Improvements in a Brake and Starting Apparatus for Tramway Cars and other similar Vehicles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 27th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 24th Jan.. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in a Brake and Starting Apparatus for Tramway Cars
and other similar Vehicles.
I, RALPH CLEGG, of Wellington Place, Longsight, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
My invention has reference to an arrangement or apparatus for braking, starting,
assisting to start, or influencing forward for certain distances tramway cars & other
vehicles. I utilize the resistance caused by the application of a certain brake or other
agent which arrests the vehicle. Loose on the axle shaft, I mount a brake disc, having
a spring or springs. The end or ends of one or more springs is or are connected to
the brake disc, and the other end or ends is or are secured to the axle shaft.
Fast to the brake disc is a pinion or toothed wheel which gears into another wheel
on a stud, pin, or short shaft. Fast or connected to the last mentioned wheel is
another, somewhat less in diameter which gears into still another wheel loose on the
axle shaft. It will thus be seen that I employ four pinions or toothed wheels, two of
which are loose on the axle shaft, and the other two may be cast together and mounted
on a pin, stud or short shaft. So long as one of the last mentioned two wheels is less
than its neighbour, the effect of the invention is gained. Fast on the axle shaft, is a
ratchet wheel.
Mounted on the wheel previously mentioned as loose on the axle shaft and which of
necessity must be larger than the one fast to the brake disc, is a pin or stud carrying
a click or pawl. This click or pawl at times engages into the teeth of the ratchet
wheel before named.
Instead of the ratchet wheel being fast on the axle shaft, it may be connected to the
last mentioned toothed wheel and free to revolve with it on the axle shaft, and an arm
fast on the axle shaft may carry the click or pawl. When the apparatus is not
working and the vehicle in motion, the click is held clear of the teeth of the ratchet
wheel by means of a lever having a little friction on the axle shaft or on the boss of
the ratchet wheel. When the brake is applied to the brake disc, the spring or springs
is or are charged, and the moment the brake disc is liberated, the click or pawl is
thrown, by means of the said friction lever, in gear with the ratchet wheel and helps
or starts the vehicle forward.
A further part of the invention is an arrangement by which I am enabled to use
one apparatus for either direction of the vehicle. In the brake disc are springs
coiled in opposite directions to each other, and instead of the ends being secured to
the axle shaft as before mentioned, they are connected to pins against which projections
fast on the axle shaft come in contact. Inside the spring chambers are stops which
enable the springs to be always kept at a sufficient tension without being unduly slack
at the commencement or end of their action. When the spring or springs for one
direction is or are charged by the application of the brake to the brake disc, that, or
those in the other direction is or are not affected at all. On the ratchet wheel are a
double row of teeth, each row being in opposite directions to each other, and the click
or pawl is a double winged one and engages as required in its appointed row of teeth
in the ratchet wheel according to the direction in which the vehicle is travelling. The
controlling of one wing or the other of the click is effected by an inclined part worked
longitudinally on the axle shaft so as to only allow the appointed wing of the click for
the appointed direction of the vehicle to come into action.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of January 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in a Brake and Starting Apparatus for Tramway Cars
and other similar Vehicles.
I, RALPH CLEGG, of Wellington Place, Longsight, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical 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 :-
My invention relates to an arrangement or device for braking, starting, assisting
to start, or influencing forward for a certain distance tramway cars & other vehicles.
So that the invention may be clearly understood and carried into effect, reference may
be had to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. is a plan of a portion of a tram car with the body removed. Fig. 2. a side
elevation of the same. Figs. 3, 4 & 5 are detached and enlarged parts of the brake
disc and pinion wheels. The drawings represent the apparatus as intended for acting
when the tram car is moving in either direction. A is one of the axles of the tram
car. B. the brake disc containing the helical springs C. Carranged to act in
opposite directions as will presently he explained. D is a pinion wheel and is fast to
one side of the brake disc B. The brake disc B and pinion D are free to revolve
on the axle A. E. F. are a pair of wheels of different sizes to each other and may
he cast together or connected with each other in any way convenient, and may be
either fast or loose on the pin, stud, or shaft G.
