An Improved Construction of Band Brake for Cycles and like Velocipedes, actuated by Back-pedalling.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Construction of Band Brake for Cycles and like
Velocipedes, actuated by Back-pedalling.
We, ARTHUR HOUGHTON ROGERS, Cycle Manufacturer, and HENRY WILLIAM
PATRICK, Manager, both of 58, Ludgate Hill, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to that type of brake which is put into operation by a
back-pedalling movement on the part of the rider and out of operation again by a
sharp forward pedalling movement of corresponding strength to that of the back
pedalling movement, the moving parts of the said brake being carried upon that
end of the cycle's back wheel hub which carries the small chain wheel, the fixed
part, upon which the brake band is applied, being carried and made in one with
the back wheel's spindle. The putting into action of such a brake is automatic
as a back pedalling movement is an instinctive one when descending a steep incline,
and by applying the brake to the back wheel hub of the machine all injury to
the surface of the tyre by the application of a brake thereon, is avoided.
In constructing a band brake according to this invention the chain wheel side
of the back wheel hub is formed with an elongated and slightly enlarged end outside
its collar. Mounted fixedly upon this elongated end and attached to the adjoining
collar of the hub by rivetting is a circular carrier plate having two projecting studs
fixed at equal distances on its outside face, and a screwed pin rivetted thereto, the
latter being disposed at an equal distance between the two said studs. A sinall
chain wheel having three semi-circular slots of a suitable length cut in its presented
face, and at equal distances between its teeth-carrying periphery and its central
piercing, takes by screwing upon a part of the elongated hub end externally
screwed to receive it, and so as to lie close up against the said circular bearing
plate, and so that the studs and screwed pin carried by the latter may work and
engage in the semi-circular slots carried by the small chain wheel. The elongated
hub end outside the small chain wheel is circumferentially grooved for the reception
of a circular tensioning ring, a projection or lug on the latter taking into a cut-
away part in the small chain wheel so as to prevent the said tensioning ring's inde-
pendent rotation. This tensioning ring has two free and enlarged ends having screwed
holes therein for the reception of a tightening-up screw, so that the same may be
tensioned up to any required degree on the circumferentially grooved end of the
hub body so as to prevent, to a certain degree, free rotation of the small chain wheel
in a backward direction.
Situated within the set back presented face of the small chain or cog wheel,
and so as to encircle a fixed circular bearing plate made in one with the back
wheel spindle, is a hardened circular steel band, having its inner face covered or faced
with leather or a suitable composition of rubber. This hardened steel band is
formed with free ends having circular holes therein, which said holes take
respectively onto the screwed fixed pin on the circular bearing plate, and a screwed
pin rivetted to the outer presented face of the small chain wheel; the said screwed
pins being provided with small nuts or washers for affixing the ends of the steel

page_text: band thereon. The screwed pin on the bearing plate is of course immovable, while
the screwed pin carried by the small chain wheel has a circumferential movement
equal to the travel of the latter's slots on their respective studs. A square piece
formed upon the outside face of the bearing plate, and onto which the slotted ends of
the fork take, effectually prevents any rotation of the same when the brake is
applied.
Upon back pedalling the small chain wheel is turned backwards as far as the
fixed studs engaging in the slotted parts will allow it, this part backward rotation,
which is regulated to take place easily or stifly according to the strength of the
rider, causing the steel band, the one end of which is fixed immovably to the
carrier plate, and the other end carried round by the small chain wheel, to bind itself
tightly against the fixed circular bearing plate carried by the spindle.
F
An Improved Construction of Band Brake for Cycles and like
Velocipedes, actuated by Back-pedalling.
We, ARTHUR HOUGHTON ROGERS, Cycle Manufacturer, and HENRY WILLIAM
PATRICK, Manager, both of 58, Ludgate Hill, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
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:—
6:
This invention is an improved brake for velocipedes, and is of that class which are
fitted to a wheel's centre and are put into operation by a cease-pedalling" or back-
pedalling action on the part of the rider. The putting into action of such a brake
is practically automatic, in consequence of a back-pedalling movement on the part of
the rider being an instinctive one when it is desired to retard the forward movement
of a velocipede.
