IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE STARTING AND STOPPING OF TRAM CARS, AND OTHER SIMILAR CARRIAGES."
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Frederic Cocker of Sheffield in the County of
York for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE
STARTING AND STOPPING OF TRAM CARS, AND OTHER SIMILAR CARRIAGES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Frederic Cocker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th January 1883. -
BENJAMIN FREDERIC COCKER of Sheffield in the County of York "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE STARTING AND STOPPING OF TRAMCARS,
AND OTHER SIMILAR CARRIAGES"
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus to aid in starting and
stopping Tramcars, and other similar carriages, which have for their object the
relief of the horses diawing the Tramcar, froin the sudden strain required to
overcome the vis-inertia of the stationary Car, and also of acting as a brake to aid
in stopping the Car; and is an improvement upon a patent for a similar object
numbered 724, granted to me on the 18th of February 1880. My present improved
Apparatus is of a more compact and simple construction than the previous one
above mentioned, and certain mechanical difficulties connected with the use of
springs in Apparatus for the above described purposes, are by my invention
overcome.
In carrying out my improvements as applied to a Tramcar for example, I fix
securely to one of the Axles of the Car, a ratchet or other suitable clutch wheel,
the pawl being carried by a lever or two arms working upon the axle, and con-
nected directly by means of a connecting rod to a powerful helical or other suitable
spring. Upon the same axle and close to the ratchet wheel, I fix a combined
winding barrel, and internally geared wheel, the circle of teeth being carried by a
side plate from which the winding barrel projects on the outside face, and is
connected to the beforementioned spring by a Chain securely attached to both
parts. I gear into the internally toothed wheel, a pinion, having one tooth less in
number than the wheel, and consequently being less in diameter.

page_text: This pinion revolves upon an eccentric collar either secured to, or made solid
with the axle, and having a throw sufficient to draw the pinion out of gear with
the teeth of the wheel on one side of its periphery, while they are fully in gear
upon the opposite side, thus the pinion is always in gear with some portion of the
wheel.
The outerside of the pinion is provided with one or more parallel strips or lugs
which fit into corresponding grooves formed in the face of a clutch plate not having
a lateral motion, but revolving upon the axle, and provided with a suitable break
strap and lever by which the driver or Conductor may at once arrest its rotary
action.
The action of the apparatus is as follows; when the car is desired to be stopped,
the operator by means of the lever arrests the rotary motion of the clutch plate,
the revolutions of the eccentric on the Axle cause the pinion, to make an alternato
or lateral motion, the strips or lugs sliding to and fro in the grooves of the clutch
plato, and this alternate motion of the pinion acting on the teeth of the internal
wheel, produces the action known as the interior epicycloidal action; causing tho
wheel to revolve at the speed of one tooth to each rotation of the axle, and thus
slowly winding up the chain on the barrel, compressing the spring, and pushing
forward the ratchet lever (or arms) with the pawl, the resistance of the spring
acting as a break, and assisting in stopping the Car.
When the car is ready to start again, the clutch plate is released leaving the
whole of the winding gear free to revolve on the Axle, and releasing the spring.
The reaction of the compressed spring after first bringing the raised pawl into gear
with the ratchet wheel is exerted in partially rotating the axle and the Car wheels
thus overcoming the deadweight, and giving the Car a start forward.
Thus it will be seen that by the combination of the Epicycloidal motion before
described, with the Clutch-plate, winding barrel, and ratchet clutch wheel, or their
mechanical equivalents, I ain enabled by this simple method to reduce the speed or
number of revolutions of the winding gear, and thereby gain the following
advantages, first, the power to compress a powerful motive-power spring; second,
the advantage of being able to use a much shorter spring than has hitherto been
practicable; third, to bring the Apparatus into the most compact form possible.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Benjamin Frederic Cocker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th July 1883.
BENJAMIN FREDERIC COCKER, of Sheffield in the County of York, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE STARTING AND STOPPING OF TRAMCARS,
AND OTHER SIMILAR CARRIAGES"
My Invention relates to Apparatus to aid in starting and stopping Tramcars, and
other similar Carriages, the object being to relieve the horses from the sudden
strain required to overcome the vis-inertia of the stationary Car, or other Vehicle
and also to act as a brake to aid in stopping the Car being an improvement upon
a Patent for a similar object, dated February eighteenth one thousand eight
hundred and eighty Number 724 in my name.
My improvements produce an Apparatus of a more simple and compact
construction than the one above mentioned and certain mechanical difficulties
connected with the use of Springs, in such Apparatus, are by my present Invention
overcome.
