IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF LEVERS FOR ACTUATING THE BRAKES OF TRAM CARS, AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Weston Lemm, of Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND
ARRANGEMENT OF LEVERS FOR ACTUATING THE BRAKES OF TRAM CARS,
AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Weston Lemm at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th June 1880.
"IMPROVEMENTS
EDWARD WESTON LEMM, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey.
IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF LEVERS FOR ACTUATING THE
BRAKES OF TRAM CARS, AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
This Invention consists in improvements in the construction and arrangement of
the handles or hand levers for actuating the brakes of tram cars, whereby the said
levers can be put into or out of gear with the spindle by the revolution of which
the brake mechanism is actuated, so that when it is desired to apply the brake the
lever is placed into gear with the end of the spindle and is then turned in the
required direction, but when it is desired to release the brake mechanism the
handle or lever is thrown out of gear with the end of the spindle, which, being
released, is free to revolve and allow the brake to regain its normal position, thereby
avoiding all possibility of the occurrence of the accidents which are frequently
caused by the rapid revolution of the handle or lever on the release of the brake
mechanism in such apparatus as ordinarily constructed. It will be well understood
by persons conversant with mechanical contrivances that the improvements
constituting my said Invention are also applicable to winch handles of cranes,
windlasses, and to other analogous parts of machines.
The handle or hand lever for actuating the brake mechanism, instead of being
fixed on the end of the before mentioned spindle, as is ordinarily the case, is pivoted
to or hinged on a suitable projection formed on or attached to a socket which fits
over the end of the said spindle in such a manner that the latter is free to revolve
therein. The end of the spindle projects beyond the upper part of the said socket,
and such projecting portion is made of a square, oval, or any other suitable section;
an aperture or recess corresponding in size and shape therewith being formed in the
opposite part of the handle or lever, so that when the handle or lever is brought

page_text: down the said projection will enter and fit into the aperture or recess in such a
manner that on the handle boing turned the spindle will revolve with it. When
desired a bolt or pin is passed through the socket and into the end of the lever, and
is maintained in that position by means of a spring or other suitable contrivance in
order to prevent the accidental disengagement of the lever, but the latter can be
released at any time by the withdrawal of the said bolt or pin. In order to direct
the course of the handle or lever, and to steady the action thereof, suitable
projections or guides are formed on or attached to the hereinbefore mentioned
socket.
In some cases I place a cog wheel on the end of the spindle for actuating the
brake mechanism, and into the said wheel gears a cog wheel of greater diameter;
on the spindle of the latter is placed the socket, to which is pivoted the handle or
lever, whereby the brake can be applied in less time than when the handle or lever
is mounted on the first mentioned spindle; for instance, if the diameter of the
larger wheel be double that of the smaller one, one revolution of the handle or
lever will effect two revolutions of the spindle actuating the brake mechanism,
thereby allowing the brake to be applied in half the space of time usually required
for so doing; however, any convenient number of cog-wheels may be employed, and
they may be of any suitable size.
When desired a pin may be screwed through the socket so that the end thereof
will project into a groove or recess formed round the spindle, whereby, whilst
allowing the free and independent revolution of the latter, the accidental drawing
off of the socket is prevented.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Weston Lemm in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
December 1880.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT.OF LEVERS FOR ACTUATING 'THE
BRAKES OF TRAM CARS, AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
EDWARD WESTON LEADM, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey.
My said Invention consists in improvements in the construction and arrangement
of the handles or hand levers for actuating the brakes of tram cars, whereby the
said levers can be put into or out of gear with the spindle by the revolution of
which the brako mechanism is actuated, so that when it is desired to apply the
brake the lover is placed into gear with the end of the spindle and is then turned
in the required direction, but when it is desired to release the brake mechanisin
the handle or lever is thrown out of gear with the end of the spindle, which being
released is free to revolve and allow the brake to regain' its normal position,
thereby avoiding all possibility of the occurrence of the accidents which are
frequently caused by the rapid revolution of the handle or lever on the release of
the brake mechanism in such apparatus as ordinarily constructed. It will be well
understood by persons conversant with mechanical contrivances that the improve-
ments constituting my said Invention are also applicable to winch handles of
cranes, windlasses, and to other analogous parts of machines.
