CA1064412A - Pedal actuated bicycle brake - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A bicycle having front and rear wheel caliper brakes each being connected by a cable to a lindage including a swingable cam element which is normally disposed in the path of travel of a cooperating cam member mounted for movement concentrically about the pedal axle whereby the cam element through its swingability is removed from such path during forward pedaling action and is lockingly engageable with such cam member upon back pedaling action. In the latter condition force is applied to the linkage for effecting a pull upon the cables to effect braking operation. The cam members are so related to the pedal cranks that when engagement with the cam element is effected one pedal crank will be downwardly directed whereby a support stand carried upon the associated pedal may cause such pedal to swing to present the support stand for engagement with the support surfaces.

Description

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This invention relates in general to bicycles and, more particularly, to braking systems therefor in association with automatic support stands.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pedal actuated brake system for bicyclPs having front and xear wheel caliper brakes.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a pedal actuated brake system for bicycles, the operation of which is coordinated with the pedal crank disposition so that upon braking action, one pedal crank will be directed downwardly i for presenting the associated pedal in immediate proximity to the support surface.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pedal actuated braking system for bicycles which coordinates with pedal crank operation in order that a pedaL carried support stand will be presented automatically in operative position upon removal of the operator's foot contemporaneously with braking action .
It is another object of the present invention to provide a pedal actuated braking system for bicycles having coordinating automatic bicycle support means and wherein such systems may be easily and economically installed upon bicycles as of the type originally provided with handle-controlled brakes.
It is a still further object of the present invention to :
provide a pedal actuated brake system for bicycles which incor-.,~.
porates novel cooperative components for interengagement upon - back pedaling action; which components are durable and, hence, highly wear resistant.
At least the broader of these objects are attained by the invention which contemplates a brake assembly for use with a bicycle having a frame, front and rear wheels supported ~, ~0644~Z

on said frame, a pedal crank assembly with a main shaft and pedal cranks, and front and rear wheel caliper brakes.
The brake control assembly comprises an elongated latch link disposed proximate the main shaft having forward and rearward end portions, and a lever arm having opposed ends with the lever arm being swingably mounted at one of its ends on the frame. The lever arm at its other end is pivotally enyaged to the forward end portion of the latch link whereby the latter is permitted limited movement in a direction generally rear-wardly of the bicycle by virtue of the swingable mounting ofthe lever arm. A means connects the front and rear brakes to the lever arm between its ends, and a means urges the lever arm forwardly from its swingable mounting when the brakes are in non-braking condition. A cam is provided on the latch link in its rearward portion, with cam supnort means mounted on the main shaft for-rotation thereabout. At least one cam follower is mounted on the cam support means for movement therewith, and the cam and cam follower are unengaged during forward pedaling of the bicycle. The cam and the cam follower are engageable ~0 upon back pedaling of the bicycle whereby the latch link is ~; caused to move in the generally rearward direction causing ~ , tension to be placed upon the brake connecting means thereby effecting braking action, and a means is en~aged to the latch link for disengaaing the cam and cam follower to release the bicycle from braked condition.

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10~4~2 In the drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention. . .
FIGURE 1 is a side view of 2 bicycle having mounted thereon a pedal actuated brake with coordinated support stand constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a ~ragmentary enlarged side view of the brake operating mechanism.
FIGURE 3 is a top plan view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.
; 20 FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view, in partial section, taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.
FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.
! FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of a bicycle having mounted thereon another form of pedal actuated brake with coordinating support stand constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.
FIGURE 8 is a top plan view, in partial section, taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7.

