Improvements in Brake Operating Mechanism for Cycles and for other purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brake Operating Mechanism for Cycles and
for other purposes.
We, HENRY BELCHER, General Manager of Messrs. Humber & Co. Ltd.,
Beeston, in the County of Notts, and JAMES WRIGHT ADAMS, Cycle Clerk, of
Avondale Villa, Allen Road, Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows; -
This invention relates to brake operating mechanism applicable for various
purposes, but as it is peculiarly suitable for cycles we will describe it as applied
to the handle bar of a cycle.
In carrying out the invention we may employ an ordinary or special lever
and plunger or other connections for the brake, but where the ordinary appliances
are used we remove the hand grip portion of the brake lever and connect it in the
following manner with the ordinary hand-grip of the handle bar. We make the
hand grip so that it can rotate upon the end of the handle-bar and can also travel
to a sufficient extent longitudinally thereon, and we connect a suitable crank
arm to the hand grip so that it turns with it when the grip is turned. The free
end of the crank arm we connect with the free end of the brake lever by any
suitable device, say a simple rod pivotted to the crank and brake lever. It will
thus be seen that when the hand grip is turned, the rod pushes, or pulls, as the
case may be, the brake lever, thus applying the brake, the usual spring serving
to take it off again when the handle is released.
To remove from the rider the strain of holding the brake on when applied, we
prefer to employ a suitable ratchet or equivalent device, so that when the handle
is turned it will remain, thus holding the brake on without further strain to the
rider's hand. The brake can be released by sliding the hand grip along the
bar to a slight extent so as to release the teeth of the ratchets which are con-
veniently in the form of annular or crown wheel engagement teeth, though
other arrangements may be employed.
A helical or other spring may be employed inside the hand grip in order to
cause the ratchet teeth to engage.
Modifications may be made to suit special applications, and if desired instead
of employing the ordinary brake lever we may have special connections such as
may be found desirable. In some cases, for example in motor cars where more
power may be required the hand grip may be differently arranged or a special arm
or extension of the crank arm may be used so as to afford greater leverage at
that point, the parts operating however, substantially in the manner already
described.
As there is the radial movement of the crank arm and a radial movement of the
brake lever in another plane, the arrangement we prefer to use to provide for these
is the following:-In the end of the brake lever we form a socket the axis of
which lies substantially in the line of the brake lever and into this is a plug
into which screws the rod which also screws into a similar plug entering

page_text: a similar socket upon the crank arm. The rod is screwed with respec-
tively a right and a left hand thread at the opposite ends so as to screw into
the plugs. Each of the sockets has a slot which is wider than the rod so as to
accommodate the various movements. Instead of this arrangement two ball and
socket joints, or some other form of universal joint may be employed.
Dh
101
AT .נ
1 1007
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Brake Operating Mechanism for Cycles and
for other purposes.
We, HENRY BELCHER, General Manager of Messrs. Humber & Co. Ltd.,
Beeston, in the County of Nottingham, and JAMES WRIGHT ADAMS, Cycle Clerk, of
Avondale Villa, Allen Road, Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, 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 brake operating mechanism applicable for various
purposes, but as it is peculiarly suitable for cycles we will describe it as applied
to the handle bar of a cycle.
In carrying out the invention we may employ an ordinary or special lever
and plunger or other connections for the brake, but where the ordinary appliances
are used we remove the hand grip portion of the brake lever and connect it in the
following manner with the ordinary hand-grip of the handle bar. We make the
hand grip so that it can rotate upon the end of the handle-bar and can also travel
to a sufficient extent longitudinally thereon, and we connect a suitable crank
arm to the hand grip so that it turns with it when the grip is turned. The free
end of the crank arm is connected with the free end of the brake lever by any
suitable device, say a simple rod pivotted to the crank and brake lever. It will
thus be seen that when the hand grip is turned, the rod pushes, or pulls, as the
case may be, the brake lever, thus applying the brake, the usual spring serving
to take it off again when the handle is released.
To remove from the rider the strain of holding the brake on when applied, we
prefer to employ a suitable ratchet or equivalent device, so that when the handle
is turned it will remain, thus holding the brake on without further strain to the
rider's hand. The brake can be released by sliding the hand grip along the
bar to a slight extent so as to release the teeth of the ratchets which are con-
veniently in the form of annular or crown wheel engagement teeth, though
other arrangements may be employed.
A helical or other spring may be employed inside the hand grip in order to
cause the ratchet teeth to engage.
If desired instead of employing the ordinary brake lever we may have other
suitable connections such as may be found desirable. In some cases, for example
in motor cars where more power may be required the hand grip may be differently
arranged say on an extension of the crank arm so as to afford greater leverage
at that point, the parts operating however, substantially in the manner already
described.
As there is the radial movement of the crank arm and a radial movement of the
brake lever in another plane, the arrangement we prefer to use to provide for these
is the following:-In the end of the brake lever we form a socket the axis of

