Improvements in Brakes for Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
We, JAMES CHARLES RALLS, Watchmaker, of 22, Old Church Road, Clevedon,
Somersetshire, and WILLIAM DANIEL BAYLISS, Civil Engineer, of Severn House,
Queen's Road, Clevedon, Somersetshire, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
This improvement consists in having two conical friction rollers fixed at the
extremities of a horse-shoe or stirrop shaped bow, which bow surrounds the tyre
and the friction rollers are held in position immediately under the rim of the
wheel with a small space intervening between them and the rim when not in use;
the bow is drawn upwards by the brake lever attached to the handle bar of the
velocipede until the friction cones come in contact with the rim of the wheel:
owing to the angle at which the conical rollers are applied to the rim of the wheel a
slight increase of the power applied to the brake lever causes a proportionally
greater increase in the friction of the cones on their spindles and consequently a
very powerful brake is obtained without any damage being done to the enamel of
the rim of the wheel. Also the brake in its entireness is lighter in weight than
most ordinary brakes and more compact in its appearance.-
Fig. 1 Is a side elevation of the friction roller brake.
Fig. 2. Is a front elevation.
Fig. 3. Is an enlarged section of one of the conical friction rollers.
Figs. 4, and 44, represent an alternative method of retaining the brake steady
in its position when not in use.
The construction of this friction roller brake is as follows.-A, is a portion of
the front fork and steering post of a velocipede. B is the handle bar-T, is
part of a pneumatic tyre, and R part of the rim of the steering wheel; r, r, are the
two conical friction rollers, having cushions c, Fig. 3 of vulcanized rubber, leather
or other suitable material fitted upon a metal shell s¹ Fig. 3, turning upon cones
of metal the spindles of which are fixed firmly in the eyes at the lower extremities
of the stirrop bow S, immediately under the rim R; the shell s¹ Fig. 3 is retained
in its place upon the conical spindle by means of the washer w, and screws²
Fig. 3, p, Fig. 3 is a pinching screw for preventing the screw of the spindle
working loose; 1, Fig. 1 are two short arms which are pivoted at one end on clips
fixed one upon each leg of the front fork and at the other to a continuation of the
centre pin or spindle of the friction roller cones, these arms take the traction of
the friction rollers when the brake is in operation: to the crown of the stirrop S
is fixed a stem s¹ which passes up through the guide bracket g and has an eye at
the upper end to which the pull rods r¹ are attached; provision is made at 2 for
lengthening or shortening the pull rods as required by means of two sliding
clips and set screws.-The brake lever b is much shorter and lighter than the
ordinary brake levers, it is attached to the handle bar B in the usual way by a
clip c, the short end of the lever beyond the fulcrum is bent downwards as
shown at 62, and the eye at its extremety is connected with the bell crank c by

page_text: the pull wire w, which in its turn is connected with the eye in the upper end of
the stem of the horse-shoe bow S by the pull wire r¹, a spiral spring of sufficient
strength is fitted on the stem of the stirrop bow at 2, to keep the
brake down steady in its proper position when not in action, a small
clip and pinching screw, sustains the stirrop bow and friction rollers
at the proper distance below the rim. Figs. 4 and 4,-represent another con-
trivance for retaining the friction rollers in their proper position instead of the
guide bracket and spiral spring s²; m, m, are two springs, each of them having
one end secured to the lugs of the clip k, one screw bolt gripping the lugs, and
the eyes of the springs, each spring passes round the clip-band and is held in a
horizontal position by two small studs, one above and the other below the springs
as shown at 0, 0, Fig. 4 these studs are formed by pressing out bits of the metal
from the sides of the clip:-this and other modifications are necessary to suit the
construction of different velocipedes.
It is claimed that the advantages of this brake are (1) that a more powerful
brake is obtained by the power exerted being tension instead of compression
(2) That no damage is done to the enamel of the rim of the wheel (3) That a
lighter and more compact lever is required on the handle bar of a velocipede; the
power exerted being tension instead of compression buckling of the rods is
impossible and lighter rods can be used to connect the brake lever with the brake
(4) The friction cones are so constructed, that an increase of the pressure of the
conical rollers on the rim causes the friction of the rubber cones, or cushions, and
their metal shells on the conical metal spindles to increase in a proportionally
greater degree, by forcing the rubber cones and shells tighter on the spindles,
consequently less power may be applied to the lever on the handle bar (5) The
friction roller rim brake can be applied to any wheels, or pullies having a fairly
plain surface inside the rim.
