Improvements in Brakes for Cycles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 11th May, 1893-Accepted, 24th June, 1899
Improvements in Brakes for Cycles.
We, HENRY WILLIAM DARBEY and LEWIS EDWARDS TRANT, both of 830,
Coventry Road, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows;.
-
This invention relates to the brake-work of cycles.
In carrying out our invention, in connection with a rim brake applied by
giving a lifting movement to a sliding operating rod, we provide the lower end
of the said rod with a calipher shaped frame, composed of two semi-circular
sections or arms whose upper ends are collectively jointed to the said rod, whilst
the other and lower ends are adapted to impinge upon the opposite edges of the
underside of the rim, with sufficient curvature in the arms to clear the tyre, sO
that when the rod is raised by the turning of the hand lever, the free extremities
of the pair of calipher-like arms are made to approximate and impinge upon the
edge of the rim. The means for ensuring the closing together of the arms may
consist of a pair of studs or equivalents carried by and projecting from clips or
otherwise connected to the fork sides and extending through inclined slots inade
near the contact or free ends of the arms. Springs may be located upon the studs
and behind the arms to prevent rattling, whilst other springs may be arranged
between the said arms and their respective contiguous fork sides for giving the
return movement and taking the brake out of action, although the said return
movement may be effected by a spring or springs in connection with either the
brake rod or the operating lever, which latter may be of either a simple or com-
pound character. Where the lever is of the simple order, it may consist of an
arm fulcrumed at or near one end to the handle bar at a point beyond the stem
thereof, whilst the brake rod is jointed to the lever inwards of its said centre,
whilst in the case of a lever of the compound order, then the inner end of the
lever is jointed to a short rocking arm to the end of which the depending brake-
rod is jointed.
The impinging ends of the arms may be fitted with shoes or rollers, which may
either be plain or faced with rubber.
As a further form, the upper ends of the armis may be crossed and jointed, and
then connected to the lower end of the brake rod by links, so that when the brake
is lifted, the shoes or impingement ends are made to come into forcible contact
with the wheel rim. Or instead of the arms being curved they may be made
angular or with inclined upper parts, the inclined outer edges of which are engaged
by fixed studs or other guides on the fork sides, so that when the sides are made
to approximate by lifting, the rod, the contact ends are brought together and made
to impinge upon the rim.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1899.
HENRY WILLIAM DARBEY.
LEWIS EDWARDS TRANT.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.

page_text: improvements in Brakes for Cycles.
We, HENRY WILLIAM DARBEY and LEWIS EDWARDS TRANT, both of 330,
Coventry Road, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, 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 the brake-work of cycles and has for its object to
provide a simple and efficient form of brake designed to act upon the rim of a
wheel independent of the tyre.
One form of the improved rim brake is represented in the annexed drawings
in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the brake and its operating
mechanism.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the said brake showing it in its normal position.
Figure 3 is a like, view as Figure 2, but in this view the brake is shown " on
and with the shoes of it bearing respectively against the opposite sides of the
inner periphery of the wheel rim.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the brake, showing more clearly the means by
which it is mounted upon the front forks of a bicycle.
Figure 5 is a vertical section taken upon the dotted line, Figure 2, and
Figure 6 is a horizontal section of the said Figure 2 upon the dotted line a³,
showing the shoes or acting parts of the brake in topside plan.
Figure 7 represents the pair of levers which carry the shoes.
Figure 8 represents an elevation and Figure 9 a plan of one of the clips carry-
ing the guide pins over which slotted parts of the levers work.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
In carrying out this form of our invention, in connection with a rim brake
applied by giving a lifting movement to a sliding operating rod, such as shown
in Figure 1 of the drawings and marked a, we provide the lower end a', of the
said rod with a pair of curved or semi-circular links or arms b, arranged in the
form of a caliper-shaped frame, with their upper ends 6, collectively jointed
at 62, by means of a common pivot to the said rod, whilst the other and lower
ends which are curved inwards so as to come underneath and be presented to
the inner periphery c¹, of a wheel rim c, are fitted with a pair of brake shoes
or contacts d, adapted to impinge upon the opposite edges of the said underside
or inner periphery of the rim. The arms or link members of the brake frame
have sufficient curvature to clear the tyre e, and the parts are so arranged that
when the brake operating rod is raised by the turning of the hand lever, the lower
extremities of the pair of calipher-like arms are moved both inwards and upwards
and thereby made to approximate thus causing their shoes or contacts which are
preferably mounted upon the top or inward edges of the lower ends of the arms,
to impinge upon the sides of the wheel rim and exercise an efficient braking action
on the wheel. The means for ensuring the closing together of the arms consists
(in the arrangement shown in the drawings) of a pair of studs or pins f, carried
by and projecting from clips f¹, or otherwise connected to the steering fork sides
and extending through upwardly and inwardly inclined slots g, made near the
contact ends of the arms. Springs h, are located upon the studs to exercise
pressure against the backs of the arms to prevent rattling, whilst other springs i,
made fast at their upper ends, to the arms and at their lower ends, to the
pins f, or to other convenient parts of the contiguous fork sides, are provided for
the purpose of giving the return movement and taking the brake out of action
by their contraction after having been distended by the lifting of the operating i

