IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Griffith Brewer, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR
CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES." A. communication from abroad by
Prosper Prat, of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Griffith Brewer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th March 1881.
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES." (A. commu-
nication from abroad by Prosper Prat, of Paris, France.)
The kind of brake which forms the subject of this Invention applicable to
carriages and other vehicles of all kinds; it may be worked by the hand or foot,
or automatically by the animal or animals which draws or draw the vehicle; it
allows of arresting the horse should he run away, to tame him if he is restive or
vicious, and it offers very great advantages when applied to vehicles used in hilly
countries.
The apparatus is essentially composed of brakes or skids arranged around the
nave of each wheel according to circumstances, and provided with a very simple
arrangement of levers operated directly by the foot or by the animal harnessed to
the carriage, remaining besides, even in the latter case, under the control of the
driver.
First will be described the arrangement for operating the brake levers with the
foot by the occupant of the carriage. Two brakes or skids surround a metallic
collar arranged for this purpose on each of the naves of the carriage in the interior
of the felloe of the wheel. These brakes or skids are connected to levers by coupling
them to the axle; these levers are raised a certain distance so as to escape the
axle; at their ends short connecting rods are jointed (one of which may be made in
a piece with the corresponding lever) to which an operating lever is attached. The
skid levers are jointed on a fixed piece attached to the axle. The end of this lever
carries a wire; other wires coming from each side are united together, and pass
Price 6d41

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over a guide pulley, and are there connected to an operating treadle. This treadle
is formed of a segment of a throttle pulley comprising about 250°, and turning on
a horizontal axis mounted in the supports secured to the framing of the carriage.
This half pulley is in a piece with a lever forming the pedal proper, and which is
vertical or slightly inclined towards the rear when the apparatus is at rest.
hinge allows the end of this lever to be closed when required. When pressure is
put towards the rear on the treadle, the convexity of which is turned towards the
interior of the carriage, the wire which is attached to the bottom of the half pulley
winds round the latter, pulling the operating levers and tightening the brakes as
it is easy to understand. It will be understood that with this actuating system
the ends of the operating levers may be turned in any direction outside or inside,
but it is preferable to turn it towards the outside, because this arrangement is
better adapted to the automatic operation of the brake, as will be explained
further on.
The horse harnessed to the vehicle can act automatically on the brake in the
following manner:-A wire is attached from each side to the ends of the operating
levers, then round pulleys at the ends of the shafts, and are attached at a certain
point of the under girth, the stability of which is increased by a strap which is
attached to the crupper.
It will be understood that if the horse goes backwards (gibs), which may be the
cause of considerable danger, he pulls on the wires and acts directly on the levers,
operating the brake to tighten up the latter and prevent the recoil of the carriage:
The pulleys should be placed about midway between the end of the shafts and the
under girth. It will be understood that the wires may have branch pieces suitably
placed and attached to the top of the treadle. In this case backward movement of
the horse has besides the effect of lowering the treadle towards the rear by bringing
its lever under the foot of the driver, who can thus add to the action of the horse,
and who can in all cases increase or diminish it. This communication with the
top of the treadle allows the horse to back if desired; for that purpose the driver
places his foot on the treadle when at rest, and prevents it becoming displaced.
It will be also understood that by reversing the action of the wires by means of a
second throttle pulley, that a too quick advance movement of the horse operates so'
as to put on the brakes. These wires may also be attached to a fixed point to pass
over a throttle pulley arranged at the end of the operating levers, and to return
either to the treadle or to the horse; under these conditions the action exerted on.
the levers will be greater. It will be seen then that the horse can at will be pre-
vented from advancing or going back, automatically or with the foot, while keeping
the hands free to guide the animal when the movement takes place. The action of
the treadle may be increased by means of a wire attached to the end of the lever
of this treadle, and passing over a pulley or into a hook or loop fixed on the floor
of the carriage, which may be attached to a hook at the side of the driver; the
treadle may also be acted on with the foot, and a final effort be exerted with the
hand to lock the brake so as to stop the wheels.
