Improvements in and relating to Brakes for Velocipedes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Brakes for Velocipedes.
I, ERNEST MONNINGTON BOWDEN, of 9, Fopstone Road, Earl's Court, in the
County of Middlesex, Journalist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows;-
This invention relates to brakes for velocipedes operated by rotating one of the
handles, and it consists of the details of construction hereinafter more particularly
specified, the object being to simplify this type of brake and to make it universally
applicable to all types of machines.
The transmitting connection between the rotating handle and the braking
mechanism is that described in my prior Patent No. 25325 of 1896 which consists
essentially of two flexible members, one being incompressible and of tubular form
and the other inextensible and arranged to slide within the other.
The rotating handle is mounted on a tubular sleeve in one end of which pro-
jecting pieces are raised or pressed up to engage with recesses or depressions formed
in one of the end caps of the handle the other end of the sleeve being threaded to
receive a nut to lock the handle on to the sleeve. In this sleeve are cut or formed
two slots inclined in opposite direction to one another and in the end of the handle
bar is cut or formed a longitudinal slot. In this longitudinal slot are mounted
two sliding blocks each of which has a T or other suitably shaped head to engage
with one of the slots in the sleeve. To these two blocks are attached--in any
convenient manner-the one ends of the incompressible and inextensible members
of the transmitting connection. It will be understood that as the slots in the
sleeve are inclined one towards the other, the two blocks carrying the ends of the
members of the transmitting mechanism will approach towards or recede from each
other according to the direction in which it is rotated, and that the relative move-
ment of the said blocks will depend upon the pitch or inclination of the said slots.
To prevent the sleeve from being drawn off the end of the handle bar and to pro-
vide for the adjustment of the relative lengths of the two members of the trans-
mitting mechanism a series of holes are provided in the handle bar through one
of which a pin or screw-passing through one of the inclined slots in the sleeve-
is passed.
The brake which is adapted to act on the rim of the rear wheel consists of a
horse shoe-shaped piece of metal carrying at its free ends strips adapted to carry
or be faced with leather or other suitable material to form frictional surfaces.
This horse shoe-shaped piece is preferably formed in two parts for convenience
in attachment, the parts being fixed together by suitable transverse screws the
inextensible member of the transmitting mechanism being preferably clamped
between the two parts and a clamp plate. The end of the incompressible member
is carried by an adjustable bridge constructed in the following manner. A strip
of sheet metal is bent on itself and its ends are then bent out at right angles and
shaped to form a clip to embrace one of the back stays of the machine the ends
being drawn together by a suitable transversely arranged screw or bolt. Two

page_text: of these pieces form the bridge the parts being fixed together by means of a trans-
verse bolt carrying a block to receive the end of the incompressible member, the
two members of the bridge being slotted to allow of the adjustment of the length
of the bridge. To keep the two parts of the bridge together the sliding ends may
be surrounded or partly surrounded by a clip formed either by the turned over
edges of one of the parts or otherwise. The ends of the pieces forming the ears
of the clips may be strengthened by turning over their edges to form small side
flanges.
The outer member of the flexible transmitting connection is preferably covered
by or enclosed in a sheath of rubber or other suitable waterproof material.
It will be understood that certain details of construction although described
specifically with reference to a brake operated by a rotating handle are equally
applicable to other types of brakes.
Dotad this 15th
L T
1000
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C. E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Brakes for Velocipedes.
I, ERNEST MONNINGTON BOWDEN, of 9, Fopstone Road, Earl's Court, in the
County of Middlesex, England, Journalist, 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 relates to brakes for velocipedes operated by rotating one of the
handles, and it consists of the improvements hereinafter more particularly specified,
the object being to simplify this type of brake and to make it universally applicable
to all types of machines.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate this invention:-
Figure 1 is a broken view in side elevation of a bicycle embodying this inven-
tion.
Figures 2 and 3 are broken views in front and side elevation respectively-on
an enlarged scale of the brake mechanism, and
Figure 4 is a view in plan thereof.
