Improvements in Power Storing Apparatus for Stopping and Starting Tramcars.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 1st July, 1889-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1889
DIECIERVATION
Improvements in Power Storing Apparatus for Stopping and
Starting Tramcars.
I, JOHN JOSEPH HOOKER, of Tideswell, Stockport, in the County of Derby,
Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to power-storing brake apparatus whereby the energy of
motion of a train-car which, when an ordinary brake is used, is expended in friction
in the operation of stopping the car, may be utilized for starting the vehicle.
The Invention relates particularly to the kind of apparatus forming the subject of
previous Letters Patent dated the 17th day of August 1887 and numbered 11254,
which was however only adapted to operate when the car was running in one
particular direction and could only start the car in the direction in which it was
previously running; and the present invention has for its principal object to provide
simple and efficient apparatus of this kind which shall be reversible or double acting-
that is to say which shall be capable of storing power in the act of stopping the car
in whichever direction it may be running and which may be caused to apply the
power so stored for the purpose of re-starting the car either forwards or backwards
without regard to the direction in which the car may have been running when the
power was stored up.
This improved apparatus comprises a spring barrel carried upon a sleeve mounted
loose upon the wheel axle, the springs being coiled about, and attached at one end to,
the sleeve and at the other end to the barrel, and a stop similar or equivalent to a
"Geneva" stop being provided in the barrel to limit the relative motion of the barrel
and sleeve and so prevent excessive winding or unwinding of the springs. It further
comprises friction clutches adapted to gear either the barrel or the sleeve with the
said axle for the purpose of storing or applying the power, as the case may be, the
operation of throwing the clutches in or out of gear being effected without any
longitudinal sliding motion either of the barrel or sleeve. It also comprises a pair of
strap brakes by which rotation of the barrel and sleevo is prevented or permitted at
required times, the connection between the barrel and sleeve and their respective
clutches and brakes being made through oppositely acting sets of pawl and ratchet
gear; and the arrangement being such that both brakes cannot be released at the
same time and neither brake can be released until after the corresponding clutch has
geared the part (barrel or sleeve, as the case may be) of which the brake is to be
released, with the axle. The brakes and clutches are operated by a single motion of
the same shaft indifferently from either end of the car and the motion of the handing
levers is similar at both ends of the car.
The brake straps are pressed on their corresponding brake wheels by means of
springs which are overcome when the one or other brake is to be released, through
the agency of levers operated from crank pins on a disc on the above mentioned
shaft the same levers acting on the one or other set of brakes according to the
direction in which they are oscillated. The shaft above referred to, which I term the
reversing shaft, extends longitudinally beneath the car and is provided with universal
joints at points in its length between the power-storing gear and the ends of the
car, to permit of the vertical play due to the action of the carrier springs of the car.
The above mentioned crank disc is loose on the reversing shaft and remains stationary
whilst the shaft makes a partial revolution for the purpose of first actuating the clutch
gear, as hereafter described, an arm fixed on the shaft acting as a carrier to move the
disc around with the shaft after the latter has rotated sufficiently to operate the
clutch car

page_text: The levers by which the sliding clutch collars are actuated for throwing the clutches
into gear, have their fulcra connected to springs whereby after the one or other clutch
has been thrown into gear, further motion of the parts will be permitted to enable
the reversing shaft to act upon the brake gear, as above described, the said fulcrum
springs thus serving to ensure a certain but limited amount of pressure with which
the parts of the clutch shall be pressed together. They thus prevent overstraining
of the parts whilst ensuring a sufficiency of pressure for the required purpose and
taking up lost motion due to wear of the parts.
Each brake lever is operated from a cam keyed on the reversing shaft, said cam
being adapted to throw the lever into the required position and also to hold it in that
position which ever way it may have been moved. For this purpose, it is preferred
that the cam should be in the form of two segments in different planes, the adjacent
ends of the two segments overlapping and together acting as a single toothed pinion
upon the forked member of a rock-lever connected to the brake lever, the limbs of
the fork being in planes corresponding to the respective cams so as to be struck each
by one of the cams according to the direction of rotation of the latter, and so as
after being so struck to bear against the circular, portion of the cam and be thereby
locked without being moved by the further motion of the cam in the same direction
necessary for operating the brake gear, as above described.
Each clutch is operated by its own cam gear, the two sets being similar and keyed
on the same reversing shaft, but in different positions so as to perform its functions
exactly at the proper moment with regard to the corresponding brake gear.
To prevent the brake gear revolving bodily with the axle, the brake straps aro
attached to a frame held by a lever extending longitudinally beneath the car and
anchored to the car frame at a considerable distance from the apparatus, so as not to
interfere with the vertical play due to the yielding of the carrier springs. The
reversing shaft is worked by a hand lever on a vertical shaft at the driver's platform,
geared with the reversing shaft by reducing, chain, or other gear, a dial plate and
index being provided to shew the position of the mechanism.