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FIGURE 9 is a fragmentar~ enlarge side view of the brake control mechanism illustrated in FIGURE 7.
FIGURE 10 is a front elevational view taken on the line 10-10 of FIGURE 7.
FIGURE 11 is a side elevational view of a bicycle having mounted thereon a further form of pedal actuated brake with coordinating support stand constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.
FIGURE 12 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of FIGURE 11.
FIGURE 13 is an enlarged side elevational view of the bxake mechanism.
FIGURE 14 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 14-14 of FIGURE 13.
Referring now by reference numerals to the drawings which illustrate practical embodiments of the present invention, . A generally designates a bicycle including a frame F, having a front fork 1 mounting a front wheel 2, a rear fork 3 mounting a rear wheel 4, with there being a cross bar 5 connecting said forks 1,3. Frame F also incorporates front and rear diagonal : bars 6,7, respectively, which at their lower ends merge into .: the usual hub 8. At its forward, upper end, fxont diagonal bar 6 is integral with the upper portion or post 9 of front fork 1 while the upper end of rear diagonal bar 7 is unitary with the :
. upper end of fork 3 and the rearward end of cross bar 5; there . being the customary extensible rod 10 for accommodating a seat 11. Mounted upon post 9 are handle bars 12. Diverging rearwardly from hub 8 are the usual rear support bars 13,14 for the rearward axle a~ Each wheel 2,4, which is of the usual spoke-type, embodies the customary rim 15 for receiving a tire 16. ~ub 8 supports a shaft 17 of a pedal crank assembly, ' . ` ~

generally denoted _. Shaft 17 at each of its ends carries the usual pedal cranks 18,18' which at their lower ends -carry foot pedals 19,19', respectively.
Bicycle A is set forth herein as being of the popular ten-speed type and is thus shown as having a pair of inner and outer drive sprockets 20,21, respectively, secured upon hub shaft 17 between hub 8 and pedal crank 18. Provided for selected engagement about drive sprockets 20,21 is the forward end portion of the usual endless transmission or drive chain 22 which is engageable in its rearward end portion about a predetermined driven sprocket of the cluster, customarily five, of driven sprockets, or so-called derailleur gears, indicated .. . :
generally ~, mounted upon bicycle rear axle a in side-by-side relationship. Bicycle A embodies the expected system for .

