Improvements in Brakes and Foot Rests Ior Bicycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1897-Accepted, 12th June, 1897
Improvements in Brakes and Foot Rests Ior Bicycles.
REINHARD HOFFMEISTER Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Electrical
Engineer 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 aud by
the following statement :-
My invention relates to brakes and foot rests for bicycles, and its special objects
are: first, to provide a means that is simple and perfectly safe, whereby the rider
may rest his fect when the pedals are in any position he desires, and retain them so
by the gentle back pressure on either one, and by throwing the weight on both
pedals simultaneously the brake is set at pleasure; second, to so arrange the
mechanism that the sprocket wheel will be very little heavier than the ordinary
one by placing the rack and pall mechanism as far as possible from the axis of the
said wheel, and thus reduce the strain, and consequently the weight of parts
required therein to a minimuni, and third, to provide a brake that will give the
best possible results by arranging it as near the outer rim of the sprocket wheel as
possible, and by having it of obtuse angled form, it not only has more bearing
surface but is more easily applied, as will be seen from the following description:
The above objects I obtain by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying
drawing, in which—
Fig. 1, shows a plan of my device, the mechanism comprising the improvement
being shown in broken lines."
Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same taken at line 1, 1.
Fig. 3 is an inner plan of the circular plate which actuates the sprocket wheel
and which carries the brake mechanism.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the sprocket wheel on which the mechanism in the last
mentioned figure operates, and,
Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same taken at the line 2, 2.
In the drawings similar numerals and letters designate corresponding parts
throughout the several views, referring to which:
10 indicates a wheel having the ordinary sprocket teeth upon its periphery, and
at some distance towards its axis is a second or internal rim 10%, a deep circular
recess lying on one side of the wheel between this and the outer rim 10. (See
Fig. 5.) The periphery of this inner rim 10ª is of obtuse angled form for a
purpose to appear, and on the inner periphery of the outer rim 10° are notched
teeth or recesses 10°. To prevent these recesses from weakening the said rim of
the wheel and thus necessitating its construction being much heavier, I place one
opposite each sprocket tooth, which does not in any way reduce the strength, but
rather reduces the weight which is an important consideration.
Securely fixed upon the shaft C by a feather 16 or other means is a circular
plate or disc 11. This plate 11 is provided at its hub or centre with a cylinder 11*
which projects to about equal distances on either side, the one end receiving and
furnishing a suitable bearing for the wheel 10, and the other end for the crank-
shaft A, which is loosely held thereon by the pin 11b, and by the semi-elliptical
groove 11 in the said cylinder the crank C is allowed to vibrate back and forth
for a special purpose.
As shown in Fig. 3, 12 indicates a pall pivotally fixed to the plate 11 by a pin
or bolt 12. This pall 12 is provided at one end with a tapering portion 12b which
deflects inwardly, and its opposite end has a curvature or deflection outwardly,

page_text: as 12, which when engaged by the wheel 10, the said pall 12° rests in one of the
notches 10° (see Fig. 1), and near the centre of the said pall on the inner side a
recess 12 is provided. This recess 12 receives a stout pin or stop 13 having right
angled shoulders on one side, which bear against like shoulders on the said pall,
and when pressure is imparted in the direction of the arrow, the sprocket wheel 10
will be rotated by the pall 12; and by reason of the stop or pin 13 passing through
a slot 11 in the plate 11, and being securely fixed to the pedal crank A by a
screw 13, it will be seen that when back-pressure is brought to bear on such petal
crank, as shown by the arrow, the plate 11 will be retained from rotary motion,
and the sprocket 10 will be allowed to revolve, and, consequently, the machine
will proceed onward with the pedals stationary. 14 indicates a resilient band
which almost describes a circle, it being arranged around and at some distance
from the projecting end of the cylinder 11 on the plate 11, the one end of the
said band is secured to the stop or pin 13 by a countersunk screw 14ª and to receive
the main strain the end is turned over the stop 13 (see Fig. 3), and the opposite
end of the said band is secured to the plate 11 by a bolt or stont screw 14°. The
above band 14 provides a brake and owing to its inner side being of an obtuse
angled form, as 14° (see Fig. 2) ccntacting with the angled groove on the periphery
of the inner rim 10% of the wheel 10, an excellent friction brake is provided, it
being clear that a surface of angle shape offers more bearing surface than a plaia
band of the same width, and therefore a greater gripping contact is obtained, as
slight pressure tends to wedge the band into the grooved recess, and thus offers
more resisting power than would be possible to obtain from a plain band on a hub
of uniform periphery.
To prevent the loosely mounted pedal A from being entirely free and allowing
the pall 12 to drop from contact with the recesses 10° on the inner periphery of
the wheel 10, I provide the spring 15 which is secured to the edge of the said
plate 11, and its resilient end bears upon the outer side of the inwardly deflected
end of the pall 12, as 12b, and this has the effect of throwing the stop 13 into the
recess 12ª, which should be a song fit to prevent the pedal crank A from having a
rattling motion; and it will be seen that when the stop 13 is nested in the said
recess 12, the pall end 12° will be resting in one of the recesses in the rim of the
wheel 10, and by the pressure on the opposite end offered by the spring 15, the
said pall will retain its position therein, the end thereof occupying all of the space
as in the recess 12d, vibratory movement is prevented except when back pressure
is offered by either of the pedals.
The pedal crank B is securely fixed to the shaft C, which is secured to the
cylinder or hub 11, as before mentioned.
In the operation of my invention the rider may stop the action of the pedals by
a back pressure on either pedal, as the engaging pall is operative but one way;
the pedal on the crank A, is the proper one however, as back-pressure on the
pedal B will stop the crank-shaft without lifting the pall 12° from engagement
with the inner side of the rim 10%, and the recess 10° therein will rattle over the
pall. Back-motion on the pedal-crank A will force the stop 13 from the recess 12ª,
in the pall, and consequently will throw the engaging pall 12° clear of the inner 4
rim of the wheel 10, as shown in Fig. 3.
When it is desirous to set the brake, the pedals are retained horizontally and the
rider will have perfect control over the machine on almost any declivity, as pressure
on both pedals will draw the band 14 into contact with the groove in the rim 10*
on the wheel 10. It is clear that when weight is employed to brake the machine a
lifting motion on the handles will add to that weight in proportion to the strength
of the rider, and by weight and strength combined the machine will be stopped
within a few feet of the first application of the brake.
The art of braking and controlling a bicycle on a steep declivity where such
brake is connected with the pedals, and such pedals are fixed and rotated by the 5
chain connected with the rear wheel, is sometimes dangerous, for should the rider
lose the pedals he has lost control of the machine, which each moment is gaining

