Improvements in and connected with the Mechanical Propulsion of Street-tramway and other like Cars or Carriages.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th May, 1890-Accepted, 16th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Mechanical Propulsion of
Street-tramway and other like Cars or Carriages.
We, JOHN HUGHES, and CHARLES LANCASTER, both of City Road, Chester, in the
County of Chester, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
Our Invention relates mainly to street and other tramway cars and other like
carriages and locomotives which are propelled by the expansive force of compressed
air, by electricity, gas or petroleum or other type of motor.
A car, carriage, or locomotive provided with improvements according to this Inven-
tion consists as follows:-
An engine may be placed at one end of the lower portion or truck of the car, or loco-
tive or at any suitable position, and is geared or applied direct to a main driving shaft,
running lengthwise with the car or locomotive and provided with worms gearing into
worm-wheels fixed on or in connection with the axles of the running wheels. The worms
are adapted to slide or move on the shaft, and are held in position by means of thrust
bearings. These thrust bearings are provided with springs or other means of recoil
in such a way as to enable the worm to slide along the shaft to a certain extent against
the pressure of the spring or other equivalent resisting device in either direction, the
worm being made long enough to enable it to do so without running out of gear with
the wheel. This latter arrangement facilitates the starting of the car, especially on a
rising incline, by enabling the engine to get into motion without the full load against
it, the first few turns of the engine merely winding up the spring or other recoil
device as it were, until the car is fairly started, when the spring or recoil device
gradually reacts and brings the worm back to nearly its normal position. The engine
and driving shaft would be carried on a lower truck in such a way as to be always in
the same position relatively to the axles of the running or driving wheels, the main
body of the car or locomotive being mounted on springs above the truck. In applying
the system to a bogey truck the worm wheels may be fixed horizontally and in the
centre of the axis on which the bogey turns, and geared to the running axles by bevel
wheels or equivalent gear. In some tramway and other cars the motor engine may
be fixed at or about the centre of the car and geared to the main shaft about the
middle, instead of at one end. This arrangement might be found convenient in cars
divided into first and second class and for other reasons.
We prefer to make the angle of the teeth of the worm and worm wheel such that
the axles are locked and cannot run backwards with the weight of the car on a down-
ward incline, thereby acting as an automatic brake.
Dated this 19th day of August 1889.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Mechanical Propulsion of
Street-tramway and other like Cars or Carriages.
We, JOHN HUGHES and CHARLES LANCASTER, both of City Road, Chester, in the
County of Chester, Engineers, 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 :—
Our Invention relates, mainly, to street and other tramway cars and other like

page_text: carriages and locomotives which are propelled by the expansive force of compressed
air, by electricity, gas, petroleum, or other type of motor.
A car, carriage, or locomotive provided with improvements according to this Inven-
tion consists as follows:-
An engine may be placed at one end of the lower portion or truck of the car, or
locomotive, or at any suitable position, and is geared or applied direct to a main
driving shaft, running lengthwise with the car or locomotive, and provided with a
worm or worms gearing into a worm-wheel or worm wheels, fixed on or in connection
with one or both of the axles of the running wheels. The worms are adapted to slide
or move on the shaft, and are held in position by means of thrust bearings. These
thrust bearings are provided with springs, or other means of recoil, in such a way as
to enable the worm to slide along the shaft to a certain extent against the pressure of
the spring or other equivalent resisting device in either direction, the worm being
made long enough to enable it to do so without running out of gear with the wheel.
This latter arrangement facilitates the starting of the car, especially on a rising incline,
by enabling the engine to get into motion without the full load against it, the first
few turns of the engine merely winding up the spring or other recoil device, as it
were, until the car is fairly started, when the spring or recoil device gradually reacts
and brings the worin back to nearly its normal position. The engine and driving shaft
would be carried on a lower truck or separate frame, in such a way as to be always in
the same position relatively to the axles of the running or driving wheels, the main body
of the car or locomotive being mounted on springs in the usual way. In applying the
system to a hogey truck the worm wheels may be fixed horizontally and in the centre
of the axis on which the bogey turns, and geared to the running axles by bevel wheels
or equivalent gear. In some tramway and other cars the motor engine may be fixed
at or about the centre of the car and geared to the main shaft about the middle, instead
of one end. This arrangement might be found convenient in cars divided into first
and second class, and for other purposes.
