IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STORING AND TRANSMITTING MOTIVE POWER, AND FOR INDICATING THE SUPPLY AND EXPENDITURE OF THE SAME
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Henry Leveaux, of Hampton Wick, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
STORING AND TRANSMITTING MOTIVE POWER, AND FOR INDICATING THE
SUPPLY AND EXPENDITURE OF THE SAME."
Dealed the 22nd August 1879, and dated the 27th February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Henry Leveaux at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th February 1879.
EDWARD HENRY LEVEAUX, of Hampton Wick, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STORING AND TRANSMITTING MOTIVE
POWER, AND FOR INDICATING THE SUPPLY AND EXPENDITURE OF THE SAME."
"
The object of this Invention is to improve the motive power apparatus described
in the Specification of my Patent, bearing date September 24th, 1873, No. 3123, for
Improvements in the Mode of and Apparatus for Driving Carriages on Tramways
and Railways and other Roads," and to render such apparatus applicable to a variety
of uses where motive power is required for driving machinery.
This apparatus consisted of a series of coiled springs fitted to containing barrels,
the number of such springs and barrels being determined by the amount of motive
force required to be stored. The whole series of barrels were so connected together
that all the coiled springs when the apparatus was started would come into action
simultaneously, thus the motive force of the last spring of the series would be
delivered to the driving shaft through all the springs of the series, and thereby an
undue amount of friction was created.
I now propose not only to obviate this inconvenience, but also to provide means
for indicating the amount of motive force supplied to or still contained in each
series of the spring barrels.
The apparatus may contain one, two, or more series of these spring barrels, and
they will each be wound up by direct connection with the shaft, which is the source
of power.
I will assume that two sets of spring barrels are employed. The arbors of those
barrels which are nearest to the source of power (or it may be the barrels them-
selves), are fitted with a worm wheel, which gears into a worm that runs loosely on
the driving shaft.

page_text: The sleeve of this worm terminates in clutch teeth, which receive the teeth of a
sliding clutch on the driving shaft to lock it thereto. The rotation of the driving
shaft will now wind up the two series of springs simultaneously. Adjacent to the
worm wheel, and on the same arbor, is a spur wheel for transmitting rotary notion
through a spur wheel to a screw shaft lying parallel with the barrels, and fitted to
one end of that shaft, so as to permit of its sliding through the spur wheel. To the
screwed end of this shaft is fitted loosely a spur wheel with a threaded boss, such
wheel being confined so that it may act as a stationary nut. This wheel is driven
from a spur wheel keyed on the arbor of the last spring of the set, or it may be
on the last spring barrel, and it receives its motion from the uncoiling of the
springs.
On the same arbor is mounted a chain wheel, which through an endless chain
actuates a shaft common to all the spring barrels, and intended to be driven
thereby.
This arbor is also fitted with a brake wheel, by means of which the barrels when
wound up are locked until required for use.
Mounted on the screw shaft before mentioned is a pointer, which as the shaft is
moved endwise by reason of its rotating within the nut of the spur wheel before
mentioned, or of the nut rotating upon it travels over a graduated scale fixed to the
framing, and thereby indicates according to the direction of its movement either
the progress of the winding up of the barrels or the unwinding of the coiled
springs. The endway traverse of the screw shaft I use to throw the clutch before
mentioned out of gear when the barrels are wound up, and thereby to stop the
further action of the driving shaft. To this end the space corresponding with the
traverse motion of the pointer is ombraced by a sliding piece, which carries an
incline at one end. Against this incline lies one end of a rock lever, the other end
of which terminates in a fork that embraces the sliding clutch. As the set of
barrels is wound up the pointer advances, and, pressing against the slide, causes its
incline to tip the rock lever, and thereby throw the clutch out of action.
As however the force of the springs is being given off, the pointer will travel
back, and striking the slide as the power becomes expended it will release the rock
lever and allow the spring clutch to lock the worin to its shaft.
Each set of spring barrels will be similarly provided with the above described
indicator, and each will also have its brake wheel and chain wheel; thus the motion
of each set will be independently transmitted to the receiving or transmitting shaft,
and in succession or simultaneously, as thought desirable.
