A POWER CONSERVER BRAKE FOR UTILIZING THE POWER EXPENDED IN STOPPING OR RETARDING MACHINERY, LOCOMOTIVE OR OTHER ENGINES, AND VEHICLES OF ANY DESCRIPTION WHEN IN MOTION
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Gerhard Van der Byl, of No 3, Upper Hyde Park
Gardens, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "A POWER
CONSERVER BRAKE FOR UTILIZING THE POWER EXPENDED IN STOPPING OR
RETARDING MACHINERY, LOCOMOTIVE OR OTHER ENGINES, AND VEHICLES OF ANY
DESCRIPTION WHEN IN MOTION" A communication from abroad by Charles
Bell, residing at Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, Africa.
Scaled the 20th March 1863, and dated the 1st October 1862
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Gerhard Van der
Byl at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st October 1862.
[, PETER GERHARD VAN DER BYL, of No 3, Upper Hyde Park Gardens,
In the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "A POWER CONSERVER BRAKE FOR UTILIZING THE POWER EXPENDED
IN STOPPING OR RETARDING MACHINERY, LOCOMOTIVE OR OTHER ENGINES, AND
VEHICLES OF ANY DESCRIPTION WHEN IN MOTION," to be as follows
This Invention consists in constructing apparatus for stopping or retarding
machinery, railway and tramway engines, carriages, trucks, vans, and other
engines and vehicles of any description used on common roads in such a
manner that the power which is expended by such stopping or retarding is
accumulated or stored up by the apparatus and is given out again by the
same when it is required to start the machines, engines, or vehicles again,
so as to assist them in their motion.
The arrangement of apparatus for carrying out the principle of my Inven-
tion admits of various modifications to suit the particular machines, engines,
or vehicles to which it is applied Thus, in one arrangement, I fix upon the
Price 8d.1

page_text: driving shafts of the machine or engine, or upon the rotating axle of a
locomotive engine or other vehicle, two bevil wheels or pinions in such a
manner that they revolve with the shaft or axle, but are free to move longi-
tudinally upon the same Between these two wheels or pinions I fix a third
bevil wheel or pinion upon a spindle carried by the framing of the machine,
engine, or vehicle, and which I term the "brake spindle." The two first-
named bevel wheels can by means of levers be both put into and out of gear
with the wheel on the brake spindle on opposite sides of the same, so that both
revolving in the same direction, each would, if put alternately into gear with
third wheel, cause it and also the brake spindle to revolve alternately in
contrary directions To the brake spindle is attached either one end of a
strong spiral spring, the other end of which is attached to the framing, so that
the spindle on revolving in one direction or the other either winds up or
unwinds the same; or a drum may be fixed upon the spindle, upon which a
cord or chain carrying a weight suspended, is wound, and the revolving of the
spindle in one direction or the other may thereby cause the weight either to
rise or fall, or the spindle may be connected by cranks or by gearing to the
piston rod of a cylinder containing air, steam, or other compressible and
expansible gas or fluid, or a liquid that is caused to rise or fall in a pipe con-
nected with the cylinder by the motion of the piston, or any other known
contrivance may be employed by which, if the brake spindle revolves in one
direction it accumulates power, which power is capable of being afterwards
expended in causing the spindle to revolve in the reverse direction. By this
arrangement it will be seen that if the engine shaft or axle of the vehicle
is revolving in one direction both the before-mentioned bevil wheels upon
the same being out of gear with the wheel on the brake spindle, and it is
required to retard the rotary motion of the shaft or axle, then by putting one
of the bevil wheels upon the same in gear with the brake wheel, the brake
spindle may be caused to rotate in that direction in which it winds up the
spring, raises the weight or column of fluid, or compresses the clastic fluid or
gas, or in other words accumulates work in an opposite sense to the motion of
the shaft or spindle, and thereby gradually retards and eventually stops the
rotary motion of the same If now, the second bevil wheel is put in gear
with the brake wheel the first one being also still in gear, then the shaft or
axle will come to a dead stop as no rotary motion of the wheels is then
possible. If it is then required to start the machine or vehicle again, then by
putting the first-named wheel out of gear with the brake wheel, the accumu-
lated power will cause the brake spindle and with it the brake wheel to
revolve in the reverse direction to what it did at first, but owing to the second

page_text: wheel on the shaft or axle being now in gear instead of the first, the reversed
motion of the brake spindle and wheel will sull cause the shaft or axle to
revolve in the same direction which it had at first, and will thus assist in
starting the machine, engine, or vehicle.
