Improvements in Brake Mechanism for Safety Bicycles and other Velocipedes and Motor Carriages.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 23rd Oct., 1897
Certain Improvements in Brake Mechanism for Safety Bicycles and
other Velocipedes and Motor Carriages.
We, THOMAS BAYLIS, of 26, Prospect Hill, Redditch, in the County of Worcester,
Fishing Rod Maker, and JAMES YOUNG, of Oakley Road, Redditch, aforesaid,
Fishing Reel Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists of the hereindescribed improvements in mechanism for
operating the brake of a safety bicycle or other velocipede or motor carriage.
We will describe this Invention as applied to a safety bicycle.
In one arrangement of carrying out this Invention we so arrange the handle
bar that it will turn in bearings or bosses formed on the top lug or bracket
which is fixed to the top of the steering post. The said top lug or bracket is or
may be forked and between the two sides of the fork we fix on the handle bar a
lever arm to the outer end of which is jointed the upper end of the brake rod the
lower part of which is connected either directly or indirectly to the brake. Carried
by a lug or clip or by other means on the said handle bar, we provide a sliding
spring bolt the fore part of which is guided by a collar or lug fixed on the handle
bar and is arranged to engage with a notch or with any one of two or more
notches formed in the face of the boss on the top lug in which the handle bar
works. The back part of this sliding bolt is bent or otherwise shaped so that it
can be conveniently grasped by the rider's hand without removing the same from
the handle bar; and so that when the said outer end of the bolt and the handle
bar are gripped together the sliding bolt will be withdrawn from the notch and
when the pressure on the bolt is relieved a spiral or other spring presses the bolt
forward to engage with the notch and lock the handle bar in a corresponding
position.
Our Invention above in part described acts as follows: The handle bar is
locked in its proper position for riding and the brake is maintained in its corre-
sponding "off" position by the sliding bolt engaging with the notch or with one
of the notches in the face of the boss of the top lug. To apply the brake the sliding
bolt has to be pressed towards the handle so as to withdraw the fore end from the
notch. A downward pressure on the handle ends of the handle bar will then cause
the handle bar to turn in its bearings and depress the outer end of the lever arm
and the brake rod connected thereto thus applying the brake. If the sliding bolt
is released its fore end will engage with one of the notches in the face of the boss
of the handle bar lug and thus retain the handle bar in this position with the
brake "on." To take the brake off it is only necessary to press the outer end of
the sliding bolt towards the handle part of the handle bar so as to withdraw the
fore end of the bolt from the notch when a spring acting on the brake rod will
push the same and the lever arm and turn the handle bar upwardly thus taking off
the brake and then as the spring bolt shoots forward again it engages with one
of the notches and locks the handle bar in this position.

page_text: The handle bar lug in which the handle bar turns and the arm carrying the
brake rod may be so arranged that the brake rod passes down the tubular steering
pillar or so that the said brake rod is either at the front of the steering pillar or
at the back of the same.
The top lug if desired may be left solid instead of being forked and the brake
rod be operated by one or more lever arms arranged and fixed on the handle bar
at the side or sides of the handle bar lug. In order to take some of the strain off
the fore end of the sliding bolt we prefer to make the outer part of the lever arm
to take against a solid part of the handle bar lug when in its upper position and
thus form a stop to prevent the handles from being turned up too far.
The brake mechanism above described may if desired be so arranged that the
brake is applied by an upward pull on the handle ends of the handle bar and
removed to its "off" position by a downward pressure on the ends of the handle
bar.
The brake with which our Invention is applied may be a brake acting directly
or indirectly upon the tyre or upon the rim of the wheel, or the said brake may be
a band brake applied round a small wheel on the steering wheel axle or on the driving
wheel axle or be otherwise engaged. The brake itself however which is operated
by the brake rod above referred to forms no part of this Invention.
Dated this 7th day of December 1906
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.
Certain Improvements in Brake Mechanism for Safety Bicycles and
other Velocipedes and Motor Carriages.
We, THOMAS BAYLIS, of 26, Prospect Hill, Redditch, in the County of Worcester,
Fishing Rod Maker, and JAMES YOUNG, of Oakley Road, Redditch, aforesaid,
Fishing Reel Maker, 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 the herein described improvements in mechanism for
operating the brake of a safety bicycle or other velocipede or motor carriage.
In carrying out this Invention the handle bar is made to turn in bearings in the
top ug on the top of the steering post and fixed to the handle bar there is a lever
arm which is jointed to the upper end of the brake rod the lower part of which
in connected directly or indirectly to the brake. The handle bar carries a spring
bolt which maintains the brake "off" and the handle bar rigid by engaging
in a notch formed in the boss of the top lug in which the handle bar works. To
apply the brake the spring bolt has to be pressed to the handle bar at one end to
disengage the other end from the notch and then the pressure by the rider's hands
on the handle bar turns the handle bar down and applies the brake to the wheel
and immediately this pressure is released a spring raises the handle bar so that
the spring bolt again engages with the notch in the top lug and locks the
handle bar in this position with the brake off the wheel.
Our Invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings on which Fig. 1
represents the fore part of a safety bicycle with our improved brake applied;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the same; Fig. 3 shews a portion of the bicycle steering
handle and brake mechanism to shew the operation of the locking bolt: in Figs. 1
and 2 the brake is represented as "off"; Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but