It should be stated that the chain wheels on the motive power receiving and
transmitting shaft are connected to that shaft by a pawl and ratchet wheel or disc,
to permit of independent action.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Henry Leveaux in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
August 1879.
EDWARD HENRY LEVEAUX, of Hampton Wick, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STORING AND TRANSMITTING MOTIVE
POWER, AND FOR INDICATING THE SUPPLY AND EXPENDITURE OF THE SAME.”
The object of this Invention is to improve the motive power apparatus described
in the Specification of my Patent, bearing date September Twenty fourth, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy three, No. 3123, for "Improvements in the
Mode of and Apparatus for Driving Carriages on Tramways. and Railways and
other Roads," and to render such apparatus applicable to a variety of uses, whether
for driving machines or carriages.
This apparatus consisted of a series of coiled springs fitted to containing barrels,
the number of such springs and barrels being determined by the amount of motive
force required to be stored. The barrels of the whole series were so connected together
that all the coiled springs when the apparatus was started would come into action
simultaneously; thus the motive force of the last spring of the series would be
delivered to the driving shaft through all the springs of the series, and thereby an
undue amount of friction was created.
I now propose not only to obviate this inconvenience, but also to provide means
for indicating the amount of motive force supplied to or contained at any given
moment in each set of the spring barrels.
The apparatus may contain one, two, or more sets of these spring barrels, and the
sets will each be wound up by direct connection with the shaft, which is the source
of power.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings I have shewn an arrangement of
motive power apparatus suitable for driving fixed or stationary machines, such, for
example, as sewing machines, Fig. 1 being a plan view of the apparatus; Fig. 2, a
partial sectional elevation taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a partial
sectional elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 2, and in the line 3, 4, of Fig. 1.
In this arrangement of apparatus two sets of barrels only are shewn, but it will
be presently manifest that any desired number of sets may be combined to make
the motive force of the apparatus equal to working a driving shaft for any desired
number of hours.
These sets are composed each of three barrels A, which barrels each contain two
coiled springs B, B'.
The spring B coiling, say, to the right, and the spring B¹ to the left, and so on
throughout the series.
The sets of barrels A are mounted loosely on dead axles C, fixed to the frame D
of the apparatus. Strung upon these dead axles C are short sleeve arbors E, E¹, Eª,
and it is upon these that the barrels are respectively loosely mounted.
The sleeve E of each set of barrels enters its barrel, and extends to about the
middle of its length, in order that a coiled spring B may be attached thereto, the
other end of which spring is attached to the barrel.
In like manner the spring B¹ in the same barrel is connected at one end to the
barrel, and at its other end to a second sleeve E', which sleeve extends into the
next adjacent barrel to connect with the spring B, and thus in like manner all the
springs in the set are connected with their respective barrels and sleeves.
The sleeve E², which is the last of the series of sleeves, carries external of its
barrel a chain wheel for giving off the power of the set of spring barrels, as will be
hereafter explained. This chain wheel is fitted with a friction surface for receiving
a break strap, which serves to hold the end sleeve arbor stationary while the winding
up of the apparatus takes place,

page_text: For winding up the barrels of the several sets simultaneously, the following
contrivance is employed:- Keyed upon each sleeve arbor E is a worm wheel F, into
which gears a wgrin G mounted loosely on a winding shaft H, and made fast thereto
by a sliding clutch, which is held in the locking position by the pressure of a coiled
spring, and is capable of being disengaged from the worm, as will be presently
explained.
When rotary motion is imparted to the shaft H by a winch handle or equivalent
means, the barrels will be caused to wind up their coiled springs, and thus a store of
motive force will be obtained. For giving out this force to a driving shaft I the
chain wheels K, K, are employed.
Mounted loosely on the shaft I are chain wheels L, L, which receive motion from
the wheels K by the chains L.
.
By the side of theso wheels L are ratchet wheels M, which are keyed to the shaft
I; and by means of pawls carried by the bosses of the chain wheels a connection
will be established between them, and the ratchet wheels M or the chain wheels L
may be formed with a ring of ratchet teeth to receive pawles carried by a disc, as
at M, keyed to the driving shaft I.
