IMPROVEMENTS IN RETARDING, STOPPING AND STARTING OMNIBUSSES, TRAM CARS, AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I HENRY COLUMBUS HURRY of 10 Roxburgh Grove Prince of Wales Road
Kentish Town N W London in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN RETARDING, STOPPING
AND STARTING OMNIBUSSES, TRAM CARS, AND OTHER VEHICLES, to be as
follows:-
For the purpose of showing more clearly the nature of my proposed improve-
ments I have hereto appended a Drawing delineating two modes of carrying out
my invention Fig 1. is an elevation, and Fig 2 a horizontal section of an ordinary
wheel, with one arrangement of my invention shown, when the spring is contained
in the brake-block-Fig 3. is another arrangement where a torsion spring is used-
There are other ways in which my invention may be carried out, which shall be
more particularly described in my complete specification.
One part of my invention is, storing the force, or momentum, of the vehicles,
absorbed by the brake (in retarding, or stopping, the vehicle) in a coiled, spiral,
torsion, or other spring situated within, or immediately connected with a circular
brake-block (B on Drawings).
Another portion of my invention is, forming in, upon, or attached to the surface
of the wheel, or wheels, (W on Drawings) to be braked, an annular concentric
channel (C upon Drawings)-When applied to vehicles (such as Tram Cars) where
the wheels are fixed upon the axle; this channel need not be upon the wheel, but
may be separately constructed, and fixed on any other part of the axle.
The block (B on Drawings) is made of a diameter somewhat less than the width
of the channel (Con Drawings), and being placed within it as shown-But supported
independently of the wheel, the block can remain without contact when not in
use-But when its centre is moved from, or towards, the centre of the wheel, its
periphery will come in contact with one of the sides (say A on Drawings) of the
circular channel, which, revolving with the wheel (for instance in the direction of
the arrow shown on the periphery of the wheel) will by friction cause the block to
revolve (say in the direction of the arrow shown on the block), and, by arrange-
ment, this will wind up, or put in torsion the storage-spring, to as great an extent
as the friction will impart, after which, the brake will act in the ordinary way.
The spring is of course maintained in tension, or torsion, by means of an ordinary
ratchet-wheel (R on drawings), and pawl.

page_text: When it is desired to utilize the energy thus stored, the centre of the block is
moved over, in the opposite direction, until the opposite surface of its periphery
comes in contact with the surface of the other side (say A' on Drawings) of the
circular channel (C on Drawings)-When, upon releasing the pawl from the ratchet
wheel, the spring will exert its full force to unwind (say in the direction of the
dotted arrow shown upon the block) and so, by the friction of the periphery of the
block upon the side A¹ of the channel, imparts a rotary motion to it, and the wheel,
in the direction of the dotted arrow shown on the side A' of the channel-which is
in the direction for the forward motion of the vehicle.
In fig 3. a torsion spring (S on Drawing) is shown immediately attached to the
block B; its other end being held between rollers (U U on Drawing) in a fixed
bearing T, to hold that end of the spring from turning, and at the same time
allowing it to move endwise, to adjust its length when twisted, and allow of the
block B being moved from side to side.

page_text: I HENRY COLUMBUS HURRY of 10 Roxburgh Grove Prince of Wales Road
Kentish Town N W London in the County of Middelsex Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN RETARDING STOPPING
AND STARTING OMNIBUSES, TRAM CARS & OTHER VEHICLES and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to
say-
-
The object of this invention is to store the force or momentum observed by the
break in retarding or stopping the vehicle in a coiled, spiral, tortion, corrugated,
spring, or other spring or other retaining medium situated within or immediately
connected with a circular break block so as to have the said force available to
overcome the vis inertia of the vehicle at starting, and in order that my invention
may be clearly understood, I have appended to this my specification certain
illustrative drawings which I now proceed to explain.
Fig 1. represents the back elevation of an ordinary Omnibus wheel-Fig 2. is a
front view of the same-Fig 3. is a plan of the same, partly in horizontal section.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Upon the back of the wheel to be breaked I form an annular concentric channel
by the formation or attachment firmly to the wheel of the two hoops A and B the
outer surface of the one and the inner surface of the other forming the sides of
such channels, In cases where the wheels are fixed to the axles as in Tram
Cars & this channel need not necessarily be formed upon the wheel but may
indifferently be wholly or in part separately attached to any part of the axle-A
circular break block C is placed in the channel, the block has a diameter somewhat
less than the width of channel between the sides formed by A and B so that being
supported from the vehicle preferably from the axle by the bracket M as shown it
may remain without contact with the sides of the channel when not in use-from
the bracket the break block is carried by the hanging gear H connected by the
small tension rods H'H' with the ordinary handle or treadle worked by the person
in charge-It will be at once seen that by this arrangement the perephray of the
block C can be readily brought in contact with either side of the channel at
pleasure, for example we will suppose that the block is made to approach the
centre of the wheel until the periphery of the block comes in firm contact with
the side A of the channel at, a. which revolving in the direction of the arrow at, a.
as the wheel is revolving in the direction of the arrow at, d. this contact causes
the block to revolve in the direction of the arrow at, b. so many revolutions as
are necessary for bringing the spring D to the maximum tension it is desired to
work it-This is regulated and controled in the following manner,
In the face of
the block, which may be made of any convenient diameter, I form a volute or spiral
groove shown at F, and in the hanging gear is formed a slot radiating from the
centre of the block shown at L, in this slot a bolt E is made to move freely from
end to end having its end fitting easily in the groove F in the face of the great
block so that when the block revolves in the direction of the arrow at, b. the bolt

page_text: is moved along the slot L until it comes in contact with 'the outer end of the
groove F when it is manifest that it must prevent the block revolving further in
that direction, and will prevent the spring being further strained-the bolt resisting
the further friction between the block and the side of the channel A-The spring
is kept in tension by means of the ratchet K and the pawl I-When the vehicle
is stopped the spring being in tension, or wound up, the block is moved until the
opposite surface of its periphery comes in firm contact with the other side of the
channel B, and when it is desired to start the pawl I is lifted out of the ratchet K
by means of the rod I¹, when the recoil of the spring will revolve the block in the
direction of the arrow at C driving the wheel in its forward revolution in the
direction of the arrow at, d. and the bolt E returns along the slot L towards
the axis of the block C until the inner end of the groove F is
bolt E when it will prevent the block turning in that direction any
desired, so as not to allow the spring D to lose the whole of its
prevent it's becoming disconnected from it's arbor.
reached by the
further than is
tension and so
The friction obtainable between the break block and the sides of the channel
may be increased by grooving the periphery of the block and the surfaces of the
hoops A. B. in a similar manner to the grooving of what are known as "patent
friction pullies."
I would observe, that although I have shown in the accompanying drawings an
arrangement of parts which will be found convenient and suitable for effecting the
desired object I do not mean or intend to confine myself rigidly thereto, as the
construction and arrangement are susceptible of considerable modification without
departing from the nature and object of my invention.
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
1st The apparatus for breaking and starting vehicles substantially as herein before
described.
2nd The forming or attaching to the wheels or axles of vehicles a channel in
which the break block acts substantially as set forth.
3rd The putting a spring in tention by the contact of the perephery of the
break block at one side and giving off the force from the other side and so simply
instigating a wheel in the same direction as it revolved when imparting the energy
to the spring.
4th The automatic arrangement of a bolt or stop to limit the number of revolu-
tions the break block can make in either direction substantially as described.
In witness thereof I the said Henry Columbus Hurry have hereunto set my
hand and seal this third day of June in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty five.