the rim portion
by screws 1/2 or other suitable means, as shown in Figure 2. The clutch pre-
ferably consists of transverse rollers e arranged in recesses e' which are formed
in the periphery of the hub D and provided with inclined bottoms between which
and the inner surface of the sprocket rim the rollers are wedged by the forward.
rotation of the crank shaft, thus compelling the rim to turn forward with the
shaft in an obvious manner, while, releasing the rollers, and permitting the -rim
[Pains Qd77

page_text: to turn forward independently of the shaft when the latter is held stationary in
coasting. The rollers are preferably forced toward the narrow ends of the
recesses by springs e, as shown in Figure 4.
Fis a narrow brake rim arranged on the inner side of the sprocket rim D¹,
and preferably formed integral therewith, and G is a brake band which nearly
encircles said brake rim and is seated in an annular groove formed in the same.
One end of the brake band is rigidly secured to the frame of the machine in rear
of the hanger by any suitable attachment, the preferred means consisting of a
divided clip or clamp H which embraces the frame tubes. This clip is provided
at the side facing the sprocket wheel with perforated lugs through which the
adjacent end portion of the brake band passes and in which it is secured by a
nut applied to the projecting end thereof, as shown in Figure 3. The opposite
end of the brake band terminates near the clip H and is connected with one arm
of a brake lever I arranged transversely on the underside of the frame
members C and pivoted by a longitudinal pin i to a bifurcated lug which
depends from said clip, as shown in Figure 3, so that upon depressing the opposite
arm of this lever, the arm connected with the band is swung upward or toward
the supporting clip, thereby contracting the band and applying the brake.
The free end of the brake lever is actuated in back-pedalling by an arm J
extending rearwardly from the crank shaft and arranged on the side of the
hanger opposite the sprocket wheel. This actuating arm is connected with the
shaft by a clutch of any ordinary or suitable construction which allows the shaft
to turn forward without affecting the arm, but couples the arm to the shaft and
compels the same to turn therewith when the shaft is turned backward, so that
upon back-pedalling, the actuating arm is swung downward and caused to swing
the brake lever in the proper direction to tighten the brake band. A roller
clutch similar to that of the sprocket wheel of the crank shaft but arranged
reversely thereto, is preferably employed for this purpose. In this case the inner
member of the clutch preferably consists of a sleeve which forms a reduced
extension of the usual jam nut whereby the adjustable bearing cone is locked
in place, as shown in Figure 2. The hub of the actuating arm J is loosely
mounted on this extension. The roller m of the clutch is in this case arranged
in a recess m¹ formed in the hub of the actuating arm, and the latter is confined
against lateral displacement on the extension by the flanged outer end of the
nut and a divided plate or cap m² removably secured to the inner side of the
arm and engaging in an annular groove m³ formed in the extension of the jam
nut, as shown in Figure 2. The roller recess of the actuating arm is covered on
its inner side by the divided plate m² and on its opposite side by a plate mt brazed
or otherwise secured to the arm.
The free end of the brake lever I is pivotally connected with the actuating
arm J, preferably by a ball and socket joint n of any suitable construction. The
opposite end of the brake lever is forked and the jaws of the fork are connected
by a transverse pin o, which is embraced by a hook o on the adjacent end of the
brake band. The opening of the hook is just as wide as the smallest diameter
or transverse dimension of the pin o, so that the hook can be engaged with the
pin only by bringing the narrow portion of the pin in line with the opening
of the hook. The flat side of the pin faces downwardly in all positions of the
brake lever, as shown in Figure 3, so that the lever must be brought parallel
with the brake band in order. to disconnect the parts, which position the lever
can assume only after removing it from the clip H. To prevent the hook from
Being sprung out of engagement with the pin o of the brake lever, a retaining
bar p may be employed which is secured to the underside of the lever and engages
in a notch formed in the hook, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
In propelling the machine in the ordinary way, the sprocket rim is caused
to turn forwardly with the crank shaft by the coasting clutch, but the actuating
arm J remains at rest owing to the reverse arrangement of its clutch, as herein-
before described, allowing the brake band to remain loose. In coasting the rider

page_text: The
simply keeps his feet at rest on the pedals, when the sprocket rim and the driving
chain will continue their forward movement independently of the crank shaft
in a well known manner. To apply the brake, the rider back-pedals.
backward movement of the crank shaft causes the actuating arm to move down-
ward, thereby swinging the brake lever on its pivot, tightening the brake band
upon the brake rim and retarding or arresting the progress of the machine.
Upon again pedalling forward, the brake band expands and clears the brake
rim by reason of its elasticity and returns the parts to their former position.
In my improved coaster-brake, all of the parts are compactly arranged adjacent
to the hanger where they are conveniently accessible for making repairs and no
connections are employed between the hanger and the rear wheel hub, as in
brakes arranged partly on the crank shaft and partly on the rear wheel or rear
axle. As the brake operates against the sprocket wheel, it avoids the wear and
liability of slipping incidental to braking against the wheel tyres, while the
large contact surface afforded by the brake band renders the brake reliable in
action and requires comparatively little exertion to effectively apply the same.
By arranging the actuating arm and the brake band and rim on opposite sides
of the hanger and transmitting the movement of the arm to the band by a trans-
verse lever, as shown, the strain upon the hanger is balanced or equalized.
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 combination with the crank shaft, and a sprocket or
driving wheel
mounted loosely thereon and having a brake rim, of an interposed clutch which
compels the driving wheel to turn forwardly with the shaft but allows the shaft
to turn backward independently thereof, a brake band which embraces said brake
rim and is secured at one end to a stationary part of the machine, an actuating
or tightening device for the brake band connected with the opposite end of the
latter, and a second clutch connecting said actuating device with the crank shaft
and arranged reversely to the first named clutch, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with the crank shaft, the sprocket or driving wheel, and
an interposed clutch which compels the driving wheel to turn forwardly with
the shaft but allows the shaft to turn backward independently thereof, of a
brake which operates against said driving wheel, an actuating arm connected
with the crank shaft by a clutch operating reversely to said driving wheel clutch,
and a brake lever arranged transversely of the machine and connecting the brake
with said actuating arm, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the crank shaft of a velocipede, and a sprocket or
driving wheel mounted loosely thereon and having a brake rim, of a coasting
clutch which compels the driving wheel to turn forwardly with the shaft, but
allows the shaft to turn backward independently thereof, a brake band which
embraces said brake rim and is secured at one end to a stationary part of the
machine, an actuating arm connected with the crank slraft by a clutch operating
reversely to said coasting clutch, and a transverse brake lever mounted on the
velocipede frame and connecting the opposite end of the brake band with said
actuating arm, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with a crank shaft, the sprocket or driving wheel, and
an interposed clutch which compels the driving wheel to turn forwardly with
the shaft but allows the shaft to turn backward independently thereof, of a brake
a nut applied to the shaft and having a cylindrical extension, and an actuating
arm for the brake mounted loosely on said extension and connected therewith
by a clutch which operates reversely to the clutch of the driving wheel, sub-
stantially as set forth.
5. The combination with the crank shaft, the sprocket or driving wheel, and
an interposed clutch which compels the driving wheel to turn forwardly with the
shaft but allows the shaft to turn backward independently thereof, of a brake,

page_text: a nut applied to the shaft and having a cylindrical extension provided with an
annular groove, an actuating arm for said brake mounted loosely on said ex-
tension and connected therewith by a clutch which operates reversely to the clutch
of the driving wheel, and a divided cap or ring secured to the side of said
actuating arm and engaging in said groove, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 7th day of June 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.