Improved Brake Apparatus for Storing up Force in Stopping Vehicles and Expending such Force in Starting them again.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Feb., 1892-Accepted. 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Brake Apparatus for Storing up Force in Stopping
Vehicles and Expending such Force in Starting them again.
I, MAURICE HIPPOLYTE CHARLES WASHINGTON FARJASSE, of 23 Boulevard de
Strasbourg, Paris, France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
-
My invention relates to improved brake apparatus whereby the power usually
absorbed in stopping a vehicle is stored up so that it can afterwards be usefully
expended in starting the vehicle again.
The apparatus consists essentially of two grooved pitch wheels or pullies loose on
the rotating wheel-axle of the vehicle, round which pullies passes an endless chain,
cord, or rope which also passes round a third grooved pulley the axis of which is
carried by a spring. One of the first named pullies, which I term the "stopping
pulley" is capable of being rotated by the axle on gearing it therewith by a
clutch, which may be such as was described in my application No. 10,318 of 1890,
the pulley also carries a ratchet wheel fixed thereto with which gears a pawl
pivotted to the framing of the vehicle whereby the pulley is prevented from running
back in the contrary direction after it has been rotated by the axle in the forward
direction.
The second wheel or pulley on the axle, which I call the "starting pulley" has a
pawl pivotted to it, which gears with a ratchet wheel fixed on the axle, in such
manner that the said pulley gears with the axle when turning in the direction of the
forward motion of the vehicle. The starting pulley is of somewhat smaller diameter.
than the stopping pulley.
The third pulley being carried by a spring that is extended when a pull is
exerted on the pulley, it will be seen that the action for braking will be as
follows:-On connecting the stopping pulley with the axle by the clutch so as to
cause it to revolve therewith, the starting pulley will also be turned by the motion
of the endless chain, and such rotation will endeavour to take place at a quicker
speed than that of the stopping pulley on account of the larger diameter hereof but
will be prevented by the pawl and ratchet connection with the axle. Owing to the
differential surface speeds of the two pullies they effect a shortening of the loop of
the chain in which is situated the third pulley, thereby extending the spring and
consequently putting a corresponding strain on the chain opposed to the direction
of rotation of the axle pullies; by this means the rotation of the axle and pullies is
gradually retarded and stopped.
The rotation in the contrary direction is also prevented by the before described
fixed pawl and ratchet connection of the stopping pulley. In order now to start
the vehicle in the same direction again, the clutch of the stopping pulley is released,
whereupon, as this is held stationary by its pawl and ratchet gear, while the axle is
now free to revolve independently thereof, the pull exerted upon the chain by the
extended spring will effect the rotation of the starting pulley, which will carry
the axle and road wheels with it by the before described pawl and ratchet
connection.
The force expended in a given time for starting the vehicle will be greater than
that applied to the spring for stopping, because the latter is applied differentially,
whereas in the former case the force is applied direct to the starting pulley and
axle. If instead of starting in the forward direction, it were desired to use the
stored force for moving the vehicle backward, this may be effected by throwing
he pawl of the first pulley out of gear.

page_text: If it be desired to avoid the unpleasant noise of the toothed ratchet and pawl, a
suitable arrangement of silent or frictional ratchet may be employed such as a series,
of arms pivotted to the pulley slightly inclined to the radius and having surfaces at
their ends pressing against a rim fixed to the axle so that on the rotation in one
direction a jamming connection between the arms and rim of the axle is produced,
while in the other direction either part can revolve free.
The arms are so arranged as always to tend to grip the rim; they are however
provided with laterally projecting pins round which is passed a flexible loop of wire
or other material, so that on exerting a pull on the latter the pins are acted upon so
as to prevent the arms from pressing on the rim, thus throwing the device out of
gear.
Suitable guide pullies are provided for properly leading the before mentioned
endless chain over the two axle pullies.
If a cord or rope be employed in place of a chain and fixed pullies, the cord is
wound two or more times round the pullies to produce the requisite frictional
contact, and the guide pullies may be acted upon by springs or weights to increase
the tension.