interconnecting drive sprocket 20 or 21 with a driven sprocket to provide the desired gear ratio. Provided upon each wheel 2,4 are caliper brakes, as at 23,24, respectively.
Engaged upon front diagonal bar 6, proximate hub 8, is a bracket 25 comprised of a pair of matching components 26,26' being preferably stamped and each having aligned flanges 27,28 and 27',28', respectively, for projection upwardly and downwardly, respectively, of said bar 6. Provided in aligned flanges 27,27'~
are registering apertures 29,29', respectively, while said flanges 28,28' similarly incorporate registering apertures 30,30', . . . ;
respectively, accommodating elongated cap screws 31,32, respectively; with each of the latter securely maintaining bracket 25 on bar 6 by means of washexs w and nuts n, and with the .,. :
major portions of the stems 33,34 of cap screws 31,32, respec-tively, extending beyond bracket component 26' in a direction toward the right hand side of bicycle A as viewed from the front of said bicycle or toward the side thereof accommodating pedal .
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~0644~2 crank 18; said screw stems being in axial parallel relationship as may best be seen in FIGURES 3 and 4. Screw stem 33 in its outer portion projects through aligned openings 35,36 formed : in the opposed flanges or side walls 37,38 of a lever 39 of ; generally channel-shape having a web 40 extending between said . walls 37,38 in their forward end portions. Encircling screw stem 33 between wall 37 of lever 39 and the adjacent nut n is a spacer 41 and at its outer extremity said screw stem mounts a . snap ring 42 for preventing displacement of lever 39. Screw . 10 stem 34 is presented forwardly of web 40 of lever 39 and is provided with a pair of transverse openings 43,44 for extension therethrough of the lower ends of brake cables 45,46, respectively, which in their adjacent end extremities continue through aligned openings 47,48 formed in lever web 40 and having enlarged elements 49 provided on such extremities to securely maintain engagement of said cables 45,46 with lever 39. Each of said brake cables 45,46 are encased within the usual ; flexible sleeves 50,51, respectively, and are connected to . front and rear caliper brakes 23,24, respectively, in the ;
i 20 expected manner.
.. Extending transversely between the lower ends of walls 37, ; 38 of lever 39 and fixed at its ends therein is a shaft 52 -on which is pivotally mounted the forward end of a latch arm or tension link 53; there being collars 54 disposed on said :
shaft 52 on either side of said latch arm 53 to maintain same centered with relation to the longitudinal axis of lever 39 and to direct same rearwardly for alignment with rollers 55,56 : carried upon pins 57,58, respectively, mounted on sprocket wheel : 20 for extension laterally therefrom in a direction toward the left hand side of bicvcle A; said pins 57,58 being so positioned relative to each other for pre~enting the associated rollers 55,56 at an angle of 180 to each otiler. Said latch arm 53 is of such length as to be within the path of travel of rollers 55,56 upon rotation of drive sprocket 20. Said latch arm 53 is - contoured on its lower edge to present a forwardly opening, arcuated cam edge 59 formed on subst~ntially a like radius as rollers 55,56 for potential engagement therewith throughout their upper rearward quadrant upon latching engagement, as described hereinbelow. The rearward end portion of the lower edge of latch arm 53 is rectilinear, as at 60, progressing from the lower end of cam edge 59. Engaged to said latch arm in its rearward end portion is the lower end of a control cable 61 which progresses upwardly in relative adjacency to rear diagonal bar 7 for connection to a hand lever 62 pivotally engaged at its rearward end, as at 63, upon a bracket 64 provided at the upper end of diagonal bar 7 beneath seat 11.
In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that with ~ bicycle A traveling forwardly, with sprocket wheel 20 moving in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by an arrow in FIGURES 2 .; and 5, follers 56 and 55 will successively strike the rectilinear edge 60 of latch arm 53 causing said latch arm to be rocked upwardly about shaft 52 and thus remove same from the path of .
travel of the striking roller so that there is no inhibition to .. the continued forward movement of bicycle A. However, when the rider back pedals, that is, causing sprocket 20 to travel in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 5, the immediately forward roller 55 or 56, as the case may be, will be moved rearwardly and thus brought into engagement with cam edge 59 whereby further clockwise movement is impeded so that a braking action is initiated. As further back pedaling pressure is applied, latch arm 53 will be moved rearwardly through rocking of lever 39 about screw stem 33 causing an `- 10644~2 application of further tension upon brake cables 45,46 with the development of a locking of wheels 2,4. The limited potential movement of latch arm 53 when engaged upon the particular - roller 55,56 is indicated by the phantom and full lines in FIGUR~ 2, with the former depicting the position at the inception - ~ of braking action and the latter showing the condition when full braking action is effected wherein wheels 2,4 are held against movement. Thus, the degree of rock of lever 39 between such positions demonstrates the braking range so that short of full wheel locking position, release of back pedaling pressure upon sprocket 20 will automatically effect a release of brakes 23,24 so that the rider may continue his travel.
However, with latch arm 53 in full rearward or wheel-locking position, a downward force will have been applied upon control cable 61 causing lever 62 to be rocked downwardly at its forward end ~as may best be seen in FIGURE 1) so that releasing of latch arm 53 from the engaged roller 55,56 may be effected only by upward pulling upon lever 62 which will thus raise the rearward end of latch arm 53 and thereby bring about unlocking of wheels 2,4.
Pedals 19,19' of bicycle A are of like, fundamentally conventional construction so that only description of pedal 19' as shown in FIGURE 6 will be undertaken. Pedal 19' comprises normally front and rearward, planar parallel tread strips 65,66, respectively, which at their opposite ends are engaged to outer and inner side or lateral plates 67,68, respectively, ;being in mutually planar parallel relationship and with the connection to tread strip 65,66 being in any suitable manner, such as by means of interlocking tabs or tongues, as at 69, and/or with one of said side plates being integrally formed with said tread strip 65,66. Each side plate 67,68 is centrally provided with the usual aligned, relatively enlarged openings (not shown) for receiving the appropriate housings, as at 70, for securing a tubular casing 71 extending therebetween and through which projects the crank arm c formed at the lower end of pedal crank 18'; with there being the usual ball bearings (not shown) accommodated within said housing 70. In its outer end portion tread strip 65 is customarily provided with an opening, as at 72, for receivingthe threaded end 73 of an elongated support rod 74. Nuts 75 are secured upon said threaded portion 73 on opposite sides of strip 65 to effect a rigid and reliable securement between support rod 74 and pedal 19'. -With reference to FIGURES 1 and 7, it will be seen that rod 74 . is disposed within the plane of strip 65 but is bent immediately forwardly of threaded portion 73, as at 76, for extension in a direction laterally beyond the outer face of adjacent outer .
side plate 67 and on its outer end extremity mounts an enlarged :............ support surface-engaged head 77. The length of rod 74 , .
:~ is such as to support bicycle A in a firm position of rest when in disuse wherein pedal 19' will be in generally vertical disposition as shown in the drawings. It will, of course, be observed that by mounting support rod 74 upon pedal 19', the latter, upon removal of the operator's foot, will be rocked about pedal crank 18' so as to present the support rod downwardly, through the eccentricity of weight distribution of said pedal 19 by reason of the securement thereon of said support rod 74.
It is to be particularly observed that sprocket 20 is mounted upon shaft 17 in such manner as to relate roller 55 to pedal crank 18' so that when initial engagement is made between . roller 55 and latch arm 53 upon back pedaling movement, said pedal crank 1~' will extend downwardly and slightly rearwardly (see FIGURE 1) so that upon further clockwise travel of roller 55 ` - 106441Z
as in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIGURE 1, pedal crank 18' will be brought into full vertical disposition.
Thus, throughout the aforesaid braking range, pedal crank 18' is so disposed that if the operator removed his foot from pedal 19' the same, under influence of support rod 74, would rock so that said rod 74 was in position to immediately engage the support surface, as indicated at s, should the operator desire to . .
dismount.
Understandably, pedal crank 18 is related similarly to roller 56 as pedal crank 18' is to roller 55 as described, so that regardless of which pedal 19 or 19' is located downwardly at the time of braking, the user may dismount to such side with the assurance that bicycle A will be supported upon one or the other of support rods 74.
Support rods 74 may obviously be mounted at any convenient location upon the respective pedals but are preferably adapted for engagement within an opening customarily provided in conventional pedals. Furthermore, since support rods 74 are within the plane of the engaged tread strips, the same will not cause any interference during normal cycling action. It is, of course, recognized that said support rods may be engaged to either of said tread strips 65,66 as the rocking action of the related pedal would be the same in either case, as well as in one end portion of outer side plate 67.
As indicated above, at the end of a parking period, brakes 23,24 are released by lifting hand lever 62 and with the upper pedal being positioned for facile mounting. However, if backward movement of the bicycle is desired for positioning ; of one pedal or the other for easy mounting, hand lever 62 ;:
will be retained in released position during such movement.

