Improvements in Apparatus for Starting, Stopping, and Re-starting Tram-oars or other Vehicles.
Year: 1894

page_text: '
Date of Application. 10th July, 1894
omplete Specification Left, 10th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Starting, Stopping, and Re-starting
Tram-oars or other Vehicles.
1, JOHN RAWLINGS, of 27, Rignold Road, Camberwell, London, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an apparatus by which the energy due to the momentum
of a tram-car or other vehicle in motion, is in the act of arresting such motion
stored up by the compression or extension of a spring or springs, and is utilised for
re-starting the vehicle or lessening the power required for re-starting; another
part of the apparatus being only used for assisting to give initial motion to the
vehicle.
Under my invention I fix upon one of the axles of the vehicle two spur wheels,
above and beneath each of these is placed a rack, which by means of shafts, levers,
cranks, straps and rollers can be made to gear with the spur wheels, or be put out
of gear with them; sometimes the upper or lower or all the racks have to be
cranked and curved; one end of each rack is attached to a crosshead which is
fixed to a plate or short cylinder, the crosshead slides in suitable guides, the plate
or short cylinder is fixed to or rests against a spiral spring or springs which are
supported by a tube or framing-another spiral spring with plate or short cylinder
and guides may be arranged to engage the other plate or short cylinder and the
crosshead-fixed to the crosshead are two pawls, each having springs to lessen the
concussion when engaging the ratchet bars. By means of cranks and levers a bar
can be operated to disengage the pawls. A locking arrangement prevents the
spring or springs which store the energy due to momentum from acting when the
racks are not in gear with the pinions or spur wheels. The tube or framing which
supports the springs and other parts of the apparatus rests upon the axles. Some
or all of the teeth of the racks are pivotted so that when the racks have returned to
their normal position and also under certain circumstances the teeth will not
prevent the pinions from revolving.
Attached to the framing is a double pinion, the larger of which gears with a
rack from which a rope or chain passes to the end of the vehicle so that a pull
may be applied to it; to a rack which gears with the smaller pinion is attached a
bar having a projection, which by means of a lever can be made to engage the
crosshead beforementioned.
To stop the vehicle, a lever is moved which places the upper or lower racks, as
the case may be, into gear with the pinions or spur wheels, which extend or
compress the spring or springs, and so retard or stop the vehicle; the pawls
preventing the spring or springs from imparting motion. To re-start, the other
racks are put into gear with the spur wheels or pinioas by means of the levers, the
pawls are disengaged from the ratchet bars, and as the spring or springs return to
their normal state, the wheels are rotated in the proper direction.
To start the vehicle initially, a pull is applied to the rope, bar or chain attached
to the rack which gears with the larger pinion, this as it rotates causes the chain,
rope or bar attached to the rack which gears with the smaller pinion to bring the
projection (suitably placed by a lever) to engage the crosshead, and so compress
or extend the spring or springs; on the pawls being disengaged from the ratchet

page_text: bars the spring or springs act as beforementioned. A spiral spring attached to
the ropes, bars, chains or racks returns the pinions to their normal positions.
Each axle may be connected with the other by chain gearing and pinions.
Only one pinion may be used to gear with the racks for stopping and re-starting,
and the apparatus modified to suit, and in some cases the pinions may be fixed to
the hubs of the wheels.
Dated this Tenth day of Jul 1804
JOHN RAWLINGS,
27, Rignold Road, Camberwell, London.
Improvements in Apparatus for Starting, Stopping, and Re-starting
Tram-cars or other Vehicles.
I, JOHN RAWLINGS of 27, Rignold Road, Camberwell, London, 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 :-
My invention relates to an apparatus by which the energy due to the momentum
of a tram-car or other vehicle in motion, is in the act of arresting such motion;
stored up by the compression or extension of a spring or springs, and is utilised for
re-starting the vehicle, or lessening the power required for re-starting; another
part of the apparatus being only used for assisting to give initial motion to the
vehicle.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will now describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings of which
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a part plan, part side elevation, and end
elevation of the apparatus. A is a tube suspended from the axles, N are two
ratchets fixed on top of the slides O to engage the pawls M. The spindles of the
pawls are rigidly fixed to them and to the two levers L, which carry a spindle
having a roller on it and resting upon the bar K; this bar is hung in links near
the axle, and has an eye at the other end through which a pin passes to attach it
to the jaws at lower part of a lever K', which is moved by the spindle (shewn
broken off in Fig. 1) which is fixed to the lever J, the spindle of I passes
through and rests upon J. P is a locking arrangement fixed to the rod G.
This rod (shewn broken off at one end, see Fig. 5) is curved under axle and
attached to the lever g for moving the quadrant pinions E, which, engaging the
racks of the straps D, raise or lower the racks B (see Fig. 9) the shaft passes
across to the other side, where there are similar levers, quadrant pinions, racks and
straps. The ends of the arms D' from these straps are turned down, cross shape
in section, and slide vertically in cross shaped guides D", the lower parts of straps
being guided by e. D" and the bearings of shaft F are carried by brackets
extending from the wings of the tube A. Racks with suitable guides, neither of
which are shewn on drawings, gear with the double pinions c and d, whose axles
are placed in plummer blocks carried by a saddle fixed to the tube. A rope or
chain attached to the end of the rack which gears with the smaller pinion, passes
to the eye k, Fig. 4, and a rope or chain attached to the end of the rack which
gears with the larger pinion passes along X, through x and x. The double
pinions, racks, guides and ropes are part of the arrangement for initially starting
the vehicle, and when it is intended to work the apparatus from both ends of the
vehicle, these, the bars G and Q, lever g, and the parts shewn in Fig. 4 have to be
in duplicate. The racks B are attached to the crosshead b, which is fixed to
cheeks of pawl frames and to slide blocks, which move along slides by slots in