The automatic arresting of the gibbing of a horse may also be obtained according
to this Invention in the following manner :-For this purpose use is made of a
special backing or regulating action; this is composed of a metallic band which
may be fitted to an ordinary backing action, and which carries at its ends levers
bent to a right angle or thereabouts, and jointed in such manner that one of the
branches may be turned towards the exterior
The strength of these branches is assured by a wire holding the branches directed
towards the rear. The first carries wires which pass over guide pulleys placed
towards the points where the backing action is attached on the shafts; from thence
these wires pass over guide pulleys and then meet and pass over the other guide
pulleys above mentioned so as to be connected to the top of the treadle;
consequently, if the horse "gibs," or if the carriage is going too quickly down a
hill, for example, the treadle is inclined towards the rear and presents itself to the
foot of the person in the carriage; besides the same movement unrolls the wire

page_text: from the pulley of the operating levers and automatically produces the tightening
up of the brakes.
The wire assuring the solidity of the two bent levers of the back action regulator,
this can follow all the oscillations which are produced by the movements of the horse,
from which results inequalities of tension for the transmission wires, the points of
attachment of these latter always occupying the same, or about the same position
in relation to a given point of the shafts; these wires may then be directly
attached to the operating levers, and thus produce the breaking power direct.
The arrangement at the point of meeting the wires with a pulley on which a
single wire passes or a balance rod, avoids the inequalities of tension. which result
from the movements of the horse.
It will be understood that the points of attachment of the wires of the different
arrangements employed, and the detail arrangements by means of which the wires
act on the brakes may vary somewhat without departing from the essential
features of the Invention.
The skid pieces may also embrace an arc of the naves varying in size, in which
case the two separate shoe pieces may be replaced by a single metal band having
sufficient flexibility and worked in a similar manner. In this case one of the ends
of this band is fixed and attached to a piece solid with the axle; the other end
which is free is jointed to a connecting rod at the end of the operating lever which
oscillates about a fixed hanging axis, and the other end of which comes to it or
the operating wires in connection with the treadle or with the horse. The shape
of the pieces employed may be modified:
>
In the previous arrangements described the transmission wires go either to a
treadle or to the harness of the horse; they may, however, also be taken to a hand
lever or to a swing bar operating precisely in the same way. Thus in the case of
carts, waggons, and other vehicles of this class, with which the driver, as a rule,
walks at the animal's head, and when he cannot get conveniently behind the
carriage to put on the brakes, for example, in case where the vehicle goes back on
a declivity, then is arranged at the end of the operating levers pulleys, over which
a wire attached to a fixed point passes and free at the other end; this wire passes
over a regulating pulley held by a wire in such manner that the power is always
symmetrically spread over the two ends; under these circumstances the driver,
without leaving the horse's head, acts on the free end of the wire and puts on the
brakes. The shafts provide, if necessary, suitable points for connecting the different
wires.
It should be understood in all the cases, and whatever the arrangements may be
for the transmission employed, whether automatic or otherwise, the shapes,
dimensions, and materials constituting the different parts which compose the
apparatus may be of any suitable kinds; in the same way the different levers may
be varied according to circumstances and to the power required without departing
from the Invention.
It should be understood that the various modes of transmission employed for the
operation and action of the brakes may be applied together or separately to
carriages and vehicles of all kinds, whether having two or more wheels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Griffith Brewer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th September 1881.
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES." (A commu-
nication from abroad by Prosper Prat, of Paris, France.)
The kind of brake which forms the subject of this Invention is applicable to
carriages and other vehicles of all kinds; it may be worked by the hand or foot or
automatically by the animal or animals which draws or draw the vehicle; it allows
of arresting the horse should he run away, to tame him if he is restive or vicious,
and it offers very great advantages when applied to vehicles used in hilly
countries.
The apparatus is essentially composed of brakes or skids arranged around the
nave of each wheel according to circumstances, and provided with a very simple
arrangement of levers operated directly by the foot or by the animal harnessed to
the carriage, remaining besides, even in the latter case, under the control of the
driver.
In order to more clearly describe the principal arrangements, an example is
annexed to the present description showing different modes of automatic operation
or not that can be employed. Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2, a plan of a
carriage fitted according to this Invention, and Figures 3 and 4 are detail views.
First will be described the arrangement for operating the brake levers with the
foot by the occupant of the carriage.