In another arrangement where the apparatus is applied to a carriage or
vehicle in which the wheels rotate upon fixed axles, I fix a bevil wheel upon the
inner face of one or more of the road wheels, and upon a brake spindle I fix
two other bevil wheels in such a manner that they revolve with the same but
are free to move in a longitudinal direction: they are placed in such positions
that they may alternately or both together be put in or out of gear with the
bevil wheel upon the road wheel To the brake spindle I connect any
arrangement of mechanism similar to those before described, by which power
is caused to be accumulated by its rotation in one direction and given off when
it rotates in the reverse direction. The manner of working this arrangement
will be as follows. If it is required to brake or retard the revolution of the
road wheel, then that particular brake wheel is put in gear with the bevil
wheel fixed to the road wheel, which, by being caused to revolve by the
motion of the carriage carries the brake spindle round in the direction in
which it accumulates work, whilst, if it is afterwards required to assist the
starting of the vehicle, the second, brake wheel is put in gear with the bevil
wheel upon the road wheel and the first brake wheel is put out of gear, whereby
the accumulated power in causing the brake spindle to revolve in the contrary
direction to what it did at first, will still cause the road wheel to be impelled
forward in the same direction that it had before stopping. Or instead of the
before described apparatus I arrange any other contrivance whereby the
stopping of the machine, engine, or vehicle is effected by the overcoming and
accumulation of a resisting power, which accumulated resisting power may
subsequently be caused to act again in such a reversed manner upon the
machine, engine, or vehicle that it assists in starting the same in the direction
in which it moved at first.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Ilerself, Iler heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Peter Gerhard Van der Byl, Her special licence that I, the said
Peter Gerhard Van der Byl, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Peter Gerhard Van der Byl, my executors,
administrators, and asigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "A POWER CONSERVER BRAKE FOR UTILIZING THE
POWER EXPENDED IN STOPPING OR RETARDING MACHINERY, LOCOMOTIVE, OR OTHER
ENGINES, AND VEHICLES OF ANY DESCRIPTION WHEN IN MOTION," a communication
to me from abroad by Charles Bell, residing at Cape Town, Cape of
Good Hope, Africa, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Peter Gerhard Van der Byl, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly described and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Gerhard Van der Byl, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing. and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say ---
This Invention consists in constructing apparatus for stopping or retarding
machinery, locomotive, and other engines, carriages, trucks, vans, and vehicles
of any description used on railways or on common roads in such a manner
that the power which is expended by such stopping or retarding is accumulated
or stored up by the apparatus, and given out again by the same when it
required to start the machines, engines, or vehicles again, so as to assist them
in their motion
The arrangement of apparatus for carrying out the principle of this Invention
admits of various modifications to suit the particular machines. engines. or
vehicles to which it is applied: thus. in one arrangement. I fix upon the
driving shaft of the machine or engine, or upon the rotating axle of a loco-
motive engine or other vehicle, two bevil wheels or pinions in such a manner

page_text: that they revolve with the shaft or axle, but are free to move longitudinally
upon the same. Between these two wheels or pinions I fix a third bevil
wheel or pinion upon a spindle carried by the framing of the machine, engine,
or vehicle, and which I term the brake spindle." The two first-name.
