IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR CARRIAGES, BICYCLES, AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Russell Mortimer, of Rogate Lodge, in the County
of Sussex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR CARRIAGES,
BICYCLES, AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Russell Mortimer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th July 1881.
•
WALTER RUSSELL MORTIMER, of Rogate Lodge, in the County of Sussex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR CARRIAGES, BICYCLES, AND OTHER WHEELED
VEHICLES."
My Invention relates to brakes for carriages, bicycles, and other wheeled vehicles,
and has for its object to construct and arrange such brakes in a simple, compact,
and not unsightly manner with their working parts protected. In constructing a
brake for a wheel, such as that of a carriage or vehicle having a stationary axle
on which the wheel revolves, I extend inwards towards the carriage the ring
which is usually shrunk on the nave, or I fix over it another ring projecting
towards the carriage, and behind this I fix on the axle a disc with a lip projecting
forwards so as to overlap the ring so fixed, or a disc the outer edge of which is
overlapped by but free from the ring. On this disc I mount a lever, one arm of
which is jointed to one end of a divided spring ring or two semicircular segments
hinged together, the other end of which is jointed to the disc; this spring ring or
these segments are covered over the outer surface with leather or other suitable
material, and the ring thus covered is of such a diameter that it lies just within
the ring fixed on the nave, but without touching its inner surface, so that the
wheel can revolve freely without friction. To the other arm of the lever is
attached a cord, chain, or rod connected to a handle, lever, screw, or treadle at any
convenient part of the vehicle; on pulling the cord, chain, or rod the lever is
moved so as to expand the spring ring or segments, and so press the leather or
other covering against the ring fixed on the nave, producing friction which retards
or arrests the rotation of the wheel. If segments are used, on slackening the
cord, chain, or rod they are drawn inwards by a spring, thus releasing the brake.

page_text: For the brake of a bicycle wheel which revolves along with its axle I attach to
one side of the wheel a nave ring, and on one limb of the fork which carries the
crank axle I fix a disc with its lip overlapping the nave ring. On a pin on this
disc I joint the lower ends of two semicircular segments which are covered with
leather or other suitable material, and I connect the upper ends of these segments
to a toggle joint, the middle pin of which is connected by a rod or cord to a handle.
On pulling up this rod or cord so as to straighten the toggle the two semicircular
segments jointed to it are forced outwards from the centre of the wheel, and their
leather or other covering is thus pressed against the inner surface of the nave
ring, producing friction which retards or arrests the rotation of the wheel. On
slackening the rod or cord the semicircular segments are drawn inwards by a
spring, thus releasing the brake. A similar construction of brake is applicable to
the wheel of a tricycle, the semicircular segment and toggle being arranged so that
the rod or cord which works them can be led to a position convenient for the hand
or foot of the operator.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Walter Russell Mortimer in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th January 1882.
WALTER RUSSELL MORTIMER, of Rogate Lodge, in the County of Sussex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR CARRIAGES, BICYCLES, AND OTHER WHEELED
VEHICLES."
My Invention relates to brakes for carriages, bicycles, and other wheeled vehicles,
and has for its object to construct and arrange such brakes in a simple, compact,
and not unsightly manner with their working parts protected. In constructing a
brake for a wheel, such as that of a carriage or vehicle having a stationary axle on
which the wheel revolves, I extend inwards towards the carriage the ring which
is usually shrunk on the nave, or I fix over it another ring projecting towards the
carriage, and behind this I fix on the axle a disc with a lip projecting forwards so
as to overlap the ring so fixed, or a disc the outer edge of which is overlapped by
but free from the ring. On this disc I mount a lever, one arm of which is jointed
to one end of a divided spring ring or two semicircular segments hinged together,
the other end of which is jointed to the disc; this spring ring or these segments
are covered over the outer surface with leather or other suitable material, and the
ring thus curved is of such a diameter that it lies just within the ring fixed on
the nave, but without touching its inner surface, so that the wheel can revolve
freely without friction. To the other arm of the lever is attached a cord, chain, or
rod connected to a handle lever, screw, or treadle, at any convenient part of the
vehicle; on pulling the cord, chain, or rod the lever is moved so as to expand the
spring ring or segments, and so press the leather or other covering against the ring
fixed on the nave, producing friction which retards or arrests the rotation of the
wheel. If segments are used, on slackening the cord, chain, or rod they are drawn
inwards by a spring, thus releasing the brake.
