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Corbin & New Departure Hub Dating Project - Need everyone's help pre-1933

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Gary Mc

Cruisin' on my Bluebird
The bicycle coaster brake was invented by New Departure sometime in the 1897-98 period. Early in 1897, the company created the so-called "controller." This was a device that acted as decelerator and also permitted coasting but was not a true "coaster brake". (Posts #89 & 97) In December of 1898 the company, because it didn't have the machinery, contracted with the P.&F. Corbin Co. of New Britain, Connecticut, to make 5,000 true coaster brakes... the first known order. Each concern was to sell the gadget that "brought the bike back".... They were marketed under the name of New Departure. In 1899 P.&F. Corbin Co. undertook to make its own brakes (continuing to use the New Departure name until at least 1906), and so in late 1899 New Departure produced the first at its own plant, The "New Departure" Automatic Coaster. (Post #120) NOTE: This proves both companies had a working/sales partnership from 1898 to 1899 only.

New Departure Bell Co. / New Departure Manufacturing Co., Bristol, Conn. Rear Coaster Brake Hubs:
  • New Departure "Junior" - earliest ?; known 1936; last ? (Used on children's sidewalk cycles; 1936 sch Post #131-132)
  • New Departure "Endee" - earliest ?; known 1930; last ? (Used on children's scooter bikes & bicycles; 1930 ad Post #46)

