Year: 1898

page_text: We, HAROLD SIBREE REXWORTHY, of No. 34, Trent Road, Brixton, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, and ERNEST GIROD, of No. 36, Trent Road, Brixton, also
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows;-
The present invention has reference to a pneumatic brake for cycles and other
road vehicles, and the object of it is a brake the power of which is applied at the
hub of the wheel instead of at the tyre as has hitherto been customary, and more-
over one very sensitive in every respect, being capable both of the most gradual
application and release as well as sudden and powerful action when required.
Although the following description refers to our brake more particularly as
constructed and applied to a bicycle, it must be understood that in all essential
features the brake remains the same for whatever other vehicle it may be intended,
only such modifications or variations in the construction or proportions of the
parts being made as may be called for to adapt it to the particular type of vehicle
and power required of the brake.
According to our invention: One of the flanges of the hub is somewhat enlarged
and is provided on and around its face near to its circumference with a projecting
conic ring forming an annular conical surface tapering towards the hub. This
ring may be lined with any suitable material such for instance as leather.
The axle of the wheel is extended beyond the end of the hub and has a bush
fitted fast over it and an antifriction bearing at the hub or inner end thereof.
Around the said bush is fitted fast thereon a circular box or case consisting of a
flat bottom having a central hole and bounded by an upright rim. It has
also another hole at any convenient point between the centre and
circumference, into which the air-valve is screwed. In this box or case at the
bottom thereof is placed a circular inflatable endless ring or flattened endless
tube forming when inflated a pneumatic cushion. The air-valve extends into
this cushion and is flanged over on the inside to prevent leakage. On top of this
ring or cushion is placed the brake cone casting itself, which casting is preferably
made in the form of a disc, with an upright rim projecting from the back or
bottom face thereof and a conic or tapering rim projecting from its top or front
face, and it has of course a central nave and hole to enable it to be placed over
the bush which it fits with a free sliding fit. The bottom flange has three or more
ribs or deep snugs cast thereon which fit into corresponding recesses formed in
the upright rim of the case or box, and while allowing a free to-and-fro movement
of the brake cone casting, effectually prevent its rotation. The top disc-like
surface of the said casting is spring-pressed by suitable springs equally dis-
tributed thereover.
This circular box or case with its contents, (the air-cushion and the brake-cone

page_text: casting), are placed over the bush on the axle and brought towards the hub and
adjusted so that the conic rim on the brake casting projects some distance into
the corresponding coned rim on the flange of the hub and is secured in place by
means of a lock-nut. This completes the essential mechanism of this end of the
brake.
The actuating mechanism at the other end of the brake consists of a means
whereby the air-cushion above referred to may be inflated or deflated at will by a
mere squeezing pressure of the hand. It is constructed as follows:-
To the handle-bar of the cycle or some other convenient support near to the
hand is clamped a collapsible ball or pad of such a size as can be easily gripped
by the hand. It is closed at one end, and, fitted at the other end in communication
with its interior, is a valve having four ways or passages for the air, one of which
(the inlet) leads from the external atmosphere into the interior of the pad, the
second leads from the interior of the pad to the body or central chamber of the
valve, the third leads thence into the connecting pipe between the two ends of
the brake and the fourth (the exhaust) leads from the body of the valve into the
external atmosphere.
The mode of operation is as follows:-To apply the brake it is only necessary
to grasp and squeeze the collapsible ball or pad by the hand, this causes the air
which its own elasticity has drawn into it, to be forced out via the second way
or passage of the valve as above described, into the valve body, thence it passes
down the third passage through the connecting pipe and into the air-cushion at
the other end of the brake. This on becoming inflated expands or rises pushing
forwards against the pressure of the springs, and applying the brake power accord-
ingly, the brake cone casting by bringing the cone thereof into more or less
frictional contact with its corresponding socket or rim on the flange of the hub,
thus checking or retarding the momentum of the vehicle.
On releasing the grip on the ball or pad, the air which has passed through the
delivery or second passage of the valve in one direction, cannot return, as the
said passage is provided at its delivery end with a ball forming a non-return-valve;
the air delivered is thus imprisoned within the valve, connecting tube and air
cushion, so that to release the brake an outlet for this confined air is provided
in the form of a valve situated at the entrance to the exhaust passage, operated by
the pressure of the thumb on a button attached to the spindle thereof; the
imprisoned air then escapes into the external atmosphere and the several parts of
the mechanism return to their normal positions, the return of the brake cone
being accelerated by the action of the spring upon its face.
