An Improved Combined Brake and Alarm for Bicycles and like Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th Oct. 1896-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Combined Brake and Alarm for Bicycles and like
Vehicles.
We, CHARLES ELWYN JOHNSON, of Mount Jackson, Marion County, Indiana,
Telegraph Operator, and LOUIS ADEPTUS KINSEY, of Indianapolis, Marion County,
Indiana, Broker, both in the United States of America, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to provide a rotary brake for bicycles, and an
alarm to be combined therewith. A further object is to provide a convenient
and efficient means for operating the brake, and for operating the alarm.
The bicycle, including all its various parts, is or may be of any ordinary or desired
construction, and will not, therefore, be further described herein except incidentally
in describing the brake and alarm apparatus attached thereto, which constitutes our
present invention.
The invention comprises a pivoted frame of a combined ratchet and brake
mechanism; a brake roll; an alarm plate secured to the said pivoted frame; a
lever preferably formed of spring metal by which the brake and alarm device is
immediately operated; an operating lever pivoted upon the frame of the bicycle, and
a link or connecting rod connecting the aforesaid levers.
The pivoted frame is secured to the bicycle frame, preferably to the rear standards
or backstays thereof, and is provided with a pivot by which it is enabled to move to
and from the operative positions.
The brake roller is mounted on an axle in the lower end of the pivoted frame, and
preferably consists substantially of a metal spool having a rubber sleeve or covering,
and provided either with a pin hearing, or a roller bearing.
Washers are interposed between the ends of the roller and the sides of the pivoted
frame, and these extend out and develop into projections which are adapted to come
in contact with the bicycle frame members for instance, the backstays whereby the
structure is prevented from passing between said frame members when thrown into
operative position, but is stopped at the operative position. The ends of the spool
are provided with ratchet teeth by which the alarm device is operated.
The alarm device, as I prefer to construct it, consists of a spring plate secured to
the pivoted frame by suitable means, such as bolts, with its free end extending down
into the path of the ratchet teeth. The consequence is, when the brake roller is
revolved, the spring being of resonant material, is caused to make a loud clatter,
the noise of which corresponds somewhat in character to that made by locusts, for
which reason I have denominated this a "locust" alarm. In using this as an alarm,
the wheel is only thrown down sufficiently to come slightly in contact with the
wheel-tire, and not down to the full braking position. The alarm plate may or may
not be adjustable by means of slots therein, as is desired. Ordinarily any small
device, such as a small stick or pebble, may be inserted thereunder, and it is thus
raised out of the path of the teeth.
The aforesaid lever is secured to the pivoted frame and, is provided with slots,
whereby it may be adjusted as desired on its securing bolts, and thus the operating
arm of the lever lengthened or shortened as desired. As before stated, this is
preferably formed of spring metal, so that it may yield somewhat, and this constitutes
a valuable feature in holding the device locked in inoperative position where said.

page_text: lever comes in contact with the frame of the bicycle, and is somewhat bent by the
consequent strain, so that there is no looseness nor play between the parts when in
this position, in which they ordinarily remain.
The operating lever is a simple hand lever, the pivot whereof is mounted in a
simple clamp on a part of the bicycle frame, and which is also provided with a second
pivot by which to connect the link or connecting rod thereto.
The link or connecting rod extends between the operating lever and, the lever on
the pivoted frame and is the means by which the latter lever is operated from the
operating lever, as will be readily understood. The pivot connections are so arranged,
that the parts are locked in either position by means of the pivots passing the centres
somewhat.
In a modification of the device a bell is substituted for the "locust" spring, and
the bell-hammer is mounted on a pivot shaft and has an arm which extends down
and engages with the teeth of brake roller. A small spring is so attached as
to operate reversely to the ratchet teeth, and thus complete the strokes of the
hammer.
Dt.1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
An Improved Combined Brake and Alarm for Bicycles and like
Vehicles.
We, CHARLES ELWYN JOHNSON, of Mount Jackson, Marion County, Indiana,
Telegraph Operator, and 1.OUIS ADEPTUS KINSEY, of Indianapolis, Marion County,
Indiana, Broker, both in the United States of America, 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 object of our invention is to provide a convenient and efficient rotary brake
for bicycles, and an alarm to be combined therewith, together with suitable means
for operating the same.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on
which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle provided with a brake and alarm apparatus
embodying my said invention;
Fig. 2 a fragmentary view showing said brake and alarm apparatus and the
immediately adjacent portions of the bicycle, on an enlarged scale, said brake and
alarm apparatus being shown in its raised or inoperative position; Fig. 3a similar
view except that the parts are lowered with the brake in contact with the wheel
tire in the operative position;
Fig. 4 an under side elevation of the principal brake and alarm device separately,
on a still further enlarged scale; Fig. 5 a similar rear side elevation with the
extreme upper portion broken away;
Fig. 6 a central vertical section on the dotted line 66;
Fig. 7 a view similar to Fig. 5, except that a bell is substituted for the ratchet
as an alarm device;
Fig. 8 a view similar to Fig. 6 on the dotted line 8 8 in Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 a sectional view through the brake wheel, when the same is constructed
with a pin bearing, and Fig. 10 a similar view showing a ball bearing construction.
In said drawings the portions marked A represent the frame of the bicycle;
B the pivoted frame of the combined ratchet and brake mechanism; C the brake