Improvements in Brakes for Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
We, JAMES CHARLES RALLS, Watchmaker, of 22, Old Church Road, Clevedon,
Somersetshire, and WILLIAM DANIEL BAYLISS, Civil Engineer, of Queen's Road,
Clevedon, Somersetshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
1
This improvement in brakes for velocipedes and other vehicles consists in the
application of friction to the inside of the rim of the wheel by means of friction
rollers fixed at the extremities of a stirrup shaped bow which when pressure is
applied to the brake lever is drawn upwards till the rollers come in contact with
the rim of the wheel the pressure of the rim against the faces of the rollers tends
to force them back upon conical cores which are securely fixed in the ends of the
stirrup bow thereby causing friction and this friction is increased in proportion to
the power applied to the brake lever.
Fig. 1.-Is a front elevation of the brake, pull-up-rod, and brake lever with one
of the friction rollers shown in section at k.
Fig. 2. Is a plan of the brake lever and clips by which the lever is attached to
the handle bar of a velocipede.
Fig. 3.-Is a side elevation showing the construction of the length adjusting

page_text: part of the pun-up-rod, and clips on the handle bar, with a section of the brake
lever at x.
Fig. 4. Is a side elevation of the stirrop bow, friction rollers, and clips on front
fork for taking up the drag of the brake when in action.
The figures are drawn full size.
The construction of this friction roller brake is as follows.―
H is a part of the handle bar seen in elevation in Fig. 1: it is indicated by the
dotted lines in Fig. 2: and is shown in section in Fig. 3; P is a part of the
steering post; T in Fig. 1 shows a section of a tyre and rim and in Fig.
elevation of part of a tyre and rim.
a side
The brake lever L Fig. 1 is attached to the handle bar by the clips C. C.:
between the two clips it is formed perfectly straight and has a knee joint at, a,
formed by a slot in the end of the short part (2) and a screwed pin which passes
through the fork on the end of the long part (1) and also through the slot in the
end of (2) as shown in plan at, a, Fig. 2; the end of the short part of the lever
at, a, is shaped to clear the head of the steering post as shown in Fig. 2. The
end of the lever at, a¹, is shaped to suit any discription of handle bar, as may be
required.
The clips C, C, may be constructed with a hinge joint in front as shown at
Fig. 1, 2, 3 and tightened up with lugs and bolts and nuts at the back, or they
may be made with lugs both back and front: jaws, j, are provided on the lower
half of the clips for the reception of the brake lever which is secured between them
by the screwed pins, p, the distance between these clips is not arbitrary, the two
portions of the brake lever can be constructed to suit any discription of handle
bar.—
An alternative construction and arrangement of the brake lever is with a bent
lever, pull-wire and inverted bell crank as shown in Fig. 1 on the drawing left
with the Provisional Specification.
The adjusting rack R, Figs. 1 and 3, of the pull-up-rod, e, is composed of a
flat plater, Fig. 3, with an eye in the upper end and a small bracket, with a
corresponding eye, rivetted to it to form a forked head for the reception of the end of
the brake lever as shown at c Fig. 1, 2, 3, below this bracket the outer face of the
plate is milled, as shown in Fig. 3; at its lower extremity a small box is fitted
having a set screw as shown at, d, Fig. 1 and 3; the upper part of the pull-up-
rod, e, which is flattened similar to the milled plate r is also milled for a short
distance and formed with a head at top which rests on the sliding
box, d, as shown at 3, 4 Fig. 1 the sliding box, d', is exactly
similar to the lower box, d, but works loose on the two parts of the rack;
when the set screws of both boxes are unscrewed the milled part of the head of the
pull-up-rod is released from the rack plate and the rod can be adjusted to any
required length and secured in its place by the set screws; that portion of the
pull-up-rod between the lower box, d, and the head of the stirrup bow may be
made round, square or flat; the lower part of the pull-up-rod where it passes
between the two legs of the stirrop bow is made flat and is firmly secured between
them either by screw bolts and nuts n', n¹, Fig. 1 and 4, or by rivets.