Without exceeding the ambit of our invention as above set forth the following
constructive modifications might sometimes with advantage be employed,
namely:
As regards the brake cone end proper: instead of an inflatable ring or cushion,
a flexible or elastic diaphragm made very full so as to be capable of distortion
without appreciably stretching is fixed in position by being gripped between the
central nave and peripheral flanges of the box or case which contains the brake
cone casting, and the bush around the wheel axle, thus forming an air-tight
compartment between the bottom of the said box and the elastic diaphragm,
which latter will thus be an equivalent of and perform the same functions as the
previously described inflatable cushion.
As regards the inflator at the other end of the brake: this may be in the form
of a force pump, that is to say, instead of the collapsible pad and four-way valve,
as above described, a piston provided with a cup-leather and working in a cylinder
may be employed, the piston being normally pressed upwards by a spring, and
when required to apply the brake the piston is depressed by hand, forcing the
air within the cylinder through a valve below into the air-tight compartment or
chamber which thereupon expands and applies the brake as heretofore. The
release being effected by still further depressing the said piston until it comes
into forcible contact with the valve below which is in the form of a conical plug

page_text: having a central hole stopped by a non-return ball valve, which it depresses thereby
causing the imprisoned air to leak as gas from a bottle would do on raising the
stopper.
Total thin Oth, J...
1000
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants.
Pneumatic Brake for Cycles and other Road Vehicies.
We, HAROLD SIBREE REXWORTHY, of No. 34, Trent Road, Brixton, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, and ERNEST GIROD, of No. 36, Trent Road, Brixton, also
in the County of Surrey, 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 present invention has reference to a pneumatic brake for cycles and other
road vehicles, and the object of it is a brake the power of which is applied at the
hub of the wheel instead of at the tyre as has hitherto been customary, and more-
over one very sensitive in every respect, being capable both of the most gradual
application and release as well as sudden and powerful action when required.
Although the following description refers to our brake more particularly as
constructed for and applied to a bicycle, it must be understood that in all essential
features the brake remains the same for whatever other vehicle it may be intended,
only such modifications or variation in the construction or proportion of the
parts being made as may be called for to adapt it to the particular type of vehicle
and power required of the brake.
We will now describe our invention in detail, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, forming part thereof and to be read therewith, and in
which:
Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, looking over the hub of a rear-driving
bicycle fitted with our invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the brake detached from its complementary part,
the hub flange.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the interior of the hub flange fitted with the soft
packing ring.
Figure 4 is a plan, partly in section, through the hub as in Figure 1 but with
a slight modification, a flexible diaphragm being shewn in place of an inflatable
cushion.
Figure 5 is a plan of the brake shewn in position in Figure 4, detached from
its complementary part, the hub flange.
Figure 6 shews in sectional elevation, the inflating and releasing arrangement
or pump (in its inflating position) disposed within the stem of the handle-bar.
Figure 7 shews, in sectional elevation, the releasing and inflating arrangement
or pump (in its releasing position) disposed within the stem of the handle-bar.
Figure 8 shews, in sectional elevation, a modification of the inflating and
deflating arrangement or pump.
Similar reference letters denote different views of the same parts throughout
these drawings.
a is the flange of the hub of the driving wheel; is the projecting rim of the
hub flange a; c is the soft washer or liner of the hub rim b; d is the axle or
spindle of the driving wheel; e is the bushing fast on the axle d; f is an anti-
friction bearing at hub end of bush e; g is the box or case around the bush e;

page_text: h is the hole in the box g; h¹ is the rim or flange of the box g; is the hole
in box g for the valve j; j is the said valve itself; k is the pneumatic cushion
or inflatable ring; being the corresponding air-tight compartment when the
diaphragm is substituted; / is the disc of the brake-cone casting; m is the
bottom Hange or rim on 1, and is the top flange or rim on 1; ¹ is the central
nave of 1; o are the ribs or snugs on the bottom flange m; o¹ is the hole in the
naven are the recesses in the rim for the ribs or snugs o; p¹ is the piston
of the inflating pump; are the springs on the face of the cone-casting; q¹ is
the cup-leather of 2 is the lock-nut for securing the cone-casting on the
bush e; is the cylinder for the piston pl; is the spring around piston p';
is the valve in the cylinder ; 5 is the plug of the valve ; 6, the central
hole in 5 and 7 is the non-return ball valve in t; s is the handle-bar; is the
collapsible pad or ball; is the four-way valve of the inflating device; v is the
body of the valve ; w is the casing of the valve u; is the pipe connecting
the two ends of the brake; y is the non-return ball-valve controlling the exit
orifice of passage 2 in valve u; and z is the releasing valve.
