Improvements in or relating to Brakes for Mail-carts and similar Vehicles for Children.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1898
Complete Saзoification Left, 29th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Brakes for Mail-carts and similar
Vehicles for Children.
I, HARRY THOMSETT, of 8, Millstone Lane, Leicester, Accountant, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to mail-carts and similar vehicles for carrying infants
and small children and has for its object to construct such vehicles in such a
manner that the wheels are normally and automatically locked or braked against
movement so that such vehicles are not liable to the accidents which frequently
occur when the said vehicles are left temporarily unattended.
The invention consists in the combination with the wheels of a brake auto-
matically applied thereto and held in contact therewith and means between the
said brake and the handles of the vehicles consisting of a lever or equivalent
which can be grasped when taking hold of the handle to remove the brake off
the wheels and permit the latter to revolve.
According to one construction I mount rotatably in bearings underneath the
body of the cart or vehicle a rod running transversely thereof and cranked or
otherwise adapted, and provided with or without brake shoes to bear by prefer-
ably spring pressure against the tyre of one or each of the wheels.
This rod may be furnished with a link or projection to which is attached a
flexible cord, chain or equivalent passing preferably through eyes and over run-
ners fixed to the shaft and connected at its end to a lever fulcrummed under the
handle of the cart so that the attendant can grasp the said lever and by pressing
it closely under the said handle draw the said cord or chain taut and remove
the brake off the wheels.
In a modification instead of employing a single rotatable rod underneath the
body for carrying the brake shoes or braking the wheels I employ two brake
arms each fulcrummed under the body and provided with a spring whereby it is
maintained in contact with the wheel tyre.
Each of the said arms, may be connected to another arm or equivalent or to a
cord or chain to which may be connected a flexible cord or chain passing up
against the said shaft to the lever herein before referred to which is grasped by
the attendant to take the brake off the wheels as described.
The details of construction may he varied without departing from the main
lines of the invention.
D
1
001
1
c T
1000
Improvements in or relating to Brakes for Mail-carts and similar
Vehicles for Children.
I, HARRY THOMSETT, of 8, Millstone Lane, Leicester, Accountant, do hereby
leclare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
Price 8d 1

page_text: formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to mail-carts and similar vehicles for carrying infants
and small children and has for its object to construct such vehicles in such a
manner that the wheels are normally and automatically locked or braked against
movement so that such vehicles are not liable to the accidents which frequently
occur when the said vehicles are left temporarily unattended.
The invention consists in the combination with the wheels of a brake auto-
matically applied thereto and held in contact therewith, and means between
the said brake and the handles of the vehicle which can be grasped when taking
hold of the handle to remove the brake off the wheels and permit the latter to
revolve.
The invention will be understood from the following further description in
reference to the accompanying drawing in which,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a child's mail-cart provided with automati-
cally applied brake mechanism constructed and operating according to this
invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of modified brake mechanism applied to the underside of
a mail-cart the latter being represented in dotted lines.
Figure 3 shows a further modification in side elevation.
Figure 4 is a detail of the handle of the cart, flexible cord and ring for pull-
ing the latter taut to take off the brake.
Referring to the drawings A represents the body of a child's mail-cart, B the
two handles or shafts by which it is pushed or drawn and which extend under-
neath the body its full length, C the axle, and D the rubber tyred wheels one on
each end of the latter all of which may be of any of the well known forms of
construction.
EE are two brake arms mounted one on each end of a rotatable rod or rock
shaft F suppported in eyes or bearings FF2 attached to the shafts or body of
the cart.
The rock shaft has fixed thereon by a set screw G¹, a collar G from which pro-
ject in opposite directions two arms 2 G³ to one of which is attached a spring H
the other end of which is fastened to the shaft B while the other arm G2 has
connected thereto a flexible cord or chhin J which passes through eyes or over
runners B fixed at intervals under the shaft and the opposite or other end of
the said cord or chain is attached to one end of a lever K fulcrummed between two
lugs KK formed integrally with a base plate K³ fixed by screws K to the under-
side of the shaft B.
The said lever K extends under the end portion of the handle which is grasped
by the attendant when wheeling the cart so that as hereinafter described it can
be grasped at the same time to take off the brake.
The spring His arranged so that it is normally pulling the arm G³ towards it,
the effect of which is to partially rotate the rock shaft so that the brake
arms EE are pulled against the wheels 1 so that the latter have the brake con-
tinually applied thereto until it is intentionally taken off by the attendant or
user of the cart.
This is effected by grasping the lever K at the same time as the handle B thus
alrawing the lever close up against the handle so that its opposite end pulls and
tightens the cord or chain J which in its turn draws the arm G2 towards it so that
the latter partly rotates the rock shaft F against the action of the spring H and
thereby removes the brake arms E E from the wheels.
Immediately the lever K is released the spring H draws the brake arms toward
and forcibly holds them against the tyres of the wheels.
A second collar L fast on the rock shaft F and provided with an arm L' to
which a spring L2 is attached, the other end of the latter being connected to the
shaft B may if desired be employed to further assist in keeping the brake on the