For driving the shaft I, which is to give off its power to the machinery required
to be actuated, it is only necessary when the barrels are wound up to release one or
more of the retaining breaks and the chain wheels K, one or inore will be set in
action, and caused to impart a rapid rotary motion to the shaft I.
.
In order that the amount of power expended may be determined at a glance, the
apparatus is provided with an indicator, the nature of which I will now explain.
Adjacent to each worm wheel F, and on the sanie arbor, is a spur wheel N for
transmitting fotary notion through a spur wheel O to a screw shaft Plying parallel
with the barrels. This wheel O has its bearing in the framing, and through it ono
end of the shift P passes it, being connected theroto by a feather: To the scrowed
end of this shaft is fitted loosely a spur wlieel Q, with a threaded boss, such wheel
being mounted in the framing so that it may act as a stationary nut. This wlieel
is driven from a spur wheel Ⓡ keyed to the sleeve arbor E3 of the last spring of
the set:
On the screw shaft is mounted loosely between two fixed collars a block S, wbich
carries a pointer. This pointer, as the shaft is moved endwist by reason of tho
rotation of the spur wheel Q, travels over a graduated scale fixed to a table carried
by the frathing D; and slotted, to allow of the pointer reaching to the scale.
This slot, shewn at T, álso forms a guide for the traversing block S. The pointer
will thus indichte, according to the direction of its movement, either the progress of
the winding up of the barrels or the unwinding of the coiled springs, and the
expenditure of the stored power. The endway traverso of the screw shaft I use to
throw the clutch before mentioned out of gear when the barrels are wound up, and
thereby to stop the further action of the driving shaft. To this end the space
corresponding with the traverse motion of the pointer is embraced by a sliding
piece U fitted in the slot T of the table. This sliding pieco carries an incline at one
end, against which incline liös one end of a rock lever V, the other end of which
terminates in a fork that effibraces the sliding clutch. As the set of Barrels is
wound up the pointer advances, and pressing against the slide; causes its incline to
tip the rock lever, and thereby throw the clutch out of action. As however the
force of the springs is being given off the pointer will travel back, and striking thie
slide U, as the power becomes expedded, it will release the rock lever, and allow the
spring clutch to lock the worm G to its shaft.
As each set of spring barrels is similarly provided with the above described indi-
cator, and each has also its brake wheel and chain wheel, it will be obvious that tilu
motion of each set will be independently transmitted to the receiving or trans-
mitting shaft I, and in succession or simultaneously, as thought desirable:
In Sheet II. of the Drawings I have shewn my above described apparátuis, aš
arranged for use in a tram carriago, Fig. 4 Being a partial plan vid of the appa
ratus, and Figures 5, 6, and 7, sectional elevations taken respectively in thè tihes ỗ, 6;

page_text: 7, 8, and 9, 10, of Fig. 4. As the same letters of reference are used in Sheets I.
and II. for the like parts, a repetition of the preceding description will be unneces-
sary; it will only therefore be requisite to explain the means adopted for bringing
the indicating apparatus within view to suit the special requirements of the case.
The block S, instead of carrying the pointer, is now provided with a pin 8, which
takes into the arm S¹ of a rock shaft S, having its bearings in the framing of the
carriage.
An arm S³, at the forward end of this shaft, and set at right angles to the arm S¹,
is connected to a vertical sliding bar S, to which the pointer S is attached.
Adjacent to this pointer is a graduated scale S, upon which is indicated by means
of the rise and fall of the pointer the traverse of the block S, and consequently the
state of the winding up apparatus, both as respects the amount of winding up
effected, and the amount of power given off by the coiled springs.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of improved apparatus for
storing and transmitting motive power, and for indicating the supply and expendi-
ture of the same, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I
|claim,―
First. The arrangement of apparatus above described, whereby motive power
may be stored in independent sets of barrels, and may be given off from one set at
a time, or from all the sets simultaneously, as desired.
"
Secondly. In combination with sets of spring barrels arranged as described, the
travelling indicator for shewing at all times the extent to which the springs have
been wound up or unwound.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Henry Leveaux, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
EDW. H. LEVEAUX. (L.S.)