Improvement in Car Brake and Starter Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Car Brake and Starter Apparatus.
CHARLES JUSTIN LUCE, of Niantic, in the State of Connecticut, United States
of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in devices for braking and starting
vehicles, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1, is an elevation of a car, with one wheel removed and showing a side
view of the device as applied thereto.
Figure 2, illustrates a top view of the mechanism, the body and part of the floor
of the car removed.
Figure 3, is a vertical sectional view of the supplemental shaft and mechanism
mounted thereon.
Figure 4, is a side view of the frictional clutching device.
Figure 5, a side view of the positive clutching device.
Figure 6, is a perspective view of the ratchet upon the circumference of wheel 36,
and the pawl co-operating therewith.
Figure 7, is a cross section of the cylinder located between the wheels 35 and 36,
showing the coiled spring thereon and its connections at one end with the cylinder
and at the other end with a stationary bracket secured to the bottom of the car,
and may also represent the coiled spring attached to the supplemental shaft 1,
directly.
Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The shaft 1, is journaled in the bracket 2 & 2, which are suitably secured to the
bottom of the car. Upon this shaft is mounted the frictional clutching device A,
which consists of a bracket 4, mounted on the shaft 1, and secured thereto. The two
bolts 6 & 6, work in ways 7 & 7, provided therefor in the bracket. To the outer
end of these bolts are fastened the bearings 8 & 8, and the shoes 9 & 9, fit over
these bearings, and are prevented from sliding laterally by the pins 10 & 10, which
enter corresponding slots in the shoes provided for the purpose. Over these shoes
and next to the rim of the wheel is located the ring 9, cut across at a point on
its circumference. Suitably pivoted to the bracket 4, are the levers 12 & 12, the
opposite ends of which are provided with cross pins which slide in T shaped
slots 14 & 14, formed in the cone 11, and co-operate with the cone to throw in or
out of engagement the bolts 6 & 6. The cone 11, is loosely mounted on the shaft 1,
and may slide thereon longitudinally, and is provided with the circumferential
groove 15, to receive the end of the lever or shifting device E.
The bracket 4, bearings 8, 8, and shoes 9, 9 are arranged to fit loosely on the
inside of the hollow friction wheel 18, and within its overlapping rim. When the
cone 11, is withdrawn and the levers 12 & 12, are in the position shown in Figure 3,
the loosely mounted wheel 18, revolves upon the shaft 1. When the cone is moved
to engage the bolts and lock the friction clutch A, the shaft 1, revolves with the
wheel 18. It will be seen that this clutching device is not rigidly positive but
frictional, allowing some give to the parts to prevent breaking. The wheel 18, may
be provided with the sprocket wheels 19, 19, which may be cast thereon as part of
the wheel or otherwise secured thereto. They are provided with teeth 20, to
co-operate with the links of a chain connecting them with sprocket wheels 21 & 21,
which are secured to the axles of the car.
The bevel gear wheel 22, is mounted on the shaft 1, and secured thereto. The
cross shaft 24, is provided with a central opening through which the shaft 1, passes

page_text: and is suspended by the brackets 25 & 25, properly secured to the bottom of the
car, which are provided with journals to receive the shaft 24, or the shaft 24, and
bracket 25, may be cast in one piece. Mounted upon the ends of this shaft 24, are
the beveled gear wheels 26 & 26; one of these wheels may be omitted, but I prefer
to use two.
Also loosely mounted on the shaft 1, is the beveled gear wheel 28, and the
brackets of the bolting mechanism 29, of the positive clutching device B. These
may be cast in one piece or firmly connected together, and are shown in sections in
Figure 3, and the device 29, is shown in a front view in Figure 5. The bolting
device 29, consists of the brackets 31, the bolts 30, 30, which work in the
ways 32, 32, and the bolts are maintained in an unlocked position by the spiral
springs 301, 30¹. The cone shaped sleeve 33, is loosely mounted upon the connecting
piece between the wheel 28, and the bolting device 29, so as to slide laterally
thereon and is provided with a circumferential groove 34. The outer ends of the
bolts 30, engage with the teeth on the interior of the overlapping rim of the
wheel 36, and at the other end are provided with the inclined projections 37 & 37,
to engage the beveled edge of the sleeve 33, as shown in Figure 3. The wheel 36
is provided on its external rim with the ratchets 39, to engage the pawl 40,
(see Fig. 6). The part 35 is similarly constructed to receive the bolting device 41,
which is firmly secured to the shaft, and these two parts together form the positive
clutching device D.
The wheel 36, is rigidly connected with the wheel 35, either cast in one piece or
suitably secured to each other in such manner as to leave a cylindrical space
between them in the form of a hollow drum or pulley, to the periphery of which is
fastened one end of a coiled spring C, which is at its other end attached to the
bottom of the car through the medium of the chain 51, and spiral spring, or the
coil spring may be omitted and the chain 51, may be attached directly to
the periphery of the drum C.
The coiled spring C, may be attached directly to the bottom of the car as shown
in Figure 7, omitting the spiral spring device shown in Figure 2, or in one of the
arrangements of my device the coil spring C, may be fastened at one end directly
to the shaft 1, and the other end to the bottom of the car. Figure 7, illustrates
this connection, considering the pulley shown in that drawing as the supplemental
shaft 1.
Loosely mounted on the shaft 1, is the sliding sleeve 49, arranged to co-operate
with the bolting device 41, in the same manner as that already described, on the
bolting device 29. This sliding sleeve is provided with a circumferential groove 50,
to receive one end of the shifting bar or lever F.
Securely attached to the bottom of the car is the spiral spring device shown in
Figure 1, in elevation, and in Figure 2, in a top view. This spiral spring device C³,
may be constructed in any of the well known forms and its object is to co-operate
with the coil spring C, they are connected by the chain or rod 51, at the
points 52 & 53.
The shifting devices are as follows:
The bell-crank lever E, is fulcrumed at the point 54, having one arm extending
into the circumferential groove 15, of the cone 11, so as to operate the cone by
sliding it back and forward on the shaft 1. The other or longer arm is connected
with the lever 55, which passes up through the platform of the car, and is suitably
fulcrumed thereto so as to be within easy reach of the hand of the operator or
driver. The other shifting device consists of the forked lever F, being fulcrumed
as at f, and having its two ends f¹ & f, inserted within the circumferential
grooves 34 & 50, of the sliding sleeves 33 & 49. Its other and longer end extends
forwardly, and is provided at its end with the slot f³, through which the lever 55
passes, and is operated by moving said lever sideways, thus the lever 55, operates
the cone 11, by a backward and forward movement and the sliding sleeves 33 & 49,
by a movement at right angles. The operating lever 55 possesses these two
movements by reason of the fact that it is fulcrumed in a swinging swivel joint 55¹,

page_text: WHICH CHADICs it to move backward and forwardly to operate one or the levers, and
sideways to operate the other.
On each of the axles of the car are securely fastened the sprocket wheels 21 & 21
which are suitably connected with the sprocket wheels 19 & 19, by an endless
chain.
The brackets 40' & 40'. are secured to the bottom of the car and journaled within
them is the shaft 40 & 402, at one end of which is attached the pawl 40, at the
other end the crank aim and knob 40³. This knob passing through the floor of the
car in a convenient position to be operated by the foot of the driver, the pawl 40,
engaging the ratchet 39, the operation of pressing the knob 403, causes the pawl 40,
to be released from the ratchet 39. The pawl 40, is held in engagement with the
ratchet 39, by a spring or other suitable means.
The operation of my device is such that when the car is in motion, the sprocket
wheels 21 & 21, which are fast to the axles of the car, revolve therewith and turn
the wheel 18, in the same direction as the revolving axles, through the medium of
the sprocket wheels 19 & 19 and chain. This wheel 18, loosely mounted on the
shaft 1, simply turns upon said shaft, without effecting any of the other parts, until
it is fastened or secured to the shaft by the driver or operator, moving the lever to
slide the cone 11, inwardly, and throw out the bolts 6, 6, to tighten the shoes
frictionally upon the inner rim of the wheel 18. The wheel 18, then turns the
shaft 1, in the same direction with the revolving axles. The effect of turning this
shaft is to turn the beveled gear wheel 22, secured to said shaft in the same
direction with the revolving axles, and the beveled gear wheel 28, which is loosely
mounted on said shaft in the opposite direction, and this latter will have no
operation upon the wheels 36 & 35, unless the locking device 29 is bolted to the
wheel 36, but will simply turn upon the shaft 1. The locking device 41, however,
being secured to the shaft 1, and the positive clutch being locked, and the shaft 1,
revolving as before described, the wheels 36 & 35, and their intermediate cylinder
are turned by the shaft, thus winding the spring C, upon the periphery of the
cylinder. This spring may have its opposite end fastened to any suitable projection
from the bottom of the car, and the device may be worked entirely for braking or
starting, by using the coil spring alone, but I prefer to operate it in connection
with a spiral spring and in combination therewith and in such case, the end of the
coil spring, opposite to that attached to the cylinder is secured to the bar, rod, or
chain, which operates the spiral spring C². This latter being preferably of greater
tension than the coil spring, wound upon the drum, begins to contract only when
the coil spring has reached the limit of it tension, and furnishes a safeguard to
prevent breakage occurring from a too rigid construction of its parts, or accident
which may occur in the course of travel.
