Improvements in or relating to Brakes for Bicycles or other Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1897-Accepted, 4th Sept., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECI
TUN.
Improvements in or relating to Brakes for Bicycles or other Road
Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM CHARLES PUNCHARD, Gentleman, of Buccleuch House, Surbiton,
Surrey, JOHN HENRY PUNCHARD, Gentleman, of 36 Cornwall Road, Westbourne,
Park, London, and WALTER DARBY and ION DARBY both Manufacturers, of
249 Pentonville Road, London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to brakes for bicycles or other road vehicles the object
of our present invention being to provide a brake which will act on the driving shaft
or other shaft of the vehicle and especially on the crank axle or driving shaft of
a safety bicycle of the present well-known type with chain driving gear instead of
applying the brake to the tyre or rim of the wheel as at present in use and thus
obviating the risk of injury to said tyres especially in the case of pneumatic
tyres (as the latter are not touched when the brake is applied) and furthermore
comprising certain details of improvements in the mechanism and manner of
operating said brakes at the same time our present invention is simple can be
easily fitted to bicycles or any other road vehicles to which same may be applicable
and has many advantages.
Our present invention is as follows, and by way of example we will describe
same as applied to an ordinary safety bicycle with chain driving gear.
On the main driving shaft or axle (known in such bicycles as the crank axle
or crank shaft or pedal crank axle) carrying the driving chain wheel we form
arrange or mount a disc or brake wheel (which we shall hereinafter refer to as
the "brake wheel ") advantageously concentric with said axle and on the opposite
side of the bottom bracket to the aforesaid driving chain wheel or sprocket.
wheel.
To the underside of the bottom bracket we fit a mount or device (which we
shall hereinafter refer to as the "mount") carrying certain bearing arms or
bearings etc. as hereinafter described.
This "mount" advantageously is of a form to correspond with and to embrace
and fit closely around the underside of said bottom bracket i.e. advantageously
curved to the same radius as the bottom bracket or so as to fit closely against
same and to which it is secured by screw bolts or in any other suitable manner.
Or this mount or the aforesaid bearing arms etc. may be cast or formed
integrally with said bottom bracket if desired but we consider it advantageous
to form same separately therefrom so as to readily allow of removal or re-placing.
of said mount and the parts carried thereby if desired.
This mount is cut away or formed in suchwise as to clear the sockets etc.
extending from said bottom bracket and is advantageously a little less in length
than the length of said bottom bracket.
This mount carries thereon rearwardly suitable bearings for the brake-
operating device and forwardly (if a band brake is used) carries a bearing or

page_text: support for the fixed end of said band brake-or this forward bearing may be
dispensed with if a block brake is applied to said brake wheel.
Also this mount has fixed thereto one end of a strong spring (hereinafter
more fully described) for normally holding or keeping the brake off."
For example the rearwardly extending bearings may advantageously consist
of two rearwardly extending lugs to which are pivoted or otherwise suitably
hinged two arms extending from a cross-head one end of this cross-head extend-
ing laterally to such a distance beyond the mount as to overlap (but be clear of)
the aforesaid brake wheel and to this extension the band brake or brake block is
secured.
In the case of the band brake the one end thereof would be hinged or otherwise
secured by a laterally projecting pin or mount carried on the aforesaid forwardly
extending bearing while the other end of said band brake would be hinged or
otherwise secured to the aforesaid extension on the cross-head the said band brake
between the two points where it is thus held passing round close to but not touch-
ing the brake wheel and of about the same curve as such brake wheel i.e. about
concentric therewith-the free end of the aforesaid strong spring secured to the
aforesaid mount acting against the aforesaid cross-head so as to normally hold
samé in such position that the band brake is just clear of or off the brake wheel.
To the aforesaid cross-head the brake-operating connection is connected in any
suitable manner for instance by a screw bolt (with nut thereon) passing through
two lugs or projections between which the said connection is thereby secured.