bevil wheels can, by means of levers, be both put into and out of gear with the
wheel on the brake spindle, on opposite sides of the same, so that, bth
revolving in the same direction, each would, if put alternately into gear with
the third wheel, cause it and also the brake spindle to revolve alternately in
contrary directions. To the brake spindle is attached either one end of a
strong spiral or volute spring. the other end of which is attached to the framing,
so that the spindle, on revolving in one direction or the other. either winds up
or unwinds the same, or a drum may be fixed upon the spindle, upon which a
cord or chain carrying a weight suspended is wound, and the revolving of the
spindle in one direction or the other may thereby cause the weight either to
rise or fall, or the spindle may be connected by cranks or by gearing to the
piston rod of a cylinder containing air, steam, or other compressible and
expansible gas or fluid, or a liquid that is caused to rise or fall in a pipe
connected with the cylinder by the motion of the piston, or any other known
contrivance may be employed by which if the brake spindle revolves in one
direction it accumulates power. which power is capable of being afterwards
expended in causing the spindle to revolve in the reverse direction By this
arrangement it will be seen that if the engine shaft or the axle of the vehicle
is revolving in one direction. both the before-mentioned bevil wheels upon the
same being out of gear with the wheel on the brake spindle. and it is required
to retard the rotary motion of the shaft or axle; then by putting one of the
bevil wheels upon the same in gear with the brake wheel, the brake spindle
may be caused to rotate in that direction in which it winds up the spring.
raises the weight or column of fluid, or compresses the elastic fluid or gas, or,
in other words, accumulates work in an opposite sense to the motion of the
shaft or spindle, and thereby gradually retards, and eventually stops the
rotary motion of the same If now the second bevil wheel is put in gear
with the brake wheel, the first one being also still in gear, then the shaft or
axle will come to a dead stop, as no rotary motion of the wheels is then
possible. If it is then required to start the machine or vehicle again, then,
by putting the first-named wheel out of gear with the brake wheel, the accu-
mulated power will cause the brake spindle, and with it the brake wheel to
revolve in the reverse direction to what it did at first; but owing to the
second wheel on the shaft or axle being now in gear instead of the first, the
reversed motion of the brake spindle and wheel will still cause the shaft or

page_text: axle to revolve in the same direction which it had at first, and will thus assist
in starting the machine, engine, or vehicle
In another arrangement, where the apparatus is applied to a carriage or
vehicle in which the wheels rotate upon fixed axles, 1 fix a bevil wheel upon
the inner face of one or more of the road wheels. and upon a brake spindle I
fix two other bevil wheels in such a manner that they revolve with the same,
but are free to move in a longitudinal direction: they are placed in such
positions that they may alternately or both together be put in or out of gear
with the bevil wheel upon the road wheel To the biake spindle I connect
any arrangement of mechanism similar to those before described. by which
power is caused to be accumulated by its rotation in one direction. and given
off when it rotates in the reverse direction The manner of working this
arrangement will be as follows. If it be required to brake or retard the revo-
lution of the road wheel, then that particular brake wheel is put in gear with
he bevil wheel fixed to the road wheel, which, by being caused to revolve by
the motion of the carriage. carries the brake spindle round in the direction in
which it accumulates work, whilst if it is afterwards required to assist the
starting of the vehicle, the second brake wheel is put in gear with the bevil
wheel upon the road wheel and the first brake wheel is put out of gear,
whereby the accumulated power in causing the brake spindle to revolve in the
contrary duection to what it did at first will still cause the road wheel to be
impelled forward in the same direction that it had before stopping; or,
instead of the before-described apparatus. I arrange any other contrivance
whereby the stopping of the machine. engine, or vehicle is effected by the
overcoming and accumulation of a resisting power, which accumulated resisting
power may subsequently be caused to act agam in such a reversed manner
upon the machine, engine, or vehicle, that it assists in starting the same in
the direction in which it moved at first
Figures and 2 on the accompanying Diawing shew one arrangement
of this Invention Figure 1 shows an elevation, and Figure 2 shows a plan
of the same, similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in both Figures.
