Improvements in or relating to Band Brakes for Bicycles or other Road Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Band Brakes for Bicycles or other
Road Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM CILARLES PUNCHARD, Gentleman, of Buccleuch House, Surbiton,
Surrey, JOHN HENRY PUNCHARD, Gentleman, of 36, Cornwall Road, Westbourne
Park, London, and HENRY DARBY, WALTER DARBY, & ION DARBY, Manufacturers,
of 249, Pentonville Road, London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to band brakes for bicycles or other road vehicles the
object being to provide a brake which will act on a band wheel on the driving
shaft or other shaft or wheel of the vehicle and especially on the crank axle or
driving shaft of a safety bicycle of the present well-known type and furthermore
comprising certain details of improvement in the mechanism for and manner of
operating said brakes the present invention being very effective though simple
and capable of being easily fitted to bicycles or other road vehicles either during
building or after same have been built.
The present invention is as follows and by way of example we will proceed to
describe same as applied to an ordinary safety bicycle with chain driving gear
and having a "drop" frame or what is known as a lady's machine."
A band wheel is fixed on the crank axle or crank driving shaft on either or both
sides of the bottom bracket (or if desired this band wheel may be fixed or formed
on the sprocket wheel on said driving axle.
Around or partly around this band wheel a band brake is provided one end of
said band brake being pivoted or secured to a fixed point viz.: a laterally extending
pin carried on a suitable clip or device capable of being clipped or adjustably
secured in any suitable position on the lower tube of a drop frame i.a. on the lower
tube which rises from the bottom bracket to the head of the machine just above
the fork crown.
.
Such clip or clipping appliance being of any suitable character advantageously
adapted to be readily sprung over or placed in position on said tube and then
screwed up tightly thereon by means of a nut or pinching screw on a laterally
extending pin the other end of which forms the aforesaid pivot or fixed point to
which one end of the band brake is secured.
The other or operated end of said band brake is pivotted or otherwise suitably
attached to a laterally extending pin like a crank pin on a crank or rocking arm
one end of which crank or rocking arm (i.e. the inner end) is pivotted or adapted
to rock at a point between the centre and the perimeter of the band brake wheel-
this point being advantageously just a little within said perimeter-the pin or.
support on which said crank or rocking arm turns being carried on an adjustable
clip or device capable of being clipped or fixed on to the lower end of the saddle-
pillar at any desired distance from the bottom bracket thus each mount or device
carrying each end of the band brake respectively is capable of adjustment by
means of the aforesaid independent clips or clipping devices this provision of these

page_text: independent clips having many advantages especially as they enable band brakes
according to the present invention to be fitted to existing machines although if
desired in building new machines with the present improvements applied thereto
such mounts may be formed on or permanently attached to the frame.
The aforesaid crank or rocking arm or lever is extended beyond said crank pin
(and such extension i.e. beyond said crank pin is advantageously curved rearwardly)
and such crank or rocking arm is furthermore advantageously formed double and
suitably connected transversely and at the curved or outer end has one end of a
spring connected thereto the other end of such spring being fixed to the frame so
that the tendency of such spring is therefore to pull said rocking arm rearwardly
and there hold off the brake.
Also to this rearward or curved end is attached one. end of a connecting rod
which is pulled up or moved forwardly by the brake-operating handle or lever in
any suitable manner for instance as hereinafter described or this rocking device
or crank arrangement may be rocked or pulled forwardly (against the action of the
aforesaid spring) so as to put on the brake by any suitable means operated in any
suitable manner by the rider.
A further part of the present invention relates to improved connections or
means of connecting the brake lever handle or other device operated by the rider
with the band brake mechanism hereinbefore described or sanie may be used with
any other brake or mechanism to which this part of our present invention may be
applicable.
The brake lever on the handle-bars according to our present invention is caused
to pull up the vertically descending rod on the head (instead of forcing same down
as usual) and this may be done in any suitable manner but advantageously by
prolonging said brake lever to the opposite side of the head or steering post and
there pivotting same for instance same may be hinged or pivoted to a suitable
clip attached to the handle-bar and the vertical descending rod hooked or attached
direct to said brake lever is thus pulled up direct by the latter, the lower end
of said descending rod being connected to a bell-crank carried on an adjustable
mount clipped to the head of the machine another rod or connection passing direct
from said bell-crank to the aforesaid rearwardly curved end of the crank or rocking
device by which the band brake is applied as hereinbefore explained.