Thus by pulling the aforesaid cross-head so as to cause same to rock on its
bearing or bearings on said mount and the centre or axis on which it turns not
being the same as the centre of the brake wheel and moreover being of a much
less radius than the radius of the brake wheel therefore a very small amount of
rocking or swinging motion imparted to said cross-head will tighten the band
brake closely around and against the brake wheel and thus powerfully apply the
brake to the driving shaft or axle on which said brake wheel is mounted.
For operating the aforesaid cross-head (so as to apply said brake) we may use
any suitable connection operated by a brake lever on the handle-bar or by revolv-
ing the handle or other suitable brake-operating device but for the purpose of a
safety bicycle we find it very advantageous to use the following arrangement
and construction of brake-operating mechanism according to our present
invention.
A brake lever of the ordinary or any suitable type is pivoted to the handle-bar
in the usual or any suitable manner so that on pulling up the one end of said
lever by the hand the other end of said lever is depressed.
In order to convert this downward vertical movement into an upward vertical
movement we pivot or join the last named end of the brake lever to a kind of
bell-crank or L-shaped lever which is pivoted in or on the vertical tube supporting
the handle bars-advantageously according to our present invention the said
handle-bar support may be slotted and the said L-shaped lever passed there-
through and pivoted therein and adapted to be rocked therein so that the one end
of the said L-shaped lever extends on one side of the said vertical support for tho
handle bar and is attached to the brake lever while the other end of said L-shaped
lever extends on the opposite side and when the brake lever is drawn up by the
hand consequently this last-named end has an upward motion imparted thereto.
To this last-named end of the L-shaped lever we pivot or joint in any suitable
manner a vertically descending rod or connection which extends downwards to
about or near the front fork crown and is there pivoted or otherwise suitably
connected to another bell-crank or L-shaped lever which latter is pivoted or
adapted to rock or oscillate on the fixed head or other part of the frame of the
machine i.e. same is not in any way carried on or by the front forks or steering
head of the bicycle.
This second bell-crank or L-shaped lever is so arranged that on thus pulling
up the one end thereof the other is at such an angle as to be moved in an upward

page_text: and forward direction i.e. an upwardly diagonal direction and from this last-
named end of the second bell-crank a suitable connection (advantageously a rod
or wire) passes direct either outside or inside the frame tube and through a
suitable aperture through the bottom bracket or through the sockets or tubes
connected thereto-to the aforesaid cross-head of the brake mechanism to which
it is advantageously pivotally connected as before described.
In this manner the aforesaid cross-head is powerfully moved (against the
operation of the aforesaid spring) towards the handles and the brake applied in
the manner aforesaid.
The aforesaid vertical connection between the two said bell-cranks or L-shaped
levers is so connected to same respectively that the steering motion is in no way
interfered with nor on the other hand does it interfere with or affect the brake
operating mechanism.
This brake operating mechanism as last described will be found to have many
advantages (especially the aforesaid means for converting the downward motion)
such brake operating mechanism will be especially applicable in the case of
ladies' bicycles as the diagonal connection from the head to the bottom bracket
may pass either between the two tubes of the frame or inside one of them or so
arranged as to be entirely out of the way of the skirts of the rider.
Instead of the aforesaid cross-head (when the latter is rocked) serving to tighten
the band brake on the brake wheel as hereinbefore described such cross-head
may (as hereinbefore mentioned) be used to apply a brake block to the brake
wheel as for instance in the following manner :-
The aforesaid laterally extending end of the cross-head may have mounted
thereon either fixed rigidly or otherwise a shoe or brake block or other suitable
device supported or carried entirely on said cross-head in close proximity to the
brake wheel in suchwise that when the aforesaid cross-head is rocked by the
brake operating mechanism thereby this brake block or the like is directly applied
to the brake wheel and thereby the brake put on.
Or instead of said block being carried directly on the aforesaid cross-head
or rocker the former may be held in suitable supports attached to the aforesaid
mount or to the bottom bracket or fixed part of the frame of the machine and a
pitman or other suitable connection or intermediate gear arranged between the
rocker and said brake block so as to force the latter into contact with the brake
wheel when the rocker is operated as aforesaid.
