IMPROVEMENTS IN ADDARATIS FOR STARTING TRAMWAY CARDS AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Ambrose Brydges, of the Firm of Brydges and
Co., Engineers and Patent Solicitors, of 73, Koeniggraetzer Strasse, in the City
of Berlin and German Empire, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ADDARATIS FOR STARTING TRAMWAY CARDS AND OTHER VEHICLES"
.
A com-
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th August 1881.
EDWIN AMBROSE BRYDGES, of the Firm of Brydges and Co., Engineers and
Patent Solicitors, of 73, Koenigraetzer Strasse, in the City of Berlin and German
Empire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STARTING TRAMWAY CARS AND
OTHER VEHICLES." A communication from Lieutenant Ludwig Helm, of the City
of Berlin, aforesaid.
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for starting tramway cars
and other vehicles in order to ease the horses or other draught animal or animals
from unnecessary strain. The parts of my Invention are partially attached to the
framework of the car or other vehicle. The crossbeam or whipple trees are con-
nected to draught or connecting rods. A two armed lever is so attached to the
axle that the same can carry out a vertical movement about equal to the radius of
the axle by means of a slotted arm.
The upper lever arm is connected to the pressure foot or lever by means of a
bolt. The pivot or projecting nose of the pressure foot moves in the slot in an
arm, so that the pressure foot can be raised out of contact with the pavement or
roadway when not employed for starting the vehicle. The arm turns on a suitable
pivot. A lug is bolted to the pressure foot and is provided with a pin or pivot, to
which a spiral spring is attached in order to facilitate the operations of the parts.
The opposite end of this said spring is attached to the bolt which connects the rod
to the two-armed lever.
A rod, arm, or lever connects the rod with the catch and releasing mechanism.

page_text: The crossbeam or the whipple trees can be attached to a suitable hook or other
equivalent which is attached to the bolt connecting the arm with the rod, or can
be made of one piece with the hinge part of the arm. This arm is arranged to
describe a sector of a circle from the vertical to the horizontal position.
When the arm is in a vertical position the pressure foot is in contact with the
pavement or roadway. As soon as the horse, horses, or other draught animals
have drawn the whipple-trees into a horizontal position the pressure foot has
started the car, and is raised out of contact with the roadway or pavement.
The arm is caught by the catch, and held in horizontal position until the catch
is released. A bracket contains the bearings for the pivot or fulcrum, to which
both catch and lever arm are keyed.
The rod to the treadle is connected to the arm by means of a pivot which works
in a slot in the said arm.
A volute spring operates so on the treadle rod that the same is returned to its
original position as soon as the treadle is released.
I further employ a modification of this first part of my Invention, whereby the
spiral spring is dispensed with and an angle lever used. The arm of the three
armed lever is in this modification provided with a pin, pivot, or projection, which
said pivot or projection operates so on the arm of the lever that the foot is raised
a suitable distance from the ground when not required to start the car or other
vehicle.
A
In a further modification of my Invention I employ a volute spring, ratchet
wheel, and pawl, and also a disc or piston in the case to the volute spring.
rack is attached to the piston, and the pawl gears with the ratchet wheel. The
pawl rests on a spring which serves as guide to the said pawl, so that when the
volute spring commences its action the pawl is guided into the toothing of the
ratchet wheel. A pinion is in gearing with the rack, and is attached to the axle.
The prolongation of the rack is hinged to a rod which is so connected to the brake
block that when the car or vehicle is braked the spring is compressed and the
brake-block applied to the wheel; this brake block is employed in connection with
the spring arrangement in order to prevent the spring from being broken. In
order to operate the pinion or wheel a lever combination which is connected with
the ordinary chain brake is employed. The chain is attached to the extreme end
of the lever, the fulcrum of which is the axle around which the lever is conducted
and attached to a ring by means of pivots. The side levers are jointed to the
lever and move in a groove or between collars or rings in the necks or hubs to the
wheels, which said wheels are arranged to slide on the axle on which they revolve.
In order that the wheels may be caused to revolve the axle is provided with two
conically formed rings. The hubs of the wheels are also conically bored, and when
forced on to the conical rings of the axle by means of the levers so much friction is
produced that the wheel turns in like direction with the axle, forces the rack in
the same direction, compresses the volute spring, and brings the brake-block into
operation.