The pin, stud, or shaft G is suitably supported in a bracket or brackets fast to
the framework of the car. The pinion D gears into the wheel E and the wheel F
gears into the wheel H. which can revolve loosely on the axle A. As it is required
to connect a double winged click or pawl N. N¹ to the wheel H, it is more con-
venient to have this wheel made with projecting arms I, carrying an additional boss K.
for the purpose of steadying it on the axle A. Between the two bosses K and H. is a
ratchet wheel L. fast on the axle A. This ratchet wheel may have two rows of teeth
arranged to point in opposite directions. One or the other of the wings of the click
or pawl N. N is put into action with one row or the other of the teeth of the ratchet
wheel L, the particular wing of the click or pawl put into action, depending on the
direction in which the car is travelling. When the car is intended to be started in
the direction indicated by the arrow O. Fig. 2. the wing N is put into action and
when in the opposite direction, the wing N is used. The changing arrangement of
the click or pawl is effected by parts S. R. P. T & X now to be described.
The short shaft T rocks in the arm 1 and has fast to it the click or pawl N. N¹.
Also fast to the short shaft T' is a lever T Encircling the axle A and free
to revolve thereon, but with a slight friction caused by the pressure of a
spring V is another lever P. having a projection or finger X. The incline R is
moved longitudinally on the axle by means of the grooved collar S. The object of
the projection U on the grooved collar S is to enable the wheel H and arms I. to
carry the incline R and collar S round and the lever P and the finger X which acts
on the incline R. must be free to revolve on the axle A, but with the friction before
named. As the wheel H. runs loosely on the axle A, it will if it turns in the direction
indicated by the arrow O' Fig. 4. allow the lever P. by means of the friction
mentioned, to throw the wing N¹ of the click in contact with one of the rows of
teeth on the ratchet wheel Land allow the wheel H to turn the axle A also in
the same direction as will presently be explained. The manner in which the spring or
springs are charged is hereinafter described. When the brake disc B. is released
after having had the spring or springs charged, the wheel D is forced round with
the disc on the axle A and communicates motion to the wheel E and through F
works the wheel H. The annexed drawings Figs. 3 & 4 represent the wheel D as
half the size of the wheel E and the wheels F & H of equal size to each other.
The disc B will therefore have to revolve twice to give one revolution to the axle A,

page_text: but in the mechanism herein employed, the peculiarity is that if the axle revolve once
whilst the brake disc B is arrested by the brake B' and thus charging the spring or
springs C. C once round, it will when the brake B' is released also communicate to
the axle A one revolution in the same direction whilst the brake disc B, however,
performs two revolutions.
If the wheel I be less than before mentioned and E enlarged or which is the
same F reduced and H enlarged more force or power will be exerted on the axle A,
but the distance in which they can propel or assist forward the car will be reduced.
On the other hand, if the wheel I be enlarged and E reduced, less propelling power
will be exerted but for a greater distance.
If, however E and F be of equal size to each other no effect at all would be gained
and the whole apparatus would be neutralized so far as the starting of the car
concerned. When the car is running free, the gearing constantly revolves and the
brake disc B will run at the same rato as the axle, but according to the proportions
shown on the drawings the wheel H only revolves at half the speed: hence when
running in the direction indicated by the arrow O. Figs. 1 and 2, the lever P having
by means of the friction on the axle before named, a more forward tendency than the
wheel H upon which the pawl N. N' is mounted, holds the wing N¹ of the click or
pawl out of contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel L. At the same time the
finger X coming in contact with the other side of the incline R, the further advance
of the lever P. is arrested and the other wing N of the click is kept out of gear with
the ratchet wheel teeth. But if after one of the springs has been charged by the axle
running in the direction indicated by the arrow O Figs. 1 and 2 whilst the brake
disc is arrested by the brake B¹ and the brake B be now released, the effect would
he to rotate the wheel H in advance of the axle A and therefore the lever P will have
an opposite tendency to that which it had hitherto received, and throw the wing N¹
of the click in gear with the ratchet wheel L. When the direction of the car is
reversed the part S is thrown longitudinally as indicated by the arrow 02 Fig. 3 and
therefore the incline R is set in position for operating the finger X so that it will
actuate the wing N of the click in the same manner as it did previously on N¹.
