Improvements relating to the Starting Gear of Tram and like Cars.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Dec., 1896-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Starting Gear of Tram and like Cars.
We, JOSEPH WILLIAM HOWE, of Church Street, Houghton-le-Spring,
Durham, Brewery Manager, and HENRY JOBLIN JORDAN, of 68 Lucy Road,
Bermondsey, County of London, Smith do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for object certain detail improvements relating to the starting
gear of tram and like cars.
For the purpose of the first part of this invention we so form the movable clutch
tooth or teeth that it or they shall rise up or be exposed for the full depth of the
tooth to engage in any of the teeth of the fixed clutch or of the movable clutch as
the case may be, according to the system adopted instead of the movable tooth or
teeth rising at an angle as in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 15375 of the
year 1889, and this is effected by shortening the neck of the paul and by striking
the back edge at a tangent to the axis or centre on which it otherwise had its
motion.
We employ a shrouding ring or a series of sections with a rider block to prevent
the teeth coming out when the clutches are open.
The second improvement relates to a novel method of mounting or arranging the
gear and the pull levers which control the spring compressing mechanism.
For this purpose we fix the loose paul disc on its shaft in double order i.e. with
loose teeth projecting from both faces, and we mount the corresponding ratchets
loosely on the shaft and slip them along by swing levers actuated from or by a
compound lever arrangement operable from the usual spud or foot plate from
either end of the car according to the direction of travel, there being a supple-
mentary shalt for the transfer of motion by gear wheels or by chain or by both for
action upon a single spring if so desired for both directions of travel.
The third improvement relates to the bridge by which the gear is carried from
the axles of the running wheels.
For this purpose we form separate bearings for insertion into the usual bearing
lugs in such manner that they can be removed from time to time in an easy and
expeditious way without necessitating the car being taken off the road as at
present.
A further improvement relates to the pull or draught appliances in order to
obtain a parallel or straight action between the pull pivot and the whiffletrees to
obviate the change of angle and variation of the collar bite on the animal's
shoulders.
For this purpose we hang the draught bar by a couple of links from the upper
frame, so that the angle of draught is not altered as at present.
Deted this 2nd da
1000
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said J. W. Howe and H. J. Jordan.

page_text: Improvements relating to the Starting Gear of Tram and like Cars.
We, JOSEPH WILLIAM HOWE, of Church Street, Houghton-le-Spring,
Durham, Brewery Manager, and HENRY JOBLIN JORDAN, of 68 Lucy Road,
Bermondsey, County of London, Smith, 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 has for object certain detail improvements relating to the starting
gear of tram and like cars.
Our invention will be clearly understood by reference to the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 is a front view of part of a clutch of the kind described in British
Patent No. 15375 dated 30th September 1889, the improvement in which consists
in so shaping and fitting the movable tooth that its pivotal point is parallel with
the front edge in order that it may rise equally the full width of the tooth and not
angularly as is the case in said former patent.
Figure 2. represents a side view of a double faced and shrouded clutch for use in
connection with starting mechanism of the kind shown at Figure 5, hereinafter
referred to, or it may be single faced for use in connection with mechanism of the
kind shown at Figure 8.
Figures 3 and 4 are plan and side elevation respectively of an improved clutch
gear of the kind described in British Patent No. 18632 dated 21st November 1889.
Figure 5 is a plan of improved starting mechanism of the kind described with
reference to Figure 1 of British Patent No. 14412 dated 8th October 1888.
Figure 6 is a side view of an improved form of bridge or stretcher for use in
connection with mechanism as shown at Figure 8.
Figure 7. is a side elevation of an improved form of draw bar and
Figures 8 and 9 are plan and side elevation respectively of a form of starting
mechanism which is an improvement upon that described with reference to Figure 2
of British Patent No. 14412 dated 8th October 1888.
Referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that the side E of the tooth A is at a
tangent to a circle described from the centre of the axle F and its pivotal or
rocking centre represented by dotted lines a is parallel with the front edge of the
tooth Å with the result that said edge will rise up squarely to engage the ratchet
teeth of the opposing half of the clutch as shown at Figure 8. Moreover the
clutch is shrouded by a ring b that entirely encloses the teeth C of the opposing
half of the clutch when brought into close contact thereby deadening the sound
that would otherwise he objectionable.
The second improvement relates to the arrangement of the starting mechanisın
set out in Figure 5 in which a double faced clutch B with rising teeth A. A set in
reverse directions is fixed to the car axle F and rotates with it, the ratchet teeth
and spur wheel C and ratchet teeth and chain wheel C¹ being loosely mounted
remain stationary except when either of them are moved by a system of levers as
described in British Patent No. 14412 dated 8th October 1888, when by the
engagement of the teeth C or C' the spring N will be compressed to start the car
in the required direction.*
Referring to Figures 8 and 9, a chain wheel with ratchet teeth is mounted
loosely upon each axle and a chain c by being arranged around said chain wheels
in the manner shown in Figure 9 and connected to a spring N can be caused to
compress the spring and start the car the direction required the modus operandi
being as follows:-
The chain wheels and teeth C are loose upon the axles and remain stationary