page_text: speed, and it is then a dangerous task to control the wheel until the pedals may
be again secured; whereas with my device, it matters not how swiftly the rider is
descending, the pedals are retained by the feet, as the recesses 10° will slide
onward over the pall, and when required, the brake is applied at pleasure. Should
the pedals be released, there is no danger in thrusting the feet into the circles being
described by the pedals, as the least back-pressure will stop them, for the reason
they are not fastened and subject to forward motion.
I am aware that prior to my invention brakes on bicycles have been operated
by the pedals, by means of a band on the sprocket wheel engaging a fixel hub on
the bearings of the frame; and also, a stop-motion brake has been applied by a
band on the disc fixed to the crank-shaft, and engaging a band on a loose sprocket,
the said band having recesses which engage a slidable pall on the fixed disc, which
resists motion on one of the pedals both ways, therefore, I do not claim such a
device.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
I claim is :-
:-
1. In a bicycle brake and foot-rest, the combination of a plate or disc having
a cylindrical hub fixed to a crank-shaft, a crank loosely mounted upon one end of
the said cylindrical hub, a sprocket wheel having a deep recess around one side
near its periphery, notches in one side of the recess and an obtuse angled groove
on the other, and a pall which is engaged by a stop on the loosely mounted pedal
crank whereby the loosely mounted sprocket wheel is rotated in one direction as
specified.
2. In a brake and foot-rest for bicycles, combining a loosely mounted sprocket
wheel having a deep recess around one side near its periphery, and a fixed disc
having a similar bub, the combination of a pall 12, pivotally fixed near the rim on
the inner side of the said disc, of an obtuse angled spring 14, whose circle comes
just within the position of the said pall, one end of the said obtuse angled spring
being secured to the plate or disc, and the other end being secured to the loose
pedal crank A through a slot 11° in the disc, the said pedal crank being loosely
mounted on the cylindered hub of the said disc, substantially as specified.
3. A brake and foot rest incorporated in the drive mechanism of a bicycle, the
combination of a circular plate having a cylindered hub 11, a pedal crank loosely
mounted thereon, of an obtuse angled spring 14 on the opposite side of the said
plate, the one end thereof being connected to the pedal crank by a stop 13 passing
through a slot 11 in the said plate, and the opposite end being secured to the
said plate in proximity to the said slot, of a pall 12 pivotally fixed near the rim of
the said plate, and means for holding the engaging end thereof beyond the rim of
the said plate, of a sprocket wheel loosely mounted in close proximity to the said
plate, having a deep circular recess on the side next the plate into which the obtuse
angled spring 14 and the pawl 12 are received, the said spring engaging a similar
angled groove in the recess on the wheel, and the pall engaging notched recesses ou
the opposite side thereof, substantially as specified.
4. In a brake and foot rest for bicycles, the combination of a sprocket wheel
loosely mounted in close proximity to a circular plate having a cylindered hub
which is rigidly secured on a crank shaft, of a deep circular recess around and near
the rim of the said wheel on the side next the plate, an obtuse angled groove
around one side of the said recess, and of notches directly beneath the sprocket
teeth on the other, of au obstuse angled spring encircling the said groove, the
one end being rigidly fixed to the said plate and the other end having a stop
passing through a slot therein and secured to a loose pedal crank on the opposite
side of the plate, and of a pall pivoted to the plate the end of which engages in
the notches opposite the sprocket teeth whereby the said sprocket may be forced
one way, substantially as specified.
5. In an improved foot-rest and brake for bicycles, the combination of an obtuse

page_text: angled spring secured to a fixed circular plate, a pall pivotally fixed near the rim
of the said plate, a spring 15 engaging the end of the said pall, whereby its
opposite end-is normally positioned beyond the edge of the said plate, of a stop 13
connecting the loose ends of the spring 14, and a loosely mounted pedal crank
through a slot in the side of the plate, of a sprocket wheel 10 loosely mounted,
having a deep circular recess around and near its rim which receives the spring 14
and the pall 12, having the recess 12d wherein the stop 13 is nested, so that when
forward motion is imparted to the pedal cranks the pall will be engaged in the
notches 10° and force the wheel forward, and when back pressure is applied on
either pedal the wheel will slide around unrestrained, substantially as specified.
6. In a foot-rest and brake for bicycles, a plate having a cylindered hub, and a
loose sprocket wheel in close proximity thereto, in combination with a pall secured
near the rim of the said plate, its end engaging notches in a deep recess in the
said sprocket wheel, and of an obtuse angled spring 14 secured at one end to the
plate and at the other to the loosely mounted pedal crank, and means for clamping
it in the recess on the sprocket wheel, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before set forth.
Dated this 31st day of March 1907
WILLIAM G. TRITHUNEY,
Agent.