IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY CARRIAGES, AND IN APPARATUS CON- NECTED THEREWITH.
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Robert Brailsford, of Dagnall Park, Selhurst, in
the County of Surrey, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY CARRIAGES, AND IN APPARATUS CON-
NECTED THEREWITH.
"
Sealed the 26th January 1877, and dated the 25th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Robert Brailsford at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th August 1876.
THOMAS ROBERT BRAILSFORD, of Dagnall Park, Selhurst, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY CARRIAGES,
AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
"
This Invention relates to an improved brake and starting apparatus, whereby the
carriage or car may be stopped with facility and an impetus given to start it again,
thereby economizing the power required to overcome the vis inertia.
The brake is applied by a movable lever, which can be used at either end of the
car. The said lever works a clutch or candid ratchet wheel moving on a feather in
the axle When the brake is applied the clutch or candid ratchet wheel aforesaid
gears into a toothed bevel wheel, thus locking it to the axle. The said toothed
bevel wheel drives another toothed bevel wheel working on a shaft connected with
the axle, and at right angles with itself. This last-mentioned wheel has a grooved
drum working parallel with the bottom of the car, and to this said drum a chain or
rope is attached, connected with a spring or springs fastened by preference under-
neath the car or carriage. Upon applying the brake, the candid or ratchet wheel
being geared into the bevel wheel aforesaid, the chain or rope will be wound up by
the revolving of the axle, which being attached to the springs will cause them to
expand or contract according to the form of spring employed. The motive power
ofs the car becomes concentrated in the springs, and this power being relieved starts
the car again, viz., the recoil of the springs causes the drum of the horizontal bevel
wheel to revolve, and this wheel acting upon a second one at right angles to itself,
revolving loosely on the axle, becomes in its turn connected with another candid or
ratchet wheel working on a feather in the same axle, and thus produces the force
which starts the car.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Robert Brailsford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th February 1877.
THOMAS ROBERT BRAILSFORD, of Dagnall Park, Selhurst, in the County of
Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY
CARRIAGES."
This Invention relates to an improved brake and starting apparatus, whereby the
carriage or car may be stopped with facility and an impetus given to start again,
thereby economizing the power required to overcome the vis inertia.
The brake applied by a novable lever, which can be used at either end of the
car. The said lever works a clutch or candied ratchet wheel moving on a feather in
the axle when the brake is applied. The clutch or candied ratchet wheel aforesaid
gears into a toothed bevel wheel, thus locking it to the axle. The said toothed
bevel wheel drives another toothed bevel wheel, working on a shaft connected with
the axle, and at right angles with itself. This last-mentioned wheel has a grooved
drum working parallel with the bottom of the car, and to this said drum a chain or
rope is attached connected with a spring or springs fastened by preference under-
neath the car or carriage Upon applying the brake, the candied or ratchet wheel
being genred into the bevel wheel aforesaid, the chain or rope will be wound up by
the revolving of the axle, which being attached to the .springs will cause them to
expand or contract, according to the form of spring employed. The motive power
of the car becomes concentrated in the springs, and this power being released starts
the car again, viz, the recoil of the springs causes the drum of the horizontal bevel
wheel to revolve, and this wheel acting upon a second one at light angles to itself,
revolving loosely on the axle, becomes in its turn connected with another candied or
ratchet wheel working on a feather on the same axle, and thus produces the force
which starts the car.
And in order to explain this Invention more fully, I will now proceed to describe
the means whereby it may be effected, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet
of Drawing accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters of
referenco marked thereon, respectively as follows:-
-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of the framework of a
tramway car fitted with an improved brake and starting apparatus constructed
according to this Invention.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view showing the gearing of the said brake and starting
apparatus
In each of these Figures similar letters of reference are used to denote corre-
sponding parts.
A is the framework, and B, B¹, the axles of the wheels. On the axle B are two
vertical bevel cog wheels C, C, running freely thereon, and gearing with a hori-
zontal bevel cog wheel D, held in position by means of a socket E attached to the
bottom of the car, or a bracket E, Figure 3, on the axle B and a bush F embracing
the said axle, which revolves freely therein. D¹ is a horizontal grooved drum or
pulley fixed to or cast with the wheel D. The bevel wheels C, C', are furnished
with clutches formed by teeth G, G³, or candied wheel Q" placed in an opposite
direction to each other, or by friction cone G, Figure 3. Opposite to these
clutches or friction cones are two other movable clutches and cones H, H¹, working
on a feather which connects them to the axle B. These movable clutches are put
in and out of gear with the clutches G, G¹, of the wheels by means of crank
levers h, h¹, connected by rods K, K¹, with hand levers I, I¹, and by the crank
levers L, L, and rods 1, 1, actuated by treadles M, M³, placed on the platforms at
the ends of the cars and controlled by the driver, or by means of springs acting on

page_text: the crank levers H, H. Opposite the horizontal drum D¹ is a spring or series of
springs N, which act on a rod O connected by a chain or rope P to the drum D¹.
MODE OF OPERATION.
When the driver wishes to stop the car he depresses the hand lever I (for
instance), which puts the clutch H in gear with the clutch G, thus imparting motion
to the wheel C This motion is communicated to the wheel D, horizontal drum D³,
and bevel wheel C¹, which revolves in a contrary direction to the axle of the car.
The chain P is thus coiled round the drum D¹, depressing the springs N and stopping
the car.
The driver then places his foot on the treadle M, by which the clutch H
is put in gear with the clutch G¹, which acts as a pawl to keep the springs N
depressed.
When it is desired to start the car the driver releases the clutch G by means of
the hand lever I, thus allowing the springs N to act through the horizontal drum or
pulley D', wheels D and C, and clutch H¹ on the axle B, causing it to revolve, and
putting the car in motion.
Having now described and set forth the nature and object of this Invention, and
the means whereby it may be effected, I would remark in conclusion that I do not
limit or confine myself to the precise details or form of apparatus before described
and represented, but what I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by the
herein in part recited Letters Patent is-
Firstly. Coiling a rope or chain, connected with a spring or springs, on a hori-
zontal drum or pulley revolving on a shaft or spindle connected to the axle of the
wheels and at right angles to the said axle, substantially as described and repre-
sented
Secondly. Imparting motion to the said horizontal drum or pulley by means of
candied ratchet and cog wheel or by friction clutches, one of which acts as a pawl,
substantially as described and represented.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Robert Brailsford, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
תתTCTAA