Improvements relating to the Starting and Propulsion of Tramway- cars and other Vehicles, and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1891'
Complete Specification Left, 4th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 10th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Starting and Propulsion of Tramway-
cars and other Vehicles, and to Apparatus therefor.
I, JOHN MAHON GRAY, of 71, Coburg Road, Peckham, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the starting and propulsion of tramway-cars and other
vehicles, and to apparatus therefor.
My said invention has for its chief object to provide means whereby the starting
and propulsion of such vehicles will be greatly facilitated, and, at the same time,
the strain upon and the work required to be done by the horses or other animals
will be considerably reduced, the energy which they have to exert both in starting
and in propelling the vehicle being greatly diminished. The cost of working
tramways will, therefore, be greatly reduced, as the horses or other animals can
be kept at work and retained in service much longer than has hitherto been
practicable.
Another object of my said invention is to provide improved means for storing
energy and for the subsequent utilization of such energy, at the will of the driver,
for starting the vehicle or for assisting in its propulsion, for example when ascending
an incline.
A further object of my said invention is to provide for facilitating the turning
of the vehicle at the end of its journey, and for permitting or facilitating the
transfer of the vehicle from one line to another in the case of a temporary block
on the line on which the vehicle has been travelling.
My said invention comprises an improved method of employing the power and
also, in some instances, the weight of the horses or other animals for propelling the
vehicle. For this purpose, I provide an endless travelling band floor or platform
which is passed around and supported by rollers, pulleys or drums carried by the
vehicle itself or by a car or truck to be connected or coupled thereto. The horse
or other animal works upon this travelling floor or platform, and is suitably
harnessed or coupled by traces or otherwise to a box, frame or car enclosing the
space above the said floor or platform. One or more clutches or other suitable
devices are provided whereby one or more of the said rollers, pulleys or drums
may be connected with suitable gearing for imparting motion to the wheels of the
said vehicle or of the said car or truck, or with suitable mechanism for storing
energy to be subsequently utilized for the purposes above mentioned.
It will, therefore, be seen that the horse or other animal, instead of travelling
upon the road as heretofore, is carried by the vehicle or by the car or truck coupled
thereto, and propels the same through the medium of mechanism also carried by
the said vehicle, car or truck, somewhat in the same manner as a velocipede is
driven by a man supported thereon. This arrangement affords, amongst others,
the following advantages, viz. :-The mechanism can be so arranged that the horse
or other animal, by travelling at a walking pace relatively to the moving floor or
platform on which it is supported, will cause the propulsion of the vehicle at a
velocity equal to or greater than the same animal could draw the said vehicle were
uch animal running or trotting upon the road. Heavier horses or other animals
can, therefore, be employed than are generally used for drawing tramway-cars,
nd the strain upon the horses or other animals will be greatly diminished. The
orse or other animal has a much less distance to travel relatively to the moving
loor or platform than it would have to travel relatively to the road were it
rawing the vehicle in the usual manner. The weight of the horse or other

page_text: animal adds to the momentum of the vehicle and consequently facilitates its pro-
pulsion, after it has been started. There is at all times a good, soft and sure
footing for the horse or other animal, and the said horse or other animal is not
liable to injury or inconvenience from snowy, wet or slippery roads. The power
of the horse or other animal can, moreover, be used while the vehicle is at rest,
taking up or putting down passengers, for storing energy for the purposes above
mentioned; and the horse or other animal, continuing to work while the vehicle is
at rest, can more easily start the vehicle, and will, or may be, assisted in this
operation by the energy previously stored.
If desired, the travelling floor or platform is inclined so that the weight of the
horse or other animal will be utilized, to a greater or less extent, for propelling the
vehicle or for driving the mechanism for storing energy. And I find it advan-
tageous to so construct and arrange the parts that the said travelling floor or
platform can be readily adjusted by the driver to vary its inclination or to bring it
into a horizontal position as may be found most desirable.
For this purpose, I, in some instances, mount the rollers, pulleys or drums in a
suitable frame which is pivoted upon the axis of the roller or drum at one end
thereof, and which is provided with suitable means for raising and lowering its
other end.