1000
Improvements in or relating to Brakes for Bicycles or other Road
Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM CHARLES PUNCHARD, Gentleman, of Buccleuch House, Surbiton,
Surrey, JOHN HENKY PUNCHARD, Gentleman, of 36 Cornwall Road, Westbourne
Park, London, and WALTER DARBY and ION DARBY both Manufacturers, of
249 Pentonville Road, London, 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:-
This invention relates to brakes for bicycles or other road vehicles the object
of our present invention being to provide a brake which will act on the driving

page_text: shaft or other shaft of the vehicle and especially on the crank axle or driving shaft
of a safety bicycle of the present well-known type with chain driving gear
instead of applying the brake to the tyre or rim of the wheel as at present in uso
and thus obviating the risk of injury to said tyres especially in the case of
pneumatic tyres (as the latter are not touched when the brake is applied) at the
same time our present invention is simple can be easily fitted to bicycles or any
other road vehicle to which same may be applicable and has many advantages.
Our present invention is as follows, and by way of example we will describe
same with reference to the drawings hereunto annexed as applied to an ordinary
safety bicycle with chain driving gear.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the frame and head and handle-bars of such a
bicycle.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation or front end view of same.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the band brake and its mount detached.
Fig. 4 is a view of Fig. 3 at right angles thereto i.e. looking in the direction of
the arrow 4.
On the main driving shaft or axle Z (known in such bicycles as the crank
axle or crank shaft or pedal crank axle) carrying the driving chain wheel we
form arrange or mount a disc or brake wheel Z (which we shall hereinafter refer
to as the "brake wheel") advantageously concentric with said axle Z' and on the
opposite side of the bottom bracket to the aforesaid driving chain wheel or
sprocket wheel which latter is not shown.
To the underside of the bottom bracket we fit a mount A or device (which, we
shall hereinafter refer to as the "mount") carrying certain bearing arms or
bearings etc. as hereinafter described.
This mount A (see Figs. 3 and 4) is advantageously of a form to correspond
with and to embrace and fit closely around the underside of said bottom bracket
i.e. advantageously curved to the same radius as the bottom bracket or so as to
fit closely against same and to which it is secured by screw bolts or in any other
suitable manner.
Or this mount or the aforesaid bearing arms etc. may be cast or formed
integrally with said bottom bracket if desired but we consider it advantageous to
form same separately therefrom so as to readily allow of removal or replacing of
said mount and the parts carried thereby if desired.
This mount A is cut away or formed in snchwise as to clear the sockets etc.
extending from said bottom bracket and is advantageously a little less in length
than the length (crosswise) of said bottom bracket.
This mount carries thereon rearwardly two upright extensions or arms A' A²
in which is journalled a rock shaft B for the brake-operating device B to which
one end D of the band brake D is attached and forwardly carries a bearing or
support C for the fixed end 1 of the said hand brake D.
Also this mount A has fixed thereto one end of a strong spring E (hereinafter
more fully described) for normally holding or keeping the brake "off."
Or if desired the rearwardly extending bearings may consist of two rearwardly
extending lugs to which are pivoted or otherwise suitably hinged two arms
extending from a cross-head one end of this cross-head extending laterally to
such a distance beyond the mount as to overlap (but be clear of the aforesaid
brake wheel Z and to this extension the band brake D is secured.
Thus the band brake D has one end thereof hinged or otherwise secured by a
laterally projecting pin D carried on the aforesaid forwardly extending bearing C
while the other end of said band brake D is secured to the aforesaid extension D¹
on the crank B the said band brake 1) between the two points where it is thus
held passing round close to but not touching the brake wheel Z and of about the
same curve as such brake wheel i.e. about concentric therewith-the aforesaid
strong spring E (one end of which is attached to the crank B and the other end
attached to the back forks) acting so as to normally hold said crank B. in such
position that the band brake D is. just clear of or off the brake wheel Z.