The two legs of the stirrup bow, made from the best steel, may be shaped as
shown in Fig. 1 or to any other curve to suit circumstances; at the lower extremity
of each leg an eye
formed as shown at, S, Fig. 1 and 4, which are tapped for the
reception of the screwed shanks of the friction cones as shown in section at S
Fig. 1 a short distance above the eyes pins are securely tapped, rivetted or
brazed into the outside of each stirrup leg, and the outer ends of these pins, or
studs, are screwed to receive a small nut as shown at, h, Fig. 1 and 4; these pins,
or studs, travel up and down in the slots, n, Fig. 4 in the clips K on front fork legs
and take the drag of the friction rollers when the brake is in action. The screw
nuts keep the stirrup bow from moving from side to side; when the brake is not
in action the studs rest upon the bottom of the slots in the clips and retain the
rollers at their proper distance below the rim of the wheel.-An alternate arrange-

page_text: ment and construction of the stirrup bow and pull-up-rod is shown in the drawing
left with the Provisional Specification.
The brake rollers, F, Fig. 1 and 4 are constructed with hardened steel cones, k,
Fig. 1 having shanks which are screwed tightly into the eyes at the lower
extremities of the legs of the stirrup bow, a little addition of screwed end is allowed
for adjusting the cones in their proper position below the rim of the wheel; the
shanks are prevented from moving, when adjusted, by the set screws, m, Fig. 4.-
The friction rollers F are composed of fairly hard vulcanized rubber rings
Fig. 1 securely cemented to a steel, or other metal, shell which is lined with a
thick leather ring, secured to it by small pins shown in the section of the roller;
this ring may be made with hard buff, felt or the like; the friction rollers are
retained in position on the cones by the washers and screwed pins 76 Fig. 1.-
The shanks of the steel cones are screwed with right and left handed threads.-
A spiral, or other spring is fitted at t Fig. 4 to keep the brake steady in its
position below the rim and prevent vibration.
An alternative method of constructing the friction rollers and preventing
vibration of the brake are shown in the drawings left with our Provisional Specifi-
cation, to which the reference letters apply, where r r Fig. 3 are the friction rollers
consisting of a vulcanized rubber cushion c Fig. 3 fitted upon a metal shell s
Fig. 3 which turns upon a metal cone with a saucer shaped back, the cone spindle
is screwed into the eye at the extremity of the stirrup bow S:-p is a set screw
for preventing the spindle from working loose-the spindles are made with
right and left handed threads,-, Fig. 1, are two short arms pivoted at one end
on clips fitted one on each leg of the front fork and the other on an extension of
the end of the cone spindles provided for that purpose as shown in Fig. 1 these
arms take up the strain of the rollers when the brake is in operation; springs m, m,
Figs. 4 and 4, are fitted also to the clips on the legs of the front fork which act
upon the arms, 1, Fig. 1 and keep them and the friction rollers steady and in
position when the brake is not in use.
A conical ring of hard wood can be substituted for the rubber cushion having
a groove turned in its outer face in which a rubber ring is cemented; this ring
projects sufficiently to prevent the wood ring from coming in contact with the rim
of the wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1.-Improvement in the construction of friction rollers for brakes for velocipedes
and the like vehicles by the insertion of the leather (felt or other suitable material)
ring between the friction cones and the metal shells carrying the outer vulcanized
rubber contact rings of the friction rollers for the purpose of diminishing the
liability to heat when in use.
2. An improvement in the method of applying the friction rollers in com-
bination with the stirrup bow to the rims instead of the tyres of the wheels of
velocipedes and the like vehicles which in case of the tyres becoming deflated
renders the brake useless.
3. Improvement in the construction of brake levers by using the knee joint for
transmuting the compressive action of the ordinary brake lever into tension as
required in the use of friction brakes when applied to the rims of velocipedes o
the like vehicles.
4. Improvement in the method of adjusting the length of the pull-up-rods
connecting the brake lever with the brake by means of the rack plate sliding box and
set screws which render it impossible for the rods to work loose or slip from any
cause.
5. An improved method of taking up the drag of the brake when in action
by means of the guide pins on the stirrup bow working in the slots in the lugs o

page_text: the clip bands fixed on the legs of the front fork of the velocipede or the like
vehicle.
6. Other alternative improvements in the method of constructing the friction
rollers and their cones; brake levers, their action and connection with the brake:
stirrup bows and their connection with the front fork of the velocipede or other
like vehicle as herein substantially described and illustrated in the drawings left
with the Provisional Specification.
Dated this Eleventh day of December 1897.
WILLIAM DANIEL BAYLISS.
JAMES CHARLES RALLS.