Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 24th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 27th Jan., 1888
I, Charles PilchER, of New Wanstead, County of Essex, Carpenter, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to arrange a loose fitting wheel on the axle of a
tram car so that its rotation by means of a draught chain by the pull of the horse or
horses, the first motion of the car is produced, there being a direct action therefrom
of the bearing wheels. The loose wheel is provided with a spring to rotate said
wheel and take up the slack of the chain when the horses cease pulling, a click paul
or other device being arranged in connection with the wheel and a disc temporarilly
locking the two so that the first pull of the horses is imparted to the affixed wheel,
which in the forward motion winds up or puts tension on the spring and gives motion
gradually to the car. The chain is attached to a draw bar, the action of which is
limited and then forms a stop, from which the pull can be continued.
Dated this 24th day of March 1887
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said C. Pilcher.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method and Apparatus for Giving First Motion to
Tram Cars.
I CHARLES PILCHER of New Wanstead county of Essex, Carpenter, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and hy the following
statement :-
1
The object of this invention is to arrange a loose fitting wheel on the axle of a
tram car so that its rotation by means of a draught chain by the pull of the horse or
horses the first motion of the car is produced there being a direct action therefrom of
the bearing wheels. The loose wheel has in connection a spring to take up the slack
when the horses cease pulling, a click paul or other device being arranged in
connection with the wheel and ratchet disc for temporarilly locking the two so that
the first pull of the horses is imparted to the affixed wheel, which in the forward
motion winds up or puts tension on the spring and gives motion gradually to the
car. The chain is attached to a draw bar, the action of which is limited and then
forms a stop from which the pull can be continued.
The invention will be understood by the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 shows the invention with the several parts connected with the main axle
in the position they occupy when the vehicle is running freely without any pull
being exerted by the horses.
Figure represents corresponding parts in the position they occupy when the
horses have pulled upon the draw bar and the car moved on.
Figure 3 is an elovation of the appliances and Figure 4 represents the same on a
smaller scale showing a set of appliances at each end of the car so that either set
of appliances which have independent action can be operated by the horses in
whatever direction the car may be travelling.
A is one of the bearing wheels to run upon the track B. The axlo C of this
wheel carries a wheel D mounted loosely upon it and upon which two chains E, F,
are mounted, one chain E leading to a draw bar G. The other F to a spring
barrel H.
The wheel D carries a paul I which can, when its tail piece J is released from a
strap or bar K by the pull of the draw chain E, engage into a tooth of a ratchet
wheel L fixed upon the axle C, the paul I being operated by a spring M which holds
the paul or gear.
The two chains E, F, are wrapped in reverse directions on the body of the loose
wheels Dand within broad flanges and when the first pull of the horses is given to
the draw bar it puts a strain and pull round action on the big wheel D the paul
almost simultaneously falling into the tooth of the ratchet wheel L to impart motion
to the leading wheels A A on account of the ratchet wheel L being fixed on the
axle C.

page_text: As the horses slacken their pull on the draw bar the spring of the barrel H
which has been previously put into tension by the wrap of the chain F on the loose
wheel D rebounds and draws the wheel D back to its first position as indicated at
Figure 1 the tail piece J by pressing against the strap K takes the paul out of gear;
the same result occurs when the pull of the horses has drawn the loose wheel D
round to the position indicated by Figure 2, the tail piece J of the paul then bearing
against the opposite side of the strap K as indicated at Figure 2 to take the paul
out of gear with the ratchet wheel Ĺ so that if the load be heavy such as that of a
fully laden car, the wheel D might remain in the position indicated at Figure 2. the
ratchet wheel Ĺ being then free to rotate with the axle and offering no impediment to
the progress of the vehicle.
I fit a stop N on the draw har G in order to limit the distance to which the
chain E can be drawn the strain then being removed from the chain E by said
stop N.
The appliances hereinbefore described are fitted on the axle C mid distance of the
wheels A so that the chain F and the draw bar are in the central line of the car the
pull thereby being central.
P is a grooved wheel for guiding the chain E and prevents sag, so that the chain
is kept in its proper position for the action of the draw bar.
I have described a spring barrel H but other forms of spring could be substituted
for it or a weight may be attached to the chain F for drawing the loose wheel D
back to its norinal position.
I have in the annexed drawing Figure 4 shown a distinct arrangement of apparatus
at each end of the car but the two sets of apparatus may be put in combination by an
intermediate chain to each set so that the fore and aft wheels of the vehicle may be
actuated by the pull on the draught bar G and chain E from either end.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
The arrangement of appliances or apparatus composed of a ratchet wheel L fixed
on the axle of a tram car, the loose wheel 1 on said axle, the arrangement of
paul I and tail piece J and their method of operation by the strap K and spring M
for giving, when the drag of the chain E is produced by the pull of the horses, first
motion to the car by which the strain on the horses is considerably reduced, all as
described with reference to the annexed drawings.
Th
.h
1007
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said C. Pilcher.