IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAK AND RESTARTING MECHANISM FOR TRAM CARS, OMNIBUSES, AND LIKE VEHICLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bell, of Bishopsgate Street Within, in the City of
London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAK AND RESTARTING
MECHANISM FOR TRAM CARS, OMNIBUSES, AND LIKE VEHICLES."
Sealed the 6th February 1880, and dated the 11th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bell at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th August 1879.
"
WILLIAM BELL, of Bishopsgate Street Within, in the City of London. IMPROVE
MENTS IN BREAK AND RESTARTING MECHANISM FOR TRAM CARS, OMNIBUSES, AND
LIKE VEHICLES.”
According to this Invention the car is fitted with a spring or springs held to the
same by guides and brackets. To the end of the spring is fitted a crosshead, and to
which a chain or rope is secured.
On the axle of the car is placed a drum which works loose on the axle, the face being
grooved to receive the chain or rope which is securely fixed on the same. On the
side of the drum is cast a clutch face, and motion is given to the drum by throwing
in gear auother clutch sliding on a feather key on the shaft, so that as the axle or
shaft revolves it communicates a rotary motion to the drum and winds up or
elongates the spring or springs. To obtain the counter motion I make the drum
hollow and have a spur wheel running loose on the axle and on the inside of the
drum. To this is geared one or more pinions (preferably three) having a ring on
either side of them through which the shafts of the pinions pass, thereby causing
them to keep in an equi-distant position from each other. The three or more pinions
are geared to an external tooth wheel, on the outer periphery of which is the rope
groove.
The shaft, preferably of the top pinion and near the bottom of the car, is brought
through the open side of the hollow drum and is held in position by means of bolts
to the bottom of the car, and as the spur wheel on the shaft revolves by having the
clutch, which is feathered on the shaft, thrown into gear with the clutch on the spur
wheel side, it communicates the motion to the three pinion wheels, and from these

page_text: to the internal gear on the rope drum, whereby a counter motion is made to the
directly driven side.
rope wheel
The action of the brake is as follows:-The clutches on either side of the
are held apart by means of springs or any other convenient means, and on the car or
carriage requiring to be stopped the direct acting side of the drum is thrown in gear,
which winds up the spring and stops the car. The counter motion clutch is then
thrown into gear and the direct acting clutch withdrawn; the spring acting through
the geared wheels causes the car to have an onward motion in the same direction as
that previous to its being stopped.
In some cases I use friction wheels instead of toothed gear, as described, and
make the drum in such a manner as to be capable of slightly contracting, so that
when the rope is wound partially or completely round it, it shall grip or "close on
three or more friction wheels.
To obviate the jar or vibration caused by the rocking or side play in the bearings
of the axles I use an extra shaft for the rope wheel clutches and tooth wheel, these
being provided with suitable bearings fixed to the bottom of the car and connected
to the axle by means of tooth wheels or chain gear. In some cases I prefer to make
the clutches of a coned or friction shape.
To give greater effect to the gripping action of the friction clutch I use grooved
cams working in the axle between collars, so that the clutch cam can be thrown in
and out of gear.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Bell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th February
1880.
WILLIAM BELL, of Bishopsgate Street Within, in the City of London. " IMPROVE
MENTS IN BREAK AND RESTARTING MECHANISM FOR TRAM CARS, OMNIBUSES, AND
LIKE VEHICLES."
According to this Invention the car or vehicle is fitted with a suitable spring or
springs held to the same by guides and brackets. To the end of the spring is fitted
a cross head, and to which a chain or rope is secured.
On the exle of the car is placed a drum which works loose on the axle, the face
being grooved to receive the chain or rope, which is securely fixed on the same. On
the side of the drum is cast a clutch face, and motion is given to the drum by
throwing in gear another clutch sliding on a feather key on the shaft or axle, so that
as the axle or shaft revolves it communicates a rotary motion to the drum and winds
up or elongates the spring or springs. To obtain the counter motion I make the
drum hollow and have a spur wheel running loose on the axle and on the inside of
the drum; to this is geared one or more pinions (preferably three) having a ring on
either side of them through which the shafts of the pinions pass, thereby causing
them to keep in an equidistant position from each other. The pinions are geared
to an intermediate tooth wheel, on the outer periphery of which is the rope groove.
The shaft, preferably of the top pinion and near the bottom of the car, is brought
through the open side of the hollow drum and is held in position by means of bolts
to the bottom of the car, and as the spur wheel on the shaft revolves, by having the
clutch which is feathered on the shaft thrown into gear with the clutch on the spur
wheel side, it communicates the motion to the pinion wheels, and from these to the
internal gear on the rope drum, whereby a counter motion is made to the directly
driven side.
In some cases I use friction wheels instead of toothed gear, as described, and make
the drum in such a manner that the rope may wind itself upon an inclined or coned
periphery.
To obviate the jar or vibration caused by the rocking or side play in the bearings
of the axles I sometimes, if desirable, use an extra shaft for the rope wheel clutches
and tooth wheel, these being provided with suitable bearings fixed to the bottom of
the car, and connected to the axle by means of tooth wheels or chain gear. In some
cases I prefer to make the clutches of a coned or friction shape.
To give greater effect to the gripping action of the friction clutch I sometimes used
grooved cams moving on the axle between two collars, so that the clutch can be
thrown in and out of gear.
The annexed Sheet of Drawings represent my Invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of a part of the lower frame of a
tram car, A, A, being the side timbers and B, B, the transverse ones by which the
lower structure is firmly bound in connection.
C is the axle on which the bearing or running wheels D, D, are mounted in the
horn plates E, E. This axle has upon it a clutch F feathered upon the axle, that it
may slide upon it to be put into gear with corresponding teeth on the collar or hub
G of a spur wheel H, when the chain I is released by a hand lever or by a turning of
the hand wheel J, that the clutch may be thrown into action by the pressure of the
spring K; the chain, when the clutch F is removed, being wound upon the barrel L
by the worm gearing M.
Around the toothed wheel H a series of spur pinions N, preferably 3 in number,
as in Figure 3, at equi distances apart, are fitted, their axles P being held firmly by

