Improvements in, or Relating to, the Driving and Brake Mechanism of Cycles.
Year: 1899

page_text: nted as amended in accordance with the decision of the Comptroller
General, dated the 29th day of November 1899.
[[The Amendments are shown in erased and italic type.]
Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 7th July, 1839-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in, or Relating to, the Driving and Brake Mechanism
of Cycles.
هست
I, OLAF PIHLFELDT, of Golden Hillock Road, in the City of Birmingham,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to combined eyele driving and brake mechanism of
that type in which the arrangement admits of the machine being propelled in
the ordinary way by forward pedalling, of running free when the pedals are
held stationary and act as foot rests, and of the application of the brake by
Back pedalling, and has for one of its objects, to provide in conjunction with
such mechanism, means for progressively putting on the brake on back pedal-
ling instead of the same being applied suddenly, and for another object, to
provide improved brake mechanism."
It is understood that sudden checks in the rotation of the free wheel by the
immediate application of the full retarding capacity of the brake oftentimes
jamb both the clutch and brake mechanism and scotches or locks the wheel
which oftentimes is fraught with considerable danger to the safety of a rider
and is also liable to damage the tyre which slides along the ground without
rotation.
The first part of my invention consists in employing between the clutch and
the brake mechanism, a spring organized brake-pressure moderator, arranged
to constitute an intervening coupling between the members of a two-part
power-transmitting rod.
The said moderator device consists of a barrel or cylinder at one end of one
part or member of the rod and a piston-ended draw bar coming at the inner
end of the other part and sliding within the said barrel whose mouth end is
closed by an outside screwed ring nut with a guide hole for the rod through
its middle and against the inside of which ring nut and the piston end of the
draw bar, the ends of a coiled spring surrounding the said bar, respectively
abut, so that when power created through the back pedalling action of the
rider is transmitted through the clutch to the one member of the rod, the draw
bar is made to reciprocate within the barrel and by the approximation of the
piston of the draw bar and the opposed end of the barrel, the spring is gradually
compressed and through it, the brake is progressively applied. On relieving
the back pressure, and taking the cranks again to their inoperative or inter-
mediate positions--with the pedals forming foot rests --the brake is relieved and
the running wheel and mechanism are free, whilst on resuming forward
pedalling the clutch mechanism comes into operation and the running wheel
is connected with the driving mechanism.

page_text: This part of my invention is applicable to rim, disc and band brakes and to
all brakes in which the shoe is applied to an unyielding surface..
In carrying out the second part of my invention, principally in connection
with that type of brake mechanism referred to in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to Thomas Alfred Hearson and bearing date the 12th day of
February 1897 No. 3799, the driving crank axle is fitted at the end opposite
to the driving chain wheel, with clutch mechanism of any approved type which
will admit of being operated through the crank axle for putting on the brake
by back pedalling, but is idle when the machine is being driven by forward
pedalling and or when the pedals are held stationary to form foot rests. The
chain wheel of the rear hub is also provided with clutch mechanism of any
approved type, so arranged that on driving the cranks forwardly it operates
to make fast the free rear wheel to the driven chain wheel, but when such
forward driving is discontinued, then the clutch, which is at the opposite side
of the hub to the brake mechanism admits of the free rotation of the said
wheel independent of the chain gearing. The outer rim or equivalent part
of the crank clutch mechanism carries a short lever, to which is jointed to
it, one end of a connecting rod, whose other end is jointed to an eyed socket
into an interior end part of which, the screwed end of a slide rod (as herein-
after described) takes and also serves as a stop for preventing the over extension
of an auxiliary brake take-off spring, enclosed within a stationary casing fitted
to a combined clip and barrel bracket attached to and hanging from one of
the chain stays. The ends of the spring abut respectively against one end of
the casing and a sleeved piston end of the slide rod, the sleeved portion of
which is adapted to receive a screwed forward part of the draw bar member of
a brake pressure moderator as described in the first part of this specification.
