Improvements in Storage Power Brakes for Re-starting Vehicles and other Machinery.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Storage Power Brakes for Re-starting Vehicles
and other Machinery.
ALFRED ADOLPHUS THOMAS UPTON and ALFRED WILSON Engineers, both of
20 Nottingham Street W., in the Borough of Marylebone do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that description of apparatus for starting vehicles and
other machinery, wherein the braking or stopping of the vehicle or machine is
caused to wind up a spring so as to store up a certain amount of motive power
which is afterwards utilised for starting the vehicle or machine
For this purpose the wheel axle or other revolving shaft carries two spur
wheels fixed thereon, one or both of which said spur wheels through intermediate
pinions, gear into two other spur wheels carried on a fixed shaft, and which
run loose thereon, to one of which said loose wheels a helical or spiral spring is
attached, the other end being connected to a drum or pulley also carries on
the said fixed shaft, a brake strap or blocks of wood or other material, is made
to embrace the drum or pulley, which on being tightened stops the motion of
the said drum or pulley when the spring will be wound up, thereby arresting
the turning of the wheel axle or revolving shaft, and at the same time cause one
or more ratchet pawls pivotted on the spring connection to engage the other
loose spur wheel.
To restart the vehicle or revolving shaft all that is necessary is to release the
drum or pulley when the spring will be free to unwind and will do so in the same
direction as when winding up, and will thereby cause the wheel axle or other
shaft to revolve in the same direction as before.
In this invention it is not necessary that the loose wheels on the fixed shaft
should gear by direct tooth gearing with the wheels fixed on the wheel axle or
revolving shaft, for they may be chain wheels connected by a chain.
In this invention it is not necessary that two spur or chain wheels should be
fixed on the wheel axle or revolving shaft, for one spur or chain wheel gearing
with one spur or chain wheel fixed on a supplementary revolving shaft, and
having at or near the other end a fixed spur wheel geared through compound.
gearing with a spur wheel running loose on the said supplementary revolving
shaft, will by the aid of the herein before mentioned helical or spiral spring and
the hereinbefore mentioned drum or pulley effect the same end.
In this invention it is not necessary that there should be a supplementary fixed
or running shaft, for all the parts except brake blocks, or strap, and rods for
actuating the same,. can be put on the wheel axle or revolving shaft, and the
same end effected viz., by the simple application of the brake the revolving shaft

page_text: or vehicle can be stopped, and by releasing the same, the vehicle or revolving
shaft will be started or assisted thereto.
Dated Ninth day of January 1807
Improvements in Storage Power Brakes for Re-starting Vehicles
and other Machinery.
We, ALFRED ADOLPHUS THOMAS UPTON and ALFRED WILSON, Engineers both
of 20 Nottingham Street in the Borough of Marylebone 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 relates to that description of apparatus for starting vehicles or
other machinery, wherein the braking or stopping of the vehicle or machine is
utilized to wind up a spring so as to store up a certain amount of motive power
which is afterwards again utilized for starting the said vehicle or machine.
For this purpose the wheel axle or other revolving shaft carries two spur
wheels fixed thereon, both of which spur wheels gear into two other spur wheels
carried on a fixed shaft, and which run loose on the said fixed shaft, to one of
these loose wheels a helical or spiral spring is attached the other end being con-
nected with a drum shaft, and running loose thereon. A brake-strap, or blocks
of wood or other material, is made to embrace the drum or pulley, which on being
tightened, stops the motion of the said drum or pulley, when the spring will be
wound up, thereby arresting the turning of the wheel axle, or revolving shaft,
and at the same time causing one or more ratchet pawls pivotted on the spring
connection, to engage the other loose spur wheel.
To start the vehicle or other machinery the drum or pulley is released, when
the spring will be free to unwind, and will do so in the same direction as when
winding up, thereby causing the wheel axle or revolving shaft to turn in the same
direction as before.
The improvements in this invention relate (i) to the relative sizes of the spur
wheels, (ii) to the form of the helical spring, and (iii) to the method whereby
the spring is caused to engage with the spur wheel on the opposite side of the
drum or pulley.
In order the more easily to explain our invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, we subjoin 4 plates, Figs. 1 and 2 show the plan and
elevation of an arrangement as applied to tram cars, A and B are two spur wheels
fixed on the axle, A being smaller than B. These two wheels gear into two
other spur wheels C and D carried on a fixed shaft E F, and which run loose
thereon; the wheel C has a square socket on the inner side, into which fits one
end of a helical spring S, the other end being inserted into a similar square socket
carried on the inner side of a plate that oscillates on the boss of the drum H,
which plate also has fixed to it one or more pins passing through the web of the
said drum and carrying the pawls that engage the wheel D. On the inner side
of the drum two straight springs keep the plate in a central position, thereby
enabling the wheel D to revolve clear of the pawls. On the outer side of the
drum are also two straight springs, the object of which is to cause the pawls to
engage the spur wheel D when it is desired to bring the brake into action.
The wheels A B C and D together with the spring and drum slowly revolve
when the car is in motion, but when it is desired to stop, the action is as follows:-