page_text: tube A; these slide blocks are fixed to a plate, or to the cylinder a, Fig. 13. In
Fig. 2 the bar G is shewn broken off, and the lever f, see Fig. 5, omitted, so as not
to interfere with the view of the pawl M.
Fig. 4 is an elevation and part section of a portion of arrangement for initially
starting the vehicle; k and the screwed plug m (the latter has projections and n)
are rigidly fixed in the tube Y, which can slide along the slotted tube p, this at one
end has a plug rigidly fixed in it with a square projection fitting into the lever o
for causing the tube p to rotate, it being free to turn in the bracket q, and so
cause the projection to engage the crosshead b; land n slide along slots in the
tube P. The rod is fixed to tube p and can pass through an eye in the projection l,
it has a spiral spring on it to bring the arrangement to the position shewn in the
figure. A bracket from X supports q. A rope or chain passes from as before
described.
Fig. 5 is a portion of rod G and lever for causing the racks to engage or
disengage the spur wheels.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a pawl. The upper part is free to slide on the
lower, and the former is guided by passing through the latter at both ends, the
spindle M' having a spiral spring on it to bring it to the position shewn in figure.
The pawl is pivoted in cheeks, which are fixed to the slide blocks and crosshead.
Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a pivoted tooth of rack, the bottom left hand corner
is cut away, so that when the bar U, Fig. 11, is lowered, the projections on it will
not engage the tooth. The rectangular perforation is for a bar W₁ to pass
through, the latter being attached to the tooth by a pin through the circular hole
in Fig. 8, so as to keep the teeth equidistant; the bar passes to slot, see Fig. 12.
The spur wheel acts upon the right hand side of the tooth.
Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a pivoted tooth, shewing swelling for pin.
Fig. 9 is a back elevation of upper portion of strap for moving the racks
vertically. The rack frame (in this case, formed of chaunel and angle irons, which
are joined at both extremities) rests on the two rollers on the lower side and has a
larger roller at top. V may be moved vertically in the slot shewn in Fig. 10;
when it is lowered, it causes the bar U, Figs. 9 and 11, (which is supported by a
roller carried on a continuation of V) to move, so that its projections cease to
engage the tooth.
Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the arrangement for moving V, Fig. 9, up or down.
Dis the strap, Fig. 9, which has an arm S, carrying the bell crank lever R, worked
by the rod Q, which has a bracket fixed to it, the spindle T (which passes loosely
through an eye in this bracket) attached to the arm S has a spiral spring, which
presses against the bracket, and assists in bringing the parts to the positions shewn
in figure.
Fig. 11 shews part of rack framing, tooth and projections for engaging it on
the bar U, catch and projection V for moving the bar U, and part of arm S,
Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is an elevation (one side of rack framing being omitted) of arrangement
for causing the rod W₁ which passes through the teeth, to place them so that they
may be locked by the projections on the rod U. The end of W' can move in the
slot; i,j passes through and is guided by h¹ h¹, which are fixed to the rack
framing; a spiral spring is placed upon the spindle j between h¹ and h¹¹ to bring
the parts to the positions shewn in the figure.
Fig. 13 is a section of one end of tubes for main spiral springs, which abut
against the short cylinders a and a', which can slide along the tubes A. and Z
respectively. The cylinder a has projections which pass through the flange of the
tube Z, and by inserting a pin through holes in these projections, if the cylinder a
be moved along the tube A, it will take the cylinder a¹ along with it, the flange
and tube Z being slotted to allow this; see Fig. 14. The tube A bas slots formed
in it, and slides for slide blocks of crosshead, the latter being fixed to cylinder a.
The main spiral springs should be as long as can be conveniently arranged.
Fig. 14 is an end elevation of Fig. 13.

