Improvements in Brakes for Velocipedes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1898
Complete. Specification Left, 14th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 11th Mar., 1899
.
Improvements in Brakes for Velocipedes.
CHARLES MONTAGUE LINLEY, 281, Oxford Street, London, W., in the County,
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
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My invention relates to the brakes of velocipedes and is particularly applicable
to the back wheel of bicycles. On both the lower stays, that is the tubes leading
from the crank bracket to the back hub I have 2 brake shoes mounted capable
of acting on the rim of the back wheel. These shoes are arranged so as to bear
upon, the rim of the wheel and yet to miss the spokes. These shoes may be either
hinged to or may slide along the stays. The shoes are connected by a loop of
metal encircling the tyre yet allowing ample clearance for,mud etc. This loop is
connected by means of a joint to a small link hung pendently from and hinged
to some part of the frame in such a manner that it is capable of fore and aft motion
only. The object of this arrangement is that forward motion on being imparted
to one shoe shall be communicated through the loop to the other shoe. The duty
of the pendant link is to prevent the loop from moving round to one side instead
of advancing in a forward direction as it should do to bring the two shoes in contact
with the rim simultaneously.
This brake is particularly useful when used on machines fitted with a clutch or
ratchet in which the rider can hold his pedals still at any moment. This brake is
applied by means of a lever fulcrumed to and lying along one of the lower stays
in such a position that the rider can press on the end farthest from its fulcrum
with his heel while the remainder of his foot is on the pedal and so bring the shoes
to bear on the rim. In the case where I hinge the shoes to the
stays I attach the heel lever to one of the shoes and make the
one fulcrum do for the two. Where I use sliding brake blocks I
make the heel lever of a bell crank form with a fulcrum of its own so that a down-
ward pressure at the end would press the brake blocks forward and so press on the
rim. I provide a serrated plate at the end of the lever for the rider to press his
heel on and in some cases I make this plate capable of being drawn out sides
ways by the rider's pressure so that it shall come into line with the path of the
pedals which is a more convenient position and upon the pressure being released
the serrated plate will fly back out of the way by means of a spring.
1000
I, CHARLES MONTAGUE LINLEY, 281, Oxford Street, London, W., Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
1

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement-
My invention relates to brakes on the back wheels of bicycles and is particularly
applicable to free wheel bicycles, that is to say, bicycles which have a ratchet or
its equivalent introduced into the driving mechanism by means of which the rider
can hold his feet still on the pedals while the machine runs forward. My brake
acts on the rim of the back wheel and is actuated by the heel of the rider. In a
convenient place 'on the chain-stays of a bicycle I have lugs fixed A so that two
brake shoes B may be pivotally connected thereto so as to act on the inside of the
rim of the back wheel. The ends of these shoes farthest from the pivot A are
connected together by means of a loop or fork C, which spans the tyre. This
loop is pivotally connected to the shoes at D), and its end fartliest from the shoes
is pivotally connected to a pendant link E, pivotally hung under the crank bracket
in such a manner as to prevent any side movement of the loop and only to allow
"a fore and aft movement. The object of this loop and its appertenances is to
ensure a simultaneous movement of the shoes, that is to say when power is applied
to one shoe to make it bear on the rim both shoes shall bear equally on the portions
of the rim on either side of the spokes. I apply power to the shoes in the following
manner. Attached to one of the shoes and laying along the chain-stay I have a
lever F, turning on the same fulcrum as the shoe and provided with a serrated
plate G, at the end opposite to its fulcrum.
The lever is of such a length that the serrated plate is in a convenient position
for the rider to bear on it with his heel by turning the same slightly inwards.
The serrated plate may be either on the top of the chain stay or may be under-
neath it to suit the convenience of the rider. When the serrated plate is on the
top a guard is provided to prevent the rider from putting his heel in to the spokes
of the wheel. Where it is necessary to make the serrated plate of such a size that
it would impede the upward motion of the rider's heel in pedalling forward I make
the serrated plate pivotally connected to the body of the lever and controlled by
a spring in such a way that it flies to a horizontal position and its joint being of
the rule-joint kind the serrated plate is capable of taking the downward pressure
of the rider's heel but will yield to any upward pressure Fig. 2. To give additional
stability to the lever I form at its end farthest from its fulcrum and struck from
its fulcrum a quadrant H which works in a guide on the chain-stay. I may have
the heel lever on either or both sides of the bicycle.
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:-
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A brake on the back rim of a bicycle operated by the rider's heel in combination
with a free wheel device substantially as described, and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of December 1898