page_text: roll; D the alarm plate secured to the frame B; E a lever preferably formed of
spring metal by which the brake and alarm device is immediately operated; F an
operating lever pivoted upon the frame of the bicycle, and G a link or connecting rod
connecting the levers E and F.
The frame B is secured to the bicycle frame A, preferably to the rear standards
thereof, and is provided with a pivot b by which it is enabled to move to and from the
positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3, respectively.
The brake roller is mounted on an axle C in the lower end of the frame B,
and preferably consists substantially of a metal spool having a rubber sleeve or
covering c, and provided either with a pin bearing, as shown in Fig. 9, or a roller
bearing, as shown in Fig. 10.
Washers W are interposed between the ends of the roller and the sides of the
frame B, and these extend out and develop into projections P which are adapted to
come in contact with the bicycle frame members A, whereby the structure is prevented
froin passing between said frame members when thrown into operative position, but is
stopped at the position shown most plainly in Fig. 3. As shown in several of the
views, most plainly in Figs. 6 and 8, the ends of the spool are provided with ratchet
teeth t by which the alarm device is operated.
The alarm device D, as we prefer to construct it, consists of a spring plate
secured to the frame B by suitable means, such as bolts d, with its free end extending
down into the path of the ratchet teeth t. The consequence is, when the wheel C is
revolved, the spring being of resonant material, is caused to make a loud clatter, the
noise of which corresponds somewhat in character to that made by locusts, for which
reason we have denominated this a "locust" alarm. In using this as an alarm, the
wheel is only thrown down sufficiently to come slightly in contact with the wheel-
tire, and not down to the full braking position shown in Fig. 3. The alarm plate D D
may or may not be adjustable by means of slots therein, as shown in Fig. 5, as is
desired. Ordinarily any small device, such as a small stick or pebble, may be inserted
thereunder, and is thus raised out of the path of the teeth t.
The lever E is secured to the frame B, and, as shown in Fig. 4, is provided with
slots, whereby it may be adjusted as desired on its securing bolts e, and thus the
operating arm of the lever lengthened or shortened as desired. As before stated;
this is preferably formed of spring metal, so that it may yield somewhat, and this
constitutes a valuable feature in holding the device locked in inoperative position, as
shown in Fig. 2, where said lever is shown as coming in contact with the frame of
the bicycle, and somewhat bent by the consequent strain, so that there is no
looseness nor play between the parts when in this position, in which they ordinarily
remain.
The lever F is a simple haud lever, the pivot whereof is mounted in a simple
clamp on a part of the frame A, and which is also provided with a second pivot by
which to connect the link or connecting rod G thereto.
The link or connectieg rod G extends between the levers E and F, and is the
means by which the lever E is operated from the lever F, as will be readily
understood. The pivot connections are so arranged, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, that
the parts are locked in either position by means of the pivots passing the centers
somewhat.
The foregoing description relates to the device as illustrated in the various
drawings, except in Figs. 7 and 8. In the last named figures a bell X is substituted
for the "locust" spring D, and the bell-hammer is mounted on the pivot shaft T,
and has an arm T¹ which extends down and engages with the teeth t of the wheel C.
A small spring is so attached as to operate reversely to the ratchet teeth, and thus
complete the strokes of the hammer.
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. The combination, with a bicycle, of a brake-frame hinged to supports on the

page_text: wheel-frame above the wheel, the brake carried on the lower end of said frame, a
device for holding said brake away from the tire of said wheel, and means for
oporating said brake to a position against the portion of the frame to which it is
hinged, the brake frame being of such length that when in this position the lower
face of said brake will be in a plane below the normal plane of the outer surface of
the tire at said point, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, with a bicycle, of a combined brake and alarm consisting of
a frame hinged to supports on the wheel frame above the wheel, a rotative brake-roll
journaled in the lower end of said frame at a point which will bring its lower
surface into a plane normally below the top surface of the tire when drawn down
to operative position, means for normally holding said brake-roll out of contact with
the tire, means for operating the brake to a position whereby the brake-roll is brought
into contact with the tire, a ratchet on the brake-roll, and an alarm mounted on said
brake frame and provided with a projection extending into the path of said ratchet,
whereby, when the brake is thrown into engagement with the wheel and rotated, the
-alarm will be simultaneously sounded, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 15th day of October 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.