As will be seen by the Drawing, two brakes or skids a, b, surround a metallic
collar c arranged for this purpose on each of the naves d of the carriage in the
interior of the felloe of the wheel. These brakes or skids are connected to levers e, f,
coupled parallel to the axle g; these levers are raised a certain distance so as to
escape the axle; at their ends short connecting rods h are jointed (one of which
may be made in a piece with the corresponding lever), to which an operating lever
is attached. The skid levers e, f, are jointed on a fixed piece j attached to the
axle. The end of this lever carries a wire ; the wires k, k¹, coming from each side
are united together and pass over a guide pulley 7, and are there connected to the
operating treadle m. This treadle is formed of a segment of a pulley comprising
about 250°, and turning on a horizontal axis mounted in the supports secured to the
framing of the carriage. This half pulley is in a piece with a lever n forming the
pedal proper, and which is vertical or slightly inclined towards the rear when the
apparatus is at rest. A hinge allows the end of this lever to be closed when
required. When pressure is put towards the rear on the treadle, the convexity of
which is turned towards the interior of the carriage, the wire which is attached to
the bottom of the half pulley winds round the latter, pulling the operating levers i, i,
and tightening the brakes, as it is easy to understand by reference to the Drawing.
It will be understood that with this actuating system the ends of the operating
levers i, i, may be turned in any direction outside or inside, but it is preferable to
turn it towards the outside, as shown in the Drawing, because this arrangement is
better adapted to the automatic operation of the brake, as will be explained
further on.
The horse harnessed to the vehicle can act automatically on the brake in the
following manner :-A wire o, o¹, is attached from each side to the ends of the
operating levers i, i', then round the pulleys p, p¹, at the ends of the shafts, and
are attached at a certain point (of the under girth r, the stability of which is
increased by a strap 8, 8³, which is attached to the crupper. It will be understood

page_text: that if the horse goes backwarks (gibs), which may be the cause of considerable
danger, he pulls on the wires o, o', and acts directly on the levers operating the
brake to tighten up the latter and prevent the recoil of the carriage. The guide
pulleys p, p, may conveniently be placed about midway between the end of the
shafts and the under girth. It will be understood that the wires o, o², may have
branch pieces suitably placed and attached to the top of the treadle m. In this
case backward movement of the horse has, besides, the effect of lowering the
treadle towards the rear by bringing its lever under the foot of the driver, who can
thus add to the action of the horse, and who can in all cases increase or diminish it.
This communication with the top of the treadle allows the horse to back if desired;
for that purpose the driver places his foot on the treadle when at rest, and prevents
it becoming displaced. It will be also understood that by reversing the action of
the wires o, o, by means of a second grooved guide pulley, that a too quick advance
movement of the horse operates so as to put on the brakes. These wires may also
be attached to a fixed point to pass over a grooved guide pulley arranged at the
end of the operating levers, and to return either to the treadle or to the horse;
under these conditions the action exerted on the levers will be greater. It will be
seen then that the horse can, at will, be prevented from advancing or going back
automatically or with the foot, while keeping the hands free to guide the animal
when the movement takes place. The action of the treadle may be increased by
means. of a wire 22 attached to the end of the lever n of this treadle and passing
over a pulley or into a hook or loop fixed on the floor of the carriage, and which
may be attached to a hook at the side of the driver; the treadle may also be acted
on with the foot, and a final effort be exerted with the hand to lock the brake so
as to stop the wheels.
The automatic arresting of the gibbing of a horse may also be obtained according
to this Invention in the following manner :-For this purpose, as will be seen by
reference to the Drawing, use is made of a special backing or regulating action ;
this is composed of a metallic band t, which may be fitted to an ordinary backing
action, and which carries at its ends the lever u, u', bent to a right angle or
thereabouts, and jointed in such manner that one of the branches may be turned
towards the exterior.
The strength of these branches is assured by a wire v holding the branches
directed towards the rear. The first carries wires w, w, which pass over guide
pulleys y, y, placed towards the points where the backing action is attached on
the shafts; from thence these wires pass over guide pulleys 2, 21, and then meet
and pass over the guide pulleys 1, above mentioned, so as to be connected to the
top of the treadle m; consequently if the horse "gibs," or if the carriage is going too
quickly down a hill, for example, the treadle is inclined towards the rear and
presents itself to the foot of the person in the carriage; besides the same movement
unrolls the wire k, k¹ from the half pulley or "shape" of the operating levers i, i,
and automatically produces the tightening up of the brakes.
The wire v assuring the solidity of the two bent levers of the back action
regulator, this can follow all the oscillations which are produced by the movements
of the horse, from which results inequalities of tension for the transmission
wires w, w¹, the points of attachment of these latter always occupying the same or
about the same position in relation to a given point of the shafts; these wires may
then be directly attached to the operating levers and thus produce the braking
power direct. The arrangement at the point of meeting the wires w, w¹, with a
pulley on which a single wire passes or a balance rod avoids the inequalities of
tension which might result from the movements of the horse.