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Referring now to FIGUR~S 7-10, inclusive, A' designate~
a bicycle which is fundamentally similar to bicycle A above described, but which incorporates a modified arrangement for effecting braking action. Components of bicycle A' which are of like construction as corresponding components of bicycle A
will bear the same reference numerals. As may best be seen - in FIGURE 8, cap screws 31,32 are so related to bracket 26 as to extend laterally outwardly toward the left hand side of bicycle A', that is, away from sprocket wheels 20,21 rather than in the opposite direction as with bicycle A above described.
~; Disposed within the lower end of lever 39 is the forward end of a latch arm 80 being of generally channel-shpae, opening downwardly, and having side flanges 81,82 and a web 83 there-between; a pivot pin 84 extends through registering apertures (not shown) in flanges 81,82 and 38,37, respectively, of said latch arm 80 and lever 39, whereby the said latch arm 80 is rockable about the axis of pin 84. In its rearward portion said latch arm 80 carries a shaft or pin 85 fixed at its ends -within aligned openings in said flanges 81,82 for mounting a roller or cam follower 86, the bottom edge portion of which projects lightly beyond the lower edges of flanges 81,82 for engaging the periphery 87 of a disc cam 88 carried upon pedal shaft 17 spacedly laterally outwardly of the adjacent end of hub 8. On the outer extremity of shaft 17 there is engaged the upper end of a pedal crank. As shown in FIGURE 9, shaft 17 in its portion outwardly of hub 8 is square in cross section, as is common with most foreign-made bicycles. Thus, cam disc 88 is provided with a swaure hub for appropriate mounting upon said shaft 17. The periphery 87 of disc cam 88 incorporates a pair of working edge portions 90,91 which are 180~ apart and each being formed on a like arc having substantially ~ 10644~Z
the same radius as cam follower 86, for potential engagement with cam follower 86 in its normally lower forward quadrant.
It will thus be seen that during forward travel of bicycle A' - disc cam 88 will rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as - indicated by an arrow in FIGURE 9, with cam follower 86 moving relatively along the periphery thereof without the development of inhibiting engagement therebetween. ~owever, upon back pedaling operation of bicycle A', the working edge 90 or 91 most immediately forwardly of cam follower 86 will be brought into abuting relationship therewith for initiating braking action and upon the application of further back pedaling pressure latch arm 80 will be moved slightly rearwardly by reason of lever 39 pivoting about screw stem 33 whereby locking o wheels 2,4 is effected. Disengagement of latch arm 0 from disc cam 88 is effected by upward pulling upon a hand lever 62' connected to the rearward end of said latch arm 80 by a control cable 61'; said lever 62' being pivoted upon rear fork