Figure 5 is a view in plan of the bridge piece for supporting transmitting
mechanism.
Figure 6 is a view in longitudinal elevation--partly in section of one form of
rotating handle, and
Figure 7 is a view in end elevation thereof.
Figure 8 is a view showing a detail of construction, and
Figure 9 is a view in longitudinal section.
Figures 10 and 11 are views in longitudinal elevation-partly in section---show-
ing another form of rotating handle.
Figure 12 is a broken view--partly in section-showing the construction and
arrangement of the transmitting mechanism.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The brake mechanism which is adapted to act on the rim of one of the wheels,
preferably the rear one, consists of a horse shoe-shaped piece H of any suitable
metal carrying at its free ends longitudinally arranged strips h, h, adapted to carry
or be faced with strips J of leather or other suitable material to form frictional
surfaces. These frictional surfaces are brought into contact with the rim of the

page_text: wheel by lifting the horse shoe-shaped piece H, which lies against the members
of the upper back fork as shown by Figure 3 and is guided by springs such as K, K,
the one ends of which are carried by clip brackets k, k, mounted on the members
of the upper back fork, the other ends engaging with the end of the piece H the
construction being such that the said springs also act to depress the piece H after
it has been lifted to bring the strips h, h, into contact with the wheel rim.
the
The piece H is preferably formed in two parts for convenience in attachment,
parts being fixed together by two transverse screws h³, h¹, and a plate h³.
The piece His lifted to apply the brake by the mechanism forming the subject
of my prior Letters Patent No. 25325 bearing date the 11th day of November 1896
which consists of two flexible members E and F the former being incompressible
and the latter inextensible. The member E is made of tubular form (to allow the
member F to slide through it) by constructing it of wire coiled closely as shown
by Figure 12, and the member F is preferably made of stranded wire. The one end
of the member F is fixed to the piece H by being clamped between the two parts
and a clamp plate 2, and the one end of the member E is carried by an adjust-
able bridge hereinafter more particularly described which is fixed across the upper
back fork as shown by Figures 2 and 3.
Motion is imparted to the member F of the transmitting mechanism by so
mounting one of the handles on the handle bar that its rotation on the bar gives
the required movement to the said member of the transmitting mechanism. A
convenient method of doing this is that illustrated by Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9. The
rotating handle A is mounted on a tubular sleeve B in one end of which project-
ing pieces b, b, etc. are raised or pressed up to engage with depressions a, a, etc. in
one end of the end caps A¹ of the handle A, the other end of the sleeve B being
threaded to receive a nut C adapted to lock the handle on to the sleeve. In the
sleeve B are cut or formed two slots 61 and 62 inclined in opposite direction to one
another, and in the end of the handle bar X is cut or formed a longitudinal slot ..
In this longitudinal slot are mounted two sliding blocks D and D which have T
or other suitably shaped heads d and d¹ which engage with the slots 6 and ba
respectively.
The block D is attached-in any convenient manner-to the other end of the
member E of the transmitting mechanism and to the other block D₁ is attached
the other end of the member F of the said mechanism. It will be understood that
as the slots and 63 in the sleeve B are inclined one towards the other, the two
blocks D and D' carrying the ends of the members E and F of the transmitting
mechanism will approach towards or recede from each other according to the
direction in which it is rotated, and that the relative movement of the said blocks
will depend upon the pitch or inclination of the said slots. To prevent the sleeve B
from being drawn off the end of the handle bar X and to provide for the adjust-
ment of the relative lengths of the two members E and F of the transmitting
mechanism a series of holes are provided in the handle bar X through one of which
a pin or screw G-passing through one of the inclined slots in the sleeve-is
passed.
As an alternative construction the sleeve mounted on the handle bar X is made
in two parts B and B¹ the one B being fixed to the handle bar X by a screw such
as 63 or other equivalent device, and the other part B' carrying the handle A by
being fixed inside it. The adjacent faces of these two parts B and B are shaped
to form inclined cams 61, 62, whereby the rotation of the part B₁ carrying the
handle A causes the said part to slide longitudinally on the handle bar X.