The "power conserver brake" is in this case supposed to be applied to a
stationary steam engine. of which A is the crank shaft, B is the crank. C is
part of the fly wheel. Upon the crank shaft A are situated two bevil wheels
D, D', capable of sliding along the crank shaft to a certain extent but caused
to revolve with the same. E is the brake spindle upon one end of which is fixed
the bevel wheel F whilst to the other end is attached the inner extremity of
a spiral spring G, serving as the accumulator of power The outer extremity
of this spring is attached to the casing H fixed to the engine framing, so that

page_text: on the brake spindle E being caused to revolve in the direction of the arrow
it effects the winding up of the spring. whilst the pressure of the spring when
wound up, will tend to cause the spindle to revolve in the contrary direction.
The bevil wheels D, D', are so arranged that by means of the levers I, I',
and J they are alternately put in and out of gear with the bevil wheel F, upon
opposite sides of the same, and to the back of the latter is fixed a ratchet
wheel K, with a paul L worked by a lever M.
From this arrangement it will be seen that if the crank shaft A and fly
wheel C are caused by the engine to revolve in the duection indicated by
the arrows, and it be required to stop or retard the motion of the engine, then
by putting the bevel wheel D', in gear with the brake wheel F, this latter will
be caused to revolve in the direction of the ariow, and in thereby effecting
the winding up of the spiral spring G, will oppose such a resistance to the
motion of the crank shaft, as to stop or retard the same to the requisite
degree If now it be required to assist in starting the engine again in the same
direction, or to increase its motion, then by putting the wheel D' out of gear
and the wheel D in gear with the wheel F. (the pawl L preventing the
reversed motion of the wheel F whilst this is being effected) and then throwing
the pawl L out of gear, the accumulatel power contained in the spring G will
cause the brake spindle E and wheel F to revolve in the direction contrary to
that indicated by the arrow, and these will carry the wheel D and consequently
also the crank shaft A in the direction of the arrows, being the same direction
in which they revolved at first Should it on the other hand be required to
start the engine in the reverse direction to what it moved in when the power
was accumulated then the wheel D would have to remain in gear and the
pawl L would simply have to be thrown out of gear
Figures 3 and 4 shew an arrangement similar to that just described
Figure 3 shews a sectional elevation, and Figure 4 shows a plan of the same.
In this case a bevil wheel D is fixed to the fly wheel C on the crank shaft
A of a stationary steam engine, and the brake spindle E is provided with
two bevil wheels F, F, arranged to slide upon, but revolve with the same,
being put alternately in gear with the wheel D upon opposite sides of the
same, by means of suitable engaging and disengaging levers, similar to those
shown in Figures 1 and 2, but not shown in this arrangement. As in the
arrangement shown the brake spindle E has to pass over the engine shaft A, the
bevel wheels D, F, F', must be "skew bevels" Upon the brake spindle E is
fixed a drum or pulley G, upon the circumference of which one end of the rope
or chain H is made fast. The other end of the rope or chain is attached to the
piston rod I of the piston J, working in a water-tight manner in the metal

page_text: cylinder K fixed in any suitable manner. The lower extremity of this cylinder is,
by preference, left open, whilst the upper end is closed and provided with a stuffing
box for the piston rod I, and is made to communicate with a stand pipe L of any
required height and of a considerably smaller diameter than the cylinder K.
The cylinder K, piston rod I, and rope or chain II ate made of such a length
as to correspond with the greatest amount of motion required of the drum G.
