FRENCH REPUBLIC

                            MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE	          [SEAL]

SERVICE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

PATENT
Gr. 10.- Cl. 5
					No. 933.524

Improvements to bicycle brakes.

M. 	Claudius MASSON resident in France (Rhône).
	
	Requested on September 6, 1946, at 15H05M, in Lyon.
Issued on January 1, 1948.- Published on April 23, 1948.
[Patent whose issuance was deferred upon the execution of Article 11, S7, from the Act dated July 5, 1844 modified by the Act dated April 7, 1902]

The invention refers to brakes for bicycles of the type in which the brake blocks, designed to rest against the edges of the rim, are mounted on short levers pivoted on individual axles fixed to the fork branches which are directly engaged into action by the traction of two cable strands which hitch themselves up to the pliable control. 

One knows that the major fault of complaint about these types of brakes, which otherwise present undeniable advantages of strength and simplicity, is that the brake blocks describe a short circle arc in such a way that they do not press perpendicularly against the rim.

Following the present invention, one resolves the inconvenience in question by articulating the brake blocks on the levers which they carry and guide in such a manner as to give them a rectilinear track in spite of the circular movement of the levers.

The present invention has, in addition, a style of performance particularly advantageous for a brake with levers guided as such, and it aims specially to implement great strength, as well as extreme simplicity.

Following another characteristic of the invention, the tail of each brake block holder is locked in a cylindrical dice which travels transversally, even though the mentioned dice is housed loosely in a bore of the corresponding lever which is provided of two arched lights which the tail crosses and which, while holding the axle of the dice, allows it to have a sufficient angular end.

The placement of the tail  in the dice is preferably assured by the axial shifting of a sort of core in relation to the rest of the dice, forming a cartridge, the movement which is governed by the screw or nut which serves to attach to the dice a guiding slide, designed to cooperate with a fixed finger.

Following still another characteristic of the invention, the fixed finger guide of each slide is interdependent to a brake pad forming at the same time a restraining stop from the spring-loaded return of the brake lock considered.

The brake according to the invention is still remarkable in that the strand of cable designed to activate each lever is threaded longitudinally in an axial hole drilled in the branch of  the action lever and stopped by a pointed screw.

The attached drawing, given as an example, allows a better understanding of the invention, the features that it displays and the advantages it is able to provide:

Figure 1 is a general view in relation to a brake established under the guidelines of the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic view of a lever in action with its accessories.

	Figure 3 is a cross-section of the horizontal plane of the axle of a dice from the brake pad holder.

	Figure 4 is a view in relation to the base designed to carry the pivot of a lever.

	Figures 5 and 6 are two views of a lever respectively in an unlocked and locked position of the brake.

	Figure 7 is a transversal cross-section in detail showing the stopping stirrup of the general command cable and the passage of the secondary action cable of the brake blocks.

	In Figure 1, 1 designates a bicycle fork in which a wheel is mounted, but not shown, in order not to complicate the diagram.  On each branch of this fork, a pivot 2 is mounted on which a lever turns freely 3-4 with two arms in a square.  Arm 3, sensibly horizontal, receives the action of a strand of cable 5, while Arm 4, sensibly vertical, carries, mounted on itself in articulation, a brake block holder 6 which holds in its own right a brake pad 7 designed to come in contact with the rim of the wheel to brake.  The brake pad holder is interdependent to a slide 8 (Figure 2) guided by a fixed pin 9, of such a type that the brake pad 7 moves sensibly in a rectilinear fashion, in spite of the half circular movement of the arm 4.  A spring-loaded stop 10 insures the return of the lever 3-4.  The two strands of cable 5 form the same length of cable, sent back by a sort of stirrup 11 harnessed to the general control cable 12.

	One understands that the action of the cable 12 provokes the rotation of the levers 3-4 and the application of the brake pads 7 following a rectilinear course.

	If one now considers the detail of the construction, one notices that each brake block is interdependent, as usual, of one tail 13 (Figure 3).  This last piece travels transversally a cylindrical dice in two pieces 14-15.  The piece 14 is in the form of a cartridge, and the piece 15, housed in the interior, constitutes a sort of core equipped with an axial threaded stud 16 which crosses the brake pad 8 forming a slide and receives a nut 17.  The brake pad 8, taking support against the edge of the cartridge 14, requires the stud 15 to shift axially when one tightens the nut 17, that exerts clipping effort on the tail which blocks it into position. 