We prefer to make the angle of the teeth of the worm and worm wheel such that
the axles are locked and cannot run backwards with the weight of the car on a down-
ward incline, thereby acting as an automatic brake.
In the drawings which serve to illustrate our invention we shew, three examples of
apparatus involving improvements thereunder.
In Figure 1 is illustrated, in sectional elevation, one arrangement of propelling
mechanism as applied to a tramcar or locomotive, and
Figure 2 is a plan of same.
Figure 3 shews in elevation another arrangement of propelling machinery.
Figure 4 shews in plan a modified form and construction of recoil apparatus shewn
in Figure 1; and
Figure 5 shews a detail in section of this apparatus to an enlarged scale.
The same letters and figures of reference are used throughout the views to denote
the same or like parts wherever they occur.
With reference to the drawings, generally, a designates the motor, 6 and b¹ designate
respectively the worm and worm wheel constituting the gearing through which the
power is transmitted from the motor to the driving wheels of the car or carriage; c is
the shaft driven by the motor and driving the worm b; d is a square or polysided
portion of such shaft on which the wheel b is free to move to and fro, and by which
such wheel is revolved; e are the recoil devices arranged on the shaft c; hare cross-
beads, such crossheads being adapted to slide on the shaft c and to support and work
in connection with one end of the springs; and i are brackets or bearings fixed to the
frame which supports the propelling gear and recoil mechanism, and adapted to take
the longitudinal thrust of the shaft c and to support such shaft. kis the frame to
which the propelling gear and recoil mechanism are connected; w are the car wheels,
and the axles thereof.
With special reference to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the recoil device
consists of springs which surround the shaft c, and one end of which is held by the
bracket bearings the other being held, and pressed upon in operation, by the

page_text: crossheads h. The brackets in this arrangement, as is also the motor a, (which is
represented as one of the rotary kind) are fixed to the frame d, such frame being
mounted rigidly on the axle x through the plummer block bearings ; thus the
relative distances of the propelling mechanism and the axles x are permanently
maintained.
To give the car body the requisite amount of vertical movement and elasticity, it is
either mounted on springs supported by and interposed between the frame k and itself,
or springs mounted on bearings supported by the axle ; by this means while the
propelling machinery and the axles of the running wheels are kept in a constant
position relatively to each other, so that the gear is unaffected by oscillation or other
movement, the body of the car is also unaffected by such movement and has the full
required amount of spring and elasticity: The crossheads in these Figures, it will
be seen, are prevented from turning, and are guided, by the guide rods j, which are
fixed in snugs on the brackets i.
In action, when the tram, locomotive, or other car or carriage is being started, the
effect of the rotation of the shaft, c, is that, for a few turns, the worm, b, simply moves.
in one direction or the other along the shaft, c, due to the inertia of the car, thereby
compressing one of the recoil springs, e. The engine or motor having thus been
enabled to start easily, compresses the spring to such an extent until the resistance
thereof is equal to the resistance of the car; and hence when this point is reached,
the worm wheels, 61, would commence to be rotated, and so the car propelled. As-
soon however as the inertia of the car, due to its state of rest is overcome and is fairly
under weigh, the worm b, will be pressed back more or less towards its normal or
central position by the reaction of the spring, and at which point it remains. At all
times, therefore, by using mechanism such as herein described, no difficulty with.
respect to starting the engine and the car can occur: also the gear is silent,
practically, in operation and for this reason is very desirable.
In Figure 3, we shew an arrangement of motor and propelling mechanism disposed
In this
between the two opposite ends of a car, l, working on a crank shaft, c.
instance one recoil device e, only is employed, and the recoil in this device is effected
by air compressed by the action of the mechanism. (It might, here also, however, be
effected by springs.) This device and mechanism is illustrated in detail in Figure 4,
and a part thereof, namely, the recoil device, is illustrated in section in Figure 5.
