Improvements in Applying Brake Mechanism to Carriages and like Road Vehicles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 15th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 16th Dec., 1887
Improvements in Applying Brake Mechanism to Carriages
and like Road Vehicles.
I JOHN KEMP STARLEY of the Meteor Works Coventry in the county of Warwick
Cycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in applying brake mechanism to
carriages and like vehicles and is designed to provide for the rise and fall of the
vehicle body on its supporting springs so that the brake gear may be always operated
independently of such rise and fall.
In applying my invention say to a carriage I mount a brake drum on one or more
axles or hubs and I fit a brake strap round it as is well understood and connected by
a rod.
I pivot the end of the lever or connection working the ends of the strap on the
lower spring in which the bearing is mounted and I produce this lever or connection
to one of the junctions of the springs on which I pivot a bar or arm to one end of
which I pivot the end of the lever or connection. To the other end of the aforesaid
bar or arm I connect a lever rod or equivalent jointed to a bell crank pivotted on the
upper spring and from which bell crank I produce the foot or hand lever to work the
brake.
The arrangement really acts like a toggle as the brake can be always applied
independently of the approach towards each other or retreat, of the springs.
If desired I may carry a rod or arm towards the junction of the spring to which I
attach the rocking levers or I may use a gut, chain or other connection working on
or around a pulley a ratchet device may hold the brake lever in any position.
Where C springs are not used or the brake applied by a twisting motion I can
connect the brake band to the operating device by a toggle joint or an open coiled
spring.
By this arrangement the brake is never affected save when applied by the hand or
foot.

page_text: improvements in Applying Brake Mechanism to Carriages
and like Road Vehicles.
I JOHN KEMP STARLEY of the "Meteor" Works Coventry in the county of
Warwick Cycle Manufacturer, 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 has for its object improvements in applying brake mechanism to
carriages and like road vehicles and is designed to provide for the rise and fall of the
vehicle body on its supporting springs so that the brake gear may be always operated
independently of such rise and fall.
To this specification I have annexed the two accompanying sheets of drawings and
now proceed to refer to the same. and to the figures and letters of reference marked
thereon.
On sheet 1. Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of a carriage, cart, van or the
like shewing three methods of applying my invention one method being shewn in
firm lines and the other two in dotted lines.
On sheet 2. Figure 2. I shew a plan of my apparatus, one wheel of the vehicle
being removed.
In applying my invention say to a carriage I mount a brake drum A on one or
more of the axles or hubs B. I fit a brake strap (round the drum as is well
understood the ends being connected one to a fixed plate or standard D (at a) fixed
on the lower spring E in which the bearing F of the axle or hub of the wheel is
mounted.
On this plate or standard D is the fulcrum b of a lever G pivoted thereon and to
the lower end of which the free end of the brake strap C is connected by screw
adjustment c.
From this lever G a lever or connection H (dotted lines) runs to a plate or
standard I (dotted lines) fixed on one of the junctions of the upper and lower
springs.
On this plate or standard II pivot a bar or arm J (dotted lines) to one end of
which I pivot the end of the lever or connection H.
To the other end of, the aforesaid bar or arm J I connect a lever, rod or
equivalent K jointed to a lever L which can be actuated by hand or foot to apply or
release the brake, or the end of the rod K could be jointed to a ball crank pivoted on
the upper spring and from which I could produce a foot or hand lever to work the
brake.
An alternative plan is shewn wherein a rod M (dotted lines) pulls directly from the
lever G by means of a lever N (dotted lines).
In the third arrangement shewn I produce from the lever G a rod or connection O
(firm lines) jointed to a lever or arm P pivoted at d to the vehicle body and from

page_text: thence a rod or connection Q goes to an operating handle or lever such as L. Thus
on this drawing by means of the firm and, double arrangement of, dotted lines I shew
three modes of carrying out my invention.
.
To apply the brake to both sides of a vehicle I connect the levers such as P or J by
a bar or rod such as R working corresponding levers similar to P or J on the opposite
side of the vehicle and from which a rod or connection S works another band brake T
on the opposite wheel or wheels of the vehicle.
The arrangements really act as a toggle the brake being always capable of being
applied independently of the approach or retreat of the springs.
If desired I may carry a rod or arm towards the junctions of the springs to which
I attach the rocking levers such as P or J or I may use a gut, chain or other
connection working on or around a pulley and which gut, chain or connection can be
worked from a handle or treadle instead of the levers.
A ratchet device may hold the brake lever in any position.
Where C-springs are not used or where the brake is applied by means of a twisting
motion instead of the direct pull of a hand-lever or the depression of a treadle I can
connect the brake band to the operating handle, treadle or device by a toggle joint or
by an open coiled spring. By this arrangement the brake is never affected except
when applied by hand or foot.
I may fix one wheel to a revolving axle and mount the other wheel loose on the
same so that it can run at a different speed when the vehicle is turned.
Ball bearings could be cheaply and readily applied to such an arrangement and in
this case I may mount the brake band or bands on the revolving axles.
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
First. Mounting band brakes on carriages, carts vans or like road vehicles so that
the actuating centre or portion of the strap is free to rise and fall approximately in
the plane of the wheel axes whereby the rise and fall of the vehicle body shall not
cause the fulcrum of the brake to operate it unless applied by manual or other power
as described.
Secondly. In carriages carts, vans or like road vehicles using bind brakes,
mounting the fulcrum of the lever or connection operating the brake on the spring or
springs supporting the vehicle body substantially as described.
Thirdly. The several arrangements for mounting band brakes on carriages, carts.
vans or like road vehicles substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of November 1887
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings,
Agents for the Applicant.