Hydraulic bicycle brake system

Claim 2

In combination: a cycle having a front wheel and a rear wheel; and a hydraulic brake system comprising: a master cylinder unit operable by a handle lever, said master cylinder being located on the handle bar of said cycle, and said handle lever being disposed on said handle bar; a subordinate cylinder unit for each wheel to operate brake means for each wheel, and means for interconnecting said master cylinder unit to each of said subordinate cylinder units; and wherein said master cylinder unit comprises: 1. a hollow cylinder having a first and a second sealed end with a first opening in said first end, a second opening in said second end and at least one third opening in the wall of said hollow cylinder;

Claim 3

A slave piston disposed within said hollow cylinder between said third opening and said first opening to form a first chamber between said one end and said slave piston; 3. said interconnecting means connecting said first chamber to one of said subordinate cylinder units associated with said front wheel, through said first opening; 4. first fluid means filling said interconnecting means and said one subordinate cylinder unit and said first chamber; 5. ring means positioned about said slave piston to snugly fit said slave piston within said hollow cylinder wall and to hold said first fluid means within said first chamber; 6. a master piston positioned within said hollow cylinder between said slave piston and said second end to form a second chamber between said slave piston and said master piston with said third opening being located within said second chamber; 7. said interconnecting means connecting said third opening to another of said subordinate cylinder units associated with said rear wheel; 8. second fluid means filling said second chamber and of sufficient amount to fill said interconnecting means and said other subordinate cylinder unit connected thereto; 9. ring means positioned about said master piston to snugly fit said master piston within said cylinder wall and to hold said second fluid means within said second chamber; and 10. said master piston comprising a rod extending through said second opening and moveable by said handle lever, a first section adjacent said rod having a diameter similar to the diameter of said cylinder wall, and a second section of a shape leaving space between said second section and said third opening for the entire length of the permissible travel path of said master piston and of a length sufficient to move said slave piston when said second fluid means has leaked from said second chamber, and to move said second fluid means through said third opening when said first fluid means has leaked from said first chamber; and wherein each of said brake means has a spring associated therewith for restoring said brake means to nonoperated condition, said spring associated with said brake means associated with said front wheel being of greater strength than said spring associated said brake means associated with said rear wheel, whereby operation of said handle lever causes said rod to move said master piston to move said second fluid means through said third opening to cause said other subordinate cylinder unit associated with said rear wheel to operate said brake means associated therewith, before said slave piston moves said first fluid means through said first opening to cause said one subordinate cylinder unit associated with said front wheel to operate said brake means associated therewith.

Claim 4

A slave piston disposed within said hollow cylinder between said third opening and said first opening to form a first chamber between said one end and said slave piston; 3. said interconnecting means connecting said first chamber to one of said subordinate cylinder units associated with said front wheel, through said first opening; 4. first fluid means filling said interconnecting means and said one subordinate cylinder unit and said first chamber; 5. ring means positioned about said slave piston to snugly fit said slave piston within said hollow cylinder wall and to hold said first fluid means within said first chamber; 6. a master piston positioned within said hollow cylinder between said slave piston and said second end to form a second chamber between said slave piston and said master piston with said third opening being located within said second chamber; 7. said interconnecting means connecting said third opening to another of said subordinate cylinder units associated with said rear wheel; 8. second fluid means filling said second chamber and of sufficient amount to fill said interconnecting means and said other subordinate cylinder unit connected thereto; 9. ring means positioned about said master piston to snugly fit said master piston within said cylinder wall and to hold said second fluid means within said second chamber; and 10. said master piston comprising a rod extending through said second opening and moveable by said handle lever, a first section adjacent said rod having a diameter similar to the diameter of said cylinder wall, and a second section of a shape leaving space between said second section and said third opening for the entire length of the permissible travel path of said master piston and of a length sufficient to move said slave piston when said second fluid means has leaked from said second chamber, and to move said second fluid means through said third opening when said first fluid means has leaked from said first chamber; and wherein each of said brake means has a spring associated therewith for restoring said brake means to nonoperated condition, said spring associated with said brake means associated with said front wheel being of greater strength than said spring associated said brake means associated with said rear wheel, whereby operation of said handle lever causes said rod to move said master piston to move said second fluid means through said third opening to cause said other subordinate cylinder unit associated with said rear wheel to operate said brake means associated therewith, before said slave piston moves said first fluid means through said first opening to cause said one subordinate cylinder unit associated with said front wheel to operate said brake means associated therewith.