The invention will be best understood when described in connection with the
accompanying sheet of drawings, on which reference letters are used to denote the
various parts.
In the said sheet the invention is shown as applied to the one and
chain wheel side of the rear hub of a velocipede wheel; Fig. 1 being a longitudinal
vertical section through the said hub on the chain wheel side; Fig. 2 a side elevation,
and Fig. 3 a side sectional elevation with some of the parts of the brake mechanism
removed. In Fig. 4 the component parts of the brake mechanism, as assembled in
Fig. 1, are shown separated, and in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, face views are shown of the
parts A, B, C, and D in Fig. 4.
The hub a upon its chain wheel side has rigidly connected to it a carrier plate a²,
which, although shown as a detachable part screwed upon the said hub-end and
locked in position by a ring nut c, is for all practical purposes a fixture with the said
hub end. This carrier plate has upon its outer face two short studs a³, a, and an
outstanding pin or peg a³, which respectively engage slots d², d³, dt, formed transversely
through the side or web of the chain wheel, d, which latter is mounted with its face
to the carrier plate, loosely over a portion of the exterior surface of the ring nut c
before referred to, the said chain wheel having a freedom of movement in respect of
the carrier plate a² equal to the length of the slots d², d³; the said studs ³, a³, as
aforesaid, forming stops to the chain wheel's movement. This chain wheel also
carries upon its outer face an outstanding pin or peg d³, similar to the one a³ on the

page_text: carrier plate, and a cut-away part do is formed within it near its bore, with which
engages a projecting part g2 of a split tensioning band or ring 9, which is adapted to
make frictional contact with a cylindrical part or collar, c², formed upon the ring
nut c, which moves as one with the hub a, the said ring nut being locked
upon the hub's end by a disc e which screws into the bore of the said
hub end, and which forms half of a race for the anti-friction balls e² of
the axle's bearing. This tensioning band or ring g is rigidly connected to
the chain wheel by the projecting part 2 and moves only with it, but it is also
frictionally connected to the part of the hub (through the ring nut c) by being
closed in upon and around the said part c² so as to grip it; in consequence of which
the chain wheel's retrograde or backward movement is sometimes only possible by the
exertion of sufficient force to turn the tensioning ring g upon the part c² of the ring
nut on which it is mounted. The free ends g³, g, of the tensioning ring or band
are coupled by a set pin g, which passes through the one end and screws into the
other, and the screwing up of which effects a tighter grip of the said ring or band
upon the part it surrounds. Thus, it will be seen that the amount of force required
to turn the chain wheel backwards can be adjusted by the simple operation of the set
ping to either cause the tensioning ring to grip upon the part c² it surrounds, more
or less as may be needed; it being understood that in the forward movement of the
said chain wheel, the hub and the tensioning ring and the carrier plate all rotate
together.
The axle or spindle i carries upon it a cylindrical part m, around the periphery m²
of which a resilient band takes, the said band always tending to close in auto-
matically upon the said periphery. This cylindrical part m is shown as engaging the
extremity o of the back fork ends of the cycle's frame, but this is not necessary so
long as it (the cylindrical part) is fitted to the spindle i, or on the frame of a cycle,
so as to constitute a non-rotating part. The resilient band n is of hardened and
tempered steel, and is lined with leather or other suitable material n², of a breadth
equal to that of the periphery of the cylindrical part m, and its free ends ³, n³, are
respectively connected to the outstanding pins a, d, upon the carrier plate and the
chain wheel, so that the grip of the said band n upon the periphery of the part m is
controlled by the positions of the pins a, d, in respect of each other; for example in
Figs. 1 and 2, the resilient band is shown as free of the cylindrical part m, because
the distance between the pins a³, d, is sufficient to open the said band; this
position of the pins being maintained against the closing-in tendency of the band n,
by the greater frictional resistance the tension ring g offers against moving upon its
mounting c². In the majority of cases this position is the normal one, as the brake
is free and out of action and cannot be put into action without a back-pedalling
action to cause a slight retrogade movement of the chain wheel d upon its mounting
in order to bring the pins a, d, closer together, and in order to do this the frictional
resistance of the tensioning ring g must first be overcome by the back-pedalling
action of the rider; the said frictional resistance being one capable of being adjusted
by the screwing up or loosening out of the tensioning ring's set pin g5.