For storing energy for the purposes above specified, I prefer to employ suitable
mechanism for winding up a spring or springs, which may be caused, by their
reaction, to start or assist in starting the vehicle, or to drive or assist in driving the
same. I find it advantageous, moreover, to provide means whereby energy will be
stored in the said spring or springs by the brake or brakes when applied for the
purpose of retarding or stopping the vehicle. I also, if desired, provide for
utilizing the stored energy for driving the vehicle backwards when necessary.
may be advantageous to combine, with the mechanism for storing energy, a device
for indicating at any time the amount of energy stored.
It
I sometimes provide brakes on all the wheels, both the travelling and the driving
wheels, and so arrange the said brakes that, under ordinary conditions, the brakes
may be applied to the travelling-wheels only, whilst, in case of emergency, the
whole of the brake power may be applied.
I also, in some instances, provide means whereby the brakes will be automatically
applied when the travelling floor or platform is disconnected from the travelling-
wheels, so that the vehicle will not be liable to run away should it be upon an
incline at the time of such disconnection.
The springs for storing energy are sometimes combined with a fusee, or otherwise
so arranged that their reaction will be equal or approximately equal both when
they are wholly and when they are partially wound up. I prefer to use two or
more springs and to so arrange the same that, should one spring break, it will not
interfere with the working of the other spring or springs.
To enable the vehicle to be turned at either end of its journey, or to be trans-
ferred from one line of rails to another, I provide suitable rollers or wheels
attached in any convenient manner to the vehicle and arranged to be depressed,
by means of a suitable lifting-jack or otherwise, until the said rollers or wheels
take the weight of the vehicle, and the travelling-wheels of the said vehicle are
raised from the rails. The lifting-jack may, if desired, be arranged to serve as
the pivot about which the vehicle can be turned. The said rollers or wheels
are preferably mounted on axles carried by brackets connected by swivel-joints
with the vehicle, so that they may turn in either direction about the said joints,
according to the direction in which the vehicle is to be moved.
To permit the steering of the vehicle, I sometimes mount one or both pairs of
the wheels thereof on trucks or bogies connected with the vehicle by swivel-joints,
and provide suitable means for turning such trucks or bogies about the said
joints.
It is evident that, by my invention, I obviate the liability of the horse being
overtaken by the vehicle in descending an incline, and I thus avoid the necessity

page_text: for the horse running in front of the vehicle while its power is not required for
drawing the same. Moreover, while the vehicle is descending an incline, and its
momentum is sufficient to keep it travelling at the desired velocity, the horse
can, by continuing to work, store energy to be utilized for the purposes above
mentioned.
Dated this 4th day of November 1891
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Starting and Propulsion of Tramway-
cars and other Vehicles, and to Apparatus therefor.
JOHN MAHON GRAY, of 71, Coburg Road, Peckham, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to the starting and propulsion of tramway-cars and other
vehicles and to apparatus therefor.
My said invention has for its chief object to provide means whereby the starting
and propulsion of such vehicles by animal power will be greatly facilitated, and,
at the same time, the strain upon, and the work required to be done by the horses
or other animals will be considerably reduced, the force which they have to exert
both in starting and in propelling the vehicle being greatly diminished. By my
said invention, therefore, the cost of working tramways will be greatly reduced,
as the horses or other animals can be kept at work and retained in service much
longer than has hitherto been practicable.
Another object of my said invention is to provide improved means for storing
energy and for the subsequent utilization of such energy at the will of the driver
for starting the vehicle or for assisting in its propulsion, for example when ascending
an incline.
A further object of my said invention is to provide for facilitating the turning
of the vehicle at either end of its journey, and for permitting or facilitating the
transfer of the vehicle from one tramway-line to another in the case of a temporary
block on the line on which the vehicle has been travelling.
My said invention comprises an improved method of employing the power, and
also, in some instances, the weight of the horses or other animals for starting
and propelling the vehicle. For this purpose, instead of allowing the horses or
other animals to walk or run upon the road and draw the vehicle behind them
in the usual manner, I place the horses or other animals upon the vehicle or
upon a car or truck connected therewith, and I cause the said horses or other
animals to work suitable mechanism for imparting motion to the vehicle by the
rotation of one or more of the travelling wheels thereof or of the car or truck
coupled thereto. For instance, I provide one or more endless travelling bands,
floors or platforms which are passed around and supported by rollers, pulleys or
drums carried by the vehicle itself or by the said car or truck. The horses or
other animals work upon these travelling floors or platforms, and are suitably
harnessed or coupled by traces or otherwise to the said vehicle, car or truck,
or to a box or frame mounted thereon and enclosing the space above the said
floors or platforms. One or more clutches or other suitable devices are pro-
vided whereby one or more of the said rollers, pulleys or drums may be connected
with suitable gearing for imparting motion to the wheels of the said vehicle or of
the said car or truck, or with suitable mechanism for storing energy to be sub-
sequently utilized for the purposes herein mentioned.

