Improvements in Brakes for Cycles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 16th May, 1900-Accepted, 16th June, 1900
Improvements in Brakes for Cycles.
I, ALFRED THOMAS AUSTIN, Works Manager of the Austin Cycle Company
Limited, Monument Road, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in brakes for cycles by which
I provide a rim brake in which the greater part of the strain is taken by the
front fork while no strain except that necessary for the application of the brake
is borne by the levers and connections. My brake is light, simple and effective
in action and can be readily applied to any existing bicycle.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide a clip on the fork at each side
of the wheel near the point where the rim rotates and upon each of these clips
a projecting arm is provided running out from the back of the fork at right
angles thereto.
Upon these projecting arms levers are pivoted so that they lie between the
fork blades and on each side of the wheel while rubber blocks are provided on
the ends of the levers so as to engage with the rim of the wheel on each side.
Each of these levers are attached to the end of a length of chain or wire to
the centre of which above the wheel a rod is connected, this rod passes up
to the handle bar and finishes with a pivoted lever the depression of which at
the one end raises the brake rod, wire and blocks against the rim of the wheel.
A small pulley is fixed at the top of each clip around the wire passes to give
clearance to the wheel. Instead of a brake rod I may have a chain or wire
passing over a pulley at the top and running along handle bar to lever near
handle and I may apply my brake to the fork or stays of the driving wheel and
connect it with handle by wire.
Springs are provided on the levers attached to fork clips to cause the blocks
to be normally clear of the rim.
Improvements in Brakes for Cycles.
I, ALFRED THOMAS AUSTIN, Works Manager of the Austin Cycle Company.
Limited, Monument Road, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, 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:-
My invention has for its object improvements in brakes for cycles by which
I provide a rim brake in which the main part of the strain is borne by the

page_text: front fork while no strain except that necessary for the application of the
brake is borne by the levers and connections. One of the great advantages of
my brake over others of this class is that the blocks on each side the wheel
when being actuated are not controlled by the action of each other so that
however uneven the two sides of the rim may be or however un-
even the fixing of the levers may become with regard to each other
they are both free to bear on the rim in a perfectly even manner without in
anyway affecting each other while at the same time the whole of the brake is
light, simple in action and can be readily applied to any existing bicycle.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which I have
fully illustrated the nature of my said invention and the mode of carrying the
same into effect.
Figure is a part view of a fork head and handle bar shewing my brake
in front elevation.
Figure 2 is a vertical section through same shewing one half in side elevation.
Figure 3 is a cross section through same shewing a plan of the brake.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide clips UC, which are attached
one on each side of the fork E near the point where the rim D rotates and
upon each of these clips projecting arms C and C3 are formed to receive the
levers a and a which are pivoted thereto at a and a³ in such a position that the
blocks A and A' which are mounted upon the levers normally rest between the
fork blades and the spokes H in close proximity to the rim D. The clips C and C¹
are also respectively provided with the upright extensions C and C³ which
support the pullies J and J¹ while the metallic cord or chain B is connected
at its ends to both blocks A and A¹ and after passing around the pullies J J¹
is supported at the bottom of the brake rod L by the pulley K which is so
adjusted in position as to allow the normal position of the blocks A A¹ to be
clear of the rim where they are retained by any suitable spring arrangement
such as M M until by the pressure down of the lever N the brake rod L is
raised and draws up the blocks A A¹ so as to form contact with the rim D. It
will be seen that while being applied the blocks are each free to accomodate
themselves to the rim without affecting the action of each other and that the
device may be attached to the driving wheel or other part of the cycle in which
case a chain may be substituted for the brake rod L and the pulley K mounted
to slide in a clip bracket and I may substitute a chain for the brake rod L in
the case of the brake illustrated and such rod chain or wire may be attached
to the centre of the cord B instead of running over the pullie K.
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 rim brake for cycles characterized by a pair of blocks separately pivoted
and connected by a cord or chain which passes over a pulley or pullies one of
which is actuated by the brake rod or cord whereby such blocks are operated
while being uncontrolled by each other substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth and illustrated.
2nd A rim brake for cycles characterized by a pair of blocks separately
pivoted upon clips for attachment to the fork and connected by cords or chains
passing around guiding pullies and connected with the actuating rod or wire
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and illustrated.
Dated this 15th day of May 1900.
LEWIS WM. GOOLD,
Agent for Applicant, 5, Corporation Street, Birmingham.