Improvement in Power-accumulating Apparatus for Tram Cars or other Vehicles for the Starting and Propulsion of the same on Inclines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 6th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 9th Aug., 1887.
Improvement in Power-accumulating Apparatus for Tram Cars
or other Vehicles for the Starting and Propulsion of the same
on Inclines.
I, FRIEDRICH JORDAN of Altona in the Kingdom of Prussia, Architect, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to strain during the running of the vehicle one or
more helical springs in a new and peculiar manner for allowing the force thus
accumulated in the springs to be utilized, at the starting of the vehicle, or on gradients,
for the impulsion or locomotion of the vehicle.
The arrangement may be as follows:
An axle is journalled below the bottom of the vehicle in two stationary journal
blocks or bearings; this axle is set in revolution by a strap- or chain-gearing from one
of the running shafts of the vehicle, as soon as the latter is in motion.
On the said axle is lodged revolveably a sleeve or tube, which is connected on one
side with a brake disc provided with a suitably conical inner brake rim.
On the sleeve is situated a spring barrel with coiled springs of suitable number and
force. Each of these springs is connected with its outer extremity to the barrel and
with the inner extremity to the said sleeve.
On the side of the spring barrel, and rigidly connected with the same is a similar
brake-disc with inner brake rim, and arranged loosely on the axle, but not connected
with the sleeve or tube.
The said parts, the two brake discs, the spring barrel and the tube, which are
connected with each other partly directly, partly by the springs, are adapted to be
displaced together laterally on the axle, as soon as a corresponding lateral pressure
is exerted on one of the two brake-discs. The parts are secured in lateral direction
on the axle and laterally displaced in one or the other direction, which is necessary
as will be hereinafter explained, by two brakes, one of which comes on each side in
contact with the cerresponding brake disc, whereby the whole contrivance is clipped
in between them.
The two outer brakes are pressed by one ore more springs against the discs.

page_text: The lateral displacement of the aforementioned device is effected by the driver of
the vehicle by withdrawing one or the other brake from the brake discs by means of
a lever transmitting device or other suitable transmitting apparatus, whereupon the
oppositely arranged brake, the pressure of which continues, displaces the whole
contrivance and causes it to follow the withdrawn brake.
To strain the spring or springs of the spring box, the driver displaces one of the
lateral brakes, until, by the displacement of the whole device, the brake disc belonging
to the displaced brake with the inner brake rim, comes in contact with braking cheeks
stationary on the axle and is now taken along by these cheeks and revolves with the
axle as the other brake disc remains secured, the springs situated between the two
discs, are wound up to a certain tension. When the springs are at a sufficient tension,
the driver lets the lever loose, when both outer brakes press against one another and
clip the device fast between them, whereby the spring box with the springs is prevented
from turning.
To use the force accumulated in the springs, the driver displaces the other of the
outer brakes, whereby the device is displaced on the axle in the direction contrary to
the previous direction, until the other brake disc comes in contact with similar brake
cheeks connected with the axle. The tension of the springs now acts through the
aforesaid brake-disc on the brake cheeks and the axle, and tends to turn the latter,
this revolution being imparted by the chain or strap to the running axle of the vehicle
and tending to set the vehicle in motion that is to say, it assists in the propulsion of
the same.
Slight modification may be made in the parts and their arrangement; the spring
box may be lodged outside the vehicle or it may be replaced by another accumulator
of force. The device may also be situated on the running shaft.
Th: th
1000
HERBERT & Co.,
67, Strand, W.C.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Power-accumulating Apparatus for Tram-cars
or other Vehicles for the Starting and Propulsion of the same
on Inclines.
I, FREIDRICH JORDAN of Altona in the Kingdom of Prussia, Architect, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 has for its object to strain during the running of a vehicle in a
peculiar manner a helical spring or a series of such springs, for allowing the force thus
accumulated to be utilized at the starting of the vehicle, or on gradients, for the
impulsion or locomotion of the vehicle.

