Improvements in Mechanism for Starting and Stopping Tramway Cars.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 7th Dec.. 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JOSIAH Ross, of No. 1449, Niagara Street, in the
City of Buffalo, in the County of Erie, and State of New York, United States
of America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Mechanism for Starting and Stopping Tramway
Cars.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 that class of car starters and brakes which are provided.
with a coiled spring which is wound from the axle of the car so as to offer a resistance
and stop the movement of the car, and which applies the power thus accumulated, to,
the axle to assist in moving the car when it is desired to again start the same.
The object of my invention is to produce a simple, compact and reliable mechanism
of this character which can be easily manipulated and produced at comparatively
small cost.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a car truck provided. with my
improved car brake and starter.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section in linea, a figure 1.
Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross section in line y, y, figure 1 on an enlarged
scale.
Figure 4 is a cross section in line a, a, figure 3.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.
A represents the lower portion of the car body, B the wheel secured to axles (),
D the journal boxes, d the supporting springs, and d' the guides in which the boxes
are arranged.
e,
e and
E represents an auxiliary rectangular frame secured to the inner sides of the
axles boxes D above the axles C and below the body A and which supports my improved
brake and starter. The frame is composed of two longitudinal side bars
two transverse bars e¹, e¹ connected with the raised end portions of the side bars.
In Figure 2 of the drawing a brake and starting mechanism is shown at each end
of the car, so that the mechanism at either end can be operated, according to the
direction in which the car moves. In this Figure the mechanism at the right is
shown in an operative position, the car moving in the direction of the arrow, while
that at the left is shifted or disengaged, leaving the mechanism at rest.
F represents a gear wheel secured to the axle and meshing with a similar gear,
wheel secured to a horizontal counter shaft G. The latter is arranged in front of
the axle C and supported in hangers f secured to the side bars e of the auxiliary
frame E.
G1 represents a spring drum or casing formed on or secured to one side of the gear
wheel F so as to rotate therewith and enclosing a coiled spring H. The latter is
secured at its end h to the inner side of the casing G and with its inner end h¹ to an
inwardly projecting hub i formed on one side of a ratchet disc I. The latter is mounted
loosely on the shaft G adjacent to the spring casing G' so as to be free to turn on the
shaft.
J represents a gear wheel, of somewhat greater diameter than the gear wheel F, and
secured to the axle C. This wheel engages with a pinion J' mounted loosely on the
counter shaft G adjacent to the ratchet disc I. The pinion J' is made movable toward
and from the ratchet disc I and is provided on one side with a clutch facej which is
dapted to, engage with a similar clutch face j¹ formed on the side of the ratchet disc I.
1 Prius S71

page_text: By throwing this clutch into gear the ratchet disctis caused to rotate in the same
direction as the shaft G and drum G¹, but at a greater velocity, which increased
speed causes the inner end of the spring to advance faster than the outer end and
consequently causes the spring, to be wound.and.retard the movement of the car.
K represents a depending clutch lever by which the pinion J¹ is shifted and which
is secured to the inner end of a longitudinal rock shaft k arranged on the underside
of the car body: The lower bifurcated end of this lever engages in an annular
groove formed in an outward extension or hub of the pinion J. The shaft K is
composed preferably. of two sections.; connected. together by a universal joint 12.
The inner section supports the clutch lever, and is journalled in a bearing m'on the
cross-bare of..the auxiliary frame E and the outer section is journalled at its front
end in a bearing secured to the lower side of the car platform A. This construction
permits the necessary vertical and lateral play or motion of the car body without.
causing the shaft & and connecting parts to bend or bind.
.
