IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1885

page_text: I JOSEPH DEVEY of the Ashes Great-Brick-Kiln Street, Wolverhampton in the
County of Staffordshire, Bicycle and Tricycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of iny said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
VELOCIPEDES," to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the construction and arrangement of a brake for those
bicycles, and tricycles which are steered by a small front wheel by means of a
transverse handle bar. I construct and arrange my brake as follows:-I mount
the small steering wheel in a fork in the usual manner, and to the top of the fork
I attach a tube which extends upwards and carries at the top the transverse
steering handle bar. To any convenient part of this tube I fix two snugs to carry
the centres forming the head, by which the front wheel is attached to the main
frame of the machine, and by which it is allowed to turn for the purpose of
steering the machine; or the tube may be passed up through a socket carried by
the main frame, in a manner similar to that already adopted in some machines of
this type.
Down through the tube attached to the fork carrying the steering wheel I pass
a rod or plunger, fitting in suitable bearings at the top and bottom of the tube so
that it may slide freely up and down therein. On the bottom of this rod or
plunger is fixed a spoon brake which when the rod or plunger is pressed down
bears on the periphery of the steering wheel and acts a brake. A suitable spring
is provided to keep the spoon brake off the wheel unless force is exerted to apply
it. On the top of the rod or plunger is hinged a hand lever which lies above the
transverse handle bar, and is of a convenient length to be manipulated by the rider.
The band lever is extended in the opposite direction for a short distance beyond
the hinge by which it is coupled to the brake rod or plunger, and terminates in a
circular projection which engages in a hole in a bracket fixed to the tube that
carries the handle bar, and thus forms a fulcrum by which the rod or plunger may
be depressed, and the brake applied by pressing down the hand lever. Instead of
hinging the hand lever to the rod or plunger it may be hinged to a bracket fixed
to the handle bar or its support, and may either bear on, or be coupled with, the
top of the rod or plunger.
It will be seen that the brake is applied by pressing on the band lever, and not
by grasping it in connection with the handle bar, and consequently the weight of

page_text: the rider can be utilized in applying the brake, and the very act of applying it
intensifies the weight on the small wheel and so prevents it skidding, which has
hitherto been the great objection to applying the brake to the small wheel.
When the transverse handle bar is made adjustable in height I make the brake
rod or plunger adjustable in length, preferably by forming it in two pieces one
of which screws within the other, so that by unshipping the hand lever from its
fulcrum and turning the top part of the brake rod or plunger round, its length may
be increased or diminished as desired, the spoon brake fitting between the prongs
of the fork prevents the lower part of the brake rod or plunger from turning round
in the act of adjusting its length.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
I JOSEPH DEVEY of The Ashes Great Brick-Kiln Street Wolverhampton in the
County of Staffordshire Bicycle & Tricycle 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:-
My invention relates to the construction and arrangement of a brake for those
bicycles and tricycles which are steered by a small front wheel by means of a trans-
verse handle bar. I construct and arrange my brake as shown by Figs. 1 and 2,
of the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 being a side elevation and Fig. 2 a front
elevation of the arrangement; (similar parts being marked with like letters of
reference throughout the views).
+
I mount the small steering wheel A in a fork B in the usual manner, and to the
top of the fork I attach a tube C which extends upwards and carries at the top
the transverse steering handle bar D provided with the usual handles d d. To any
convenient part of the tube C. I fix two snugs c. c. to carry the centres to receive
the neck spindle e, by which the fork carrying the front wheel is attached to the
main frame E of the machine and by which it is allowed to turn for the purpose of
steering the machine. Instead of this arrangement the tube C may be passed up
through a socket carried by the main frame E, in a manner similar to that already
adopted in some machines of this type.
Down through the tube CI pass a rod or plunger F fitting in suitable bearings
at the top and bottom of the tube, so that it may slide freely up and down therein.
On the bottom of the rod or plunger F is fixed a brake spoon G, which when the
rod or plunger F is pressed down, bears on the periphery of the steering wheel A,
and acts as a brake. A suitable spring H. is provided to keep the spoon brake off
the wheel, unless force is exerted to apply it. On the top of the rod or plunger F. is
hinged a hand lever J, which lies above the transverse handle bar and is of a con-
venient length to be manipulated by the rider. The hand lever J is extended in
the opposite direction for a short distance beyond the hinge or joint f by which it
is coupled to the brake rod or plunger F and terminates in a circular projection j,
which engages in a hole in a bracket K. fixed to the tube C, and thus formis a
fulcrum by which the rod or plunger F may be depressed and the brake G applied
by pressing down the hand lever J. Instead of hinging the hand lever J to the
rod or plunger F, it may be hinged to the bracket K and may either bear on,
or be coupled with, the top of the rod or plunger F.
It will be seen that the brake is applied by pressing on the hand lever and not
by grasping it in connection with the handle bar and consequently the weight of
the rider can be utilized in applying the brake and the very act of applying it
intensifies the weight on the small wheel and so prévents it skidding, which has
hitherto been the great objection to applying the brake to the small wheel.
When the transverse handle bar is made adjustable in height I make the brake
rod or plunger F. adjustable in length by forming it in two pieces, one of which
screws within the other, so that by unshipping the hand lever J, from its fulcrum

page_text: and turning the top part of the brake rod or plunger F round, its length may be
increased or diminished as desired, the spoon brake J fitting between the prongs of
the fork B preventing the lower part of the brake rod or plunger from turning
round in the act of adjusting its length.
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. The construction and arrangement of the brake of a velocipede substan-
tially as hereinbefore described and shown.
.
Second. In a spoon brake acting on the periphery of the front or steering wheel
of a velocipede the combination of the rod or plunger F, the brake spoon G the
hand lever J, and the fulcrum bracket K, all combined arranged and operating as
and for the purpose set forth.
Third. In a spoon brake acting on the periphery of the front or steering wheel
of a velocipede through a plunger working down through the steering post or head,
making the hand lever a lever of the second kind.
Fourth. In a spoon brake for velocipedes acting on the periphery of the front or
steering wheel thereof, in which the connection between the hand lever and the
brake spoon is carried down through the steering post or frame, the method of
altering the length of such connection to allow the height of the transverse handle
bar to be varied as hereinbefore set forth.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Agent for the Applicant.