page_text: the brake-strap is tightened on the drum by turning the handle, in the ordinary
way, at either end of the car-as can easily be understood from an inspection of
Fig. 1 this stops the drum H, thereby holding the end of the spring in a fixed
position after it has turned through a small arc of a circle; while the other end
is being turned round by the wheel A, the spring being thus wound up brings
the car to rest. When it is desired to start, the handle is released, the drum
being then free to revolve, but as the pawls are engaging the wheel D, both
ends of the spring are operating on the axle; now as D is smaller than C it follows
that if the spring is to unwind itself, it can only do so by causing the wheel D
to revolve, because D will make B revolve slower than C will A; now as the
spring was wound up by C, and unwinds by turning D, the axle will revolve in
the same direction as when stopping.
When the spring is entirely unwound and the strain is off the pawls, the
straight springs on the inner side of the drum will bring the oscillating plate
back to the central position.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the action is as follows:-when it is
required to stop the car, the driver turns the handle and the brake comes into
action; when he wishes to start he releases the handle.
Fig. 3 shows the inner side of the drum, with the oscillating plate having the
square socket to receive the spring.
Fig. 4 shows the outer side of the drum, with the ratchet pawls and wheel in
position.
Fig. 5 shows the arrangement as applied to vehicles in which the wheels revolve
independently of the axle, and at different velocities.
In this invention it is not necessary that two spur or chain wheels should be
fixed on the wheel axle or revolving shaft, for the same end can be effected with
one spur or chain wheel, gearing with one spur or chain wheel fixed on a supple-
mentary revolving shaft having at or near the other end a fixed spur wheel geared
through compound gearing with a spur wheel running loose on the said supple-
mentary shaft, the arrangement is shown in Fig. 6.
In this invention it is not necessary that there should be either a supplementary
fixed or running shaft, for all the parts except brake-blocks or strap and rods
for working the same can be put on the wheel axle or revolving shaft and the
same end can then be effected; by turning the handle of the brake the revolving
shaft or vehicle can be stopped, and by releasing the handle the vehicle or revolv-
ing shaft will be started or assisted to start.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
i
1. In apparatus for vehicles or revolving shafts wherein the momentum is
stored up to be used for starting the same when required, the use of two spur or
chain wheels of different diameters fixed on the revolving axle or shaft.
2. In apparatus for vehicles or revolving shafts wherein the momentum is stored
up to be used for starting the same when required, the use of one spur or chain
wheel fixed on the revolving axle or shaft.
1
3. In apparatus for vehicles or revolving shafts wherein the momentum is stored ·
up to be used for starting the same when required, the use of two spur or chain
wheels of equal or different diameters fixed on a revolving counter-shaft.
4. In apparatus for vehicles or revolving shafts wherein the momentum is stored
up to be used for starting the same when required, the use of a spiral spring
having the ends squared so that they may be inserted into a square socket.
5. In apparatus for vehicles or revolving shafts wherein the momentum is stored
up to be used for starting the same when required, the use of an oscillating plate
to carry the pivots whereon the pawls work.
6. In apparatus for vehicles or revolving shafts wherein the momentum is stored
up to be used for starting the same when required, the use of a drum or pulley

page_text: having the web perforated so that the spring can communicate action to ratchet
pawls on the opposite side of the said drum or pulley.
7. In apparatus for vehicles or revolving shafts wherein the momentum is stored
up to be used for starting the same when required, the use of a drum or pulley
to the periphery of which the brake-blocks or strap is applied.
Dated this Seventh day of October 1897.
WILSON.
ALFRED ADOLPHUS THOMAS UPTON.
ALFRED