The after end of the power transmission rod is adjustably connected by a set
pin or the like to a sleeve, jointed in turn to a band clip surrounding the
outer periphery of a rotatable brake-operating ring, which is internally wormed
with a coarse thread meshing with a corresponding thread on the outside
periphery of a ring, casing or the like made fast to the frame concentric with
the hubs of the wheel and with the opposite ends of the rotatable and fixed
elements having inwardly hanging collar abutments, between which a series
of friction rings are arranged, one series of the said rings being keyed to the
fast casing on the frame whilst the other series, which alternate with the
first named are keyed to and rotate with the hub but the whole of them are
capable of being laterally closed together along their respective feather keys
for bringing them into frictional contact and setting up braking action when
the abutments of the fixed and rotatable screwed elements are caused to
approximate by the rotation of the operating ring, which is tightly embraced
by the band clip and may be adjusted to any relative position thereon for
taking up wear in the frictional parts, after the said band has been slackened
by the unscrewing of a pin passing through screwed lug ends thereof, although
such adjustment may be effected in the transmission rod.
The outer part of the casing of the brake is gapped and stepped, or a part is
set back to receive one of the back fork ends, and through a gap left between
the inner part of the outer part, a spanner may be introduced for adjusting
the hub cones. The set back part of the casing is provided with a long arm
which abuts against the top edge of the fork member and prevents the rotation
of the casing, the outer face of which has a central hole for the hub spindle
to pass through in locating the position of the said casing, and which spindle
receives the nut that clamps the said casing to the fork end.
The fiction rings may be faced with, or have interposed between them,
thin dises of compressed vegetable fibre to prevent heating by the friction
set up.
It will be understood that by the employment of the auxiliary take off spring
in connection with the transmission rod, the brake is made self-releasing when

page_text: a rider ceases to back pedal, and also that instead of employing coiled springs
in the moderator arranged in the said transmission rod for preventing too
sudden application of the brake, I may use flat springs with the ends of the
draw bar and transmission rods respectively taking through, or I may employ
any other spring organized arrangement as may be convenient. Or the spiral
spring may be replaced by a block or discs of rubber or other suitable material
for imparting the resiliency to the rod.
Hata tha 19th day of January 1890
OLAF PIHILFELDT,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in, or relating to, the Driving and Brake Mechanism
of Cycles.
I, OLAF PIHLFELDT, of Golden Hillock Road, in the City of Birmingham, Engineer,
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 combined cycle driving and brake mechanism of that type
in which the arrangement admits of the machine being propelled in the ordinary way
by forward pedalling, of running free when the pedals are held stationary and act as
foot rests, and of the application of the brake by back pedalling, and has for one of
its objects, to provide in conjunction with such mechanism, means for progressively
putting on the brake on back pedalling instead of the same being applied suddenly,
and for another object, to provide improved brake imechanism.
It is understood that sudden checks in the rotation of the free wheel by the
immediate application of the full retarding capacity of the brake are liable to jamb
both the clutch and brake mechanism and scotch or lock the wheel which often-
times is fraught with considerable danger to the safety of a rider and is also liable to
dainage the tyre which slides along the ground without rotation.
These defects I propose to overcome by the employment of a spring-organized
brake-pressure moderator, so constituted as to form an intervening elastic coupling or
yielding connection between the members of a two-part brake-operating or power-
transmitting rod so that when power created by the rider is conveyed to the one
member of the two-part rod, it is, before being transmitted to the other element
and thence to the brake, so modified in its initial effect by the said device that the
brake is applied progressively or by degrees and the retardation of the wheel is
accomplished without a sudden check.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a longitudinal section of one
forin of brake-power moderator constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 represents the component parts of the saine separately.
This said moderator device consists of a barrel or cylinder a, which is secured to
the end 61, of the one member b, of a two-part power-transmission or brake-operating
rod, and a collar-ended draw bar c, adapted to be connected to the inner end 6, of the
other member 63, of the said rod and arranged to slide within the said barrel, whose
open end a, is wormed interiorly to receive an outside screwed closure or nut d,
having a guide hole d, for the said bar through its middle, and between the opposed
abutments formed by the collar c¹, and the inner side of the said nut, a coiled spring e,
surrounding the said draw bar c, is disposed.

