Improvements in Apparatus for Starting and Restarting Tramcars or other Vehicles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1888-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
Improvements in Apparatus for Starting and Restarting Tramcars
or other Vehicles.
I, THOMAS CHARLTON, of Haddricks Mill, Gosforth in the County of Northumber-
land, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement
The improvements consist in certain methods, alternative to those described in my
Patent No. 11,013-1887, for raising the "pawls" out of gear with the teeth of the
ratchet wheels when not required to act in starting the car, and consist of an
automatic "tappet" by which the "pawls" are kept clear of the teeth of the ratchet
wheels, not only when the horses are exerting their full traction, but also when the
car is running by its own momentum, as frequently happens on level roads or on
descending gradients, avoiding objectionable noise and wear and tear and also, in caso
of the car missing the points and getting on the wrong line, providing for keeping
the "pawl" clear of the teeth of the ratchet wheel to allow the car to be drawn back
nast the points onto the right line
On the accompanying sheet of drawings Fig. 1. shews my starting gear, forming
the subject of my Patent No. 11,013 dated Augt. 11, 1887, on one end of a car in the
position it assumes after the car has been started and the horses are exerting their full
traction.
Fig. 2 shews, by full lines, the position of the gear when the traction of the horses
is relaxed, the car running partially, or entirely, by its own momentum, or when the
car, having missed the points, requires to be drawn back. The dotted lines shew the
position of the gear when the "pawl" falls into the teeth of the ratchet to start the car.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew the guide sheave bracket carrying the automatic rising and falling
« tappet" to a larger scale.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2. A is the car axle; B the ratchet wheel keyed on axle ;
C the lever carrying the "pawl" D. F is the point of attachment to lever of the
chain G working over the sheave H in its frame, which carries the "tappet" O, and
attached by the rod J to the drawbar K, working in the guide box L, and having
formed on it the yoke piece M.
On Fig. 1 the draw bar K is pulled out to its extreme position raising the lever C
and bringing the tail of the "pawl" D into contact with the point of the "tappet "O
which is lifted into the highest position and the "pawl" is kept clear of the ratchet.
When, as shown by full lines on Fig. 2, the traction of the horses is relaxed the
lever C falls but the pawl is kept clear of the ratchet by the "tappet" which, falling
into its lowest position, still presses on the tail of the pawl. When the car has missed
the points and requires to be drawn back onto the right line the gear is fixed in this
position by the driver who inserts a pin P into a hole in the drawbar K which pin,
resting against the front of guide box L, prevents the lever from falling further into
the position shewn by dotted lines, in which the "pawl" would engage with the teeth
of ratchet, until the car is on the right line when the pin P being removed the lever
falls down and the pawl enters the teeth of the ratchet ready to restart the car, which
being effected, the gear assumes the position in Fig. 1. The "pawl" on the other
axle is kept clear of the teeth of the ratchet to prevent noise and wear and tear in the
same way the pin P being inserted by the conductor.
Fig. 3 shews a side view and Fig. 4 an end view of the "tappet" O rising and
falling upon the axle of the chain sheave H and guided in the frame attached to

page_text: bottom of car the "tappet" being shewn in its lowest position as by full lines on
Fig. 2.
Although I have described and shewn a pin P inserted in the drawbar K as the
method of fixing and preventing the lever C carrying the "pawl" D from falling
into a position in which the "tappet" O would cease to act upon the "pawl" I may
use some other equivalent device such as a sunk tooth or "pawl" in the drawbars
which can be raised when required to come in contact with the front end of the guide
box L.
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 gear for starting and restarting tramears or other vehicles, as described in my
Specification of Patent No. 11,013 of 1887, or other similar gear the application of an
automatic tappet by which the "pawl" is kept clear of the ratchet wheel when not
required to operate and of a pin, or equivalent device, by which the "pawl" is held
clear of the ratchet wheel when it is necessary to put back the car substantially as
described and shewn.
Dated this Eighth day of Sentember 1998
T. J. DANSON, F.I.P.A.,
2, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle upon Tyne, Agent for Applicant.