Claim 5

The brake system of claim 1, wherein said other subordinate cylinder unit associated with said rear wheel has a cylinder cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of the cylinder of said one subordinate cylinder unit associated with said front wheel.

Claim 6

A slave piston disposed within said hollow cylinder between said third opening and said first opening to form a first chamber between said one end and said slave piston;

Claim 7

A slave piston disposed within said hollow cylinder between said third opening and said first opening to form a first chamber between said one end and said slave piston;

Claim 8

said interconnecting means connecting said first chamber to one of said subordinate cylinder units associated with said front wheel, through said first opening;

Claim 9

said interconnecting means connecting said first chamber to one of said subordinate cylinder units associated with said front wheel, through said first opening;

Claim 10

first fluid means filling said interconnecting means and said one subordinate cylinder unit and said first chamber;

Claim 11

first fluid means filling said interconnecting means and said one subordinate cylinder unit and said first chamber;

Claim 12

ring means positioned about said slave piston to snugly fit said slave piston within said hollow cylinder wall and to hold said first fluid means within said first chamber;

Claim 13

ring means positioned about said slave piston to snugly fit said slave piston within said hollow cylinder wall and to hold said first fluid means within said first chamber;

Claim 14

a master piston positioned within said hollow cylinder between said slave piston and said second end to form a second chamber between said slave piston and said master piston with said third opening being located within said second chamber;

Claim 15

a master piston positioned within said hollow cylinder between said slave piston and said second end to form a second chamber between said slave piston and said master piston with said third opening being located within said second chamber;

Claim 16

said interconnecting means connecting said third opening to another of said subordinate cylinder units associated with said rear wheel;

Claim 17

said interconnecting means connecting said third opening to another of said subordinate cylinder units associated with said rear wheel;

Claim 18

second fluid means filling said second chamber and of sufficient amount to fill said interconnecting means and said other subordinate cylinder unit connected thereto;

Claim 19

second fluid means filling said second chamber and of sufficient amount to fill said interconnecting means and said other subordinate cylinder unit connected thereto;

Claim 20

ring means positioned about said master piston to snugly fit said master piston within said cylinder wall and to hold said second fluid means within said second chamber; and

Claim 21

ring means positioned about said master piston to snugly fit said master piston within said cylinder wall and to hold said second fluid means within said second chamber; and

Claim 22

said master piston comprising a rod extending through said second opening and moveable by said handle lever, a first section adjacent said rod having a diameter similar to the diameter of said cylinder wall, and a second section of a shape leaving space between said second section and said third opening for the entire length of the permissible travel path of said master piston and of a length sufficient to move said slave piston when said second fluid means has leaked from said second chamber, and to move said second fluid means through said third opening when said first fluid means has leaked from said first chamber; and wherein each of said brake means has a spring associated therewith for restoring said brake means to nonoperated condition, said spring associated with said brake means associated with said front wheel being of greater strength than said spring associated said brake means associated with said rear wheel, whereby operation of said handle lever causes said rod to move said master piston to move said second fluid means through said third opening to cause said other subordinate cylinder unit associated with said rear wheel to operate said brake means associated therewith, before said slave piston moves said first fluid means through said first opening to cause said one subordinate cylinder unit associated with said front wheel to operate said brake means associated therewith.

Claim 23

said master piston comprising a rod extending through said second opening and moveable by said handle lever, a first section adjacent said rod having a diameter similar to the diameter of said cylinder wall, and a second section of a shape leaving space between said second section and said third opening for the entire length of the permissible travel path of said master piston and of a length sufficient to move said slave piston when said second fluid means has leaked from said second chamber, and to move said second fluid means through said third opening when said first fluid means has leaked from said first chamber; and wherein each of said brake means has a spring associated therewith for restoring said brake means to nonoperated condition, said spring associated with said brake means associated with said front wheel being of greater strength than said spring associated said brake means associated with said rear wheel, whereby operation of said handle lever causes said rod to move said master piston to move said second fluid means through said third opening to cause said other subordinate cylinder unit associated with said rear wheel to operate said brake means associated therewith, before said slave piston moves said first fluid means through said first opening to cause said one subordinate cylinder unit associated with said front wheel to operate said brake means associated therewith.