IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE STOPPING AND STARTING OF TRAMCARS AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Frederic Cocker, of Sheffield, in the County
of York, Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR ASSISTING THE STOPPING AND STARTING OF TRAMCARS AND OTHER
SIMILAR VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Frederic Cocker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th February 1880.
BENJAMIN FREDERIC COCKER, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manufacturer.
LMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE STOPPING AND STARTING OF
TRAMCARS AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES."
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus to aid in stopping and
starting tramcars and other similar vehicles, its objects being chiefly to relieve the
horses from the great strain required to start vehicles of the above description,
especially those that are subject to such frequent stoppages as tramcars, and also
while acting as a break to store up power which shall assist to set the tramcar or
other similar vehicle in motion again. The Invention consists in the use of one or
more open or closo lapped spiral springs, by preference arranged to coil round, but
not to come in contact with the axle of the wheels, and secured at each end to a
clutch plate, which revolve in suitable bearings round the axle, but not in contact
with it. Each of the catch plates may be held stationary by means of a pawl or
catch, which is actuated by a lever, which lever shall work a clutch keyed on to
the axle of the tramcar, so that when the clutch is in gear the pawl or catch shall
be out of gear, and vice versa. The action of the apparatus may be described as
follows: When the tramcar is desired to stop, the conductor, by placing his foot
on the lever conveniently placed for that purpose, throws the clutch, which revolves
with and slides on a key let into the axle, into gear with the catch plate, causing
the spring to be wound up as the axle revolves. The resistance of the spring acts
as a break, and assists in bringing, or may of itself bring, the vehicle to a stand-
still. The conductor then throws the clutch out of gear, the pawl or catch flies
into gear, thus retaining the spring in a state of tension, and entirely disconnected
from the axle. When ready to start the clutch at the opposite end is thrown into
gear, and the catch plate being thus released from the pawl or catch transmits the
accumulated spring power to the axle by means of the clutch which is keyed on to
it, thus imparting a forward rotary motion as long as that power remains. The
clutch is then withdrawn, the pawl or catch flies into gear again with the catch
plate ready for the next stoppage.
When at rest or in its normal condition neither the spring nor the catch plates
are in contact with nor revolve with the axle.

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 18th
August 1880.
BENJAMIN FREDERIC COCKER, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING THE STOPPING AND STARTING OF
TRAMCARS AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus to aid in stopping and
starting tramcars and other similar vehicles, its object being chiefly to relieve the
horses from the great strain required to start vehicles of the above description,
especially those that are subject to such frequent stoppages as tramcars, and also
while acting as a break to absorb and store up power which shall assist to set the
tramcar or other similar vehicle in motion again, and consists in the use of one or
more open or close lapped spiral springs, by preference arranged to coil round, but
not to come in contact with the axle of the wheels, and secured at each end to a
clutch plate, which revolves in suitable bearings round the axle, but not in contact
with it. Each of the clutch plates may be held stationary by means of a pawl or
catch, which is actuated by a lever, which lever shall work a clutch keyed on to
the axles of the tramcar, so that when the clutch is in gear the pawl or catch shall
be out of gear, and vice versa. The action of the apparatus may be divided as
follows: When it is desired to stop the tramcar the conductor, by placing his foot
on a lever conveniently placed for that purpose, throws the clutch, which revolves
with and slides on a key let into the axle, into gear with the catch plate, causing
the spring to be wound up as the axlo revolves. The resistance of the spring acts
as a break, and assists in bringing, or may of itself bring, the vehicle to a stand-
still. The driver then throws the clutch out of gear, and the pawl or catch flies
into gear, thus retaining the spring in a state of tension, and entirely disconnected
from the axle. When ready to restart the clutch at the opposite end is thrown
into gear, and the catch plate being thus released from the pawl or catch transmits
the accumulated spring power to the axle by means of the clutch which is keyed
on to it, thus imparting a forward rotary motion as long as that power remains.
