Means and Apparatus for Automatically Assisting the Starting of Tramcars and other Vehicles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Means and Apparatus for Automatically Assisting the Starting of
Tramcars and other Vehicles.
We ALFRED WILLIAM WHITE of North End Portsmouth, Tramway Manager, and
CHARLES WILLIAM GAUNTLETT of Somers Road Southsea, Fitter, both in the County
of Hampshire 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 has for its object to provide simple and efficient means for auto-
matically assisting and thereby facilitating the starting of tramcars and other wheeled
vehicles (other than motors) from a state of rest.
To start any vehicle the tractive power is exerted in or about the horizontal plane
against the dead weight of the vehicle which weight with the friction of the carrying
wheels upon the road alone causes the said wheels to be rotated. According to our
invention in addition to the above we cause the first part of the tractive power applied
to. be utilized to impart also a rotary motion to a pair of the carrying wheels. To this
end we key fast upon the axle of the pair of wheels a flanged or rimmed disc provided
with gripping devices which when the vehicle is at rest fall to a position of maximum
leverage upon the said disc, but when the starting pull is exerted the said devices
will grip the disc and turn the axle forward through a certain are and then remain
disengaged from the disc until the tractive pull ceases when the parts will be returned
to position for the next pull.
We will now fully describe our invention in reference to the accompanying drawings
in which Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 a plan of the apparatus, Figure 3 is
an elevation showing the arrangement of parts when applied to a vehicle, and
Figure 4 a plan of a detail hereinafter explained.
A is an axle of a pair of carrying wheels to which is keyed fast a circular disc B
(which may conveniently be about 6" in diameter) provided with a flange or rim 6
rectangular in cross section. To either side of disc B is applied a gripping plate C
with a flange c on its inner side fitting over the inner side of rim b, these two
plates C Care connected together rigidly by strong stay bolts c¹ c¹: D is a curved
gripping lever centered on bolt d between the plates C C, having a flat surface at d¹ to
engage the outside of the rim of disc B. The free end of this lever D is connected
by an operating bar E to the tractive power. The connections may be conveniently
arranged as illustrated in Figure 3 wherein T is the bottom of a tramcar, T¹ the
driver's platform, t a cross bar of its frame through which the bar E passes and which
acts as a guide. The bar E is connected to a lever L which is centered at on a slotted
bracket P, or it may be between two brackets P P, firmly bolted to the frame T: The
lever L normally lies back as in Figure 3 and the power is connected to its upper
extremity in any convenient manner. When the pull is exerted the lever is drawn
forward as shown dotted, lateral motion being prevented by the brackets PP, or
the slot if one bracket only be used. The travel of the bar E is limited by a stop e
arranged upon it inside a bracket W bolted to the under frame in such a manner and
position as is illustrated, the said travel may be about 4" which is determined in a
forward direction by beam t and in a rearward direction by the said bracket W. S is
a strong spring acting between bracket W and an adjustable nuts and its function is
to hold the bar E in its rearward position when the car is at rest, that is, when no
tractive power is applied to L. At that time the parts take the normal positions shown
in hard lines in Figures 1 and 3, but when power is applied to lever L by the motor
or horses the parts move to the position indicated by dotted lines, the spring S is com-
pressed and the pull on lever D causes it to lift the plates C, when their flanges cc.
gripping both sides of the inner rim simultaneously with the engaging grip d¹ of

page_text: lever D with the outer rim exert a rotary action upon the disc B which turns the axle A
through an are equal to the distance from the point of first grip to the point of
release. When this is accomplished the parts remain in the forward position determined
by the engagement of the stop e with the beam t and so long as tractive power is
applied the disc is free to rotate, but when that power is not exerted the parts are
returned to normal position by spring S. M is a plate forming a mud guard and
supported by rods m m and axle A and it is formed as illustrated at m¹ so that if or
when the car travels in the backward direction it will engage the plates CC and
prevent the grip taking place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. The herein before described means of automatically assisting the starting of
vehicles consisting in utilizing the first part of the tractive power applied to impart a
rotary motion to an axle of a pair of carrying wheels substantially in the manner
set forth.
2. The application to an axle A of a flanged or rimmed disc B having applied
to it gripping plates C and gripping lever D connected to and operated direct by the
tractive power substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination of axle A, disc B gripping devices C and D, rod E, lever L,
stope and spring S all arranged and operating substantially in the manner and for the
purposes set forth..
4. The combination of parts as a whole arranged substantially as set forth in respect
to the drawing annexet.
1190 f August:800
800
y of August
J. C. CHAPMAN, Fel. Inst. Patent Agents,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for Applicants.