page_text: It will, therefore, be seen that the horses or other animals, instead of travelling
upon the road as heretofore, are carried by the vehicle or by the car or truck
coupled thereto, and propel the same through the medium of mechanism also
carried by the said vehicle, car or truck, somewhat after the manner in which a
velocipede is driven by a man supported thereon. This arrangement affords,
amongst others, the following advantages, viz. :-The mechanism can be so
arranged that the horse or other animal, by moving at a walking pace relatively to
the floor or platform on which it is supported, will cause the propulsion of the
vehicle at a velocity equal to or greater than that at which the same animal could
draw the said vehicle were such animal running or trotting upon the road. Heavier
horses or other animals can, therefore, be employed than are generally used for
drawing tramway-cars, and the strain upon the horses or other animals will be
greatly diminished. The horse or other animal has a much less distance to travel
relatively to the moving floor or platform than it would have to travel relatively
to the road were it drawing the vehicle in the usual manner. The weight of the
horse or other animal adds to the momentum of the vehicle and consequently
facilitates its propulsion, after it has been started. There is at all times a good,
soft and sure footing for the horse or other animal. and the latter is not liable to
injury or inconvenience from snowy, wet or slippery roads. The power of the
horse or other animal can, moreover, be used while the vehicle is at rest taking
up or putting down passengers, or while the vehicle is descending an incline,
for storing energy for the purposes herein mentioned; and the horse or other
animal, continuing to work while the vehicle is at rest, can more easily start the
vehicle, and will, or may be, assisted in this operation by the energy previously
stored.
If desired, the travelling floor or platform is inclined so that the weight of the
horse or other animal will be utilized to a greater or less extent for propelling the
vehicle or for driving the mechanism for storing energy. And I find it advan-
tageous to so construct and arrange the parts that the said travelling floor or
platform can be readily adjusted by the driver to vary its inclination or to bring it
into a horizontal position as may be found most desirable, according to the speed
at which the vehicle is to be driven.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical longitudinal section, of a tramway-
car having my improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 is an underside view of the said tramway-car.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line x, x, Figure 2, showing details of
construction.
Figures 4 and 5 are similar views to Figures 1 and 2, illustrating suitable means
for lifting the car out of the rail-grooves and enabling it to be turned to reverse its
position upon the line, or to be transferred from one line to another.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the body of the vehicle; B, B are the travelling wheels thereof; C is a
platform extending in front of the body A and mounted upon wheels D, D'.
E, E are the endless travelling bands or floors on which the horses are supported,
and which are driven by the horses walking or running thereon. These travelling
bands or floors are passed around rollers, pulleys or drums F, F1, the axles of which
are supported in suitable bearings attached to the platform C. The axle F' of
the drums F is supported in bearings provided with suitable means for raising
and lowering the same for the purpose of adjusting the travelling bands or floors E
to vary their inclination. On the axle Fs of the drums F is fixed a toothed
wheel G, which is geared with a toothed wheel H mounted on the axle of the
wheels D and arranged to be connected with the said axle and disconnected
therefrom by a friction-clutch at H'. When this clutch is in gear and the horses
are working upon the travelling bands or floors E, motion will be imparted

page_text: [through_the_wheels G, H, to the wheels D, and the vehicle will thus be
propelled. The drums Fare fixed on the axle F³, whilst the drums F¹ are free
to turn upon the axle F'.
For the purpose of raising and lowering the rollers or drums F' to vary the
inclination of the travelling bands or floors E, I sometimes employ the arrange-
ment shown in Figures 1 and 2, in which the axle F is provided with toothed
pinions a geared with curved racks firmly attached to the platform C, so
that, by turning the said axle in one or the other direction, it will be raised or
lowered as required. For turning the said axle, I fix thereon a worm-wheel c and
gear with the same a worm d fixed upon a shaft e which is provided with a hand-
wheel e' for operating it. The shaft è is supported in a bracket f, mounted upon
the axle F, and also in a bearing g in a standard in such a manner as to permit
the requisite movement of the parts.
