IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Harrington, of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES."
Sealed the andamban 1070
the Ont ManaL 100
-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Harrington at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st March 1878.
JOHN HARRINGTON, of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES
AND TRICYCLES."
The Invention has for its object improvements in bicycles and tricycles, and
consists in the application of improved break apparatus to the front or driving
wheel. For this purpose I apply to the hub or nave of the front or driving wheel'
à small break wheel or boss, to which I apply a friction strap, or band of metal or
other suitable material. One end of this break band is fixed to the fork, and the
other end is connected by a wire, chain, or other suitable connection to a lever
mounted on the steering handle, which lever may be operated by the thumb or
hand when it is required to apply the break; or the connection from the break strap
may be connected directly to the handle, which may be rotated to apply and
remove the break; or the break strap may be connected to a lever operated by the
foot,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Harrington in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
September 1878.
JOHN HARRINGTON, of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight.
AND TRICYCLES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES
The Invention has for its object improvements in bicycles and tricycles, and
consists in the application of improved break apparatus to the front or driving
wheel. For this purpose I form on the hub or nave of the front or driving wheel
a small break wheel or boss, to which I apply a friction strap or band constructed
of a flat linked chain, lined on the inside with leather. One end of this break band
is fixed to the fork, and the other end is connected by a wire, chain, or other
suitable connection to a lever fixed to a tube mounted on the steering handle,
which lever may be operated by the thumb or hand when it is required to apply
the break.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS,
Figure 1 is a sectional side view of parts of a bicyelo with my Invention applied
thereto; Figure 2 is a sectional front view of the same; and Figures 3 and 4 are
respectively a sectional side view and a sectional front view of parts of the same,
drawn full size.
a is the rim; b, b, are some of the wire spokes; c, c, are the hubs or bosses of
the wheel; & is the axle; e, e, are the treadle levers; fis the fork; and g, g, are
the steering handles.
According to my present Invention I form on each hub or boss ca break wheel h,
and I apply around the same a friction band i formed of a flat linked chain lined
on the inner side with a strip of leather. The chain and strip of leather are fixed
at one end to one end of the bar j, which is fixed to the fork f, whilst the other end
of the chain is passed through a forked guide formed at the other end of the bar j,
and runs against a roller j¹ mounted in such forked guide. The end of the chain is
attached to one end of a wire k, the other end of which is connected to a lever l¹
fixed to the tube 1, encircling and loosely fitting the bar of the steering handles, on
which tube is also fixed a lever 12, which can, when the break is required to be
applied, be pressed by the thumb of the rider, thereby causing the friction band i
to be tightened upon the break wheel h. By forming a break wheel on each hub
or boss of the driving wheel, and applying thereto a friction band, as represented in
the Drawings, I am enabled to apply as little or as much break power to the driving
wheel as may be required.
I would here remark that since filing my Provisional Specification I have dis-
covered that a single break wheel had previously been fixed to one of the hubs or
bosses of the driving wheel of a bicycle, but in such case the friction band was
formed of spring steel, to which blocks of wood or other suitable substance were
fixed, and the friction band was connected by a rod or wire to one end of a lever
mounted on an axis of motion in lugs or projections on the bar of the steering
handles. This arrangement was however unsightly and inconvenient on account
of the break lever standing above the spindle of the steering handles; and, further,
only one break was applied, and the mode of applying the break wheel was expen-
sive and clumsy, and the break band was not so effective in use as that herein
shown and described.
For the above reasons I desire to disclaim, and I do hereby disclaim the employ-
ment generally considered of a break wheel mounted on the axle of the driving

page_text: wheel, and a friction band or strap operated by a lever mounted on the bar of the
steering handles; but what I claim is, the employment of a break wheel formed on
each boss or hub of the driving wheel, and applying thereto a break band constructed
of a flat linked chain lined on the inside with a strip of leather, and operated by a
thumb lever fixed to a tube encircling and loosely fitting the bar of the steering
handles in manner substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Harrington, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
J. HARRINGTON. (L.S.)