Improvements in Brakes for Cycles and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 20th June, 1893-Accepted, 29th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for Cycles and similar Vehicles.
I, FREDERICK EASOм, of 11 City Road, Beeston, in the Town and County of
the Town of Nottingham, Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :—
This invention relates to improvements in band brakes for cycles and similar
vehicles, by which a greater clearance between the brake band and the drum is
obtained, than heretofore, while almost the whole of the circumference of the
drum is gripped on applying the brake, the applying of the brake requiring less
labour and being more effective than is the case with band brakes as hitherto
constructed.
For the purpose of my invention, I surround the brake drum of a bicycle,
tricycle, or other vehicle, to which a band brake is applicable, with a thin, flexible
band, preferably of steel, said band being provided with two lugs, or with
equivalent means of attachment to the frame of the vehicle and to the rod by
means of which the brake is applied. The band is lined with leather, or carries a
band of leather, wood, or other suitable material, which takes against the drum.
The lug at the frame end of the metal band is perforated or slotted with a square,
oblong, circular, or other shaped slot, through which the stud, which attaches the
band to the frame passes, said stud being provided with a suitably shaped shoulder,
or a die fitted into the slot so as to allow the brake band to move towards the drum
on applying the brake. A washer is preferably placed at the head of the stud to
keep the lug in place, the lug being arranged to work between the washer and a
collar on the stud. The stud or screw is screwed to the fork, or other suitable
part of the vehicle, and a cushion, or pad, of leather in the bottom of the slot
prevents the band from rattling on the stud. A screw pin, or screw, passes through
the stud, and is screwed into the lug or band. This pin or screw carries a spiral
spring which takes against the head of the said pin and against the stud and
returns the band to its original position when the brake is taken off. The brake is
applied and taken off in any well known manner.
Instead of the lug being fixed to the band, a pin can be fixed to the hand,
and a lug or projection formed on the fork, or other part of the cycle, through
which the said pin may pass. A spiral spring may be arranged between
the head of the pin and the lug to return the band to its original position.
Dated this 20th day of September 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for Cycles and similar Vehicles.
I, FREDERICK EASOM, of 11 City Road, Beeston, in the Town and County of
the Town of Nottingham, Foreman, 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, reference being had to the

page_text: accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that i
to say :-
This invention relates to improvements in band-brakes for cycles and simila
vehicles, by which a greater clearance between the brake band and the drum i
obtained, than heretofore, while almost the whole of the circumference of the
drum is gripped on applying the brake, the application thereof requiring less
labour and being more effective than is the case with band brakes as hitherto
constructed.
For the purpose of my invention I surround the brake drum of a bicycle, tricycle
or other vehicle, to which a band brake is applicable, with a thin flexible band
preferably of steel, said band being provided with two lugs (one of which is
movable), or with equivalent means of attachment to the frame of the vehicle, and
to the rod by means of which the brake is applied. The band is lined with leather,
or carries a band of leather, wood, or other suitable material, which takes against
the drum. The movable lug is perforated or slotted, and a stud or die passes
through the hole or slot therein in such a manner as to allow the brake band to
move towards the drum on applying the brake. The stud or die is secured to the
fork, or other suitable part of the frame, of the cycle or other vehicle, by screw
and nut, or by brazing, or otherwise. The movable lug, and consequently the
band, are simultaneously returned to their original position, when the brake is
taken off, by means of a spiral or other spring. The stud or die may rest on a pad
of leather, or the like, to prevent the band rattling on the stud. The brake is
applied and taken off in any well known manner.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood, I proceed to describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a front elevation of a bicycle brake
constructed according to my invention.
Fig. 3 is a part section of the movable lug and fixed stud.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation, and Fig. 5 a front elevation of the brake suitable for a
tricycle.
Fig. 6 is a front view of the movable lug wherein a metal spiral spring is
employed instead of the rubber spring or cushion shown in Figs. 4 and 5.
Fig. 7 is a side view and Fig. 8 a front view of a modified construction of the
brake suitable for bicycles.
Figs. 9 and 10 are front and sectional side views respectively of the movable lug,
die, and spring represented in Figs. 7 and 8.
Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a is the brake drum which is
surrounded with a steel strap or band having a leather lining c, and provided
with lugs d, d', which are attached by brazing, or otherwise, to the band. The
lug is fixed to the brake rod e by means of which the brake is applied to the
vehicle in the ordinary way, while the lug d is connected to the frame of the bicycle
in such a manner as to permit of its sliding towards the drum a when applying the
brake. For this purpose the last mentioned lug d is provided with a slot which
receives the square portion of a stud g, which latter is secured to the fork / by
means of a screw or screws g¹, g².
Passing through the upper part of the movable lug d is a screw pin i which
traverses a hole in the stud g and enters a tapped hole at j' formed in the lower
portion of said lug. This screw pin is surrounded with a spiral spring j, one end of
which abuts against the head of the screw pin and the other against the stud g, and
said spring thus serves to keep the lug normally raised and the brake "off.”
The stud is provided with a shoulder and a washer or cover plate m which
latter is secured in position by a screw n, said washer or cover plate being
prevented from jamming the lug by the end of the screw stud against which the
washer bears.
In this manner the movable lug d is kept in place but is quite free to move between
the shoulder and washer m.

