Brake for Bicycles and other Velocipedes and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Brake for Bicycles and other Velocipedes and the like.
I, GEORGE EARNEST CLARK, of the town of Ingersoll, in the County of Oxford,
in the Province of Ontario, Canada, Machinist, 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 relates to a device for retarding or stopping the motion of the
wheels of bicycles, cycles, velocipedes and the like.
The object being to provide a simple, strong, durable, inexpensive and
efficient device for this purpose, and one by which the wheels may be easily
and quickly and at the same time so smoothly and gradually retarded or stopped
that the action will be only slightly perceptible to the rider, and one which will
be so concealed within the pedal bearing cylinder, as to be completely withdrawn
from observation, so much so, that it would not be known that a bicycle or the
like was provided with a brake, unless by information to that effect.
To this end my invention consists of the novel features of construction and
combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter first fully set forth
and described and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein,
Fig. 1 is a central cross sectional view of a pedal bearing cylinder embodying
my invention, in this view a side elevation of the sprocket wheel, nuts, cranks
and crank axle are shown.
Fig. 2 is an end view of the pedal bearing cylinder, spring, crank axle and
projecting lug or stud.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the sleeve showing one end
of the spring secured to or formed therewith.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the sleeve and axle showing
the stud on the latter in position to engage with the spring.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the crank axle and projecting
lug or stud.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail perspective view of a modification in the construc-
tion of the sleeve.
A, designates the pedal bearing cylinder, which is rigidly secured to and
supported by the frame of the bicycle, B the crank axle which rotates perfectly
free in said cylinder; C, C, cranks secured to the crank axle and to the outer
ends of said cranks the pedals, not shown, are pivotally secured; and D, D,
designate ball cases; E, E, ball bearings and F, F, cones; all of which in a
more or less modified form are common to bicycles and the like:
B, is a projecting lug or stud rigidly secured to or formed with the axle, B.
and provided with a bevelled shoulder B2, said shoulder, B³, being preferably
formed by cutting a groove in one edge of said lug or stud, B¹
G, designates a sleeve which is fitted to the axle, B, and on the latter said
sleeve rotates to a limited extent.

page_text: G, G³, are screw threads formed in the sleeve, G, on which the sprocket
wheel, H, and nut, I, respectively are screwed.
J, designates a spring, one end, J', of which is fixed to the sleeve, G, and the
other end, Ja, is free and the end edge is preferably bevelled to correspond with
the bevelled shoulder, B2, of the lug, B₁, and said spring may be flat or other
suitable form as preferred.
And one end, G³, of this sleeve, G, is preferably formed larger in cross section,
and the spring, J, secured to said enlarged end, this not only permits a spring of
sufficient size to be used, which will respond to the slightest pressure, but will
form a guide for one side of said spring, J, to hold it in line when pressing the
free end, J³, outwards in applying the brake.
G*, designates a bearing or bearings which may be of any suitable size or
shape and rigidly secured to or formed with and projecting from one end of the
sleeve, G, as shown in Fig. 6, against which the lug or stud, B', abuts to propel
the machine forward; or if this bearing, G4, was dispensed with as shown in
Fig. 3, the lug or stud, B¹, would engage with the end of the spring, J, fixed
to the sleeve, G, for the purpose of propelling the machine, and in order to
strengthen said spring at this point, the end of said spring, J, fixed to said
sleeve, G, may be enlarged to form a wide connection between them in order
to make the bearing substantial and durable at this point.
K, designates a nut screwed on the screw thread, 13, of the crank axle, B,
until it just clears the spring, J, for the purpose of holding said spring in line
when the latter is being pressed outwards to apply the brake.
The crank axle, B, sleeve, G, and spring J, are adjusted as shown in Fig. 4,
and these together with the ball cases, D, ball bearings, E, cones, F, &c. are
placed in the pedal bearing cylinder, A, as shown in Fig. 1, the sprocket wheel, H,
and nuts, I, and, I, are then screwed on the crank axle, B, and the cranks, C, C,
also secured thereto.
