Improvements in Stopping and Starting Appliances for Tramcars, Omnibuses, and other Vehioles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1999
Complete Spécification Left, 24th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stopping and Starting Appliances for Tramcars,
Omnibuses, and other Vehioles.
DAVID TOLLADAY STREADER 44 Kemp Street, Brighton, Timber Merchant's
Foreman, EDWARD ERNEST EDWARDS Manager (Timber Merchants)
Rutherford," Rugby Road, Preston, Brighton do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
..
This invention relates to improvements in brakes used for the purpose of
stopping railway carriages, tram cars, 'buses or other vehicles, the object being to
store and utilize the power of the impetus which the vehicle has obtained before
the application of the brake in such manuer as to propel the vehicle a short.
distance when it is required to start again, thus relieving the horses or other
motive power from the great strain hitherto necessary in starting.
The essential parts of our brake are as follows:-A toothed wheel running free
on the axle or hub of the wheel as may be required & worked by a friction clutch
suitably fixed for the purpose, and of such make as to best suit the vehicle upon
which it is to be used, the clutch to work the toothed wheel when it is desired to
apply the brake. To gear with this wheel we use two toothed racks so fixed to
a spring or other reciprocating buffer or frame that one or both can be engaged
to the toothed wheel as required, and when both racks are in gear they will
engage the teeth on the periphery of the wheel at opposite points, so that each
rack when engaged separately and moved in the same direction will turn the
toothed wheel in an opposite direction.
The manner of working is as follows:-
When it is desired to use the brake, a lever or other suitable appliance engages
the cone of the clutch, which cone is loosely keyed to the part to which the brake
is to be applied, this causes the toothed wheel to rotate and drive home the spring
or other reciprocating buffer or frame by means of the receiving rack which has
been engaged to the toothed wheel, the discharging rack meanwhile being kept
clear of the toothed wheel. Under these conditions when the vehicle has stopped
it will at once have a tendency to run back, but the driver will then engage the
discharging rack without disengaging the receiving rack thus locking the wheel
and preventing it from moving either way.
When it is desired to start the vehicle the driver, by disengaging the receiving
rack allows the discharging rack (which is also as aforesaid engaged with the
toothed wheel, and by the clutch to the axle or hub of the wheel of the vehicle),
to be forced by the spring or other reciprocating buffer or frame to its normal
position, thus propelling the vehicle, and is so arranged as to automatically
disengage the clutch when the force is spent and thus allow the vehicle to
proceed.
This brake may be arranged singly as for each hind wheel of a 'bus but to act
simultaneously from the same levers, or if necessary the buffer could be placed as
between the axles of a tram car and a receiving and discharging rack be hinged
to each end of the buffer; in any case that would be the receiving rack which
from the direction the vehicle is travelling would when the brake is applied tend
to press the buffer home, and if necessary to start the vehicle in the same direction
the other would be the discharging rack; if on the contrary the brake was
applied to a tram car at the end of a journey, the rack which has been used to

page_text: receive the pressure would be used to start the car on its return journey, and thus
become the discharging rack, and the rack opposite would become the receiving
rack.
We provide a catch or pawl in such manner that when the brake is used to
check the vehicle, as for instance down an incline, and the buffer is compressed it
is held until the discharging rack is applied to restart the vehicle, the pawl being
disengaged when the discharging rack is engaged.
By using a friction clutch as herein before described it can be used as a brake
when the buffer is driven quite home, the cone slipping round in the socket or
the wheels of the vehicle skidding (or slipping) according as pressure is applied to
the clutch.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of June 1805
DAVID T. STREADER.
EDWD. E. EDWARDS.
Improvements in Stopping and Starting Appliances for Tramcars,
Omnibuses, and other Vehicles.
66
DAVID TOLLADAY STREADER 44 Kemp Street Brighton, Timber Merchants'
Foreman, EDWARD ERNEST EDWARDS Rutherford," Rugby Road Preston,
Brighton, Timber Merchants Manager, 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 :-
In brakes such as are generally used for stopping travelling vehicles there are
employed brake blocks which are forced against the tyres of the wheels and
arrest the movement of the vehicle by means of friction.
The object of the present invention is to use the power of the impetus or
momentum of the vehicle when it is desired to stop, in such a manner as to change
the said momentum into mechanical force, which is afterwards employed for
automatically re-starting the vehicle, and the invention consists essentially in
applying such mechanical force to the compression of a spring or other recipro-
cating frame or buffer, the power necessary for such work effecting the stopping
of the vehicle.
