Improvements in Machinery for Stopping and Starting Tramway Cars.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 13th Dec, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Stopping and Starting Tramway
Cars.
-
We, JOSEPH HEWINS of Eleanor Street, Great Grimsby, Builder, and CHARLES
HARDY of 53 Willingham Street, Great Grimsby, Contractor's Foreman, both in the
County of Lincolnshire, do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as
follows:
This invention consists in improved machinery for stopping and starting tramway
cars, to be used instead of tyre or other brakes.
In the improved machinery on each of the two car axles is a friction wheel adapted
to be brought into respective engagement with one of two corresponding friction
wheels on shafts journalled in the respective ends of a swinging or oscillating frame.
On each of said shafts are also four pulleys two geared by two crossed chains with the
respective pulleys on the other shaft, and two having connected to them chains adapted
to be wound thereon by action of the friction wheels when the latter are in engagement
respectively with one or other axle friction wheel, and so bring into tension springs
attached to the other ends of said chains.
Lever gear is provided to be operated by the driver to move the frame aforesaid so as
to bring the friction wheels into respective engagement. The springs tensioned by
the action of the friction wheels of one axle may be thus made to operate for assistance
in starting the car by engagement of the friction wheel on the other axle.
Dated this 11th day of January 1890
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents to Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Stopping and Starting Tramway
Cars.
We, JOSEPH HEWINS Builder of Eleanor Street and CHARLES HARDY, Contractor's
Foreman of 53 Willingham Street, both in Great Grimsby in the County of Lincoln-
shire 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 consists in improved machinery for stopping and starting tramway
cars to be used instead of tyre or other brakes.
The object of this invention is to collect the force usually lost when stopping the
vehicle when in motion to store the collected force and apply the same when required
to relieve the horse, engine or other motive power from the extra strain required to
put the vehicle again into motion.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section and Fig. 2
a sectional plan of the under carriage of a tram car fitted with the improved
machinery.
In applying this invention we fix at convenient positions two powerful springs A B,
the one end being fixed, the other carrying loose plates CC which are connected to
pulleys D and E by rods and chains. The pulleys D and E are respectively fixed on
oscillating shafts F and G working upon centres H H at one end respectively thereof.
At or near this end is fixed on each shaft a chain wheel I, the two chain wheels being
geared by a cross chain to transmit the motion of the shaft F in a contrary direction
to the shaft G or vice-versa. At the free or outer ends of the shafts F and G we fix
pinion wheels J and K which can be put in and out of gear with the spur wheels L
and M on the main axles by the connecting links N and Obetween shafts F and G
1

page_text: and levers PQ. The levers PQ work on a common fulcrum, and are, as illustrated,
so arranged that the apparatus can be put into work from either end.
In place of toothed gear LJ, K M, frictional surface gear may be used, but the
toothed gear is preferred for the reason of being more certain of engagement, more
especially during the period of inactivity of the mechanism with force stored in the
tensioned springs thereof after the stopping and previous to the restarting of the vehicle.
The levers P, Q, pass through slots in each of the connecting links NO, the slots
being larger than the levers so that free movement of the links upon the levers is
permitted within the limits of the slots. These limits are such that when the levers
are held in their intermediate or central position each connecting link may move
sufficiently only to allow the respective pinion thereon to move into engagement or
out of engagement with the respective spur wheel as the tension of the springs bearing
on the links or the respective oscillating shafts may determine.
When the lever P is drawn back by rod R through turning the bandle V which
operates chain wheel V₁ on which gears an endless chain R³ connected to the lever R',
the other end of which is connected to the rod R, if the vehicle is travelling in such a
direction that the handle V is at the fore end of it the connecting link N moved by
the lever P puts the pinion J into gear with the revolving spur wheel L which, if the
direction is as above stated is on the rear axle which instantly causes both shafts G and
F to revolve they being connected by the chain on wheels I I until the revolving
drums D, E have drawn the two springs A and B until the pressure of these stops the
vehicle. The man in charge then turns the handle V so that the lever P is put on
the centre again which liberates both connections N & O enabling the springs A and
B to draw the pinions J and K respectively into gear, which at once locks the whole.
When it is required to use the force in the two springs A and B for starting the
vehicle the lever P is moved so that N draws pinion J out cf gear with the spur wheel !:
which allows the whole of the force in the two springs A and B to start the vehic
by turning the spur wheel M on the leading axle. When the force in the springs A
and B is spent the lever P is again put back on its centre when the connections N &
O are free from the pull of the springs A and B, the springs X and Y acting on the
links N and O draw and hold the two pinions J and K out of gear with the spur
wheels L and M respectively, liberating all so that the vehicle can proceed freely.
When the vehicle proceeds in the opposite direction the handle W is used with the
same result, only that it acts on and by the lever Q. Should the man in charge turn
either handle W or V the wrong way, the only difference it would make would be
that he would brake on the front wheel and start on the rear which is the opposite to
that above described.
The stored up force may be utilized to propel the vehicle backwards by moving the
handle V or W respectively so the pinion and spur wheel which were beforehand
brought in contact for storing the force may be alone left in contact for utilizing the
force so stored which will react then in the contrary direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
The combination of the spur wheels L M in connection with the wheels of the
vehicle or the revolving axles thereof, the oscillating or movable shafts F G connected
by a crossed chain or equivalent to each other, the pinions J and K on said shafts the
links N and O the lever or levers PQ movable through suitable mechanism, the
springs X Y. the pulleys D E on said shafts respectively the springs A and B and
chains or equivalents connecting said springs A and B to said pulleys D and E
respectively all substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 8th do of Nahan 1000
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicants.