Improvements in or connected with Brake Mechanism for Velocipèdes.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Brake Mechanism for Velocipèdes.
We, GEORGE SINGER, Managing Director Singer Cycle Company Limited, of
Coventry, and FREDERICK HAYWARD WILLIAMSON, Engineer, of 2, Wren Street,.
Coventry, in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
Our invention relating to brake mechanism for velocipedes, refers to that
type of mechanism in which the pedals may be brought to rest, while the velo-
cipede continues in its forward travel, at the will of the rider.
By our invention, the braking action may be caused to take effect, either upon
the rim of the wheel, whether partly flat, V or U section, upon the tyre, or
upon the hub of the driving wheel; in the latter case the brake may act upon
the hub by lateral pressure, or by the usual form of band brake.
According to our invention we fit upon the crank axle a ratchet mechanism
formed in two parts, one being a collar, carrying pawls or dogs, fixed to the
axle, the other consisting of a collar fitting over the collar carrying the pawls
or dogs, and formed with teeth, with which latter the pawls or dogs engage
when the pedal axle is partly turned oppositely to the driving direction.
On one side of the collar is an arm which projects about 2" from it, and passes
through a slot in the underneath part of the crank bearing bracket.
The end of this arm is connected with the brake, and when the rider wishes
to apply the brake, it is only necessary to stop the revolution of the cranks and
press one of them backwards.
The whole of the mechanism, except one enil of the arm is enclosed in the
crank bearing bracket, and the slot through which the arm projects is protected
from the entrance of dust, by means of a thin steel plate which moves with the
arm, or by other suitable means.
66
:
The rims have usually a flat surface on either side of the spokes, but when
the section is not flat, and is partly of "U" or V" shape, we use a brake
made to press laterally on the sides of the rim. In order. to carry out this, we
use an eccentric pivotted upon the frame on either side of the wheel. To one
side of this eccentric is attached the frictional part of the brake, the eccentric
is connected with the projecting arm as previously described and is rotated.
In place of the eccentric, we may use a lever arranged so that the lateral
movement of the brake is secured.
The mechanism actuating the brake being all enclosed by the crank bearing
bracket, obviates any difficulties in connection with fitting gearcases, and enables
any existing cycle to be fitted with a brake actuated by back pressure of. the
pedals, without materially altering the framework.
Thin 2nd dor of March 1800
"

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Brake Mechanism for Velocipedes.
We, GEORGE SINGER, Managing Director Singer Cycle Company Limited, of
Coventry, and FREDERICK HAYWARD WILLIAMSON, Engineer, of 2, Wren Street,
Coventry, in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement;-
-
Our invention relating to brake mechanism for velocipedes, refers, and is
applicable to that type of driving gear in which the pedals may be brought to
rest at the will of the rider, while the velocipede continues its forward travel.
The brake operating mechanism according to our invention, and as hereafter
described, may be employed to operate brakes, taking effect either upon the
rim of the wheel, whether partly flat, V or U section, upon the hub of the driv-
ing wheel, or upon the tyre.
In order that our said invention may be readily understood we will now
describe same with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereon Fig. 1 is
a sectional side elevation shewing our brake operating mechanism, connected
for example with a construction of brake acting on the rim of the road wheel,
the latter being indicated by dotted lines.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the crank axle and clutch mechanism, detached
from the machine, and Fig. 3 is a rear sectional elevation of same, fitted within
the bottom-bracket barrel, a portion of which is shewn in section.
Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the brake mechanism shewn at Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is an elevation and Fig. 6 an inverted plan view of improved brake
mechanism hereafter described, and adapted to act laterally upon the sides of
the rim of the road wheel.
According to our invention we fit upon the crank axle A, see Fig. 2, a ratchet
mechanism constructed as follows; upon the axle A, and within the barrel of
the bottom bracket B, Fig. 3, is fixed or formed a collar C, having two or more
apertures in one lateral face, extending in the direction of the axis of the axle A.
Within each of these apertures is located a plunger D forced outwardly by a
spring D, in order that its projecting end may serve the office of a pawl or
dog, and co-act with an adjacent collar E which is loosely mounted upon the
axle A. Upon the face of this loose collar E, and adjacent to the fixed collar C,
we form teeth, consisting of one, two, or more rises each ending in a face, with
which teeth the plunger pawls 1) engage when the pedals are pressed in a direc-
tion opposite to the driving pressure, the pawls freely passing over the ratchet
teeth of the collar E when the machine is driven forwardly.
In some cases the plunger pawls may be arranged radially within and project
upon the periphery of the collar C, in which case we flange the collar E, form the
flange with internal ratchet teeth, and cause the flange to extend over and around
the collar C, so that the plungers co-act radially with the teeth of the loose
collar E; however, the construction shewn in the drawings presents advantages
and we have found it answer the purpose well.
Projecting radially from the circumference of the loose collar E, is a lever
arm F, see Figs. 1 and 3, extending through a slot B' in the barrel of the bottom
bracket B. The outer end of the lever arm F is connected with a suitable brake
mechanism, as for example is shewn at Figs. 1 and 4, where the lever arm F
is pivotted to a lengthwise adjustable rod G which is forked at G₁, at its rear
end, to extend upon either side of the rear wheel. The rear ends of the fork G¹
are pivotted to levers H H which carry brake blocks H', the said levers H H

