Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 20th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 21st Oct., 1887.
We, JOSIAH BROOKES and HENRY JAMES BROOKES, both of the Cape Works
Smethwick in the County of Stafford Manufacturers, and RICHARD GREEN of
Cromwell Street, Earlsdon near Coventry in the County of Warwick Mechanician
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of an arrangement for a brake for velocipedes which is
concealed inside the frame of the machine and which can be adjusted to any required
pressure. The handle bar of the bicycle or tricycle consists of two straight pieces of
tube brazed in the centre to a solid piece of iron or steel. This piece is of convenient
shape, and at right angles to the handle bar it is provided with a slot. Each end of
the handle bar is provided with a bracket which is generally bent at an angle to the
handle bar so as to bring the handles nearer to the rider, and on these brackets the
usual horn handles are fixed. The brackets are so arranged as to leave the ends of
the handle bar open, and through the handle bar tube, a steel or iron or tubular shaft
works, handles being fixed to the shaft at each end just under the ordinary handles of
the velocipede. In the centre of this shaft there is fixed a cam, which works in the
slot above-mentioned, which, when the handles are pulled up, is caused to move and
presses down on to the top of a vertical shaft working inside the vertical steering tube
of the velocipede. This vertical shaft has a spoon, similar in section to an ordinary
brake spoon, fastened to the lower end immediately above the front wheel of machine.
The upper end is provided with a long screw for adjustment, this long screw being
screwed into a tube, the top end of which is preferably solid, and on this solid end,
the cam abovementioned presses, and so forces the spoon on to the rubber tire of
wheel, thus causing it to act directly, and giving increased brake power. To prevent
the vertical rod revolving it is placed in a square, or where preferred provided with a
feather key.
In some instances the handle for brake is placed at one side only instead of both
sides as above described, such arrangement being found sufficient for ordinary brake

page_text: purposes. In some cases the ordinary steering handles may be dispensed with, the
brake handles being used for this purpose, being so arranged that the brake is applied
when, for example, the handles are pressed downwards.
The long screw abovementioned allows the brake to be adjusted to any pressure at
the will of the rider, such alteration of pressure being made almost instantly. The
brake being of the machine it is obviously free from dirt, and does not detract from
the general appearance of the velocipede since it is concealed from sight.
Dated this 17th day of December 1886.

page_text: Improved Brake for Velocipedes.
We, JOSIAH BROOKES and HENRY JAMES BROOKES, both of the Cape Works
Smethwick in the County of Stafford, Manufacturers, and RICHARD GREEN formerly
of Cromwell Street Earlsdon near Coventry but now residing at 30 Sycamore Road
Smethwick, also in the County of Stafford Mechanician, 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 consists of an arrangement for a brake for velocipedes which is
concealed inside the frame of the machine and which can be adjusted to any required
pressure. The handle bar of the bicycle or tricycle consists of two straight pieces of
tube brazed in the centre to a solid piece of iron or steel. This piece is of convenient
shapo, and at right angles to the handle bar it is provided with a slot. Each end of
the handle bar is provided with a bracket which is generally bent at an angle to the
handle bar so as to bring the handles nearer to the rider, and on these brackets the
usual horn handles are fixed. The brackets are so arranged as to leave the ends of
the handle bar open, and through the handle bar tube, a steel or iron or tubular shaft
works, handles being fixed to the shaft at one or both ends, just under the ordinary
handles of the velocipede. In the centre of this shaft there is fixed a cam, which
works in the slot abovementioned, which, when the handles are pulled up, is caused to
move and presses down on to the top of a vertical shaft working inside the vertical
steering tube of the velocipede. This vertical shaft has a spoon, similar in section to
an ordinary brake spoon, fastened to the lower end immediately above the front whoel
of machine. The upper end is provided with a long screw for adjustment, this long
screw being screwed into a tube, the top end of which is preferably solid, and on this
solid end the cam abovementioned presses, and so forces the spoon on to the rubber
tire of wheel, thus causing it to act directly, and giving increased brake power. To
prevent the vertical rod revolving it is placed in a square, or where preferred provided
with a feather key.
In some instances the handle for brake is placed at one side only, instead of both
sides, as such arrangement is found sufficient for ordinary brake purposes.
In some
instances the ordinary steering handles may be dispensed with, the brake handles
being used for this purpose, being so arranged that the brake is applied when, for
example, the handles are pressed downwards.
The long screw abovementioned allows the brake to be adjusted to any pressure at
the will of the rider, such alteration of pressure being made instantly. The brake
being placed inside the frame of the machine is obviously free from dirt, and does not
detract from the general appearance of the velocipede since it is concealed from sight.
The brake spoon can be made by screwing the brake down by means of the milled
head h to act as a locking arrangement, thus preventing the machines to which it is
applied being stolen. A further advantage possessed by this arrangement is that the

page_text: handle bar can be made to swivel round parallel with the machine for convenience of
packing or storing, without interfering with the brake.
The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings. Fig. 1. shews a plan, partly in section, of the handle bar, Fig. 2 is a
vertical section of the front tube of a Safety bicycle, or an Automatic Tricycle, showing
the application of the invention. The usual horn or other handles a are fixed at each
end of the handle bar as usual. The Tubes & carrying same are brazed at centre to
the lug c which has a slot d in centre, in which a came works. This cam is secured
to the brake shaft ƒ and it is made to operate by means of the handle g secured to the
other end of the brake shaft. When the handle is pulled up towards the horn
handle a the cam is forced on to the flat top of the plunger tube i. This causes the
plunger tube to descend, and its motion is communicated by means of the vertical
shaft to the spoon brake k, which is thus forced on to the tire of wheel. The
vertical shaft is provided with a long screw m which is tapped through the solid
bottom of the plunger tube as shown at n to allow for adjustment. The lower portion
of the vertical shaft is preferably made square, as at o to prevent it revolving.
To release the brake from the tire a spring p is applied as in Fig. 2. Sometimes
this spring is placed on the outside of the plunger tube i and inside the vertical tube
of the handle bar q, instead of below as shown in Fig. 2, but the effect is the same,
wherever applied.
It is evident that the details can be varied without departing from the principle of
the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
1. Constructing brakes for velocipedes, the horizontal and vertical working parts
of which are concealed, as above described.
2. The combination of the concealed tube f with the came and the handle g to
actuate the vertical portion of the brake as above described.
3. The combination of the concealed horizontal portions of the brake e f and g with
the concealed vertical portions as shown in Fig. 2.
Dated this 17th day of Santamber 1807