Improvements in Apparatus for Braking and Re-starting of Rotating Axles or Shafts of Tram Cars, Gas Engines, and other Machinery.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1888
Specification Accepted, 15th Jan., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in
Apparatus for Braking and Re-starting of
Rotating Axles or Shafts of Tram Cars, Gas Engines, and
other Machinery.
1, PETER JENSEN, Fellow Institute of Patent Agents of 77 Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of this invention a communication
from Philip Weilbach of 40 Holmens Kanal, Copenhagen, Denmark, Engineer, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
These improved apparatus for braking and re-starting of rotating axles are
applicable to tram-cars and gas engines and generally wherever rotating axles are
driven by a comparatively small power.
In the accompanying drawings I have shewn such an apparatus applied as an
example to a tram car. The apparatus will however for other applications be substan-
tially the same. In all cases the whole or part of the power required for stopping or
braking of an axle is applied to put into tension a number of spiral springs enclosed
in a fusee box which in the following starting of the axle are liberated and thereby
transfer the accumulated power to the axle for starting it or for furthering its starting.
A special novel feature is that it may conveniently at will be coupled with the axle for
braking or starting or uncoupled therefrom.
Figure 1 is a vertical section through one half of a tram car; Figure 2 is a plan
showing also in dotted lines the frame work of the under carriage and the connection
It should be
of the apparatus with the appliances on the tram car for actuating it.
noted that Figure 1 is a section on line A A Figure 2 and that the diagonal S
Figure 2 is omitted in Figure 1 for clearness' sake. Figures 3 and 4 are longitudinal
and transverse sections on lines B B and CC respectively. The fusee drum is at one
end closed by the end wall C which is in one with the outer cylindrical wall C³ and
with a nave or sleeve (which fits loosely on the axle A. At the other end the drum
is closed by the end wall C which by means of screw bolts is fixed on a sleeve (that
encloses the aforesaid sleeve C and at its circumference provided with pawl tooth
rims one for each spiral spring D. The spiral springs have their one end fixed each
to a short sleeve or ring F on the aforesaid enclosing sleeve ( and have their other

page_text: end fixed each to a lid G which by bolts is fixed in an aperture in the cylindrical
wall C³. In each of the rings F is a pawl G2 Figure 4 which catches in its corre-
sponding pawl rim of the outer sleeve C. The spiral springs D may thus be put into
tension by turning one of the end walls C or C2 in the proper direction relatively to
the other while winding up in the wrong direction is prevented. As each spring D
has its ring F and lid G2 on the box they are easily taken out when the end wall C
is detached from the outer sleeve C. Each end wall C¹ C² is provided with a pawl
rim H H and a conical ring J and J2 forming one part of a friction coupling or
clutch the other corresponding conical part 1 and 12 being formed by friction
rings K and K which turn with the axle but can slide along it for clutching and
unclutching. To prevent length displacement of the fusee drum on the axle the latter
is provided with a stop collar B1 and B2 at each end see Figure 3. The pawl
teeth Hand 2 go in opposite directions. Each gears with its pawl or double
pawl N and N2 which by a counterweight X Figures 5 and 6 is kept in gear with its
pawl tooth rim. The double pawl turns on a bolt on the bell crank lover M' and M² which
again is on a spindle V and V2. It can be brought out of gear with its respective
tooth rim by pulling the rod P or P². The double pawl has attached to it as shewn in
Figures 5 and 6 a tube closed at both ends and containing say quicksilver which thus
forms an automatic sliding counterweight therein. This causes one of the ends of
the double pawl always to be in gear with the pawl tooth rim for the case that the
pawl while in gear is carried round with the apparatus when this latter is in
motion after being started. When the pawl N1 N2 has not by a pull at the rod P¹ or P
been brought out of gear with the tooth rim this latter is in the position shewn in
Figures 4 and 5, and the lever M₁ or M² is held in the corresponding position
by a helical spring T or T Figure 1 in connection with a suitable stop for the
said lever.
