Improvements in Brake Apparatus for Cycles and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 26th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1899
Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1090
Complete Specification Left, 26th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brake Apparatus for Cycles and the like.
We, JAMES BARKER, of 385, Oldham Road, Failsworth, near Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and JOHN GIBSON WHITTLES and GEORGE
HENRY GRAY, both of 42, Oxford Street, Manchester aforesaid, Agents, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in brake apparatus for cycles and the
like, the object of our improvements being to apply the brake automatically
when the cycle exceeds a given speed.
In carrying out our invention we secure upon the hub of a wheel a flanged
disc of metal, and on the boss of this disc or on the hub of the wheel is fitted a
second flanged disc, the flange of which preferably projects over the first named disc;
on the boss of this first disc are secured say two radial studs, and on each stud
is mounted a sliding weight carrying an anti-friction roller. Fitted in the
space between the two discs is a ring of spring metal cut transversely through
in one place, and connected by several say three blocks to the flange of the
second disc; one (or more) of these blocks is not secured to the spring but is
adjustable round the flange so as to bring the block nearer to or further from.
the divided portion of the spring.
Opposite the division in the spring a trigger rod is placed and is connected
to a brake and is held normally in one position by a catch so that when the cycle
attains a certain speed the centrifugal force causes the weights to fly outwards
with such force that their bowls acting upon the spring press the divided ends
outward far enough to release the trigger rod, and allow a spring to apply
a brake of any convenient construction to any part of the wheel.
The brake can also be applied by the hand or foot independently of the auto-
matic motion and without affecting the latter.
1000
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicants.
Improvements in Brake Apparatus for Cycles and the like.
We, JAMES BARKER, of 385, Oldham Road, Failsworth, near Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and JOHN GIBSON WHITTLES and GEORGE
HENRY GRAY, both of 42, Oxford Street, Manchester aforesaid, Agents, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
171
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page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:-
Our invention relates to improvements in brake apparatus for cycles and the
like the object of our improvements being to apply the brake automatically when
the cycle exceeds a given speed.
In carrying out our invention we secure upon the hub of a wheel a flanged
dise of metal, and on the boss of this disc or on the hub of the wheel is fitted
a second flanged disc, the flange of which preferably projects over the first
named disc; on the boss of this first disc are secured say two radial studs, and
on each stud is mounted a sliding weight carrying an anti-friction roller. Fitted
in the space between the two discs is a ring of spring metal cut transversely
through in one place, and connected by a block or blocks, to the flange of the
second disc; one (or more) of these blocks is not secured to the spring but is
adjustable round the flange so as to bring the block nearer to or further from the
divided portion of the spring.
Opposite the division in the spring a trigger rod is placed and is connected to
a brake and is held normally in one position by a catch so that when the cycle
attains a certain speed the centrifugal force causes the weights to fly outwards
with such force that their bowls acting upon the spring press the divided ends
outward far enough to release the trigger rod and allow a spring to apply a
bake of any convenient construction to any part of the wheel.
The brake can also be applied by the hand or foot independently of the auto-
matic motion and without affecting the latter.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings-
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly a section, and Figure 2 a plan, partly a
section, of the rear wheel and part of the frame of a cycle fitted with our improve-
ments.
Figure 3 is a view of an alternative device for regulating the limit of speed
at which the brake will be applied automatically."
In carrying out our invention we secure upon the hub 1 of the wheel 2 a metal
disc 3 over which is fitted a second disc 4 the flange of which preferably pro-
jects over the disc 3 and is secured in position by a nut 5. On the boss of the
disc 3 are secured say two radial studs 6 and on each stud 6 is mounted a slid-
ing weight 7 carrying an anti-friction bowl or roller 8. Fitted in the space
between the two discs 3 and 4 is a ring 9 of spring metal cut transversely at 93,
or preferably cut diagonally, through in one place, and connected by a block 10
(or more than one block) to the disc 4; another block 11 is not secured to the
spring 9 but is adjustable round the flange (which is slotted) so as to bring the
block 11 nearer to or further from the divided portion of the spring and so
increase or diminish its rigidity.
Opposite the division in the spring 9 a trigger rod 12 made in two parts so
as to be adjustable, is placed and is connected by a pivoted catch 13 and catch
block 14 to a pivoted brake block or shoe 15 which is held normally by the
catch 13 in the position shown in the drawings, against the resistance of a plate
spring 16 which always tends to apply it to the tyre of the wheel 2.
When the cycle attains a certain speed which is pre-determined by the posi-
tion of the sliding block 11 in the slotted disc, the centrifugal force causes the
weights 7 to fly outwards with such force that their bowls 8 acting upon the
spring 9 press the divided ends outward far enough to release the trigger rod 12,
take off the catch 13 and allow the spring 16 to apply the brake shoe 15 to the
wheel.
In Fig. 1 is shown in dotted lines a lever 24 pivoted to the frame at 25. On
the end of this lever is mounted a small roller 26 and at the other end the lever
is connected by a spring 27 to the frame. The lever has a flat projecting sur-
face at its upper end so that the rider can put one foot on the projection and
depress the lever 24 which brings the roller 26 through the slot or fork 28 in

page_text: the end of the plate spring 16 and against the back of the central portion 29
of the brake block 15. This central portion 29 is a separate part pivoted at 30
to the main brake block 15 and is not acted upon directly by the forked plate
spring 16 which bears only on the outside parts of the main block 15, the part 29
is therefore free to be moved independently into contact with the wheel when
the roller 26 is actuated by the foot lever 24 the main portion of the brake block 15
remaining stationary being latched by the catch 13.
When the foot is taken off the end of the lever 24 the spring 27 withdraws the
roller 26 and so releases the middle portion 29 of the brake and returns that
part to the position shown in the drawing.
It is obvious that the lever 24 could be moved by connections from a hand
lever.
When the brake is applied automatically the catch 13 is disengaged and
therefore the rider must dismount in order to re-set the parts and re-latch the
catch 13.
To avoid slotting the casing, which contains the sliding weights 7, we may
adopt the alternative arrangement shown in Figure 3 in order to enable the
sliding block 11 to be adjusted.
In this case the spring 9 would be supported say on three fixed blocks 10,
and the sliding block 11 and the slot in the flange of the disc 4 would be dis-
pensed with, and the two parts of the trigger rod 12 would be connected by the
sleeve 17 which at one end is confined but free to turn between two collars 18, 19,
fixed on one part of the trigger rod 12 and at the other end the sleeve 17 is
formed as a nut and is screwed upon the threaded end of the stationary part of
the rod 12 on which is pivoted finger 20 connected at its other end to an
indicating finger 21 pivoted to the sleeve 17.
&
The finger 21 is used as a pointer to indicate the speed upon a graduated
scale 22 at which the brake is set to act.
To alter the speed the wing lock nut 23 is slackened and the sleeve nut 17
turned thereby moving the two parts of the trigger rod 12 further apart and
thus causing the end projecting through the weight casing to approach nearer
to the spring 9 and therefore to act earlier and consequently apply the brake 15
at a lower rate of speed, this rate of speed being indicated on the scale simul-
taneously with the adjustment of the two parts of the rod 12 as described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The combination with a spring brake held normally out of contact with the
cycle wheel by a retaining catch, of mechanism released by the action of slid-
ing weights actuated by centrifugal force when the cycle has reached a pre-
determined rate of speed substantially as herein set forth.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts embodying our improvements
in brake apparatus for cycles substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 25th day of November 1898.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicants,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.