	The dice 14-15 is housed freely in a cylindrical bore provided at the end of the lever 4 parallel to pivot 2, in a section bulging 4a from said lever.  The curved indentations 4b (Figure 1) used in this section 4a allow for the passage of the tail 13 and, while holding it all as it follows the axle of section 4a, which allows for it to have an angular end around said axle.

	One notices that the construction described allows, by the play of the sole nut 17 to ensure the braking of the brake shoe holder in the dice to the direction wanted (around the axle of tail 13), the articulated fastening of the unit at the end of the lever 4 and the fastening of  slide 8. 

	The latter is preferably slightly curved, as it is shown well in Figures 5 and 6, in such a way that the movement of the brake pad at the time of braking is substantially horizontal.

	The pivot 2 is not directly fixed to the corresponding branch, but it is carried by a base 18 (Figure 4), which fastens itself in place to the branch either by a collar or by a stationary brazing metal.  On this base 18 is fixed a piece 19 equipped with two tongue strips curved into a square.  The first, 19a, is provided at the curved end towards the height of piece 19 and is designed to play the role of finger 9 in the diagram of Figure 2, that is to say in order to penetrate into the light of slide 8 to insure the guidance of the brake  lock.  Figure 6 clearly shows the respective disposition of the slide and of piece 19.  The second tongue strip 19b, forms the stop of the spring-loaded retractor 10 from which the other extreme is fixed to the middle of the lever 3-4.
	One notices that piece 19 is attached to the base 18 by a single screw or rivet 20 (Figure 4), it is prevented from turning around this rivet by a little piece stamped 19c which engages into an indentation 18a at the base 18.
	Each Arm 3 is bored following its axle of an obstructed hole designed to receive the end of the strand of movement 5, which blocks it there with a pointed screw 21 (Figure 5).
	The stirrup 11 is a piece of bent sheet metal in the form of a “U” from which the lightly stamped extremities are locked by a rivet 22 (Figures 1 & 7).  The stamped section has a rounded profile and the piece of cable forming the two strands 5 passes over it, as it is well illustrated in Figure 7.  The upper bend of the stirrup 11 is indented for the passage of the main cable 12 which is blocked in place by a bolt 23 which crosses axially and is sought by a locking nut 24. 

	The brake conceptualized as such comprises a minimum number of pieces, superior to those brakes of the same type with non-adjustable brake blocks.  It is extremely sturdy, 
base 18 and piece 19 forming in relation to the blocking needs for Arm 4 when this one tends to be governed by the movement of the wheel.  The adjustments are very easy and thanks to the substantial rectilinear movement of the brake blocks, it is not necessary to make adjustments in a precise or frequent fashion.

	Moreover, it must be understood that the description that proceeds was only given as an outline and that it does not, in any way, limit the property of the invention from which one would not resort to remove the details of the implementation described by all equivalent others;  not only that in implementing only certain features described below, in spite of the advantage that their judicious combination presents in the manner which this unique device has just been specified. [Translator’s Note:  Verbatim]

	One will note in particular that the articulation of the brake blocks or holders of the brake blocks may equally be applied to brakes with long branches individually pivoted or on the same axle (cam brakes, pincer brakes, etc.).

SUMMARY

Cycle brakes with brake blocks carried by independent levers, in which the brake blocks are positioned  at the ends of the levers and are guided in such a way as to carry out a substantial rectilinear course, in spite of the circular movement of the levers, the mentioned brake may, in addition display other features as follows, separately or in combination: 

1.-  The tail of each brake block, manufactured in the usual fashion is locked in a cylindrical dice which crosses transversally, while said dice is freely housed in a bore at the end of the corresponding lever, this lever is provided with two curved lights from which the tail crosses and which, while holding it in place, following the axle of the dice, allows a sufficient angular conclusion.

2.-  The attachment of the tail of the dice is assured by axial shifting from a sort of core in relation to the rest of the dice forming cartridge, shifting which is controlled by a screw or nut that serves to attach a guiding slide to the dice, designed to work with a stationary finger.

3.-  The stationary finger guide of each slide is interdependent on a brake pad forming at the same time a spring-loaded restraining stop of the brake lock in question.

4.-  The two brake levers are activated by the same cable retracted by a stirrup attached to the main control cable.

5.-  Each end of the activating cable of the levers is threaded through a hole bored axially in the activating branch of the lever considered and it is stopped by a pointed screw.
	
					Claudius MASSON.

					By procurement:

						Jh. Monnier

                                                                                                                                                                    
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