Improvements in Brake Apparatus suitable for Cycles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 27th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 30th Dec., 1899*
Improvements in Brake Apparatus suitable for Cycles.
I, MARY ANN SEARLE, of 11, Wyndham Crescent, Junction Road, in the County
of London, Gentlewoman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
_
.
This invention has for object to provide cheap and efficient brake apparatus
that can be readily applied by an unskilled person to an existing bicycle with-
out alteration thereof and so as to act upon the back wheel.
66
Brake apparatus for this purpose according to this invention comprises a brake
lever pivoted to a bearing adapted to be readily secured to a suitable part of
the framework of the machine, a hand lever pivoted to a bearing also adapted
to be readily secured to a suitable part of the framework of the machine or to
the handle bar, one or more springs acting normally to hold the brake in the
off"
position, and a wire or other suitable tensional coupling connecting the
two levers either directly or indirectly through one or more additional levers
and rods, the arrangement being such that the apparatus can be readily applied
to a bicycle and that the brake can be applied by pulling on the tensional coup-
ling. Such brake apparatus can be constructed in various forms and be applied
in many ways to cycles of different constructions.
According to one arrangement, the brake lever is pivoted at its central por-
tion to a bearing made in the form of a clip that can be readily secured upon
the saddle pillar tube of a bicycle in proximity to the periphery of the rear
wheel and is provided with a spring, for example a coiled wire spring, which,
when the brake lever is mounted in position, normally acts to hold the same
in the inoperative position, one end of such lever being provided with an india
rubber or other suitable brake block or pad and the other end with a cross
pin. The hand lever is provided with a bearing similar to that of the brake
lever whereby it can be readily clamped to the steering bar tube of a bicycle,
one end of such lever being adapted to be conveniently operated by hand and
the other end being provided with a cross pin. The tensional,, connector
between the two levers comprises a straight length of wire and two stirrup or
forked shaped pieces of wire that are loosely jointed to the ends of the straight
length of wire and to the cross pins carried by the two levers, and through
which extend the parts of the framework of the bicycle to which the levers are
attached.
In a modified arrangement the hand lever is of bell crank form pivoted to a
bearing adapted to be clamped upon the horizontal or approximately horizontal
tube that connect the head of the steering rod tube to the saddle pillar tube,
one end of the said lever being directly connected to one end of a wire con-
nector the other end of which is, connected through a stirrup or fork-shaped
piece of wire to the spring controlled brake lever which is or may be constructed
and arranged like that used in the arrangement herein before described.
In another arrangement the hand lever is pivoted to a clamp that can be fixed
to the handle bar of the machine and is connected by a ball and socket joint to

page_text: the upper end of a rod that is adjustable lengthwise within and can be fixed to
a tube the lower end of which is jointed to one end of a bell crank lever pivoted
to a bearing comprising a shank and a divided eye piece that can be clamped
around the steering rod tube of a bicycle, the other end of the bell crank lever
being curved laterally and jointed to one end of a wire connector the other end
of which is connected through a stirrup or fork-shaped piece of wire to one
end of the brake lever which is or may be of similar construction and be simi-
larly mounted to that in the arrangement first hereinbefore described..
Improvements in Brake Apparatus suitable for Cycles.
I, MARY ANN SEARLE, of 11, Wyndham Crescent, Junction Road, in the County
of London Gentlewoman, 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 has for object to provide cheap and efficient brake apparatus
that can be readily applied by an unskilled person to an existing bicycle with-
out alteration thereof and so as to act upon the back wheel.
Brake apparatus for this purpose according to this invention comprises a
brake lever pivoted to a bearing adapted to be readily secured to a suitable part
of the framework of the machine, a hand lever pivoted to a bearing also adapted
to be readily secured to a suitable part of the framework of the machine or to
the handle bar, one or more springs acting normally to hold the brake in the
"off" position, and a wire or other suitable tensional coupling connecting the
two levers either directly, or indirectly through one or more additional levers
and rods, the arrangement being such that the apparatus can be readily applied
to a bicycle and that the brake can be applied by pulling on the tensional coup-
ling. Such brake apparatus can be constructed in various forms and be applied
in many ways to cycles of different constructions.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings are part side and front elevations
respectively, showing a bicycle fitted with one arrangement of brake apparatus
of the kind referred to.
In this arrangement, 1 is the brake lever pivoted at its central portion, viz.
at 2, to a bearing 3 made in the form of a sheet metal clip that can be readily
secured upon the saddle pillar tube 4 of a bicycle in proximity to the periphery
of the rear wheel 5 and is provided with a spring 6, for example a bent metal
spring as shown, or a coiled wire spring, which when the brake lever 1 is mounted
in position, normally acts to hold the same in the inoperative position, as shown,
one end of such lever being provided with an india rubber or other suitable brake
block or pad 7 and the other end with a cross pin 8. The clip like bearing 3
may be tightened up by a bolt 3" that passes through the end portions 3b of the
clip. The hand lever 9 is jointed to a bearing 10 similar to that, viz, 3, of the
brake lever 1, whereby it can be readily clamped to the steering bar tube 11
of a bicycle, one end of such hand lever 9 being adapted, as for example by pro-
viding it with a cross bar or handle 12, to be conveniently operated by hand,
and the other end being provided with a cross pin 13. The tensional connector
between the two levers 1 and 9 comprises a straight intermediate length 14 of