N represents a detent pawl arranged above the ratchet disc I and adapted to
engage with the latter and hold the same against backward movement. The pawl N
is secured to one end of a short transverse rock shaft arranged above and parallel with
the counter shaft G in bearings n' secured to the adjacent cross bar e¹ of the auxilliary
frame E. When the disc 1 and pinion Jare disengaged, as shown in figure 3, the
pawl N is held above the disc 1 and out of engagement therewith by a radial arm n²
secured to the inner section of the rock shaft and connected by a spring n³ with
an inwardly projecting arm n secured to the pawl shaft n. The spring n³ is of
such length and construction as to tend to press the pawl actuating arm and the
pawl N downwardly into engagement with the ratchet disc 1 when the clutch lever k
is moved inwardly to engage the pinion J' and disc I.
o represents a hand lever secured, to the rock shaft for actuating the same and
extending above the platforint within convenient reach of the driver. The lever o is
provided with a tooth o' which is adapted to engage in one of three notches 02, 03, 01
formed in a locking segment of secured to the dash o" of the car.
The operation of my improved car brake and starter is as follows: when the
car is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow in figure 2, the parts are held
The wheel Fon the axle
in the position shown in said "figure by the hand lever o.
rotates the wheel F', the spring casing and the countershaft, the disc I turns with
the spring and the wheel rotates the pinion J', but, as the latter is disconnected from
the disc 1 the spring is not strained or wound. When it is desired to stop the car
the pinion Jis thrown by the hand lever into engagement with the ratchet disc I.
This movement of the hand lever causes the pawl N to engage with the ratchet disc
by the downward movement of the arm n³.
"
By thus engaging the pinion J' and ratchet disc I "the latter is caused to rotate at
a greater speed' than the drum G' and 'in. the same direction so as to wind or strain
the spring by the differential movement, of its end fastenings.. Thetresistance so
offered by the spring causes the car to gradually reduce its speed and finally stop.
During this winding of the spring the pawl N rides over the, teeth of the ratchet
dise I. When the latter. ceases to rotate the 'pawl engages with the teeth and holds
the disc against retrograde movement. The parts are then securely locked against
forward movement by the resistance of the spring against the wheels FF and
the pinion Jwhich latter locks" the parts by its engagement with the disc,1,.and
against backward movement by the pawl N engaging with the ratchet-disc I. When
it is desired to start the car, the hand lever o is disengaged "from the notch o' and
moved back into engagement with the notch 'o'. This movement" disengages: the
pinion J from the ratchet-disc I and causes the spring n³ to stretch' and apply an
upward. tension to the pawl N without, however, disengaging the latter from the
ratchet 'disc, as the spring is made so light as not to overcome the resistance of the
pawl while the latter is engaged with the disc E.. Upon disengaging the pinion J
and disc I, the spring' H'rotates the drum Ggear wheel F¹, gear wheels F and J
and axle Cand moves the car forward.' The unwinding of the spring continues
until it has reached its normal state, when it carries or turns the disc I with it. As

page_text: soon as the disc is thus released from backward pressure and begins to turn with the
spring, the pawl N is raised from the ratchet-disc by the spring n so as to clear
the same, thereby preventing rattling.
By winding the spring in the same direction in which the spring drum rotates, but
at a greater speed than the drum, a short and stiff spring can be employed which by
reason of the slow winding movement offers a gradual but effectnal resistance and
stops the car without violence and disagreeable jolting. The mechanism is controlled
by a single lever, thereby making its manipulation very simple.
When a device of this kind is applied to each end of a car, as shown in figure 2, it
is desirable to disengage the mechanism at the rear end of the car, which is not
required for use, in order to avoid unnecessary friction and wear.
For this purpose
the counter-shaft G is journalled in longitudinally movable boxes having a
rectangular, polygonal or other suitable cross-section, which are arranged to move
lengthwise in corresponding openings formed in the hangers so as to hold these
boxes against turning.
p' represents a vertical spring bolt arranged in an opening in the upper portion of
one or both bearings f of the shaft G and which is adapted to engage with its lower
rounded end in one of two notches p², p³ formed in the upper sides of the boxes p.