In one method of carrying out my invention as applied to a Tramcar for example,
I fix on one of the Axles of the Car a Ratchet or other suitable Clutch Wheel, tho
Pawl being carried by a short lover and connected to a suitable spring of sufficient
power for the desired purpose
On the Axle and close to the ratchet wheel I fix a combined winding barrel and
internally geared Wheel; a chain securely fastened to the barrel is secured at the
other end to the before mentioned Spring.
I gear into the internal wheel a pinion having one tooth less than the internal
wheel; the Pinion revolves upon a collar or eccentric secured upon or made solid
with the Axle, the amount of eccentricity being suflicient to draw the teeth of the
Pinion out of gear with the teeth of the Wheel on one side of its periphery, but at
the same time keeping them fully in gear on the opposite side
The outerside of the pinion is provided with one or more parallel strips which fit
into corresponding grooves formed in the face of a Clutchbox free from the axle but
which can be instantly stopped in its rotary motion, by suitable gear under the
control of the Conductor or Driver.
When it is desired to stop the Car, the Clutch Box is held stationary by the
break strap the rotary motion of the eccentric with the Axle causes the Pinion to
make an alternate or lateral motion, the strips on its outerside sliding to and fro in
the Grooves of the Clutchbox; and this alternato motion of the Pinion in the teeth
of the internal Wheel, produces an interior Epicyloidal action, causing the Wheel
to revolve at the speed of one tooth to each rotation of the Axle, and winding the
Chain very slowly upon the barrel-The pull of the Chain compresses the Spring
and moves back the Pawl over the ratchet Wheel the resistance of the Spring acting
as a brake upon the Wheel Axle.
On releasing the Clutch Box, the whole of the winding up gear is free to revolve
on the Axle and the reaction of the spring exerts its full power in pulling round
the ratchet with the Axle and Wheels, thus overcoming the dead weight and
moving the Car forward.
In any second arrangement which is illustrated in the annexed sheet of drawings
to which I shall refer in order that my invention may be clearly understood simply
premising that in all the figures the same letters indicate the same parts, I uso a
very similar arrangement to that before described.

page_text: Fig 1 is a sectional view of the winding up gear and the ratchet wheel with the
Pawl and Lever
Fig 2 is a sectional view, showing the interior arrangement.
Fig 3 is a Plan of the Apparatus
Fig 4 is a side view of the Apparatus
I fix upon the wheel Axle Axle A, an eccentric B upon which I fit a Pinion C,
perfectly free to revolve thereon; I enclose the Pinion between the two internally
geared Wheels D and E the throw of the eccentric bringing the Pinion into gear
with the teeth of the internal wheels on one side only-tho teeth of the Pinion on
the opposite side being cl-ar of the Wheels-ly preference I make the Pinion with
one tooth less than the Wheels-I prepare the periphery of the Wheel E with a
groove to receive the strap of a brake N which may be actuated by hand or by
foot, the Wheel D, being prepared to receive a Chain J, which is secured to the
Wheel and to the draw bar K, of the Spring L, both Wheels are free to revolve
upon the Axle A. Close to the side of the Wheel D I fix a ratchet lever G the
Wheel Fleing securely fastened to the Axle A-H is a Pawl taking into the teeth
of the Wheel, and a connecting rod is attached to the ratchet lever at I, and also to
the draw bar of the Spring.
When the Car is running, the parts A. B. C and E revolve together but on
applying the brake and arresting the Wheel E, the Pinion C, commences to act
upon the Chain Wheel D, rausing it to revolve slowly on the Axle and wind up
the Chain and while compressing the Spring, to push back the ratchet lever also-
The compression of the Spring acts as a brake, quickly bringing the Car to a
stand still.
When the pressure of the brake is withdrawn the Chain is released and the
Spring exerts all its power to draw forward the ratchet, and rotate the Axle-
A similar Apparatus may he fixed at the opposite end of the Car, to be used on the
return journey, or by using what is known as a double motion ratchet, which can
be reversed by turning the Pawl over; and by using a second or duplicate Spring
fixed on the opposite side of the winding gear the Action of the Apparatus may be
reversed for running the Car in the opposite direction
Having now described and fully ascertained the nature of my invention and the
manner in which it may be applied or used I will observe in conclusion that what
I consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the invention secured to
me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent, is
18 The use in Apparatus for stopping and starting Tram cars and other similar
Vehicles, of an internal epicycloidal movement for the purpose of reducing the speed
between the wheel axle and the winding up gear, and to obviate the neces-ity of
having to throw toothed Wheels in and out of gear substantially as described and
illustrated.
2nd The Apparatus to aid in the starting and stopping of Tramcars, and other
similar Vehicles, substantially as described in the foregoing Specification and as
illustrated in Figures 1. 2. 3. 4 or any mere modification thereof
In witness whereof I the said Benjamin Frederic Cucker have hereunto set
my hand and seal this second day of July in the year of our Lord ono
thousand eight hundred and eighty three