IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STARTING. CARS AND VEHICLES."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolf Franz Kaufmann, of 21, Graskeller, Hamburg,
Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STARTING.
CARS AND VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolf Franz Kaufmann at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th January 1876.
ADOLF FRANZ KAUFMANN, of 21, Graskeller, Hamburg, Merchant. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STARTING CARS AND VEHICLES."
I arrange the poles of vehicles thus:-That they are movable horizontally within
certain limits; this horizontal free motion of the pole is used by my apparatus
to transmit the power of the horses in the moment of starting the vehicle to
the circumference of the wheels instead of the axle as hitherto.
At each of the trailing wheels of the vehicle I fasten a ratchet wheel, which
turns on the axle, and which can be brought into connection with pawls that are
attached to levers which turn loose on the axle. Another axle is connected by
means of bearings to the vehicle, and carries two small rollers opposite the
ratchet wheels, round which chains are placed which are connected with the pawls.
In the middle of the roller axle a pulley is fastened, round which a rope runs
in connection with the pole. As soon as the horses start this pulley turned
by the rope at the same time the small rollers are put in motion, bringing the
pawls in gear with the ratchet wheels, thereby transmitting the power on the
circumference of the wheels. In this manner the power of the horses will for a
short distance, as far as the free motion of the pole allows, work upon the circum-
ference of the wheels instead of the axle of the vehicle, bringing the latter in
motion with less loss of power.
For cars which have the wheels fastened on the axles I modify my Invention in
the following manner-In the middle of one of the axles I fasten a pulley, having
on each side an iron lever turning loosely on the axle. Between these. side levers a
third lever is placed, which is by means of a bolt fastened to the former. At the
long end of this lever the horses work in the moment of starting, pressing the
shorter end against the circumference of the pulley and turning the same as far as
the free motion of the pole allows. When the power of the horses begins to work
on the axle the pressure is released from the pulley, and the latter is brought out of
connection with the lever.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said Adolf Franz Kaufmann in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
July 1876.
ADOLF FRANZ KAUFMANN, of 21, Graskeller, Hamburg, Merchant.
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STARTING CARS AND VEHICLES.'
"IMPROVE-
This Invention relates to attaching the point of application of the horses to an
apparatus which is moveable under the carriage or vehicle in a horizontal direction
within certain limits, and of utilizing this motion to effect the traction power of
the horses to a lever of the length of the radius of the wheel instead of to the
centre of the wheel, thus reducing the power of starting the carriage to half of that
otherwise wanted.
My Invention is clearly shown in the annexed Drawings, Figures 1 and 2 of
Sheet 1, as used for cars of tramways.
To the axle of the car the ratchet wheel is fastened, by means of which the wheels
can be turned. The segment lever G is hung upon the axle by a double-armed
lever b, which carries a clutch pawl a, the levers serving at the same time as a guide
for a constant working of the chain W in a tangential direction to the ratchet
wheel B. A projection t is fastened to the lever arrangement, and works against a
stop m to allow the clutch paul only to drop so far as to come out of gear when the
chain is loosened, as is shown in the position ma.ked in dotted lines. The chain W
of the clutch paul is wound upon the roller E (see Figure 2), which roller is turned
by means of the excentric roller F on the axle 1. The traction chain S is wound
up on the excentric roller F, and thus turns the roller E. The purpose of the
excentric roller F is to exert a greater power in the moment of starting than
towards the end of the motion of the moveable beam g, g. The traction chain is
connected to the beam g, g, by means of the wrought-iron arm d, which is in com-
munication with the horses when pulling. The beam g, g, is guided at top and
bottom by the rollers i and i fastened to h. The motion of the beam g, g, as well
as the lift of the clutch is limited by a projecting piece p connected to the car
and the piece o attached to the beam g, y. As the motion of the wheel continues
after starting the car the clutch paul comes out of gear and regains the position
shown in dotted lines. When the car is about to be started by the horses the
beam g, g, is drawn forward from under the car, and this motion is transmitted to
the segment lever G by the arm d, the chain s, the rollers F and E, and the
ratchet wheel by the straining of the clutch chain W in bringing the clutch into
gear. As this lever G is shorter than the radius of the wheel the missing power is
gained through the relative proportions of the diameter of the rollers. When
stopping the horses and the car the beam is pushed towards the back of the car and
the clutch paul comes out of gear, thus allowing the car freely to run in the reversed
direction if necessary.
With cars for tramways my apparatus is supplied to both axles, and for greater
safety that apparatus which is out of work is lifted, thus preventing the clutch
coming into gear..
With vehicles that have the wheels loosely on the axles my apparatus must be
attached to one or both of the trailing wheels, and instead of the beam g I prefer to
use a metal tube which is moveable on the pole.
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 2, of the annexed Drawings show a modification of my
Invention, the object of which is to increase the traction power of the horses upon
gradients. In this case the clutch and the ratchet wheel are brought out of gear
and the pinions M, M³, placed on an extra shaft G, are brought in gear with
the ratchet wheel, which is in this casc furnished with teeth of a common tooth
wheel. The shaft G carries a pulley N, round which a tape o is placed. The horses
are attached to this rope, and when pulling they turn the roller N, and the traction
power is transmitted by means of the pinions M, M', to the tooth wheels C, C¹,
and thus to the circumference of the wheels of the vehicle. The power gained

page_text: depends upon the relative diameters of the pulley N and the pinions and tooth
wheels.
In Figures 3 and 4 of Sheet 2 a further modification of my Invention is shown
as applied to vehicles which have the wheels fastened to the axles. In the middle
of the axle the disc X is fastened, and on each side the arms r, 8, are placed, which
are connected to a lever R by means of a bolt. When the horses pull the lever R
is lifted by means of the chain V, and by pressing the short end against the circum-
ference of the disc X the axle is turned and the car is started. When the car is
brought in motion the traction power is transmitted to the axle direct by releasing
the lever from the disc cither by means of a chain V', as shown in the Drawing, or
by other arrangements for the same purpose.
The modifications of my Invention are numerous, but what I claim as my
Invention is,―
shown on Sheet 1 of
clutch a, the ratchet
Firstly. The starting apparatus for cars of tramways, as
the annexed Drawings, consisting of the segment lever G, the
wheel B, the roller E, the excentric roller F, and the moveable beam g, g, as fully
explained, described, and shown.
Secondly. I claim the modification shown in Figures and 2 of Sheet 2 of the
annexed Drawings for the purpose of increasing the traction power of horses upon
gradients, as set forth and shown.
Thirdly. I claim the modification of my starting apparatus, as shown in Figures
and 4 of Sheet 2, that is to say, the disc X fastened to the axle of the car in con-
nection with the movable lever R, the arms r, s, and the chains V and V¹, as fully
explained and described herein-before, and as shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adolf Franz Kaufmann, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of July, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-six.
ADOLF FRANZ KAUFMANN. (L.S.)