Improvements in Velocipedes and in Brakes therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 8th Sept. 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes and in Brakes therefor.
I, EDUARD TISCHBERGER, of 10 Burgstrasse, Bergzabern, Pfalz, Germany,
Owner of a Medical Institute, 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 main object of this invention is to provide a brake for velocipedes which
can be actuated by the rider leaning backwards. The invention has also for its
object to construct an improved form of velocipede to suit this brake.
On the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the subject matter of this
invention,
Fig. 1 is a side view of the velocipede,
Fig. 2 shows the brake mechanism to an enlarged scale and illustrates its mode
of operation,
Fig. 3 shows the construction of the driving wheel and its pedal mechanism,
and
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the driving hub and adjacent parts.
The brakes at present in use on velocipedes are operated by a lever fixed to the
handle bar. As, however, the brake is mostly needed, when the rider wishes to
drive more slowly, owing to an obstacle or on account of the speed being too great;
and, as, in such cases, the rider must keep a firm hold of the handles, it very often
happens that he is unable to seize the brake lever. This invention has for its
object to remedy this defect and to enable the rider to use his hands exclusively
for holding the handle bar.
As shown in the accompanying drawings a back a is arranged at the rear end of
the saddle and to this back a sleeve, a', is fitted, the sides of which press against a
lever boscillating on the fulcrum c fastened to the frame of the vehicle. If the
rider leans backwards against the back, a, i.e. if he moves in a direction opposite
to that of the motion of the vehicle the bar or link z is pressed forward in such
a manner that the brake shoe i, d, g, fastened to the frame is pressed against the
tyre. Two lugs, e', e" are fastened to the saddle frame serving to guide the bolt f
which is screwed into the back a. A spiral spring e is fastened on the bolt
between these two lugs and presses, at the one side, against the lug e², and at the
other side, against the pin fi fitted in the bolt. By this mechanism the back, and
with it the whole brake mechanism is, after being moved, brought back into its
original position of rest.
As shown at Fig. 2 the brake shoe is so constructed that the rider can apply
the brake accurately, even if the tyre be wet. It also prevents stones injuring
the tyre which is a great advantage when pneumatic tyres with thin walls
are used.
The brake shoe consists of a forked arm 9 which is fulcrummed at d to the
lower part of the frame, which it embraces. The shoe is provided with three
rollers k, h,, the one being carried between the prongs of the fork and the
others h, being secured on pins 2 set nearly at right angles to the axis of the
roller k.
The new brake acts as follows:-
If the driver presses against the back a, the sleeve a', presses against the lever b
in such a manner, that the bar z is pressed forward, and moves the brake shoe so
that it goes down at g, and causes the brake rollers k h and h¹ to compress the tyre
thereby effecting a sure and certain action of the brake.

page_text: If the brake is to be put out of action, the pressure on the back a must cease,.
and the spring e be allowed to bring the back a into its original position, thereby,
by means of the sleeve a¹, pressing the lever b forward and retracting the bar z.
The backward movement of bar pulls the brake shoe into its original position and
away from the tyre.
2
This new vehicle is best constructed with a high back wheel provided with a
driving axle and a low fore wheel provided with a loosely running axle, both these
wheels being connected by a simple are shaped frame as represented in Figure 1.
For utilizing the weight of the rider as propelling power the pressure from the
saddle is not communicated as has been generally the case, directly to the axle of
the driving wheel, but to two jointed collars n, n'; for this purpose the saddle
carrier m (see Fig. 3) is made fork shape. The carrier m which is guided on the
arm a of the frame by means of guide pieces B, has screwed holes at its lower ends
and into these holes screwed projections n², n³ on the collars n n', are screwed. The
pressure exerted by the weight of the rider on the back a is communicated by
means of the collars n and n to the two cams o and o¹ which are keyed firmly on
the driving axle to which the treadles p are fastened. An india rubber buffer or
cushion ring or ferrule is fitted between the crown of the fork and the lower lug
of the ball head for neutralizing the concussion acting on the steering bar and for
facilitating by its resiliency the steering of the wheel. The fork is of the usual
construction.
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 consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. In velocipedes a brake actuated by the rider leaning back in the saddle,
characterised by a back a which is fastened to the saddle, and has a sleeve a¹ which
acts on the brake rod said back a being brought back into its original position by
means of a spiral spring e fastened within the saddle, substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the drawings annexed.
2. The combination with a brake operated as set forth in Claim 1, of the three
rollers k, h, h for transmitting the pressure to the periphery of the wheel substan-
tially as herein before described aud shown on the drawings annexed.
3. A bicycle constructed so that the pressure on the saddle is transmitted by
means of a fork shaped saddle carrier to two cams fitted on the driving axle
for the purpose of utilizing the rider's weight as an aid in the propulsion of the
vehicle, substantially as herein before described with reference to the drawings
annexed.
4. The combination with a bicycle constructed as set forth in Claim 3, of a
buffer or cushion ring r fitted between the crown of the steering wheel fork and
the lower lug of the ball head, substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the drawings annexed.
Dated this 26th day of January 1894.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.