By this arrangement, if the piston J be at the lower extremity of the
cylinder K, and this latter be full of water, then, assuming the engine shaft
to be revolving in the direction of the arrow, and that it be required to stop
or retard the motion of the same, if the bevil wheel F¹ be put in gear with
the wheel D, this latter will cause the brake spindle to revolve in the direction
of the arrow, whereby the piston J will be raised in the cylinder K, forcing
the water contained in the same up the stand pipe L, the increasing column
in which will cause an equivalent increasing pressure on the surface of the
piston until such opposing pressure will have sufficiently retarded the motion
of the engine shaft or will have caused it to stop If now the wheel Fl be
put out of gear and the wheel F be put in gear with the wheel D and the
pawl M be liberated from the ratchet wheel M, then the pressure of the
accumulated column of water in the stand pipe L will effect the downward
motion of the piston J, whereby the brake spindle will be caused to revolve
in the reverse direction to the arrow and will impart motion to or accelerate
the motion of the engine shaft in the same direction in which it moved at
first.
The before-described arrangements are only applicable to engines, machinery,
or carriages moving at slow speeds, as for quick speeds the shock of putting
the cog wheels in gear would be too great and liable to cause the stripping off of
the teeth. These arrangements may, however, be rendered applicable to high
speeds also either by the employment of Robertson's grooved frictional gearing
instead of toothed wheels, or by making use of a modified arrangement as
shewn in Figure 5, which is equally applicable to the arrangement shown at
Figures and 2, and to that shewn at Figures 3 and 4 A is either the
crank shaft or axle, or the brake spindle; B, B', are two bevil wheels loose
on the shaft and permanently in gear with the bevil wheel C, which
is either the brake wheel, or the wheel upon the crank shaft or axle The
wheels B, B', are held in position by the collars a, a, on the shaft A, and
are provided with hollow cones b, b', with which the conical friction clutches
D, D', sliding upon, but revolving with the shaft A, are alternately put in
gear by means of any suitable engaging and disengaging apparatus, not shown
on the Drawing. It follows that if the shaft A, which we will assume to be

page_text: the engine shaft or axle, be revolving in the direction of the arrow, and the
clutch D' be put in gear, the motion of the wheel C will be effected in the
direction of the arrow, whereby, say, power will be accumulated by any suitable
contrivance, and the motion of the shaft A stopped or retarded, whilst if the
clutch D¹ be put out of gear, and the clutch D be put in gear, the accumu-
lated power will cause the wheel C to revolve in the reverse direction to that
indicated by the arrow, and will effect the motion of the shaft or axle A, in
the same direction to that which it moved in at first. It will be evident that
if A be the brake spindle, the action will be precisely similar to that described
with reference to Figures 3 and 4, with the exception that the bevil wheels
always remain in gear, and motion is communicated to them by means of the
conical friction clutches. If A is the engine shaft and both the clutches D, D¹,
are out of gear, the wheels B, B'. remain stationary and the shaft revolves in
them; if A is the brake spindle, and the clutches are out of gear, then the
wheel C fixed upon the engine shaft will, when in motion cause the
wheels B, B', to. revolve upon the brake spindle in opposite directions.
Although I have shown the herein-before described arrangements of the
"Power Conserver Brake" as applied to stationary steam engines, yet they
are equally applicable for stopping and starting machinery in general,
locomotive engines, and railway and other carriages. The Invention is
particularly applicable to single cylinder steam engines, whether stationary or
locomotive, in order to get the crank over the dead point when the motion of
the engine has stopped at end stroke.
