Improvements in or connected with Means for Stopping and Starting Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Means for Stopping and
Starting Vehicles.
We, ADOLF KOHN, FRIEDRICH ADLER, and TOMSA VACLAV, of Prague,
Bohemia, in the Empire of Austria, 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:-
It is well known that rapid-wear and tear of horseflesh, used on tramway and
other vehicles, takes place, and that this is to a large extent due to the particular
nature of the mode of travelling, namely, to the frequent stoppages and re-startings
of the tramcars, and because the momentum of the car is lost when stopping, and
the dead weight of the car has to be overcome and requires considerable effort to
be applied in re-starting.
The types of apparatus to which this invention relates are those which have for
their object to reduce the expenditure of force required for starting and to apply a
brake automatically to the wheels immediately the pull on the tramcar lessens.
The following is a description of the invention, reference being had to the
annexed sheet of drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a plan of a tramcar frame provided with apparatus according to this
invention, and viewed from the underside.
Figure 2 is a side elevation; and
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the tram-car frame and apparatus.
With reference to the drawings, a designates the cross beams at each end of the
car frame. On these cross beams a there are provided two draw bars c having
toothed racks which are movable longitudinally under the car floor between two
guiding pieces b. The draw bars have for their object to provide for the
transmission of the drawing action of the horses to the car. At the inner ends of
the drawbars there are provided wheels e by which the draw-bars are guided under
the beam L. At the under side of the bars c, and near the inner ends, there are
provided teeth d and on the upper sides near the front there are notches fat right
angles to the line of the bar c. On the front side of the cross beam a, and under
the bar c, there are brackets g, and over the bar e there are treadle pawls h
supported in forked brackets i, the said pawls h taking into the notches on the
bars c and so holding them in such a manner that the forward motion of the bars c
can only take place when the pawls h are raised.
are the wheels of the car. They are fast on the axles which run in axle
boxes. The axles k are provided with cupped collars p, and on the said axles there
are placed loose toothed wheels having centres m which are provided on one side
with ratchet teeth or incisions in which a pin N fixed to the axles k catches, thus
coupling the wheels to the axles k in such a manner that the wheels act by
transmitting the power when a pull at the draw bar c takes place, and on the other
hand become uncoupled when the car runs forward or the draw bar c is pushed
back, or when the wheels continue turning and the draw bar c is pushed back by
the horses. o designates a spring which is placed against the collar p of the
axle k and on the centre m, and presses the wheel in such a manner against the
pin N that it is kept in gear with the teeth n on the centre m. When the draw
bar c is pulled, and when the draw bar c has a backward motion, the wheel can
move sideways so as to allow the teeth n to slip over the pin N.
C
Below the centre cross beam g of the car there is placed a lever s kept in position
by means of a spring w. This lever s is connected at each end by connecting rods
to other levers supported from the beam q by brackets r. The ends of the

page_text: levers are provided with buffer arms 2. The lever s operates by means of the
rods t, the brake rods, and thus applies or removes the brake blocks v which are
fixed to the frame of the car by means of the holders u.
The mode of action of the parts just described is, when the car is in motion, as
follows:-
3
When starting the car, the driver disengages the pawl by pressing his foot
thereon, and the pull of the horse is applied to the draw-bar e, which is drawn
forward and the teeth d gear with the teeth of the wheel setting such wheel and
thereby the axle k in motion. The draw-bar e moves forward until it reaches its
full stroke and the teeth d are out of gear with the wheel 1, whereupon the pull is
directly communicated to the car which has been started by the movement of the
wheels due to the drawing out of the bar c.
It is obvious that by this arrange-
ment for starting, a much smaller expenditure of power is required than if the first
pull was direct on the car. In order to put the brake on, that is to say, to reduce
the speed of the car, or to stop the car, the driver checks the speed of the horses
or stops them altogether, whereupon the car runs forward on the draw-bar cuntil the
teeth d engage with the teeth of the wheel which run back loose on the axle k and
the end of the draw-bar strikes against the buffer 2 of the lever ¹, and thereby, by
means of the levers and the connections 7, presses the brake blocks y onto the
wheels z in such a manner as to brake all four wheels, at the same time the pawl h
engages with the notches on the draw-bare and the car remains with the brake on
until the pawl is again released and the draw-bar e is again pulled forward, the
spring w taking off the brakes at the same time.
To enable the brake to be applied by hand, and when the draw-bar c is not used,
the ends of the car are provided with bars F which, by. means of the bell-crank
levers F and the rods F, work the levers r¹, and thereby apply the brake.
The apparatus may also be worked by levers G fitted at the ends of the car and
arranged to give a backward movement to the draw-bar c. For this purpose the
lever G is provided with a pawl R which takes into notches d'arranged on the
underside of the draw-bar c so that when the lever F is moved forward, the draw-
bar c is pushed back, and the apparatus thereby worked.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A combined starting and brake apparatus for tram-cars and other vehicles
wherein, when the car or vehicle is being stopped, the starting gear is run in and
set for the next starting, and the brake subsequently applied; substantially in the
manner herein set forth.
2. In apparatus for starting tram-cars or vehicles, a draw-bar movable longitu-
dinally on the car frame or vehicle, and gearing with or in connection with the
wheels or axles of the car or vehicle, and so adapted that when pressed inwards,
the motion of the car or vehicle is unaffected, but when pulled outwards revolves
the driving wheels; substantially as herein described.
3. In apparatus for starting tram-cars or vehicles a movable draw-bar c having
teeth gearing with a toothed wheel on or connected with the driving wheel or axle,
and teeth in connection with which is a pawl h, operated by the foot; substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
4. Apparatus or mechanism for starting and braking tram-cars and other vehicles,
consisting of a rack moving draw-bar and toothed gearing in combination with the
brake levers arranged as set forth; all as herein described and shewn in the
drawings.
5. In apparatus for starting tram-cars or vehicles the combination with a movable-
draw-bar operated as herein described, of a ratchet mechanism operated by hand,
by which the movement inwards of said bar can be effected by hand; substantially.
as herein described.

page_text: 6. The combination with the moving rack draw-bar e of the tooth wheel /
mounted loosely on the shaft k and having a boss with teeth n working in connection
with a pin N fixed on the shaft k, and a spring », said teeth, pin, and spring
constituting a clutch; as set forth with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 12th day of November 1891.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
Applicants' Patent Agents.