In order to make the said vertical descending rod adjustable in its length
between the brake-operating lever on the handle-bars and the aforesaid bell-
crank etc. according to the present invention we may form same in two parts the
ends of which overlap some distance where they meet one such overlapping end
being provided with a series of holes and the other overlapping end with a corre-
sponding projection or projections attached to enter in such hole or holes and when
these two overlapping ends have been laid together in the required position a loose
sleeve is then slid over same and same is there held in position so as to lock and
hold these overlapping ends closely together and advantageously provided with
means to hold said sleeve firmly in position for instance by screwing or same may
be provided with a set screw or pinching screw or lock nut or other suitable
means.
Or these overlapping ends may be provided with angular teeth or have two racks
adapted to fit closely together so that when laid together and secured by the
sleeve aforesaid thereby the length of said vertically descending rod can be
vertically adjusted.
In applying a band brake according to the present invention to a bicycle with
other than a drop frame such for instance as the ordinary "diamond" frame
machines where it is desirable that the connecting rod leading from the head to
the brake mechanism should not appear above the tube forming the lower side of
said frame in this case instead of prolonging the aforesaid crank or rocking arm
rearwardly beyond the crank pin which operates the band brake in this modified
crank
arrangement such
and
rocking device is prolonged
forwardly and downwardly and to such downwardly and forwardly curved
or
curved

page_text: end is
pivoted one end of another lever. or bell-crank like device
pivoted or mounted concentrically with the lateral pin carrying the other
end of the band brake or otherwise suitably mounted and to the other
end of this lever or bell-crank is attached the rear-end of the connecting rod
operated from the handle-bars as aforesaid so that on pulling up said connecting
rod thereby the lever or bell-crank to which same is attached forces down the afore-
said crank or rock frame which turns on the same centre as before viz.: at a point
within the perimeter of the brake wheel and thereby the band brake is tightened
on 'the brake wheel as before.
Or if desired when this last-described arrangement of the crank or rock frame
or device by which the band brake is applied to the brake wheel instead of con-
verting the motion imparted from the brake lever into an upward motion as
hereinbefore described we may if desired use the brake lever to impart downward
motion to the descending rod leading from said brake lever as is commonly done in
plunger brakes of the type at present commonly in use for applying a plunger or
spoon brake to the front wheel and such downward motion of the vertical rod by
means of a bell-crank just above the fork crown as aforesaid thereby imparts
downward motion to a rigid connecting rod leading from said bell-crank direct
on to the forwardly and downwardly curved end of the crank or rock frame so
as thereby to apply the brake direct-only in this case such connecting rod may
appear slightly above the lower tube of the diamond frame or may lie parallel or
thereabouts with same.
D
1
el
1002
Improvements in or relating to Band Brakes for Bicycles or other
Road Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM CHARLES PUNCHARD, Gentleman, of Buccleuch House, Surbiton,
Surrey, JOHN HENRY PUNCHARD, Gentleman, of 36, Cornwall Road, Westbourne
Park, London, and HENRY DARBY,. WALTER DARBY, & ION DARBY, Manufacturers,
of 249, Pentonville Road, London, 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 band brakes for bicycles or other road vehicles the
object being to provide a brake which will act on a band wheel on the driving
shaft or other shaft or wheel of the vehicle and especially on the crank axle or
driving shaft of a safety bicycle of the present well-known type and furthermore
comprising certain details of improvement in the mechanism for and manner of
operating said brakes the present invention being very effective though simple
and capable of being easily fitted to bicycles or other road vehicles either during
building or after same have been built.
The present invention is as follows and by way of example we will proceed to
describe same with reference to the drawings hereunto annexed as applied to an
ordinary safety bicycle with chain driving gear and having a "drop" frame or
what is known as a "lady's machine."
