Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1888-Accepted, 22nd June, 1889
A communication from abroad by CHARLES HENRY BROWN, of Syracuse, Onondaga
County, State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
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 statement :-
The invention relates to devices designed to aid the starting of street railway-
cars, and other vehicles.
The object is to produce such a device of simple construction and of great
utility.
It consists in the several novel features of construction and operation hereinafter
described and specifically set forth in the claims hereto annexed.
It is constructed as follows:
A is the car mounted on the axle 1, upon which are the wheels 2, in any ordinary
manner.
Upon this axle between the wheels 2 is secured the double flanged pulley 3.
Up on the bottom of the car in suitable slides 4, is placed the draft rod 5, upon the
front end of which is a hook 6; and to the rear end of this rod is secured a rope or
chain 9 passing over the pulley 10, and secured to the lever 11; this lever is pivo-
tally mounted in the grip block 12, said block being slotted longitudinally as shown
in Figure 3 at 13, a slotway converging from the front and rear ends of the grip to
the hole which receives the pin upon which the lever is mounted.
In the front edge of this grip is a gripping slot 14, curved to correspond with
the curve of the periphery of the wheel 3; the arms 15 of the slotway hooking over
the flanges of the wheel 3.
The point of the lever 11 is bevelled as shown in Figure 1. A lever is also
shown pivotally mounted in the platform of the car, and having its lower end
pivotally connected to the draw bar 5, so that by this lever 16, the draw bar can be
moved back and forth in the slides.
It is operated as follows:-
In Figure 1 the car is shown at a standstill, then when the strain or draft is
applied to a draw bar 5, it is drawn outward pulling the chain with it, which first
raises the rear end of the lever, and this throws the lever firmly against the periphery
of the pulley 3, and secondly, the continued strain upon the lever draws the grip
block against the flange of the wheel, and all together causes the pulley 3 to rotate,
carrying with it the axle and the main wheels 2, rotating them, and thus starting
the car.
It will be observed that when the strain is applied to the draw bar, the
first effect is to throw the point of the lever against the periphery of the pulley 3,
the point bearing firmly against, and that the second effect is that as the strain
continues, the leverage of the lever upon the grip block, iis point then having a
fulcral bearing upon the pulley, draws the grip tightly against the inner face of the
double flange, and that on account of the hinged connection between the lever and
grip rod, the grip block is free to oscillate, so that it will conform itself to the inner
face of the flanges, thus giving the block a bearing for its whole length against the
flange, thereby giving a stronger grip and reducing the chances of slipping to the
minimum.

page_text: Having now particularly described.and.ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent,. I declare that what I claim is :
1. The combination with the axle.and double flanged wheel mounted thereon
between the main supporting wheels of the car, of a grip block enclosing both
flanges of the wheel, and a lever hinged to the grip block and connected to the draft
bar, substantially as described.
2. The combination. with the pulley. 3, provided with a double flange, of a grip
block slotted vertically to embrace the flanges and adapted to be raised vertically
against them by the strain upon the lever 11 hinged to the grip block, and
provided with a point adapted to have a fulcral bearing against the pulley, substan-
itially as described.
3. The combination with the pulley 3 of the grip block 12 slotted vertically to
receive the flanges of the pulley, and the lever 11 provided with the bevelled point
connected to the draft bar 5, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the lever 11 engaging with the periphery of the pulley 3,
the grip block 12 hinged to the lever and receiving the flanges of the pulley in a
vertical slot, and bearing against the inner surfaces of the pulley flanges when power
is applied to the lever, substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of September 1888.
WM. P. THOMPSON & CO.,
Agents for the Applicant.