Improvements in Brakes for Velocipedes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Brakes for Velocipedes.
I, JOHN VERNON PUGH, of Cumnor Cottage, Leek Wootton, near Kenilworth,
in the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to connect the brake rods of velocipedes to the
brake spoons by a spring joint whereby the external spring commonly employed
between the handle bar and the brake lever for raising the brake is dispensed
with and my invention consists of the construction and arrangement or com-
bination of the parts hereinafter described of brakes for velocipedes to effect the
above object.
In carrying my invention into effect I joint the brake spoon by means of two
armis to the rear of the crown of the steering fork and I form on or attach to the
upper side of the said brake spoon a cam shaped plate having a hooked front end.
The brake rod, which is connected at its upper end to the end of the brake lever, pre-
ferably by a ball and socket joint, is adjustable in length as usual. The lower end of
the brake rod, which end is tubular, is provided with a coiled spring and a ball
or plunger with hemi-spherical end and the said lower tubular end of the brake
rod engages with the hook shaped end of the cam like plate of the brake spoon.
so as to constitute therewith a joint, the ball or rounded end of the plunger which
is pressed outwards by the coiled spring bearing on the cam like edge of the plate
described forming part of the brake spoon.
Instead of the cam shaped plate described on the brake spoon a plug or short
cylinder with hemi-spherical top may be fixed to the said spoon a pin or projection
at one side of the said plug engaging in a hole in the front of the tubular brake
rod and constituting the joint of the brake spoon and brake rod.
When the rider presses the brake lever, the brake rod descends and forces the
brake spoon on the tyre and compresses the spring. When the rider ceases to
press the brake lever the compressed spring expands and the ball constituting
its end travelling on part of the curve of shorter radius causes the brake spoon
to make a less obtuse angle with the rod and in doing so the brake spoon rises
from the tyre.
By the construction and arrangement of parts described the spring of the brake
is concealed consequently the brake is somewhat neater in appearance and less
liable to derangement than ordinary brakes and a slight saving in weight in the
velocipede is effected.
Thatel this Theater sixth lev of Cantanhm 1000
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: T
I, JOHN VERNON PUGH, of Cumnor Cottage, Leek Wootton, near Kenilworth,
in the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
L'
My invention has for its object to connect the brake rods of velocipedes to the
brake spoons by a, spring joint,, whereby the external spring commonly employed
between the handle bar and the brake lever for raising the brake is dispensed
with, and my invention consists of the construction, and arrangement,or. com-
bination of the parts hereinafter, described of brakes for yelocipedes to, effect the
above object.
8441.22
In carrying my invention into effect I joint the brake spoon by means of two arms
to the rear of the crown of the front or steering fork or to the mud guard and
I form on or attach to the upper side of the said brake spoon a cam shaped.
plate having a hooked front end. The brake rod, which is connected at
its upper end to the end of the brake lever, preferably by a ball and socket joint,
is adjustable in length as usual. The lower end of the brake rod, which end is
tubular, is provided with a coiled spring and a ball or plunger with hemi-spherical
end and the said lower tubular end of the brake rod engages with the hook shaped
end of the cam like plate of the brake spoon so as to constitute therewith a joint,
the ball or rounded end of the plunger which is pressed outwards by the coiled
spring bearing on the cam like edge of the plate described forming part of the
brake spoon. Instead of the can shaped plate described, on the brake spoon a
plug or short cylinder with hemi-spherical top may be fixed to the said spoon, a
pin or projection at one side of the said plug engaging in a hole in the front of the
tubular brake rod and constituting the joint of the brake spoon and brake rod.
When the rider presses the brake lever, the brake rod descends and forces the
brake spoon on the tyre and compresses the spring. When the rider ceases to
press the brake lever the compressed spring expands and the ball constituting
its end travelling on part of the curve of shorter radius causes the brake spoon
to make a less obtuse angle with the rod and in doing so the brake spoon rises
from the tyre.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in side elevation, a portion
of a safety bicycle to which a brake constructed according to my invention is
applied;
Figure 2 is a side elevation, drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1, of that
portion of the brake to which my invention refers; Figure 3 is a plan of the
arrangement. Figure 2 and Figures 4 and 5 are vertical sections of the same
taken in planes at right angles to one another; Figure 6 is a front elevation of
the lower end of the tubular brake rod.
Figures 7 to 16 both inclusive represent modifications hereinafter particularly
described of the arrangement Figures 1 to 6.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
I will first describe the arrangement Figures 1 to 6 both inclusive.
is the. brake spoon jointed by means of a pair of arms a³, a (see the plan
Figure 3) to ear pieces 62, 63 on the mudguard b of the front or steering wheel
immediately behind the crown of the steering fork.
Or the brake spoon may be jointed to the front or steering fork.

page_text: On the brake spoon a.I fix. a cam shaped plate c. the front or nose end of.
which is hook shaped. The brake rod d, has a slot in one side and a hole d
in its opposite side. With the last named hole & the nose or hook shaped end of-
the cam plate c engages, when the parts of the brake are put together; and con-
stitute a joint like connection between the lower end of the brake rod and the
brake spoon. Within the lower end of the brake rod d is a partially compressed
coiled spring e, a ball or sphere f being preferably employed between the lower
end of, the spring e and the cam plate c. The upper end of the spring e bears.
against a stop or abutment g. fixed in the brake rod.d.
