Improvements in Brakes for Cycles and like Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1898-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for Cycles and like Vehicles.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM GARDINER, Engineer, of 15, Albert Hill, Bishop Auckland,
in the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to brakes for cycles and like vehicles and refers to the rim
type wherein suitably mounted levers or links carry blocks or pads for applying
the retarding force to the exterior of the wheel rim on the operation of the levers
effected in sundry ways.
My improvements are chiefly directed to the actuation of the brake-block carry-
ing-levers with the object of obtaining a positive and efficient action in a simple
manner.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I will explain it with the
aid of the accompanying drawings illustrating its adaptation to the front wheel
of a rear driven safety bicycle from which its application to the back wheel or to
other vehicles will also be evident. In these drawings, only so much of the bicycle
is shown as is necessary to render the arrangement of the brake clear, and therein
Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations at right angles to each other indicating the parts in
the inoperative position, while Fig. 3 is a plan of a detail.
A is the wheel rim represented as being of the jointless type, but it may be of
any pattern. B is the crown of the front fork and b, b the arms or blades thereof.
C, C are the brake-blocks or pads of the ordinary material and D, D their carry-
ing-levers which may be pivoted on the crown B, or, as shown, at d, d on the
arms b, b; the forms of the retarding face of the blocks and of the lower arm of the
levers are, of course, subject to the contour of the rim. E is the rod (or tube)
depending from the brake hand lever of the cycle and o is the returning spring for
same. All these parts (with the exception of the levers D, D) are arranged as
usual.
According to my invention, I shape the ends d, d of the upper arms of the
levers D, D so as to constitute surfaces d², & inclined towards the rim A and
employ, for co-operating with these inclines d², d², a cross-bar or head-piece e¹
fixed or formed on the extremity of the rod E. Thus the bar e¹ moves in unison
with the rod E and for determining its travel stops or projections d³, d³, d³, d³ are
provided at the terminations of the inclined surfaces 2, d. The ends of the cross-
bar el co-act with the inclines &, & and they may do this directly, or through
the intervention of transverse pins, or, as shown, through rollers ², revolving
on pins e, e, thereby promoting easy working. F is a spring connecting the
levers D, D; its normal tendency is to draw the upper arms together and 'the lower
arms, with the blocks C, C, off the rim A. The lower extremities of the levers D, I)
are coupled to the fork blades b, b in such manner as to admit their radial oscilla-
tion, whilst preventing them moving forward, or away from the 'blades, whereby,
on the application of the retarding force, any disposition to "spring," with the
consequential loss 'in effect, is avoided. For this purpose, I prefer to adopt the
illustrated device consisting of a screwed spindle G furnished at one end with a
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page_text: ball which is secured, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, 'in an eye g¹ fastened to the
fork blade b, and at the other end the lever D (eyed for the purpose) 'is united by
a nut and a convex washer g³, as illustrated best 'in Fig. 2. On the portion of
the spindle G between the eye of the lever D and the eye g', nuts'g', g' are arranged,
each being situated at a sufficient distance from an 'eye to permit radial movement
of the spindle, but hinder-which is their special function-any backward bending
of the lever D, in 'the event of a misapplication of the brake; in place of these
nuts g, g, however, a spiral spring, surrounding the spindle G and normally
acting to press the lever I from the eye g', 'may be employed. I have found this
ball-ended spindle device very effective and recommend its use though it may be
substituted by an equivalent, or even dispensed with altogether without materially
affecting the action of the brake.
Having, in the preceding, described the preferred construction of my 'brake, I
will now explain its working, which is as follows:
-
On pushing down the rod E by the operation of the hand lever, the cross-bar e¹
is also depressed, whereby the rollers &², &², acting in combination with the
inclines ², d, press the upper arms of the levers 'D, D apart and therefore the
lower arms together until the blocks C, C come in contact with the rim 'A and
effect the required retardation, the spindles G, G, by turning 'on the ends 9, 9,
allowing the said lower arms to move towards the rim, but preventing their travel
along same, thereby rendering the action of the blocks C, C very efficient. When
the brake lever is released, the parts resume the initial positions under the re-
action of the springs I and e.
"
I have described and illustrated: the arrangement of the inclines d², d² and
transverse piece e¹ for actuation by a push, but, as will be obvious without further
explanation, they may be operated by a pull. Also, though I have exemplified 'my
improvements in reference to a rigid frame" cycle yet I wish it to be understood
that they are equally applicable to the "spring frame" type, such as that forming
the 'subject matter of my prior Patents No. 5361 A.D. 1892 and No. 4153 A.D.
1893, the fork lugs of the bridge 4 described in the specification of the former
patent being convenient for pivoting the levers D; D'herein referred to.
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 claim is
1-The combination of parts constituting my improved brake for cycles and
like vehicles, all arranged or adapted to operate, substantially as herein described
and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
2-In brakes of the kind referred to, brake-block carrying-levers having inclines
thereon in combination with a head-piece or cross-bar on the brake rod or tube,
all arranged and operating substantially as set forth.
3-In brakes of the kind referred to, the use and arrangement, in combination
with the block or pad carrying-levers, of the ball-ended spindle 'device or its
equivalent for coupling the said levers to the framing of the vehicle, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
4-In brakes of the kind referred to, the combination of the levers D, D having
inclines, 2, the rod or tube E with a cross-bar or head-piece e¹ and spindles G, G,
all arranged and adapted for use, substantially as herein described and shown in
the accompanying drawings.