# Vintage Bicycle Air Brakes?



## Steven Pratt (May 3, 2007)

Hi.....This is my first visit here.  I am trying to find out if anybody might have some information on some old bicycle brakes that I have.  They are apparently air brakes.  I've never seen anything like them, but I'm no expert.  They were made by a company named "Williams Engineering" in Elk Grove, Ill.  If anybody has ever heard of them or has any info., could you let me know?  Thanks, Steve  
(stevenjpratt@hotmail.com)


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## thebikeguy (May 3, 2007)

That sounds too intriguing. You GOTTA show us some pics. At first I thought you were kidding. Mud flaps are known as "air brakes"


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## Steven Pratt (May 4, 2007)

I could be a little more accurate in my description...They would be considered "pneumatic" brakes I guess.  There is a cylindrical actuator on top of each caliper and they are connected with plastic tubing which in turn connects to the single hand lever and another compression cylinder of some sort.  When the lever is pulled, the cylinder compresses the air in the lines which causes the actuators to expand which compresses the calipers....not unlike cable brakes I guess...without the cable.  Anyway, I was thinking of taking some pictures for eBay, and maybe I can figure out how to show them here.


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## militarymonark (May 4, 2007)

http://www.thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=488
POST PICS!!! I have got to see these.


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## Steven Pratt (May 5, 2007)

See if this link works.  Photos suck, but they should give you an idea.  Steve

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa91/stevenjpratt/


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## Mybluevw (May 5, 2007)

*Brakes*

They are probably an early version of hydraulic brakes. Air is a very compressible fluid and would not work well in that application. I have an early set of hydraulic mountain bike brakes made by Magura in the mid 1980s and I thought that they were some of the first. Do you have any idea when these were made.
Thanx for the pics !


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## Steven Pratt (May 5, 2007)

What you say about compressibilty does make sense.  The person that gave them to me suggested air, but I can't think of a way to check without taking them apart, which would break any seals.  I hoped somebody might be able to identify them, but it is not looking good.  I have no idea when they were made....just the name "Williams Engineering" as I mentioned.  And I haven't found anything on them.


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## Steven Pratt (May 9, 2007)

Actually upon further inspection, they appear more and more to be pneumatic.  Does anybody have any idea?


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## titus (Mar 30, 2011)

I had one in 1987 and it was really old then, i think may have been from the late late 70's to compete with the gimmick factor of disc brakes on murray 10 speeds, it was on a black and green(neon) huffy road bike.  they just hissed at me and didn't work much,  you have to pump them to make them really work and the rims have to be super true.  I'm not sure these are the exact same type because I think mine used a bladder for the master cylender but the calipurs look very similar


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## david Williams (Jul 15, 2020)

Steven Pratt said:


> Hi.....This is my first visit here.  I am trying to find out if anybody might have some information on some old bicycle brakes that I have.  They are apparently air brakes.  I've never seen anything like them, but I'm no expert.  They were made by a company named "Williams Engineering" in Elk Grove, Ill.  If anybody has ever heard of them or has any info., could you let me know?  Thanks, Steve
> (stevenjpratt@hotmail.com)



Mrs. E.R.Pennell wrote a book in 1895 ish " Over the Alps on a Bicycle" in which she says she has to pump up her pneumatic brake. I believe that The Scientific American" carried an article on this subject in 1895 approx. Mrs. P. was the first woman to cross the Alps by bike.


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## bricycle (Jul 15, 2020)

supprised to see the photo bucket pics still there.


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## Andrew Gorman (Jul 15, 2020)

The 1890's pneumatic brakes were a heavy duty bladder that rubbed against the rear tire when pumped up.  They were popular as a "drag brake" in hilly areas.


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