page_text: In order to provide for the adjustment of the brake-operating rods to a machine,
and also incidentally to alter the tension of the moderator spring, the screwed end 6¹,
of the rod member b, may take through a wormed hole in the end a³, of the casing,
which is rotatable upon the said rod, and the collared end of the draw bar may be
bored axially at c¹ to form a clearance for the inner end of the said rod b, to which
the moderator casing is locked in its adjusted position by means of a small lock
nut 65.
On movement being transmitted by the actuation of a brake-operating device to
the member bs, of the two-part rod, the bar c, is drawn outwardly and its collar is
caused to approximate to the nut or closure d, thus gradually compressing the
moderator spring, which modifies the power transmitted by it to the casing a and
thence through the rod member b, to the brake, which is progressively applied.
This device is particularly applicable to rim, disc and band brakes, and to all brakes
designed for application to an unyielding surface as distinct from the yielding
contact obtained by brakes acting upon a pneumatic or other elastic tyre.
Figure 3 represents an elevation of a clutch-operated back-pedalling back-wheel-
rim brake for cycles, provided with such a moderator device and showing one method
of applying my invention to brakes of this class.
Figure 4 represents the said brake and its accessory parts in plan, but with the
inoderator and the take-off spring provided for relieving the brake pressure on the
rider ceasing to back pedal, shown in section.
Figure 5 is a detail view of one of the clips to which an arm carrying a brake
shoe is fulcrumed.
Figure 6 is a detail view of the clip provided for the attachment of the casing of
the take-off spring.
The brake consists of a pair of shoes or contacts f, adapted to impinge against the
inner periphery of a wheel rim g, and respectively carried by the lower ends of a pair
of arms f, pivoted at f, to clips f³, embracing the chain stays g¹, of the machine.
These arms are coupled together and operated in common by a yoke or forked
frame f, from which a screwed stalk or rod 61 proceeds and is adjustably connected
by a lock nut 64, to the rotatable casing a of a brake pressure moderator arranged
in a convenient position underneath the inner ends of the chain stays and being
of substantially the same construction as previously described and represented
separately in Figures 1 and 2, with the collar ended draw bar c, sliding within the
casing and being surrounded by the moderator spring e, disposed between its
collar and the nut d.
The ring h,of the pedal operated clutch is connected by means of a jointed link 1, to a
power-transmission arm b, the latter being in turn, connected to the draw bar c, of the
interposed moderator, whilst extending from the said arm 63, is a rod b, having a collar
or enlarged termination ", working within a cylindrical casing i', secured to a convenient
frame tube by means of clip and being encircled by a take-off" spring i, which is
confined between the said collar 6, and the closed or shouldered end, of the casing it,
and is compressed and thereby rendered active when the rod is drawn outwards on
the brake being applied by the back pedalling action, whilst on the pedals being
restored to an intermediate and inoperative position, the take off spring, by distending,
relieves the brake pressure and restores the several parts to their normal positions.
In addition to this function of relieving the brake, the said spring i, when its coils
are closed, acts as a yielding stop for preventing the excessive application of the
brake.
To adjust or set the parts so that the take off spring shall only come into operation
as a stop when the maximum brake pressure required is being applied to the wheel
rim, the coils of the take-off spring are first fully closed and then by rotating the
moderator casing, which acts as a screw box, the rod 61, is drawn inwards until the
brake shoes (with which it is connected by the forked frame f) are fully home
against the rim.
Figure 7 represents a sectional view of another form of moderator constructed
according to my invention. The casing a is carried by a power-transmitting arm

page_text: such as 63, suitably connected by a link or the like with the clutch mechanism,
whilst the draw bar c, is secured to the screwed end of the brake rod and slides
within the casing as before. The moderator spring e, encircles the draw bar and is
disposed between the abutments formed by the collar c', on the one part and the
shoulder a¹, of the other part, whilst an end c, of the said bar, outwards of the
casing, is screwed to receive a nut or nuts such as c³, constituting a stop for pre-
venting the displacement of the draw bar by the distension of the spring whilst as
the casing, in this form, is incapable of rotation, the adjustment of the moderator
is effected by screwing the draw bar upon the rod b, and locking it there by a nut b¹.