In some cases the closing of the band n may be so governed by the grip of the
tensioning ring upon the hub that immediately a forward pedalling movement of a
rider ceases the said band may grip the cylindrical part m and thereby be retarded,
whilst so long as a pedalling action is set up the said band n is free running around
the said cylindrical part.
From the foregoing it will be obvious that the back pedalling power required in
order to bring into action the brake can be adjusted to any degree by the amount of
the frictional grip of the tensioning ring upon the surface of the hub it surrounds, and
that the same can be adjusted to suit a rider of any class.
In the brake described the chief feature is that should the tensioning baud at any
time break or become inoperative, in consequence of the stripping of the thread of
its set pin, the resilient band automatically grips onto the cylindrical part it
surrounds, and the speed of the machine would be instantly retarded. Thus is the
brake a safe one,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
First. In a brake of the kind described, the combination of a rotating part such as
a hub, a chain or gear wheel capable of a retrograde movement mounted on said hub,
a stationary cylindrical part upon the cycle's frame or the axis of the hub, and a
resilient closing-in band surrounding the said cylindrical part with the tendency
always to grip onto it, and whose one end is connected to the chain or gear
wheel and whose other end is connected to a portion on the hub, substantially as
described.
Second. In a brake of the kind described, the combination of a hub a having a
cylindrical part upon its one end, a carrier plate a² carried rigid upon said hub and
fitted with a pin a, a chain or gear wheel d capable of a retrograde movement and
having upon it a pin de mounted on said hub, a tensioning ring g carried by said
chain or gear wheel and which surrounds and grips onto the part c² of the hub
frictionally, a stationary cylindrical part such as carried either upon the cycle's
frame or upon the stationary spindle or axis of the hub, and a resilient automatically
closing-in band n surrounding the part m so as to be capable of gripping it, and
whose one end is connected to the pin d on the chain or gear wheel, and whose other
end is connected to the pin a³ on the carrier plate, substantially as described and set
forth.
Third. In a brake of the kind described, the combination with a hub a and spindle
or axis journalled therein, of an attached carrier plate a having parts a³, at, as
upon it, a ring nut c having a cylindrical portion and which screws on the hub
end to lock the carrier plate, a chain or gear wheel mounted on said carrier plate
in the manner described, and which has a pin d upon it, a split tensioning ring g
carried by said chain or gear wheel and which grips around the part c² of the ring
nut, a stationary cylindrical part m carried upon the spindle or axle i, or upon the
cycle's framing, and a resilient closing-in band n surrounding the part m so as to be
capable of automatically gripping it if unchecked, and whose one end n³ is connected
to the peg a, and whose other end n is connected to the peg d+, substantially as
described and set forth.
Fourth. In a brake of the kind described the combination of a rotating part such
as a hub, a chain or gear wheel capable of a retrograde movement mounted on said
hub, a tensioning ring carried by said chain or gear wheel and which surrounds and
grips variably onto a part of the said hub, a stationary cylindrical part either carried
upon the cycle's frame or upon the spindle or axis of the hub, and a resilient closing-
in band (having the power under certain conditions of self application) surrounding
the part m so as to be capable of gripping it automatically, and whose one end is
connected to the chain or gear wheel, and whose other end is connected to a fixed
part on the hub, substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 8th day of June 1800
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Also of Liverpool, London, and Manchester,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.