As soon as the brake is given free suitable springs force the wheels from the
cones, the volute spring presses the pawl forward; this said pawl gears into the
teeth of the wheel, and this wheel being firmly keyed to the axle produces a
revolution of the same and starts the car or other vehicle.
The lower or frictional surface of the pressure foot consists of vulcanized india
rubber or other suitable elastic or seni elastic material in order to prevent shocks
or concussions, to avoid injury to the roadway or pavement, and assure a good
grip for the foot.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th February 1882.
EDWIN AMBROSE BRYDGES, of the Firm of Brydges and Co., Engineers and
Patent Solicitors, of 73, Koeniggraetzer Strasse, in the City of Berlin and German
Empire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STARTING TRAMWAY CARS AND
OTHER VEHICLES." A.communication by Lieutenant Ludwig Helm, of the City
of Berlin, aforesaid.
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for starting tramway cars
and other veliicles, in order to ease the horses or other draught animal or animals
from unnecessary strain.
Fig. 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections shewing the various positions of the foot
or lever for effecting the start; Fig. 1 shews the commencement of the starting.
In Fig. 2 the foot or lever is shewn in dotted lines in the position it occupies after
the car has been put in motion, whereas the full lines shew the position of the
parts when the foot or lever is out of use.
Fig. 3, 4, and 5 shew the details of the catch and releasing mechanism.
Fig. 6 and 7 are longitudinal sections of a modification of this part of my
Invention.
Fig. 8 to 12 shew a further modification of my said Invention and the different
positions of the parts of my said improvements.
A is the floor or framework of the car or other vehicle; B are the wheels; C, C,
the axles; D, D, the draught or connecting rods; E, E¹, is a two armed lever which
is so attached to the axle C that the saine can carry out a vertical movement about
equal to the radius of the axle by means of the slotted arm L.
The upper lever arm E is. connected to the pressure foot or lever H by means of
the bolt G. The pivot or projecting nose K of the pressure foot H moves in the
slot in the arm L so that the pressure foot can be raised out of contact with the
pavement or roadway when not employed for starting the car or other vehicle
(Fig. 2); L' is the pivot on which the arm L turns; M is a lug which is bolted to
the pressure foot and is provided with a pin or pivot to which a spiral spring is
attached in order to facilitate the operations of the parts.
The opposite end of this said spring is attached to the bolt which connects the
rod D to the two armed lever E, E; R is a rod arm or lever which connects the
rod D with the catch and releasing mechanism.
The cross-beam or the whipple trees can be attached to a suitable hook or other
equivalent, which is attached to the bolt connecting the arm R with the rod D, or
can be made of one piece with the hinge part of the arm R. This arm R is
arranged to describe a sector of a circle from the vertical to the horizontal
position.
When the arm R is in a vertical position the pressure foot H is in contact with
the pavement or roadway.
As soon as the horse, horses, or other draught animals have drawn the whipple-
trees into a horizontal position the pressure foot has started the car and is raised
out of contact with the roadway or pavement.
The arm R is caught by the catch S and held in horizontal position until the
catch is released; S is the catch; T is the fulcrum for the same; U is the bracket
which contains the bearings for the pivot or fulcrum T to which both catch S and
lever arm V are keyed. The rod to the treadle X is connected to the arm V by
means of the pivot W which works in a slot in the said arm V; Y is a volute spring.
which operates so on the treadle rod that the same is returned to the position
shewn in Fig. 4 as soon as the treadle is released.

page_text: .
Fig. 6 and 7 shew a modification of this first part of my Invention whereby the
spiral spring is dispensed with; L, L, is an angle-lever. The arm E of the three
armed lever E, E¹, E, is in this modification provided with a pin, pivot, or
projection e, which said pivot or projection operates so on the arm L2 of the
lever L, L' that the foot is raised a suitable distance from the ground when not
required to start the car or other vehicle.
Fig. 8 to 12 shew a further modification of my Invention whereby I employ a
volute spring, ratchet wheel, and pawl.
