Improvements in Brakes for Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 18th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for Cycles and other Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM FORD, of 15, Saint Mary's Row, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gun Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
My invention has for its object improvements in brakes for cycles and other
vehicles which can be applied either to the tyre or tread or to the rim of the
wheel and which will be found very simple and effective and easily operated
and at the same time cheap to manufacture.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and easily carried into
practical effect I have appended hereunto two double sized sheets of drawings
upon which I have illustrated examples of my brakes suitable for both ordinary
vehicle and velocipede wheels and also either applicable as a rim or tyre brake.
Figure 1 is a view shewing a portion of a carriage wheel and the action of my
brake when applied to the tyre.
Figure 2 is an edge view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the brake.
Figure 4 is a back view of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is an end view of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a sectional view of Figure 3 shewing one form of spring for
keeping the part B in its normal position.
Figure 7 is a view of the part B with the part A removed.
Figure 8 is a side view of a slightly modified form of my tyre brake.
Fi
Figure 9 is a back view of Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a front elevation of my rim brake suitable for a carriage wheel.
Figure 11 is a side view of Figure 10.
Figure 12 is a front view of my velocipede rim brake.
Figure 13 is a plan view of Figure 12.
In carrying my invention into practice I form the bearing surface of the
part B which constitutes the brake block and which may be covered with rubber
leather or other material with a curve corresponding to the radius of the wheel
to which it is intended to be applied. The back of this brake block is also
similarly formed as clearly shewn at Figures 1. 3, 6, and 8, the carrier or part A
which fits onto the brake block B and which is connected thereto by the pivot
pin a¹ is formed at the centre on its inner surface or that part which bears upon
the back of the brake block with the projection or hearing point a³ the surface
being slightly hollowed from this bearing point to either end as clearly shewn
at Figure 6. The sides of this carrier are curved preferably to the same
radius as the surface of the brake block and on the sides of the brake block I
form the ledges or projecting portions 63 each formed with the projection or
bearing point 6 and slightly hollowed on either side of this bearing point towards
either end. These bearing points 64 bear against and oscillate upon the sides a³
of the carrier and in a like manner the back bears against and oscillates upon
the bearing point a² of the carrier. A spring or springs S resting in the slot 65

page_text: formed in the brake block and fixed to the carrier A is provided so as to keep
the bearing block in its normal position when not in use. The carrier A is
fixed in any suitable manner to the usual plate D or its equivalent which is
attached to the lever or levers for operating the brake.
It will thus be seen that when the brake is applied that the brake block will
adjust itself to the tyre of the wheel -so-that the whole of the surface of the
brake block bears against the tyre-that is to say when the vehicle is heavily
weighted and the body slightly lowered or when there is no weight in the vehicle
the whole of the surface of the brake block bears against the tyre as clearly
shewn at Figure 1. The dotted position of the brake indicating that the vehicle
is heavily weighted.
At Figures 8 and 9 I have shewn a slight modification of my tyre brake.
In this case I dispense with the sides of the carrier and form the projection 66
on the back of the brake block which fits into a hole or recess in the carrier and
through which the pivot pin a¹ passes for connecting the parts together. Two
coil springs fitting in recesses in the brake block are used for keeping the
brake block in its normal position. It will be evident that the bearing point
may be formed on the back of the brake block instead of on the carrier in both
instances. No strain is put upon the pivot pin a¹ as it merely acts as a medium
for holding the brake block and carrier united together.
At Figures 10 and 11 I have shewn my rim brake suitable for a carriage wheel
and which consists of the levers or arms E and E¹ which may be of any suitable
shape according as required. These levers are hinged or pivoted together at ea
either with a male and female joint or with a lap joint or otherwise, the upper
ends of these levers are tapered in their inner surfaces and a groove.or
V shaped slot may be formed in these taped ends for the wedge shaped plunger F
to fit and slide in. Or the plunger may be of other suitable shape the inner
surfaces of the upper ends of the levers being formed to correspond. Fixed to
the lower ends of these levers are the brake blocks H which are curved to
suit the radius of the rim as shewn at Figure 11 and which are preferably
covered with rubber leather or the like. It will thus be seen that when the
wedge plunger F is forced between the ends ³ ³ by a lever or levers or in any
other convenient manner that the ends and consequently the brake blocks
will be closed onto the rim as clearly shewn in dotted lines Figure 10 thereby
braking or stopping the wheel. The spring 2 pulls the levers back to their
normal position.
In the method as shewn at Figures 12 and 13 which is suitable for a cycle rim
brake I form the levers or arms E E¹ preferably from sheet steel and pivot them
together ate by a lap joint. The upper ends,³ ³ are formed with the tapering
recesses to act as guides for the plunger wedge F and this plunger wedge
is connected to the lower end of the plunger rod pivoted to the usual brake lever.
The levers E E¹ in this case are supported by the pivot. pine which may be
fixed to the fork crown "
or to any other convenient part of the cycle as my
brake may be fixed so as to operate upon the back wheel as well as the front by
connecting other levers to the usual plunger rod. The brake blocks H are
fixed to the ends et et and are preferably curved to correspond to the radius of the
wheel. The spring which is fixed to the levers above the pivot pin keeps
them in their normal position.
66
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:
CLAIMS.
First: In brakes for cycles and other vehicles mounting the block in a
carrier such as A. so as to be capable of adjusting itself to the radius of the tyre
of the wheel in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein set forth
and as shewn upon the drawings.
133

page_text: Second: In brakes for cycles and other vehicles pivoting the brake block
such as B to a carrier such as A having on its inner surface a bearing or rocking
point or part upon which the brake block rocks and bears and either with or
without side pieces bearing upon bearing or rocking points formed on the sides
of the brake block in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein
set forth and as shewn upon the accompanying sheets of drawings by Figures 1
to 9 inclusive.
Third: In brakes for cycle and other vehicles operating the levers or arms
such as E E by forcing a plunger between the upper ends in the manner sub-
stantially as herein set forth and as shewn on the accompanying sheets of
drawings by Figures 10 11 12 and 13.
LITIS
UL UCLUDET Του.
WILLIAM FORD,
By George Barker,
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
Agent for Applicant,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.