The take-off spring employed in connection with this arrangement may be applied
to the arm 63, through a rod such as b³.
Figure 8 represents a further form of moderator, in which the cylindrical casing a,
is formed integral with or attached directly to the double-armed or forked frame b, of
a rim brake, and the collar ended draw bar c, encircled by the moderator spring e, is
secured to the rod which in turn is coupled to the operating clutch through the
edium of a power-transmitting arm 3 and suitable links or the like. is a rod
to which a take off spring may be applied. The relative adjustment of the parts for
the purpose herein before referred to is effected by a nut 60 and a lock nut b, arranged
in connection with the rod b, which passes through a plain hole in the arm 63.
Figure 9 represents another modification of brake pressure moderator, in which a
lamina spring is employed in lieu of a coiled spring.
The rod b, which is adjustably connected to the arm 63, has at its end 67, a spring e,
made of a series of lamina plates, to which the ends of the rods or links f, are
secured and whereby the initial pull applied to the rod b, is modified before being
transmitted to the said links and thence to the brake.
Or the spiral spring may be replaced by a block or discs of rubber or other suitable
material which will provide an interposed resilient medium between the brake and
its operating device."
The second part of my invention relates to cycle brakes of that type in which
alternate rotatable and fixed discs respectively connected to a wheel hub and a
relatively fixed carrier are made to approximate to effect the retardation of a wheel,
and the object of this said part is to improve the construction of such brakes and
thereby render them more efficient in their action.
Figure 10 represents an elevation of a hub brake constructed according to this
second part of iny invention and arranged to be operated, through a clutch in con-
nection with the crank axis, by a rider back-pedalling. A moderator in accordance
with the first part of my invention, and an auxiliary take-off spring are also shown
embodied in the system.
Figure 11 is another view of the said driving and brake mechanism, but showing
the clutch in connection with the crank axle, the hub brake, the take off spring and
the moderator all in section.
Figure 12 is a view showing the said mechanism in plan, but with the hub-in cross
section upon the dotted line .c, showing the organization and arrangement of the
brake and the hub clutch.
The driving crank axle j, is fitted at that end opposite to the driving chain wheelj¹,
with a clutch, which may either be of the construction shown in the drawings, or
of any other approved type which will admit of being thrown into gear when a rider
applies back pressure to the pedals ³, for connecting the said axle to a part (such as
the ring ) of the brake operating mechanism, but which is idle when the machine
is being propelled by forward pedalling or when the cranks are being held stationary
in an intermediate or inoperative position, with the pedals forming foot rests and the
driving wheel running free, the latter being admitted by providing the hub m, with
a clutch n, of any construction which will operate to make fast the free road wheel m',
to the driven chain wheel m², during forward pedalling but will allow the said
road wheel to run "free" or independent of the said wheel m² (which is driven from
the wheel, through chain j³) when forward pedalling is discontinued.

page_text: The said ring h, of the crank axle clutch has an ear or extension h³, to which is
jointed, one end of a link ', whose other end is, in turn jointed to the member 63, of
a two-part power-transmission or brake operating rod 3 b, between which said parts,
a brake pressure moderator a, is interposed. The said rod 63, is arranged to slide
within a cylindrical casing ¹, secured to one of the chain stays y, of the machine by
a suitable clip such as 2, and wherein a brake "take-off" spring i, is locate ), with
its one end having an abutment against the shoulder 3 of the fixed casing whilst its
other end hears against the collar 6, of the sliding rod, which, outwards of the said
collar, is jointed to the draw bar c, of the pressure moderator a, which consists, as
before described, of a casing aº, with one end closed by a ring nut, through which
the draw bar e passes, and enclosing a moderator spring e, encircling the said bar c,
and having opposite abutments against the inner side of the said nut d, and the
collar c', of the bar c, which slides within the said casing on a pull being applied and
transmits its movement through the compressed moderator spring to the section b,
of the brake rod adjustably connected thereto.
