Improvements in Brakes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
Improvements in Brakes.
I, CHARLES ARTHUR ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, (which has
been communicated to me from abroad, by Frederick William Kruse, Physician,
residing at Millard, in the County of Douglas, and State of Nebraska, United States
of America, and Christian Holstein, Mechanic, residing at the same place), and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention has relation to a novel improvement in brakes more particularly
adapted to be used in conjunction with vehicles drawn by draft animals, and com-
prises, essentially, a vehicle brake adapted to be attached to the axle part of the
forward running gear of the vehicle, as will be described more fully hereinafter, and
finally pointed out in the claims.
•
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 shows
a broken top view of a front running gear provided with our improved brake.
Figure 2 shows a broken sectional side view disclosing the brake in position to
check the speed of the wheel.
While Figure 3 shows a broken detached detail showing the wheel backing to
unlock the brake.
Our invention comprises essentially, a brake adapted to be used in connection with
the forward running gear of a vehicle, and is arranged to be automatically applied by
the draft animals whenever said animals are held back to check their speed as well as
that of the vehicle to which they are attached.
Our invention is more particularly adapted to be used in connection with fire
apparatuses, wheeled-field-ordnances, hospital ambulances, and such like, and being
further adapted to be used in conjunction with vehicles adapted to carry heavy loads
and in which the rear wheels can be provided with a brake adapted to be operated as
usual, in conjunction with our automatic horse-brake, adapted to be controlled and
operated by the draft animals.
Our invention comprises essentially, two supporting brackets, A, A, which are
secured to the vehicle axle, B, or if desired, to the bolster, connected thereto, the
brackets being preferably V-shaped, as is shown in Figure 2, and giving support a
the free end, which is adapted to be extended backward or in the direction opposite
to which the vehicle is drawn, to a knuckle-bar, D, which bars are used in pairs, and
are preferably bifurcated at the ends marked, 2, so as to ensure a snug fit with the
supporting brackets, A. These bars, D, D, in turn give support to an extension rod, E,
which bar freely revolves within the terminal eyes, 3, of the knuckle bars D.
extension bar has its ends turned downward, so as to form the stub arm, 5, as is shown
in Fig. 2. To these stub arms are next secured the brake-shoes, 7, which are of a
peculiar construction, being provided with a grinding face, 6, adapted to work against
the outward periphery of the wheel, and further having an upper rounded edge, E,
forming a continuation of the grinding face, 6.
This
Secured to the forward end of the part or tongue, F, of the vehicle is a duplex
pivotted neck-yoke.comprising two similar bars, K, K, which may work within an

page_text: :
opening or slot within the forward end of the tongue or be pivotally secured to the
top or bottom of the tongue by means of a pin; 8. Each of these bars is of a length
little exceeding half the length of a yoke, and has one of its ends, 9, curved back-
ward and terminating in an eye, to each of which is secured an ordinary bar, which
bars 12, 12, are united and adapted to receive the strand, 13, which may be a wire, a
cable, or a rod, this strand being connected at its remaining end centrally to the
bar, E, and is shown in Figure 1. Each of the duplex yoke-bars, K, K, is further
provided upon its curved end, 9, with a stop in the form of an ordinary projecting
pin, 10, which pins limit the movement of said pivotted bars in their rearward
direction. In Fig. 1, we have shown by dotted lines the position of these duplex
bars, K, K, as checked in their backward movement by the stops 10, 10.
This combination would comprise our invention proper, which when all the parts
are properly assembled, and constructed, would appear as follows:
The brackets, A. A, having been properly positioned are provided with knuckle-
bars, D, supporting extension bar, E, to which the brake shoes, 7, have been properly
secured. Norinally the weight of the bar, E, and the bars, D, would carry the brake
shoes downward in the path of the arrow marked, v, in which position the brake shoe
isinot in contact with the wheel, M, and in which position the yoke bars, K, K, are in
their proper position, as indicated in Fig. 1. As long as the draft animals exert their
force upon the singletrees of the vehicle to draw the same forward these bars, K,
simply support the tongue, F. However, as soon as the speed of the vehicle becomes
greater than that of the animals attached thereto these bars, K, will be drawn
backward by the animal in the endeavour to check the speed of the vehicle, and this
backward movement by causing a corresponding forward movement of the curved
ends 9 shortens the length of the distance between the bar, E, and the pivot pin, 8,
in the forward portion of the tongue, so that the speed of said wheels is checked and
the greater the restraining power of the lever the greater will be the power exerted
on the brakes used, so that it will be noticed these brakes act automatically. Now,
however, it might at times be desirable to push a vehicle provided with our improve-
sinent backward, which would of course neccessitate the levers K, K, being drawn
backward to check the speed of the wheels, M. These wheels in this instance, how-
ever, revolve in a direction opposite or, referring to Fig. 3, in a direction indicated by
"the arrow, v. As soon as the wheel engages the brake shoes from that direction, the
brake shoes are automatically and instantly carried outward, the shoes revolving by
virtue of the pivotted bar, E, and the wheels, M, being loosely engaged by the upper
curved end, H, of the brake shoes, in which instance they act in no way to retard the
movement or speed of the wheels. As the distance from the bar, E, and the periphery
of the wheel is less at the upper end than from said bar, E, to the lower end, of the
shoe, these shoes will always be carried tightly against the wheels when said wheels
revolve in one direction, and invariably be reversed and carried away when said wheels
move in the opposite direction. The pins, 10, check the movement of said
bars, K, K, while the vehicle is being backed.
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 ;-
1. A brake adapted to be used in conjunction with the forward wheels of a vehicle
and comprising the following instrumentalities, to-wit: a two part pivotted neck-
yoke each of said two part neck-yoke bars being provided with laterally extending
stub-armis, brackets secured to the forward axle, knuckle bars pivotally secured to said
brackets, an extension har revolubly held within said knuckle bars and brake shoes
secured to said extension bar and a strand connecting said extension bar to said two-
part neck-yoke, said brake shoes being so arranged that they tightly grind against
the outer periphery of said wheels while revolving in one direction and loosely ride
against said wheels while revolving in an opposite direction, all substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
2. A brake shoe, a pivotted bar supporting said brake shoe, means for moving said

page_text: brake shoe backwards and forward, said brake shoe being pivotted to said bar, near
its upper end, the upper end of said brake shoe being rounded, and so arranged that
if said wheel is revolved in one direction, while said brake shoe is locked against said
wheel, the speed of said wheel will be checked, while if said wheel is revolved in an
opposite direction while said brake shoe is in position, said brake will be automatically
released.