Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 30th July, 1898-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1898
We, THE ELLIPTIC CYCLE COMPANY LIMITED, Cycle Manufacturers, and JOIN
HARRISON, Engineer, both of No. 13, Brook Street, Peterborough, in the County
of Northampton, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a novel construction of cycle brake the object of the
said invention being to provide a brake which is less injurious to the tyre than
the usual brake which is pressed against the tread of the tyre.
In a brake constructed according to this invention we make use of a kind of
fork the arms of which normally occupy a position one at each side of the tyre.
This fork is pivoted upon an axis which is substantially radial to the centre of
the wheel in such a manner that when the said fork is turned upon its axis the
two arms are caused to bear against the sides of the tyre with a greater or less
pressure according to the extent to which the fork is turned.
In practice it is advantageous to mount the fork on the lower end of a shaft
arranged parallel with the head or front socket of the frame, the upper end of
the said shaft adjacent to the handle bars being provided with a lever or other
device whereby the desired movement can be imparted to the said shaft and con-
sequently also to the brake.
The said shaft is preferably made in two parts telescoping one into the other to
permit of adjusting the length of the shaft to suit the position of the handles.
A spring is provided for returning the brake to its normal position and re-
taining it in this position after operation.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
We, THE ELLIPTIC CYCLE COMPANY LIMITED, Cycle Manufacturers, and JOHN
HARRISON, Engineer, both of No. 13, Brook Street, Peterborough, in the County
of Northampton, 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 a novel construction of cycle brake the object of the
said invention being to provide a brake which is less injurious to the tyre than
the usual brake which is pressed against the tread of the tyre.

page_text: A brake constructed according to this invention is a kind of fork the arms of
which normally occupy a position one at each side of the tyre, and which is
pivoted upon an axis substantially radial to the axis of the wheel in such a
manner that when the said fork is turned upon its axis the two arms are caused
to bear against the sides of the tyre with a greater or less pressure according to
the extent to which the fork is turned.
To enable the said invention to be fully understood it is described by refer-
ence to the accompanying drawing, in which :-
-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of a bicycle as is necessary to illustrate
the application of the brake thereto; and,
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same:.
Figure 3 is a sectional front view of parts of the mechanism shewn in Figure 1
but drawn to a larger scale.
a is the head of the bicycle frame, the handle bar and c the front wheel.
d is the brake fork which straddles the wheel c and which, in the simplest
form, would be attached to the lower end of a rod e or shaft carried in two bear-
ing brackets f,g in such a manner that when the said fork is moved from the
position shewn in full lines in Figure 2, which is its normal position, say to the
position shewn in dotted lines in the said figure, the two ends h, h of the fork
(which are preferably covered with india-rubber) will be caused to bear more or
less against the sides of the tyre.
As shown in the drawing, however, the rod or shaft e is made in two parts tele-
scoping one into the other, the tubular portion e¹ of the said shaft having a key
or feather upon it whilst the other portion of the shaft has a key-way this
arrangement permitting of the length of the shaft being varied to suit the position
in which the handle bar may be adjusted. The said arrangement of key-way
and feather also permits the tubular part e¹ of the shaft to move longitudinally
upon the solid part of the shaft for the purpose hereinafter described.
To retain the brake in its normal position and to return it to this position after
operation, the following arrangement is advantageously provided, that is to say,
the lower side of the bracket 9 is formed with a groove or slot having inclined
sides and a lug with corresponding inclines is formed upon the fork so that
when the fork is turned it will be pressed down in an obvious manner, a spring /
surrounding the shank of the fork and pressing at one end upon the top of the
bracket and at the other end upon a ledge or collar on the shank of the fork,
serving to return the parts to their normal position.
It will be obvious that, as the fork moves downwards, the tubular portion e¹
of the fork slides upon the solid portion as hereinbefore described. This arrange-
ment for normally retaining the fork in a higher position than it occupies when
the brake is being applied has the further advantage that it allows a large space
above the wheel to prevent the accumulation of mud against the brake,
Any suitable means may be employed for imparting the desired rotation to
the brake; as shewn in the drawing the shaft e has at its upper end an arm m
from the free end of which a rod n extends to one end of a lever o the other end of
which is arranged in conjunction with one of the handles on the handle bar, as
clearly shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
-
1. In a brake for cycles a fork adapted to straddle the wheel and to be rotated
so as to cause the arms of the said fork to make contact with the sides of the
wheel tyre, substantially as described.
2. In a brake for cycles, the combination of a fork straddling the wheel tyre,
a shaft made in two parts telescoping one into the other the lower end of which

page_text: shaft carries the said fork and means for imparting rotary motion to the said
shaft, substantially as described.
3. In a brake wherein a fork which straddles a wheel tyre is adapted to be
rotated upon its axis, the combination of a groove such as j, and an inclined lug
such as k for causing the depression of the said fork, and a spring for returning
the said fork to its normal position when released, substantially as described.
Dated this 30th day of July 1898.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.