3, as at 92.
Cam operating edge 91 bears the same relationship to pedal crank 89 as does roller 55 of bicycle A bear to pedal crank 18'; and with corresponding relationship between working - edge 90 and the opposite pedal crank 89' so that support rods 74' carried upon pedals 19,19' will be disposed for operative relationship with respect to the particular support surface s.
With reference to FlGURE 10 it is to be observed that support rod 74' may integrally incorporate a mounting flange 93 for flatwise disposition against the adjacent outer face portion of tread strip 65 and being engageable therewith by means of a rivet 94; there being a reversely turned flange 95 at the opposite or outer end of support rod 74' for flatwise .

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10644~ :
. disposi~ion upon the support surface s. Thus, support rod 74' is merely exemplary of the myriad configurations possible .. for support rods.
Accordingly, the braking control arrangement mounted on bicycle A' is fundamentally of like character as that :.
disposed upon bicycle A.but differs in that the cam follower.
is carried upon the latch arm as distinguished from the cam follower being mounted upon a drive sprocket wheel and with expected reversal of the cooperating cams. However, the . . 10 arrangement shown with respect to bicycles A and A' demonstrate the versatility of the present invention and its ready : usefulness with bicycles of the various current makes.
Referring now to FIGURES 11, 12, 13, and 14, inclusive, A~ designates a bicycle which is fundamentally similar to bicycles A and A' above described, but which incorporates a . further.modified arrangement for effecting pedal actuated . braking action. Components ~ bicycle Ai' which are of like construction as corresponding components of bicycles A and A' will bear the same reference numerals. Affixed, as by welding, 20 to the under surface of rear support bars 13,14, immediately - ~ .proximate hub 8 is the bottom or horizontal leg 100 of an L-shaped bracket 101 having an upstanding, short vertical ; leg 102 disposed immediately laterally outwardly of support bar 13 and terminating immediately thereabove; ~aid leg 102 in its upward, rearward portion being formed to provide a transversely extending ear 103 having a pair of vertically arranged openings 104,105 for extension therethrough of front and rear brake cables 106,107, respectively, which progress rearwardly for securement at their rear terminals upon a substantially registering ear 108 carried upon the rearward edge of a lever arm 109, said ear 108 being ~-` 10644~Z
substantially planarwise perpendicular to the plane of said lever arm 109 which latter contains at its lower end an opening, as at 110, for alignment with an opening 111 through which extends a rivet 112 establishing a hinge axis whereby :~
said lever arm 109 is rockable forwardly and rearwardly with - respect to said bracket l01; said lever arm being disposed upon the side of leg 102 proximate sprockets 20,21. Lever arm 109 is of general kidney shape having an upper slightly rearwardly canted portion within which is presented an opening 113 : 10 for projection therethrough of a shoulder type rivet 114 for engagement within an aligned opening 115 provided at the rearward end of a push link 116 formed preferably of flat stock and having its forward portion being slightly offset laterally outwardly, as at 117. Said push link 116 is disposed on the side of lever arm 109 remote from sprockets 20,21 and thus in overlying relationship in its rearward portion to leg 102 of bracket 100. The rearward end edge of push link 116 is .~ contoured to form a downwardly directed shoulder, as at 118, for limiting against a detent or stop 119 formed on the upper rearward edge o lever arm 109 upwardly of ear 108 for ~ purposes presently appearing. On its upper forward end, - push link 116 is provided with an ear 120 to which is engaged the lower end of a control cable 121 which progresses upwardly in relative adjacency to rear frame diagonal bar 7 for connection at its upper end in the central zone of a control lever 122; the latter being pivotally engaged at its lower, rearward end, as at 123, upon a bracket 124 fixed on the upper end of fork 3. Said control lever 122 comprises a forwardly presented handle 125 downwardly of the forward portion of : 30 bicycle seat 11 for convenience of manipulation. .,' ' ':