Figures 6 and 7 show another arrangement for carrying out the principles
of this Invention as applied to locomotive engines, or to railway or other
carriages; Figure 6 shews a sectional elevation, and Figure 7 shows a
sectional plan of the same. A is a wheel of the locomotive or carriage to
which is fixed a drum B, shown partly in section and partly in plan in Figure 7,
and having firstly a groove b, formed upon its circumference, and carrying
secondly a loose grooved ring C capable of sliding round upon, it being kept
in position by the studs c, working in a groove in the drum as shown. This
ring C has a pawl D attached to it, which is kept in gear by the spring d,
with the ratchet wheel E fixed to the drum B, by which arrangement the
ring C is capable of sliding upon the drum in the direction of the arrow, but
must carry the drum B and wheel A with it when caused to revolve in the
contrary direction; F is the power conserver or accumulator drum, shown
partly in plan and partly in section at Figure 7, which drum turns loose upon
the fixed spindle G carried by brackets H, from the framing of the carriage

page_text: or locomotive I. Inside the drum F is a strong volute spring J, the inner
end of which is fixed to the spindle G, whilst the outer extremity is attached
to the circumference of the drum F, so that if the drum is caused to revolve
in the direction indicated by the arrow, the spring will be wound up, whilst
if it revolves in the reverse direction the spring will become unwound. Upon
the external circumference of the drum F are formed two circular grooves f, f,
corresponding in position respectively with the grooves b and C on the brake
drum B, and upon one rim of the drum are formed the ratchet teeth K,
in such a manner that when the pawl L is in gear with them the drum can
only revolve in the direction of the arrow, namely, in that direction in which
the spring J becomes wound up, whilst if the pawl L is drawn out of gear
by means of the rod or rope M, the drum is at liberty to revolve in the reverse
direction. A rope or chain N, N, is wound once or twice loosely round the
groove b of the drum B, and is then passed in a direct manner to the groove /
of the drum F, where it is also passed once or several times round, the ends
being passed through holes in the drum and made fast to. the same in any
suitable manner as shown at X. A second rope or chain O, O, is wound
once or twice loosely round the groove in the loose ring C, on the drum B;
it is then crossed as shown, and passed once or several times round the
groove, on the drum F to the surface of which the ends are likewise
made fast in any suitable manner, as shewn at Y. A rod P capable of being
moved to a certain extent vertically up and down by means of any suitable
arrangement of levers attached to the carriage or locomotive, is provided
with two rollers or pullies Q, R, so arranged that if the rod P be, for
example, raised, the pulley Q presses upon the upper rope or chain N and
in thereby tightening it causes it to "nip" upon the drum B, whilst if the
rod P be depressed the pulley R, in depressing the crossed rope or chain O, O,
tightens the same and causes it to nip upon the ring C.
From the above described arrangement it will be seen that if the carriage or
locomotive is moving in the direction of the arrow, and it be required to stop or
retard its motion, then, by raising the rod P the rope or chain N, N, 1s caused
to nip upon the drum B, and the rotation of this latter will then cause the
rotation of the drum F in the direction of the arrow, by which the spring J
will be wound up, and by thus opposing the motion of the carriage, will cause
it eventually to stop or will retard its speed to the required degree, as, by the
motion of the drum F the rope or chain O, O, is being caused to travel round
the drum B in the reverse direction to that in which the latter is revolving,
the rope or chain, although loose, might thereby be caused to nip upon the

page_text: drum, in which case the ring C will simply be dragged round upon the drum
in the direction of the arrow without thereby impeding its motion in the
contrary direction to any appreciable extent. If now it be required to assist
in starting the carriage again in the same direction in which it moved at first,
or to increase its speed again, then, by depressing the rod P the rope or
chain 0, 0, will be caused to nip upon the ring C, and if the paul L be now
drawn out of gear with the ratchet teeth K, the accumulated power contained
in the wound-up spring J, will drag the drum F round in the direction con-
trary to that indicated by the arrow, and will thereby effect the motion of the
drum B and of the wheel A in the same direction in which it moves at first.
If the cariage be in motion in the direction of the arrow and the power
conserver drum be not in use, then the ropes or chain N, N, O, O. being
stationary and loose, will simply slip upon the drum B If the carriage be
in motion in the reverse direction to that indicated by the arrow, then the
rope 0, 0, will act as the power conserver rope and the rope N, N, will act
as the power expending rope, or the rope P will have to be depressed for
stopping the carriage, and raised for starting it.
Figures 8 and 9 shew another arrangement of this Invention as applied to
carriages running upon rails or upon common roads. Figure 8 shows a
sectional elevation of the same, and Figure 9 shews an end elevation. A is
the wheel of the carriage, upon the axle B of which is fixed a spur wheel C,
and a grooved pulley D. E is a strong spiral spring of any required length,
which is held between the end of the frame piece F, (fixed by means of the
pin G and bracket II to the carriage 1) and the end of the moveable forked
frame J, the arms of which pass through guides f, f', formed on the fixed
frame F. The upper and lower arms j, 1, of the frame Jare continued beyond
the end of the frame F to an extent corresponding with the length of the
spring E when not compressed; the upper arm is provided with a toothed
rack upon its lower surface, the teeth of which correspond with those of the
spur wheel C, and upon its upper surface it is provided with ratchet teeth as
shewn. The lower fork j is formed either with a V projection on its upper
surface, as shewn corresponding with the V groove of the pulley D, or the
surfaces of the pulley and of the arm may be roughed to produce the requisite
friction when in contact. The arms 1, 1', of the frame J are carried by the
slotted brake lever K, the upper arm 1 sliding in grooves formed in the same,
as shewn in the end elevation, and the lower arm ;' being carried by the
roller L attached to the lever. The lever K is capable of being moved up
and down to a small extent by means of suitable mechanism attached to the

page_text: carriage, the downward motion of the same causing the rack on the arm ; to
be put in gear with the spur wheel C whilst the upward motion draws the
rack out of gear and puts the arm in gear with the grooved pulley D The
brake lever is steadied in its motion by the guide M fixed to the framing of
the carriage, it has attached to it a pawl N which can be put in and out of
The
gear with the ratchet teeth on the arm 7 by means of the rope or rod n
1
action of this apparatus will be as follows. If the carriage be moving in the
direction of the arrow, and it be desired to stop the same, then, by depressing
the brake lever K and thus putting the rack on the arm, in gear with the spur
wheel C, the frame J will be drawn forward in the direction of the arrow and the
spring E will thereby be compressed until its resistance to further compression
causes the carriage to stop by preventing the rotation of the wheel A If now it
be required to assist in starting the carriage in the same direction again, then, by
raising the lever K, thereby drawing the arm ; out of gear with the spur
wheel C. and putting the arm in gear with the grooved pulley D, and sub-
sequently drawing the pawl N out of gear with the ratchet teeth of the arm j.
the pressure of the compressed spring E will draw the frame J in the contrary
direction to that of the arrow and will thereby cause or assist in the motion of
the carriage in the same direction as at first. As for high velocities, the
objection to the use of toothed gearing as already mentioned would occur,
it is preferred in such cases to provide the wheel C and arm, with Robertson's
grooved frictional gearing As already stated with reference to previously
described arrangements, any other contrivance may be employed instead of a
spiral or volute spring by which in opposing a resistance to motion in a certain
direction, power is accumulated or stored up in such a manner as to be capable
of being expended or given out again when required. Such before-described
apparatus when applied to railway trains, may be attached to as many of the
carriages or trucks as will render the aggregate power of the same propor-
tionate to the moving load and the speed at which it is required to
travel.
'
Ilaving now described the nature of this Invention as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, and the best means I am acquainted with of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood, that I do not limit myself
to the precise arrangements of apparatus as herein-before described with
reference to the accompanying Drawing, as the same may be variously modi-
fed without departing from the nature of this Invention; neither do I claim
the mechanical parts or elements of which the various apparatuses herein
described are or may be composed, as being, separate and apart from the

page_text: combination and application thereof as described, any part of the Invention
comprised in the said Letters Patent But claim the construction and
employment of apparatus for stopping or retarding the motion of machinery,
locomotive, or other engines, and carriages or vehicles of any description, in
which the power expended in stopping or retarding such motion is accumulated
or stored up by such apparatus and is subsequently given out again by the
same in such a manner as to assist in again communicating motion to or
accelerating the motion of the machinery, locomotive, or other engines, and
carriages or vehicles of any description.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Gerhard Van der Byl, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
DG VAN DER RVL. (10)
Witness,
5
C. D. ABEL,
20, Southampton Buildings, W.C.
D CVAN DER RVL
(10)