At the moment of starting the vehicle the spring is liberated, the force thus
exerted being used to start the vehicle automatically.
.
In order that our invention may be better understood we refer to the
accompanying drawings where similar letters and numbers refer to similar parts
throughout the several views.
Fig. 1. represents in diagram the application of the brake block generally used
up to the present.
Fig. 2. represents a similar view of the rack A and spring S used as a brake.
Fig. 3 represents the same spring S and the opposite rack B engaged at the
moment of using the pressure for starting the vehicle.
Fig. 4 represents one of the axles 27 of a tramcar upon which is mounted the
two halves of a friction clutch C and C', a well-known form of friction clutch C
and C' is shewn but the pattern may of course be varied to suit the vehicle or
object upon which it is to act. To the free half C₁ of the said clutch is fixed a
toothed wheel D Fig. 4, or the said free half C' and the toothed wheel D may be
made in one casting as at C, D, Fig. 4. A cam 26 Figs. 4, 4 and 5 is also
loosely mounted on the axle 27 near enough to the wheel D and in a suitable
position to control the rack slides G Figs. 4 and 7 by which means the racks A
and B, Fig. 7 are held in or out of gear with the toothed wheel D Figs. 4 and 7
as required. The cam is actuated by a lever F. at either end of the car Fig. 10

page_text: and connecting rod E Figs. 10 and 5. The rack slides G, Figs. 45 and 7 are
prevented from moving in a longitudinal direction by the hanging brackets G'
Figs. 6 and 6 which are loosely hung to the bottom of the car and jointed as
shewn at 29 Fig. 6' to allow for the side oscillation of the car, the said brackets G¹
are placed in such a position on the bottom of the car that they will hang between
the cam 26 Fig. 4 and the toothed wheel D, one on either side of the axle 27,
the brackets G are omitted in Fig. 4 for the sake of clearness and a side view
shewn at Fig. 6 where the rack slides G and axle 27 are shewn in their relative
position to the brackets G¹.
Fig. 6 is an end view of the brackets shewn at Fig. 6.
Each of the racks A and B and the corresponding slides G Figs. 4, 5 and 7 are
formed so that the rack can move freely in a longitudinal direction but the rack
and its corresponding guide cannot part in a lateral direction, a suitable way to do
this is shewn at H Fig. 4, which also shews a section of one of the racks A, we do
not however bind ourselves to use this particular form of rack, what is commonly
known as a ladder rack would be equally suitable. The Hanges I. I. on the
rack A Fig. 4 are to keep the said rack, of which the flanges I. I. form a part,
directly over or under the toothed wheel D when the rack is disengaged, so as to
ensure the proper engagement of the wheel D. and rack A or B when it is required.
By this means we obviate the necessity for very rigid fitting of the racks A and B
to the cross-head Q Figs. 10 and 11, and allow for the usual side play in the
axle journals. The friction clutch C and cam 26 are kept in position by
collars K K K suitably fixed on the axle 27 Fig. 4. By means of the afore-
mentioned friction clutch C and C¹ and toothed wheel D the momentum of the
vehicle is transmitted by the receiving rack A Fig. 2 to the spring S, the force
necessary to compress the spring being sufficient to stop the vehicle. The same
clutch C and C¹ and toothed wheel D are used to re-start the vehicle, but it is
evident if the rack A Fig. 2 is used as a receiving rack to stop the vehicle the
rack B. Fig. 2 must be engaged for the discharging rack and the rack A disengaged
if it is desired to start again in the same direction, the appliance will then be
as represented at Fig. 3. It will be noticed in Figs. 2, 3 and 7 where both
racks A and B are shewn a portion of one of the flanges I, of each rack is removed
to shew the teeth of the rack and also the position of the toothed wheel.
Fig. 10 shews the appliance when the reversing lever F is in the central position.
