Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 1st July, 1887.
We JOSEPH MERCKELBAGH of 38 rue du Nord Brussels (Belgium) and CHARLES
MERCKELBAGH of 27 rue Gheude à Cureghem Brussels (Belgium) Gentlemen, 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 or mechanism whereby the force of the
momentum of a vehicle is stored up in a spring or springs by means of a friction
brake or clutch operating as hereinafter described. The rotary motion of the wheels
of the vehicle is transmitted by toothed gearing to a rack which compresses the springs
and the force thus stored up is afterwards utilised for starting the vehicle and the
excessive strain, on the shoulders of the horses resulting from the great effort usually
required to start the vehicle is thus obviated.
The brake or clutch employed for the purposes of this Invention is preferably
composed of three conical parts engaging one with the other being so arranged that
when the driver turns a brake handle as for putting on an ordinary brake the cones
are forced together and compel a toothed wheel to turn with the axle. This wheel
drives by the intervention of three toothed pinions of properly calculated diameters,
a second toothed wheel gearing with a rack, this rack compresses a helical spring or
springs whose resistance finally stops the vehicle. In order to start the vehicle again
the driver turns the brake handle in the opposite direction thereby releasing the
conical clutch hereinbefore described whereupon the spring recoils and acts upon the
rack which in turn imparts rotary motion to a toothed wheel acting on the axle through
a ratchet and pawl arrangement whereby a forward motion or impulse is imparted to
the vehicle.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood we will now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
figures on the annexed sheet of Drawings the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures,

page_text: Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a plan of an apparatus con-
structed according to our Invention and Figure 2 is an elevation of the same partly
in section. Figure 3 is an end elevation also partly in section and Figure 4 is a
detail of the brake hereinafter referred to drawn to a larger scale.
This apparatus is carried by an iron frame Z which may be conveniently made in
separate sections or parts bolted together. This frame is arranged to rest upon the
axles in such a manner as to enable the apparatus to be readily applied to existing
vehicles without alteration in their construction. With this improved apparatus the
ordinary brake shoes are dispensed with and the injury to the wheel tyres resulting
from their application is consequently obviated.
In an apparatus arranged for a vehicle running in either direction as an ordinary
tramcar the working parts are made in duplicate at each end of the vehicle as in the
example illustrated and it will suffice to describe the parts at one end the action of the
parts at each end being exactly similar as will be readily understood from the following
description with reference to the annexed drawings.
The apparatus is operated by means of a crank handle on a vertical shaft N at the
end platform which may be the same as that employed for operating the ordinary
brakes. This shaft is connected by a chain with the arm M of a lever M L the arm L
being connected by a collar with a cone or brake disc C sliding on the axle which is
provided with a feather compelling the said cone to turn with the axle. Facing this
cone and loose upon the axle is a toothed wheel B gearing with a pinion E on a
shaft D carrying another pinion F which by means of an intermediate pinion G
(figures 1 and 2) drives a wheel H gearing with a rack K figure 2. The rack K is
capable of moving longitudinally in guides T provided with rollers U and capable of
being adjusted by means of screws S so as to raise or lower the rack and throw it out
of gear with the wheel H in case of need or when it is not desired to use the force of
the springs for example. The rack is connected at one end by an arm O with powerful
helical springs PQ coiled upon a tube V acting as a guide and support for the said
springs.
Assuming that the vehicle is travelling in the direction indicated by the arrow ✗
and that it is desired to stop the vehicle the driver turns a handle on the front end
platform and by thus acting on the lever L M by an arrangement similar to that
shewn on the left hand of Figure 1 puts the brake disc C acting as a friction clutch
in gear with the wheel B thus causing the said wheel to rotate with the axle being
compressed between the movable cone C and a cone A fixed on the axle at the
opposite side of the wheel B as shewn more clearly in the enclosed detail figure 4.
The wheel H is then caused by the action of the train of gearing E F C driven by the
wheel B to rotate upon the axle in the opposite direction to the wheel B which rotates
with the axle. This motion of the wheel H moves the rack K toward the front end
of the car and compresses the springs P Q until the resistance of the spring overcomes
the momentum of the vehicle and the latter comes to a standstill.
In order to start the vehicle again under these conditions it is simply necessary to
turn the controlling or brake handle and shaft N in the opposite direction whereupon
a spring R figure 1 acts upon the lever M L and disengages the wheel B from the
friction clutch or brake C. The springs P Q are then free to expand and force the
rack K to return to its original position at the same time imparting rotary motion to
the wheel H in the reverse direction to that in which it previously moved. The
wheel H being loose upon the axle is provided with pawls J which when the wheel is
driven by the rack K engaging with a ratchet wheel I fixed on the axle and thus
impart motion to the latter and to the travelling wheels in the direction required to
start the vehicle. The wheel H thus turns with the axle until the springs cease to
act whereupon the axle over-runs the wheel and the pawls slip over the ratchet until
they are again brought into action by a repetition of the operations hereinbefore
described.
The action of the duplicate parts at the other end of the vehicle used when the
vehicle is travelling in the opposite direction being exactly similar to that herein before
described does not require separate description.

page_text: When applied to a railway vehicle the apparatus is modified as follows:-The
apparatus takes the place of the Westinghouse brake and is entirely or partially
controlled by the engine driver being worked either by compressed air or water. The
improved apparatus has the advantage over the Westinghouse brake that it is capable
of preventing the wheels of the locomotive from slipping when starting the train. In
the case of other vehicles the working parts of the apparatus are made single or in
duplicate according to circumstances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
:-
First: In an apparatus for starting and stopping tramway and other vehicles a
friction clutch composed of three conical parts operated by a lever controlled by the
driver of the vehicle whereby a wheel is caused to rotate with the axle and drive another
wheel operating a rack which compresses a spring in stopping the vehicle the force
thus stored up in the said spring being afterwards utilised to restart the vehicle when
by releasing the aforesaid clutch the spring is enabled to act upon the rack in the
reverse direction and cause it to drive a wheel provided with a pawl and ratchet
arrangement connected with the axle whereby a forward motion or impulse is imparted
to the vehicle all substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Second-The arrangements and combinations of parts constituting the improved
apparatus for starting and stopping tramway and other vehicles substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of May 1887.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.