Improved Apparatus for Stopping and Starting Tramcars and other Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 20th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improved Apparatus for Stopping and Starting Tramcars and other
Vehicles.
We, GEORGE WILSON, Farmer and ROBERT WILSON, Engineer both of North
Sunderland, Chathill, in the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to provide means for utilising the force or power
expended in stopping a tramcar or other vehicle, for starting the same from a position
of rest.
In carrying our invention into effect, we employ a spring, coiled around but not
attached to the axle of the car or vehicle, but each end is coupled to a clutch, working
freely upon said axle.
Facing each of the above mentioned clutches, two other clutches are provided, and
arranged to slide upon a feather, so as to engage and disengage with the other clutches.
A strap passes round a groove formed in each of the outside clutches, and these straps
are connected together by rods, to which is attached the lever for working the apparatus,
and in order to hold the free clutches which are attached to the spring, we provide
pawls, worked automatically by said lever.
Or, as an alternative device, we may place upon each axle two clutches of the same
form, one fixed and the other working freely upon said axle. The free clutches
wind up, by means of suitable chains, a spring or springs fixed between the axles of
the car.
The pawls holding said springs when wound up are also worked automatically by
the lever aforesaid.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improved Apparatus for Stopping and Starting Tramcars and other
Vehicles.
We, GEORGE WILSON, Farmer, and ROBERT WILSON, Engineer, both of North
Sunderland, Chathill, in the County of Durham 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 to an improved apparatus for, and method of, stopping and
starting tramcars and other vehicles, the object of which is to provide ineans for
utilizing the force or power expended in stopping a tramcar or other vehicle, for
starting the same from a position of rest.
In order that our invention may be more clearly understood we have appended the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the undercarriage of an ordinary tramcar fitted with
the apparatus according to our invention.
Fig. 2 is a part sectional view of the brake arrangement shewing the manner by
which the entire apparatus is controlled and operated upon directly from the brake
handle.
Fig. 3 is a view of one of the brackets by which the apparatus is attached to the
underside of the car, and
of W 2

page_text: Similar letters of reference are used to indicate corresponding parts throughout the
drawings.
In carrying our invention into effect we employ a spring A, coiled around but not
attached to the axle B of the car or vehicle, but each end is connected to clutches C C
working freely upon said axle, within suitable bearings D D¹ held in position by guide
brackets E E fixed upon the bottom of the car, and in which the bearings D D₁ are
free to move vertically to accommodate the vibration of the car. Each of the
clutches C C¹ are provided with radial serrations F upon the outer faces thereof and
upon the inner faces are fixed ratchet wheels G G engaging with which are suitable
pawls HH'. The clutches C C¹ when in position upon the axle B are reversed
relatively to each other so that the ends of the spring A pass through the ratchet
wheels G G to the clutches C C in both cases. Facing each of the above mentioned
clutches C C¹, two other clutches J J¹ are provided having radial serrations upon the
inner faces thereof, similar to those upon the outer faces of the clutches C C¹, the
angles of the serrations in the clutches J J¹ being reversed to C C¹. The clutches J, J¹
are arranged to slide upon a feather along the axle of the car so as to engage with the
clutches CC when required. A circumferential groove is formed in the clutches J J¹,
in which are placed suitable straps a a¹ connected to which are three horizontal
rods b. b. The rods 61 611 are pivotted to the straps a a¹, while the rod b is fixed
firmly to the top of each. A fork or lever c is pivotted centrally to the bottom of the
car at d and to the rods b1b11 at e. and controls the longitudinal movements thereof,
connecting and disconnecting the clutches J¹¹ and J. C. at the will of the driver or
operator. The rod 6 passes through slotted holes f formed in the bearings D. D¹
immediately under the pawls G. G¹. The rods 61 611 pass through suitable guide
slots g g formed in the sides of the brackets E. Upon each end or other suitable
position upon the car we provide a brake controlling arrangement Fig. 2, having an
outer casingh and an inner casing i, the former being fixed upon a car acts as a
guide case within which the latter revolves. The case or tube i extends downward
through the bottom of the car, and has a handle ; upon the upper end, while the
bottom end, which is under the car is provided with a bevel wheel kengaging with a
similar bevel wheel fixed upon a rod or spindle passing along the bottom of the
car, supported by suitable brackets attached thereto. The opposite end of the spindle /
is connected in a similar manner to a duplicate brake controlling arrangement at the
opposite end of the car or vehicle. To the spindle is attached the fork or lever c
connected to, and governing the movements of the rods 61 611. A second brake
spindle passes through i and terminates under the car, the uses to which i¹ are
applied will be hereinafter more fully explained.