The end of the handle bar X is provided by a plate such as 6 or by any other suit-
able device which will form an abutment for the other end of the member E of
the transmitting mechanism and the end of the part B of the sleeve on which the
handle A is mounted is closed by a plate such as 65 or by any other suitable device
against which the enlarged end of the member F of the transmitting mechanism
rests after having passed through a hole in the said plate and also through a hole
in the plate 6. To give a finish to the end of the handle a cap such as A2 may

page_text: be employed having a central recess aª for the knot. or enlargement on the end of
the member F of the transmitting mechanism.
The adjustable bridge carrying one end of the member. E of. the transmitting
mechanism consists, essentially of two pieces L, L, each constructed as follows:
A strip of sheet metal is bent on itself and its ends are then bent out at right angles
and shaped to form a clip adapted to embrace one of the back stays of the machine
as shown in Figure 5, the ends being drawn together by a suitable transversely
arranged screw or bolt . These two pieces are fixed together by means of a trans-
verse bolt M carrying a block m adapted to receive the end of the incompressible
member E, the two members L, L, being slotted to allow of the adjustment of the
length of the bridge. To keep the two parts of the bridge together the sliding
ends may be surrounded or partly surrounded by a plate N forming a flat sleeve.
The outer member E of the transmitting mechanism where it is not enclosed
is preferably covered or enclosed in a sheath e of rubber or other waterproof
material to protect it from the weather as shown by Figure 12.
It will be seen that by this method of applying the brake, no power or pressure
is required to keep the brake applied and thus the hand is relieved of all undue
strain.
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) A brake for velocipedes, consisting of a horse shoe-shaped piece adapted to
encircle the tyre of a wheel and carrying at its ends frictional surfaces adapted
to be brought into contact with the underside of the rim of the wheel, of means
for operating the said brake by rotating one of the handles, and of mechanism for
transmitting movement to the brake consisting of a flexible but incompressible
member adapted to be wound round or otherwise attached to the frame of the
machine, the ends of the said member being carried in sockets or their equivalents
fixed to the frame of the machine, and of a flexible but inextensible member pass-
ing through the incompressible member, one end of the said member being con-
nected to the horse shoe-shaped brake and the other to the device employed to
operate the brake, as set forth.
(2) Mechanism for operating velocipede brakes, consisting of a revoluble handle
carried by a sleeve loosely mounted on one end of the handle bar, the said sleeve
being connected with the brake by means of a flexible wire, acting through a
flexible but incompressible tube rigidly supported at each end, the arrangement
being such that the rotation of the handle causes the horse shoe-shaped piece to
be lifted and brought into contact with the rim of the wheel on which it is arranged
to act, as set forth.
(3) A brake for velocipedes, consisting essentially of a horse shoe-shaped piece H
having frictional surfaces h, h, of springs such as K, K, for supporting the piece H
and restoring it to its normal position after being lifted, of a revoluble handle
so mounted on the handle bar that its rotation thereon imparts either directly
or indirectly a longitudinal movement, of mechanism for communicating the
longitudinal movement imparted by the revoluble handle to the brake piece H con-
sisting of a flexible but incompressible member E and a flexible but inextensible
member F, and of an adjustable bridge for carrying the guiding socket m for the
member of the transmitting mechanism, all combined, arranged and adapted
to operate, as and for the purpose set forth.
(4) A brake for velocipedes, consisting essentially of a horse shoe-shaped piece H
having frictional surfaces h, h, of springs such as K, K, for supporting the piece H
and restoring it to its normal position after being lifted, of a revoluble handle A
so mounted on the handle bar that its rotation thereon imparts either directly or
indirectly a longitudinal movement, of mechanism for communicating the longi-
tudinal movement, imparted by the revoluble handle to the brake piece H consist-
ing of a flexible but incompressible member E an enclosing sheath e and a flexible

page_text: but inextensible member F, and of an adjustable bridge for carrying the guiding
socket m for the member F of the transmitting mechanism, all combined, arranged
and adapted to operate, as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 15th day of October 1898.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.