IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR CARTS AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN SMITH, of Castle Street, Spofforth in the County of York Machine
Proprietor do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN BRAKES FOR CARTS AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in Brakes, and in the means by
which they are applied to the wheels of carts and other similar vehicles with two
or more wheels and shafts; the object being that the brake shall be applied auto-
matically, and with a power corresponding to weight of the load, or the steepness
of the road.
In applying my invention to an ordinary cart for example, I fix round the nave
on the inside of the wheel, a flat ring of iron or steel, round which, but so as not
to touch, I pass a spring hoop which forms the actual brake. To one end of the
spring hoop I secure a short chain attached to a connecting rod which extends
along the outside of the shaft to the required distance, and supported by small
pulleys or staples; another short chain attached to the rod passes through or
between guide pulleys and is taken back and connected to the breech band.
The other end of the spring hoop is secured to the end of a tension bar which is
fixed on a stud or joint pin near the upper corner of the cart side, and which has a
short vertical rocking movement upon the stud or joint pin before mentioned.
The tension bar is kept at its highest point or thereabouts, by means of a
suitable spring so that when the brake is not in action, the spring hoop is held out
of contact with the nave of the wheel.
When on going downhill (for example) the weight of the cart and load press
forward upon the horse, it follows that the before described connecting rod is
drawn forward by the action of the chain attached to the breech band, and the
spring hoop is contracted round the nave of the wheel, in proportion to the
resistance offered by the horse.
The spring hoop being held by the tension-bar the fixed point of resistance is
the stud or joint pin near the upper corner of the cartside, and the action of the
brake, through the said tension-rod is therefore to relieve to a certain extent, the
horse from the weight of the load.
I prefer to apply the above described brake to each side of a cart so as to
equalise the pressure.

page_text: If desired the tension bar may be omitted, and the end of the spring hoop may
be carried by a stud from the side or other convenient part of the cart.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I JOHN SMITH of Castle Street Spofforth in the County of York Machine
Proprietor do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
BRAKES FOR CARTS AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
My invention is for improvements in Automatic brakes for Carts and similar
Vehicles, with two or more wheels and shafts, the object being that the brake
shall be applied automatically and with a power corresponding or proportionate
to the weight of the load, and the incline of the road.
The annexed sheet of drawings represent my improvements as applied to a Cart,
for example :-
I fix round the nave A, and on the inner side of the wheel a flat ring B of iron
or steel, round which, but so held as not to touch the said ring, I fix a spring
hoop C, which can be closed upon the said ring B, and forms the brake. To one
end of the spring hoop C, I secure a short chain D, attached to the end of a con-
necting rod E, which extends along the outside of the shaft F, to the required
distance, and supported upon or by means of small pulleys G, or their equivalents;
another short chain H, attached to the rod, passes over or between other guide
pulleys I, and is finally secured to the breechband J.
The other end of the spring hoop C, is fastened to the end of a tension bar K,
which is fixed on a stud or joint pin L, projecting from, the cartside at or near the
upper corner, and which has a short rocking motion upon the stud or joint pin L.
The Tension bar is retained at the highest point of its movement or thereabouts
by means of a spring placed in any convenient position, so that in its normal
position the spring hoop is held out of contact with the nave of the wheel.
A similar apparatus to what I have already described is fixed to the opposite
side of the Cart
The action of the apparatus is as follows, on going down a steep incline for
example the weight of the cart and the load, press forward upon the horse, the
actual pressure being taken by the breechband.
The resistance of the horse tightens the chain H, draws forward the rod E, and
contracts the spring hoop C causing it to grip the ring B, in proportion to the
amount of resistance offered by the horse.
The spring hoop C, being held by the tension bar K, the fixed point of resistance
is the stud L, and the action of the brake through the said tension rod, will relieve
the horse, to a certain extent from the weight of the load.

page_text: 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
1st The combination of the various parts constituting a brake as hereinbefore
described, and marked B, C, D, E, G, H, I, K, L, in the drawings.
2nd A Brake constructed and operated substantially in the manner as herein-
before described.
3rd In Cart Brakes the use of a tension rod K for the purpose specified.