page_text: It will thus be seen that when the brake rod e is operated to apply the brake,
the movable lug d will be caused to slide upon the stud 9 and approach the brake
drum a, thereby enabling the strap or band 6 to grip nearly the whole circumference
of the drum.
Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 the die or stud 9 instead of being retained by screws,
is secured to the frame by soldering or brazing, and the projecting screw pin i and
its external spring ; are dispensed with, a block of india rubber (preferably of
spherical shape), or an internal spring (Fig. 6), being introduced in the slot f of the
movable lug and resting between the upper end of the slot and the die or stud g,
preference being however given to the rubber block.
In this arrangement the movable lug is situated below the elbow lever k, one arm
of which is connected with the brake rod e, and the other with the connecting rod e¹
attached to the fixed lug d'. In Figs. 5 and 6 the washer or cover plate m is
removed for sake of clearness.
In the construction shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10, the die or stud g is formed in
one piece with a boss p, which is brazed or soldered to the fork of the machine.
is a cushion of leather, or indiarubber, which may be placed at the bottom of the
slot to prevent the lug from rattling on the die or stud, when the machine
is in use.
By means of my invention frictional contact of the strap or band with the drum,
when not in use, is prevented, while frictional contact, and consequently power, is
increased when the brake is applied.
Instead of arranging the slot in the lug so as to allow of it sliding upon the die
or stud, I may in some cases arrange the die or stud on the lug, so that it can slide
within a slot in the boss on the frame, or in the frame itself.
Although I have described and shown my invention as applied to band or strap
brakes for cycles, it is obvious that the same can be applied, in an analogous manner,
to band brakes of similar vehicles.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details shown
in the drawings, as the same can be modified to suit circumstances without departing
from the nature of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In band or strap brakes for cycles, the use of a sliding lug constructed and
arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
2. In band or strap brakes for cycles, the slotted lug adapted to slide upon a stud
or die attached to the frame of the machine, and provided with a screw pin
surrounded by a spiral spring for restoring the band or strap to its normal position
when released, substantially as described and as shown with reference to Figs. 1, 2,
and 3 of the drawings.
3. In band or strap brakes for cycles the modified construction of slotted
movable lug in which a rubber block (preferably of spherical form) is interposed
between the stud or die and the top of the slot in the lug, substantially as and for
the purpose described and as shown with reference to Figs. 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of
the drawings.
4. In band and strap brakes for cycles, the alternative construction of slotted
movable lug shown with reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings, wherein a metallic
spiral spring is employed and interposed between the stud or die and the top of the
slot in the lug, substantially as described.
5. A movable lug for use with band or strap brakes for cycles, and similar
vehicles, cousisting of a slotted portion (such as f), a stud or die (such as g) secured
to the frame of the machine, and entering the said slotted portion and means for
restoring said lug to the normal position on the band or strap of the brake being
released, as set forth, and substantially as shown with reference to the drawings.

page_text: 6. My improvements in band or strap brakes for cycles and similar vehicles,
substantially as described and shown with reference to the annexed drawings.
Dated this 20th day of June 1893.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.