Improvements in Arrangements and Mechanism for Stopping and Starting Tramcars, Omnibuses, and other Vehicles Running on Rails or Common Roads.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Sept., 1890-Accepted, 11th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Arrangements and Mechanism for Stopping and
Starting Tramcars, Omnibuses, and other Vehicles Running on
Rails or Common Roads.
IN
I WILLIAM GIFFARD of 23 New Bailey Street Salford in the County of Lancaster
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention for IMPROVEMENTS
ARRANGEMENTS AND MECHANISM FOR STOPPING AND STARTING TRAMCARS, OMNI-
BUSES, AND OTHER VEHICLES RUNNING ON RAILS OR COMMON ROADS, to be as
follows:
My improvements relate to stopping and starting apparatus for tramcars, omnibuses,
and other vehicles in which the momentum of the vehicle is stored in the act of
stopping the said vehicle and used in starting it again into motion and described in
my Provisional Specification No. 14893 A.D. 1889, as a simple and efficient apparatus
which shall be reversible or double acting, that is to say which shall be capable of
storing power in the act of stopping the vehicle in whichever direction it may be
running, and consists in arrangeing on each axle of the car, a clutch part sliding on a
key, which geers with another clutch part having a small chain wheel attatched running
loose on the axle, carrying an endless chain, also a larger chain wheel carrying an
endless chain and having a saw tooth clutch part attached also running loose on the
axle (or on a sleve projection from the clutch part keyed on the axle) this clutch
engageing with another clutch keyed to the axle, but sliding upon it, which will lock
if rotated in one direction and will slip if rotated in the opposite direction. Between
the two sets of clutches and the large and small wheels, I arrange in connection
with, and between the axles, carried by them or the framing of the car, one or more,
volute, spiral or other springs, taking compression towards either axle, according to
the direction the car may be running, and having a crosshead at either end, to which
the chains for actuating the spring or springs and axle alternately are attatched, these
crossheads or slides having ball bearings to reduce friction where required, the endless
chain over the small chain wheels, has an attatchment to each crosshead by means of
a projecting part of the chain (or otherwise) catching a projection from the crosshead
according to the direction the car may be running. The endless chain over the large
chain wheels, also has an attatchment to each crosshead by means of a projecting part
of the chain (or otherwise) catching a projection from the crosshead, besides which it
has an engaging or tappet motion to couple it to the crosshead when storing power
and while the small chain wheel is engaged, the whole of the apparatus being
disengaged and running loose till required for use, except the parts aforementioned
that are keyed on the axle and run round with it.
It will be seen that the action of the apparatus is as follows. The car being in
motion, the sliding clutch is thrown into geer with the small chain wheel (either by the
driver from the front or the guard from the back) which carries it forward and with
its endless chain, winds up or compresses the spring or springs, immediately the cross-
head begins to slide it actuates a bell crank or other lever carried by it one end of
which carries an antifriction bowl, the other engages with and carries along the chain,
over the large chain wheels, untill the power is accumulated and the wheels of the car
stop. Both chains are now engaged so that by disengaging the small chain wheel
clutch-the recoil of the spring pulling on the underside of the large chain wheel
starts the car, the action being the same either way the car may be travelling.
Simultaneously with the movement of the crosshead the clutch is engaged with the
large chain wheel, on the same axle as the clutch allready engaged and remains so
untill the car is restarted and the power expended, when a tappet action disengages
it automatically, should it be desired to stop the trailing wheels as well (that is brake

page_text: the four wheels of the car) I arrange this by throwing both the small wheel clutches
into geer simultaneously thereby coupling both axles with the power storing apparatus
and stopping all four wheels.
Another method is to have one crosshead arranged between the axles central with
a spring on either side and the necessary chains, wheels, clutches &c. so that it will
act on the springs in compression alternately or one in tension and the other in com-
pression alternately according to the direction the car may be running.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1889
WILLIAM GIFFARD.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Arrangements and Mechanism for Stopping and
Starting Tramcars, Omnibuses, and other Vehicles Running on
Rails or Common Roads.
1, WILLIAM GIFFARD of 23 New Bailey Street Salford in the County of Lancaster
Engineer 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 and accompanying drawings:-
My improvements relate to stopping and starting apparatus for tram cars, omnibuses
and other wheeled vehicles in which the momentum of the vehicle is stored in the act
of stopping the said vehicle and utilised in starting it again into motion and consists in
improvements upon the apparatus described in my former Specification No. 14893
of 1889.
To render my invention perfectly clear I will now describe the same with reference
to the annexed three sheets of drawings.
Fig. 1 (sheet 1) is a longitudinal sectional view of a tram car bottom showing my
invention applied.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
The figures on the remaining sheets are detail views of the parts shown in Figs. 1
and 2 and of modifications of the said parts.
Although the greater part of the mechanism and the mode of operation has been
already described in my said foregoing Specification I will herein briefly recapitulate
the parts for the sake of clearness and will point out the portions which constitute my
present invention.