For the brake of a bicycle wheel which revolves along with its axle I attach to
one side of the wheel a nave ring, and on one limb of the fork which carries the
crank axle I fix a disc with its lip overlapping the nave ring. On a pin on this
disc I joint the lower ends of two semicircular segments which are covered with
leather or other suitable material, and I connect the upper ends of these segments
to a toggle joint; the middle pin of which is connected by a rod or cord to a handle.
On pulling up this rod or cord so as to straighten the toggle the two semicircular
segments jointed to it are forced outwards from the centre of the wheel, and their
leather or other covering is thus pressed against the inner surface of the nave
ring, producing friction which retards or arrests the rotation of the wheel. On
slackening the rod or cord the semicircular segments are drawn inwards by a
spring, thus releasing the brake. A similar construction of brake is applicable to
the wheel of a tricycle, the semicircular segment and toggle being arranged so that
the rod or cord which works them can be led to a position convenient for the hand
or foot of the operator.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front view of a brake according to my Invention; Fig. 2 is a part
vertical section, and Fig. 3 is a back view. On the square part of the axle behind
the collar I fix a disc A which is slotted at one side, and after being passed over
the axle has the slot filled by a piece B slid into the slot and secured by a key.
On the piece B is mounted by a pin M a bell crank lever D, one arm of which has
11

page_text: arm of the lever D is connected by a link E to one end of a divided circular
spring I, the other end of which is hooked over and secured by a screw H to a
stud C projecting from the disc A. The outer surface of the spring I is covered by
leather or other somewhat yielding material of like character, which may be
secured to the spring as shewn in Fig. 1, or in any other convenient manner. The
spring and its covering are of such size that the periphery of the latter is clear
within the ring K which is fixed on the nave of the wheel and revolves with it.
On straining the cord G the spring I is expanded and its covering bears against
the inner surface of the ring K, retarding or arresting its revolution. Figs. 4, 5,
and 6 are views corresponding with those in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, shewing a modified
construction in which the lever D has a spindle passing the piece B, and having
fixed on it an arm P to which the cord or rod is attached; Figs. 7 and 8 shew
respectively a front and a back view of the modified form of brake, in which
instead of a flexible spring two rigid semicircular segments I and l' are employed,
a spring S serving to retract these segments for taking off the brake, a stud T
forming a stop to limit the inward movement of the segments; Fig. 9 is a front
view, and Fig. 10 a vertical section of the brake applied to a bicycle. In this case
the disc A is fixed to one of the limbs of the fork, and the segments I and I' which,
as shewn, may have no leather covering, bear against the interior of the ring K
which is secured by brazing or otherwise in a recess of the wheel nave L. The
segments I, I, are worked by a toggle joint Q, the middle joint of which is
connected by a link R to a rod or cord extending up the fork to the handle of the
operator. A spring S retracts the segments I, I, for releasing the brake. The
bicycle brake which may also serve for a tricycle may be arranged, as shewn
in Fig. 11, in a manner similar to that shewn in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 for a carriage
brake.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim for carriages, bicycles, and other wheeled vehicles the
use of a brake consisting of a divided spring ring, or jointed segments which
may be covered with leather or analogous material, and which by the pull of a
cord, chain, or rod are expanded so as to press against the interior of a ring
secured to the nave of the wheel of the vehicle, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Russell Mortimer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty first day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
TXT ORD
DITACURY I
BOOTLO