Year: 1897

page_text: I, FRANCIS BRUERTON HARPER, Engineer, of 2, Queen Street, Wolverhampton,
Staffordshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The action of my brake is to clip the tyre on each side as it passes between the
forks. Two elongated pieces of steel or other suitable material are attached to the
inner sides of the forks alongside the tyre, in such wise as to allow of lateral play
inwards towards the tyre. To the tops of these pieces immediately under the crown-
head, lengths of catgut, tine chain, or other suitable material, are connected, and
thence led to the interior of ball-head, up the stem of the handle-bar, through inside
of handle-bar to a lever near the rider's hand. On the catgut or its equivalent being
drawn upwards by means of the lever into the ball-head, the two elongated pieces are
drawn inwards against the tyre.
Dated this 10th day of July 1897
I, FRANCIS BRUERTON HARPER, Engineer, of 2, Queen Street, Wolverhampton,
Staffordshire, 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 :-
The action of my brake is to clip the tyre on each side as it passes between
the forks. Two elongated pieces of steel or other suitable material are attached to the
inner sides of the forks alongside the tyre, in such wise as to allow of lateral play
inwards towards the tyre. To the tops of these pieces (immediately under the crown
head) lengths of catgut, fine chain, or other suitable material, are connected, and
thence led to the interior of ball head, up the stem of the handlebar, through inside
of handlebar to a lever near the rider's hand. On the catgut or its equivalent being
drawn upwards by means of the lever into the ball head, the two elongated pieces are
drawn inwards against the tyre.
And in order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried
into effect I will further describe one method of carrying out the same with the aid of
the accompanying drawing, which shows a broken view in rear elevation, partly in
section, of so much of a direct steering velocipede as is necessary to the understanding
of my invention.
Two strips of steel, 2, 3, are doubled on themselves in the manner shown and are
attached to the inner sides of the forks 4 alongside the tyre 5 by means of split clips

page_text: or other fastenings 6 which may be formed in one piece with the strips 2, 3 or suit-
ably attached thereto. To prevent the wheel dragging the brake forward when in
action I prefer to provide the strips with ears such as 26 adapted to bear against the
back of the forks and act as stops. Or the clips 6 and ears 26 may be combined, the
clips then being fitted in the position occupied by the ears 26 in the drawing.
The clips inay be developed into or combined with footrests. Wings 29 may be pro-
vided to prevent inud working in behind the inner parts of the strips and clogging
the action. The bends 7 in the strips 2, 3 may be conveniently shaped as shown and
above them are secured the brake blocks 8, 8, of any suitable material, by slides 8*
or other suitable means. Suitable joints or pivots may be substituted for the
bends 7, 7.
As the strips are only held at their upper outer or lower ends, it will be observed
that the brake blocks may be readily moved inwards in the direction of the tyre 5
and rim 9. The inner parts of the strips will in some cases be returned to the
position indicated in full lines by their own elasticity after being so moved inwards.
In some cases it may be advisable to add auxiliary springs at the bends 7,7 or to
introduce an expansion spiral spring between the top of the block 20 and the
ring 14 or elsewhere. If joints be substituted for the bends 7, 7 an expansion
spring may be introduced between the ends 10, 10 of the strips to take the
brake off.
To the tops 10, 10 of the free inner ends of the strips are connected lengths of
catgut or the like 11 by any suitable means. Both lengths may be in one piece and
pass up through the fork crown 12 and ball head 13 where they are connected by
a ring 14 or other suitable means to the lower end of a single cord, chain or the
like 15 which is adapted to pass up the stem 23 of the handlebar and along the
interior of one side 24 of the handlebar to near, say, the right handle 16 where it is
jointed to one end 17 of a suitable lever. This lever passes out through a suitable
aperture in the handlebar and is pivotted on a fulcrum such as 18. The other end of
this lever carries a thumb piece such as 19. The end 17 of the lever may be suitably
curved as shown and be provided with a piece of small tube 27 through which the
cord is threaded; the end of the cord then emerges from the handlebar and the
surplus is wrapt round the waist of the grooved thumb-piece. Lastly the spring
wire loop 28 (shown detached in the drawing) is sprung over the part of the cord
wrapt around the waist of the thumb piece, thus providing for the necessary
adjustment of the cord according to the height at which the handlebar is adjusted,
and for securing the end of the cord at the same time. Or the cord may be adjusted
and secured by other suitable means.
By pressing on the thumb piece the end 17 of the lever is drawn back and with it
the end of the cord 15. This raises the other end of the said cord and draws up
the ring 14 and cords 11 thus drawing together or inwards the ends 10, 10 of the
strips 2, 3. The effect of this is to draw the blocks 8, 8 into contact with the tyre 5
and rim 9 as indicated in dotted lines, thus applying the brake to the tyre and rim.
A bell mouthed block 20, preferably of polished wood of a hard and greasy nature
such as lignum vitæ is preferably driven into the fork crown from the underside,
for the cords 11 to work against and prevent chafing; similarly the cord 15 is
preferably arranged to pass through and over another guide 25, also preferably of
hard wood, fixed at the junction of the handlebar with its stem, a hole being cut in
the underside of the bar for this purpose.
It will be obvious that my improved brake may be applied to the rear wheel,
preferably at either the upper or lower fork, the cords 11, being led through suitable
guides and connected to a cord, corresponding to 15, passing under the bottom
bracket and lower backbone and then up through the head as before. I do not
confine myself to the precise method of operating the cords by means of a thumb
lever as other devices giving a similar result may be employed in place thereof; and
generally I hold myself at liberty to employ such modifications as fairly fall within
the scope of my invention.

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 :-
1. A brake for cycles comprising two elongated pieces of steel or other suitable
material attached to the inner sides of the forks and adapted to be moved inwards
towards the tyre, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. A brake for cycles comprising two elongated pieces of steel or other suitable
material attached to the inner sides of the forks and provided with bands or joints
whereby they are adapted to be moved inwards towards the tyre, together with
suitable means for so moving the said pieces and suitable means for restoring them
to their normal position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. A brake for cycles comprising two elongated pieces of steel or other suitable
material attached at their outer upper ends to the forks, forming or carrying braking
surfaces or blocks at or near the bends, and having their inner upper ends connected;
under the crown of the fork, by lengths of cord, chain or other suitable material with
a suitable operating lever, substantially as described.
4. Means for operating a brake of the kind referred to in the preceding claiming
clauses consisting of flexible cords or the like connected to the inner, upper ends
of the strips of steel or the like, and thence led up through the head and handle-bar
stem, and along the handlebar to a suitable lever situated near the rider's hand, so
that by operating the lever, the cords or the like may be drawn up and the strips
of steel or the like drawn inwards towards the tyre and the brake applied to the tyre
or rim or both, substantially as set forth.
5. A brake for cycles constructed substantially as herein described with reference
to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this on day of April 1898.
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry; 75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
9, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.