When adjusted as described, by pedaling forward the cranks, C, would rotate
the crank axle, B, together with the lug or stud, B¹, fixed thereto, and the latter
would engage with the face, g, of the bearing, G+, this would rotate the sleeve, G,
and spring, J, freely in the pedal bearing cylinder, and the sprocket wheel, H,
being screwed on the sleeve, G, and fixed thereon by the nut, I, said sprocket
wheel would be rotated and the machine propelled forward; or if the bearing, G+,
was not used the lug or stud, B¹, would engage with the fixed end, J¹, of the
spring, J, this would attain the same result as the lug, B₁, engaging with the
face, g, of the bearing, G.
Again if it was desired to retard or stop the bicycle, all that the rider would
have to do would be to pedal backwards; the result of which would be, that the
crank axle, B, would be rotated slightly in the sleeve, G, and from the face, g³,
towards the free end, J³, of the spring, J, until the bevelled shoulder, B³, of the
lug, B, engaged with the free end, Ja, of said spring, J, and this bevelled
shoulder, 132, would press the free end of the spring, J; outwards until the outer
face of the latter engaged with the interior face of the pedal bearing cylinder, A,
when the frictional contact of these surfaces, would retard or stop the bicycle
according to the pressure of the foot on the pedal, or the length of time that
the rider pedaled backwards.
And the outer face of the spring, J, being curved and engaged with the inner
curved face of the pedal bearing cylinder, A, the frictional contact of these
surfaces in applying the brake would be so gradual that the action would be only
slightly perceptible to the rider; and at the same time a brake simply, strong,
durable, inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in practical use is provided
and being located in the pedal bearing cylinder is concealed from observation.
I have found by experiment that the construction herein shown and described
gives the best results, at the same time while I prefer the same, I do not wish
to limit myself to the details thereof as they may be modified in various
without departing from the spirit of my invention.
ways

page_text: 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:-
1st. A brake for bicycles, within the pedal bearing cylinder, and consisting
of a sleeve encircling the crank axle, a spring, one end of which is fixed to said
sleeve, and a stud on the crank axle engaging with the free end of said spring
when pedaling backwards, to cause said spring to engage with said cylinder,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.`
2nd. A brake for bicycles, within the pedal bearing cylinder, and consisting
of a sleeve encircling the crank axle, a spring, one end of which is fixed to said
sleeve, a stud on the crank axle engaging with the free end of said spring
when pedaling backwards, to cause said spring to engage with said cylinder,
and a nut screwed on the axle to prevent the movement laterally of said spring,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. A brake for bicycles, concealed within the pedal bearing cylinder, and
consisting of a sleeve encircling the crank axle, a spring, one end of which is
fixed to said sleeve, a stud on the crank axle engaging with the free end of said
spring when pedaling backwards, to cause the outer face of said spring to engage
with the interior face of said cylinder, and a shoulder or stop on the sleeve to
engage with the stud whereby said sleeve and spring will rotate freely with the
axle when pedaling forwards, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4th. A brake for bicycles, concealed within the pedal bearing cylinder, and
consisting of a sleeve encircling the crank axle, a spring, one end of which is
fixed to said sleeve, a stud on the crank axle engaging with the free end of said
spring when pedaling backwards, to cause the outer face of said spring to engage
with the interior face of said cylinder, and a nut screwed on the axle to prevent
the movement laterally of said spring, and a shoulder or stop on the sleeve to
engage with the stud whereby said sleeve and spring will rotate freely with
the axle when pedaling forwards, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5th. The rank axle, B, provided with the lug or stud, 11, and the latter
formed with a bevelled shoulder, B2, in combination with the sleeve, G, the
sprocket wheel, H, secured thereto, a spring, J, one end of which is fixed to said
sleeve, G, a shoulder or stop, G, formed on said sleeve and the pedal bearing
cylinder, A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Datad this 18th day of Ontahan 1807
GEORGE EARNEST CLARK.