The forward end edge of push link 116 has a concave recess, as at 126, being formed upon a radius for peripheral engagement with rollers 127,128 carried upon pins 129,130, respectively, mounted on sprocket wheel 20 for extension laterally therefrom in a direction toward the left hand side of - bicycle A; said pins 129,130 being so positioned relative to each other for presenting the associated rollers 127,128 at an angle of 180 to each other.
Push link 116 is of such length as to be within the path of travel of rollers 127,128 during rotation of sprocket wheel 20 and has a slightly concave lower edge, as at 131, so that when bicycle A" is being operated in a forward direction, as indicated by the arrow in FIGURE 13, rollers 127, 128 will se~uentially strike against said lower edge of push link 116 and cause same to be deflected from the roller-path of movement as by rocking upwardly about the pivot axis established by rivet 114.
Thus, when the bicycle is being pedaled forwardly the : rollers 127,128 move in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGU~E 13 and cause push link 116 to be lifted from beneath to prevent same from being an obstacle. However, when the bicycle operator desires to apply the brakes, a back pedaling operation is effected thereby causing sprocket wheel 20 to move in a clockwise direction, as view in FIGURE 13, whereby the proximate roller ~27,128, as the case may be, will be ~- received within recess 126 of push link 116 and thereby exerts a rearward and slightly rocking force against link 116 causing shoulder 118 to abut stop 119 so that as backward pressure is applied by the operator, with the engagement being retained between the particular roller and push link 116, as shown in full lines in FIGURE 13, a pivotal movement of ' 1064~Z
- : lever 109 is effected about t}l~ pivot axis established by rivet 112 thus causing a pulling upon brake cables 106,107 for applying braking action upon wheels 2,4. Push link 116 is effectively locked by means of the engagement between same :
and lever 109 so that rotation of sprockets 20,21 is inhibited and with the associated brakes being firmly maintained in braking condition. Only by upward pulling upon cable 121 can the operator effect disengagement between push link 116 and ~ the engaged roller 127 or 128, as the case may be, and thereby - 10. permit releasing of the brakes upon freeing of lever 109 from such locked condition. It may be noted that cable 107 which goes to the rear brakes has slightly more leverage, being the :
lower of the two cables so that it may cause the rear caliper brakes to operate slightly in advance of the front brakes.
As with bicycles A and A' above described, rollers 127,128 are so related to pedal cranks 18,18' that as soon as the - wheels are locked or braked, the associated pedals 19,19' are disposes so that the support rods, such as 74, will automatically drop into bicycle supporting condition upon removal of the operator's foot.

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Claims (24)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. For use with a bicycle having a frame, front and rear wheels supported on said frame, a pedal crank assembly with a main shaft and pedal cranks, and front and rear wheel caliper brakes, a brake control assembly comprising an elongated latch link disposed proximate said main shaft and having forward and rearward end portions, a lever arm having opposed ends, said lever arm being swingably mounted at one of its ends on said frame, said lever arm at its other end being pivotally engaged to the forward end portion of said latch link whereby the latter is permitted limited movement in a direction generally rearwardly of said bicycle by virtue of the swingable mounting of said lever arm, means connecting said front and rear brakes to said lever arm between its ends, means urging said lever arm forwardly from its swingable mounting when said brakes are in non-braking condition, a cam provided on said latch link in its rearward portion, cam support means mounted on said main shaft for rotation thereabout, at least one cam follower mounted on said cam support means for movement therewith, said cam and cam follower being unengaged during forward pedaling of said bicycle, said cam and said cam follower being engageable upon back pedaling of said bicycle whereby said latch link is caused to move in said generally rearward direction causing tension to be placed upon said brake connecting means thereby effecting braking action, and means engaged to said latch link for dis-engaging said cam and cam follower to release the bicycle from braked condition.

2. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 1 and further characterized by said lever arm opposed ends being generally upper and lower ends, said lever arm lower end being engaged to said latch link and said lever arm upper end being mounted on said frame.

3. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 2 and further characterized by said lever lower end being engaged to the forward end portion of said latch link.

4. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 3 and further characterized by said latch link having upper and lower edges, said cam being a cam-defining edge portion provided on said latch link lower edge.

5. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 4, and further characterized by said cam-defining edge portion being formed upon a radius, and said cam follower being at least one roller formed upon a radius complementary to that of said cam-defining edge for engagement therewith.

6. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 5 and further characterized by said at least one cam follower being first and second rollers and being spaced apart through an angle of 180° with respect to the path of rotation about said main shaft.

7. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 3 and further characterized by a cam roller carried upon said latch link in its rearward end portion, said at least one cam follower being an edge cam.

8. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 7 and further characterized by said at least one cam follower being first and second edge cams spaced apart through an angle of 180° with respect to said main shaft.

9. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 1 and further characterized by said lever opposed ends being upper and lower ends, said lever upper end being engaged to one end portion of said latch link and the lower end of said lever being mounted on said frame.

10. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 9 and further characterized by said lever upper end being engaged to the rearward end of said latch link.

11. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 9 and further characterized by said cam being a cam-defining edge on the forward end of said latch link.

12. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 11 and further characterized by said cam follower being at least one roller engageable with said cam-defining edge.

13. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 12 and further characterized by said at least one cam follower being first and second cam rollers spaced apart through an angle of 180° with respect to the main shaft.

14. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 11 and further characterized by said cam support means being a drive sprocket mounted upon said main shaft and said cam follower being carried upon said drive sprocket.

15. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 14 and further characterized by said cam follower being first and second cam followers carried upon said drive sprocket and spaced apart through an angle of 180° whereby the relatively more proximate of said cam followers engages the said cam-defining edge of the latch link upon bicycle back pedaling.

16. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 1 and further characterized by said pedal cranks being in axially parallel relationship and extending in opposite directions from said main shaft, said at least one cam follower being first and second cam followers respectively disposed to said pedal cranks so that upon engagement of said cam and said cam follower as a result of back pedaling operation, one of said pedal cranks will be disposed in substantially vertically downwardly extending position, there being a pedal rotatably engaged upon the shaft remote ends of each of said pedal cranks and a bicycle support fixed on said pedals for support surface engagement upon downward extension of said one of said pedal cranks upon cam engagement.

17. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 16 and further characterized by said bicycle support comprising an elongated member fixed on the associated pedal and extending normally endwise thereof as determined by the operating position of said pedal, said bicycle support creating a torque arm so that upon removal of the operator's foot said pedal will swing about its axis to present said bicycle support in downward disposition.

18. A brake control assembly as defined in Claim 16 and further characterized by said pedal cranks being dis-posed at predetermined angles with respect to said first and second cam followers.

19. A brake control assembly as defined in Claim 18 and further characterized wherein said angles are of different extent with the greater angle being between the pedal crank and the related cam follower when the latter is engaged with the said cam element.

20. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 1 and further characterized by said pedal cranks being in axially parallel relationship and extending in opposite directions from said main shaft, said cam support means being a disc cam mounted upon said main shaft for rotation therewith, said at least one cam follower being first and second edge portions provided on said disc cam and being disposed at predetermined angles with respect to the said first and second pedal cranks whereby upon engagement of one of said disc cam edge portions and said cam as a result of back pedaling one of said pedal cranks will be in down-wardly extending position, a pedal carried upon each pedal crank for rotation about the axis of the pedal at the shaft remote end of the related pedal crank, and a bicycle support fixedly carried on each pedal for engaging the support surface upon downward extension of said one of said pedal cranks.

21. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 20 and further characterized by said angles between said first and second cam operating edge portions and said pedal cranks being unequal.

22. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 17 and further characterized by said bicycle support comprising an elongated member fixed on the related pedal and extending normally endwise thereof when said pedal is in operative position, said bicycle support creating a torque arm so that upon removal of the operator's foot the associated pedal will swing about its axis to present said bicycle support in down-ward disposition.

23. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 1 and further characterized by said means engaged to said link for disengaging said cam and cam follower being a cable, and means connecting a link-remote portion of said cable with said bicycle frame.

24. The brake control assembly as defined in Claim 23 and further characterized by said cable having a lower end and an upper end, said cable lower end being engaged to said link, a control lever, means swingably mounting said control lever upon said bicycle frame and said cable being engaged in its user end portion to said control lever.