  • New Departure Model D - earliest Dec 1933 (1933 ad Post #94; 1934 ad post #10; 1937 ad Post #40; Parts Diag Post #66; Cutaway pics Model D Post #63 & #284, WD Post #64, DD Post #65; manual & care Post #109)
  • New Departure Model C - 1927 to 1933 (pics Post #122; earliest possibly is 1920 cat Post #20; 1927 cat Post #17; Dec 1927 ad Post #96; 1928 ads Post #56, #'s 222-226; 1929 ad Post #47; 1932 ad Post #95; ad Post #98; 133 due to Post #94 Model D ad; Parts Diag Post #66)
  • New Departure Models B & BB (Tandems & Motorcycles) - known 1906 to 1908 (ads Post #137)
  • New Departure Model A - originally known as "1903 Model" 1902/03, "1904 Model" 1903/04, called Model A by 1906 - 1902 to 1928 (1902 art Post #108; pics Post #5, 158, 171, 172; 1903 cat Post #19 & 270; 1903 Post #108; 1904 Post #107; 1904 ad Post #7 & 161; 1906 ref Post #49; 1906 Post #137; 1907 to 1909 Posts #227-230; 1913 cat Post #194; 1918 Post #38; 1918 cat Post # 4; 1919 Post #316; 124 Post #315; 1927 Post #61; 1927-28 cat Post #17; Parts Diag Post #66; cutaway Post #159; 1902 Patent Post # 180)
  • New Departure - earliest ?; known ?; last ? (Only has "New Departure" on the machined brake arm end but "Bto'S.G.du G." on the brake arm near the axle; pics Post #81 & 83)
  • New Departure Coaster Brake Pat'd (on cast brake arm) "1902 Model" - 1902 (Details Post #202; second & last ND cast coaster brake arm; side-pull spokes).
  • New Departure Bell Co. Bristol Conn. U.S.A. Pat'd (on cast brake arm) "Improved 1901 Model" aka "The Modern Witch" - May 1901 to December 1901 (Brochure Post #310, Details Post #201; first cast coaster brake arm; side-pull spokes).
  • New Departure, Bristol Conn., U.S.A. (on machined brake arm) "First 1901 Model" aka "The Modern Witch" - Dec. 1900 to May 1901 (Details Post #200; machined brake arm; side-pull spokes).
  • The "New Departure" Security Coaster Cyclometer - 1900 (Post #143; Same as "New Departure" Automatic Coaster with an added cyclometer attached inside the sprocket side of the hub; straight-pull spokes).
  • The "New Departure" Automatic Coaster - November 1899 to 1900 (See Post #120 & Post #143; straight-pull spokes).
  • "THE NEW DEPARTURE COASTER BRAKE & HUB, PATENTED, MF'D BY P&F CORBIN" on machined brake arm aka "New Departure Automatic Coaster & Brake" in catalog - 1898 to 1900 (First True Coaster Brake Hub; designed by ND, mf'd by Corbin, sold by both; 1898 pics Post #52; 1899 pic Post #52; 1900 cat Post #71 & 136; Patent & Details Post #101; machined brake arm; straight-pull & side-pull spoke examples known).
  • New Departure Controller Pat'd on brake arm on right drive side - created 1897; 1898 This is the very first Coaster "Decelerator" Brake Hub, designed by New Departure Bell, sold as "NEW DEPARTURE CONTROLLER" in 1898 (SEE POST #89) (See pics Post #67; unique coaster brake arm on the right drive side; 1898 Columbia cat Post #88; patent Post #179).
P.&F. Corbin / Corbin Screw Corp, New Britain, Conn. Rear Coaster Brake Hubs:
  • Corbin Two-Speed Coaster Brake Model 10 - 1906 to 1920 (Pics Post #24; 1906 Racycle Post #49; 1907 ad Post #136; Post #26; 1913 cat Post #194; 1918 cat Post # 4; 1920 cat Post #92; cast brake arm 1906-1907, machined brake arm 1908-1920; unique concave hub shell; Manual Post #58; Patents filed Dec 12, 1904 & May 31, 1905, Issued Feb 27, 1906, Post #60)
  • Corbin Duplex Coaster Brake Model 8 - 1909 to 1922 (pics Post #25 & 268; 1909 ad Post #136; 1911 ad Post #8 & #26; 1913 cat Post #194; 1914 ad Post #37 & #84; 1918 cat Post # 4; 1919 ad Post #70; ; 1920 cat Post #92; 1921 ad Post #93; 1922 ad Post #156; machined brake arms only; concave hub shell)
  • Corbin Duplex Coaster Brake Model 7 - 1908 to 1909 (1908 ad Post#136; 1909 ad Post #; pics Post #34; first machined brake arm only; concave hub shell)
  • Corbin Duplex Coaster Brake Model 6 - 1905 to 1909 (1905 Post #122 & ad #136; 1906 ad Post #9 & #136; 1906 cat Post #27; 1907 ad Post #136; 1908 ad Post #; last cast brake arm only - "Corbin Duplex, The Corbin Screw Corp., New Britain Conn.U.S.A."; first concave hub shell)
  • Corbin Duplex Coaster Brake for Chainless Bicycles. - known 1906 (1906 cat Post #27)
  • Corbin Duplex Coaster Brake Model 5-A to 5-H - motorcycle & bicycle tandems only known 1905-1911. Numerous models 5-A to 5-H. (1905 ad Post #136; 1906 Post #27 & 136, 1911 cat Post #26)
  • "Corbin Duplex, The Corbin Screw Corp., New Britain Conn.U.S.A." on brake arm "1904 Model" - 1904 (Ad Post #78; 1904 art Post #136; cast brake arm; last straight hub shell; came out Dec. 1903)
  • "New Departure Duplex, P.&F.Corbin. New Britain Conn.U.S.A." on brake arm aka "1903 Model" - late 1902 to 1903 (1902 Post #111; Pic Post #14, #79, & 154; 1903 Ad Post #78, 136, 193; 1903 IJ cat Post #87; cast brake arm; straight hub shell: First use of "Duplex" on Brake Arm)
  • "New Departure Coaster, P.&F.Corbin. New Britain Conn.U.S.A." on cast brake arm aka "1902 Model" & Model No. 5 - 1902 (Post #264; cat. Post #280; cast brake arm, straight hub shell)
  • "Corbin" on cast brake arm; Model No. 4 - 1902 (never seen a pic of this one; cat. Post #280; cast brake arm, straight hub shell)
  • "New Departure Coaster, P.&F.Corbin. New Britain Conn.U.S.A." aka"1901 Model" - 1900 to 1901 (1900 ad Post #136; straight-pull spokes; straight hub shell)
  • "THE NEW DEPARTURE COASTER BRAKE & HUB, PATENTED, MF'D BY P&F CORBIN" on machined brake arm aka "New Departure Automatic Coaster & Brake" in catalog - 1898 to 1900 (First True Coaster Brake Hub; designed by ND, mf'd by Corbin, sold by both; 1898 pics Post #52; 1899 pic Post #52; 1900 cat Post #71 & 136; Patent & Details Post #101; machined brake arm; straight-pull & side-pull spoke examples known).
Pierce-New Departure Rear Coaster Brake Hubs:
1901 - New Departure (most likely the Corbin version) or Morrow (chain only) (See Post #269)

Pope-New Departure Rear Coaster Brake Hubs:
  • 1898 Columbia, New Departure Controller brake , Posts #88 & 179
  • 1899 Columbia Coaster Brake ??? Corbin/New Departure Automatic Coaster & Brake Post #219 & 240
  • 1900 Columbia Brake is NOT New Departure. Post #236 (hub to tire brake)
  • 1901 Columbia Coaster Brake eventually assigned to New Departure Mfg. in 1913, Post #238