In place of a spring for storing up the force, compressed air may be used, the
moveable pulley being carried by the rod of a piston working in a cylinder, so that
the movement of the piston by the endless chain will cause the air to be compressed
on the one side and rarified on the other. To make good any leakages of air, check
valves opening respectively inwards and outwards, are provided on the cylinder, so
that after the action has taken place and the piston is brought back to its original
position by a spring or counterweight, air can enter on the front side, while any
air that has leaked in at the rear end is forced out; or in place of the second valve
being provided on the cylinder, it may be fitted on a passage formed through the
piston, so that on the backward motion of the latter, any air at the rear side will
pass through it. In order to reduce the length of the cylinder, this may have a
lateral chamber at the front end into which the compressed air is forced.
Should it happen that the extent of motion allowed by the metal or pneumatic
spring is not sufficient to completely absorb the momentum of the vehicle in stopping,
ordinary brake blocks may be provided which are connected to a lever that is
acted upon by the crosshead of the moveable pulley when this arrives near the
limit of its stroke, so as to cause the brakes to be applied.
Or in place hereof, the before mentioned clutch apparatus may be made to
absorb the excess of momentum in the manner described in my said prior Patent,
that is to say, by causing the cord thereof to be dragged round by the axle with
considerable friction upon the boss of the stopping pulley, when this is held
stationary by the spring when at the end of its stroke.
According to another arrangement I utilise the weight of the body of the vehicle
for storing up the force of the momentum, by causing the body to be raised by such
force. For this purpose the moveable pulley of the before described apparatus is
carried by a strong bracket fixed to the underside of the vehicle body, so that the
vertical upward-pull exerted upon the chain by the differential action of the axle
pullies raises the third pulley and thereby also the body of the vehicle, the descent
of the latter being afterwards made to produce the starting action.
By a suitable arrangement of levers, pivotted to the axle, the said vertical
movement of the third pulley can be transmitted to one or more other points of the
vehicle body in addition to that which is acted upon directly by the pulley.
In order to render the before described apparatus applicable to vehicles that run
alternately in opposite directions, two sets of the said axle pullies may be used
mounted on two axles of the vehicle, each having their own moveable pulley and
storing spring, but one and the same endless chain being passed round both sets, so
as to cause the one or the other to act according to the direction in which the
vehicle is travelling.
For increasing the starting power of the apparatus, the two pullies may be fitted
on a separate shaft, while the axle only carries two spur wheels connected thereto

page_text: respectively by a friction clutch and by a ratchet gear, as described with reference
to the pullies.
These spur wheels gear with spur wheels fixed to the pullies on the second shaft,
the spur wheel of the starting pulley being geared at its axle wheel through an
intermediate pinion.
For effecting the simultaneous putting in and out of action of a number of such
storage brake apparatus on the several carriages of a railway train, I connect the
cord of the before mentioned clutch apparatus described in my said prior Patent to
the rod of a piston in a small cylinder, the piston being acted on by a spring
tending to strain the cord so as to throw the clutch in gear. The said small
cylinders of all the carriages are connected by branch pipes to a main pipe leading
along the train, which pipe is ordinarily kept charged with compressed air in a
similar manner to the train pipes of pneumatic brakes. By means of such compressed
air the pistons are moved forward in their cylinders so as to take off the strain on
the clutch cord and thus keep the brake apparatus inoperative. When the brakes
are to be applied, the air pressure is discharged from the main pipe, whereupon the
springs act upon the pistons so as to operate the clutches.
The carriages may be provided in addition with ordinary pneumatic brakes
operated by the same train pipe in such manner as to be put in action when the
storage brake has reached the limit of its action without entirely stopping the train,
the action being similar to that described with reference to the first arrangement.