Fig. 1 is a side view of a lady's bicycle having a band wheel and band brake
fitted thereto according to the present invention.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a local view on a greatly enlarged scale of said band wheel and band
brake and connected mechanism.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2 i.e. looking in the direction of the arrow
Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 2 showing a modified arrangement.
Figs. 5 and 6 show the construction of the brake rod adjustable as to its
length.
A band wheel a is fixed on the crank axle or crank driving shaft b on either
or both sides of the bottom bracket c or if desired this band wheel a may be fixed
or formed on the sprocket wheel (not shown) on said driving axle bin the case
illustrated the band wheel a is mounted on the opposite side of the bottom bracket
to the chain driving wheel (not shown).
Around or partly around this band wheel a a band brake d is provided one end d
of said band brake d being pivotted or secured to a fixed point viz.: a laterally
extending pin e carried on a suitable clip or device capable of being clipped or
adjustably secured in any suitable position on the lower tube x of the drop frame
such clip or clipping appliance being of any suitable character advantageously
adapted to be readily sprung over or placed in position on said tube and then
screwed up tightly thereon by means of a screw nut or pinching screw or screws for
instance such pine may advantageously be carried as shown in the drawings on a
mount consisting of two parts e and adapted to be screwed together by the
screws e by which means the clip can be firmly fixed in the desired position on
the tube x.
The other or operated end of said band brake d is pivotted or otherwise
suitably attached to a laterally extending pin f like a crank pin on a rocking
arm or bell-crank-like device 9 one end or arm g' of which device g is pivotted or
adapted to oscillate on a pin h between the centre and the perimeter of the band
brake wheel a this point h being advantageously just a little within said peri-
meter (see Figs. 1 and 2) the pin or support on which said crank or rocking
arm g turns being carried on an adjustable clip or device capable of being clipped
or fixed on to the lower end of the saddle-pillar y at any desired distance from
the bottom bracket c for instance a clip in two parts h¹ h³ (similar to the aforesaid
clip carrying the pin h may be firmly fixed to the tube y by the pinching
screws thus each mount e and f carrying the ends of the band brake d
respectively) is capable of adjustment by means of the aforesaid independent
clips or clipping devices ele and h¹h this provision of these independent clips
supporting the two ends of the brake band d having many advantages especially
as they enable band brakes according to the present invention to be fitted to
existing machines although if desired in building new machines with the present
improvements applied thereto such mounts may be formed on or permanently
attached to the frame.
The aforesaid crank or rocking arm or lever g is extended beyond said crank
pin fand such extension g* is advantageously curved rearwardly and at this curved
or outer end g has one end of a spring i connected thereto the other end of such
spring being fixed at to the frame i.e. to the back forks z so that the tendency
of such spring is therefore to pull said rocking arm g rearwardly and thereby
hold the brake band d "off."
In the case illustrated the device g is rocked and the band d thereby applied
to the wheel a by means of the rod j pivotted to the arm g of the bell-crank-like
device and by putting said brake-operating rod in compression by any suitable
connection from the brake lever k on the handle-bars or by other suitable means
thereby the said arm (of the device 9) is forced downwards in the direction
of the arrow (see Fig. 2) and thereby the pin f is swung or moved towards the
pin e and consequently the brake band d is by a very small movement of the rod j
caused to tightly grip around the brake wheel a.
Or instead of the brake-operating rod ; being put in compression same may by
any suitable mechanism be put in tension and the lower end of said brake rod j

page_text: in such case would be connected to the rear or curved end g³ of the device g (the
arm being dispensed with) so that when the brake-operating rod is pulled up
or moved forwardly by the brake-operating handle or lever in any suitable manner
for instance as hereinafter described thereby the device g is rocked forwardly and
the band xl applied to the wheel a; or this rocking device or crank arrangement g
may be rocked or pulled forwardly (against the action of the aforesaid spring
so as to put on the brake by any suitable means operated in any suitable manner
by the rider for instance the brake lever k on the handle-bars may be caused to
pull up the vertically descending rod j¹ (Fig. 1) on the head (instead of forcing
same down as usual) and this may be done in any suitable manner but
advantageously by prolonging said brake lever k to the opposite side of the head or
steering post and there pivotting same for instance same may be hinged or pivotted
to a suitable clip attached to the handle-bar and the vertical descending rod j
hooked or attached direct to said brake lever would thus be pulled up direct by
the latter, the lower end of said descending rod being connected to a bell-crank
(not shown) carried on an adjustable mount clipped to the head of the machine
another rod or connection passing direct from said bell-crank to the aforesaid
rearwardly curved end g of the crank or rocking device by which the band
brake is applied as hereinbefore explained.
