Improvements in Brakes for Perambulators and other Vehicles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 16th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for Perambulators and other Vehicles.
1, HENRY PARKIN of 8 Albert Terrace, Bow, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to a construction of brakes for perambulators bassinettes
and other vehicles in which a brake block that may be faced with leather or other
suitable material is kept normally against the tyre or rim of the wheel by the action
of a spring and is adapted to be taken off by hand.
In one arrangement, the brake block is connected by rods and a lever to the handle
that is pushed to propel the vehicle and thus whilst the vehicle is being propelled the
brake block is kept clear of the wheel but when the handle is released the spring
automatically applies the brake.
The fulcrum of the lover is in a bracket secured to a convenient part of the vehicle
and a suitable guide or guides is or are provided.
In such an arrangement there may be two levers, one of such levers being con-
nected to the brake block. The portion of rod immediately connected to the brake
block may constitute a plunger working in a cylinder or chamber containing the
spring and having the brake block hinged or jointed to it.
Instead of connecting the brake actuating rod to a lever it may itself terminate in a
hook or handle and be formed with a notch to engage with a pin or catch or equi-
valent arrangement so that when freo it will allow the brake to be applied by the
spring and when drawn back and made to engage with the pin or otherwise locked it
will keep the brake off.
In a modification of such an arrangement as last described the plunger to which
the brake block is connected has swivelled to it a knob or handle able to be rotated.
The said knob or handle is formed with a projection and there is a slot or recess in
the spring chamber or cylinder in which the plunger works.
When the projection on the knob or handle is in line with the slot or recess, if the
handle be released the spring will apply the brako but if the knob or handle be drawn
back and partly rotated so as to bring the projection to one side or other of the slot or
recess then the plunger will be held back and the brake be kopt off.
According to a further modification there is introduced between the brake block
and the plunger or rod to which it is connected a lever the fulcrum of which is
in a bracket formed with or attached to the chamber or cylinder containing the
spring.
As will be evident the details of construction may be variously modified.
Dated this 14th day of December 1888
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for Perambulators and other Vehicles.
I, HENRY PARKIN, of 8 Albert Terrace, Bow, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
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 :-
My invention has reference to a construction of brakes for perambulators, bassinettes
and other vehicles (hereinafter referred to generally as vehicles), in which a brake
block that may be faced with leather or other suitable material is kept normally

page_text: against the tyre or rim of the wheel by the action of a spring and is adapted to be
taken off by hand.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings
Fig. 1 is a side view of a perambulator fitted with a brake according to this inven-
tion and arranged to act upon one of the side wheels of such vehicle.
Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged side and plan views respectively of the brake block
with means for carrying and operating the same, the brake block being shown
applied to a wheel rim, part only of which is shown.
Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, are enlarged detail views.
1 is a brake block, carried by a plunger 2 arranged to work in a cylinder or
chamber 3 containing a spiral spring 4, and capable of being applied to the
periphery of the tyre 5 of one of the wheels of the vehicle. The cylinder or
chamber 3 is bolted to a bracket 3 that can be readily clamped to the bearing
spring 6 of the vehicle, in any desired position to suit the tyre or rim of the
wheel. 7 is a lever that extends through a slot 8 in the plunger 2. This lever
is jointed at one end to a bracket 9 carried by the cylinder or chamber 3 and at
the other end is formed with a boss 10 (Fig. 7) that is adjustably connected by
a set screw 11 to a brake actuating rod 12. Tho boss 10 may be arranged to
point towards one side or other of the vehicle according to the width of the
vehicle to which it is applied. The rod 12, which terminates in a handle 13, is
formed with a tooth 14 and passes through a slotted holder 15, the slot in which
is sufficiently long to admit of the tooth being passed therethrough for causing it
to engage with or to become disengaged from the part 16 of the holder. This
holder 15 is clamped to one of the handle bars 17 of the perambulator by a screw
bolt 18, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.
With the arrangement described, if the brake actuating rod 12 be disengaged
from the catch 15, this rod and the lever 7 will be pressed forward by the
spring 4 and the brake block will be applied to and firmly held against the wheel
tyre 5. If the rod 18 be pulled backward and the tooth 14 caused to engage
with the holder 15 the brake block will be removed from the wheel tyre and will
be held in the "off" position.
Brake apparatus constructed as described can be readily fixed to a vehicle of
the kind referred to by an unskilled person.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a vehicle fitted with a modified arrangement of
brake apparatus.
In this arrangement the plunger carrying the brake block is arranged to work
in and extend through the rear end of the cylinder or chamber 8 and is connected
by a link 20 to the extended lower end 17° of one of the handle rods 17. These
rods which are connected together are hinged or jointed to brackets 21 and serve
as a lever for withdrawing the brake block from the wheel rim or tyre when
necessary. 22, 22 are guides for the upper ends of the rods 17.
With this arrangement when the handlo 23 is pushed to propel the vehicle,
the rods 17 will partly rotate on the brackets 21, and withdraw the brake block
which will thus be kept clear of the wheel rim or tyre whilst the vehicle is being
propelled, but when the handle is released the brake block will be automatically
applied to the wheel rim or tyre by the spring.
The cylinder or chamber 3 which is fitted with a spring, as in Figs. 1 to 7,
that acts against a collar or shoulder on the plunger and against the rear end of the
chamber, is carried by a bracket adapted to be clamped to the bearing spring 6
as in the previously described arrangement of brake apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. A brake for a perambulator or other vehicle constructed with a brake block and
a spring whereby the block is forced against the tyre or rim of a wheel when the

page_text: brake is not held back in opposition to the spring by hand or by a catch substantially
as described.
2. My improved brake for perambulators or other vehicles constructed arranged
and operating as described and shewn in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive.
3. My automatic brake for perambulators or other vehicles substantially as described
with reference to Fig. 8.
Dated this 16th day of September 1889.
HENRY PARKIN.
Per L. W.