It will be seen by this arrangement that the tension of one or both of these
springs co-operating together operate as a brake to stop the car, and are both held
in the position of tension by the pawl 40, which co-operates with the ratchet 39,
upon the circumference of the wheel 36, and holds this spring or springs in position
until this pawl is released. The next operation will depend upon whether the driver
desires to start his car in a backward or forward direction, if backward, he simply
releases the pawl from the ratchet on the wheel 36, if forward (whilst the wheel 36,
is still held by the pawl), he releases the locking device 41, from the wheel 35,
closes the locking devices 29, upon the wheel 36, which operations are both
performed by a single movement of the forked lever F, and then releases the pawl
and sets free the wheel 36.
When the car is going in the opposite direction from that last described, and it
is desired to stop it, the wheel 18, is frictionally tightened to the shaft, turning the
shaft therewith, which turns the beveled gear 22, in the same direction, which in
its turn revolves the beveled gear 28, and the locking device 29, in the opposite
direction. The locking device 29, is then closed upon the wheel 36, by a movement
of the lever F, which at the same time releases the locking device 41, from the
wheel 35, by this operation the coil spring C, and the spiral spring C², one or both

page_text: are tightened, the car is restrained or stopped by this tension and the tension stored,
and held by the pawl and ratchet, heretofore described. Here, again, the driver is to
determine whether in utilizing this tension in starting the vehicle, he desires the
force of this spring to be exerted in a forward or backward direction, if backward,
he simply releases the pawl, and if forward, he releases the locking device 29, and
closes locking device 41, and releases the pawl.
The foregoing is the usual operation of my device, but when used simply as a
brake, all of the parts except the shaft 1, friction clutch A, and its connections with
the axle may be omitted, and the coil spring secured at one end to the shaft, and
by the other at the bottom of the car. The operation of this arrangement would
be that of braking the car by the tension of the spring, in this case a retaining and
releasing device consisting of a ratchet and pawl, similar to that previously described,
is fixed to the shaft 1.
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 an apparatus for braking a vehicle the combination of a supplemental shaft
as 1, having loosely mounted thereon a wheel as 18, means for revolving this wheel
about the shaft driven by one of the axles of the vehicle, means for tightening the
shaft to this wheel frictionally, and means for holding the shaft stationary, substan-
tially as described.
2. In an apparatus for braking and starting a vehicle, a supplemental shaft as 1,
upon which is loosely mounted a wheel as 18, means for revolving this wheel upon
the shaft connected with and driven by one of the axles of the vehicle, means for
tightening the shaft to the wheel frictionally controlled by the operator, in com-
bination with a coiled spring, secured to the shaft at one of its ends, and to the
bottom of the car at the other, and wound on the shaft when it revolves, means for
retaining the spring in tension and for releasing the same, controlled by the
operator, substantially as described.
3. In an apparatus for braking and starting a vehicle, a supplemental shaft
as 1, having loosely mounted thereon the wheel 18, with means for revolving
this wheel on the shaft connected with and driven by one of the axles of the
vehicle, means for tightening frictionally and securing the shaft to the wheel 18,
controlled by the operator, in combination with a winding drum as C, loosely
mounted on the shaft, and provided with a coil spring, one end of which is
secured to the periphery of the drum and the other end to the bottom of the
car, means for securing the drum to the supplemental shaft to wind the spring
and to brake the car, means for holding and releasing the spring and means
for imparting a forward and backward movement to the shaft in starting or
braking the vehicle, controlled by the operator, substantially as described.
4. In an apparatus for braking and starting a vehicle, a supplemental shaft
as 1, having loosely mounted thereon the wheel 18, with means for revolving
this wheel on the shaft connected with and driven by one of the axles of the
vehicle, means for tightening frictionally and securing the shaft to the wheel 18,
controlled by the operator, in combination with a winding drum as C, loosely
mounted on the shaft, and provided with a coil spring, one end of which is
secured to the periphery of the drum, and the other end to another spring
which is secured to the bottom of the car, means for securing the drum to the
supplemental shaft to wind the spring and to brake the car, means for holding
and releasing the spring and means for imparting a forward and backward
movement to the shaft in starting or braking the vehicle controlled by the
operator, substantially as described.
5. In an apparatus for braking and starting a vehicle, a supplemental shaft
as 1, having loosely mounted thereon the wheel 18, with means for revolving
this wheel on the shaft connected with and driven by one of the axles of the
vehicle, means for tightening frictionally and securing the shaft to the wheel 18,

page_text: controlled by the operator, in combination with a winding drum as C, loosely
mounted on the shaft, a spiral spring secured to the bottom of the vehicle, and
means to connect the spiral spring and the drum C, means for securing the
drum to the supplemental shaft to wind the spring, and to brake the car, means
for holding and releasing the spring, and means for imparting a forward and
backward movement to the shaft in starting or braking the vehicle, controlled
by the operator, substantially as described.
MCKENNA & CO.,
Agents.