The longitudinal movement of the collar or part S is effected by a lever working a
fork in the groove of the collar S. (not shown in the drawings) and may be worked
by the driver or by the simple turning round of the body of the car when changing
the direction. The brake disc B, as before explained is loose on the axle A (see
Fig. 3). The pins 2. 2¹ connect one end of each spring to the brake disc B. Fast
on the axle A are two blocks 3. 31 each having at a certain point two ears or
projections 4. 4 and 4' 4' Figs. 3 and 5. Inside the brake disc B are two stops 6. 6.
The pins 5. 5 are connected to the springs at the ends opposite to those of the
pins 2. 2. The stops 6. 6¹ enable the springs to maintain at the start a sufficient
tension so that they may exert the required force in starting the car at any point of
their charge. When the brake disc B is held by the brake B and the axle A revolves
in the direction indicated by the arrow O' Fig. 2, the blocks 3. 3' are also rotated and
by means of the ears 4. 4. on the block 3 carry forward the end of the spring (). to
which the pin 5. is attached and against which the pair of ears 4. 4. are in contact
whilst the other end of the spring at 2 remains stationary and by this means the
spring Calone is charged. When the axle is reversed the pair of ears 4' 4' on the
block 3' repeat the process on the other spring (and charge it.
At the same time whilst one spring is being wound up in one direction by the
arresting of the brake disc, the other spring or springs used for the contrary
direction is or are not affected at all. The springs being coiled and arranged in
opposite directions one pair of the cars or projections 4. or 4 on the blocks 3
or 31 only engage against one of the pins 5 or 5' according to the direction in
which the car is running and charge the particular spring or springs required for
the appointed direction of the car.
A modification of the apparatus is shown in Figs. 6 to 13 in which I employ
one spring for both directions of the car whilst at the same time retaining the
general principle of the arrangement. We will hereafter take a spring to mean

page_text: one or more springs all coiled in one direction and may be either helical or
spiral. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 7 a plan, and Fig. 8
an end elevation. The carrier wheels E & F, Figs. 9 & 10, are fast to and
carried on a short shaft G. This shaft G is supported by and free to revolve in
one or two arms R³ R³ having journals at R. R.
The arms embrace the axle A at R¹ R' and these with the projections at R² R²
serve as a means of steadying the shaft G and wheels E & F. The pinion D
like the pinion D in Fig. 3, is fast to one side of the brake disc B. Inside the
brake disc is an arm K fast on the axle A. Loose & free to revolve on the
axle A is another arm L having on its boss a series of hooked recesses L' for
the purpose of securing one end of the spring S at S. Another arm T, also
loose and free to revolve on the axle A, carries the other end of the spring S
at S². Inside the brake disc B is a stop U with which on one side the arm L
comes in contact and on the other side the other arm T. The hooked recesses on
the boss of the arm L are for the purpose of securing the spring S when its
tension is being adjusted.