Fig. 5 shews the cain 26, when the reversing lever F is as at Fig. 10, but to avoid
confusion, only the rack A with its corresponding guide G is shewn at Fig. 5, and
in this position both racks A and B Fig. 10 are in gear, consequently the toothed
wheel is locked and the spring S Fig. 10 can neither be released nor compressed,
but the friction clutch C C' may be used to stop the vehicle, the same as would be
done with an ordinary brake. Fig. 7 shews the position of the racks A and B and
cam 26 when the reversing lever F Fig. 10 is pushed to one extreme and the
position is reversed by pushing the same lever to the opposite extreme. The rack
slides G to control racks A and B are actuated by means of slots 28 Fig. 5 in the
cam 26 through which a portion Figs. 4 and 5 of the rack slides G are made to
protrude. One slide G for the rack A in the upper slot and one slide G for rack B
in the lower slot, Fig. 7. About half of each of these slots 28 from M to N. Fig. 5
are concentric with the axle 27 upon which the cam 26 is mounted and therefore if
both racks A and B are in gear with the toothed wheel D when the cam 26 is in a
central position and the rack slides are at M and M Fig. 5 one guide G will retain
the corresponding rack in gear although the cam 26 may be moved as in Fig. 7 so as
to bring the guide to any point between M and N. The other portion of the
slots 28 from M to O Fig. 5 are made so that when the cam 26 is turned in such
a way as to cause either of the rack slides G to be near the end O of the slot 28
by which it is being actuated the corresponding rack will be held out of gear as
hereinbefore shewn; Fig. 7 shews the rack B in this position with the opposite
rack A still held in gear. By this arrangement it is evident both racks A and B
can be held in gear at the same time but they cannot at any one time both be out

page_text: of gear, and the action of moving the cam 26 to disengage the rack A would first
cause the rack B to be engaged. The operating of the appliance is as follows:-
When it is desired to stop the vehicle the friction clutch C C' Figs. 4 and 11 is
applied by mechanism hereinafter described. This causes the toothed wheel to
rotate and by means of the then receiving rack which we will assume to be A
Fig. 2 to compress the spring, the force necessary to do this will stop the vehicle,
'the reversing lever F Fig. 10 may then be pushed to the central position as shewn
at Fig. 10 this causes the rack B to be engaged but as aforesaid does not disengage
the rack A, and when it is desired to start, the reversing lever F is pushed the
remaining half of the movement thus disengaging the receiving rack A and allowing
the spring S by means of the then discharging rack B to propel the vehicle.
We
provide and hereinafter describe an arrangement for a pawl to hold the power or
force which may be imparted to the spring S when checking down an incline or
reducing speed until such time as it is required to use the stored-up force to
start the vehicle, and in practice this pawl will probably be relied upon to prevent
the vehicle from running back, in that case the discharging rack would be
engaged and the receiving rack disengaged by moving the reversing lever from one
extreme to the other at the moment of starting. When the spring has returned to
its normal position and the friction clutch has been released, the operator should
draw back the reversing lever F so as to engage the receiving rack ready for the next
time it is required to apply the brake. By reference to Figs. 2, and 10 it will
be seen the stop rack V Fig. 2 and 3 is made to carry and support the spring S, one
end of the said rack V is supported loosely in a bracket L. Fig. 10 the other end is so
fitted and held by means of nuts or collars 31, 32 to the bracket P Figs. 2, 3 and 10
that it can turn on its axis but cannot move in a longitudinal direction. The cross head
or buffer Q Figs. 2 and 3 to which is attached a suitable pawl or catch R. Figs. 2 and 3,
is formed somewhat as shewn at Fig. 9 to allow it to pass along the beforementioned
stop rack V and also the two guide rods TT Fig. 11 which are placed parallel
with each other and the stop rack V. The extremities of the racks A and B are
opened as shewn at Fig. 11 to prevent the racks from twisting or turning to one
side. The action of the crosshead when drawn forward by either of the racks A
and B in the direction of the arrow Fig. 10 is to compress the spring S, the
opposite end of the spring S being held by the bracket P Fig. 2 and when the
spring is compressed and one of the racks A or B disengaged, providing
the pawl or catch R is in engagement with the stop rack V, the force contained
in the spring will be held by the stop rack V between the bracket P. and the
point of contact with the pawl R. The bracket P is forked to allow the rack A
to pass freely through it to the toothed wheel. The stop rack V and pawl R
Fig. 2 should be so made and adjusted that when the pawl R is pressed back to
one of the ratchet teeth of the stop rack V both the receiving and discharging
racks will freely engage with the toothed wheel. The pawl R is released by
turning the stop rack V a short distance on its axis, or if for convenience the stop
rack is built up in longitudinal sections one of the longitudinal sections may be
turned so as to move the ratchet teeth away from the pawl and present a smooth
surface to the edge of the pawl R. The said stop rack V Figs. 2 and 3 is moved
to release the pawl R in conjunction with the reversing lever F which also releases
the racks A and B Fig. 10, and as the direction in which the vehicle is travelling
will determine whether the pawl R should be released in conjunction with the
rack A or rack B Fig. 10, the stop rack is actuated as follows:-A pin or hook Y
Fig. 10 which comes in contact with and in certain positions is moved by the
reversing lever socket W is connected by a chain or other suitable material 'Y' to
an arm X fixed on the stop rack near one extremity, the stop rack is held in
position to gear with the pawl by a spring either on the stop rack or connected
with the aforementioned arm X.. Y Fig. 10 shews the pin or hook when in its
normal position and the stop rack V and pawl R are engaged, but it will be seen
that by pressing forward the lever F it comes in contact with the pin or hook Y
and carries it forward, thus drawing the chain Y¹ and releasing the pawl R at the

page_text: same time as the then receiving rack is disengaged. The aforesaid chain Y' and.
