Improvements in Cycle Brakes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24th June, 1892-Accepted, 30th July. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycle Brakes.
I WALTER BROOKS, trading as The Baskerville Cycle Company, of Cambridge
Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction and arrangement of brakes for cycles.
and particularly for bicycles, and its object is to provide a brake having what may
be termed an eccentric action, and, so arranged that upon a slight application
of the brake by the rider, the brake will have a tendency to act automatically.
and thus very considerably reduce the amount of manipulative force usually
applied by the rider.
In constructing and applying this my improved brake I proceed somewhat as
follows: The hand lever is similar to those at present in use, so also is the vertical
sliding rod at the lower end of which is the eccentric brake. Just above the wheel
and extending forward from the steering post is carried an arm or bracket formed
at its front end into a jaw having a joint upon which is carried the brake; the
upper part of the said brake lying in between such jaw, and extending rearwards.
Between the said joint and the steering post, the upright sliding rod is connected
to the upper side of the brake by a suitable joint. The point or centre about which
the eccentric moves, and the point of connection thereto of the operating vertica!
rod, are so arranged in relation to the point of contact of the brake with the wheel,
that immediately the brake touches the wheel (when the latter is in motion) the
tendency is to pull the brake forward and downward, and thereby automatically
apply nearly if not all the brake power necessary. The more nearly vertical is
the point of brake contact with the wheel, to that of the brake centre of motion, so
is the automatic tendency increased, and vice versa. From the point of contact
with the wheel, rearwards the shape of the brake may be modified as desired.
spring as usual is employed, by which the brake is drawn off, when not required.
Further, in some cases I may carry the axial bearings of the brake upon a
spring, or they shall be caused to act upon a spring in such a manner, that should
the automatic action be too sudden or severe, the said brake shall be made to yield
bodily or in some cases the brake itself may be formed of a springy material
such as india-rubber or of a springy construction such as coiled wire &c., either
of which will obviate the said difficulty, so that a certain maximum brake power
only can be applied.
A
Thus by these means with a very slight pressure upon the lever, the necessary
brake power may be applied and sustained. The beneficial effect of this is
particularly realized when going down a long hill where under ordinary circum-
stances the rider has to continually apply a strong hand pressure upon the lever.
This arrangement of brake I may also apply to the rear wheel or wheels by
means of suitable connections being made therefrom up to the manipulating lever,
or 1 may apply it to both front and rear wheels.
Deted this 92nd day of Sentember 1891
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycle Brakes.
I, WALTER BROOKS, trading as The Baskerville Cycle Company, of Cambridge
Street, in the City of Birmingham, 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:-
This invention relates to the construction and arrangement of brakes for cycles.
and particularly for bicycles, and its object is to provide a brake having what may
be termed an eccentric action, and so arranged that upon a slight application of
the brake by the rider, the brake will have a tendency to act automatically, and
thus very considerably reduce the amount of manipulative force usually applied by
the rider.
In constructing and applying this my improved brake I proceed somewhat as
follows:-
The hand lever is similar to those at present.in use, so also is the vertical sliding
rod or plunger at the lower end of which is the eccentric brake.
Just above the wheel and extending forward from the steering post or head is
carried an arm or bracket formed at its 'front end into a jaw 'having a joint upon
which is carried the brake; the upper part of the said brake lying in between such
jaw and extending rearwards. Between the said joint .and the steering post, the
upright sliding rod is connected to the upper side of the brake by a suitable joint.
The point or.centre about which the eccentric moves, and the point of connection
thereto of the operating vertical rod, are so arranged in relation to the point of
contact of the brake with the wheel, that immediately the 'brake touches the tyre
the forward motion of the wheel'has the tendency to pull the brake forward and
downward, and thereby.automatically applying a portion if not all the brake power
necessary..
"
The more nearly vertical is the point of.brake contact with the wheel, to that of
the brake centre of motion, so is the automatic tendency increased, and vice versa,
From the point of contact with the wheel, rearwards the shape of the brake may
be modified as desired. A spring 'fixed as usual or in other convenient manner is
employed by which the brake is drawn off when not required.
Further, in some cases I may carry the axial bearings of the brake upon
a spring, or they shall be caused to act upon a spring in such a manner, that should
the automatic action be too sudden or severe, the said brake shall be made to yield
bodily or in some cases the brake itself may be. formed of a springy material such
as india rubber or of a springy construction such as coiled wire &c., either of
which will obviate the said difficulty, so that a certain maximum brake power only
can be applied.
Thus by these means with a very slight pressure upon the lever the.necessary
brake power may be applied and sustained.
The beneficial effect of this is particularly realized when going down a long hill
where under ordinary circumstances the rider has to continually apply a strong
hand pressure upon the lever.
This arrangement of brake 'I may also apply to the rear wheel or wheels by
means of suitable connections being made therefrom up to the manipulating lever;
or I.may apply it to both front and rear wheels.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1. represents the side of a steering post or head of a bicycle with the
arm or bracket extending forward and the brake jointed thereto according to my
invention.
Figure 2 represents the front view of same.
Figure 3 is a section of the arm or bracket and brake.

page_text: The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts of Figures 1, 2 and 3-
of the drawings.
A. the steering post or head.
B. the vertical sliding rod or plunger.
C. the arm or bracket having a joint at the front end upon which the brake
is carried.
D. the brake jointed to the front end of the arm or bracket.
E. the tyre of wheel.
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. The arm or bracket extending forward from the steering post or head having
at its front end a joint upon which the brake is carried substantially as herein
described & set forth and shewn in Figures 1, 2 & 3.
2. The brake having a curved outer surface carried by and jointed to the front
end of the arm or bracket in such a manner as to give it (when applied) an
eccentric and partial automatic action substantially as herein described and set
forth and shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Dated this 23rd day of June 1892.
WALTER BROOKS.