Improvements in and relating to Brakes for Velocipedes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1899
Improvements in and relating to Brakes for Velocipedes.
I, ARTHUR GOWER, of 7, Brightland Road, Eastbourne, in the County of
Sussex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improvement in brakes adapted to be operated
by "back pedalling."
According to this invention, a ratchet wheel or its equivalent is formed on
or fixed to the pedal-crank axle within the bottom bracket, and surrounding
the said ratchet wheel or its equivalent is a drum or its equivalent mounted
loosely on the axle and carrying one or more pawls or their equivalent adapted
to engage the ratchet wheel. The drum is connected with the braking mech-
anism which preferably takes the form of a pair of blocks or shoes adapted to
engage the rim of the driving wheel-but may be of any other type-by means
of a connecting rod, band or equivalent device, the arrangement being such
that when the machine is being driven forward the ratchet wheel overruns
the pawl or pawls, but when the motion of the pedals is reversed as in "back
pedalling" the ratchet wheel acting on the pawl or pawls causes the drum to
move in a reverse direction and so bring the brake into operation.
:
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.
I, ARTHUR GOWER, of 19, Elm Grove, Cricklewood, London, formerly of 7,
Brightland Road, Eastbourne, in the County of Sussex, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The present invention relates to an improved means or method for operating
brakes by back pedalling.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates one method of carrying my
invention into effect.
Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a pedal crank axle bracket con-
structed according to this invention, and

page_text: Figure 2 is a view in transverse section thereof.
In both views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
On the pedal crank axle A a ratchet wheel is fixed or ratchet teeth a are
formed with which a pawl B is adapted to engage. This pawl B is preferably
formed with side trunnions 6 as shown and carried by a sleeve or drum C
mounted loosely on the axle A. The drum or sleeve C is preferably constructed
in two parts as shown, and is connected by means of an arm c and a coupling
rod c or the like to the braking mechanism which preferably takes the form of
a pair of blocks or shoes adapted to engage the rim of the driving wheel, but
may be of any other type, the arrangement being such that 'when the machine
is being driven forward in the direction of the arrow the ratchet wheel overruns
the pawl B, but when the motion of the pedals is reversed as in back pedalling
one of the ratchet teeth a acting on the pawl B causes the sleeve or drum C to
move in the reverse direction and so brings the brake into operation.
It will be understood that two or more pawls may be in some cases used and
also that the sleeve or drum might be formed as an internal ratchet wheel in
which case the pedal crank axle would carry the pawl or pawls.
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) In a velocipede operating a brake by back pedalling by means of a
ratchet clutch carried by the pedal crank axle.
(2) The improved ratchet clutch device for operating velocipede brakes, sub-
stantially as herein before described and shown.
1
1000
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.