Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Nov., 1888
'omplete Specification Accepted. 7th Dec., 1888
I, JOHN HAILL of Nacton Cottage, Fishergate Terrace, Portslade-by-Sea, Brighton
in the County of Sussex, Butcher, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
to be as follows :-
The object of my invention is to manufacture an improved brake for road
vehicles.
In carrying out my invention, I fit a strap brake to the hub or hubs of one or
more wheel or wheels of the vehicle-A slide bar or rod is fitted to the shaft or pole of
the vehicle, and a lever is fitted to each brake strap. The slide is connected with
the brake strap, by suitable gearing and connections, so as to operate the same
by the action of the slide-The slide bar on the shaft or pole is also connected with
some portion or portions of the barness. The effect of this arrangement is that, when
the horse or horses is or are pulling the vehicle, the brakes are released from the
hubs, and no retardation takes place-But, when the vehicle is stopped, or when
the horses are backing" the brakes are at once applied to the hubs of the wheels,
by the operation of the springs and the yielding of the slide, or by the action of the
slide moved by the harness operating upon the levers and straps, with or without
the aid of springs. The strap itself may also act as a spring for the same purpose.
My invention is applicable to all road vehicles, whether drawn by one horse
or more.

page_text: I, JOHN HAILL, of Nacton Cottage, Fishergate Terrace, Portslade-by-Sea, Brighton,
in the County of Sussex Butcher, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to manufacture an improved brake for road
vehicles.
In carrying out my invention, I fit a strap brake or brakes to the hub or hubs of
one or more wheel or wheels of the vehicle. A slide bar or rod is fitted to each
shaft or to the pole of the vehicle, and a lever is fitted to each brake strap. Each
slide is connected with the brake strap, by suitable gearing and connections, so as
to operate the same by the action of the slide. The slide bar on the shaft or pole
is also connected with some portion or portions of the harness.
The effect of this arrangement is, that when the horse or horses is or are pulling
the vehicle, the brakes are released from the hubs, and no retardation takes place.
But, when the vehicle is stopped, or when the horses are "backing," the brakes are
at once applied to the hubs of the wheels, by the action of the slide moved by the
harness, operating upon the levers and straps, with or without the aid of springs. The
strap itself may also be made to act as a spring for the same purpose.
My invention is applicable to all road vehicles whether drawn by one horse
or more.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a two-wheeled vehicle, showing the brake "on."
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing the brake "off." Fig. 3 is a plan view of a
portion of the apparatus as fitted with a single lever. Fig. 4 is a transverse view
showing the application of the brakes to the wheels, as fitted with a double lever, and
Fig. 5 is a partial plan of the same.
a is the body of the vehicle, b is one of the shafts, c is a flexible metallic strap
which is capable of sliding along the underside of the shaft, and is held to the shaft
by the guides ad d. e is a cross-bar to which the straps c c are fitted. ff are
connecting rods, connecting the cross bar e with the brake levers y y. hh are two
arms bracketted to the axle. The upper ends of these arms support the fulcrum of
the levers g g by pivots at g'.
kkare the brake straps, which surround the inner ends of the hubs as shown.
These brake straps are preferably made of steel and lined with leather; m n are
provisions upon the strap c. to which portions of the harness are attached, and whereby
the forward and backward efforts of the horse are communicated to the brake straps.
When the horse is drawing the vehicle forward the straps c c are drawn forward
sufficiently to release the brake straps kk as shown in Fig. 2; and when the horse
"backs" the brake is put on, as shown in Fig. 1.

page_text: o is a bar attached to the cross bar, one end being guided in a block p. A spiral
spring surrounds this bar, to render the motion easy and free from sudden shocks.
s is a pedal lever the lower end of which enters a slot in the bar o. t is a pawl
attached to the lever s. A handle u may be fitted to the levers to work the lever
by hand, if preferred. The lever s is pivotted to and passes through the floor of the
vehicle, and a short rack is also fitted to the floor for receiving the pawl t and
securing the levers in any requisite position. The pawl t may be turned over and
thrown the reverse way.
The levers furnishes the means whereby the driver can control the brake
independently of the action of the horse. By pressing the levers to the position
shown in Fig. 1, the brake is applied, and by releasing the pawl t as shown in
Fig. 2, the brake is taken off. If the pawl t is then thrown forward into a tooth in
front of the lever, the brake strap is locked open and prevented from acting upon
the hub.
In figs. 4 and 5. a double lever s' is shown acting upon two bars o¹ o¹ but the
operation is similar to that above described.
Wherever requisite indiarubber or leather washers are introduced to render the
action smooth.
I prefer to cover in the brakes with mud guards to keep the same free
from dirt.
Although the above description and the drawings refer to a two-wheeled vehicle
with shafts, it is obvious that, with suitable modifications my invention may be fitted
and adapted to other vehicles.
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
claim is :-
1. The method of fitting brakes to the hubs of vehicles, so arranged and operated
that the horse or horses apply and release the same by the action of the harness
upon the flexible straps c c or their equivalent, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.
2. In combination with the aforesaid method of fitting brakes to vehicles the
application and use of the pedal and hand levers ss and u, for operating the
brakes by manual power, substantially as bereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings.
3. The general construction, combination, and arrangement of the several and
respective parts, together constituting my invention of an improved brake for
road vehicles, substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated by the
drawings.
Dated 3rd November 1000.
GEO. DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London,
Agent for Applicant.