According to our invention: one of the flanges, as a of the hub of the wheel
is somewhat enlarged and is provided on and around its face near to its circum-
ference with a projecting conical ring b, forming an annular conical internal
surface tapering towards the hub. This ring is or may be lined with any suitable
material, such for instance as leather to form a perfect fitting surface for the
brake cone.
The brake may be applied to the hub of the sprocket wheel instead of to that
of the road wheel when the construction of the vehicle renders it preferable.
The axle d, of the wheel is extended beyond the end of the hub and has a
bush e, fitted fast over it and an antifriction bearing f at the hub or inner end´
thereof. Around the said bush e is fitted fast thereon a circular box or case g,
having a flat bottom in which is a central hole h and bounded by an upright
rim . It has also another hole i at any convenient point between the centre
and circumference, into which hole i the air-valve j is screwed. In this box or
case g, at the bottom thereof is placed a circular hollow inflatable endless ring
or flattened endless tube k, forming when inflated a pneumatic cushion. The air-
valve extends into this cushion and is flanged over on the inside to prevent
leakage. On top of this ring or cushion is placed the brake casting itself, which
casting is distinguished from all others by being made in the form of a disc l
with an upright rim m projecting from the back or bottom face thereof and a
conical or tapering rim n projecting from its top or front face, and it has of
course a central nave n¹ and hole o to enable it to be placed over the bush e
which it fits with a free sliding fit. The bottom flange m has three or more
ribs or deep snugs o cast thereon which fit into corresponding recesses p formed
in the upright rim of the case or box g, and whilst allowing a free to-and-fro
movement of the brake-cone casting towards and from the hub, they effectually
prevent its rotation. The top disc-like surface of the said casting is spring-
pressed by suitable springs q equally distributed thereover.
This circular box or case 9 with its contents, the air-cushion and the brake
cone casting 1, m are placed over the bush e on the axle and brought towards the
hub and adjusted so that the conical rim on the brake casting 1, m projects some
distance into the correspondingly coned rim b on the flange of the hub, and
secured in place by means of a lock-nut r. This completes the essential mechanism
of this end of the brake.
The actuating mechanism at the other end of the brake consists of a means
whereby the air-cushion above referred to may be inflated or deflated at will
by a mere squeezing pressure of the hand. It is constructed as follows;
To the handle-bars of the cycle, or some other convenient support near to the
hand of the rider or driver is clamped a collapsible ball or pad t of such size that
it can be easily gripped by the hand. It is closed at one end, and, fitted at the
other, in communication with its interior, is a specially designed valve u, having

page_text: four ways or passages 1, 2, 3, 4, for the air, one of which, the inlet, 1, leads from
the external air or atmosphere into the interior of the pad; the second 2, leads
from the interior of the pad to the body or central chamber of the valve, the
third, 3, leads thence into the pipe x which connects this valve with the other
end of the brake, and the fourth, the exhaust, 4, leads from the body of the
valve out into the external air or atmosphere.
The mode of operation is as follows: To apply the brake, it is only necessary
to grasp or squeeze the collapsible bail or pad t, which causes the air with which
it is filled to be forced out via the second way or passage 2 of the valve as above
described, into the valve body y, thence it passes down the third passage 3, through
the connecting pipe a and into the air-cushion k, or into the air-tight compart-
ment, as the case may be, at the other end of the brake. This latter on becoming
of the
inflated expands or rises, pushing forward against the pressure
springs and applying the brake power accordingly, the brake cone casting I, m by
bringing the conical ring thereof into more or less frictional contact with its
corresponding conical socket or rim on the flange of the hub, and thus should
the wheel be in motion checking or retarding the momentum of it or the vehiclė
by the friction between these two said parts.
