Improvements in or relating to Apparatus applicable for Braking and Starting Oil, Gas, and other Engines, also Machinery, Tramcars, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 12th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus applicable for Braking
and Starting Oil, Gas, and other Engines, also Machinery,
Tramcars, and other Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM THOMPSON of Custom House Quay, Wexford in the County of
Wexford, Ireland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus applicable for braking and starting oil, gas
and other engines, also machinery, tram-cars and other vehicles, more especially those
having their wheels fixed on the axles.
In carrying my invention into effect: I arrange three bevel spur wheels in
position similar to the spur wheels of a Starleys patent gear, which spur wheels
for sake of distinction herein I style respectively "the first motion" "the
intermediate" and "the reversing wheels." Upon an axle or shaft, on, or
connected with, the engine machinery or vehicle to be operated upon, I place two
of these bevel spur wheels, namely, the first motion and the reversing wheels, with
the geared faces towards each other, the third or intermediate wheel being placed
at right angles to and between them. All three wheels are in gear one with
another and are enclosed and carried in a frame or gear case; the latter having a
stud pin attached to it, on which stud pin the intermediate wheel revolves. This
frame or gear case has journals at either end, concentric with the axle or shaft
before mentioned, so that it can revolve round the said axle or shaft. The first
motion wheel if keyed to the axle or shaft, in order to be driven by same, may in
such instance be wholly within the gear case, but if it is necessary for the said first
motion wheel to be worked by other means such as a belt chain or rope drive or
spur gear, then the boss or centre of the said first motion wheel projects as a barrel
or sleeve along the axle or shaft and through or inside the journal of the gear case
in order that the said barrel or sleeve may carry a driving pulley or wheel as the
case may require. A winding barrel or drum goes on the axle or shaft outside
the gear case and next to the reversing wheel. This winding barrel or drum in all
cases revolves along with the reversing wheel, to effect which it is necessary in
some cases that the winding barrel or drum be attached to the reversing wheel by
a barrel or sleeve passing along the axle or shaft and through or inside the journal
of gear case (as in the instance formerly described). In other cases however the
two may be separated by the journal of the gear case, provided that in such
instances, both wheel and drum are attached to the axle or shaft so as to revolve
together as before mentioned. This winding barrel or drum when revolved by the
reversing wheel hauls on one or more weights or springs, which latter supply the
power for braking and starting the engine machinery or vehicle as the case
may be.
The mode of operation is as follows:-
The attachment connecting the said weight or weights, spring or springs with
the winding barrei or drum being sufficiently taut to prevent the reversing wheel
revolving (by friction), the first motion wheel will when set going rotate the
intermediate wheel and cause it to roll round upon the face of the reversing wheel.
This it will do carrying the gear case along with it so long as the latter is allowed

page_text: to run free and during which time no brake action will take place. To arouse the
brake action, pressure is put on the gear case to retard or stop.
This causes the
intermediate wheel instead of rolling round on the face of the reversing wheel to
rotate the latter in a direction contrary to the revolution of the first motion wheel
and to haul on the weights or springs by means of their attachment to the winding
barrel or drum.
When by hauling thus on the weights or springs sufficient force is accumulated
to stop the engine machinery or vehicle as the case may be and to start or
materially assist in starting again, I, by means of a suitable arrangement of
clutches or ratchets, secure the barrel or drum in its wound up position, and when.
the time comes for starting I set free the gear case, when the force accumulated on
the barrel or drum acts directly on the axle or shaft dispelling it once more in the
direction in which it had been previously moving. The clutch or ratchet arrange-
ment may then be withdrawn or set free and movement go on as before until the
next occasion arises for stopping or braking.
I have described the above way for carrying my invention into effect, but I wish
it to be understood that having once given my idea, I do not confine the same to
the details described, which may be altered or modified without departing from the
general principle of the idea. Furthermore it must be understood that compressed
air may be used in addition to springs or weights or even instead thereof.
Dated this 11th day of March 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus applicable for Braking
and Starting Oil, Gas, and other Engines, also Machinery
Tramcars, and other Vehicles.
1, WILLIAM THOMPSON of Custom House Quay, Wexford in the County o
Wexford, Ireland, Engineer, 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 apparatus applicable for braking and starting oil, gas
and other engines, also machinery, tramcars and other vehicles, more especially
those having their wheels fixed on the axles.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal view partly in section ;
Figure 2 transverse section through the centre of the intermediate wheel;
Figure 3 view of ratchets ;
Figure 4 transverse section showing springs, ratchet and chain; and
Figure 5 a transverse section showing another arrangement for working the
pawl.
In these A B and C are three bevel wheels gearing into each other. A, I will
call in future the first motion wheel, B the intermediate wheel, and C the reversing
wheel. There may be two or more intermediate wheels round the circle to give
strength if desired. The first motion wheel A is either keyed to the shaft Fin
order to be driven by same or if the wheel A is to be worked direct by other
means such as a belt, chain or rope, etcetera, then the boss of said wheel projects as
a sleeve along the shaft and through the journal of the gear case, in order that the
said sleeve may carry a driving pulley or other mechanism for imparting motion.