Fig. 4 shows the band brake d carried at the points e and f which latter are
respectively mounted or supported on clips e¹ and fixed to the tubes and y
respectively in a similar manner to that described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3
only in the case illustrated in Fig. the lever or crank device g is pivotted at the
point outside the perimeter of the brake wheel a the brake-operating rod j
being put in tension and thereby applying the band to the wheel a the spring i
connected with the back forks z serving to normally hold the brake off" this
modification being shown for the purpose of illustrating that the band brake d
supported on adjustable clips or mounts such as c¹ and h¹ h² may be used in other
manner to that shown in Figs. 1 to 3.
«
In carrying our present invention into practice we find it advantageous to attach
(by brazing, rivetting, bolting or in other suitable manner securing) the pedal
crank m rigidly to the brake band wheel a in a similar manner to that in which
the other crank (not shown) is now usually attached to the chain wheel as is well-
known and will be readily understood in the cycle trade-this attachment of the
pedal crank m to the brake wheel a forms no part separately however of our present
invention.
In Figs. 5 and 6 we have illustrated the vertically descending rod ; formed
adjustable in its length-Fig. 5 showing the two parts locked and held together to
form a rigid vertical rod while Fig. 6 shows the two parts separated.
In order to make the said vertical descending rod adjustable in its length
between the brake-operating lever on the handle-bars and the aforesaid bell-crank
(not shown) near the fork-crown according to the present invention we may form
same in two parts m and n the ends of which overlap some distance where they
meet one such overlapping end m being provided with a series of holes m¹ and
the other overlapping end n with a corresponding projection n¹ (or projections)
adapted to enter in such hole or holes m' and when these two overlapping ends m
and n have been laid together in the required position a loose sleeve o is then slid
over same and same is there held in position so as to lock and hold these over-
lapping ends m and n closely together and advantageously provided with means
to hold said sleeve o firmly in position for instance by screwing or same may be
provided with a set screw or pinching screw ? or lock nut or other suitable
means.
Or these overlapping ends m and n may be provided with angular teeth or have
two racks adapted to fit closely together so that when laid together and secured by
the sleeve o aforesaid thereby the length of said vertically descending rod ¹ can be
vertically adiusted.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In brakes for bicycles or other road vehicles where applicable--the combina-
tion with a band wheel such as a of a brake band such as d each end of which latter
is supported on independent clips or devices adapted to be secured at any desired
point to the frame tubes such as x and y and means to operate said brake band
so as to apply same to said band wheel all combined and arranged to act
substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
2. In brakes for bicycles or other road vehicles where applicable-the combina-
tion with a band wheel such as a of a band brake such as done end of which latter
is mounted on a fixed support while the other end of said band is supported on a
lever or bell-crank-like device or equivalent device pivotted or adapted to oscillate
at a point situated within the perimeter (i.e. between the perimeter and the centre)
of the aforesaid band wheel whereby the band brake is quickly applied against the
band wheel and means to operate said lever or bell crank and thereby apply said
band brake substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
3. The improved arrangement and construction of mechanism for supporting and
operating band brakes for bicycles or other road vehicles where applicable-having
the several parts of such mechanism combined and arranged to act substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 of
the drawings hereunto annexed.
4. Band brakes for bicycles or other road vehicles where applicable-mounted
and arranged to act substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before
described.
5. In brake-operating mechanism for bicycles or other road vehicles where
applicable the combination therewith of the vertically descending rod formed
adjustable in its length by constructing same in two parts adapted to engage
into one another where same overlap and be there locked and held together to
form a rigid vertical rod substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein before described and illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings hereunto
annexed.
Dated this 6th day of June 1898
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,.
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.