Now, suppose the axle A, Fig. 11, turn to the right whilst the brake disc is
arrested, the arm K, Figs. 9 and 11 actuates the arm T, which carries the end
of the spring at S2, whilst the arm L, having the spring secured on its boss
at S is held stationary by being in contact with the stop U and thus charges the
spring. Again, if the axle turn to the left, the arm K actuates the arm L whilst
the arm T is held stationary by the aforesaid stop U and hence the spring is charged
in that direction. It will be seen that in whichever direction the axle A revolves
when the brake disc B is arrested by the brake B₁, this arrangement would charge
the spring S in one direction and at the same time the effect of two springs working
in opposite directions is accomplished. Cast on the wheel H is an internal ratchet
wheel Q, the teeth of which are so shaped that one or the other wing of the double
winged click or pawl N. N¹ (seen more clearly in Figs. 12 and 13) is capable of
working in connection with the teeth of the ratchet wheel Q as desired. This wheel H
is free to revolve on the axle A and on one part of its boss is a part V, from which
project fingers V¹ V2. In the boss of this part V is an aperture through which is
passed a die W, pressed down on the boss of the wheel H by the spring X so as to
produce a slight friction sufficient to carry the part V together with the fingers V1 V2
round with the boss of the wheel H. The stud or pin Z is carried by the arm or
lever fast on the axle A. Now, if the wheel H revolve in advance of the axle A
which it will do when the brake disc B is liberated after having had the spring
charged, in the direction indicated by the arrow O Fig. 13, it will throw the finger V2
against the wing N¹ of the click putting it in contact with the teeth of the ratchet
wheel and allowing it to turn the axle in the same direction in a manner similar to
that explained in the preceding arrangement. On the other hand, if the axle revolve
faster than the wheel H, which it will do when the car is running free, the wing N
is held clear of the teeth of the ratchet wheel and the other wing N is prevented
from engaging with the teeth by the sliding part C (seen more clearly in Figs. 12
and 13) being under the wing N. When it is desired to reverse the working of the
apparatus, the sliding part C is withdrawn and the other part C thrown under the
wing N. If, however, both sliding parts C and C are thrown under the wings N
and N1, the apparatus will be neutral to far as starting of the car is concerned. The
controlling of the position of the respective sliding parts C. C₁ is effected by the
forks M. M and is suitably placed at the will of the driver by the shafts P. P
Figs. 6, 7, and 8, extending to places directly under his feet.
Instead of the herein before mentioned arrangements of the wheels D. E. F. H, the
object may be effected by an internal wheel in place of an ordinary one H and suitable
pinions working therein substantially in the saine manner as herein before described;
or bevil wheels may be substituted to attain the same purpose.
1 may observe also that I do not confine myself to the precise details to which I
have had occasion to refer, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be carried into effect, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The general arrangement of brake and apparatus for assisting in starting to be
applied to tramway cars and other vehicles and constructed, arranged, employed and
operating substantially as set forth.
2nd. The means by which motion is transmitted to the axle A when the tram car or
other vehicle is being started which consist in the combination of wheels D. E. F. H,
deriving motion from the axle A itself and arranged, employed & operating sub-
stantially as set forth.
3rd. The means of controlling the direction in which the apparatus is to work and
consisting of the grooved collar S, incline R, lever T double winged click or pawl N. N¹,
frictional lever P and ratchet wheel L all arranged employed and operating in
conjunction with each other substantially as herein sot forth in reference to and
indicated in and by Figs. 3 & 4 of the accompanying drawings.
4th. The means of controlling the direction in which the apparatus is to work and
consisting of the part V, fingers V1 V2 die W, spring X, double winged click or
pawl N. N internal ratchet wheel sliding parts C. Call arranged, employed
and operating in conjunction with each other substantially as herein set forth in
reference to and indicated (more particularly) in Figs. 12 & 13 of the accompanying
drawings.
5th. A brake disc provided with springs coiled and arranged to act in opposite
directions and constructed, arranged and employed substantially in the manner herein
set forth in reference to and indicated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying
drawings and for the purpose of stopping a tramway car or vehicle and assisting to
start such car or vehicle in either direction.
6th. The arrangement of a brake disc provided with only one spring or with springs
coiled in one direction only and constructed and arranged so that it may be employed
to stop a tramway car or other vehicle and assist in starting such car or other vehicle
in either direction substantially as herein set forth and indicated in and by Figs. 9
and 11 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of October 1800.