Improvements in Brakes for Oyoles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 11th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1897
Improvements in Brakes for Oyoles.
I, MARY ISABELLA WILKINS of 139 Lower Ashley Road in the City and
County of Bristol Cycle Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of a new and improved brake for cycles, and the
mechanism is partly concealed in the hollow head of the machine, directly above
the leading wheel.
The head is fitted internally at its lower end with a rigid sleeve or bush of
cylindrical form.
The said bush is closed at each end, and the said ends are provided with holes
for the reception of the brake plunger, and to guide the said plunger in a vertical
direction.
A slot or keyway is provided in the lower end of the said bush, and a projection
or key fitted upon the plunger, engages with the said slot with the object of
preventing rotation of the plunger.
A spring of helical form surrounds the plunger for a portion of the length of the
Bame, and the said spring is pressed between a projection on the plunger, and the
upper end of the beforementioned bush.
This said spring restores the brake plunger in a vertical direction, when it has
been operated.
The plunger is formed of a hollow tube, screwed internally at its upper end for
the reception of a connecting rod. The said connecting rod is in effect a
continuation of the plunger, and the screwed joint allows of vertical adjustment
of the plunger.
The connecting rod is continued through the hollow head, and by way of a hole
in the handle bar, projects above the head, and exterior to the same.
At its upper end the connecting rod is jointed movably to one end of a short
link, and the said link at its other end is movably jointed to a hand operated lever
of common form.
The said hand operated lever has its fulcrum in a lug and pin fitted to the handle
bar in common form.
Any suitable form of brake block may be fitted to the brake plunger herein
described, and the brake block is brought into contact with the leading wheel by
the vertical motion of the plunger operated by the hand lever, link, and connecting
rod described.
The brake block is located between the fork of the leading wheel, and directly
above the said wheel.
Dated this 26th day of March 1896.

page_text: improvements ID Brakes for Oycles.
I, MARY ISABELLA WILKINS of Lower Ashley Road in the City and County
of Bristol, Cycle 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 :-
In my improved cycle brake the greater part of the mechanism is fitted inside
the inner tube of the head of the machine, and these parts being concealed are
more cheaply made and maintained than is the case with exposed fittings which
require plating and polishing.
The said concealed parts are not liable to fracture or derangement, and the
machine to which they are attached is therefore less liable to be placed beyond
control of the rider in case of an accident. The appearance of the machine is
enhanced by the absence of projections upon the front of the head.
Having reference to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents a vertical
section through the tubular head of a cycle, and shows the head A, with inner
tube A', a tightly fitted cylindrical liner A', with closed ends; a plunger B, having
motion vertically through holes in the ends of the said liner centrally, and the
plunger guided in the said holes. A key C is fitted to or formed upon the plunger,
and engages with a slot cut in the lower end of the liner A' to prevent rotation
of the plunger, which would tend to throw the brake block D out of line with the
tyre D¹.
A helical spring E encircles the plunger above the said liner, and rests upon the
liner; a pin F above the spring, compresses the spring when the plunger is
depressed; and the said pin serves as a thrust when the spring, extends after
pressure is removed from the brake operating lever. The spring thus restores the
plunger after operation of the brake.
A connecting rod G is screwed into the plunger at y, and the said rod is in
effect a part of the plunger. The connecting rod is continued through the handle
bar K movably, and is jointed at its upper end to a link H, at g'. The said link
has an eye formed at each end, and the said eyes engage with pins movably where
the link is jointed to the connecting rod at g¹, and to the hand lever J, at g³. Two
links as H, are sometimes used.
The hand lever J, is hinged in a lug L, on the handle bar of the machine.
Fig. 2 is a part front elevation of the handle bar K, the lug L, hand lever J,
link H, movably jointed at g¹ g³, connecting rod G passing through the handle bar
vertically.
Fig. 3 is a part vertical section to enlarged scale, through the inner tube A¹,
which oscillates with the steering wheel. The fitted liner A' secured at M with a
screw, or brazed in. The plunger B, key C, brake block D, helical spring E,
thrust pin F, connecting rod G, with an eye at g', corresponding with the eye on
the link H. That is to say, the eye may be either in the link, or in the rod, and
similarly the jointing pin may be on the link or the rod, alternatively, or the eyes
may be formed in both the rod and the link, and a jointing pin passed through the
eyes to form the movable joint. The connecting rod is screwed at g, for jointing,
and for adjustment vertically.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan through the fixed liner A³, the plunger B, and key C.
Fig. 5 shows the link H, and connecting rod G to an enlarged scale, and of
alternative form.
Fig. 6 shows a convenient method for operating the brake plunger without hand
lever and link, if these are dispensed with for the sake of appearance, The

page_text: plunger is here fitted with a pressing piece N, curved to fit over the handle bar
when depressed by the hand.
My improved brake is operated by the hand lever J which imparts motion to
the guided plunger through the movable link H, and connecting rod G. The
spring E, is compressed, and when released, it restores the plunger in a vertical
direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. In a partly concealed cycle brake, a movable link jointed as shown and for
the purpose named.
2. In a partly concealed cycle brake, the combination with an extended plunger,
adjustable and spring controlled as shown; of a link also as shown; the said
link jointed movably to the said plunger, and to a hinged lever as shown and
described.
3. In a partly concealed cycle brake, the combination of parts described, with a
rigid liner supporting the plunger as shown.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1896.
M. I. WILKINS.