NOTE 1: CORBIN REAR COASTER BRAKE HUB ARM STYLES:
  • Machined coaster brake arms - 1898 to 1900/01 (P.&F.Corbin) & 1907 to 1921 (Corbin Screw Corp)
  • Cast coaster brake arms - 1900 (1901 Model) to 1906
NOTE 2: "P.&F. CORBIN CO." & "CORBIN SCREW CORP'N" ON COASTER BRAKE HUB ARMS
  • The Corbin Screw Corporation - 1904 to 1921 (Came into use sometime after May 2, 1903)
  • P.&F.Corbin Co. - 1898 to 1903
BASIS: Posts #136​

NOTE 3: USE OF "NEW DEPARTURE" ON COASTER BRAKE HUB ARMS
  • New Departure Bell Co. & New Departure Manufacturing - 1897 forward
  • P&F Corbin - 1898 to 1903 (New Departure Coaster in 1902 & New Departure Duplex in 1903
  • The Corbin Screw Corporation - "Corbin Duplex" used instead 1904 & later (NOTE: Corbin continued to state "New Departure" in catalogs and even the brake arms in their ads appear as New Departure Duplex from 1905 through 1907 but I am firmly convinced that The Corbin Screw Corporation never actually used New Departure Duplex on the hub coaster brake arms after 1903; One side note, 1904 ads alone show "Corbin's Duplex" on the coaster brake arm which was also never used)
NOTE 4: NEW DEPARTURE COASTER BRAKE BEGAN 1898 ON:
  • Columbia (New Departure Controller, Post #88)
  • Iver Johnson (Post #52 "THE NEW DEPARTURE COASTER BRAKE & HUB, PATENTED, MF'D BY P&F CORBIN")
  • Crescent catalogs don't show a coaster brake until 1900; no details. (Post #30)

NOTE: Corbin & New Departure Fixie Rear Hubs & Front Hubs had to be moved to post #3 to accommodate more info here on Coaster Brake Hubs.
 
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Model A

I saw the Model A advertised in a 1911 Mead catalog, it was shown as introducing "new hub". I cant find the catalog cut at the moment.
Maybe someone has a copy to post?
 
Corbin & New Departure Fixie Rear Hubs & Front Hubs

Rear Hubs (No Coaster Brake - FIXIE)
  • New Departure Model BRX Rear "Road" Hubs - known 1936 (1936 sch Post #131-132; straight hub shell)
  • New Departure Model RX Rear "Road" Hubs - known ? (1936 sch ref Post #131-132; concave hub shell)
  • New Departure Model R Rear "Road" Hubs - known 1918 (1918 cat Post # 4; Pic Post #102 & #128)
  • Corbin Model No. 26 - known 1905 to 1920 (1905 Post #122; 1909 ad Post #; 1911 cat Post #26; 1920 cat Post #92)
Front Hubs:
  • New Departure Model W - earliest 1935 (Ad Post #110)
  • New Departure Model SM - 1927 to 1935 (Pics Post #122 & #283; 1935 Post #110; straight hub shell)
  • New Departure Model MX - known ? (Pics Post #62; 1936 sch ref Post #131-132; concave hub shell)
  • New Departure Model M - known 1906 to 1930 (1906 ad Post #137; 1913 Post #3; 1918 cat Post # 4; 1923-1924 ref Post #50; 1930 cat Post #150; pics Post #282 & 292)
  • New Departure Model F (Tandems & Motorcycles) - known 1906 (1906 ad Post #)
  • New Departure Model BM - ? (Post #33)
  • Corbin Model No. 16 - 1904 to 1930 (1905 ad Post #122; 1909 ad Post #; 1911 ad Post #8 & #26; 1920 cat Post #92; 1930 Post #150)
Motorcycle Rear Hub Models
Corbin: 5-B, 5-E, 9, 9-A, 11, 11-A, 12, 12-A, 18, 18-A, 19, 19-A; ND B, BB

Motorcycle Front Hub Models
Corbin 15, 17; ND F
 
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1918 Mead Ranger Bicycles Catalog

IMG_1280-1.jpg


Rear Hubs:

New Departure Model A
IMG_1303-1.jpg


IMG_1301-1.jpg


New Departure Model R Rear "Road" Hubs
IMG_1286-1.jpg


IMG_1296-1.jpg


Corbin Two-Speed Brake Model 10
IMG_1287-1.jpg


IMG_1272-1.jpg


Corbin Duplex Coaster Brake Model 8
IMG_1276-1.jpg



Front Hubs:

New Departure Model M
IMG_1283-1.jpg


IMG_1299-1.jpg
 
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This shows us it was around by 1908

Thanks pelletman, that may well be the earliest so I am going to show it as earliest 1908 unless we get evidence of an earlier one. That is a magnificent example by the way. - Gary
 
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