Starting and Stopping Appliances for Railway, Tramway, and Road Vehicles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 15th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Starting and Stopping Appliances for Railway, Tramway, and Road
Vehicles.
I, HENRY WILLIAM BURGOYNE PRING, of Eaton House, Lime Grove,
Shepherd's Bush, in the County of Middlesex, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to starting and stopping appliances for railway, tramway,
and road vehicles by means of which the momentum of the vehicle from the
moment the brake is applied to that, when the vehicle comes to a standstill is stored
up and given out again as soon as the brake is removed for the purpose of starting
the vehicle and thereby relieving the horses or other tractive power at the severest
portion of their work."
According to this invention as applied to omnibuses and the like I mount upon
the hub of one or more of the wheels of the vehicle a small ratchet securely keyed
or otherwise fastened concentrically to the said hub so that both wheels must turn
together. I also mount a belt drum upon the said hub, but this drum is arranged so
that it may rotate independently of the hub. To the inside of this drum I pivot
a balanced pawl which takes into the teeth of the said ratchet.
The wheel to which the drum and ratchet wheel is applied is the one upon which
the brake is arranged to operate. The brake block instead of being supported by
the body of the vehicle, is carried by a radial arm projecting from a cullar loosely
mounted upon the hub of the wheel and is supported by a strap, band, chain or
the like, passing upwards over a pulley mounted on the body of the vehicle and
down again round the belt drum previously described. After passing nearly round
this drum, to which at some point it must be rigidly secured, this band passes over
suitable guide pulleys and is secured to one end of a powerful spring or spring-
seated plunger. The brake block is not mounted directly upon the radial arm
herein before referred to, but is attached to a short lever mounted on the extremity
of the said arm. This short lever is connected by means of suitable connecting
rods and levers with the treadle or other device provided for operating the brake.
On the driver bringing the brake block in contact with the wheel the rotating of
the same will cause the block to travel with it through some portion of a revolution.
As it does so, it will draw with it the strap, band, or chain, passing over the belt
drum and so compress the spring, and at the same time rotate the drum, the
balanced pawl attached to which will pass over the ratchet teeth carried by the
hub of the rotating wheel. It will thus be seen that the spring will be compressed
by the momentum of the vehicle. On the driver releasing the brake, the brake
block will be removed from the wheel and the recoil of the spring acting through
the band, strap, or chain, will tend to turn the belt drum in a reverse direction.
This it will not be able to do however without also turning the vehicle wheel by
reason of the balanced pawl being now in engagement with the ratchet wheel.
Thus it will be seen that the recoil of the spring will turn the vehicle wheel and
thus assist the horses or other tractive power in starting the vehicle again.
As a modification of the above described appliance when adopted for use on
tramcars and the like, I mount the drum and ratchet wheel on the axle of one pair
of wheels in the same manner as above described but connect the cord extending
from the spring or spring sealed piston directly to the drum. The ratchet is. also
pivoted to the drum and counterbalanced as described but is thrown into gear

page_text: with the teeth of the ratchet wheel when the drum is revolved by a spring or strip
of elastic connecting one end thereof to a stationary part of the vehicle.
Instead however of connecting said drum to the brake block, I connect it by n
second cord chain or the like to a second and smaller drum, one end of said cord
being wound round the first mentioned drum a suitable number of times and
connected thereto, whilst its opposite end is connected directly to the second drum.
This second and smaller drum is mounted loosely on the axle of the second pair of
wheels of the vehicle and is capable of being slid thereon by suitable levers 80
that projecting arms on said drum may be caused to gear with projections on the
inner side of one of the second pair of wheels or blocks in said projecting arms or
in a disc on the end of said drum brought to gear frictionally with the inner
surface of one of the second pair of wheels.
The action of the appliance when so modified is the same the second and smaller
drum instead of the brake block being here thrown into and out of gear with the
wheel of the vehicle.
Where the tramcars or like vehicles are intended to run in both directions it will
be necessary to provide the above described appliance in duplicate operating in
opposite directions.
1
:
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,.
Agent for the Applicant.
Starting and Stopping Appliances for Railway, Tramway, and Road
Vehicles.
I, HENRY WILLIAM BURGOYNE PRING, of Eaton House, Lime Grove
Shepherd's Bush, in the County of Middlesex, Clerk, 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:-
This invention relates to starting and stopping appliances for railway, tramway,
and road vehicles by means of which the momentum of the vehicle from the
moment the brake is applied to that, when the vehicle comes to a standstill is
stored up and given out again, as soon as the brake is removed, for the purpose of
starting the vehicle so relieving the horses or other tractive power at the severest
portion of their work.