page_text: being fulcrummed on brackets upon the rear lower stays J of the machine
frame.
It should now be understood that when the rider wishes to apply the brake, it
is only necessary to stop the revolution of the cranks and exert a rearward pres-
sure (applying back-pedalling pressure), upon same, upon which the spring
plungers engage, the ratchet teeth of the loose collar E, the lever arm F is
thrown forwardly, and the brake is applied, acting in the example shewn upon
the inner periphery of the road wheel rim N, Fig. 4. When the back pressure
upon the pedals is removed, the brake is taken off by a spring K connected to
the arm F and extending therefrom to the frame of the machine..
The whole of the actuating mechanism, except the end of the arm F, is en-
closed in the barrel of the crank bearing bracket; and the slot through which
the arm projects is protected from the entrance of dust, and the barrel rendered
oil retaining, by means of a thin tubular steel shield L, which moves with the
arm F. This shield L, fits closely within the barrel of the bracket B and is
capable of sliding therein as the lever arm F moves, it overlapping the slot
upon either side, fitting tightly around the said arm F, and being split at L
to cause it to have a certain amount of resilient expansion to ensure its fitting
closely as aforesaid.
"
The road wheel rims have usually a flat surface on either side of the spokes,
but when the section is not made with flat surfaces, or is partly of "U" or "V'
shape, we employ a brake made to press laterally on the sides of the rim. In
order to carry out this and as shewn at Figs. 5 and 6, we use eccentrics M M
pivotted at M upon the frame of the machine, one upon either side of the road
wheel. To one side of each eccentric M is attached the frictional part H¹ of
the brake; each eccentric M is pivotted to an arm of the forked part G', which
is connected with the rod G aforesaid. When back pressure is applied to the
pedals the eccentrics M are partially rotated, and the brake blocks H₁ are brought
into lateral contact with the rim.
In place of the eccentrics we may obviously use a lever as a mechanical equi-
valent, arranged so that the lateral movement of the brake blocks is secured.
The mechanism actuating the brake being all enclosed by the crank bearing
bracket, obviates any difficulties in connection with fitting gearcases, and enables
any existing cycle to be fitted with a brake actuated by back pressure of the
pedals, without materially altering the framework, and moreover the brake actuat-
ing mechanism as described, may with equal facility be employed to operate
brakes of other known constructions, as for example the arm 1 may be con-
nected by a rod to operate a band brake upon the road wheel hub as will be
well understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In brake mechanism for velocipedes fitted with the type of driving gear
herein stated; providing the pedal axle A within the barrel of the bottom
bracket with a fixed collar having spring actuated plunger pawls, to co-act with
ratchet teeth formed upon an adjacent collar, the latter being loosely mounted
upon the axle A, also within the barrel of the bottom bracket, the pawls and
teeth being so arranged that a backward pressure upon the pedals causes the
pawls to engage the loose collar, whereby the latter may be partly revolved
in a backward direction, a lever arm projecting from the circumference of the
loose collar through a slot in the bottom bracket, and connections from the
outwardly extending end of the lever arm to a suitable brake device, whereby
the latter is operated by the back pressure upon the pedals, substantially as
described.
2. The brake operating mechanism for velocipedes fitted with the type of
driving gear herein stated, and as claimed by Claim 1, constructed and arranged
,

page_text: substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompany
ing drawings.
In the brake: operating mechanism for velocipedes, fitted with; the type of
driving mechanism herein stated; as claimed by Claim 1, the combination there.
with of sthe tubular or partial, tubular, (shield, located within the barrel of the
bottom bracket to close the slot, therein, substantially as described...
The brake, operating, mechanism, for velocipedes fitted with the type of
driving gear herein, stated, and as claimed by Claim 1,,in combination with the
brake: device arranged and acting. substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings, di
...5. The general arrangement and combination of parts composing our improved
brake mechanism, constructed and acting substantially as and, for the purposes
described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
141
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BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.