It is understood that the take off spring is compressed when the brake is applied
and serves to return the parts to their normal positions when pressure is relieved, and
that when its coils are fully closed, it acts as a stop which prevents the application
of the brake to an unsafe extent.
The after end 6s, of the part 6, of the power-transmission rod is jointed at o¹, to a 3
lug or fitting o², made fast to one end 3, of a metal band o, encircling a brake
operating ring 2, around which the said band is tightened by means of a screw pin o,
passing through another lug 05, secured to the other end oº, of it and screwing into
the first named lug o².
The rotatable brake-operating ring p, which is internally wormed with a coarse
thread pl, meshing with a corresponding thread q¹, on the outside periphery of a ring,
casing or the like q, made fast to the frame, concentric with the hub and with the
opposite ends of the said rotatable and fixed elements p, q, having collar abut-
ments p, q, between which a series of friction rings r, s, are arranged, one series ",
of the said rings being keyed to the fast casing 9 on the frame whilst the other series 8,
which alternate with the first named, are keyed to and rotate with the hub but the
whole of them are capable of being laterally closed together along their respective feather
keys 1, 1, for bringing them into frictional contact and setting up braking action
when the abutments of the fixed and rotatable screwed elements are caused to
approximate by the rotation of the operating ring p, which is tightly einbraced by the
band clip o, and may be adjusted to any relative position thereon for taking up wear
in the frictional parts, after the said band has been slackened by the unscrewing of the
pin passing through screwed lug ends thereof, although such adjustment may be
effected in the transmission rod.
The friction rings may be faced with, or have interposed between them thin dises
of compressed vegetable fibre to prevent heating by the friction set up.
The outer side of the fixed casing 7, of the brake is gapped at 73, and one party',
of the said side is set back or inwards relative to the other part q, and through the
gap, left between the inner and outer parts, a spanner may he introduced for adjust-
ing the hub cones f. The set back part of the casing is provided with a pair of long
arms, which respectively abut against the top and bottom edges of the fork
member, and prevent the rotation of the casing, the outer face of which has a
central hole q', for the hub spindle t, to pass through in locating the position of the
said casing, and which spindle receives the nut t2, that clamps the said casing to the
fork end g².
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
claim
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
is-
First. The employment in-connection with the power transmitter or operating-ra l
of a back pedalling eyele brake of a spring organized brake-pre-are-mo terator

page_text: Secondly First. A pressure moderator for back-pedalling cycle brakes, com-
prising a casing or its equivalent connected to one power-transmitting rod or element,
and a draw bar or slide connected to another power transmitting rod or element,
with the said casing and draw bar being coupled together by an interposed spring,
arranged to operate, substantially as and for the purpose herein described and set
forth in Figures 1 to 8.
Third Secondly. The modified form of cycle brake pressure moderator arranged
and operating substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth in
Figure 9.
Fonrthly Thirdly. In cycle-brake pressure-moderators as referred to in the preceed-
ing claims, adjustably connecting the same to one or other of the elements of the
power transmission or operating device, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described and set forth.
Fifth Fourthly. In back-pedalling cycle brake mechanism, the employment in
conjunction with an interposed pressure moderator, such as referred to in the preceeding
claims, of a "take off" spring arranged to operate upon the power-transmitting or
operating device, substantially as and for the purpose herein described and set forth.
Sixth Fifthly. In a back-pedalling cycle brake, the combination with the power-
transmitting means disposed between the operating clutch and the brake, of a pressure
moderator arranged and operating in conjunction with a "take off" spring substanti-
ally as described and set forth in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11 and 12.
Seventh Sixthly. In a back-pedalling cycle hub brake of the type herein referred
to, the combination with a pressure moderator and a take-off spring arranged in con-
junction with the power-transmission rod, of an inside-screwed operating ring,
adjustably connected to the said transmission rod, through the medium of a metal
band encircling and gripping the said ring, substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 10, 11 and 12.
1000