Improvements in Wheel Brakes for Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th July, 1897-Accepted, 11th Sept., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheel Brakes for Vehicles.
I, BENJAMIN WHALLEY ASIWELL of 32 Oxford Street, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Merchant and Shipper, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My said Invention relates to improvements in brakes for application to the
wheels of vehicles. In order to obtain increased power in applying brakes to
wheels I connect the operating handle, lever or other means to the brake blocks
or surfaces by means of interposed compound power multiplying levers, whereby
the force transmitted from the handle or lever is greatly intensified.
The said compound power increasing levers may be arranged in any suitable
and convenient manner and the brake blocks may be applied either to one or
to both sides of the wheel. My improvement is also applicable to hub brakes,
the compound levers operating brake clips or straps embracing or surrounding
the wheel hub or a specially furnished disc or annular braking surface concentric
with the wheel axis. The invention is applicable in conjunction with elastic or
pneumatic wheel tyres such for example as are now in common use in bicycles,
tricycles and other wheeled vehicles. In the case of pneumatic tyres for instance
the application of a brake to the cover or periphery of the tyre is apt to wear
and destroy the cover, and is not always consistent with safety. I therefore
prefer to apply the improved brake to the rim or to the hub of the wheel, making
use of two opposing clips or brake surfaces which are brought with equal pressure
against the sides of the rim or so as to clip and embrace from opposite sides the
hub or brake disc carried on or concentric with the hub.
The employment of the aforesaid compound power transmitting levers ensures
that the brake surfaces or clips can be applied with very great force and in such
a manner as to render the failure of the brake almost impossible.
In a hub brake for example made according to my invention even if grease or
oil should accidentally get between the brake clips or straps and the hub, the
force available under my improved compound lever arrangement enables my
improved brake to have full effect in circumstances where the ordinary brake
would be powerless.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheel Brakes for Vehicles.
I, BENJAMIN WHALLEY ASHWELL of 32 Oxford Street, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Merchant and Shipper, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
Price 8d1

page_text: described and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying
drawings:-
My said Invention relates to improvements in brakes for application to the
wheels of vehicles. In order to obtain increased power in applying brakes to
wheels I connect the operating handle, lever or other means to the brake blocks
or surfaces by means of interposed compound power multiplying levers, whereby
the force transmitted from the handle or lever is greatly intensified.
The said compound power increasing levers may be arranged in any suitable
and convenient manner and the brake blocks operated thereby may be applied
either to one or to both sides of the wheel. My improvement is also applicable
to hub brakes, the compound levers operating brake clips or straps embracing
or surrounding the wheel hub or a specially furnished disc or annular braking
surface concentric with the wheel axis. The invention is applicable in con-
junction with elastic or pneumatic wheel tyres such for example as are now in
common use in bicycles, tricycles and other wheeled vehicles. In the case of
pneumatic tyres for instance the application of a brake to the cover or periphery
of the tyre is apt to wear and destroy the cover, and is not always consistent with
safety. I therefore prefer to apply the improved brake to the rim or to the hub
of the wheel, making use of two opposing clips or brake surfaces which are
brought with equal pressure against the sides of the rim or so as to clip and
embrace from opposite sides the hub or brake disc carried on or concentric with
the hub.
The employment of the aforesaid compound power transmitting levers ensures
that the brake surfaces or clips can be applied with very great force and in 'such
a manner as to render the failure of the brake almost impossible.
In a hub brake for example made according to my invention even if grease or
oil should accidentally get between the brake clips or straps and the hub, the
force available under my improved compound lever rangement enables my
improved brake to have full effect in circumstances where the ordinary brake
would be powerless.
The arrangements I have devised for carrying my invention into effect will
be more clearly understood and followed by reference to the annexed two sheets
of drawings.
ON SHEET 1.
-Fig. 1 shows my improved system of compound levers in conjunction with an
encircling strap adapted to act on a drum or disc carried by the hub of a velocipede
wheel, the frame of the velocipede being merely indicated to show more clearly
the application of the parts. This figure also shows certain special means I
have designed for the purpose of applying or bringing the brake into action and
for releasing or taking the same out again.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 illustrates the combination of levers and braking strap, the levers in
this case being operated by the ordinary brake lever and descending plunger or
rod.
Fig. 4 is a detail view in plan of an arrangement provided to at once withdraw
the encircling strap from contact with the drum when the brake is taken off.
ON SHEET 2.
Fig. 5 is a plan view showing more clearly the special means whereby I might
in certain cases actuate the levers.
Referring first of all to the chief feature of my invention, viz., the interposition
of a combination of power multiplying levers between the braking surface proper
and the brake actuating means I will now describe an arrangement of levers
suitable for that purpose.
In the combination chosen for illustration six levers or links are employed
there being two levers a, two levers b and two levers call as clearly shown.