page_text: rod for putting on the brake. This return movement may however be effected by
a spring or springs in connection with either the brake rod or the operating
lever, which latter may be of either a simple or compound character. Where the
lever is of the simple order, it may consist (as shown in Figure 1) of an arm j
fulcrumed at or near one end j, to the handle bar at a point beyond the
stem, thereof and the brake rod a is jointed to the lever at 2, inwards of its
said centre j¹, whilst in the case of a lever of the compound order, then the inner
end of the lever is jointed to a short rocking arm to the end of which the
depending brake-rod is jointed. The shoes or impingement blocks at the inner
ends of the curved arms may be fitted within boxes such as m, or otherwise
secured in position and may be made of felt or other suitable material. They
may also be shaped and inclined at different angles or otherwise adapted to suit
wheel rims of various sections.
The operation of this brake is thus as follows:-When the operating rod is
raised by turning the hand lever, the curved arms or links of the caliper-like
brake-frame are drawn up with it, and at the same time and by reason of the
inwardly inclined slots near their lower ends working over the fixed pins project-
ing from the fork sides, the said arms are compelled to turn inwards upon their
common joint and their lower ends are made to approximate, thus causing their
shocs or impingements to bear respectively against, and exercise an equalized
pressure upon, the opposite sides of the inner periphery of the rim and exert the
required braking action. This lifting movement distends the springs arranged
between the fork sides and the links or members of the frame, but immediately
the pressure upon the hand lever is relieved, the said springs, in again contract-
ing, take off the brake and cause the parts to resume their normal positions.
Instead of the upper ends of the links being collectively connected to the
operating rod by a single joint pin, they may have independent connections there-
with by providing the lower termination of the rod with a cross piece or foot ta
which the said links may be separately jointed.
As a further form, the upper ends of the arms may be crossed and jointed, and
then connected to the lower end of the brake rod by links, so that when the brake
is lifted, the shoes or impingement ends are made to come into forcible contact
with the wheel rim. Or instead of the arms being curved they may be made
angular or with inclined upper parts, the inclined outer edges of which are engaged
by fixed studs or other guides on the fork sides, so that when the sides are made
to approximate by lifting the rod, the contact ends are brought together and made
to impinge upon the rim.
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
wo claim is;—
First: A cycle brake consisting of a pair of opening and closing links or
arma, pivotedly connected with an operating rod and fitted at their lower ends
with shoes or contacts, and with the said links having inclined slots or their
equivalent working over fixed pins or projections in such a manner that when the
operating rod is lifted, the lower ends of the links are made to approximate and
their shoes to impinge respectively against the opposite sides of the inner peri-
phery of a wheel rim, substantially as herein described and set forth.
Secondly: A cycle brake consisting of a pair of opening and closing links or
arms, both pivotedly connected at their upper ends to an operating rod and fitted
at their lower ends with shoes or contacts presented to the inner periphery of a
wheel rim, against which the said shoes are made to forcibly impinge, when the
operating rod is lifted, by inwardly inclined slots in the said links working over
fixed pins or other projections from contiguous parts of the cycle framing and
acting substantially as herein described and set forth.
Thirdly-A cycle rim brake consisting of a pair of curved arms or links, with
their upper ends connected by a common joint pin to an operating lever, and with

page_text: their lower parts, which are provided with inwardly inclined slots working over
pins projecting from clips secured to contiguous members of a cycle frame, fitted
with brake shoes or contacts adapted to impinge respectively against the opposite
sides of the inner periphery of a wheel rim, whilst the brake pressure is relieved
and the parts returned to their normal positions by a pair of springs arranged in
conjunction with the said links, substantially as herein described and set forth.
nated th: 041. J... ne 1800
HENRY WILLIAM DARBEY.
LEWIS EDWARDS TRANT.
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.