In order to reduce the strain on the horses when starting a vehicle in the first
instance when no power has been stored up, I connect the splinter bars of the horses
to the outer ends of two separate levers having a common fulcrum in the centre
line, of the vehicle. At an intermediate point of each lever they are connected by
links to the ends of a crosshead which is connected at its middle to one end of the
storage spring, the other end of which is connected to the moveable pulley of the
before described apparatus. Thus on first moving forward on starting, the horses
move the said levers so as to put a certain strain on the spring which transmits such
strain through the moveable pulley to the starting gear, so that by the time the
horses have advanced to the limit of the motion of their levers and begin to exercise
a direct pull on the vehicle, a certain power will have been stored up which will
assist in starting the vehicle.
Dated this 5th day of May 1801
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Brake Apparatus for Storing up Force in Stopping
Vehicles and Expending such Force in Starting them again.
I, MAURICE HIPPOLYTE CHARLES WASHINGTON FARJASSE, of 23 Boulevard
de Strasbourg, Paris, France, Engineer 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:
:-
My invention relates to improved brake apparatus whereby the power usually
absorbed in stopping a vehicle is stored up so that it can afterwards be usefully
expended in starting the vehicle again.
The apparatus consists essentially of two chain wheels loose on the rotatable
axle of the vehicle and of an endless pitch chain passing round such wheels, and
round a pulley acting upon a spring, as I will proceed to describe with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shews a plan of the same, while
Fig. 2 shews the spring pulley and a special arrangement for its connection with
the traces of the horses.
The first wheel P which I call the "stopping wheel," can be coupled with the
axle by means of a clutch, such for example as the construction of clutch shewn

page_text: at E, which is described in the Specification to my Patent No. 10,318 of 1890 and
which acts without shock when a pull is exerted upon the cord C. A ratchet
wheel R the pawl of which is carried by the vehicle, prevents the wheel from
turning in the direction contrary to the forward motion.
The second wheel P₁ which I call the starting wheel, actuates the axle in the
direction of the forward motion, by means of a ratchet wheel R₁ fixed on the
axle, with which gears a pawl on the wheel P¹. The wheel P is larger than
the wheel P¹, for example in the proportion of 14 to 10.
The pulley A is fixed to a spring. For stopping the vehicle, the clutch E is
put in gear, whereupon the wheel P being made to rotate with the axle carries
round the wheel P', and this, tending to rotate at a quicker speed by reason of its
smaller diameter, gears with the ratchet wheel R' which prevents such quicker
rotation, so that the wheels P P in revolving at the same angular speed but at
different surface speeds, constitute a differential pulley gear which causes the
loop of the chain passing round the pulley A to shorten, and consequently to draw
inward the pulley, and thus put a gradually increasing tension on the spring.
This increasing tension being opposed to the described motion of the wheels,
gradually effects the stopping of the vehicle. When requiring to start again, the
clutch E is released, whereupon as the wheel P is prevented from rotating back-
wards by its ratchet wheel, it will hold that side of chain stationary against the
pull exerted by the spring and pulley A, so that the latter in being drawn back by
its spring will draw with it the other side of the chain and will thereby effect the
rotation of the starting wheel P1, causing this to carry round with it the axle.
Thus it will be seen that the action of the axle is exerted differentially upon the
spring in stopping the vehicle, while the full power of the spring is exerted directly
on the axle for effecting its rotation in starting.
The above described apparatus constitutes an automatic brake preventing the
backward motion of the vehicle, as in this case the wheel P¹ carries with it the
chain which, being prevented from travelling by the ratchet wheel R, will put an
opposing tension on the spring. If however it be desired to move backwards, it
would be sufficient to lift the pawl of the ratchet R or R' out of gear.
The toothed ratchets R and R¹ can be replaced by frictional ratchets or any
other known device for preventing motion in one direction.
It might occur that the full compression of the spring would not be sufficient
for absorbing the total momentum of the vehicle. To provide for such a case, the
fork carrying the pulley A, or any other moving part of the apparatus may be so
arranged that when arriving at the extreme limit of its movement, it comes in
contact with the bar or lever carrying the brake blocks of the road wheels, so that
by the pressure of such moving part the brakes are applied.
The brake blocks, in combination with clutch apparatus E theu constitute an
efficient brake apparatus for absorbing the remainder of the momentum.
