TLS brake

[Greybeard]

For discussion:

[Triton Thrasher]

One long spring would look neater.

[sean]

I might have one in my box of springs if I knew the length and wire dia

[berger]

it doesn't need a spring

[Greybeard]

It is a Twin Leading Shoe brake. How has it been made to work? Is the linkage internal?

[JulianS]

I recall that Dave Degens of Dresda fame used to offer a SLS to TLS Norton conversion with the extra parts being internal. Maybe similar?

[Colsbeeza]

It looks like the springs are an after addition. The internal mechanism must be fairly complex with a fair bit of friction if not well-oiled, so perhaps the brake shoes were not returning so good.
Col

[mikeb]

i did post the photo and it did catch my eye and i did ask some questions but don't know that much about it. i don't think the spring is the main attraction (tho it does look a bit odd) - Col you may be right about its function.

the brake plate looked fairly machined - i don't know if it was made new or modified from standard. the guy who made it says one shoe is reversed (they are offset so he started with 2 sets) and its got an internal linkage and custom cams. i don't know how it adjusts other than by disassembly and fiddling. he said he'd just done such adjusting and had improved the brake efficiency a lot - way better than a sls.

i think its great people are finding new variations on solving these old problems. if we are going to be frozen in time we don't have to be frozen in ideas.

[Klaus]

It may look like this inside.

cheers Klaus

[Black Sheep]

Does the 8" SLS brake need improving? It's already one of BSA's better efforts, unlike for example the 7" full width item. Or the 8" equally bad one.

[mikeb]

that's interesting Klaus. would you have a photo of the insides with the shoes off?

[Greybeard]

Does the 8" SLS brake need improving? It's already one of BSA's better efforts, unlike for example the 7" full width item. Or the 8" equally bad one.

True dat 👍

[Klaus]

that's interesting Klaus. would you have a photo of the insides with the shoes off?

Hi Mike,

no this is the only picture I have.
But when you enlarge it you can see the lever welded with the cam.

cheers Klaus

[Jules]

a very interesting and enterprising person to create such a device IMO - the sort of approach one (very capable toolmaker maybe?)  takes in one's youth perhaps when you are feeling invincible and get very annoyed with the poor standard braking performance !!