Improvements in Brake Apparatus for Revolving Axles or Shafts.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application. 5th Mar., 1889
Specification Accepted, 6th Apr., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by PHILIP WELLBACH, of Kopenhagen, Denmark,
Engineer.]
Improvements in Brake Apparatus for Revolving Axles or Shafts.
I, OLIVER IMRAY. of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lano, in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, 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 :-
This invention relates to brake apparatus described in the Specification to previous
Letters Patent granted to me (being a communication from Philip Weilbach) dated
28th January 1888 No. 1336, wherein the power absorbed in applying the brake was
stored up by the coiling of a spring which was afterwards made to give out such
power again in uncoiling, for starting the axle or shaft of the vehicle, engine, or other
machine to which the brake was applied.
The present improvements relate, firstly, to an arrangement of the axle or shaft in
such a manner that each of the road wheels together with the part of the axle
connected thereto, can revolve with a speed independent of that of the other wheels;
secondly to an arrangement whereby the stress of the spring is confined within
certain limits, so as to prevent undue straining thereof; thirdly, to an improved
arrangement of the pawl or locking catch mechanism.
I will describe the said improvements with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which Fig. 1 shews a longitudinal section through the brake apparatus applied to
the axle of a pair of wheels, the pawl mechanism not being shewn. Fig. 2 shews à
sectional side view of the pawl mechanism in gear with the ratchet ring. Fig. 3
shews a front view of the same partly in section; Figs. 4 and 5 shew modified
arrangements of the counterweight, K, Fig. 6 shews the lever A formed into a
crank; Fig. 7 shews a modification of the apparatus in which the sleeve b is dispensed
with.
The axle Fig. 1 is formed of two separate parts a and a¹ which are either made
symetrical or, as shewn, the one part is made to fit into the other, and which are

page_text: i.
enclosed in a sleeve b, that is made in halves bolted together, and which prevents the
two parts of the axle from shifting longitudinally.
The sleeve bis keyed to the part a' but fits loose on the part a, so that the one part
can revolve with its wheel at a different speed from that of the other part and its
wheel.
The disc d which serves to connect the part a with the brake apparatus is fixed to
this part of the axle, and the corresponding disc d' is either fixed on the part a', or,
as shewn, upon the sleeve b; the two discs consequently partake of the motion of their
respective axle parts
The friction wheels c and d are loose either on the sleeve as shewn, or, if this
is made of a less length, or is dispensed with altogether, (Fig. 7) upon the axle
parts a a¹.
The circumferences of the friction wheels are provided with ratchet teeth which
are in reversed positions on the two wheels, and which are also respectively in
reversed positions relatively to the ratchet teeth on the rings e and e¹ fixed to the
wheels c c'.
The friction wheels c c¹ can be made to partake of the motion of their respective
parts of the axle by means of the radially sliding friction blocks m in which are
situated in the discs dd, and which are actuated by the sliding sleeves L L¹ on the
axle parts a al, and the rods p p connected thereto.
With the ratchet rings of the friction wheels gear the pawls or locking
catches F Fig. 2, which are mounted on levers A or cranks A Fig. 6, each of
which has its fixed axis B situated beyond the axle on which the friction wheel is
mounted.
The ends of the coiled springs are attached to the two pawl rings, which can
rotate round the ratchet rings e e', and which are extended inwards as two cylindrical
parts; upon these are situated a number of loose rings g' the outer diameter of which
determines the tension of the springs g, and which at the same time prevent undue
friction when the spring is being coiled upon the saine, as they move round upon the
cylinders in following the motion of the springs.
The rings may also be mounted with central bosses directly on the axle, or they can
be mounted on one or more cylinders. Fig. 7, the bosses of which are, mounted loose
on the axle a.
The braking operation and the storing up of the power is effected is follows:-One
of the friction wheels c or c¹ is secured to its axle part a or al by means of the friction
coupling the spring is thus connected to the axle a or a¹, the pawls in the ring f
or being made to gear with the ratchet ring e or e¹ the teeth of which are in
reverse positions relatively to those of the friction wheel.
As the pawl For F at the opposite end of the apparatus gears with the toothed
ring or i, whereby the rotation of the friction wheel c¹ or c at that end is prevented,
the spring g will be put in tension by being coiled up more or less as indicated at
Fig. 1.
When the power thus accumulated is to be applied to the starting of the vehicle or
machine, the friction coupling which is in gear is put out of gear, while at the same
time the friction coupling at the other end of the apparatus is put in gear. The
pawl F is put out of gear with the ratchet ring i, whereby the spring is permitted
to uncoil and thus to cause the rotation of the axle.
The pawl mechanism F Fig. 2, 3 or 4, 5, 6 which gears with the ratchet rings i i
on the friction wheels c c¹ consists of the lever A on the axis B, or of the cranked
form of lever A as shewn at Fig. 6, which lever carries at its lower end one or more
double pawls F pivotted on a pin g² and which carries the moveable counterweight K
which holds the one end of the pawl in gear with the ratchet ring.
The counterweight consists of a tube K in which is a ball k or similar-moveable
weight, such as mercury.
To the other end of the lever A is connected a rod D by means of which the
pawl is made either to gear with or to move out of gear with the ratchet ring i
A stop E limits the motion of the lever and pawl.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In brake apparatus of the kind herein referred to for storing up the power,
and utilizing the same for starting the vehicle or machine, constructing the wheel
axle or shaft of two separate pieces a and a¹ which are enclosed by a sleeve b
arranged and operating, substantially as and for the purposes described with reference
to the drawings.
2. In brake apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claim, the arrange-
ment of the pawl rings ff' in combination with rings g' either fitted loose on
cylindrical extensions thereof, or fitted directly loose upon the axle or shaft, or
upon one or more cylinders fitted loose on the axle or shaft, substantially as and
for the purposes herein described with reference to the drawings.
3. In brake apparatus such as is referred to in the preceding claims, the use of
double pawls F with moveable counterweight, arranged and operating substantially
as and for the purposes herein described with reference to the drawings.
This 5th day of March 1889
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.