If you have ever seen this brake, please let me know asap. I'd like to send my article to Richard. Part 18 is a spring. Pressure of the brake pad (21) is adjusted with a screw (20).
For research: Please let me know if you have, or have ever seen, this adjustable brake on an Indiana-style reel.
A patent drawing no doubt, an interesting one sided a disc brake concept, have you been able to backtrack the patent or even find it? There are good reverse searches into patent data if you have the patience. It would seem the brake was the patentable feature, and it may be listed on the data as a torque limiter, that's engineer speak for what we call drag assemblies.
Sorry, I should have been clearer. I know the patent. I've written an article about the inventor, and I'm trying to learn if the reel ever went into production. BTW, the USPTO calls these gadgets "brakes."