page_text: wheels and the flexible cord J and lever K may also be duplicated on the other
handle if necessary.
Instead of the lever K, I may employ a ring M rigure 4 at the end of the
flexible cord or chain so that the finger of the attendant may be passed through
The same when grasping the handle of the mail-cart and draw the cord or chain
taut so as to remove the brake as hereinbefore described.
In the modification shown in Figure 2 brake levers N N adapted to bear with
their free or outer ends against the wheel tyres are fulcrummed at N² to plates Q
fixed by screws 0 to the underside of the cart body.
Each of these brake levers is maintained normally pressing against the wheel
tyres by a spring N N one end of which is attached thereto and the other end
to the body.
The said two levers meet at their opposite ends and are attached by pin and
slot connections to the same horizontal rod P supported in guides P¹ underneath
the body and having its opposite end hooked to a flexible cord or chain J passing
over and under pulleys R R¹ fastened by screws R2 to the body and running under
the handle or shaft, through eyes B₁ thereon to join the lever K already des-
cribed in reference to Figure 1.
Upon the lever K being grasped and drawn close up against the handle, the
flexible cord J pulls the rod P towards it and the said rod draws with it the two
levers N N against the springs N³ N* and removes them from contact with the
wheels.
Upon the lever K being released the springs N³ N* automatically draw the
brake levers against the wheels and brake them.
In Figure 3 the brake mechanism is the same as herein described and illus-
trated with reference to Figure 1 except that instead of a flexible cord, wire rod
connections and intermediate pivotted arms are used.
Between the arm G2 and the lever K, wire rod connections S S¹ S2 S³ are
employed and these rods are hooked into or otherwise fastened to eyes T in the
lower ends of arms or plates T T¹ T2 movably pivotted at their upper ends to the
handle B shown only in dotted lines. Upon the lever K being grasped and drawn
up against the handle B as hereinhefore described it pulls the wire rod S, the
latter draws the swing plate T towards it so that it turns on its pivot and acting
through the other wire rods $1 $2 $3 and other plates T T are similarly actuated
to draw the arm G2 in the same direction so that the rock shaft F is partly rotated
and the brake arms E, E taken off the wheels.
Upon the lever K being released the spring H again applies the brake and
restores the other parts to their original positions as will be understood.
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:
1. In a mail-cart or similar vehicle for children's use the combination with the
wheels of a brake maintained automatically in contact therewith and means in-
terposed between it and the handle of the cart for removing the said brake from
the wheels.
2. In a mail-cart or similar vehicle for children's use, the combination with the
wheels of a brake maintained by the action of a spring or springs normally press-
ing thereagainst, and connections between it and the handle of the eart by which
the attendant can release the brake when taking hold of the handle.
3. In a mail-cart or similar vehicle for children's use, the combination with the
wheels, of brake arms maintained in contact therewith by springs, and flexible
connections between the said brake arms and the handles of the cart by which
the brake arms can be taken off the wheels.
4. In a mail-cart or similar vehicle for children's use, the combination with
the wheels, of a rock shaft, brake arms on the latter maintained pressing against

page_text: the wheels by one or more springs, a lever, ring or equivalent means on the
handle and flexible connections between the said means and the rock shaft for
taking the brake off the wheels.
5. In a mail-cart or similar vehicle for children's use, the combination with the
wheels, of pivotted brake levers, springs for keeping the latter pressing against
the wheels, flexible connections between the said levers and the handles by which
the brake levers can be taken off the wheels.
6. In a mail-cart or similar vehicle for children's use the combination with the
wheels, of a rock shaft, brake arms thereon, a spring or springs to keep the said
arms pressing against the wheels, a lever on the handle of the cart and wire rod
and pivotted plate connections between the said lever and the rock shaft by which
the brake arms can be taken off the wheels.
7. The automatically applied brake mechanism for mail-carts and similar
vehicles and means for taking the brake off the wheels, constructed, arranged
and operating substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figure 1
or 4 of the accompanying drawings.
8. The automatically applied brake mechanism for mail-carts and similar
vehicles and means for taking the brake off the wheels, constructed arranged
and operating substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figura 2
of the accompanying drawings.
9. The automatically applied brake mechanism for mail-carts and similar
vehicles and means for taking the brake off the wheels, constructed arranged and
operating substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figure 3
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th August 1900