pin Y Fig. 10 may be so adjusted that the stop rack V will be released as soon as
both racks are engaged, but we prefer to release it at the moment of starting the
vehicle, that is when the receiving rack is disengaged. Fig. 11 shews the
underside of a car and the appliance suitably arranged for the said car.
It is to be understood that the spring may be placed in any convenient position
under the car, and if required it can be placed between the two axles and another
pair of racks hinged on the cross head Q Fig. 10. The spring with the guide
rods T and stop rack V would then be placed between the axles and the extra
pair of racks would be put in and out of gear by a duplicate of the arrangement
shewn at Fig. 4 placed upon the other axle both cams and both friction clutches
would be actuated by the same levers.
If it is preferred to use only one friction clutch and apply the brake power to
both pairs of road wheels the axles may be coupled by means of an endless chain
working in two chain wheels or on two sprocket wheels of equal sizes and fixed one
on each of the axles as shewn at 20 Fig. 11.
It is evident that a cylinder and pistou may be arranged in place of a spring so
as to store the momentum by means of compressed air or vacuum, or a spiral
spring may be used in tension, but we prefer the spiral spring used in compression
as shewn in the accompanying drawings. Where great force is required a frame
containing two or more such springs could also be used in place of the one spring
shewn in the drawings. It is also evident that the guide rods and stop rack V
Fig. 11 may be of hollow or any known section to increase their stiffness without
adding to the weight of the appliance.
The lever sockets W at each end of the car, Fig. 10, being coupled by the
rod E the lever F is taken to whichever end of the car is to be for the time being
the forward end, and as the act of moving the socket W at the right-hand end of
the car Fig. 10 also moves the socket W at the other end of the car where the
pin or hook Y is shewn it is only necessary to place the pin or hook Y so as to
come in contact with the then forward side of the socket W to cause the said pin
or hook to release the stop rack simultaneously with the then receiving rack.
The top of the lever socket W and the pin or hook Y are either arranged under
the floor level or a step so that the socket at the then rear of the car will be
covered and form no impediment to the passengers joining or leaving the car.
The mechanism for applying the friction clutch C will vary according to the
object or vehicle upon which it is to be used; for an omnibus a lever and foot
plate might be sufficient, but whatever is used must be capable of automatic
release when the force of the spring is nearly spent. For the car described herein
a lug clutch at each end of the car actuated by a cranked handle or hand wheel
and under the control of the operator would be suitable, Fig. 8 shews the said
lug clutch while being used to apply and retain in position the cone C of the
friction clutch to stop or start the car, and Fig. 8' shews the same lug clutch at
the moment of release by means of a catch 21 placed for that purpose to come in
contact with some part of the racks or cross-head just before the spring has
reached its normal position. The appliance is adjusted so. that the cross-head in
allowing the spring to resume its quite normal position has to travel far enough to
pass the releasing catch 21 Fig. 8 and allow the lug clutch Fig. 81 to drop into
position, Fig. 8 ready for the next application of the brake. The bell crauk
lever 21 Fig. 81 is applied to the lug clutch at the end of the car nearest
the appliance and is connected to the lever or catch 23 Fig. 8 at the
other end of the car by suitable material 24 as shown. (A spring 35 Fig. 11
holds the friction clutch C C₁ out of contact when not being used.) ID
connection with the coupling chain and chain wheels 20 Fig. 11 we provide a
clutch of any suitable known form, fixed to the bottom of the car. This
may be applied from either end of the car by levers provided for that purpose
quite independent of those hereinbefore described and by this means we provide an
auxiliary or second brake in case of accident to any other part of the hereinbefore

page_text: mentioned appliance, we also place a catch similar to that shewn at 21 Fig. 8' on
the bottom of the car but to, come in contact with the crosshead Q when the
spring S has been compressed nearly to the fullest extent; the cross-head Q by
this means causes the chain clutch to grip the chain and so prevents undue
compression of the spring S or strain upon the racks A or B. When the appliance.