According to this invention as applied to omnibuses and the like I mount upon
the hub of one or more of those wheels of the vehicle to which the brake or
brakes is or are applied a small ratchet wheel securely keyed or otherwise fastened
concentrically to the said hub so that both wheels must turn together. A belt
drum is also mounted loosely upon the said hub which drum has pivoted inside of
it a pawl so balanced that normally it occupies a position in which it is.out of gear
with the ratchet wheel but when the drum is revolved it is gradually brought into
gear with said ratchet wheel. The brake block instead of being supported from
the body of the vehicle as now ordinarily the case, is carried by a radial arm
projecting from a collar loosely mounted upon the hub of the wheel and is held in
its normal position by a strap, band, chain or the like connected at one end to the
outer end of the radial arm and passing upwards over a pulley mounted on the
body of the vehicle and down again round the belt drum on the vehicle wheel hub
previously described. After passing nearly round this drum, to which at one point
it must be rigidly secured, this band passes over suitable guide pulleys and is
secured at its opposite end to one end of a powerful spring or spring. seated plunger
attached to the vehicle. The brake block is not carried directly by the radial arm

page_text: herein before referred to, but by a short lever pivoted to the outer end thereof.
This short lever is connected by means of suitable connecting rods and levers with
the treadle or other device provided for operating the brake.
On the driver bringing the brake block in contact with the wheel the rotating of
the same will cause the block to travel with it through some portion of a revolution.
As it does so, it will draw with it the strap, band, or chain, passing over the belt
drum and so compress the spring, and at the same time rotate the drum, the
balanced pawl attached to which will pass over the ratchet teeth carried by the
hub of the rotating wheel. It will thus be seen that the spring will be compressed
by the momentum of the vehicle. On the driver releasing the brake, the brake
block will be removed from the wheel and the recoil of the spring acting through
the band, strap, or chain, will tend to turn the belt drum in a reverse direction.
This it will not be able to do however without also turning the vehicle wheel by
reason of the balanced pawl being now in engagement with the ratchet wheel.
Thus it will be seen that the recoil of the spring will turn the vehicle wheel and
thus assist the horses or other tractive power in starting the vehicle again.
As a modification of the above described appliance when adopted for use on
tramears and the like, I mount the drum carrying the ratchet, and the ratchet
wheel on the axle of one pair of wheels and connect the cord extending from the
spring or spring seated piston directly to said drum.
Instead however of connecting said drum by the same, or a second cord, to the
brake block, I connect it to a second and smaller drum mounted loosely on the
axle of the second pair of wheels and capable of being slid thereon by suitable
levers so that a projection therefrom may be caused to gear with projections on the
inner side of one of the second pair of wheels or blocks in said drum brought to
gear frictionally with the inner surface of said wheel.
The action of the appliance when so modified is the same, the second and
smaller drum instead of the brake block being here thrown into and out of gear
with the wheel of the vehicle.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the
accompanying drawings of which
Fig. 1 is a side, and Fig. 2 an end elevation of the lower portion of a road
vehicle provided with a stopping and starting appliance constructed according to
my invention;
Fig. 3 elevation of the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1 of some parts of
said appliance;
Fig. 4 a plan of the carriage of a tramcar fitted with modified form of stopping
and starting appliance in which a second drum is substituted for the brake block;
Fig. 5 a sectional elevation on line - (Fig. 4), and
Fig. 6 a plan of a portion of the carriage of a tramcar carriage and starting and
stopping appliance showing a slight modification.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 a ratchet wheel a is keyed or otherwise fastened
on the hub of the brake wheel b concentrically, and on this hub is also mounted
loosely a drum c preferably of the eccentric form shown. This drum c has pivoted
in or to it a pawld so counterbalanced that it normally occupies a position (Fig. 3)
in which it is out of gear with the ratchet wheel a but when the drum c is revolved
it gradually assumes a position in which it gears with said ratchet wheel.
A loose collar e is also mounted on the hub of the wheel band from this
projects an arm having pivoted to its outer free end a lever g carrying on one
end thereof the brake block h and connected at its opposite end through a rod k
(Fig. 2) to the cranked end of a rod l. This rod is journalled in the frame of the
vehicle so that it may be revolved sufficiently to throw the brake block into or out
of contact with the tyre of the wheel b; the movement to throw the brake block
into gear being effected by the usual lever situated on the foot board or other
portion of the vehicle and connected by a chain or cord m passing over suitable
pulleys to a middle cranked portion of said rod, whilst the return movement is

page_text: effected by a spring n connected at one end to this middle cranked portion of the
rod and at its opposite end to the body of the vehicle.