page_text: Referring to the annexed drawing, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 2 a plan
to the brake. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 representing details and Fig. 6 the plan of the whole
arrangement of the brake applied to a tram-car, drawn on a reduced scale with regard
Figs. 1-5.
On a revolvable axle A carried in journal blocks R R of the frame of the vehicle
is situated a tooth-wheel a, which is set in revolution by chain-gear from a tooth
wheel a arranged on one of the axles of the vehicle, as soon as the latter is in
motion.
On the axle A is loosely situated the nave or tube h, connected on one side with
the brake disc C, which has an inner, preferably conically shaped brake rim. On the
tube h is placed the spring box C¹ with the helical springs s, s', s², in suitable number
and strength. These helical springs are secured with their outer extremities to the
casing with their inner extremities to a tube 2 secured on h by wedges or in any
other suitable manner. Opposite to the brake disc C is situated on the other side
of Ol and rigidly connected with the latter, an equal and symmetrically arranged
brake disc
The parts C, C and C², which are connected with each other in the afore-described
manner are adapted to be easily displaced on the axle A and are secured in their
relative position, and brought into such position by means of the arms d and d
provided with brake cheeks which arms oscillate about pivots t on the journal
blocks R and R or upon arms fixed to the frame of the vehicle. The brake cheeks n
and n of the two levers d and d¹ come in close contact from outside with the brake
discs C and 2, when the vehicle is at rest and also during the running of the same,
as long as the brake is not employed or the spring not strained, that is to say as
long as the latter is not to be employed for the impulsion of the vehicle. The j
pressure
is produced by an adjustable helical spring arranged between the parts of the arms d
and d¹ extending beyond t.
The position of the arms d and d' can be adjusted by the driver of the vehicle by
means of rods o o' leading to hand or foot levers p p¹. When the latter are free, the
spring presses both arms d and d¹ with a uniform force against C and C2 and the
axle rolls then freely within the apparatus without influencing the same in any way.
If however, for instance o¹ is attracted by pressing down the footboard p₁ the two-
armed lever e¹ oscillating about a stationary pivot gl presses the free end of the lever d¹
inwards and shifts the brake cheeks n' outwards. Since however the pressure of the
spring on the lever d continues, the whole device follows the movement of the
checks n by displacement on the axle A, until the brake disc C comes in contact with
the brake blocks B' of a brake contrivance arranged within (2 on A. The brake
blocks B are held on the axle by a disc or by arms and are in connection with the
ratchet wheel v¹ stationary on A by means of the pawl w¹. As soon as therefore (2
comes in contact with the blocks B¹ the latter, impelled by the ratchet wheel rigidly
connected with A, take along the brake disc (2. The rotation of C2 is imparted to
the springs s and these are thereby strained, since the tube his secured by the brake
cheeks pressing against C. As soon as the springs are sufficiently or completely
strained, the driver lets loose the footboard p². Subsequently the cheeks n come
again in close contact with the disc Cand displace the apparatus into its normal or
equilibrious position shown in Fig. 1. The brake disc 2 thereby separates from
the blocks B and the apparatus is at rest, held between the outer brake-blocks n
and n¹.
When, at any time after the stopping of the vehicle, on gradients, etc., the force
accumulated in the strained springs s s is intended to be utilised for the impulsion
of the axle L of the vehicle, the driver treads on the footboard p, whereby in an
analogous manner as above described, the brake-cheeks n slide outwards and displace
the apparatus on A in the opposite direction to that inentioned above. Subsequently
the brake disc comes in contact with a brake device B which is again connected by a
pawl with an intermediate wheel stationary on A and the teeth of which are directed
opposite to those of B¹, and as soon as the pressure between Cand B is sufficiently
strong, the spring box drives through the brake blocks B forward and thereby

page_text: the intermediate wheel and the axle A. The chain transmits the motion to the
running axle L and thus assists the impulsion of the vehicle.
In lieu of a separate shaft A, the whole apparatus may also be arranged direct on
one of the running axles L; generally however it will be more suitable to employ a
separated shaft A, since then a conversion of the motion of A into slow motion, trans-
mitted to L is rendered possible, so that a greater force can be produced at the
moment that the vehicle commences to move.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
In a force-accumulating brake:
1. The spring box C', which is connected on one side through the enclosed springs s
with the brake disc C, and on the other side with the brake disc C2, and arranged
together with both said brake discs displaceable on a shaft A journalled on the vehicle
and carrying the stationary ratchet wheels and v¹, which are alternately rotated by
the pawls, lodged upon the brake blocks B and B', through displacement of the
spring box.
2. The brakes n and n¹ which act against the brake discs C and C², when at rest,
so as to hold the said brake discs in a normally central position out of contact with
the brakes B B'; said brakes n and n' being capable of being displaced by the driver
so as to bring the disc C or C² in contact with the brakes B or B¹ substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.