Year: 1897

page_text: man,
-
I, GEORGE WILLIAM BULLEN, of 17, Thorncombe Road, East Dulwich, Gentle-
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
The brake is applied to the rim of either wheel, preferably the back one,
by means of a bridge placed behind the forks. The bridge is jointed in the centre
of the arch, the two halves being connected with a pin to which the upward pull
is applied. The bottom of each side of the bridge is bent inwards and bears a
friction pad to press against the rim. On force being applied to the pin of the
jointed bridge, the tendency is for the pads to slip away from the rim. This is
prevented by two ears, fixed to the lower part of the arms, which bear against the
inside of the forks. In these ears I sometimes place small screws, the heads of
which then form the bearing. By screwing these in or out, the position of the
pads with regard to the spokes is adjustable, and the same bridge may be used
for machines with different width of fork. The pads are pulled from the rim by
springs. By simply disconnecting these springs, the whole bridge may be re-
moved, without deflating the tyre or taking off the mud-guard. The bridge may
be of sufficient width to bear against the back of the forks or be prevented from
a forward motion by means of stops inside the forks.
The upward pull is applied by means of rods, a chain, or strand, conducted round
the frame by means of levers, pulleys or portions of bent tube, and may be
actuated by the usual plunger-brake lever, or by a special lever, which may either
give a direct pull on the mechanism, or work a ratchet wheel which winds up
the chain or strand. The ratchet motion gives a longer pull, takes up any slack,
and removes all strain from the rider when descending a long hill. By freeing
the detent, the brake is liberated.
In the case of my side-steering bicycle, No. 23,889, 1896, the power may be
communicated in the above mentioned ways, or direct to the centre of the bridge
by means of a bent lever and connecting-rod.

page_text: I, GEORGE WILLIAM BULLEN, of 17, Thorncombe Road, East Dulwich, Gentle-
man, 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:-
:―
The brake is applied to the rim of either wheel, preferably the back one as illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings, by means of a bridge placed behind the
fork or stays.
Fig. 1, shows a back view of the brake:
Fig. 2, a side view of the same with part of the stay removed:
Fig. 3, a plan of the friction-pad-clip and adjuster:
Fig. 4, the method of applying the brake by thumb pressure in the case of my
side-steering bicycle No. 23,889, A.D. 1896:
Fig. 5, the same method applied to an ordinary handle-bar.
The bridge A¹ A3 is jointed in the centre of the arch, the two halves being
connected by a pin B, to which the upward pull is applied. The bottom of each
side of the bridge is bent inwards and hears a friction pad C1 C2 to press against
the rim D. On force being applied to the pin B of the jointed bridge, the tendency
is for the pads to slip away from the rim. This is prevented by two cars El Es
being fixed to the lower part of the arms, which bear against the inside of the
stays GG. In the ears I sometimes place small screws FF, the heads of
which then form the bearing. By screwing these in or out the position of the
pads with respect to the spokes is adjustable & the same bridge may be used for
machines with different width of stays. The pads are pulled from the rim by any
convenient springs attached to the stays or to clips thereon, such as the spiral
springs HH shown. In order to keep the cars 2 or the screw-heads FIF³
well pressed against the stays, an additional flat or wire spring J, held in position
by the pin B, may be placed under the joint of the bridge. By simply disconnect-
ing the springs H₁H from the stays, the whole bridge may be removed by un-
hooking at K, without deflating or taking off the mudguard L. The bridge is
shown of sufficient width to hear against the back of the two stays, but it may be
narrower, to come inside them, in which case stops are fixed inside to keep it in
position.
The upward pull is preferably applied by means of a steel wire strand or chain
as shown, conducted round the frame by means of levers, pulleys or portions of
bent tube, and may be actuated by means of the usual plunger-brake-lever (not
shown) or by a special thumb lever M' M³ as shown, by which the wire is wound
round a small wheel N1 N2, which has an adjustable pin P, passing through the
two jaws of the thumb lever & one of the holes in the wheel, by which means any
slack in the strand may be taken up. A very slight movement of the thumb
suffices to put the brake into operation.
The friction-pad-clip shown provides for a large wearing surface by means of
the screws RR, which allow the pad to be easily pushed up as required: but I
sometimes employ a fixed pad in connection with the rest of the mechanism.
The drawings show the brake applied to stays of D section but it may also
be used with round or oval stays with slight modification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The construction & arrangement of a rim brake substantially as herein
described and shown.

page_text: 2. In a rim brake, a jointed bridge and adjusting screws bearing against the
forks or stays, substantially as herein described and shown and for the purposes
specified.
3. In a brake working with a strand or chain, a thumb lever combined with
an adjusting wheel, substantially as herein described and shown and for the
purposes specified.