A is the volute spring; B' is the disc or piston in the case to the volute
spring A; F is a rack attached to the piston B'; D is the pawl gearing with the
ratchet wheel E³; H2 is a spring on which the pawl rests, and which serves as
guide to the said pawl, so that when the volute spring A' commences its action
the pawl D³ is guided into the toothing of the ratchet wheel E³; G' is the pinion
which is in gearing. with the rack F; C is the axle. The prolongation F1 of the
rack F is hinged to the rod H¹ which is so connected to the brake block I' that
when the car or vehicle is braked the spring A' is compressed and the brake
block I applied to the wheel. This brake block is employed in connection
with the spring arrangement in order to prevent the spring from being broken.
In order to operate the pinion or wheel G a lever combination L³, L, L³,
which is connected with the ordinary chain brake O, N, is employed. The chain
is attached to the extreme end of the lever L³, the fulcrum of which is the axle C,
around which the lever is conducted and attached to a ring by means of the
pivots m¹. The levers L, L, are jointed to the lever L³, and move in a groove or
between the collars or rings Q in the necks or hubs to the wheels G¹, which said
wheels are arranged to slide on the axle C on which they revolve.
In order that the wheels may be caused to revolve the axle is provided with
two conically formed rings K, K. The hubs of the wheels are also conically
bored, and when forced on to the conical rings of the axle by means of the levers
L, L, so much friction is produced that the wheel G₁ turns in like direction with
the axle, forces the rack Fin the same direction, compresses the volute spring A¹,
and brings the brake block I into operation. As soon as the brake block is given
free the springs c force the wheels G¹ from the cones K¹ the volute spring A¹
presses the pawl D forward, this said pawl gears into the teeth of the wheel E³,
and this wheel E3 being firmly keyed to the axle C produces a revolution of the
same and starts the car or other vehicle.
The-lower-or-frictional-surface_of_the_pressure_foot consists of vulcanised india
rubber, or other suitable elastic or sewn elastic material, in order to prevent shocks
or concussions, to avoid injury to the roadway or pavement, and assure a good grip
or the foot.
Having now described my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is
to be carried into effect, I desire it to be understood that I do not confine myself
to the exact form or arrangement of the mechanism, as these can be varied without
departing from the tenor of my Invention; but what I claim and desire to have
secured by Letters Patent is,-
1. The employment and arrangement of the pressure foot H, which is so made
that its lower surface consists of india rubber or other suitable elastic or semi-
elastic material with spiral spring for assuring a firm grip of the foot H with the
lever combination E, E, and slotted arm L, substantially as described in the fore-
going Specification and shewn in Fig. 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
2. The combination of the lug M and the pivot or pin for the spiral spring with
the lever E, E, connecting rods D, D, and the arm R, substantially as described
in the foregoing Specification, and shewn in Fig. 1 and 2 of the accompanying
Drawings.
3. The construction and arrangement of the clutch or catch and releasing
mechanism, consisting of the catch or hook S, bearing U, spindle T, pivot W, foot
or treadle piece X, and volute spring Y, substantially as described in the foregoing
Specification, and shewn in Fig. 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: 4. The combination of the three armed lever E, E', E', and pivot or projection e
with the angle lever L, L2, and the foot H, substantially as described in the
foregoing Specification, and shewn in Fig. 6 and 7 of the accompanying
Drawings.
5. The combination of the levers E, E¹, E, L, L2, and the rods D, D¹, with the
rod R,. and the catch and releasing mechanism, substantially as described in
the foregoing Specification, and shewn in Fig. 1 to 7 of the accompanying
Drawings.
6. The conical rings K on the axle C in combination with the toothed wheels G¹
which are provided with a conical boring, substantially as described in the
foregoing Specification, and shewn in Fig. 8 to 12 of the accompanying Drawings.
7. The levers L3, L4, L5, and the method of moveably attaching the same to the
axle, in combinations with the grooves and collars Q, the pivot or projection
running in the said grooves, substantially as described in the foregoing Speci-
fication, and shown in Fig. 8 to 12 of the accompanying Drawings.
8. The combination of the volute spring A', piston or disc B', pawl D², ratchet
wheel E³, rack F, and pinion G¹, with the brake block I and the rods F', H¹,
substantially as described in the foregoing Specification, and shown in Fig. 8 to 12
of the accompanying Drawings.
9. The general combination and arrangement of the parts, Figs. 1 to 12,
constituting an apparatus for starting tram-cars and modification of the same,
substantially as described in the foregoing Specification and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witnesses,
JOHN O. TONKIN,
GUSTAV EHLEN.
EDWIN A. BRYDGES. (L.S.)