Instead of a ball or sphere f a hemi-spherical ended plunger may be employed
to take the bearing of the spring on the cam-plate c; or the spring may be.
arranged to bear directly on the cam plate e the ball or sphere or the like being
dispensed with.
The action of the brake is as follows:-
On applying the brake to the wheel in the ordinary way the brake spoon a
is pressed on the tyre the pair of jointed arms a³, a permitting the brake spoon a
to turn on the axis of the ear pieces 62, 62 of the mud guard b. The ball or sphere f
consequently travels up the curved nose of the cam plate c the distance between
the joint of the brake spoon a and brake rod d and the ball or sphere f. being
thereby increased and the spring e further compressed. On the release of the
brake the spring e expanding to its normal state quickly effects the removal of
the brake from the wheel the ball f travelling down the curved nose of the cam
plate.
Instead of employing a cam shaped plate of the kind described and represented.
in Figures 1 to 6 a stud with hemi-spherical or nearly hemi-spherical top and,
pin at front may be rivetted or otherwise fixed to the brake spoon.
This modification of my invention is represented in Figures 7, 8 and 9. Figures 7
and 8 representing respectively a side elevation and vertical section of the brake
and Figure 9 representing in plan the brake spoon separately. In the said
Figures 7, 8 and 9 the hemi-spherical stud is marked the other parts of the
brake being the same as those of the brake first described and corresponding parts;
are marked with the same letters of reference.
Figures 10 to 16 both inclusive represent two modifications of my invention
differing from each other only in slight detail whereby the cam shaped plate or.
projection on the brake spoon is dispensed with.
The modifications Figures 10 to 16 consist in providing the brake rod at its
lower end with two projections or legs marked respectively d³, d which pro-
jections or legs pass through holes in the brake spoon one of which legs namely
the front leg is capable of engagement with the brake spoon, the back leg or pro-
jection being capable of motion in its hole. The engagement of the front leg
of the brake rod is effected by providing the said leg with a foot and giving to
the front hole in the brake spoon a T shaped figure. By passing the foot de-
scribed through the wider or crossing part of the hole and sliding the smaller
or narrower part of the leg above the foot into engagement with the stem of
the shaped hole (as represented in the plan of underside Figure 12) the other
leg is brought over the other hole in the brake spoon and may be passed therein
and the accidental disengagement of the parts thereby prevented. Or the engage-
ment of the brake rod may be effected in the manner represented in Figures 15
and 16 namely by employing two similar holes in the brake spoon and providing
one of the legs of the brake rod with a hook shaped end d (see Figure 15). The
hook shaped end is first engaged by a hooking action with the brake spoon a
when the other leg of the brake rod may be brought into its slot by the turning
of the brake rod into a vertical or nearly vertical position with respect to the
brake spoon.
In the modifications Figures 10 to 16 the ball f bears directly on the inclined
upper face of the brake spoon a instead of on the curved part of a cam plate or
the like, on the brake spoon. The action of the spring e in the arrangements last

page_text: described tends to lift the loose leg out of its hole in the brake spoon and turn
the brake spoon on the engaged front end d³ or d5 by which action the brake spoon
is preserved when in its normal position out of contact with the wheel, the action
being essentially the same as that of the arrangements first described, the ball f
travelling directly on the inclined brake spoon.
e
I prefer to secure the abutment g and also the ball or sphere f and spring
in the end of the brake rod d by making an indentation or inwardly projecting
seat in the lower end of the said brake rod as represented in Figures 8 and 11.
By the construction and arrangement of parts described and illustrated the
spring of the brake is concealed consequently the brake is somewhat neater in
appearance and less liable to derangement than ordinary brakes and a slight
saving in weight in the velocipede is effected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention of "Improvements in brakes for velocipedes":-
First The construction and arrangement or combination of the parts of a
velocipede brake hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 9 both
inclusive of the accompanying drawings the said construction and arrangement of
parts consisting essentially of a spoon jointed by means of a pair of arms, pre-
ferably to a pair of ears on the front fork or on the mud guard of the front wheel,
the said spoon having on its upper side a cam plate or stud engaging with the
lower end of the brake rod, on which cam plate or stud a spring concealed within
the brake rod presses, a ball or hemi-spherical ended plunger being preferably.
employed between the lower or acting end of the spring and the cam plate or
stud substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly-The modified construction and arrangement of parts of a velocipede
brake herein before described and illustrated in Figures 10 to 16 both inclusive of
the accompanying drawings the said construction and arrangement of parts con-
sisting essentially of a brake rod provided with two legs by the front one of which
the brake rod is connected and jointed to the brake spoon, the brake rod having
a spring within its lower end and preferably a ball or sphere pressing directly
on the inclined upper face of the brake spoon the parts being arranged or com-
bined and acting substantially as hereinbefore described and represented.
Dated the Fifth day of June 1899.