Improvements in Brakes for Velocipedes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 29th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1898
Improvements in Brakes for Velocipedes.
I, PETER JOHNSTONE, of Swinegate, Wigton, in the County of Cumberland,
Retired Blacksmith, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in brakes for velocipedes and has for its
object the construction of a brake which acts automatically upon the rear or
driving wheel and is operated principally by the weight of the rider.
The saddle is clipped upon a tube which is able to slide forward upon a plate
containing slotted guides such plate being firmly fixed upon the saddle pin. The
brake block is guided down in a vertical position upon the tyre or top of the rear
or driving wheel by means of a bearing clipped upon the back stay or stays of the
velocipede.
The action is brought about automatically and intentionally on going down an
incline by the tilt of the velocipede and the tendency of the body of the rider to
keep upright moving the said tube forward and pressing down the brake the
upon
tyre or wheel by means of a bent rod connection the fulcrum of which is fixed
to the back of the said slotted plate. Upon reaching the level and the velocipede
coming into the ordinary position in relation to the body the tension of a
spring
underneath the said tube tends to draw back the said tube and so removes the brake
from the tyre or wheel.
The brake can be applied on the level by the rider leaning backwards and
throwing his weight or force upon the front of the saddle and drawing himself
forward by the aid of the handle bars.
Dated this Thirtieth day of June 1898.
I, PETER JOHNSTONE, of Swinegate, Wigton, in the County of Cumberland,
Retired Blacksmith, 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 relates to improvements in brakes for velocipedes and has for its
object the construction of a brake which acts automatically upon the rear or
driving wheel and is operated principally by the weight of the rider.

page_text: In order that my invention may be clearly rendered reference may be had to
the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Fig. 1 is an external plan view and
Fig. 2 a sectional elevation of the improved brake and mechanism similar letters of
reference are used to indicate like parts in both views.
In constructing a brake according to my invention I employ a bent lever (a) the
fulcrum of which is fixed to the back of a plate (b) firmly fixed upon the ordinary saddle
pin of a velocipede by means of the usual clamp such plate (b) contains slotted
guides in which slots the bearings (c) connected to the two ends of a round tube (d)
work forwards and backwards. To the said round tube (d) the saddle is firmly
fixed and from the rear end thereof a movable connection (e) is attached which
movable connection (e) is also attached to the top end of the bent lever (a). To
the lower end of the bent lever (a) is attached the usual spoon brake block and
connecting rod which is guided down in a vertical position upon the tyre or top of the
rear or driving wheel by means of a bearing (f) clipped upon the back stay or
stays of the velocipede.
The action is brought about automatically and intentionally on going down an
incline by the tilt of the velocipede and the tendency of the body of the rider to
keep upright moving the tube (d) forward and pressing down the brake upon the
tyre or wheel by means of the bent lever (a). Upon reaching the level and the
velocipede coming into the ordinary position in relation to the body the tension of a
spring (g) underneath the said tube (d) tends to draw back the said tube (d) and
so removes the brake from the tyre or wheel. The brake can be applied on the
level by the rider leaning backwards and throwing his weight or force upon the
front of the saddle and drawing himself forward by the aid of the handle bars of
the velocipede.
I do not comprise in my invention any particular form of brake block or, connect-
ing rod or spring thereon or the clip for attaching same to the back stay or stays
of the velocipede nor of any particular type of saddle or saddle pin of the velocipede
nor the clamp for attaching the brake to the saddle pin.
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:-
First: In a velocipede brake the combination of parts whereby an automatic
action is obtained by means of the tilt of the velocipede in relation to the position
of the rider substantially as herein described with reference to the appended sheet
of drawings.
Second: In a velocipede brake the combination of parts whereby an in-
tentional action is obtained on the tyre or top of the rear wheel of a velocipede
by means of the rider throwing his weight or force upon the front of the saddle
and drawing himself forward by the aid of the handle bars substantially as
herein described and shown.
1000