# ~ What Is It? TOC Fork Mount Spoon Brake? ~



## Krakatoa (May 22, 2019)

Found this recently. Looks like some kind of fork mounted spoon brake. Thought someone here would be able to help identifying it.

Thanks,

Nate


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## bricycle (May 22, 2019)

possibly a scrub brake doo-dad??


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## bike (May 22, 2019)

I think its meant to be a foot operated brake but not sure


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## bicyclerNY (May 22, 2019)

Here are advertisements for the Handy Automatic Brake. It is mounted to act on the rear wheel.


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## dnc1 (May 22, 2019)

Have you tried mounting it on a fork with a wheel?
It may help to see how it may work in situ.
Struggling to visualise it in operation.
Any identifying marks?
The foot operated brakes I've seen are all rear brakes, this is very different.
If it fits on the chainstays, as a rear brake, it could be bottom bracket operated? 
Very interesting.
As a tyre cleaner I don't think it would be very effective, too great a surface area to the 'spoon' part.


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## dnc1 (May 22, 2019)

Wow! @bicyclerNY , great find on that advert.
At least I was in the ballpark with the rear brake thinking.


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## dnc1 (May 22, 2019)

There appears to be a foot operated lever mounted at the rear dropout with a rod operating the brake.
Cool find @Krakatoa, are you going to use it?


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## bricycle (May 22, 2019)

think the tension on chain activates it somehow...?


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## Krakatoa (May 22, 2019)

Wow that was fast! 

I love the CABE!


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## catfish (May 22, 2019)

I had one of these on a bike a long time ago.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (May 22, 2019)

This is made for a free-wheeling clutch hub, with some kind of linkage connected to the crankset. It’s similar to the 1896 Eclipse.


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## dnc1 (May 22, 2019)

Here's one I'm looking for info on; the back pedal operation applies a conventional 'stirrup' caliper and a rear hub drum brake!












Love this crazy stuff.


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## dfa242 (May 22, 2019)

Huh - really do learn something new every day - Cool!


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## Jeff54 (May 22, 2019)

I Don't get what or why the advertisement shows the rider as if he's pushing a rod at end of rear stay, "Lower forks"

Additionally, I found an article:

*Brisbane Courier Newspaper Archives Monday, April 16, 1900 - Page 7; *

https://newspaperarchive.com/brisbane-courier-apr-16-1900-p-7/

There's errors in the print transcription but, It describes it and how to use. 

"A new brake has recently been placed on. the American market that has some very de- sirable features. The " Handy Automatic Brake," as it is called, consists/ simply of a bale or hoop attached by clips to the lower forks of the frame and flattened at the cen- tre to form a shoe. It is provided with a lever, one end of which carries a iball-bear ing roller, which rests just aJ)ove the chain. A rider deBlring to slow down or stop, or to keep his wheel in check when descending a grade or hill, holds back or " back pedals." This action Instantly straightens the lower reach of the chain, and transfers the slack, which had jbeen in this part, to the upper reach. As tho lower reach straightens it catches <the ball-bearing roll- er, lifts aiid carries the lever backward, and draws the shoe against the tlffc. The in- stant the rider stops holding' iback on the pedals the brake is automatically released, and resumes its'normal position, ready again for any call or emergency. With it iho rider does not use a muscio ho "would not use if he did not have It. if his desire Ia to slightly check his wheel ho holds back lightly, and the hrake is applied Ilgatly. If he wants to stop quickly he applies niora force, and the brake does the rest. There is no limit to the power of the hrake ; a rider going at the very top. of his speed can stop in 10ft., and can easily hold his wheel down any travelled hill, no matter how steep. It is light, and can easily he flttei to any chalu-drlvea jawhtjiel. ^"

It don't say to push a lever with right foot  as the illustration seems to show  either rather, just back peddle. .  The " Handy Automatic Brake," first  coaster or kick-back brake?


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## Craig Allen (May 22, 2019)

It's a G&J Rambler front fork, foot operated brake that originally had coil springs on both sides for the return. I don't have all the G&J catalogs, but they were an option available in 1899 to at least 1901.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (May 27, 2019)

Possibly the rear hub has an internal clutch freewheeling design for this Handy brake?
Here is another type of rear spoon brake.


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## Krakatoa (May 28, 2019)

Thanks for all your help and interest everyone!

This Handy Brake has found a new home with a happy Caber, and I am sure he'll post again once installed!


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