Improvements in brakes for Bicycles, Motor Carriages, and the like
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in brakes for Bicycles, Motor Carriages, and the like,
JOHN EBENEZER GROUT, 4, Harringay Villas, Green Lanes, Hornsey, Middle-
sex, Hydraulic Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a brake that can be fixed to a bicycle
or the like in a way calculated to avoid the unequal strain (that must come
upon both the wheel and frame when the brake is applied) and thereby prevent
the liability to distortion. To do this I take a steel disc and by means of an
adapting bush fit it to the hub of the back wheel on the opposite side to the
drive wheel, the disc is not fixed to the hub but is held in position by studs
projecting from the side of steel disc towards the centre or plane of the wheel
from these studs additional spokes are fitted to engage with the rim of the
wheel. The spokes lie in the annular space between the ordinary spokes on
either side of the wheel and when the brake is applied to the steel disc the strain
or resistance is met tangentially from all points of the rim. The brake is a
band brake and consists of a band of steel fitted with removable blocks with a
space between a grove, preferably a V grove is cut on the inner faces of the
friction blocks to engage with the edge of the steel disc referred to above. One
end of the steel band is free to be operated by a lever while the other end is fixed
to an attachment on the bottom bar of the frame of bicycle, the pull from the
revolving disc is upon this end and to relieve the frame of side strain the brake
Land is continued by means of a stout wire to the bolt at seat pillar and is drawn
up by a sleeve nut and can be taken up as wear necessitates. The brake may
be opperated by a cord but I prefer to work it by means of light rods and bell
crank levers with a special device at the front handlebar which consists of a box
lever fitted by a clip to top bar of the bicycle frame hanging from the underside
and having no side projections from the box lever there is pivoted a link which
carries a loop arranged to hang concentrically round the front tube of the frame
an eve fitted to the rod of an ordinary plunger brake actuates the whole, this
arrangement allows the front wheel to be turned to any angle for steering pur-
poses without affecting the brake.
Dotod thic 1ot day of September 1899
JOHN E. GROUT,
4, Harringay Villas, Hornsey.

page_text: I, JOHN EBENEZER GROUT, of 4, Harringay Villas, Green Lanes, Hornsey,
Middlesex, Hydraulic 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 has for its object improvements in brakes for bicycles motor
carriages and other vehicles particularly with a view to avoid the unequal strain
which is invariably put on both frame and wheel by the forms of brake hereto-
fore in use whenever the brake is applied. The forms of brake heretofore used
act either upon the rim or tyre of the wheel or (by means of a band brake) on
the hub of the wheel. In the former case beside injuring the rim or tyre the
pressure of the brake thereon tends to slacken the spokes in that part of the
wheel which is between the ground and the brake resistance and to draw the rim
straight while the opposite part of the wheel is under tension likely to distort
the wheel; also that part of the brake which holds the wheel must generally
be fixed to some part of the frame of the bicycle upon which a lateral strain is
thereby caused which tends to buckle it.
In the case of the band brake now in use more particularly when (as is usual)
the disc is small the grip required to meet the strain caused by the point of
resistance being near the centre of the wheel is so great that the brake is always
liable to abrasion and seizure as well as excessive heat and is also liable to
injury from grit. Now according to my invention the brake (although it is in
the nature of a band brake) acts upon a steel disc which is fastened to the rim
of the wheel instead of to the hub the end of the band is attached to a bolt on
the seat pillar thus giving an end strain instead of a lateral strain and the band
is shod with metal blocks which can be renewed from time to time. The effect
of these improvements is to avoid an unequal strain on either wheel or frame
the brake is more efficient and more durable and by the special device hereafter
referred to on the handle bar the steering of the machine is not interfered with
when the brake is applied. In order that my said invention may be more clearly
understood and readily carried into effect I will proceed with the aid of the
accompanying drawings more fully to describe the same.
Figure 1 is a diagram of the back wheel of a bicycle with my invention
applied thereto.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same showing section in upper part.
Figure 3 is a view of the handle bar showing my mode of working the brake.
Like parts are marked with similar letters of reference in all the figures.
A is the steel disc above referred to which is by means of an adapting bush B
fitted on to the hub of the wheel on the side opposite to the
drive wheel but although fitted on to the hub is not fastened thereto
but held in position by studs C C projecting from the side of the steel disc
towards the centre or plane of the wheel. To these studs are attached
spokes D D (additional to and independent of the spokes of the wheel) and which
spokes engage with the rim of the wheel to which they are drawn up by the
usual sleeve nuts. In the drawings I have shown 8 of such spokes which I
consider sufficient for the purpose of a bicycle or tricycle although I do not
limit the number which may be more or less according to the nature of the
vehicle the object of the spokes being to take the brake resistance tangentially
from all parts of the wheel. The spokes D are fitted in the annular space between
the ordinary spokes on either side of the wheel. The edge of the disc is turned
te an angle so as to engage with the grooves on the blocks F hereafter mentioned.

page_text: The brake consists of a band of steel, E, e, like the usual band brake but fitted
or shod on the inside with removable blocks F of some suitable material (pre-
ferably gun metal) and with a groove (preferably of a V shape) cut on the inner
face of such blocks to engage with the edge of the steel disc A. I prefer that
these blocks should have spaces between them and the number shown on Figure 1
(viz. 8) is a convenient number for a bicycle. By this means any mud or grit is
effectually scraped off at the end of each separate block thus avoiding injury
to the brake by grit as in the case of the usual band brake also the blocks can
be readily renewed from time to time as worn out and undue heating of the
band is avoided. In some cases as for instance for a motor car or heavy machine
the same principle can be applied by having more than one disc-also it may in
some cases be convenient for the inner faces of the blocks to have a flat surface
working on the cylindrical face of the edge of disc or discs. One end of the
steel band E is free to be operated by a lever attached to a small bracket fixed
to the bottom bar of the machine. This bracket also serves to support the fixed
end of the band e which is continued by means of a stout wire G to the bolt at
the seat pillar and is provided with a sleeve nut H so that the brake may be
from time to time drawn up and tightened as may be necessitated by the wearing
down of the blocks.
By means of this support the frame of the bicycle is relieved from all side
strain, the pull from the revolving disc being upon the end e of the band brake
which produces direct tension with the bolt at seat pillar by means of the wire G.
This converts the strain into end-strain upon the back stay. The brake may be
operated either by a cord or wire or preferably by means of light rods and bell
crank levers as shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the special device at the front
handle bar shown in Figure 3 which consists of a box lever at J fitted by a clip
to top bar of the bicycle in a way to avoid any side projection.
From the box lever there is pivotted a link K which carries a loop L arranged
to hang concentrically round the front tube of the frame and operated from the
handle bar by means of a lever and sliding rod. This allows perfect freedom of
steering with the brake on or off.
Having thus described the nature of my said invention and the mode in
which I carry the same into effect I declare that what I claim is:-
First. The mode herein described of a band brake operating upon a disc A
supported by independent spokes D) attached to the rim of the wheel of a bicycle
motor car or other vehicle substantially as and for the purposes herein shown
and described.
Secondly. The removable blocks F attached to the band brake with intervals
or air spaces between them and acting upon the edge of the said steel disc A
substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and described.
Thirdly. The attachment of the fixed end of the band e by continuing the
same to the bolt under the seat bar by means of a stout wire ( and sleeve nut
substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and described.
Dated this 31st day of May 1900
LESLIE ANTILL,
1, Gresham Buildings, Basinghall Street, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant,
John Ebenezer Grout
LESLIE ANTILL,
1, Gresham Buildings, Basinghall Street, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant,
John Ebenezer Grout