Improvements in Starting Appliances for Tram-cars and like Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Starting Appliances for Tram-cars and like
Vehicles.
I, THOMAS GREGORY, of 21, Pemberton Street, Old Trafford, near Manchester,
Watchmaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to starting appliances for tram-cars and like vehicles,
and have for object to relieve the strain upon the horses which the starting of
such vehicles ordinarily necessitates.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I mount upon one of the
axles of the vehicle a device for offering a grip, by preference a ratchet wheel,
which is keyed or otherwise firmly attached to such axle.
In conjunction with this ratchet I employ a lever or levers carrying a pawl or
pawls, and so arranged that when such lever is forced in the forward direction
of the vehicles motion, the pawls grip the ratchet and impel the vehicle forward:
but when the lever is moved in a backward direction, or--which is equivalent-
when the vehicle moves independently forward, the pawls ride over the ratchet
teeth in manner as will be readily understood.
Upon a rigid part of the vehicle, I mount or form a stop which, so long as
the lever is in the back or non-operative position, comes in contact with the
pawls in such manner as to lift the same out of gear with the ratchet; by which
means the apparatus is disconnected and the axle may, in consequence, move
freely, in either direction.
The lever aforesaid is connected to a suitable link or links, which communicate
with the front of the car, and such links are capable of attachment to the traces,
or otherwise connected to the horses.
The starting apparatus is operated in advance of the direct pull upon the
vehicle, by causing the same to begin to move before the traces are tightened,
and when the said traces have again become slack, the pawl lever may he
pulled back into its original position, by a spring or weight, or may be arranged
to fall back by gravity or otherwise.
In turning round cars which are reversible, the draw gear is disconnected from
the starting apparatus, the connections being formed capable of ready separation,
and may be of any suitable form.
The starting apparatus is affixed at each end of the frame of the vehicle, but
only one set is in use at one time.
In lieu of the ratchet and pawls described, I may employ a clutch or like device
to effect the same object, and other variations in detail may be made without
departing from the peculiar character of the invention.
T1 11th
of 1900
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Starting Appliances for Tram-cars and like
Vehicles.
I, THOMAS GREGORY, of 21, l'emberton Street, Old Trafford, near Manchester,
Watchmaker, 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:-
-
The improvements relate to starting appliances for tram-cars and like vehicles,
and have for object to relieve the strain upon the horses which the starting of
such vehicles ordinarily necessitates.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I mount upon one of the
axles of the vehicle a device for offering a grip, by preference a ratchet wheel,
which is keyed or otherwise firmly attached to such axle. In conjunction with
this ratchet I employ a lever or levers carrying a pawl or pawls, and so arranged
that when such lever is forced in the forward direction of the vehicles motion,
the pawls grip the ratchet and impel the vehicle forward; but when the lever
is moved in a backward direction, or, which is equivalent-when the, vehicle
moves independently forward, the pawis ride over the ratchet teeth in manner
as will be readily understood.
Upon a rigid part of the vehicle, I mount or form a stop which, so long as
the lever is in the back or non-operative position, comes in contact with the
pawls in such manner as to lift the same out of gear with. the ratchet, by which
means the apparatus is disconnected and the axle may in consequence move
freely in either direction. The lever aforesaid is connected to a suitable link
or links, which communicate with the front of the car, and such links are capable
of attachment to the traces, or otherwise, connected to the horses.
The starting apparatus is operated in advance of the direct pull upon the
vehicle, by causing the same to begin to move before the traces are tightened
thereby, and when the said traces have again become slack, the pawl lever may be
pulled back into its original position, by a spring or weight, or may be arranged
to fall back by gravity, or otherwise.
In turning round cars which are reversible, the draw gear is disconnected from
the starting apparatus, the connections being formed capable of ready separation,
and may be of any suitable form. The starting apparatus is affixed at each end
of the frame of the vehicle, but only one set is in use at one time.
But that the improvements may be better understood, I will, with the aid of
the accompanying drawings, proceed more fully to describe means employed by
me.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a cross bar and axle forming portions of an
ordinary tram car, the body of which is capable of being turned round, when
required, for a return journey, with my starting apparatus applied thereto, but
without the draw gear described being shown. A duplicate of the starting
apparatus is provided at the opposite end of the car when the same is thus
reversible.
:
Fig. 2 is a similar view, with my starting apparatus moved into a new position
which it is to assume in the ordinary running of the tram car.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of another portion of the tram car, with the draw
gear in position for moving my starting apparatus; while Fig. 4 is a plan view
of Fig. 3, with the exceptions that the body or upper part of the car is in the
act of being moved round and, consequently, the draw gear carried by it does not
come in contact with the starting apparatus; and, also, further portions of such
car body are cut away for the sake of clearness.

page_text: The same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
a is an axle of a tram car upon which is mounted and firmly attached thereto
a ratchet wheel b. C is a lever also mounted and capable of turning on axle a,
and is suitably formed to carry freely the pawls C¹.
d is a rod or other form of stop rigidly attached to part of the vehicle, and
it will be seen that such stop actuates by contact the pawls C in such manner
as to take the same out of gear with the ratchet wheel when the starting
apparatus is in the non-operating position shown in Fig. 1.
e, el, are links forming connection, when required, with the draw gear / shown
in Fig. 3, of which the link el is supported by rollers e carried by the cross bar
or portion forming part of the under framework of the car. The draw gear
passes between rollers h', and is provided with a stop ³ for limiting its horizontal
motion in both directions.
о
It will be understood that when the traces from the horses are in connection
with the end of the draw gear h, and the horses begin to move, the links e, e',
and lever c are drawn forward and the pawls c¹ are thereby moved away from
the stop d with the result that by their own weight, or by means of springs or
other means, they fall into gear with the ratchet wheel, and the further forward
motion of the horses has the effect of turning the axle a. On account of the
increased leverage thus obtained, the horses, for a short space move a greater
horizontal distance than the car, by which means the power needed to be exerted
in starting is reduced.
In order to prevent unnecessary strain upon the starting apparatus, the
stop his arranged to come against the car body at gl when such starting apparatus
is extended to its full operative distance, the points of resistance being thereby
transferred to such stop h² and part gl.
The initial position of the draw gear h is again reached when stop comes
against part of the car body, which has the effect of enabling the starting
apparatus to be pushed back to its initial or non operating position, and no
farther, when the car over-runs on stopping the horses, or from other cause,
and also has the effect of assisting to keep the draw gear in the correct position
for engaging with link el when the body of such car is turned round.
It is obvious that the link e' only needs to be extended in length to the front
of the car, and the traces from the horses to be attached directly thereto in the
case of a non-reversible car, and other variations may be made, such as, in lieu
of a ratchet and pawl, a friction or other clutch or grip device may be employed
to effect the same object, also in the form of the links and number thereof; and,
if needed, subsiduary levers may be added; and other variations in detail may
be made without departing from the peculiar character of the 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:-
In apparatus for tram cars and like vehicles for relieving strain upon the
horses on starting the same, and which apparatus is adaptable to reversible and
non-reversible cars and like vehicles, a mechanical combination consisting of a
ratchet wheel or mechanical equivalent thereof attached to an axle of the car,
about which axle moves a lever provided with means for engaging such ratchet
or equivalent, the said lever being suitably connected with the traces, or other
means of attachment, to the horses, for the purpose and in manner substantially
as herein shown and described.
Dated this 6th day of Februar 1900
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.