The Short-Lived "English" Brake Calipers on Schwinn Three Speeds

For a short time in the early 1950s, Schwinn used English-made brake sets on their three speed bikes. 

 

From the early days of these bikes (late 1930s) through about 1952, Schwinn used a couple different brake caliper types with the "Schwinn Built" logo on the arms. 

Around 1952, Schwinn stopped using the "Schwinn Built" calipers on the three speed bikes and began using English-made calipers and levers that loosely resembled the Schwinn-made parts. These English-made parts only were put on the bikes for a short time, and then were replaced by Weinmann-made aluminum parts. The English-made brakes appear to have been put on the bikes for 1 to 2 years.

These short-lived, English made brakes were "transitional" in the sense they bridged the gap from Schwinn's own brake parts to the well-known Weinmann products.

These English transitional parts could be described as follows:

Plated steel calipers made in England. No name stamped on caliper arms. Hooked springs that wrap around caliper arms. Somewhat more rounded appearing arms than the Schwinn-built models. Usually paired with an English-made lever that somewhat resembles the Schwinn levers. Occasionally appear paired with Schwinn-made levers as stocks of levers were used up. These appear to have been a short-lived, transitional hardware after Schwinn was done making the brakes, but before they sourced the Weinmann parts. These are of the "Birmingham" / Phillips style pattern that take a standard brake cable (not the double-ended Raleigh style).