A New or Improved Brake for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other like Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 4th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Brake for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other like
Machines.
I, FREDERICK MILAN of the Hydro Works, Lockwood near Huddersfield,
Yorkshire, Hot Water Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My improved brake for bicycles, tricycles, and other like machines is composed
of a hollow cushion inflated by means of air, a suitable valve being connected.
thereto. This inflated cushion is attached to the ordinary spoon or brake of a
bicycle, and on being applied to the tyre of the wheel it will adjust itself to the
shape or configuration of the tyre, and stop or retard the progress of the machine.
This inflated cushion may be concave so that two parts of the cushion can be
brought to bear upon the tyre, and one part before the other.
Instead of the cushion being kept inflated by air, it may be kept open or
distended by means of one or more springs; and instead of the cushion being
hollow it may be solid and composed of soft indiarubber or other yielding
substance; or instead of using a cushion the brake may consist of concave steel
bent thus
Dated this 20th dox of Tul, 1901
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Brake for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other like
Machines.
I, FREDERICK MILAN, of the Hydro Works, Lockwood, near Huddersfield,
Yorkshire, Hot Water Engineer, 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 refers to a new or improved cushion brake for bicycles, tricycles.
and other like machines consisting of hollow cushion inflated with air or kept
distended by means of spiral or flat springs and adapted to adjust itself to the
shape of the tyre of the machine when brought to bear thereon and retard or stop
its motion; or instead of a hollow cushion, a solid piece of soft india rubber or
other yielding substance, or a bent concave steel spring may be employed for the
same purpose.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I herein make
reference to the accompanying drawings illustrative thereof.
Fig. 1 is elevation of my improved brake laced to the "brake spoon," and
Fig. 2 is cross section of same.
Fig. 3 is a geometrical view of the brake and
Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, are modifications hereinafter referred to.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 a represents the brake consisting of a hollow cushion
which is self inflated in the same manner as an ordinary india rubber ball; or it
may be provided with a valve and be inflated by means of an air pump. Cemented
or otherwise secured to the under or wearing side of the cushion a is a piece of
india rubber, canvas, or a pad of any other suitable material which is provided
with tabs c having holes d therein through which a lace d¹ can be threaded so as
secure the cushion a to the brake spoon e as shewn in Fig. 1, or the tabs may be
TD 927

page_text: secured to the " spoon" by metallic clips or similar fasteners. The pad bis
employed to save the cushion a and can be removed when worn and replaced by a
new one.
The cushion brake is forced down onto the tyre of the machine by the brake
rod g operated in the ordinary manner, and it adapts or adjusts itself to the said
It
tyre without squeezing the latter out of shape as is the case with other brakes.
forms a powerful brake for pneumatic machines, does not injure or damage the tyre,.
and does not hold the mud; and by protecting it with a wearing pad which is
replaceable at small cost, the said cushion will last for a considerable length of
time.
In Fig. 4 the hollow cushion a is made slightly concave on the underside so that
two portions thereof may be brought to bear upon the tyre, one before the other,
and preferably, such cushion is only partly distended or inflated with air so that
when the rear portion is brought to bear on the tyre the air therein is forced
towards and into the front portion i of the cushion, which is thus swelled out and
is brought into contact with the tyre and the motion of the machine thereby
retarded. This construction of brake is gradual in its action and does not too
suddenly check the machine. It is provided with a wearing pad b and is laced
onto the brake spoon e or otherwise suitably secured thereto.
In Figs. 5 and 6 I shew my improved brake consisting of the hollow cushion a,
but in lieu of inflating or distending such cushion with air, or depending upon the
resistance of confined air, I insert spiral springs k, as in Fig. 5 or a flat spring or
springs l, as in Fig. 6, within the cushion, which is permitted to adapt or adjust
itself to the tyre as before described, the resistance of the springs to compression,
retarding or stopping the motion of the machine without squeezing the tyre out of
shape. The hollow cushion is provided with a wearing pad and tabs as previously
described. The cushions herein described may be made of india rubber or other
suitable yielding elastic, or flexible material or substance.
Instead of the flexible cushion brake being hollow it may be composed of a solid
piece of soft india rubber or other yielding substance or a sheet of yielding or
flexible material or substance' m (see Fig. 7) secured at its edges to, and distended
between, the frame n to which the brake rod 9 is connected, may be employed.
This distended yielding sheet will adapt or adjust itself to the tyre and retard the
motion of the wheel without squeezing the tyre out of shape and is equivalent to
the constructions previously set forth, although I prefer to use the self inflated
cushion. In lieu of india rubber or other yielding substance, the sheet m may be
made of spring steel, one side thereof preferably fitting loosely on the frame n.
A further modification of a flexible or cushion brake is shewn at Fig. 8 consisting
of the concave steel plate p which is bent somewhat as shewn and is attached to the
brake rod g or to the framing of the machine; or to a bracket attached to the
frame and projecting over the wheel.
-By forcing down the brake rod g it places the steel spring p in contact with the
tyre of the wheel whose forward motion has a tendency to draw the said spring
This it does
more tightly onto the tyre and thereby retard or stop the machine.
without damaging the tyre and with similar advantages to those obtained by the
use of the hollow cushions, the flexibility of the spring answering the same purpose
as an elastic or yielding cushion.
By the means above set forth, a brake is obtained which will fit the tyre of the
machine instead of the tyre having to fit or adapt itself to the brake.
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:-
Firstly. The improved brake for bicycles, tricycles, and like machines consisting
of a hollow elastic or yielding cushion inflated or partly inflated with air and
adapted to adjust itself to the tyre of the machine, in manner and for purposes
substantially as herein shewn and described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4.

page_text: Secondly. In brakes for bicycles and tricycles, the combination, with a hollow
cushion such as a, of spiral or flat springs for distending same substantially in the
manner shewn and for purposes described.
Thirdly. In brakes for bicycles and tricycles, the yielding or flexible cushion
composed of a distended sheet or block of soft india rubber or other suitable
yielding substance or material substantially as herein shewn and described.
Fourthly. In brakes for bicycles and tricycles and like machines, the combination,
with a yielding or flexible cushion adapted to adjust itself to the tyre of the wheel
and retard or stop the machine, of a wearing pad b provided with tabs c for purposes.
substantially as herein shewn and described.
Fifthly. The flexible or yielding brake consisting of a bent spring steel plate
adapted to adjust itself to the tyre of a bicycle or like machine and to retard or
stop the machine substantially as herein described and shewn.
Dated this 29th day of April 1892.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Agents.