With reference to these latter Figures, 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen in Figure 4 that
the shaft, c is stopped at c¹ where it is supported by a bearing, h, this bearing being
in turn supported on the guide rods, j, which are free to move longitudinally through
such crosshead. Then, to the crosshead, is bolted by bolts 2, a shaft c², which shaft
is in line with the shaft c, and upon which the recoil device e, is adapted to be moved
longitudinally. That is to say, whilst the shaft, c, revolves, the shaft, c², which is
practically a disconnected continuation thereof, has no rotative or longitudinal move-
ment, the end thereof being fixed and mounted in a bracket, i, secured to the frame
which supports the mechanism; and this bracket prevents the crossheads h¹, bars j,.
and device from being rotated by the rotation of the shaft and the worm b.
e,
C₁
The device e, with reference to Figure 5, consists of a cylinder 1, piston 2, and
and constitutes a
cylinder cover 3; the cylinder itself being provided with snugs
crosshead. is a hat-shaped packing of "Woodite" or other suitable material, by
which the sliding joint between the covers, 3, and shaft c², is rendered air tight.
It will be understood in this arrangement also that the shaft c, on which the worm b
is mounted is rectangular, and is adapted to slide longitudinally thereon in the manner
previously described, the worm b being mounted at one end 62 and adapted to work in
a bearing in the front crosshead h, as shewn in Figure 5.
In this case the action of starting is identical with that previously described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2, but the effect of the longitudinal movement of the
worm b, upon its shaft, is that as it is moved either one way or the other, it presses
upon and moves either the front crosshead
be, and either pulls forward the cylinder 1
pushes it away thereby; in either case the
in one way or the other, as the case may
through such crosshead, and rods j, or
result is, that air, on either one or other

page_text: side of the piston 2, is compressed within the cylinder, and when the car is started
such compressed air acts as a recoil in identically the same manner and for the same
purpose as described with reference to the springs e, in Figures 1 and 2.
To effect lubrication, and at the same time regulation of the degree of compression
of air and movement of the cylinder 1, oil or other suitable fluid may be supplied to
the ends of the cylinders. In Figure 5, it will be observed that recesses 5, are
provided in the ends of the cylinder for this purpose.
To bring the pressure in the cylinder to atmospheric pressure after the recoil
action has taken place, apertures 6, are provided by which a plenum is formed
between the cylinders and the outside atmosphere.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
--
1. In the propulsion of street tramway and other like cars or carriages, effecting
the starting thereof in the manner substantially as described; that is to say, by means
of worm or like gearing, and a recoil means or mechanism; for the purposes set
forth.
2. In mechanically propelled street tramway and other like cars or carriages, or
locomotive, a motor arranged in combination with and operating a worm, such worm
gearing with a worm wheel mounted and running on the axle or axles or wheels of
the car; substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
3. In a mechanically propelled street tramway or other like car or carriage, or
locomotive, the employment of a recoil mechanism or means, for the purposes
described.
4. In street tramways or other like cars or carriages, or locomotive, a worm wheel
mechanism operated by a motor, the worm being mounted on a frame rigidly con-
nected with the axle of the driving wheel on or in connection with which the worm
wheel is mounted, the carriage body being provided with springs on a separate frame
or support; substantially as set forth with reference to the drawings.
5. The propelling mechanism for street tramway and other like cars or carriages, or
locomotives, comprising a motor a, shaft c, worm gearing 6, 6', and recoil device e,
arranged and adapted to operate substantially in the manner described.
6. A street tramway or other like car or carriage, or locomotive, comprising a
motor a, shaft &, propelling gearing b, ', substantially as set forth with reference to
Figure 3.
7. In mechanism for propelling street tramway and other cars or carriages, or
locomotives, the combination of a motor shaft c, worm wheel b, and recoil device e,
said recoil device e, being moved one way or the other by a worm 6, and according to
the direction in which the motor shaft is turned; substantially as described.
8. In street tramway and other like cars or carriages, or locomotives, a recoil
mechanism consisting of a cylinder operating substantially in the manner and for the
purposes set forth.
9. The recoil device e, substantially as set forth with reference to Figure 5,
consisting of a cylinder, 1, piston 2, ends 3, and rod c³, arranged and adapted to
operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
.
10. The combination in street trainway or other like car or carriage or locomotive
propelling gear, of a propelling mechanism comprising a shaft c, worm b adapted to
gear with a corresponding worm wheel mounted on the driving axle, crossheads h,
and recoil cylinder or device e; substantially as set forth with reference to Figure 4.
Dated this 10th day of May 1900
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicants' Patent Agents.