page_text: As a rule it is by preference keyed to the shaft. The intermediate wheel B runs
loose on a stud pin attached to the gear case D surrounding these three wheels.
The gear case is adapted to revolve round the shaft F. The wheel C is fixed to a
sleeve E rotating freely on shaft F. Fixed to this sleeve is a hollow drum G..
Attached to drum G at any convenient point is a chain H shown only in Figures 4
and 5. This chain H winds a spring or heavy weight or other accumulator of
kinetic energy not shown in the drawing. The winding barrel or drum G in all
cases revolves along with the reversing wheel C. In some instances both wheel C
and drum G may be separated by the journal of the gear case, provided that in
such instance both wheel and drum are keyed to the shaft F so as to revolve
together; while in other cases the drum is attached to the wheel C as shown by
the barrel or sleeve E passing inside the journal I of the gear case. A similar
sleeve and journal can be used in connection with the first motion wheel A when in
certain circumstances it has to be directly driven by extraneous motion instead of
by shaft F. Where however the first motion wheel A is directly driven by
extraneous motion, and not by shaft F, and it is provided with a sleeve, the
reversing wheel and drum G can both be independently keyed to the shaft F.
Inside the drum G and keyed to the shaft F is a pair of reverse ratchet wheels J
and K facing in opposite directions preferably with a plain disc between and two
ratchet pawls L and M carried by the drum meshing respectively into these
ratchet wheels. Suitable springs N control these ratchet pawls and normally keep
them out of gear with the teeth. PP are two pegs sliding in holes in drum G and
holding loosely in holes in springs W by means of headed studs Q. When through
the rotation of the drum G, the chain H comes against these pins P, it presses
them in and thus presses the spring W against the pawl with such force, as to force
the pawl to engage with the teeth in defiance of the other spring N which normally
keeps it off these teeth. In this way the starter will work both ways, either one
or other of the pawls coming into engagement with the teeth. R is a brake and
Sa brake handle keyed to the shaft T which also is keyed to the lever U which
works the brake.
The mode of operation is as follows:-
The chain H which connects a weight, spring or other accumulator of power,
with the winding drum G being sufficiently taut to prevent the reversing wheel C
revolving (by friction) the first motion wheel A will when set going rotate the
intermediate wheel B and cause it to roll round upon the face of the reversing
wheel C. This it will do carrying the gear case D along with it so long as the
latter is allowed to run free and during which time no brake action will take
place. To arouse the brake action, pressure is put on the gear case to retard or
stop it, by means of handle S and brake band R. This causes the intermediate
wheel B instead of rolling round on the face of the reversing wheel C, to rotate the
latter in a direction contrary to the revolution of the first motion wheel A and thus
to haul or wind up the weights or springs (not shown) attached to the chain H.
When by hauling thus on the weights or springs, sufficient force is accumulated to
stop the engine, machinery, or vehicle as the case may be, and to start or
materially assist in starting it again when required, the pawls L or M come into
play through their pins P being pressed down and thus prevent the drum G from
unwinding. When the time comes for again starting the engine, the gear case D
is set free by releasing the brake R, when the force accumulated on the barrel or
drum G acts directly on the axle or shaft F propelling it once more in the direction
in which it has been previously moving. The clutch or ratchet motion is then
automatically freed through the chain unwinding, and allowing the springs W to
go into their normal positions and drive the pins P outward. By this arrange-
ment, the operator has nothing to do but manipulate the brake handle, and
furthermore one single apparatus will be available for accumulating the force
when the shaft is rotated either way. The rotation of the shaft in either
direction will accumulate the force when the brake handle S is applied.
Figure 5 shows an arrangement for working the pawls, instead of the studs P

page_text: pressed upon by the chain. In this figure, X is a pivoted lever, to one end of
which the chain is coupled, L and M the ratchet pawls, meshing in the teeth of
the ratchet wheels J and K, and W springs having chains which are coupled at one
end to the respective pawls and at the other passing over pulleys and coupled to
the lever, N are flat springs to keep the pawls disengaged when required. When
through the rotation of the drum C, the chain H is pulled, it pulls it with such
force as to force one or other of the pawls to engage the teeth. Whichever way
the chain pulls, it pulls the lever X and the spring W overcomes the pressure of the
spring N and operates the pawl.
I have described my actual working arrangement, but it is obvious that there are
numerous other ways of automatically or by hand working a clutch motion which
shall hold the drum G in a wound up position also that various other forms of
brake can be used instead of the brake band R and its appurtenances, and an air
or steam piston or other accumulator of power can be used instead of the
chain H, and the springs or weights, or instead of the latter only, and I do not
wish therefore to be confined to the exact details of the drawings herein set forth.
Furthermore a casing is not absolutely necessary. It is quite sufficient to have an
arm or arms from a bearing on the main axis, carrying the axis of the intermediate
wheel with mechanism for stopping or retarding it. It is also obvious that two spur
wheels and one or more broad intermediate pinions or pairs of pinions rigidly
united, gearing with both, and carried on a shaft or shafts in bearings on the casing
or on radial arms, could take the place of the three bevel wheels.
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 -
1. In a braking or starting mechanism, the combination of a wheel connected
with any convenient source of power, one or more intermediate wheels geared
thereto, and free to revolve on an axis or axes revolving with the casing or
rotating arms or frame work, and a third wheel geared to said intermediate wheel
or wheels and connected with the clutch mechanism operating a means for accumu-
lating kinetic energy, with means for introducing a retardation upon the movement
of the casing substantially as described.
2. As a member of a stopping and starting gear, the ratchet or clutch
mechanisms and winding gear, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
3. The arrangement and construction of braking and starting mechanisms and
starting gears, each taken as a whole substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 11th day of December 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.