The above described clutch apparatus can also serve as brake, as when the
pulley A arrives at the end of its course it will present a resistance which causes
the cord or band of the clutch to slide on its drum, and the friction thus produced
will absorb the excess of momentum.
The spring may either be of coiled metal as shewn, or, it may consist of air
confined in a closed cylinder so as to be compressed by the movement of a piston
connected to the pulley; or, instead of storing the momentum by a spring, it may
be stored by causing it to raise the body of the vehicle relatively to the road wheel
axles, so that, its descent by gravity will effect the starting. For this purpose it
is only requisite to carry the pulley A on a bracket fixed to the underside of the
body and so formed that the pulley is situated vertically underneath the wheels P P1,
the shortening of the chain by the above described differential action causing the
pulley A and consequently the vehicle body to rise.
For effecting the simultaneous putting in and out of action of a number of such
storage brake apparatus on the several carriages of a railway train, I connect the
cord of the before mentioned clutch apparatus described in my said prior Patent to

page_text: the rod of a piston in a small cylinder, the piston being acted on by a spring
tending to strain the cord so as to throw the clutch in gear.
The said small cylinders of all the carriages are connected by branch pipes to
a main pipe leading along the train, which pipe is ordinarily kept charged with
compressed air in a similar manner to the train pipes of pneumatic brakes. By
means of such compressed air the pistons are moved forward in their cylinders so
as to take off the strain on the clutch cord and thus keep the brake apparatus
inoperative. When the brakes are to be applied, the air pressure is discharged
from the main pipe, whereupon the springs act upon the pistons so as to operate
the clutches.
The carriages may be provided in addition with ordinary pneumatic brakes
operated by the same train pipe in such manner as to be put in action when the
storage brake has reached the limit of its action without entirely stopping the
train, the action being similar to that described with reference to the first
arrangement.
As the above described apparatus will not effect the starting of a vehicle unless
power has been stored up by a previous stopping, I provide in combination there-
with an arrangement for road vehicles whereby the starting can be effected with
a less amount of tractile force than is required to be exerted when the horses exert
a direct pull on the vehicle in the ordinary manner. This arrangement is shewn at
Fig. 2 of the drawings.
The splinter bars are fixed to the ends h h of two levers Oh O'h', which turn
upon fixed pivots at 001, or upon a single pivot common to both.
These levers are connected at k and by means of links k 1, k¹¹to the ends of
a crosshead, connected at its middle to the casing of the before described spring
which serves for storing the power.
Assuming the vehicle to have stopped without having stored up any power,
the horses in starting will exert their pull upon the ends of the levers Ok O¹k¹
and these will in their turn exert a pull upon the spring casing, thereby compressing
the spring and at the same time producing a motion of the pulley A through the
spring.
By this means firstly the starting will be effected by a rotation of the wheel
axle and road wheels through the endless chain and chain wheel P¹ after a certain
compression of the spring has been effected, instead of being effected by a dead
pull on the vehicle as usual, and secondly this effort will be exerted at an increased
leverage due to the difference between the lever arms Oh and Ok, so that the
vehicle will be started without shock and by means of a greatly reduced strain on
the horses.
It will be seen that the vehicle can be started by the pull of a single horse,
instead of two, the only difference being that the point m will in that case only be
moved through half the distance in the former case, that is to say the starting will
be proportionately slower.
In all the above described arrangements, the power can of course be varied by
varying the length of the levers and the diameters of the chain wheels.
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. Brake apparatus for stopping and starting vehicles wherein the momentum of
the vehicle is stored up for effecting the stopping so as to be given out again for
the purpose of starting, such action being obtained by a spring or by the action
of gravity on the body of the vehicle, in such manner that for stopping, the
momentum of the moving vehicle is exerted differentially on the storing
mechanism, while the full power stored is exerted directly for starting, substantially
as described.
2. In combination with stopping and starting apparatus such as is referred to
in the preceding claim, the use of lever apparatus such as is described with reference

page_text: to Fig. 2 of the drawings, for reducing the effort required to be exerted by the
horses in starting when no power has been previously stored up.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.