A Combined Alarm-bell and Brake for Bicycles."
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec., 1897
"A Combined Alarm-bell and Brake for Bicycles."
I, WILLIAM WOODHAM of 107. Northern Road, Plaistow, Essex, Stevedore;
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 follow-
ing statement:—
My Invention relates to a combined alarm and brake for bicycles and consists
essentially in the combination, with a roller brake, of a roller frictionally driven
from the brake roller and carrying a loose tappet adapted to fly out and act on a
bell as the tappet roller is rapidly revolved by the brake roller when the latter
is caused to revolve by contact with the wheel of the bicycle so that the act of
applying the brake, whether for the purpose of checking the speed of the machine
or not, will also cause the bell to be continuously sounded. By this means the
application of the brake and the sounding of the alarm may be effected by one
hand, leaving the other free for carrying a parcel or for any other purpose.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of
this Specification wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 a part sectional
plan of the improved combined brake and alarm.
Each
The roller brake is preferably constructed of a pair of rollers A A revolving
freely on a cross pin a mounted in the limbs of a yoke frame B, the rollers A A
being separated by a distance piece a² so as to come in contact with the tyre not
upon, but at either side of, the tread where the tyre is least exposed to wear.
roller A is preferably formed of a pair of metal cheeks a bolted together and
clamping between them a tightly fitting rubber tyre a' which is renewable when
worn. The two rollers A A together with the distance piece a² may however be
made in one, the whole forming one roller. The effect of the rollers A pressing
against the pneumatic tyre towards the sides is to cause the latter to become
wedged more or less between them, their efficiency as a brake being increased by
the slight forcing apart of the rollers A when made separate increasing the
friction against the yoke B.
A.
The tappet roller C is formed with two rubber-tyred flanges united by an
intermediate body portion of less diameter.
It revolves loose on a cross-pin c
fixed in slots in the limbs of the yoke-frame B (so as to permit of being adjusted)
with its rubber tyres in frictional contact with those of the brake roller
Upon a cross-pin fixed between the discs of the tappet roller C is loosely pivoted a
tappet D so that as the roller is rapidly revolved this tappet will fly out by centri-
fugal force into position to strike a bell E mounted above upon a bracket arm B
carried by the frame B, the roller C being mounted at such a height relatively to
roller A as to be quite clear of the bicycle wheel tyre and the space between the
brake rollers A giving clearance for the passage of the tappet.
The yoke-frame B is securely bolted to the brake thrust rod F so that when the
latter is forced downwards by the ordinary brake lever the brake rollers A will
be pressed with greater or less force upon the wheel tyre and will with slight pres-
sure cause the bell to be continuously sounded or with greater pressure will act

page_text: also as a brake to retard the motion of the machine. The brake rod F is raised
by the usual spring and is guided in the usual way but is devoid of the usual brake
spoon or shoe."
The yoke-frame B may be guided and stayed by the ends of the axis a of the
brake rollers being prolonged through and sliding in guide slots in arms (
securely clamped to the limbs H of the steering wheel fork, the guide slots g being
parallel in direction to the brake rod. Instead of the arms G being rigid, as
shewn, they might be radius links pivoted to clips on the steering wheel fork,
the guide slots in that case being in the radial direction and the links serving to
counteract the forward pull by the roller pin a abutting against the ends of the
slots.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said In-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
J. The combination, with a roller brake, of a roller frictionally driven there
from and carrying a centrifugal tappet adapted to fly out so as to strike against a
bell, the whole carried by a frame attached to the brake rod for operation sub-
stantially as specified.
2. The herein described improved roller brake constructed of a pair of separate
rubber tyred rollers adapted to be applied against the wheel tyre towards the sides
thereof so as to act with retarding effect by the wedging action of the tyre between
the rollers and the forcing of the rollers apart as described.
3. The herein described combined roller brake and alarm for cycles consisting
in the combination, with the brake roller or rollers adapted to bear against the
tyre and to act as described, of a roller frictionally driven therefrom and carrying
a centrifugal tappet adapted to fly out so as to strike against a bell, the whole
carried by a frame attached to the brake rod for operation substantially as
specified.
Dated this 4th day of October 1897
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents.
53, Chancery Lane, London,