For storing energy for the purposes above specified, I employ suitable
mechanism for winding up a spring or springs which may be caused, by their
reaction, to start or assist in starting the vehicle, or to drive or assist in driving
the same.
For this purpose I provide a toothed wheel J mounted upon a shaft K and
geared with the toothed wheel H. This wheel J is arranged to be connected with
and disconnected from the shaft K by means of a friction-clutch at J¹. The
friction-clutches at H' and J' are operated by means of a single lever L in such
a manner that either of the wheels H or J may be connected with its shaft whilst
the other is disconnected from its shaft, or the said wheels may be both disconnected
from their shafts at the same time. On the shaft K are fixed chain-wheels K'
connected by suitable endless chains K' with a drum M, which is fitted to rotate
upon a shaft N and is connected with one of a series of coiled springs P. These
springs are so connected together and to the shaft N that, when the drum M is
rotated, the said springs will be simultaneously wound up, and the said springs will,
by their reaction, impart or tend to impart motion to the said shaft N. For
instance, the coiled spring next the drum M is coupled at its outer end to the said
drum and at its inner end to a disc fitted loosely upon the shaft N between this
spring and the next succeeding spring. The said disc is coupled to the outer end
of the next succeeding spring, the inner end of which is coupled to another disc,
and so on, the inner end of the last spring of the series being coupled to the
shaft N. A strap-brake Q is provided for arresting the movement of the shaft N
when required.
A friction-pulley R is fixed upon the shaft N and is arranged to be brought into
contact with a similar pulley R on the axle B' of the forward wheels B, so that the
springs P, when the brake Q is slackened, will act upon this axle through the said
friction-pulleys and thus assist in driving the vehicle.
I find it advantageous, moreover, to provide means whereby energy will be
stored in the said springs by a brake or brakes applied for the purpose of retarding
the movement of the vehicle. For this purpose, I employ a friction-pulley or
brake-pulley S which is arranged to be brought into contact with both the friction-
pulleys R, R', when the latter are out of contact with each other. When the
friction-pulley S is thus brought into contact with the pulleys R, R', the motion of
the axle B will be transmitted through the said pulleys to the shaft N, so as to
wind up the springs P and thus store energy therein whilst retarding the movement
of the vehicle. The friction-pulleys R, S are arranged to be moved into and out
of gear with the other friction-pulleys by means of eccentric bearings ; worked
by means of levers k, these levers being so arranged that either of them, when
moved to put the corresponding friction-pulleys into gear, will act through the
medium of the rod to take off the brake Q, and, when moved to put the said
friction-pulley out of gear will release the said rod and allow the brake Q to be
applied by the spring m.
1 also, if desired, provide for utilizing the stored energy for driving the vehicle
backwards when necessary.
It may be advantageous to combine, with the

page_text: mechanism for storing energy, a device for indicating at any time the amount of
energy stored.
I sometimes provide brakes on all the wheels, both the travelling and the
driving wheels, and so arrange the said brakes that, under ordinary conditions, the
brakes may be applied to the travelling-wheels only, whilst, in case of emergency,
the whole of the brake power may be applied. The several pairs of wheels may,
desired, be coupled by means of side-rods so that the motive power or brake-power
applied to one pair will act upon them all.
if
"I also, in some instances, provide means whereby the brakes will be automatically
applied when the travelling floor or platform is disconnected from the travelling-
wheels, so that the vehicle will not be liable to run away should it be upon an
incline at the time of such disconnection.
The springs for storing energy are sometimes combined with a fusee, or otherwise
so arranged that their reaction will be equal or approximately equal both when they
are wholly and when they are partially wound up. I prefer to use two or more
springs and to so arrange the same, that should one spring break, it will not
interfere with the working of the other spring or springs.
To enable the vehicle to be turned at either end of its journey, or to be trans-
ferred from one line of rails to another, I provide suitable rollers or wheels
attached in any convenient manner to the vehicle and arranged to be depressed,
by means of a lifting-jack or other suitable device until the said rollers or wheels
take the weight of the vehicle, and the travelling wheels of the said vehicle
are raised from the rails. The said lifting-jack or other device may, if desired,
be arranged to serve as the pivot about which the vehicle can be turned.
