Improvements relating to Brakes for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan,, 1893.
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1893-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Brakes for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other
Vehicles.
ROBERT STEUART ERSKINE Savoy Mansion, The Savoy London, W.C.
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
In consequence of its being inconvenient to apply the brake direct on to the
tyres, whether pneumatic or otherwise of indiarubber or other yielding material of
bicycles, tricycles or other vehicles for use on roads, I find it convenient to apply
either to the rim of the wheel which may be suitably formed to receive it or to the
spokes or other convenient part a brake ring or rings either solid or in sections of
woodite metal or other suitable material, so attached by vulcanized braizing, bolts
and nuts or other suitable means, and arranged so that my brake which some-
times face with woodite or other suitable material can act upon it by friction on
either or both sides of the wheel. When I apply the brake on to both sides of the
wheel I construct it in two parts so that an equal pressure is applied simultaneously
to both sides of the wheel.
I arrange my brake ring or rings of suitable material so that they may be either
permanently attached to the rim, spokes or other part of the wheel, or if desirable
they may be removable.
At times I find it an advantage when the brake ring or rings are attached to the
rim to perforate them so that the spokes may pass through the woodite metal or
other suitable material without their being attached to it, to avoid any possible
strain on the spokes.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Brakes for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other
Vehicles.
I, ROBERT STEUART ERSKINE, Savoy Mansions, The Savoy in the County of
London, 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 :-
My invention relates to brakes for bicycles, tricycles and other vehicles.
When using wheels fitted with pneumatic or other elastic tyres it has been found
very inconvenient to apply the brake to the tyre, and various devices such as band
brakes and brakes applied to the rim of the wheel have been used for the purpose
of avoiding this inconvenience.
According to my invention I secure to the rim of the wheel brake-rings against
the face of which the brake-blocks are arranged to be applied. The said brake-
rings may be secured to the wheel in any suitable manner and they may be adapted
to be easily removable therefrom if desired.
I preferably construct the brake in two parts so arranged that the brake-blocks
are pressed against the brake-rings simultaneously and with an equal pressure on
both sides of the wheel.
In the accompanying drawings the brake-rings are shewn as constructed of
"woodite" for example vulcanized to the rim.
Figure is a cross section of a wheel rim fitted with brake-rings according to my
invention.

page_text: Figures 2 and 3 are similar views shewing brake-rings secured to rims of different
section.
66
Figure 4 is a cross section shewing my brake-rings applied to a rim on which a
Dunlop detachable" tyre is secured, and
Figure 5 is a similar view shewing a modification of my invention.
Like letters of reference denote similar parts in all the figures.
B is the rim; B2 B2 are the brake-rings secured thereto by any suitable means.
C is the tyre of the wheel.
The brake-blocks are preferably arranged to press against the plane surface of
the rings at B³ B³. In Figure the brake-rings are secured to a tubular ring B
through which the spokes and valve tube pass and which is secured by brazing or
other suitable means to the inner surface of the rim B.
The brake-rings are preferably made of a material which is a bad conductor of
heat, such as for instance "woodite," vulcanized rubber, rubber compound,
vulcanized fibre, wood and the like. The said rings are made of a shape to fit the
part of the rim to which they are to be applied and they may be secured to the rim
in any suitable manner such as by vulcanizing, cementing, rivetting or by bolts and
nuts, or screws. I sometimes find it convenient to make the brake-rings removable
so that they can be easily replaced when worn. In some cases I use pins to assist
in holding the rings in place."
By my invention, the liability of damaging the tyre or rim of the wheel by the
application of the brake is completely avoided, and the rings being made of
material of bad conductivity for heat prevent any heat reaching the tyre or rim
and injuring the same. Although I have shewn my brake-rings applied to rims
which are used principally for velocipedes it will be readily understood that they
may be applied in similar fashion to wheels of other vehicles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A vehicle wheel having one or more brake-rings secured to the rim, as, and
for the purpose, specified.
2. The combination with a wheel rim, of one or more brake-rings made of
woodite, vulcanized rubber or compound of rubber, vulcanized fibre, wood or the
like secured thereto, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Dated this 15th day of June 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.