When not in use, the axle revolves without acting on the apparatus, both clutches
being out of gear and both brakes applied. To store power, the one or other clutch
is thrown into gear by a partial revolution of the reversing shaft, and the barrel or
the sleeve (according as the car is running in the one or other direction) is thus
geared with the axle whilst the other brake remains applied and holds the part (sleeve
or barrel) not so geared with the axle, stationary whilst the springs are being wound.
After the winding up is accomplished, the reversing shaft should be returned to its
mid-position and the springs will be kept wound up by the ratchet gear and brakes
until the stored power is required for starting or backing the car. This can be done
equally well whether the car has stopped or if it is desired to keep it running. The
latter occurs when advantage is taken of a descending gradient to coil the springs
(by instalments for instance) without stopping the car. The gear would however,
generally be kept in position to wind up the springs until the car stops, the apparatus
acting as a brake.after the springs are fully coiled.
To apply the stored power, the appropriate clutch is put in gear, and the corre-
sponding brake released by a further motion of the reversing shaft in the direction
in which it was moved to operate the clutch, the other brake remaining applied and
acting as an abutment for the springs.
.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Power Storing Apparatus for Stopping and
Starting Tram-cars.
I, JOHN JOSEPH HOOKER, of Tideswell, Stockport, in the County of Derby, Clerk
in Holy Orders, 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 :-
My Invention relates to power-storing brake apparatus whereby the energy of
motion of a tramcar which is usually expended in friction in the operation of stopping
the car, may be utilized for re-starting the vehicle.
The Invention has for its principal object to provide simple and efficient apparatus
which is reversible or double-acting, that is to say which will store power in stopping
the car (whichever end of the latter be running foremost) and which may be caused
to apply the power so stored for the purpose of re-starting the car either forwards or
backwards without regard to the direction in which the car may have been running
when the power was stored up.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, and figure 2 a part plan (on
a larger scale) of the underframing of a car with my improved power-storing brake
applied. Figure 3 is a section of the spring barrel and its appurtenances, in the
plane of the wheel axle to which it is applied. Figure 4 is an elevation of the same.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are part sections shewing details of certain parts on a larger
scale. The same letters of reference indicate like parts, in all the figures.
This improved apparatus comprises a spring barrel E. carried upon a sleeve A.
mounted loose upon the wheel axle, the springs L. being coiled about, and attached
at one end to, the sleeve A. and at the other end to the barrel E. a stop K. similar
or equivalent to a "Geneva" stop being provided in the barrel to limit the relative
motion of the barrel and sleeve and so prevent excessive winding or unwinding of
the springs. It further comprises friction clutches C. G. respectively adapted to gear
the one the sleeve A. and the other the barrel E. with the said axle for the purpose
of storing or applying the power, as the case may be. It also comprises a pair of
strap brakes D. D¹ J. J¹ by which rotation of the sleeve A. or the barrel E. is
prevented or permitted at required times, the connections of the sleeve and of the
barrel with their respective clutches and brakes being made through oppositely acting
sets of pawl and ratchet gear p³ F. p² H. and p¹ Bp B. and the arrangement being
such that both brakes cannot be released at the same time, the one always remaining
applied to act as an abutment or point of resistance for the springs when the other is
released, and neither brake can be released until after the corresponding clutch has
geared the part (barrel or sleeve as the case may be) of which the brake is to bo
released with the axle.
The brakes and clutches are operated by the same shaft S. indifferently from either
end of the car and the motion of the handing levers is similar at both ends of the
car, the clutch to be geared and the corresponding brake to be released being operated
by a single motion of the said shaft.
I will now describe these parts more in detail. The sleeve A. has a ratchet boss B.
keyed on it at one end with which gear two sets of pawls p p mounted the one set
within the rim of the sleeve clutch drum C. and the other set within the rim of the
sleeve brake wheel D. which is mounted loose upon the sleeve. Fast on the one end
of the barrel E is a ratchet boss H. with which gears a set of pawls p* mounted within
the rim of the barrel brake wheel J. which like D. is loose on the sleeve. Fast on
the other end of the barrel is another ratchet boss F. with which engages a set of
pawls p³, mounted within the rim of the barrel clutch drum G. The ratchet bosses F:
and H. connecting the barrel with its clutch and brake have their teeth inclined in the
same direction and may be considered as one although situated at opposite ends of
the barrel, whilst the boss B. connecting the sleeve with its clutch and brake has its

page_text: teeth inclined in the opposite direction to F and H. The clutch drums C. and G. are
loose on the shaft but the bosses in which are fitted the radially sliding dogs forming
the inner halves of the clutch, are fast on the axle.