page_text: Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the locking arrangement P, and Fig. 16 13 an end
elevation of it.
Under my invention, I fix upon one of the axles of the vehicle two spur
wheels C, above and beneath each of these is placed a rack B, which by means of
the levers H and f, bar G, lever g, shaft F, quadrant pinions E, straps D and
rollers, can be made to gear with the spur wheels, or be put out of gear with
them (sometimes the upper or lower, or all the racks have to be cranked and
curved) one end of each rack is attached to a crosshead b, which is fixed to a plate
or short cylinder a, the crosshead slides in suitable guides O, the plate or short
cylinder is fixed to, or rests against a spiral spring or springs, which are supported
by a tube A, or framing-another spiral spring, with plate or short cylinder a¹ and
guides may be arranged to engage the other plate or short cylinder and the
crosshead; both springs may be made to act together by inserting a pin & into
prolongations of tube a, tube Z and its flange being slotted to allow the pin to pass.
Z is bolted by its flanges to tube A. Fixed to the crosshead b are two pawls M,
each having springs to lessen the concussion when engaging the ratchet bars N.
The locking arrangement P, prevents the spring or springs which store the energy
due to momentum from acting when the racks are not in gear with the pinions or
spur wheels. The tube or framing which supports the springs and other parts of
the apparatus rests upon the axles. Some, or all of the teeth of the racks are
pivoted, so that when the racks have returned to their normal positions, and also
under certain circumstances, the teeth will not prevent the pinions from revolving.
Attached to a handle, placed in some convenient position is a lever by which the
bar may be operated. When moved in the direction of the arrow, it causes
the bell crank lever R, which engages the projection V of the bar U to lower the
latter, so that the other projections in racks cease to engage the teeth, as these
have one corner cut out, and being pivoted as shewn, will then be at liberty to
swing in either direction, and will not impede the revolution of the pinions. These
inside projections of U only occur about every foot. Through the slot in teeth
and pinned to them, a bar passes to keep them equidistant; this bar passes to near
the end of the rack, where it is engaged by a slot in i at the end of the spindle j,
which moves in guides ¹h, these are fixed to the sides of the racks; on this
spindle is placed a spiral spring, which will tend to maintain the bar U in such a
position that the projections will engage the teeth of the rack, when the projections
are raised by moving the bar Qin the opposite direction to the arrow Fig. 2. This
arrangement of Q, R, U and V inay be applied to each rack.
Attached to the framing is a double pinion c and d, each gearing with racks
having suitable guides. From the rack of the smaller pinion
a rope or chain
passes to the eye k, Fig. 4. From the rack of the larger pinion a rope or chain
passes through', Fig. 3, so that a pull may be placed upon it. In some cases it
might be more convenient to use two double pinions. The other parts of the
apparatus for initially starting the vehicle are included in description of Fig. 4.
To stop the vehicle, the lever H is moved this, by means of the lever f, bar G,
lever g, quadrant pinions E, racks and straps D, places the upper or lower racks,
as the case may be, into gear with the pinions or spur wheels, which acting by
means of the crosshead band short cylinders a and a¹, compress the spring or
springs, and so retard or stop the vehicle, the pawls M then preventing the spring
or springs from imparting motion. To re-start, the other racks are put into gear
with the spur wheels or pinions by means of the same levers, bar, quadrant pinions,
racks and straps, the pawls are disengaged from the ratchet bars N by pressing
upon as before described, and as the spring or springs return to their normal
state, the wheels are rotated in the proper direction.
To start the vehicle initially, a pull is applied to the rope, bar or chain attached
to the rack which gears with the larger pinion d, this as it rotates causes the rack
which gears with the smaller pinion c to drag (by means of the rope or chain
attached to k) the tube Y along the slotted tube p, and m and n being rigidly
fixed to p, n will catch the crosshead b, and so compress the spring or springs.

page_text: The tubes P and Y should now be turned by means of the lever o, so that n may
not engage the crosshead b; on the pawls being disengaged as before from the
ratchet bars N, the spring or springs act as beforementioned.
A spiral spring
attached to the ropes, bars, chains or racks, returns the pinions to their normal
positions.
P prevents the bell crank lever J from descending and releasing the pawls, when
none of the racks are in gear with the pinions.
The arrangement Q, R and V is only intended to be used when it is wished to
stop the vehicle while the spring or springs are compressed. It may be fitted to
each rack.
Each axle may be connected with the other by chain gearing and pinions.
Only one pinion may be used to gear with the racks for stopping and re-starting,
and the apparatus modified to suit, and in some cases the pinions may be fixed to
the hubs of the wheels.
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:
1. A starting and stopping gear for tram-cars and other vehicles, constructed
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings hereto
attached.
2. The use of racks with pivoted teeth for the purpose of throwing the mechanism
into and out of gear.
3. The combination of the crosshead b, the pinions c and d, with their racks, and
the straps, chains or ropes, cylinders and other parts for the purpose of initial
starting of the tram-car or other vehicle, substantially as herein before described.
Dated this Ninth day of April 1895.
JOHN RAWLINGS,
27, Rignold Road, Camberwell, London.