On releasing the grip on the ball or pad, the air which has passed through the
delivery or second passage of the valve u in one direction, cannot return as the
said passage 2 is provided at its delivery end with a ball y, forming a non-return
valve; the air delivered is thus imprisoned within the said valve casing, connecting
tube and air cushion k, so that to release the brake an outlet for this confined
air is provided in the form of a soft valve z, situated at the entrance to exhaust
passage 4, and operated by the pressure of the thumb on the button attached to the
spindle thereof; the imprisoned air then escapes around the spindle into the
external air or atmosphere, and the several parts of the mechanism return to their
normal positions, the return of the brake cone 7, m being accelerated by the action
of the springs q upon its face.
Without exceeding the ambit of our invention as above set forth, the following
constructive modification might sometimes with advantage be employed, namely :—
As regards the brake cone end: Instead of an inflatable ring or cushion, a
flexible or elastic diaphragm k, of leather for instance, made very full so as to
be capable of distortion or inflation without appreciably stretching, is fixed
in position by being gripped between the central nave n¹ and peripheral flange h¹
of the box or case which contains the brake-cone casting 1, m, and the bush e
around the wheel axle, thus forming an air-tight compartment between the
bottom of the said box and the elastic diaphragm which latter will thus be an
equivalent of and perform the same functions as the previously described inflatable
cushion k.
As regards the inflator at the other end of the brake: this may be in the form
of a force pump: that is to say, instead of the collapsible pad and four-way valve,
as above described, a piston p provided with a cup-leather gl and working in a
cylinder may be employed, the said piston being normally pressed upwards by
a springs and when required to apply the brake the piston is depressed by hand,
forcing the air within the cylinder through a valve below into the air-tight
compartment or chamber or ¹, which thereupon expands and applies the
brake as heretofore. The release being effected by still further depressing the
said piston p, until it comes into forcible contact with the valve below which
is in the form of a conical plug 5 having a central hole 6 stopped by a non-
return ball valve 7, which it depresses, thereby causing the imprisoned air to
leak out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1 1 noumatic brake for cycles and other road vehicles, consisting of the

page_text: combination with the wheel to be braked, of the conically recessed enlargement
of the end of the hub, the corresponding slidably mounted brake casting or clutch
comprising a disc-wheel with bored central boss and a circumferential raised rim
standing out from each face of the said disc, one of which rims being conical and
adapted to engage in the recessed end of the hub, the other adapted to close over
or hold a flattened inflatable tube or diaphragm, the barrel or case containing the
said clutch casting, the inflatable tube or diaphragm, and any suitable device for
inflating the same, all substantially as herein described and illustrated.
2. In combination with the brake mechanism of a pneumatic brake as described
and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of, the accompanying drawings, for cycles
and other road vehicles, the inflating device consisting of the combination of a collap-
sible pneumatic ball or pad, a four-way air-valve in communication with the atmo-
sphere, the interior of the said ball or pad, and, through a connecting conduit, with
the said brake mechanism proper, substantially as herein described and illustrated in
Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In combination with the brake mechanism of a pneumatic brake as described
and illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings, for cycles and
other road vehicles, the inflating device consisting of the combination of a
collapsible pneumatic ball or pad, a four-way air-valve in communication with
the atmosphere, the interior of the said ball or pad, and, through a connecting
conduit, with the said brake mechanism proper, substantially as herein described
and illustrated in Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In combination with the brake mechanism of a pneumatic brake constructed
as described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings,
the inflating device consisting of a vertically mounted cylinder a piston adapted
to work in the same, a conical plug valve fitted at the lower end of the said cylinder
and adapted to operate for releasing the air from the brake by pressing the piston
down on to the said valve plug substantially as herein described and illustrated
in Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In combination with the brake mechanism of a pneumatic brake constructed
as described and illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
the inflating device consisting of a vertically mounted cylinder, a piston adapted
to work in the same, a conical plug valve fitted at the lower end of the said cylinder
and adapted to operate for releasing the air from the brake by pressing the piston
down on to the said valve plug substantially as herein described and illustrated in
Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
6. A pneumatic brake for cycles and other road vehicles, constructed, operated
and working substantially as herein described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2
and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
7. A pneumatic brake for eveles and other road vehicles, constructed, operated
and working substantially as herein described and illustrated in Figures 4 and 5
of the accompanying drawings.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.