When the parts are in their working position, as shown at the right of figure 2, the
holt is in engagement with the notch p2 and when the shaft G is shifted so as to dis-
engage the parts, as shown at the left of said figure, the bolt is in engagement with
the notch p. The journal portion of the shaft is reduced in diameter and provided at
its outer end with a collar or shoulder p so as to cause the box to move lengthwise
with the shaft when the latter is shifted. When it is desired to shift the shaft so as to
disengage the gear wheels F and J from the wheels and J, the lever o is moved
toward the notch of which movement causes the hub of the pinion J to strike
against a pin on the shaft G and shift the latter and its boxes p. This unusual
outward pressure against the bearing boxes p causes the bolt p¹ to rise out of the
noteh p and ride over the top surface of the box until the lever o has reached and
engaged with the notch 03, when the bolt p will register with the notch of the
bearing box and lock the shaft and connecting parts against displacement.
It will thus been seen that the operation of stopping and starting the car, as well as
shifting the shaft G are performed by shifting the lever o.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign Correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The combination with the car axle, of an actuating spring and differential
gears whereby the ends of the spring are rotated in the same direction with differential
speed in winding the spring, substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination with the car axle and a countershaft, of a retarding
spring mounted on said shaft, differential gears whereby the ends of the spring are
rotated in the same direction, a detent whereby one end of the spring can be held
against backward movement, and a clutch whereby the locked end of the spring can
be disengaged from the car axle, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination with the car axle and a counter-shaft, of a rotary spring
casing mounted on said shaft, gears connecting said casing with the axle, a rotary
hub mounted on said shaft and provided with a ratchet rin, a retarding spring secured
with its ends to said casing and to said hub, a clutch sleeve mounted on said shaft
and adapted to engage with said hub, and gears connecting said clutch sleeve with
the axle, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination with the car axle and a countershaft, of a rotary spring
casing mounted on said shaft, gears connecting said casing with the axle, a rotary
hub provided with a ratchet rim and mounted on said axle, a spring secured with its
ends to said casing and hub, a clutch sleeve mounted on said shaft, gears connecting
said sleeve with the axle, a shifting lever connected with the clutch sleeve, and a

page_text: detent pawl engaging with the ratchet riu and connected with the shifting lever,
substantially as set forth..
Fifth. The combination with the car axle and a countershaft, of a rotary spring
casing mounted on said shaft, gears connecting said casing with the axle, a rotary hub
provided with a ratchet rim and mounted on said axle, a spring secured with its ends
to said casing and hub, a clutch sleeve mounted on said shaft, gears connecting said
sleeve with the axle, a shifting lever connected with the clutch sleeve, a detent pawl
engaging with the ratchet rim, and a spring interposed between said pawl and the
shifting lever, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The combination with the car axle, the counter shaft and its supporting
frame, of journal boxes movable lengthwise of the counter-shaft in the supporting
frame, a spring casing, spring and clutch mounted on the counter shaft, connecting
gear wheels mounted respectively on the axle and on the counter shaft, and mechanism
whereby the counter shaft can be moved lengthwise for engaging and disengaging said
gear wheels, substantially as set forth.
Seventh. The combination with the car axle, the counter shaft and its supporting
frame, of journal boxes movable lengthwise of the counter shaft in the supporting
frame, automatic locking bolts attached to the frame and engaging with said boxes,
a spring mechanism mounted on the counter shaft, connecting gears mounted on the
axle and on the counter shaft, a shifting lever engaging with said spring mechanism,
and a stop on the counter shaft against which the shifting lever is engaged by an
excessive movement for moving the counter shaft and the spring mechanism mounted
thereon out of gear with the wheels on the axle, substantially as set forth.
Eighth. The combination with the car body, the axles and their journal boxes,
of a supporting frame secured to said boxes, a counter shaft journalled in said
frame, a spring mechanism mounted on said counter shaft, connecting gears mounted
on the axle and on the counter shaft, a flexible longitudinal rock shaft having its
outer portion attached to the car body and its inner portion to the supporting frame,
an actuating arm connecting the inner portion of the rock shaft with the spring
mechanism, and a hand lever secured to the outer portion of said rock shaft, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Dated this 5th day of Novamber 1880
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.