The pull at the rod P¹ or P2 is as regards P¹ effected by a pressure of the foot
on the pedal R, which by bell crank lever R2 is connected to the rod P', and as regards
the rod P2 by a similar pedal with lever at the other end of the car.
For the purpose of shifting the friction cone discs K' and K2 on the axle A cach has
a recess turned into it for blocks to work in, which are arranged on a fork ended
lever Y or Y working on fulcrum bolt Y or Y2 and another block on a
staple Y' on
the said levers. The lovers Y3 and Y are shifted by a connection of rods Z and
chains passing over pulleys W¹ and W2 and over a sixth pulley W2 quito corre-
sponding with the first named pulloy W2 but arranged at the other end of the car as
shewn in Figure 2. Each pulloy W2 is on a vertical spindle W which the driver can
turn by means of a handle W at each end of the car.
During the travelling neither of the two friction clutches acts see Figuro 3 but both
pawls gear each with its tooth rim on the drum. Neither of the end walls C¹ and C2
of the drum will therefore follow with the axle but remains stationary thereon.
If the car is to be braked for stopping while it travels in the direction indicated
by arrows U3 Figure 2 the driver turns tho handle W in the direction of the arrow U¹.
The friction clutch sleeve K2 will then with its part I² clutch with the cone J2 on the
end wall C², so that the latter and the outer sleeve C5 and the collar F thereon will be
made to turn with the axle A while the other end wall C with the outer wall C³ of
the drum is kept from turning by the pawl N' and pawl tooth rim H. The springs
will therefore be wound up whereby resistance is offered to the turning of the
axle. When the springs are quite wound up, the friction clutch (2 J2 will act
braking as the springs then prevent further turning of the latter. The other pawl N2
with its pawl tooth rim H2 prevents the return of the other end wall when the
handle W is returned to its normal position.
When thereupon the so accumulated power is to be applied at the moment of starting
the carriage in the direction indicated by the arrows U³ Figures 1 and 2 either for
furthering or for effecting the starting, the handle W is turned in the direction shewn
by the arrow U2 figure 2 whereby the clutch sleeve K with its friction cone I will
act upon its corresponding cono J₁, thus coupling the carriage axlo with the drum C¹³
through its end wall C² the driver then with one foot depresses the treadle R¹ whereby

page_text: the pawl N is released from its tooth rim. As the end wall is now by the other
pawl N gearing in its tooth rim H² prevented from turning the spiral springs will
now by their tension try to turn the end wall and the carriage axle coupled
thereto in the direction corresponding to the desired direction of travel see arrows U³.
As soon as it has been started the driver's handle W is turned into its normal position
and then the treadle R' is let go.
When the car travels in the opposite direction to the arrows U³ the handle and
treadle at the other end of the car are used, producing the same results as the handle W
and treadle R' described.
In order that the carriage may feather sufficiently on its axles during the travel in
spite of the apparatus described the bearings for the cam spindles V₁ and V2 are not
arranged on the frame work of the car itself but on or in beams 03 and 0 which are
mounted on and bolted to the springs O¹ and 0² fixed to the said frame work.
The other axle may of course also be provided with such a drum connected to the
same treadles and handles at the two ends of the car by a common system of rods and
levers and P¹ with chains Z2 and rollers W₁ and W².
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is.
In braking and restarting apparatus.
First. The application of one or more spiral springs D fixed at one end to the
fusce drum 03 having a tooth rim H' and at the other end each to a sleeve or ring F
which rings by the pawl Q acting in a one sided manner are connected each to
its pawl tooth wheel rim on an outer sleeve C which is fixed to the end wall C² of the
drum, so that tension in a wrong direction is prevented while a regular tension is
obtainable and the springs are removable from and insertable into the drum substan-
tially as set forth.
Second. The automatic double pawl N with self-shifting counterweight in a tube
substantially as set forth.
Third. The construction of braking and restarting apparatus shewn and described.
Dated this and dan af Namba 1000