A BRAKE APPLICABLE TO THE WHEELS OF CARRIAGES BUT MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE WHEELS OF TRICYCLES.
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Duncan Hankey at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th October 1882.
JOHN DUNCAN HANKEY of 25 Aden Grove Stoke Newington in the County of
Middlesex Gentleman A BRAKE APPLICABLE TO THE WHEELS OF CARRIAGES BUT
MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE WHEELS OF TRICYCLES.
I first describe the mechanism of the said Brake:-The said Brake consists of a
pair of hardened metal arms each about eighteen inches more or less in length and
about three inches more or less in width at the greater end and tapering off
gradually towards the lesser or rivet end of each arm to a round end point each of
the said arms will be about half an inch thick more or less and each arm will work
freely on the lesser end on a fixed rivet or point or both arms may be made to work
on the same rivet or point. The said Brake is fixed to some convenient part of the
traming of the machine by the said rivets or points. Each of the said arms at or
towards the rivet end thereof before referred to comprises or contains a half circle
curve or depression in the straight face of such arm and such curve or depression is
so made that when both of the said arms are brought together at the straight face
of each arm there appears as between the said faces an entire circular hollow or
depression one half of which hollow or depression will be on each arm Each of the
said half circled depressions may if found convenient be lined with a coating of
wood or leather on the bearing portions thereof. Each of the said arms is also
provided with a slit or slot of about two inches in length more or less and of the
width of three eights of an inch more or less passing evenly right through the metal
of the said arm at the end opposite to the rivet end thereof the slit or slot of the
upper arm when fixed being at an obtuse angle with the under or even side thereof
and the slit or slot of the lower arm when fixed being in a similar position and at
a similar angle or at one of a greater degree. The said slits or slots must be so cut
and contrived as by means of the lever and the bolts pins or screws to be fixed
therein as hereinafter is described to partially close and open at pleasure the
Baid arms in an even regular and similar manner as hereinafter is described.
I secondly describe the mechanism of the lever by means of which and the
attachments thereto the said brake is worked. A curved or angular lever made of
Price 271

page_text: hardened metal of the length of about fourteen inches more or less is also provided
of sufficient length and width to allow of having a handle at the top end and of
passing at right angles by and under the under side of the said Brake before
described and terminating at a convenient point below the said Brake so as to
permit of the same being firmly fixed at some convenient portion and by means of
a rivet or bolt to the framing of the body of the machine but so nevertheless that
the said lever can freely move to the right or left on the said rivet or bolt. The
said lever at its top or handle end is also to be secured by means of a band or other
mechanism to the body of the said machine but so nevertheless that the same may
move to the right or left as required as in a groove. The vertical portion of the
said lever will then receive when the same is fixed in position and when the same
is brought behind the said brake at a right angle therewith when the latter is
quite closed and opposite each slit or slot a rivet bolt pin or screw of hardened
metal so made with a head that when the same is fitted rivetted or screwed
through the said slits or slots into the lever at the outer end of the said slits or
slots each arm of the said brake will on the said lever being moved towards the
end opposite the said lever open the said Brake by means of the said rivets bolts
pins or screws following the line of the said slits or slots and so opening or shutting
the said arms
I now proceed to describe the position in which the said brake will be fixed
The said Brake will be fixed to the said machine in any convenient position of
the framing thereof but so that one of its arms will be immediately over and the
other of the said arms will be immediately under an elongated hub of the wheel or
wheels of the machine on the inner side thereof and furthermore so that the curve
or depressiou in each will be accurately over or under as the case may be of the
said lub and so that when the said brake is closed each half will clasp or securely
fit or pinch the corresponding segment of the circle of the said hub which it is
opposite to or against. The said Brake must be so fixed that when the same is
open the same must not touch the said hub at all
I now proceed to describe the mode of applying the said Brake.
The said Brake being open the same is applied to the wheel in the following
manner. The handle of the lever is simply pulled or pushed over the effect of
which is to transmit the action or motion so applied to the rivets bolts pins or
screws working in the slits or slots of the arms of the said Brake which latter being
compelled to move the same close over pinch or grasp the hub of the wheel in
motion and thereby whilst the said lever is held over as aforesaid brake stop or
impede the action of the wheel by hindering and ultimately stopping its otherwise
free motion.
If it may be thought necessary or useful the principle of my said Brake can be
equally as well adopted by extending the arms thereof and making the said half
circle curve or depression at the extremity of the said arms opposite to the lever
end thereof
The arms of the said brake are kept open by means of a strong spiral or other
spring fixed either on the said arms or against the lever herein before described
Opposite wheels can be operated on by placing a brake together with the afore-
said gearing over or against each wheel and the power to operate on the same can
be transmitted from either side by means of a steel or other hardened rod passing
from side to side and joining the said levers so and in such position that the power
applied on one side shall be transmitted by means of the said connecting rod to the
other side.