page_text: and are held open or out of contact with the shrouded clutch A (which is fixed to
the axle and revolves with it) against the tension of the spring d by means of the
foot spud L and its connecting levers as can be easily followed.
Upon the release of the foot spud L and the slackening of the pull of the horses
both chain wheels and ratchet teeth close upon the fixed clutches that revolve with
the car axles but inasmuch as the teeth of the fixed clutches are arranged in
reverse order it follows that in whichever direction the car is going one will gear
with the tooth of the fixed clutch and turn with it to pull upon and compress the
spring N while the other slips over the fixed clutch the noise of such slipping
being deadened by the shrouding before mentioned.
Therefore when the car is going in one direction one set of appliances auto-
matically comes into action to compress the spring and when going in the other
direction the other set of appliances will come into operation for the same purpose,
the car being started by the reaction of said spring upon the opposite chain wheel
after the brake has been released. Moreover by a system of compound levers KK,
and connection J the pull of the horses will open the clutches against the tension
of the spring d and can only be closed again at the will of the driver by releasing
the foot spud L which by engaging over the notch e holds the clutches open.
Instead of the movable tooth clutches shown and described with reference to
Figures 5 and 8 we may use a clutch of the kind described in British Patent
No. 18632 of 1889 the improvement in which, as shown at Figures 3 and 4, herein
consists of the segments G¹, G, G, so fitted to the toothed rim as to project over
the loose plate having the rider blocks G, G, and prevent same from falling out
when the clutches are open.
The third improvement relates to the bridge by which the gear is carried from
the axles of the running wheels.
For this purpose, we form separate bearings P for insertion into the bearing
lugs of the bridge R in such manner that they can be removed from time to
time in an easy and expeditious way without necessitating the car being taken off
the road, as at present.
A further improvement relates to the pull or draught appliances in order to
obtain a parallel or straight action between the pull pivot and the whippletrees to
obviate the change of angle and variation of the collar bite on the animal's
shoulders.
For this purpose, we hang the draught bar S by a couple of links T, T, from
the upper frame U, so that the angle of draught is not altered, as at present.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In connection with the clutch of car re-starting mechanism, so fitting the loose
tooth or teeth therein or thereto that it or they shall rise with a parallel face for
the full depth to obtain a firm and reliable grip against any tooth of the opposing
clutch wheel, and shrouding said clutch as hereinbefore described and represented.
2. In connection with car re-starting mechanism, the employment with rider
block friction discs the retaining sections G', as and for the purpose explained.
3. In connection with car re-starting mechanism, the fixed double faced discs
with loose tooth pauls in each face, said loose pauls being of the kind described in
the first claiming clause hereof, and used in conjunction with ratchet loosely
mounted on the shaft of supplementary shaft system in which the mechanism
remains stationary except when thrown into action, as and for the purposes set
forth.
4. In connection with car re-starting mechanism, the employment of separate
bearers P for fitting the lugs Q of the bridge R as and for the purpose and
advantage explained.
5. In connection with the pull appliance of a tram car, hanging the pull lever
from two parallel links T, T, as set forth for the purpose specified.

page_text: 6. The combination of such of the appliances referred to under previous
claiming clauses as can be utilised in conjunction with or to the same re-starting
mechanism, as shown for the purposes described.
7. The particular arrangement of mechanism shown and described with reference
to Figures 5, 8, and 9 of the drawings for re-starting a car in either direction and
from either end by the pull of horses, or movement of the foot spud, and under the
action of a single spring N.
The 3rd day of December 1996
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Joseph William Howe and Henry Joblin Jordan.