Brakes – Vehicle – Velocipede
Patent
1984-07-13
1987-01-27
Halvosa, George E. A.
Brakes
Vehicle
Velocipede
188 30, 188 823, 192 5, 192 12B, B62L 500, F16D 6300
Patent
active
046388907
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Bicycles provided with gear transmissions typically have the drawback that they lack pedal operated brakes. This is disadvantageous from the point of traffic security, firstly because it is not possible to produce the same braking force as in brakes operated by the feet and, secondly, because persons familiar with single gear bicycles often face difficulties when they have to use the hand brakes instead of the foot brakes. Especially in panic situations, such persons often act in reflex and the result is frequently that no braking at all takes place. A further disadvantage is that only one hand is available for the braking operation when the bicycle driver is using one hand to indicate a change of direction.
These and other reasons have resulted in many attempts to provide a brake which permits pedal operated braking in connection with multi-geared bicycles.
The suggested solutions, however, have been too complicated, and they have respectively necessitated such changes in the construction of the bicycle that they have not reached a more extensive use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a cycle braking system comprises a brake actuating member which is connected by a freewheel means to the pedal crank assembly of the bicycle. The freewheel means is disengaged when the pedal crank assembly is driven in a forward direction, and it is engaged when the pedal crank assembly is driven in a reverse direction, thereby moving the brake actuating member to its active position where it actuates the cycle brakes which are connected thereto. The characterizing feature of the invention is that a slip coupling means is connected to the freewheel means for reducing the force transmitted from the pedal crank assembly to the brake actuating member during heavy braking.
Preferably, the invention also involves a second freewheel which is mounted on the hub of a driven wheel of the vehicle. This second freewheel operates in a direction which is opposite to the freewheel means on the pedal crank assembly, in the respect that the second freewheel has a blocking action for rotating the driven wheel of the vehicle in a forward direction in response to forward rotation of the pedal crank. Means are provided for deactivating the second freewheel in response to movement of the brake actuating member to its active position, thereby releasing the driven wheel to permit the pedal crank assembly from locking after heavy braking.
In one embodiment, the freewheel on the pedal crank assembly includes a ratchet wheel, pawls which are mounted on a ring and engage the ratchet wheel, and the brake actuating member is non-rotatably connected to the ring. The slip coupling in this embodiment includes a sleeve which is non-rotatably mounted on the pedal crank shaft. The ratchet wheel is rotatably mounted on the sleeve, and a compression spring axially biases together the sleeve and a surface on the ratchet wheel.
In another embodiment, the freewheel on the pedal crank assembly has a center portion, a sleeve which is rotatable on the center portion, and an inter-engaging blocking means on the sleeve and center portion for providing a blocking action in only one direction. The sleeve has a flange which is engaged with the brake actuating member to deter rotation between the sleeve and the brake actuating member, and a spring is provided for axially biasing together the flange and the brake actuating member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings illustrate some exemplary embodiments of the invention, wherein
FIG. 1 is a partial section through a freewheel and a friction coupling connected to the crank portion of a bicycle according to a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a transverse section through the device shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a section through a second embodiment of a freewheel and friction coupling device connected to the crank portion of a bicycle.
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through a first embodiment of a releasable freewheel device connec
REFERENCES:
patent: 633605 (1899-09-01), McAnulty et al.
patent: 3506100 (1970-04-01), Tomozawa
patent: 3888334 (1975-06-01), Mack
patent: 3892301 (1975-07-01), Frei et al.
patent: 4134481 (1979-01-01), Calderazzo
patent: 4260044 (1981-04-01), Foster
AB Trama
Halvosa George E. A.
Oberleitner Robert J.
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