It will be seen from the foregoing that when the springs are wound up, they tend
to rotate the sleeve and barrel in opposite directions and that either may be connected
to the axle whilst the other is held stationary so that the springs may be wound up
which ever way the car may be running and the car can be propelled in either
direction by the force of the springs (which ever way it may have previously been
running) as it is impossible to let the springs unwind except by first connecting the
barrel or the sleeve (according to the direction in which it is desired to travel) with
the axle, whilst the part not so connected is held fast by its brake.
The wrought iron brake straps 11 J₁ are made in halves hinged together and are
pressed on their corresponding brake wheels D. J. by means of springs O. which are
overcome when the one or other brake is to be released through the agency of
levers P. P. connected by links T. with crank pins on a disc R, the same levers
releasing the one or other set of brakes according to the direction in which they are
oscillated. The action of these levers is illustrated in figures 5 and 6, by which it
will be seen that both sets of brakes cannot be released at one time.
The shaft S. which I term the reversing shaft extends longitudinally beneath the
car and is provided with universal joints at points in its length between the power-
storing gear and the ends of the car to permit of the vertical play due to the action
of the carrier springs of the car. The crank disc R. is loose on the shaft S. and
remains stationary whilst the shaft makes a partial revolution for the purpose of first
actuating the one or other set of clutch gear as hereafter described, an arm Y. keyed
on the shaft acting as a carrier to move the disc R. around with the shaft after the
latter has rotated sufficiently to operate the clutch gear. The drawings represent this
part of the apparatus in what may be termed the mid-gear position, the shaft S. being
free to make a quarter revolution in either direction before the stud U. on arm Y..
strikes against either of the shoulders V. of the crank disc R. and consequently before
either brake is released.
The lovers N. by which the sliding clutch collars M. are actuated for throwing the
clutches into gear, have their fulcra connected to springs n whereby, after the one
or other clutch has been thrown into gear, further motion of the parts will be
permitted to enable the reversing shaft S. to act upon the crank disc R. and operate
the brake gear, as above described. The said fulcrum springs n thus ensure a
certain but limited amount of pressure for the clutches so preventing overstraining
of the parts whilst ensuring a sufficiency of pressure for the required purpose
taking up lost motion due to wear.
and
Each clutch lever N is operated from a cam W (see figure 7) keyed on the
reversing shaft S. said cam being adapted to throw the lever into the required
position and also to hold it in that position whichever way it may have been moved.
For this purpose it is preferred that the cam should be in the form of two segments
of a disc lying in different planes, as clearly shewn in figures 7, 8 and 9, the adjacent
ends of the two segments overlapping as shewn in figures 7 and 8, and together
acting as a single toothed pinion upon the forked member of a rock lever X. con-
nected at its other extremity to the brake lever N. the limbs of the fork being in
planes corresponding to the respective cam-segments so that one or other will be
struck by the corresponding segment (according to the direction of rotation of the
cam) and so that after the lever has been so moved the limb struck will bear against
the circumference of the segment and be thereby locked in its new position. In the
drawings, the cam is shewn in the position proper to midgear, and it will be seen that
it could be revolved to the left without affecting the lever X. except to hold it in its
present position. But if the cam is revolved to the right it will catch one of the
limbs of the lever X. and throw it over to the position proper to put the corresponding
clutch into gear. Having done this the cani can still turn a further portion of a
revolution and lock the lever in its new position. While the cam W. is moving
idle through this further portion of a revolution, the arm Y. which had previously

page_text: turned idle, is carrying round the crank disc R. so as to liberate the one or other
brake.
Each clutch is operated by its own cam gear the two sets being similar and keyed
on the same reversing shaft S, but in different positions so as to perform their
functions, each exactly at the proper moment with regard to the corresponding brake
gear.
To prevent the brake gear revolving bodily with the axle, the brake straps are
attached to a frame held by a lever Z. encircling the sleeve A. between the brake
discs and attached to the opposite sides of the frame, said lever extending longitu-
dinally beneath the car; its end being anchored to the car frame at a considerable
distance from the power storing apparatus so as not to interfere with the vertical play
of the axle in the axle boxes. The frame to which this lever is attached, is supported
by its cross-heads Z on the axle and it serves to support the shaft S. and the gear
by which the clutches and brakes are operated, the fulcrum springs n of the brake
levers being attached to this frame. One of the cross-heads Z is extended and
anchored to the body of the car similarly to lever Z to steady the apparatus. The
reversing shaft S. is worked by a hand lever on a vertical shaft at the drivers
platform through chain or other reducing gear, the reversing shaft being geared
down in the ratio of about 4 to 1. A dial plate and index is provided to shew the
position of the mechanism, the index being geared down to correspond to the shaft S.
The dial has words or signs on it to indicate the position of the gear to the driver
and shew him in which direction the handle must be moved to obtain the desired
result.
When not in use, the axle revolves freely without acting on, or being acted on by
the power storing apparatus both clutches being out of gear and both brakes applied.
11s is the position represented in the drawings. To store power the one or other
clutch is thrown into gear by a partial revolution of the reversing shaft and the
barrel or the sleeve (according as the car is running in the one or other direction) is
thus geared with the axle whilst the other brake holds the part (sleeve or barrel) not
so geared with the axle, stationary whilst the springs are being wound and to act as
an abutment therefor. Suppose for example, the car to be running to the right in
figures 1 and 2, and the shaft S. to be in mid gear, as shewn, the power storing
apparatus would be disconnected from the axle because both clutches C. G. are out of
gear. To wind up the springs, the shaft S. makes a quarter revolution (to the right
in Figure 7) thereby throwing lever X over to the left and drawing inwards the
lever N. and collar M. of the clutch C. thereby causing the toggle gear of said clutch
to expand the radial clutch dogs, and so gear the axle with the clutch C which drives
the ratchet wheel B. fast on the sleeve A. with which the axle is therefore geared.
Meanwhile, the barrel E. is prevented from revolving by its brake and ratchet
gear H. After the winding up is accomplished, the reversing shaft S. should be
returned to its mid position and the springs, will be kept wound up by the ratchet
gear and brakes until the stored power is required, whether for starting or for
backing the car. This can be done equally well whether the car be stopped or
whether it be desired to keep it running, as when advantage is taken of a descending
gradient to coil the springs (by instalments for instance) without stopping the car.
The gear would however generally be kept in position to wind up the springs until the
car stops, the apparatus acting as a brake after the springs are fully coiled.
To apply the stored power, the appropriate clutch is put in gear and the corre-
sponding brake is released by a further motion of the reversing shaft in the direction
in which it was moved to operate that clutch, the other brake remaining applied and
acting as an abutment for the springs. Thus, to start the car to the right in figure 1,
the shaft S is revolved to the left in figure 7 to first throw the barrel clutch G. into
gear and then liberate the barrel brake J. The barrel being now free and coupled to
the axle through the clutch G., the axle turns with it and the car is propelled, the
sleeve being meanwhile held stationary by the brake D.
To perform the same functions in the opposite direction, the same description
applies, if the driver or observer be supposed to be looking in the direction in which

page_text: the car is travelling when coiling the springs the indications on the dials being varied
to suit the fact that when running in one direction, the sleeve is the "leader," and the
barrel ihe "follower," and when running in the opposite direction, the barrel is the
"leader," and the sleeve the "follower."
The apparatus although described and shewn as applied upon one of the wheel
axles, may with advantage be mounted on a separate shaft hung in bearings beneath
the car frame midway between the two axles, the said shaft being geared with one or
both the wheel axles by a pitch chain.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a power storing brake for facilitating the starting of tram-cars, the com-
bination with a drum, springs and sleeve connected and arranged as described and
mounted loose on the wheel axle or on a shaft geared therewith, of brakes independently
controlling the rotation of the barrel and of the sleeve respectively, and of friction
clutches adapted to connect the wheel axle or shaft with tho barrel or with the sleeve
respectively and of oppositely acting sets of pawl and ratchet gear respectively
connecting the barrel and the sleeve with the corresponding brakes and clutches, the
whole arranged for storing or giving out power indifferently by the drum or the sleeve,
as may be required, substantially as specified.
2. In the apparatus herein specified the combination with the independently acting
spring pressed brake straps respectively controlling the rotation of the barrel and
sleeve of the lever and crank gear, substantially as described, by which the brake
straps are separately operated, as specified.
3. In the apparatus herein specified the combination with the spring pressed brake
straps and with gear by which they are independently released, of the cam gear
substantially as herein described whereby the clutches are respectively operated, the
connection between the clutch and brake operating gears being such that the one or
other of the former must necessarily be caused to gear the barrel or sleeve with the
wheel axle or shaft before the corresponding brake can be relieved; as specified.
4. In the apparatus herein specified, the combination with the clutches an 1 clutch
levers and clutch operating and locking cam gear of spring or yielding fulcra for
the clutch levers whereby the pressure of the clutches is limited and overstraining is
prevented.
5. In the apparatus herein specified, the combination with the one longitudinal
shaft of the two sets of clutch operating, and locking cam gear the brake operating
crank disc and lever connections and of the carrier and abutments on the crank disc
whereby independent motion of the said shaft and the clutch operating gear is
permitted within certain limits, as and for the purposes described.
Daked
UI
VEEL TO ARN ICT SIDO DR
JOHN J. HOOKER.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
JOHN J. HOOKER.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.