is to be used on an omnibus or like vehicle where the wheels run free on the axles,
a pair of racks as herein before described are fitted to each side of the vehicle and
a friction clutch and toothed wheel are mounted on the hub of each of the hind
wheels similar to those shewn at Fig. 4 C CD, a cam and rack slides similar to
those described for the traincar are loosely mounted on each of the axle arms in a
suitable position to control the racks. The two cams are actuated simultaneously
by the same lever under the control of the operator.
One of the essential features of our invention is that the appliance is
automatically released as it returns to its normal position, it is therefore desirable,
when the appliance is used in duplicate as upon the hind wheels of an omnibus,
that each pair of racks should travel an equal distance when the brake is applied,
and that the racks should return to their normal position simultaneously; to insure
this result it is necessary that both pairs of racks should be connected to the same
spring or reciprocating buffer, and this may be done as follows:-The cross-head.Q
is somewhat modified upon such a vehicle as shewn at Fig. 12 as it does not receive
the stop rack and can be placed in a vertical plane instead of a horizontal plane,
the guide rods T T Fig. 12 are similar to those at Fig. 11. and of course are
suitably fixed to guide the cross-head in the required direction. Instead of the
spring S being placed between the racks as shewn at Fig. 10 it would be placed in
any convenient position on the front or bottom of the omnibus and the racks would..
compress it by means of chains or ropes connected to each cross-head as shewn at
Fig. 12 and conducted from both cross-heads over snitable guide sheaves to a
common spring or buffer, and this spring or buffer is fitted with a stop rack V and
pawl R and is operated in a similar manner to that shewn at Figs. 10 and 11.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In all apparatus for stopping and starting tramcars and other wheeled
vehicles the combination which includes a friction clutch and toothed wheel
working with a receiving and discharging rack so fitted and arranged that one or
both racks can be engaged to the toothed wheel and either of the racks can be used
for a receiving or discharging rack as may be required by the direction in which
the vehicle is travelling or desired to start.
2. In. all apparatus for stopping tramcars and other wheeled vehicles the
arrangement of a cam loosely mounted on the axle and rack slides actuated
substantially as shewn in the accompanying drawings by which the racks mentioned
in previous claim may be held in or out of gear as required.
3. In all stopping and starting appliances the arrangement of a spiral spring or
springs for storing power substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn.
4. In all stopping and starting appliances the arrangement referred to herein-
before as a stop rack V and pawl R by which the power stored in the spring
mentioned in Claim 3 may be retained by the rod, tube, or frame which supports
the said spring.
'
.
5. In all stopping and. starting appliances as herein before described, the
arrangement which permits the power stored in the spring. as hereinbefore
described to be released by turning the stop rack or a longitudinal portion of the
stop rack a short distance on its axis.
6. In all stopping and starting appliances as herein before described, the
arrangement which automatically releases the apparatus as it returns to its normál
position.
.
7. In all stopping and starting appliances for vehicles having rotating axles the

page_text: arrangement of a second or auxiliary brake by means of a clutch of any known
and suitable form fixed to the underside of the vehicle and acting upon a coupling
chain running on chain wheels fixed on each of the axles of the car, the said
auxiliary brake to be also actuated under certain conditions herein before named by
the herein before mentioned stopping and starting apparatus.
8. Our improved apparatus for stopping and starting tramcars, omnibuses and
other vehicles, constructed and operating substantially as hereinbefore described
and shewn.
Dated this Twents first day of March 1896.
DAVID T. STREADER.
EDWD: E. EDWARDS.