The brake block is connected to one end of, and normally supported in the
position shown by a strap, chain or cord o which passes over a loose pulley p.
mounted in the bracket p' projecting from the side of the vehicle and from thence
travels round the drum c over a second pulley in the bracket pand is connected
at its opposite end to the end of a powerful spring arranged within a tube q
secured to the side of the vehicle.
or cord.
The result of such an arrangement is that when the brake block is forced
against the tyre of the wheel whilst the vehicle is still in motion it is carried round
a certain distance by said wheel and the momentum of the vehicle absorbed
by the compression of spring on the tube q through the medium of the strap, chain,
At the same time the drum c is partly revolved and the pawl d brought
into a position that it gears with the ratchet wheel a the result being that the
parts remain stationary as the force of the compressed spring tends to turn the
brake block in one direction and the wheel in the opposite until the brake block
is moved out of contact with the wheel tyre when the energy stored up in the
spring tends to restore the parts to their original position and in doing so revolves
the drum c and with it the wheel b.
In the modified appliance shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the ratchet wheel a is keyed
on to the axle of one pair of wheels and the drum c, which in this case is preferably
concentric, mounted loosely thereon with the ratchet wheel within it. Said drum
carries the pawl d which is counterbalanced as above described and has the
cranked outer end of the pivot carrying it connected by a spring or elastic band r
to a fixed part so that it is moved into engagement with the ratchet wheel only
when the drum is revolved in the direction in which it compresses the spring in the
tube connected to the carriage, through the medium of the rope, chain or band o
which is connected at one end to the drum and at its opposite end to said
spring.
This drum c instead of being connected to and revolved by the movement of a
brake block as above described in reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is connected to
one end of a second rope, chain or band, o' the opposite end of which is wound
round one
or more times and connected to a second smaller drum mounted
loosely on the axle of the second pair of wheels, and which takes the place of the
brake block. This second drum c has a number of removeable friction blocks
attached to one end thereof which may be moved into or out of contact with the
inner surface of one of the wheels by sliding said drum along the axle on which it
is mounted, either by the aid of a lever t pivoted at t¹ and connected at one end to
said drum, whilst its opposite end is connected by a chain or the like to the lower
end of the usual brake handle situated on the front of the vehicle and normally so
held by spring u that said friction blocks are out of contact with the vehicle
wheel, or as shown in Fig. 6 by a bell crank lever normally held in the position
shown by spring u and connected at one end to said drum and at its opposite end
to one end of a chain z whose opposite end is secured to the lower end of the usual
brake handle.
Where the vehicle is intended to run in both directions, the starting and
stopping appliance is duplicated with the exception of the spring or spring seated
plunger which might be used for both sets, the sets being arranged to operate in
opposite directions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
In apparatus for starting and stopping railway, tram, and road vehicles:
(1.) The combination of a brake block capable of being thrown into and out of gear
with one of the wheels of the vehicle and of moving with said wheel for a suitable
distance, a ratchet wheel or its equivalent, secured on the hub of said wheel or its

page_text: axle where this revolves, a drum mounted loosely on the hub of said wheel or its
axle where this revolves, and carrying a balanced pawl, or its equivalent, which,
when said drum is partly revolved, is moved into a position in which it gears with
the ratchet wheel, and a powerful spring or spring-weighted plunger, the latter
being connected to the brake block by a rope, chain or band, passing round the
loose drum on the hub or axle.of the wheel substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
(2.) A brake block so mounted on an arm projecting radially from a collar
mounted loosely on the hub of one of the wheels of the vehicle or its axle that it
may be moved into and out of gear with the tyre of said wheel substantially as
and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
(3.) The combination of a ratchet wheel secured to the revolving axle of one
pair of wheels, a drum mounted loosely on said axle and carrying a balanced pawl
which when said drum is partly revolved is moved into a position in which it gears
with said ratchet wheel, a second smaller drum mounted loosely on the revolving
axle of the second pair of wheels and capable of being thrown into and out of gear
with the inner surface of one of said second pair of wheels, and a powerful spring
or spring-seated plunger, the latter being connected by a chain, cord or band to
the first mentioned drum and said first mentioned drum connected by the same or
second chain, cord or band to the second smaller drum substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings Figs. 4, 5 and 6.
(4.) The combination of a ratchet wheel keyed or otherwise secured on the hub
of one of the wheels of the vehicle or its axle where this revolves, and a drum.
mounted loosely on said hub or axle and carrying a balanced pawl, which
pawl when said drum is partly revolved is moved into gear with said ratchet wheel
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying:
drawings.
Dated this 15th day of January 1895
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.