The handle or hand lever for actuating the brake mechanism, instead of being
fixed on the end of the before mentioned spindle, as is ordinarily the case, is
pivoted to or hinged on a suitable projection formed on or attached to a socket
which fits over the end of the said spindle in such a manner that the latter is free
to revolve therein. The end of the spindle projects beyond the upper part of the
said socket, and such projecting portion is made of a square, oval, or any other
suitable section, for instance, circular with a feather or rib; an aperture or recess
corresponding in size and shape therowith being formed in the opposite part of the
haudle or lover, so that when the handle or lever is brought down the said
O projection will enter and fit into the aperture or recess in such a manner that on
the handle being turned the spindle will revolve with it. In machines where a
considerable strain is put on the lever, an enlarged end piece is connected to the
spindle after the socket has been mounted thereon, and the projections, which are
formed on the upper surface of, the said enlarged end piece, are made in the form of
5 teeth and take into recesses of a corresponding form in the opposito portion of the
lever, or in an attachment fixed or pivoted thereto, so that when placed into gear
they will clutch each other, whereby great strength and power will be obtained.
When desired a bolt or pin is passed through the socket and into the end of the
lever, and is maintained in that position by means of a spring or other suitable
contrivance in order to prevent the accidental disengagement of the lover, but the
latter can be released at any time by the withdrawal of the said bolt or pin. "In
order to direct the course of the handle,or lever, and to steady the action thereof,
suitable projections or guides are formed on or attached to the hereinbefore
mentioned socket.
In some cases I place a cog wheel on the end of the above mentioned spindle for
actuating the brake mechanism, and into the said wheel gears a cog wheel of
greater diameter; on the spindle of the latter is placed the socket, to which is
pivoted the handle.or lever, whereby-the-brake-can-be-applied-in-less-time-than-
when the handle or lever is mounted on the first mentioned spindle; for instance,
O if the diameter of the larger wheel be double that of the smaller one, one revolution
of the handle or lever will effect two revolutions of the spindle actuating the brake
mechanism, thereby allowing the brake to be applied in half the space of timo

page_text: usually required for so doing; however, any convenient number of cog wheels may
be employed, and they may be of any suitable size.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings, from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood. In the said
Drawings the apparatus is shown with an enlarged end piece connected to the end
of the spindle, as hereinbefore described. The same letters of reference indicato
like parts in both the Figures. Figure 1 is an elevation of the handle or lever,
and mechanism connected therewith in combination with three cog-wheels, the
handle or lever being shown down, that is, in gear with the end piece of the
spindle. Figure 2 is a similar view with the lever raised out of gear with the said
end piece of the spindle. A is the handle or lever, which is pivoted at a to the
projection or arm 6 of the socket B; C is the spindle, and c the enlarged end pieco
fixed thereon, the teeth like projections of which tako into corresponding recesses
formed in the attachment a', which is pivoted to the lever A; D, E, F, are the cog
wheels. The spindle of the wheel D has the enlarged end piece fixed thereon, as
herein before described; the power is transmitted to the brake through the spindle
of the wheel F. represents a pin which, when desired, is screwed through the
socket, so that the end thereof will project into a groove or recess formed round
the spindle, whereby, whilst allowing the free and independent revolution of the
latter, the accidental drawing off of the socket when no end piece is employed is
prevented.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the Invention
secured to me by the said hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent, arc,-
The construction and arrangement of mechanism whereby the handles or lovers
of brakes amd other analogous apparatus can be thrown in and out of gear,
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Weston Lemm, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.