Upon the axles a I mount blocks 6 which support a hollow case c containing a
helical spring or helical springs by the compressing and resilience of which the
braking and re-starting of the car is effected. Upon this case e there slide muffs d
and at each end of the case is a sliding disc like a piston interposed between the end
of the case and the spring. Studs or bolts e project from the discs at each side (see
Fig. 3) and passing through slits in the case c engage with the sliding muffs d. The
consequence is that if the muffs are pulled towards the centre of the case the contained
spring is compressed. This pulling of the muffs along the case (which takes place
when the car is being stopped) is effected by the winding up chain passing over chain
wheels g the said chain wheels having clutch halves g¹ formed to engage with other
clutch halves h keyed to the axles a by a slip feather and groove. The chain wheels
are loose on the axles and only revolve when driven round by the clutch halves h.
The chain has thicker links or blocks f' which abut against the outer side of lugs d¹
projecting from the muffs d. Therefore if the chain were moved for example in the
direction of the arrow Fig. 2 the muff on the right of the fig. would be pulled forward
while the chain would slip through the lug on the muff to the left. If the chain were
moved in the other direction the reverse conditions would ensue. Now when it is
desired to stop the car the driver moves the handle i into the dotted position thus
pulling forward the jointed bar j. j and by means of the mechanism shown most
clearly in Fig. 3 (sheet 2) moving the clutch lever Win the direction of the arrow
and thus causing the revolving clutch half h to engage with and drive the clutch half g¹
and chain wheel g. The chain fis thus moved so as to pull oue of the muffs d that is

page_text: At
m
The
to say the muff furthest from the driver along the case and so to compress the spring.
The car is thus braked and stopped. To restart the car the clutch halves g¹h are
disengaged by the driver. The compressed spring then pushes the muff back to the
end of the case and another lug d² on the other side of the muff and projecting down-
wards (see Figs. 1 and 3) lays hold of the starting chain k and pulling upon it rotates
the chain wheels and clutch halves . It will be observed that opposite the clutch
halves there are clutch halves m keyed by a slip feather and groove to the
axles and pushed normally towards the halves by coiled springs n.
the time when the restarting chain comes into operation the clutch halves
are engaged therefore the rotation of the halves implies the rotation of
the halves m
and the consequent driving of the axles in the direction
which will restart the car. The chains are made adjustable by the screw
unions. In my said former Specification I describe the clutch halves ¹ and m
as being in constant rubbing contact which was productive of noise and discomfort
to passengers. Under my present invention I do away with this objection and keep
the clutch halves l' m apart until the time when they are required to perform their
function of restarting the car. The means I employ to obtain this result are as
follows: At each end of the spring case there is a bracket or support o which is most
clearly seen in Fig. 3 a stud p passes through this bracket the upper end of the stud
carrying a double lever a working loosely on the stud and the central part another
bell crank lever r. The ends of the longer arms of the levers a lie opposite to snugs d³
on the muffs d. The ends of the shorter arms of the double levers 9 are connected
by cross rods ss to the ends of the shorter arms of the bell crank levers r
longer arms of the said beil crank levers terminate in clutch forks which engage with
the clutch halvės m. It will be remembered that the coiled springs n tend normally
to push the clutch halves m in gear with the halves so that it will be apparent that
if the snugs d³ were removed from in front of the lever arms q the clutch halves
would be thrust in gear. Therefore when the apparatus. is put in operation by the
driver and one of the muffs d (say the hinder muff in Fig. 1) is pulled along the case
so as to compress the spring the corresponding lever q is relieved from the resistance
of the snug d³ and the clutch balves 1 m at the front of the car are allowed to come
together in obedience to the thrust of the spring n. From the moment the halves
come together until the car stops the halves are in rubbing contact, this being allowed
by the ratchet formation of the teeth. But upon re-starting (the half doing the
work) the two halves bite and hold. The advanced muff is pushed back by the
resilience of the spring thus hauling on the starting chain k rotating the chain wheel /
and clutch halves and m and so starting the car. When the muff has reached its
and thus moves
former position at the end of the case it again strikes on the lever arm
the clutch half m out of gear with the half and maintains it there until again required.
The means which I employ to carry the starting chain k with the moving muff and to
engage the muff with the chain on its return when restarting are not shown in
Figs. 1 and 2 to prevent confusion of the drawings but are shown separately in
Figs. 4 and 5. On each muff 1 cast. snugs d between which I place a curved
finger t exactly opposite the centre of the chain k which is indicated in dotted lines.
