Improvements in Brake Mechanism for Bicycles and Tricycles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brake Mechanism for Bicycles and Tricycles.
We, SAM THOMAS RICHARDSON, FRANK ALLUM, and RICHARD PRICE
trading together as Richardson & Co., of 3 Rea Street, Deritend, in the City of
Birmingham, Cycle Wrench and Cycle Makers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows :-
This invention consists of the hereindescribed improved arrangement of brake
mechanism for bicycles and tricycles which mechanism is arranged to enable the
rider to apply the brake by means of his foot instead of by a hand lever as is usual.
The rider is thus enabled to retain a firmer grip on the handle bar when running
down hill and to take his feet off the pedals and place them upon the usual foot
rests and maintain perfect control over his machine by applying the brake with the
pressure of his foot or feet preferably by one of his heels.
We will describe this invention as applied to the front wheel of a safety
bicycle.
We provide a small foot lever free to turn upon a fulcrum pin fixel to one side
of the wheel fork. This fulcrum pin may be and by préference is one of the foot
rests. One end of this foot lever (preferably the front end) is connected by a
link or rod to one end of a leather lined or other brake band which encircles the
brake wheel fixed to the hub of the front wheel of the machine. Normally the
brake band is kept off the brake wheel by means of a spring which may be a coiled
wire spring on the connecting link acting between the end of the brake band and
an eye on the fork through which the said connecting rod passes.
When the rider wishes to apply the brake he places one of his feet upon that
foot rest to or near which the foot lever is jointed and then by the pressure of his
heel or other part of his foot he depresses one end of the foot lever causing the
other end thereof and the connecting rod to rise and tighten the brake band on the
brake wheel.
Or the rider can actuate the foot lever without placing his foot on the foot
rest.
The said foot lever is by preference arranged on the inside of the fork that is
between the side of the fork and the wheel so as to be in a line with the brake
wheel and is then carried round that limb of the fork to the outside and there made
of the shape most convenient to be acted upon by the foot.
Dated this 16th day of June 1893.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brake Mechanism for Bicycles and Tricycles.
WE, SAM THOMAS RICHARDSON, FRANK ALLUM, and RICHARD PRICE,
trading together as Richardson & Co., of 3 Rea Street, Deritend, in the City of
Birmingham, Cycle Wrench and Cycle Makers, 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 consists of the hereindescribed improved arrangement of brake
mechanism for bicycles and tricycles which mechanism is arranged to enable the
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page_text: rider to apply the brake by means of his feet instead of by a hand lever as is
usual. The rider is thus enabled to retain a firmer grip on the handle bar when
running down hill and to take his feet off the pedals and place them upon the usual
foot rests and maintain perfect control over his machine by applying the brake
with the pressure of his foot or feet preferably by one of his heels.
We will describe this invention as applied to the front wheel of a safety bicycle
and we will refer to the accompanying sheet of drawings on which Fig. 1 is a side
elevation of a part of the front of a safety bicycle with our invention applied;
Fig. 2 is a back elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan of the same and Fig. 4
shews the foot lever of the same separately.
In carrying out this invention we provide a small foot lever A (shewn separately
by Fig. 4) free to turn upon a fulcrum pin B fixed to one side c¹ of the wheel fork.
This fulcrum pin B may be, and by preference is, the centre pin of one of the foot
rests passing through the hole a in the foot lever. One end of this foot lever A
(preferably the front end a¹) is connected by a link D or rod to the one end e¹ of
the leather lined or other brake band E which encircles the brake wheel F fixed to
the hub G of the front wheel H of the machine. Normally the brake band E is
kept off the brake wheel F by means of the coiled wire spring h through which
the connecting link D is threaded this spring / acting between the end e¹ of the
brake band and the eye i fixed on the fork c' through which eye the said connecting
rod D passes, this eye i also serving as a guide for the connecting rod D and keeping
the same in place.
When the rider wishes to apply the brake he places one of his feet upon the
foot rest bon to or near to which the foot lever A is jointed and then by the
pressure of his heel or other part of his foot he depresses the end a³ of the foot
lever causing the other end a' thereof and the connecting rod D to rise (as
shewn by the dotted lines in Fig. 1) and thus tighten the brake band E on the
brake wheel F.
Or the rider can apply the brake by pressing on the end a³ of the foot lever
without placing his foot on the foot rest b².
The foot lever A is by preference arranged on the inside of the fork c¹ as shewn,
that is between the side of the fork c¹ and the wheel H, so as to be in a line with
the brake wheel F; and is then carried round that limb c' of the fork to the outside
and there made in the form of an outwardly projecting rubber covered pin a' (rivetted
to the lever proper A) as being the most convenient shape to be acted upon by the
rider's foot. In order to strengthen the foot lever A the latter is by preference
made forked as shewn in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 so as to embrace the limb c¹ of the fork
and take on to the fulcrum pin B at both sides of the fork.
Where extra brake power is required there may be a brake wheel and brake
mechanism on both sides of the driving wheel H so as to be operated by both the
rider's feet similarly as above described with reference to the brake wheel and
mechanism arranged on one side of the driving wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
•
In bicycles and tricycles and in combination with the front wheel fork, front
wheel, and axle and brake wheel on said axle, the employment of brake mechanism
constructed and arranged substantially as herein before described and illustrated
by the accompanying drawing so as to be applied by the rider's foot or feet as
herein set forth.
Dated this 10th 1
J
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