The said rollers or wheels are preferably mounted on axles carried by brackets
connected by swivel-joints with the vehicle so that they may turn in either
direction about the said joints according to the direction in which the vehicle is
to be moved.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 4 and 5, T is a step-bearing in which is
mounted a pivot T'; these parts are arranged to be raised and lowered by means
of a worm-wheel nut T2 working on a screw-threaded part of the pivot T¹ and
geared with an endless-screw or worm T3 connected by suitable gearing with an
operating hand-wheel U. By these means, the bearing T can be forced downward
until it rests upon the ground and supports the weight of the vehicle.
V, V are wheels carried by vertically sliding frames W guided in brackets W₁
beneath the platform of the vehicle. Eccentrics X fixed upon shafts X' work
in slots in the said frames W, and levers Y fixed upon the shafts X' are connected
by suitable gearing with the hand-wheel U, so that, when the step-bearing T
and pivot T are moved downward, the wheels V will also be moved downward
so that they will assist in bearing the weight of the vehicle. By these means
the vehicle can be raised so as to lift its wheels out of the rail-grooves and can
then be turned end for end about the pivot T'. Separate devices may, if desired,
be provided for adjusting the pivot T₁ and wheels V so that the latter may be used
for transferring the vehicle from one line to another.
If desired the wheels V at the rear end of the vehicle may be dispensed
with, when it is not necessary to provide for transferring the vehicle from one line
to another as the weight of the horses will cause the preponderance of the forward
end of the vehicle.
To permit the steering of the vehicle 1 sometimes mount one or both pairs of
the wheels thereof on trucks or bogies connected with the vehicle by swivel-
joints, and provide suitable means for turning such trucks or bogies about the
Baid joints.
It is evident that, by my invention, I obviate the liability of the horse being
overtaken by the vehicle in descending an incline, and I thus avoid the necessity
for the horse running in front of the vehicle while its power is not required for
drawing the same.
Moreover while the vehicle is descending an incline, and its momentum is

page_text: sufficient to keep it travelling at the desired velocity, the horse can, by continuing
to work, store energy to be utilized for the purposes above mentioned, or the horse
can, if desired, rest during the movement of the vehicle down an incline.
It is obvious that I can, if desired, use in place of the mechanism above
described, other suitable mechanism for storing the power put forth by the
horses or other animals while such power is not applied for propelling the vehicle.
Also that I can otherwise somewhat modify the construction of my apparatus
without departing from the nature of my said invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The herein described method of providing for the propulsion of a tramway-
car or other vehicle by means of one or more horses or other animals which, instead
of walking or running upon the road, are carried by the vehicle or by a car or truck
coupled thereto, and which work suitable mechanism for transmitting motion to the
wheels of the said vehicle, car or truck.
Second. A tramway-car or other vehicle provided with one or more travelling
bands or floors connected by suitable gearing with the wheels of the vehicle for the
purpose of utilizing, for the propulsion of the said vehicle, the power, or both the
weight and the power of horses or other animals working upon the said travelling
bands or floors, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Third. A tramway-car or other vehicle provided with suitable means whereby,
while the vehicle is at rest and while it is descending inclines, the power of the
horses or other animals can be stored for subsequent use, substantially as herein-
before described, and for the purposes specified.
Fourth. A tramway-car or other vehicle provided with one or more endless
travelling bands or floors and with means whereby the horses or other animals
walking or running upon the same can propel the said vehicle at a velocity much
greater than that at which the said animals move relatively to such travelling bands
or floors, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Fifth. A tramway-car or other vehicle provided with propelling-mechanism such
as I have hereinabove described, which mechanism is so constructed that the horses
or other animals can rest while the vehicle is descending an incline, substantially as
described.
Sixth. The combination, with the endless travelling band or floor, of suitable
means for varying the inclination thereof, substantially as, and for the purposes,
above specified.
Seventh. The combination, with the endless travelling bands or floors, of springs
for storing the power applied to the same, and means for applying the power
stored in the said springs to the wheels of the vehicle, substantially as, and for the
purposes, above specified.
Eighth. The combination, with the travelling bands or floors and the springs for
storing the power applied to the same, of means for retarding the movement of the
vehicle and at the same time storing in the said springs the energy due to the
momentum of the vehicle, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Ninth. The improved means for lifting the tramway-car out of the rail-grooves
and for balancing and turning the said tramway-car about a pivot, or transferring
it from one line to another, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Dated the 4th day of August 1892.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.