Brakes – Vehicle – Velocipede
Patent
1990-12-04
1992-10-06
Oberleitner, Robert J.
Brakes
Vehicle
Velocipede
188 2412, 188 2421, 188 2422, B62L 114
Patent
active
051523779
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an assembly for adjusting the force of a return spring in brake devices for use in bicycles.
BACKGROUND ART
For example, cantilever or center-pull caliper brake devices comprise a pair of brake arm mounts fixed to the fork of a bicycle and each having a pivot, a pair of brake arms movably supported by the respective pivots, and return springs each provided between the brake arm and the mount. Each return spring has its opposite ends held to the brake arm and the mount for biasing the brake arm to position a brake shoe attached to the arm away from the rim of the wheel.
Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication SHO 63-992 and the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,853 disclose assemblies for adjusting the force of the return spring.
According to the prior art, the return spring is held at its one end to the mount side and at the other end thereof to a coupling member on the brake arm side. The coupling member is adjustable by rotating an adjusting screw provided on the brake arm to thereby remedy one-sided action of the brake or adjust the tension (return spring force).
The return spring may be adjusted merely by advancing or retracting the adjusting screw, with the other end of the return spring bearing on the forward end of the adjusting screw. However, if the return spring is merely in bearing contact with the adjusting screw at their opposed ends which are flat, it is likely that one end will be displaced laterally from the other end to render the spring unadjustable. It is therefore useful for reliable adjustment to provide the coupling member as in the prior art.
Nevertheless, the coupling member is rotatable relative to the brake arm and is in face-to-face contact therewith, so that the member encounters very great frictional resistance, becomes difficult to rotate and is likely to break the adjusting screw.
An object of the present invention is to provide an assembly for adjusting the force of a return spring for use in bicycle brake devices wherein an adjusting screw is provided at its forward end with a socket portion having the end of the return spring directly fitted therein to overcome the problem of the prior art.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
To fulfill the above object, the present invention provides the following technical means.
More specifically, the invention provides an assembly for adjusting the force of a return spring for a bicycle brake device wherein a brake arm and the return spring are fitted around a pivot on a mount fixed to the body of a bicycle, the return spring having one end held to one of the mount and the brake arm, an adjusting screw being supported by the other in screw-thread engagement therewith, the other end of the return spring bearing on the forward end of the adjusting screw, the adjusting screw being provided at its forward end with a socket portion having the other end of the return spring fitted therein to prevent lateral displacement.
When the adjusting screw is advanced or retracted relative to the mount or the brake arm in the above structure of the present invention, the return spring is expanded or contracted to adjust the force of the spring to return the brake arm relative to the mount. The adjusting spring has the return spring end fitted in the socket portion at its forward end, directly and reliably transmits the amount of movement of the screw to the spring end to adjust the tension, and can be smaller in the force required for adjustment than in the prior art wherein the coupling member is used.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view;
FIG. 2 is a view in section;
FIG. 3 is a view in section taken along the line II--III in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view;
FIGS. 5 and 6 are an exploded perspective view and a sectional view, respectively, showing a second embodiment;
FIGS. 7 to 9 show a third embodiment;
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view;
FIG. 8 is a front view in sectio
REFERENCES:
patent: 3811541 (1974-05-01), Yoshikawa
patent: 4310972 (1982-01-01), Isberg et al.
patent: 4611690 (1986-09-01), Schoch
patent: 4735106 (1988-04-01), Yoshigai
patent: 4754853 (1988-07-01), Nagano
patent: 4793444 (1988-12-01), Nagano
patent: 4838386 (1989-06-01), Yoshigai
patent: 4838387 (1989-06-01), Yoshigai
patent: 4871033 (1989-10-01), Odoni et al.
Oberleitner Robert J.
Poon Peter M.
Yoshigai Kikai Kinzoku Kabushiki Kaisha
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