Improvements in and relating to Brakes for Velocipedes and like Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 16th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 29th Jan.,
1898
[Communicated from abroad by CARLO CARLONI, of 5, Via Giolini, Milan, in the
Kingdom of Italy, Engineer.]
Improvements in and relating to Brakes for Velocipedes and like
Vehicles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the.
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This brake is specially adapted for running on steep gradients and may easily
be removed from or mounted on the cycle.
In the ordinary class of bicycles with rear driving wheels the improved brake
may act on the rear wheel, being preferably actuated from the handle-bar
dispensing with link connections of any kind.
Though this latter arrangement has been specially kept in view the invention
also includes other kinds of brakes and also the cycle brakes, acting on the
front wheel; the characteristic feature of the invention consisting in the employ-
ment of a flexible shaft, which is caused to rotate from the front part of the
cycle for the purpose of actuating the brake.
The flexible shaft is at one end connected with a rigid shaft fitted with a
screw worm entering a nut invariably connected with the frame. By turning
the flexible shaft its rigid prolongation is caused to move along its axis, whereby
one end thereof abuts upon one arm of a crank lever which is fitted with the
brake block.
According to one form the flexible shaft is turned by the rider's hand by
means of a wheel or handle and bevel pinions.
The rigid prolongation is preferably hollow; the length of the flexible shaft
may be adjusted by means of a thumb screw. At the end of the shaft or rigid
prolongation is a screw which fits into a nut connected to the frame.
A spring holds one arm of the bell-crank lever against the free end of the shaft
and the other arm of the bell crank lever carries the brake block, the lowering
of the shaft, subsequent to the turning of the operating wheel, thus pressing the
brake block against the wheel tyre, whilst the spring releases the brake, as soon
as the shaft is raised by turning the operating wheel or handle in the opposite
direction.
According to a modification, the flexible shaft goes through a slot of the hollow
handle bar and is connected with a tube, on the end of which the handles
are firmly seated. The cover screwed at the end of the handle-bar holds the
boss of the tube in its place. The brake is actuated by turning the handle bar
around its own axis instead of around the axis of the front fork.
According to another modification a spur wheel is loosely mounted on the
handle bar and fitted with handles. The wheel gears into a spur pinion keyed

page_text: on the flexible shaft. I sometimes employ a similar arrangement according to
which the wheel is internally toothed and turns with its hub on a sleeve seated
on the handle-bar.
I do not however desire to limit myself to any of the arrangements described
above, as the invention may include any brake contrivance for velocipedes and
other vehicles actuated by means of a flexible shaft.
Dated this 16th day of February 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Brakes for Velocipedes and like
Vehicles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 brake is specially adapted for running on steep gradients and may easily
be removed from or mounted on the cycle.
In the ordinary class of bicycles with rear driving wheels the improved brake
may act on the rear wheel, being preferably actuated from the handle-bar
dispensing with link connections of any kind.
Though this latter arrangement has been specially kept in view the invention
also includes other kinds of brakes and also the cycle brakes acting on the
front wheel or both on the front and rear wheels, the characteristic feature of
the invention consisting in the employment of a flexible shaft, which is caused
to rotate from the front part of the cycle for the purpose of actuating the brake
by means of a screw, the brake thus remaining in position by itself, when once
adjusted according to the steepness of the gradient.
The flexible shaft is at one end connected with a rigid shaft fitted with a
screw worm entering a nut invariably connected with the frame. By turning
the flexible shaft its rigid prolongation is caused to move along its axis, whereby
one end thereof abuts upon one arm of a crank lever which is fitted with the
brake block.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure is an elevation partly in perspective of a bicycle fitted with the
improved brake.
Figures 1 and 1" are detail views thereof hereinafter referred to.
Figure 2 is a section of a modified form of operating device.
Figures 3 and 4 show other modifications of the brake operating arrangement.
Figures 5 and 5 show a further modification, and
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 show other modifications.
According to the form shown in Figure 1 the flexible shaft is turned by the
rider's hand by means of a wheel or handle h and bevel pinions f, g.
The rigid prolongations c is preferably hollow; the length of the flexible
shaft may be adjusted by means of a thumb screw e¹ (Figure 1). At the end
of the shaft or rigid prolongation is a screw c¹ (Figure 1) which fits into a nut d
connected to the frame. A spring holds one arm of the bell-crank lever a a
against the free end of the shaft and the other arm of the bell crank lever carries
the brake block or shoe A, the lowering of the shaft, subsequent to the turning of
the operating wheel, thus pressing the brake block against the wheel tyre, whilst

page_text: HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.