page_text: a disc and bracket Q, as in the detached view, Figure 4, and attached to one of the
transverse timbers. The spur wheel H is mounted loosely upon the axle, and only
rotates with it when the clutch F is in gear. The pinions are also in gear with
teeth on the inner periphery of an outer casing or drum S, to impart the motion of
the wheel H to it in the same direction as that of the wheel H, whereby the chain
or wire rope T becomes wound upon its exterior, to contract or draw the springs
U, U, which are upon guide bars V, V, fixed at the same end of the frame A, B. The
two springs U, U, are drawn up at one time by means of the cross head W,
the
pull of the chain or wire rope T being central and free from chafe or unnecessary
friction.
The drum S is also mounted loosely upon the axle C, and its hub R is provided
with teeth for the clutch Y to engage in when thrown into gear by the release of
the rod Z, which may be effected from the foot plate a, or in any other convenient
manner.
It will be understood by the above arrangement that when the car is running
both clutches are out of gear, as shown by Figure 2, there being then no rotation of
the inner spur wheel nor of the pinions or drum; but when the signal is given to
the driver of the car to stop he releases the lever I of the clutch F, which then slides
into gear with the hub of the spur wheel H, and this, through the pinions N, rotates
the drum upon which the wire, rope, or chain T is wound to draw up the springs U,
the tension of which acts upon the wheels D as a break, and causes the car to stop.
The driver then releases the rod Z of the clutch Y, which slides into action by
engaging with the teeth on the hub of the drum S. On getting the order to go on
the driver turns the hand wheel J, and through the chain I withdraws the clutch F
from contact with the spur wheel H, at which instant the tension of the two springs
U, U, pulls the chain or wire rope from the drum S, causing said drum to rotate,
and also the pinions and spur wheel, in a direction opposite to their previous motion,
so that the clutch Y may be moved round in the same direction as previously, and
by its feather compel the bearing wheels of the car to rotate and restart the car in
the same direction as that at which it had previously been travelling. The distance
over which the vehicle is moved by the expansion of the springs depend very much
upon the weight of the car and the load upon it, and the quantity of chain or wire
rope wound upon the drum, but in all cases the springs would be sufficiently strong
to move the heaviest load; that the horses would, under all circumstances, be pushed
slightly along at a walking pace prior to them taking the pull at the ordinary
travelling rate.
b, b, are anti-friction rings fitted within the drum to prevent side action of the
pinions, and to ensure them keeping in gear with the spur wheel and the teeth of
the drum.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of the frame of a car, and shows how the body
of the same has to be carried upon ordinary springs c, c, these for the purposes of
my Invention being arranged upon the frame instead of between horn plates, as is
now adopted.
The outer periphery of the drum S may be parallel, as shown, or it may be
inclined on the surface, that the wire rope or chain may take its first winding upon
the larger diameter for speedily drawing up the springs at the commencement of the
stopping of the vehicle, and be gradually reduced as the winding up continues, the
stopping powers of the springs increasing in proportion to the approach of the chain
to the smaller diameter, or vice versa if desired.
Figure 6 and 7 represent the end of a tram car fitted with friction clutches, the
other parts being the same, and lettered in like manner to those shown in the
previously described Figures.
Figures 8 and 9 represent an omnibus or van wheel provided with clutch gear
upon the hub d, that the drum or the spur wheel clutch may engage therewith when
the apparatus is moved over by the hand or foot lever, in a similar manner to that
described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The only difference in

page_text: this arrangement is, the two clutches are upon the same side of the drum, and of
different diameters, to act upon distinct teeth on the hub.
Figure 4 is a part sectional elevation of the apparatus. In this the clutch has a
short lever e on each side of it, that the opposite ends of the levers, which ride in a
double incline or cam f of a socket piece, may, when the socket piece is pulled over
by its lever h, move parallel upon the axle C.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
The break chain winding apparatus, composed of loose spur wheel on axle, inter-
mediate pinions, and the outer drum with teeth on the inner periphery, all acting
in unison and in common, with clutches and springs as a stopping and restarting
mechanism for tram cars and other like vehicles, as set forth and as shown in the
annexed Drawings.
Secondly. I claim the special combination of inner gearing H, N, S, as shown in
the annexed Drawings, in connection with any appliances used for stopping and
restarting tram cars and other like vehicles, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bell, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eleventh day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM BELL. (L.S.)