The method of operating the apparatus is as follows. When it is desirable to bring
the moving car to a position of rest, the driver moves the handle ; thereby operating
the bevel gearing kk' and imparts thereby a lateral movement to the fork or lever c
which acting upon the rods 6₁ 6" brings J¹ in contact with C¹, or J in contact with C
according to which way the handle i is turned, which would depend upon the direction
in which the car was travelling. Presuming for the purpose of illustration that Fig.
is being viewed from the back of the car, J¹ and C¹ would be brought in contact with
each other, and as the clutch J¹ would revolve with the axle it follows that the
momentum of the car or vehicle would wind up the spring A by the contact of J¹
and C¹ thereby using the momentum of the vehicle as a brake power to bring the same
to a position of rest, the spring A being held in a position of tension by the pawls G G¹
and thus stores up in the spring A a sufficient force to restart the car when needed.
Upon the automatic rod b are projecting taper pieces m, m³, one of which may be
thrown out of gear by the driver before starting the car upon its journey, the one
thrown out depending upon the direction in which it is intended the car is to travel,
that is to say, when the car is travelling in the direction that the clutches J¹ C¹ would
be brought in contact with each other to stop the car, the projecting piece m² would
be thrown out of gear for the whole of that journey, and upon the return journey, when
the clutches J and C would be brought into use for stopping the car,m would be thrown
out of gear and m¹ put into gear. Now presuming that J¹ and C¹ have been used to stop

page_text: the car, when it is desired to restart it, the movement of j is reversed which brings C
and J in contact with each other, and by the same movement separates C¹ and J¹, the
projecting taper piece m on the automatic rod 6 would enter the slot f and lift the
pawl G, the tension of the spring A would then be imparted to C which acting upon J
would overcome the "vis inertia" of the car and impart sufficient energy to restart it.
The brake handle i¹ may be connected to a chain or the like after the manner of tram-
car brakes generally for the purpose of supplementing the power of the spring A to
stop the car.
Or as an alternative device, we may place upon each axle, clutches of the same form
as those before described, one fixed and the other working freely upon said axle. The
free clutches would wind up by means of suitable chains a spring or springs fixed
between the axles of the car or other vehicle. The pawls holding said springs when
wound up may be also worked automatically by the fork or lever aforesaid.
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.
First In an improved apparatus for stopping and starting tramcars and other
vehicles, the construction and use of a spring A in combination with clutches J. C.
and JC ratchet wheel G and G₁ and pawls H. H¹ operated by a forked lever c
attached to rods b b¹ acting upon clutch straps a a' substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
for
Second-In an improved apparatus for stopping and starting tramcars and other
vehicles the construction and use of the brake arrangement j. i. h k k¹ and
operating the forked lever c, with spindle i¹ passing within i for operating a supple-
mentary brake power substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and
described, and shewn by Fig. 2 in the accompanying drawings.
Third-In an improved apparatus for stopping and starting tramcars and other
vehicles, the construction and use of the automatic rod b with the projecting taper
pieces m m¹ for automatically lifting the pawls G. G¹ for the purpose of releasing the
tension of the spring A, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and
shewn by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of August 1890.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.