The clutch is then withdrawn, the pawl or catch flies into gear again with the
catch plate ready for the next stoppage. When at rest or in its normal condition
neither the spring nor the catch plates are in contact with nor revolve with the
axle.
In some cases in lieu of the claw clutches herein before described I prefer to use
discs or drums mounted loosely on the axle, between or inside which are spur
wheels keyed on to the axle, into which are geared planet wheels. The before
named drums are provided with straps, which embrace their peripheries, and can
be used to prevent their turning round with the axle. The position and arrange-
ment of these is clearly shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3 on the accompanying
Drawing.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, Figure 2 a plan in part section, and Figure 3
an end elevation of the levers and connections for working the gear for engaging
and disengaging the spring to and from the axle of the vehicle. The letters of
reference are as follows, and apply to the parts hereinafter named, which in this
case is shown as a tramway vehicle:-
a, a, a, a, the wheels of the car.
b, b, the axles.
c, c, the framing of the vehicle.
d d disc drums loose on the axle.

page_text: wheel d, so that the shaft f¹ and pinion ƒ can revolve round the spur wheel e, e,
similar to sun and planet wheels.
9, a second spur pinion also keyed on shaft ƒ¹.
h, disc wheel loose on axle b.
i, i³, brake straps operating on disc drum & and h, and applied by rod through
the medium of pedal o and cross shaft o'.
,, brake straps operating on drums & and h through medium of chains m and
m and brake whinch n.
j, spiral spring arranged around the axle but not in contact with the same.
k, k, brake levers to operate straps i and i¹.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-Supposing the vehicle to be in
notion towards the right hand side and it is desired to stop, this is accomplished
by tightening the break straps i and on the drums d and h by means of the
winch n and the chains m and m²; the rotation of the axle and
spur wheel e then
winds up the spring j through the medium of the pinion f, shaft ƒ³, and pinion and
spur wheel g and h, the opposite end of spring j being prevented from turning by the
brake strap il operating on the drum h at the opposite end of axle. When the
momentum of the vehicle has been absorbed by the resisting spring; it is held
from running back by means of the brake straps i and is, which are then applied
by the pedal o through the medium of shaft o', o¹, and rods and "; the power is
thus held ready for restarting when required. To restart the brake straps i¹ and
are released by letting go the winch n; the power stored in the spring j is then
communicated to the axle b through the medium of the spur wheel, pinion g¹,
shaft f, and pinion f' to the spur wheel e¹ keyed on the axle, the opposite end of
spring being held by the brake strap ; when the vehicle is restarted the pedal o
is released. The brake drums d and h and the spur wheels and pinions fitted
inside them are in duplicate on either side of the vehicle. The connections from
the brake straps i, i, and i, is, are also in duplicate at the, other end platform of
the vehicle for running in the opposite direction.
It is obvious that ordinary cone friction or claw clutches may be used to carry
out my Invention in lieu of the arrangements I have described and illustrated.
But what I claim as novel, and therefore secured to me in the before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. The use of a spiral or coil spring wound around but not in contact with
an axle of a vehicle connected at one end with the axle for the purpose of absorbing
at that end of the spring the power set free in stopping the vehicle, and connecting
the opposite end of the same spring with the axle wheel or wheels of the vehicle,
and utilizing the power thus stored in the spring for. the purpose of restarting the
vehicle, substantially as described and illustrated for the purpose named.
Secondly. Connecting one end of a spiral or coil spring wound around but not
in contact with the axle of a vehicle for the purpose of absorbing the momentum
of the vehicle and stopping the same, during which time the opposite end of the
spring is held fixed.
Thirdly. Connecting the opposite end of a spiral or coil spring wound around
but not in contact with the axle of a vehicle with the same axle, so that the power
accumulated at the other end of spring in stopping is given out to the axle
wheel or wheels in the opposite direction for the purpose of restarting the vehicle,
the stopping end of the spring being held fixed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Frederic Cocker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
BENJAMIN FREDERIC COCKER. (L.S.)