page_text: which lies substantially in the line of the brake lever and into this is inserted a plug
into which screws the rod which also screws into a similar plug entering
a similar socket upon the crank arm. The rod is screwed with respec-
tively a right and a left hand thread at the opposite ends so as to screw into
the plugs. Each of the sockets has a slot which is wider than the rod so as to
accommodate the various movements. Instead of this arrangement two ball and
socket joints, or some other form of universal joint may be employed.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the improved brake operating mechanism
with the parts in the positions occupied when the brake is off.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when the brake is
applied.
Figure 3 is is a part sectional plan of the mechanism.
Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the mechanism.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The free end of the brake lever A which is pivotally attached in the usual way
to the handle bars B is connected by a rod C to the end of a crank arm D which
forms part of or is rigidly attached to the hand grip E. The latter is mounted
upon a tubular extension F of the handle bar B in such a manner that it can
be rotated and also moved longitudinally upon this tube F. The hand grip E is
provided with ratchet teeth E' which engage with corresponding teeth B₁ upon the
adjacent end of the handle bar B. A spring G, situated within the hand grip and
attached at one end to the latter and at the other end to the interior of the handle
bar, maintains the teeth B' and El in engagement.
Upon rotating the hand grip E in the direction shown by the arrow in Figure 1
the free end of the brake lever A is raised and the brake depressed upon the wheel,
the parts being retained in position when the required brake pressure has been
attained by the engagement of the teeth B¹ and E. When it is desired to
release the brake the hand grip E is pulled against the action of the spring G
until the ratchet teeth are disengaged when the grip may be rotated in the opposite
direction so as to relieve the brake pressure.
If desired this operation may be facilitated by providing a lever with a stud
upon the end of it which when pressed will push back the hand grip so as to
disengage the teeth.
A convenient way of connecting the end of the brake lever A to the crank
arm D is to provide receptacles A¹ and D¹ in the ends of these parts respectively
and insert in these receptacles plugs A2 and D2. Openings A3 and D3 are pro-
vided in the receptacles A' and D' and through these the ends of the rod C which
are oppositely screw-threaded are passed and screwed into correspondingly screw-
threaded holes in the plugs A² and D³. The openings A3 and D³ in the recep-
tacles A¹ and D¹ are of sufficient size and the fit of the plugs A3 and D2 is loose
enough to allow of the necessary play of the parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
-
1. In brake operating mechanism the combination with a brake lever connected
to the end of a crank arm carried upon a rotatable hand grip of spring controlled
ratchet mechanism between the hand grip and the handle bar for the purpose of
retaining the brake when applied.
2. In brake operating mechanism a hand grip rotatable and longitudinally
movable for the purpose of operating and holding the brake mechanism.
3. A. brake operating hand grip provided with ratchet mechanism and mounted
so as to be capable of rotation and longitudinal movement upon the handle bar
for the purpose of applying, releasing or holding on the brake substantially as
described.
4. In brake operating mechanism connecting the end of the brake lever to a

page_text: crank arm on the hand grip by a rod such as C whose ends are screwed into
plugs A carried in the ends of the brake lever and crank arm respectively,
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. The complete brake operating mechanism substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
TX
1
10
HENRY BELCHER.
JAMES WRIGHT ADAMS,
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.