page_text: The two levers a are centred on a fixed stud or pivot such as a¹ carried by a
bracket from the fork of the velocipede and are also jointed at a to the levers b.
The levers bare provided with tails which are pivotted at the other ends
of the levers being jointed at 2 to the links e which links are pivotted at c.
Now it will be apparent by carefully following the drawing that should the
pivot c be moved either further from or nearer to the fixed centre a¹ than the
position indicated, the pivots 2 draw together, those at a move apart, and
consequently the lower ends of the levers a approach each other to a greater or
less extent according to the movement imparted to c. I connect the lower ends
of the levers a to an encircling steel band d preferably provided with a leather
friction strap d, by means of lugs drivetted to the steel band d the levers being
pivotted to the lugs by pins a. Thus any inward movement of the lower
ends of the levers a contracts the encircling brake band d causing the same to
grip more or less tightly the drum or disc e carried by the hub of the wheel so
that progress may be almost immediately arrested or merely retarded.
In order to at once remove the strap d from contact with the drum e when
the brake is taken off, I prefer to employ means to ensure this result which
means may be as follows. I provide a T-shaped bracket g secured to the fork f
and formed with turned in extensions g between which extensions and lugs 93
carried by the strap springs g3 extend, the tension of such springs being
regulated by screws g.
Instead of using the strap the lower ends of the levers might be formed as
friction blocks or be provided with shoes or pads or with a braking surface
arranged to bear at times on the revolving disc or part.
The use of the indicated or a similar system of power multiplying levers to
bring into action a braking surface renders a brake considerably more powerful
and certain in its action so that there is no likelihood of its failing in an
emergency.
The brake may be caused to act or be applied by simply manipulating the
ordinary brake lever h, the rod and pivot el in this case descending and at the
same time compressing the spring i between the abutment and fixing . On
the handle being released the spring i takes the brake out of action all as clearly
indicated in Fig. 3.
A more elaborate contrivance for putting into and taking the brake out of
action is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 perhaps most clearly in Fig. 5. On a short
shaft carried from the handle bark in-brackets I mount a drum m provided
with ratchet teeth n, with which teeth a spring pawl p engages, and between
this drum m and the brake rod h' a stout flexible band or wire o say for instance
piano wire, extends.
By coiling this band on the drum m the rod h¹ is raised and the brake applied,
the spring being at the same time compressed, so that on the pawl p being
pulled clear away from the ratchet teeth n the drum and shaft being then free
to revolve, the spring draws down the rod h' the band being uncoiled and the
brake taken out of action. The band o is wrapped upon the drum m by raising
the handle g the teeth on the drum slipping under the spring pawl p as the band is
coiled on.
When the brake has been applied, to release the coiled on band o and render
the brake inoperative, the spring pawl 2, which is loosely carried on the
pivot p from the bracket 1, is pulled sideways out of contact with the ratchet
teeth by a wire v against the action of a spring p2 coiled on the pivot pl.
The wire vis worked by the thumb of the rider from a thumb spring w. On
the rider withdrawing his thumb from the spring c the pawl p is shot back intq.
gear with the ratchet by the spring p2 ready for a further application of the
brake.
One salient advantage of applying the brake - the means last described would
be that the same might be kept in action for any length of time without expendi-

page_text: ture of the exertion called forth by a continued application of a brake worked
from an ordinary lever handle and rod.
According to the amount of movement imparted to the handle q so the band 1
is caused to grip more or less tightly the disc d.
In order that the handle g may be made to assume any position relatively 10
the steering handle to suit the fancy of the rider I prefer to so construct the
handle gas that it may at times be free to turn either in one direction or the
other.
To this end I mount the handle q loosely on the shaft ; and provide the same
with two spring detent or triggers r, pivotted at r, one detent on either side of
the handle. One end of each of these detents is kept constantly pressed into
gear with the cog wheels fixed on the shaft by means of a spring applied
under the other end. If it is desired at any time to move the handle q in say a
forward direction it is only necessary to turn the loose ring t until such time
as the wing on the ring bears on and presses down the spring end of the upper
detent shown in the drawings thereby raising the other end clear of the cog
teeth. The detent so raised clear of the cog is for the time being, out of action
so that the handle g may be turned without causing the shaft j to revolve. By
bringing the wing t¹, of the ring t to bear on the end of the other detent the
handle q may be turned in the opposite direction without interference from the
cog teeth. In the position occupied by the ring t in Fig. 5 any upward movement
of the handle 2 would cause movement of the shaft ; and consequent coiling on
of the band o. The part u is simply a fixed abutment.
Although I have described and illustrated my invention as applied to a
velocipede it will be evident that the system of power multiplying levers might
with great benefit be employed to apply the braking surfaces in vehicles of a
much heavier type such for instance as motor-cars, carriages, omnibuses and the
like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a brake for vehicles, the interposition between the braking surface proper
and the brake actuating means, of a system of power multiplying levers arranged
and acting substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the annexed
drawings.
2. The improved brake for vehicles having compound power multiplying
levers a a, b b, c c, and a braking strap and brought into and taken out of action
either by the ordinary lever and rod or by the means shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5
all substantially as described and shown."
Dated this 16th day of July 1897.