page_text: To the free end of the aforesaid crank B any suitable brake operating con-
nection such as F is connected in any suitable manner.
Thus by pulling the aforesaid crank B so as to cause same to rock on its pin or
axis B on said mount A and the centre or axis B₁ on which it
turns not being the same as the centre of the brake wheel and
moreover being of a much less radius than the radius of the brake
wheel therefore a very small amount of rocking or swinging motion imparted to
said crank B will tighten the band brake D closely around and against the brake
wheel and thus powerfully apply the brake to the driving shaft or axle Z' on
which said brake wheel is mounted.
For operating the aforesaid crank B (so as to apply said brake) we may use
any suitable connection such as F operated by a brake lever such as G on the
handle-bar (or by revolving the handle or other suitable brake-operating device)
but for the purpose of a safety bicycle we find it very advantageous to use the
following arrangement and construction of brake-operating mechanism according
to our present invention.
The brake lever G of the ordinary or any suitable type is pivoted to the
handle-bar in the usual or any suitable manner so that on pulling up the one
end G os said lever by the hand the other end G of said lever is depressed.
In order to convert this downward vertical movement into an upward vertical
movement we pivot or join the last named end G3 of the brake lever to a kind of
bell-crank or L-shaped lever HI (which may be all in one piece or the part I
may be pivoted to the part H at H (see Fig. 2) which is pivoted at H in or on
the vertical tube J supporting the handle-bar-if desired the said handle-bar
support J may according to our present invention be slotted and the said lever H
passed therethrough and pivoted therein and adapted to be rocked therein so that
the one end of the said lever extends on one side of the said vertical support J
for the handle-bar and is attached to the brake lever G while the other end H
of said lever H extends on the opposite side and when the brake lever G is drawn
up by the hand consequently this last-named end He has an upward motion
imparted thereto.
To this last-named end H of the lever H we pivot or joint in any suitable
manner a vertically descending rod or connection K which extends downwardly
to about or near the front fork crown and is there pivoted or otherwise suitably
connected to a bell-crank L which latter is pivoted or adapted to rock or oscillato
at M' on the fixed head M or other part of the frame of the machine i.e. same is
not in any way carried on or by the front forks or steering head of the bicycle.
This bell-crank L is so arranged that on thus pulling up the one end L' thereof
the other L is at such an angle as to be moved in an upward and forward direction
and from this last-named end L2 of the bell-crank a suitable connection
(advantageously a rod or wire such as F) passes direct (either outside or inside
the frame tube and through a suitable aperture through the bottom bracket or
through the sockets or tubes connected thereto) to the aforesaid crank B of the
brake mechanism to which it is advantageously pivotally connected as before.
described.
In this manner the aforesaid crank B is powerfully moved against the operation
of the aforesaid spring E and the brake applied in the manner aforesaid.
The aforesaid vertical connection K between the lever H and the L-shaped
lever L is so connected to same respectively that the steering motion is in no
way interfered with nor on the other hand does the latter interfere with or affect
the brake-operating mechanism.
This brako-operating mechanism as last described will he found to have many
advantages (especially the aforesaid means for converting the downward motion)
and such brake-operating mechanism will be especially applicable in the case of
ladies' bicycles as the diagonal connection from the head to the bottom bracket
may pass either between the two lower tubes of the frame or inside one of them
or so arranged as to be entirely out of the way of the skirts of the rider.

page_text: 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. In brakes for bicycles or other road vehicles the combination with a band
brake such as D adapted to operate on a band wheel such as Z of a rocking arm
or lever such as B adapted to rock or turn at B and supported by a mount such
as A A A fitted or fixed to the bottom bracket one end of said band D being
attached to an arm such as C on said mount and the other end of said band D
attached to said arm or lever B and means connecting the latter to the brake
handle such as G or other suitable brake-operating device substantially as and for
the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated.
2. The improved arrangement and construction of mechanism for operating
band brakes for bicycles or other road vehicles the several parts of such mechanism
being combined and arranged to act substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
1907
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.