It will be understood that the points of attachment of the wires of the different
arrangements employed, and the detail arrangements by means of which the wires
act on the breaks, may vary somewhat without departing from the essential features
of the Invention.
The skid pieces may also embrace an arc of the naves varying in size, and at
Figure 3 of the Drawings there is shown a modification where the two separate

page_text: F
shoe pieces are replaced by a single metal band, having sufficient flexibility and
worked in a similar manner. In this case, as shown in the Drawing, one of the
ends of this band is fixed and attached to a piece j solid with the axle g; the other
end which is free is jointed to a connecting rod h at the end of the operating
lever, which oscillates about a fixed axis hanging from the piece j, and the other
end of which comes to it or the operating wires in connection with the treadle or
with the horse.
Figure 4 shows another modification of this arrangement, only differing from the
first in the shape of the pieces employed.
In the previous arrangements described the transmission wires go either to
a treadle or to the harness of the horse, they may however also be taken to a hand
lever or to a swing bar operating precisely in the same way. Thus, in the case of
carts, waggons, and other vehicles of this class, with which the driver as a rule
walks at the animal's head, and when he cannot get conveniently behind the
carriage to put on the brakes, for example, in case where the vehicle goes back on
a declivity, there is arranged at the end of the operating levers i, i', pulleys over
which a wire A attached to a fixed point B passes, and free at the other end; this
wire passes over a regulating pulley C, held by a wire D in such manner that the
power is always symmetrically spread over the two ends; under these circumstances
the driver, without leaving the horse's head, acts on the free end of the wire and
puts on the brakes. The shafts provide, if necessary, suitable points for
connecting the different wires. Figure 5 is a diagram in illustration of this
arrangement.
In Figures 5 and 6 is shown a modification, in which the levers carrying the
skids or shoes are arranged in a little different manner so as to simplify the
construction and putting together. One of these two levers f is at one end jointed
to a piece E which is fixed to the axle g; the other lever e is at about the middle
of its length jointed to a small connecting rod F which is connected to the lever f.
The skids b, b, are jointed to the ends of the levers e and f, which are simply
The same
guided in a guide formed of two pieces G fixed on the axle.
arrangement is at the other end of the axle, and the actuating cords or wires are
attached to the ends of the levers e, e¹, and, if required, united to a single cord
going thence either to the treadle pulley or to an actuating lever otherwise
arranged, or to an ordinary carriage lever.
"
Figure 7 represents in perspective a modified arrangement of the treadle pulley,
which, besides its ordinary half pulley or "shape m, carries two pulleys or
shapes" H of much smaller radius; these latter may also be actuated either in the
same or the opposite direction to that of the larger one in order to receive
according to circumstances the actuating cords from the treadle pulley or from the
horse's harness. The two pulleys H are sufficiently apart to keep the cords free of
each other. It will be understood that according to the arrangement of the
actuating cords, it may be necessary to alter the dimensions or form of the two
sets of pulleys.
Figure 8 represents a rein mechanism with hand wheel and stop sleeve. This
mechanism is intended to replace the treadle pulley, and receives the actuating cord
or cords which coil round its axis.
Figure 9 represents an ordinary carriage brake lever, receiving also one or more
actuating cords and working in the same manner.
It should be understood in all the cases, and whatever the arrangements may be
for the transmission employed, whether automatic or otherwise, the shapes,
dimensions, and materials constituting the different parts which compose the
apparatus may be of any suitable kind; in the same way the different levers may
be varied according to circumstances and to the power required without departing
from the Invention.
It should be understood that the various modes of transmission employed for
the operation and action of the brakes may be applied together or separately to
carriages and vehicles of all kinds, whether having two or more wheels.

page_text: Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. A brake formed of two shoes or skids, or of a single band embracing the
naves of the wheel, and operated either by the driver of the vehicle, or by the
animal itself harnessed to the vehicle when he advances or goes backwards,
substantially as set forth.
Second. The system of levers above described, to which the transmission wires
are connected, substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Third. The kind of operating treadle before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The construction and employment of a regulating backing action,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Fifth. The special arrangement of levers shown in Figures 5 and 6, and the
combination of the actuating mechanisms shewn at Figures 7, 8, and 9, all substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Griffith Brewer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
E. G. BREWER. (L.S.)