On the stud which carries the finger t I also fix at right angles to the finger a
I also
lever u carrying a bowl u¹ which is opposite to the centre of the spring case.
provide a tappet catch v projecting from the block the said tappet catch being in the
path of the bowl u'. Now it will be observed that when the muff d is at the end of
the spring case the bowl u is held up by the tappet catch vso that the finger t lies
above the chain k as in Fig. 4. But if the muff d should be pulled along the case by
the chain (as when the car is being stopped) the bowl u is moved clear of the
tappet catch and drops thus allowing the finger t to fall into the opposite interstice
of the chain as in Fig. 5. The bowl meanwhile rolls along the bottom side of the
case and keeps the finger in its depressed position thus pulling the chain k along with
it. When the muff is thrust back again by the spring (as for example when the car
is being restarted) the paw d² acts on the thickened links or stops of the chain and
takes the chain k back with the muff. When the muff has reached the end of the case

page_text: the bowl comes again in contact with the tappet catch and the parts re-assume the
position shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows a plan for dispensing with the cross rods
and levers shown in Figs. 1 to 3 as a means for bringing the clutch halves m
together at the proper time. In this arrangement, I connect the clutch lever w
directly with the clutch half m by means of the spring link . The clutch fork y
forms a spring bolted to the bottom of the car the tendency of the spring being to
keep the halves of the clutch apart. When the clutch lever w is operated to push
in the clutch half h it at the same time pulls the clutch half m into gear with the
half . The spring joint a¹ on the link a allows of the rubbing contact which at
first takes place between the two halves. On re-starting when the clutch half his
thrown out of gear. the bite between the halves and m maintains them together
until the car has been started. Afterwards the spring on the clutch fork y separates
them. Fig. 7 shows a form of clutch intended to prevent undue strains upon the
chains. I surround a disc 1 with a strap 2 bolted on in halves. Snugs 3 project
from the face of the strap 2 to engage with snugs on the clutch half 4. In the
event of any undue and sudden strain arising in stopping the car the bolted on
strap 2 will yield and slip. Fig. 8 shows a single muff d placed on the centre of the
case instead of one at each end as before described. The muff is pulled to one end
or the other of the case according to the direction in which the car is travelling the
muff returning to its normal position at the centre of the case on each occasion of
restarting. The arrangement described in Fig. 6 is or might be used in conjunction
with the arrangement shown in Fig. 8. Figs. 9 and 10 (sheet 3) illustrate the
application of a frictional clutch instead of a toothed clutch in conjunction with
certain other slight improvements in detail. The sliding bar 5 is connected to a bell
crank lever 6 which is carried on a stud 7 by a bracket 8 secured to the bottom
framework of the car. The horizontal shorter arın of the bell crank lever 6 which
appears in perspective in the detached view Fig. 11 is connected by a link 9 to an
arm of a forked bell crank clutch lever 10 pivotted in a fixed bracket 11. The fork
of the lever 10 engages with the clutch half 12 secured by slip feather and groove
to the axle. The clutch halves 12, 13, are formed conical in shape and the half 12
drives the half 13 by frictional contact when they are brought together by the fork.
The action of the parts will be easily understood from the drawing. When the bar 5
is pulled forward by the lever shown in the preceding sheets the bell crank lever 6
pulls the link 9 downwards and operates the clutch lever 10 so as to move the clutch
half 12 into frictional contact with the half 13. The chain wheel 14 is thus rotated
and the spring compressed in the manner already explained. When it is desired to
brake both of the car axles at once I connect the bell crank lever 6 to one end of a
double lever 15 pivotted about the centre of the car by means of an adjustable con-
necting rod 16. Another rod 17 connects the other end of the double lever 15 to the
bell crank lever at the other end of the car. Thus both clutch levers are operated
simultaneously and the retarding effect is exercised on both axles. To return the
bell crank levers 6 to their normal position I connect the longer arms to the respective
ends of the double lever 15 by ties indicated by the dotted line 18. The said tie
carries a spring 19 which is extended when the bell crank lever 6 is pulled forward.
On the release of the hand lever by the driver the springs 19 return the parts to the
normal position shown in Fig. 9. Although I here specifically describe my invention
in connection with a tram car it will be obvious that it applicable to other types
of wheeled vehicles.
The sliding muffs might be fitted with ball bearings to reduce the frictional
contact with the spring case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The general arrangement construction and combination of parts comprising
the improved apparatus for stopping, and starting wheeled vehicles substantially as
herein before described and shown.

page_text: 2. In an apparatus of the indicated description for stopping and starting wheeled
vehicles the means for automatically holding the re-starting clutch halves and m
out of gear during the running of the vehicle and allowing them to engage at the
time of stopping and restarting the vehicle substantially as herein before described
and shown.
3. In an apparatus of the indicated nature the mode of connecting the winding
up and re-starting clutch halves for the purposes and substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings.
4. The construction of friction clutch for the purposes and substantially as described
and illustrated in Fig. 7.
5. In the described apparatus placing a single sliding muff in the centre of the
length of the spring case and operating the same in both directions substantially
as described with reference to Fig. 8 of the drawings.
6. The arrangement of parts for obtaining a brakeing effect upon both axles of the
vehicle simultaneously substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1900
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents