Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for the Propulsion of Tram-cars and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 11th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 11th June 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for the Propulsion of
Tram-cars and other Vehicles.
I, HOWARD LANE, of Corporation Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to a novel combination and arrangement of machinery or
apparatus for the propulsion of tramcars and other vehicles of the like kind, and it
consists substantially of a prime mover such as a suitable gas or oil engine, in
combination with an air or spring accumulator and a secondary motor of a hydraulic
type (that is to say, operated by the pressure of a liquid) capable of having its
effective power varied automatically or otherwise by varying as required the length
of stroke of its crankpin or crankpins.
In order to put my invention in operation I arrange upon the tramcar a gas or
oil engine of a suitable size and character.
This motor runs continuously, independently of the stopping or starting of the
vehicle. In the case of a gas engine, the gas is stored in steel cylinders into which
it is charged at the terminal stations once or twice a day. This engine or motor
continually pumps oil or other non-elastic fluid into a pneumatic or spring
accumulator. The car itself is driven by a hydraulic secondary motor which is
controlled by the attendant's lever, which is so arranged that it reduces as required
the stroke of the hydraulic motor, and converts it when desired from a motor to a
pump, by well-known methods of valve arrangement. This secondary motor is
driven by the liquid from the pneumatic accumulator first described, but when it
is converted by reversal of its valves into a pump, then it supplements the gas
motor, by forcing the liquid into the accumulator. In this way the momentum of
the tram-car is usefully stored when stopping or going down hill, and the power
gained can be re-used.
The working fluid being non-elastic the hydraulic motor can usefully have its
power increased or decreased by the simple expedient of increasing or decreasing
the stroke of its plungers, and consequently, the corresponding consumption of the
working fluid.
When moving on a level road, the stroke of the hydraulic motor plungers is so
regulated as to give the correct speed of car. As a hill is approached, the stroke
of these plungers is increased, and the store in the accumulator drawn on at a
somewhat greater rate than the gas engine, with its uniform speed, charges it. On
going down a slight hill, the plungers of the motor are put at a point in which they
have no motion at all, the crank pin or pins rotating on a centre, without stroke.
If a steep hill has to be descended, the plungers are converted to a greater or less
extent, into pumps, and so store up energy which would, under ordinary methods,
be wasted. In stopping the car also, the pump action is made use of to such an
extent as desired, the maximum being such a stroke as will cause the driving wheels
of the car to skid. This should never be used except in emergencies as it means
loss of power, whereas so long as the wheels rotate no matter what the resistance is,
all the energy is saved. The driving wheels of the car are preferably driven from
the hydraulic motor axle by a chain wheel.
By my invention great saving of weight is effected. The gas engine could he
made of light forged steel, and may have 2 or 3 cylinders.

page_text: There is, of course, an absence of steam, noise, and smoke, stoking and engine
driving. The motor is placed on the tram-car itself, the vehicle being complete
and capable of being managed by one man, there is economy in fuel and repairs,
small capital expenditure, the power usually lost in stopping and in brake action is
saved and utilized in imparting motion to the car. Variable power to suit different
grades and loads is obtained without the use of gearing.
Wear and tear of the permanent way are reduced by the use of lighter and fewer
vehicles in proportion to the traffic.
Dated this 11th day of June 1896.
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for the Propulsion of
Tram-cars and other Vehicles.
I, HOWARD LANE, of Corporation Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, 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, that is to say:-
My invention relates to a novel combination and arrangement of machinery or
apparatus for the propulsion of tramcars and other vehicles of the like kind, and it
consists substantially of a prime mover such as a suitable gas or oil engine, arranged
upon and carried by the tramear, in combination with an air or spring accumulator
and with a secondary motor of a hydraulic type (that is to say, operated by the
pressure of a liquid), capable of having its effective power varied automatically or
otherwise by varying as required the length of stroke of its crankpin or crank pins.
The accompanying drawings are in illustration of my invention, Figure 1 being
a side view showing the combination of the apparatus described; and Figure 2
being a side view of a traincar carrying and driven by the apparatus.
In order to put my invention in operation I arrange and fix upon the tramcar a a
gas or oil engine b of a suitable size and character.
This motor bruns continuously, independently of the stopping or starting of the
vehicle. In the case of a gas engine, the gas by which it is driven is stored, at a
sufficiently high pressure, in steel cylinders, not shown in the drawings, into which
it is charged at the terminal stations once or twice a day by steam or other available
power. This engine or motor b upon the tramcar continually pumps, by means of
pumps actuated by it, oil or other non-elastic fluid through the pipes shown, from
a reservoir into a pneumatic or spring accumulator c, that is to say, against the
pressure of air (as shown in Figure 1), or against a piston forced down in a cylinder
by a sufficiently powerful spring or springs. The car itself is driven by a hydraulic
secondary motor d of any of the ordinary well-known kinds, preferably consisting
(as indicated in the drawings) of three oscillating cylinders e connected to a single
crankpin f, and provided with the necessary distributing valves and gear, which
gear is controlled by a lever, under the control of an attendant. If necessary, the
motor can be converted when desired from a motor to a pump, by well-known
methods of valve arrangement, by which, instead of operating as a motor, the
position of the crankpin at f is altered to fi so that as it continues to revolve by the
movement of the tramcar, it forces the liquid into the accumulator e already
described, against the pressure of the air or spring in the latter, and so operates as
a retarding brake to the car, and it thus supplements the gas motor b, by forcing
the liquid back into the accumulator c. In this way, too, the momentum of the

page_text: tram-car a is usefully stored when stopping or going down hill, and the power
gained can be re-used.
The working fluid being non-elastic the hydraulic motor d can usefully hav: its
power increased or decreased by the simple expedient of increasing or decreasing
the stroke of its plungers as described, the corresponding consumption of the
working fluid being similarly varied.
.
When moving on a level road, the stroke of the hydraulic motor plungers is so
regulated as to give the proper desired speed of the car. As a hill is approached
the stroke of these plungers is increased by the attendant as described, and the
store in the accumulator c is drawn on at a somewhat greater rate than the gas
engine b, with its uniform speed, charges it. On going down a slight hill, the
plungers of the motor d are put at a point in which they have no motion at all, the
crankpin f, or pins, rotating at the centre d', without stroke. If a steep hill has
to be descended, the plungers are converted by the attendant to a greater or less
extent, into pumps, by shifting the crankpin fto f1, and so they store up energy
which would, under ordinary methods, be wasted. In stopping the car a also, the
same pump action is made use of as a brake to such an extent as desired, the.
maximum movement of the crank pin f towards f being sufficient to give such a
length of stroke as will cause the driving wheels of the car to skid. This however
should never be done except in emergencies, as it means loss of power, whereas so
long as the wheels rotate no matter what the resistance is, all the energy is saved..
The driving wheels of the car a are preferably driven from the axle of the hydraulic
motor d by chain wheels 9, 9, and chain h.
By my invention, in which varying leverage of the motor is obtained by varying
the stroke of the plungers, great saving of weight is effected. The gas engine can
be made of light forged steel, and may have 2 or 3 cylinders. By the change of
the motor engine d to a pump every time the tramcar a is stopped to take up or put.
down passengers, and on going down hill, the waste of power involved in the sul
way by putting on a brake is avoided, the power in each case being stored in the
reservoir or accumulator c.
There is, of course, an absence of steam, noise, and smoke, stoking and engine
driving. The motor d is placed on the tram-car a itself, the vehicle being complete-
and capable of being managed by one man, there is economy in fuel and repairs,.
small capital expenditure, the power usually lost in stopping and in brake action is
saved and utilized in imparting motion to the car. Variable power to suit different
grades and loads is obtained without the use of gearing, as described.
Wear and tear of the permanent way are reduced by the use of lighter and fewer
vehicles in proportion to the traffic.
My invention is applicable to other vehicles as well as to tramcars.
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. In machinery or apparatus for the propulsion of tramcars or other vehicles,.
the combination-upon the vehicle-of a gas engine or other motive power engine b
pumps 6', accumulator c, hydraulic motor d with means for varying the stroke of
its plungers or converting it from a motor to a pump, all arranged and operating.
substantially in the manner described and illustrated.
2. In combination with the motive power engine 6, pumps 6', accumulator c, and
hydraulic motor d, the crankpin driven by the plungers of the motor d, and
adjustable to any desired distance between fand f'.
البعد
CML 100°
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.