Improvements in Apparatus for Stopping and Restarting Tramcars and other Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Apr., 1890-Accepted, 24th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Stopping and Restarting Tramcars
and other Vehicles.
I, RORERT FENN, of 13 Stokefields, Guildford, in the County of Surrey, Saw Mill
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for stopping and restarting tram-
cars and other vehicles whereby greater safety combined with a more powerful
brake is obtained than with those at present in use on such vehicles.
On the axletree to which the wheels of the tramcar or other vehicle are affixed I
secure a cog wheel which gears into a similar wheel running loose upon a shaft
parallel to the axletree and to this wheel is secured a clutch which gears with a
moveable clutch working on a key slide attached to the said parallel shaft. This
arrangement is placed in gear before the car starts a journey, and a similar arrange-
ment is also supplied where a third wheel is placed between the parallel shaft and the
axletree for use when the car is running with the other end forward, as will be the
case on the return journey.
Loose on the said parallel shaft is a drum carrying a loose pulley at one end and
a fixed cog-wheel at the other, carrying a pawl gearing with a ratchet wheel fixed on
the said parallel shaft. The fixed cog-wheel gears by means of an intermediate wheel
into a cog-wheel fixed on a second parallel shaft, which said shaft carries two other fixed
cog-wheels gearing with loose cogs on the first parallel shaft. Between these two loose
cogs on the first parallel shaft is a clutch which is brought into gear when it is desired to
apply the brake. The gearing of the two last named loose cog-wheels is of different
diameters so that one will act more quickly than the other, and the clutch is geared
with one or the other according to whether it is desired to have a slow or a quick
brake applied.
Over the loose pulley on the drum aforesaid passes the end of a wire or rope, whose
other end is affixed to the periphery of a drum on an independent axis, and carrying a
powerful steel spring.
When the car is in motion, the first parallel shaft is also in motion, rotating either
in the same or in the opposite direction according to which way the car is running.
When the brake is applied one of the loose cog-wheels on the first parallel shaft is
clutched, either the quick or the slow one, and the motion transmitted to the second
parallel shaft by the fixed cogs thereon. The end cog transmits the motion through
the intermediate wheel to the cog fixed on the drum on the first parallel shaft. To
this drum is affixed a hook or finger which overlaps the loose pulley and in rotating
carries with it the wire or rope and lays the same on the said pulley. The spring is
thus wound up and its increasing tension causes the brake. To release the brake the
clutch is removed, the loose drum is now held fast to the first parallel shaft by means
of the pawl and ratchet wheel and the energy stored up in the spring now rotates the
drum and with it the first parallel shaft and the axletree, thus starting the wheels of
the vehicle, as soon as the brake is released.
Dated thie 22nd dow of July 1880

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Stopping and Restarting Tramcars
and other Vehicles.
I ROBERT FENN, of 13 Stokefields, Guildford, in the County of Surrey, Saw Mill
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for stopping and re-starting tram-
cars and other vehicles whereby greater safety combined with a more powerful brake
is obtained than with those at present in use on such vehicles.
: And in order that my invention may be well understood and carried into practice
I will now describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing which
represents a plan of the underside of a tramcar fitted with my invention.
On the axletree A to which the wheels of the tramcar or other vehicle are affixed
I rigidly secure a cog wheel B which gears into a similar cog wheel C running loose
upon a shaft D parallel to the axletree and rotating in suitable bearings E affixed to
an under frame secured to the axletrees by suitable bearings. The cog wheel is
provided with a clutch F which gears with a moveable clutch G working on a key
slide attached to the said parallel shaft D and actuated by a forked lever H. This
clutch gear F G is placed in gear before the car starts a journey, and a similar clutch
gear F G is also supplied. The clutch F¹ is attached to a wheel C₁ gearing by
means of an intermediate wheel B2 with the cog wheel B¹ on the axletree. This third
wheel B2 is carried in bearings fixed to the top side of the aforesaid frame and this
clutch gear and train of wheels is only used when the vehicle is running with the
other end forward, as will be the case, on the return journey of a tramcar.
Loose on the said parallel shaft D is a drum J carrying a fixed cog wheel K. and a
pawl L gearing with a ratchet wheel M fixed on the said parallel shaft D. The fixed
cog wheel K gears by means of an intermediate wheel N into a cog wheel O fixed on
a second parallel shaft P which said shaft carries two other fixed cog wheels Q and R
gearing with loose cogs S and T on the first parallel shaft D. Between these two
loose cogs S and T is a double clutch U which is brought into gear by the forked
lever when it is desired to apply the brake. The gearing of the two last named
loose cog wheels S and T is of different diameters, so that one will act more quickly
than the other, and the clutch U is geared with one or the other according to whether
it is desired to have a slow or quick brake applied. Over the drum Jaforesaid passes
the end of a wire or rope W.whose other end is affixed to the periphery of a drum X
on an independent axis and carrying a powerful steel spring. When the vehicle is
in motion the first parallel shaft D is also in motion rotating either in the same or in the
opposite direction according to whether the clutch F G or F G¹ is in gear and this
as previously explained is adjusted by the driver before starting according to
which way the vehicle is going to run. When the brake is applied one of the
loose cog wheels S or T on the first parallel shaft D is clutched by the lever V either
the quick or the slow one and the motion transmitted to the second parallel shaft P by
the fixed cogs Q and R thereon, the end cog O transmits the motion through the
intermediate wheel N to the cog K fixed on the drum J or on a collar on the drum on
the first parallel shaft D. To this drum J is affixed the end of the wire or rope W and
as it rotates, it winds up the wire or rope and lays the same on the said drum J.
The spring in the drum X is thus wound up and its increasing tension causes the
brake. To release the brake the clutch U is removed, the loose drum is now held
fast to the first parallel shaft D by means of the pawl L which prevents the
ratchet wheel M from rotating backwards and the energy stored up in the spring now
rotates the drum and with it the first parallel shaft D and the axletree A thus starting
the wheels of the vehicle as soon as the brake is released.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The combination of parts forming the improved apparatus for stopping and re-
starting tramcars and other vehicles substantially as herein before set forth and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of Anvil 1900
CASTLE SMITH,
Per F. W. Golby,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.