page_text: wire and two stirrup or forked shaped end pieces of wire 15 and 16 that are
loosely jointed to the ends of the straight length 14 of wire and to the cross
pins 8 and 13 carried by the two levers 1 and 9 respectively, and through which
extend the parts, viz. 4 and 11 in the example shown, of the framework of the
bicycle to which the said levers are attached.
Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 showing a modified arrangement wherein
the hand lever 9 is of bell crank form pivoted to a bearing 10 adapted to be
clamped upon the horizontal or approximately horizontal tube 17 that connect
the head of the steering rod tube 11 to the saddle pillar tube 4, one end of the
said lever being directly connected to one end of a wire connector 14, 15 and 16,
of the kind described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the other end of which is
connected through a spring controlled brake lever 1 which may, as shown, be
constructed and arranged like that used in the arrangement hereinbefore
described with reference to Fig. 1.
Fig. 1 shows another arrangement in which the hand lever 9 is pivoted to a
clamp 10 that can be fixed to the handle bar 18 of the machine and is connected
by a ball and socket joint 19 to the upper end of a rod 20 that is adjustable
lengthwise within and can be fixed to a tube 21 the lower end of which is jointed
to one end of a bent lever 22 pivoted to a bearing 23 like bearing 10, that can
be clamped around the steering rod tube 11 of a bicycle, the other end of the
bent lever 21 being jointed to one end of a wire connector 14, 15 and 16 of the
kind herein before described, the other end of which is connected to one end of
the brake lever 1 which is or may, as shown, be of similar construction and be
similarly mounted to that used in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 shows a modified arrangement in which the brake lever 1 mounted as
in the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 is connected to a rim brake con-
sisting of a pair of brake blocks or pads 7 carried by a pair of side bars 7b that
are connected by a pin 7° and rod 7d to the brake lever 1, the brake blocks or
pads 7 being each supported by a radius rod 7. The arrangement is such that
normally the brake blocks or pads are held clear of the wheel rim 5" by the
spring 6, but will be caused to bear against such rim when the hand lever is
operated to apply the brake.
Fig. 6 shows in full lines another arrangement in which a rim brake is used.
In this case, the rim brake 7, 7b is suspended by its rod 7d from one arm of a
bell crank lever 24 that is pivoted by a pin 25 to a bearing 26 clamped to one
of the back rods 27 of the cycle and the other arm of which is connected by a
wire coupling 14-15-16, of the kind herein before described, to a hand lever 9
constructed and mounted like the hand lever 9 shown in Fig. 1 but provided
with a spring 28 for normally holding the brake in the "off" position. As will
be seen, when the hand lever 9 is operated against the action of the said spring,
the rim brake, which is guided by the pair of back rods 27, will be raised and
the brake blocks or pads 7ª forced against the wheel rim 5*.
Fig. 6 shows in dotted lines another arrangement in which a rim brake is
used. In this case each of the rim brake blocks 7" is carried by a lever 29 that
is pivoted to a clamp 30 fixed to one of the legs 31 of the bottom fork, the upper
ends of the two levers 29 being connected to a stirrup shaped wire connection 32
by which they are jointed to a rearwardly bent extension 1 of the brake operating
lever 1. In other respects the arrangement is similar to that shown in Figs. 1
and 2 hereinbefore described.
As will be seen, in each arrangement the brake is applied by a tensional force
acting through the wire connector or coupling which can consequently be made
very light yet strong, and cheap.
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:-
1. Brake apparatus suitable for cycles comprising a brake lever jointed to a

page_text: bearing adapted to be readily secured to the framework of a cycle, a hand lever
jointed to a bearing also adapted to be readily secured to the framework of the
cycle or to the handle bar thereof, one or more springs acting normally to hold
the brake in the "off" position, and a wire or other tensional coupling con-
necting the two levers either directly or indirectly, the arrangement being such
that the brake apparatus can be readily applied to a cycle and that the brake can
be applied by pulling on the tensional coupling, substantially as described with
reference to the drawings.
2. Brake apparatus for cycles, comprising a brake operating lever, a bearing
adapted to be clamped around a portion of the framework of a cycle and, to
which the brake lever is jointed, a hand operated lever, a bearing adapted to be
clamped around a portion of the framework of the cycle or to the handle bar
thereof, and to which the hand lever is jointed, a connector between the two
levers consisting of an intermediate straight length of wire and two stirrup or
forked shaped end pieces of wire, and a spring or springs which, when the
apparatus is applied to a cycle enables the brake to normally remain in the
off" position, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
3. The improved brake apparatus herein before described with reference to
and shown in Figs. 1 and 2; in Fig. 3; and in Fig. 4, or modified according to
Fig. 5, or to Fig. 6 of the drawings annexed, and capable of being applied to
a bicycle in the manner set forth.