page_text: representing the parts in section and with the brake "on"; Fig. 5 is a plan of
the parts as shewn by Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a plan and Fig. 7 is a front and sectional
elevation of the said top lug of the steering pillar shewn in the preceding figures;
and Fig. 8 is a plan and Fig. 9 is a sectional side elevation of a part of the steering
handle and locking bolt and some other parts of the said brake mechanism
represented by the preceding figures.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all
the figures of the drawings.
A is the usual steering post and B is part of the bicycle head in which the
steering post A turns; CC are the two ordinary fork sides fixed to the steering
post and at their lower ends carrying the steering wheel of which a part of the
rim and tyre is shewn and marked D); F is the brake rod connected at its lower
end to the tubular shank g' of the brake G which by a downward pressure is caused
to act upon the tyre D and which is raised upwardly off the tyre by the usual
coiled spring on the shank g of the brake G and seting between a pin g
thereon and the brake guide bracket g. H is the usual handle bar having the
handles at its ends.
Our Invention is carried out as follows:-The handle bar is made to turn in the
bearings in the top lug I which is fixed to the top of the steering nost A.
The top lug I is made forked as shewn so that there is a space between the
bearings for the lever J which is fixed on to the handle bar H and at its outer
end the lever arm J is jointed to the upper end of the brake rod F. K is the
spring bolt which at is jointed to the collar L fixed on the handle
bar this collar L being slotted at as shewn more clearly by Figs. S
and 9 to receive the lever bolt K. The fore end of the bolt K
projects beyond the face of this collar L and when the brake is "off" engages in
a notch formed in the top of the bearing of the lug I in which the handle
bar H turns as aforesaid. The lever bolt H is continued along the top of the
handle bar at where the end can conveniently be pressed down by the rider
without removing his hand from the handle A. There is a spring m underneath
the spring bolt K which raises the end and tends to press the fore end down
to engage with the notch on the top lug I.
Our Invention above in part described acts as follows:-The handle bar His
locked as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 in its proper position for riding and the brake G
is maintained in its corresponding off position by the fore end of the spring
bolt K engaging with the notch in the top lug I. To apply the brake G to
the wheel 1) the end of the bolt K has to be pressed down towards the handle H
so as to withdraw the fore end of the bolt K from the notch in the top lug I.
The handle ends 1 are simultaneously pressed down causing the handle bar H
to turn in its bearings and depress the outer end of the lever arm J and the
brake rod F connected thereto; and thus apply the brake G to the wheel D. When
the downward pressure on the handles AA is released the spring raises the
brake rod which acting upon the lever J turns up the handle bar H to its normal
position so that the fore end of the brake lever H again engages with the notch
of the lug I and thus maintains the brake off the wheel.
It will be evident that without departing from the nature of our Invention the
handle bar lug I in which the handle bar H turns, and the arm J carrying the
brake rod 1, may be so arranged that the brake rod F passes down
the tubular steering pillar A to act upon the brake as in some bicycles
and other velocipedes as at present made. Moreover, the brake to
which our Invention is applied may, instead of being a brake acting directly
of the tyre of the wheel as illustrated on our drawings, be arranged to act indirectly
upon the tyre or wheel rim, or the brake may be a band brake applied round a
mall wheel on the steering wheel axle or on the driving wheel ale or crank axle
or be otherwise arranged, the brake rod F being connected thereto by any suitable
well known means. It is to be understood that the brake itself which is operated
by the brake rod F forms no part of this Invention.

page_text: 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. In a safety bicycle or other front steering velocipede or motor carriage, the
employment of the herein described improved brake operating mechanism con-
sisting of a steering handle bar mounted to turn in bearings of the top lug of tho
steering pillar, a lever arm fixed on said handle bar and jointed to the brake rod
which is connected to the brake, a spring bolt carried by the handle bar and
adapted to engage in a notch in the top lug and lock the handle bar thereto when
the brake is off, the said parts being so arranged that by pressing down the spring
bolt and handle bar the latter will be unlocked and turn in its bearings and force
down the brake rod and apply the brake to the wheel or axle, and so that when the
downward pressure is removed from the handle bar the latter will be raised by a
spring and the brake taken off and the handle bar locked to the steering pillar by
the said spring bolt, all substantially as herein before set forth.
2. In brake mechanism of the kind denoted under Claim 1 the combination of
the forked lug I fixed on the top of the sterring pillar A and made with bear-
ings for the handle bar to turn in, the lever arm J fixed to the steering
handle bar and jointed to the brake rod, the collar L which has the locking bolt K
jointed thereto at which fits in a notch in the collar L and in a notch in the
bearing when the brake is off thus rigidly locking the handle bar to the steering
pillar but allowing the brake to be applied by merely pressing down the locking
bolt K and the handles of the handle bar, all substantially as herein before set
forth and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of August 1897.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.