Improvements in Handles for Brake-staffs for Tramcars and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1897-Accepted, 22nd May, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Handles for Brake-staffs for Tramcars and similar
Vehicles.
I, JOHN DEE WALDRAN, of 3147 Locust Street, St. Louis, Missouri, United
States of America, Colonel 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 has relation to improvements in handles for brake staffs and consists
in the novel arrangement and combination of parts more fully set forth in the
specification and pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the top of the brake staff showing in section the socket of
the handle, and the latter in side elevation;
Fig. 2 is a section on line x-x of Fig. 1 ;
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the handle socket and the base of the handle pivoted
thereto;
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the base of the handle showing the pawl carried by the
depending arm of the same;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the pawl; and
Fig. 6 is a section on the line y-y of Fig. 1.
The object of my invention is to construct a handle for brake staffs (in connection
with what are known as ratchet brakes) which, upon release of the brake shoes from
the wheels of the car, will allow the brake staff to rotate back to its normal position
without carrying the handle bodily with it, as now generally happens with brakes of
the type referred to-a construction which is objectionable, making the handle liable
in its rotation to forcibly strike the brakeman about the chest and thus forming a
source of constant inconvenience.
To overcome these objections I have devised a handle which in detail may be
described as follows;
Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the brake staff, the upper reduced
extension 2 of which has secured thereto the ratchet 3, the latter being located a slight
distance above the shoulder 4 formed at the junction of the reduced extension with
the staff proper. The socket of the base of the handle 6 has a suitable cavity 7
formed at the medial portion thereof for the reception of the upper portion of the
reduced extension 2, a shoulder 8 being formed at the juncture of the socket and
cavity which shoulder rests on top of the ratchet 3. The socket of the handle is kept in
position on the staff by a screw 9 passed through the lower portion of the wall of the
socket and into the space formed between the lower face of the ratchet and the
shoulder 4. Formed at the upper extremity of the socket 5 is a chamber 10 bounded
by lateral walls 11 between which is adapted to be pivoted about a'pin 12 connecting
approximately the medial portions of the walls, the enlarged end of the pivotal base 13
of the brake handle 6, the said base having formed integral therewith a depending
arm 14 disposed normally parallel to the axis of rotation of the brake staff, the said
arm being adapted to play in the space 15 included between the laterally extended
walls 16 forming a part of the peripheral walls of the substantially tubular portion of

page_text: the socket, and extending approximately to the base of the ratchet 3 carried by the
brake staff. The inner surface of the depending arm 14 has secured thereto a plate 17
having a lateral extension or wing 18, provided with a bevel edge 19, the said wing
serving as a pawl whose inner surface is adapted to normally engage the teeth of the
ratchet, said engagement being effected by the gravitation of the pivoted handle,
whose center of gravity is at some point removed from the pivotal base thereof.
When the pawl of the handle is thus engaged, the latter when turned in proper
direction carries the brake staff with it, and thus applies the brakes. When however
the handle is tilted upwardly to the dotted position indicated in Fig. 1, the pawl
becomes disengaged from the ratchet, and the staff turns back to its original position
without carrying the brake handle with it. The pawl 18 is made slightly tapering
upward so that the full length of the bevel edge thereof (along which the ratchet can
freely ride) will become disengaged at one time from any particular tooth of the
ratchet, for, the depending arm 14 oscillating about a pivot, the parts furthest
removed from the axis of oscillation move faster than those approaching the pivot.
By therefore making the pawl 18 tapering, the base thereof does not become
disengaged any sooner than the upper end of the pawl, and when the pawl is wholly
disengaged from the ratchet the edge thereof is substantially parallel to the vertical
edge of the tooth of the ratchet which it has just released, allowing the brake staff to
rotate freely backward and release the brakes. In the foregoing, the pivot of the
handle is of course intermediate the center of gravity thereof and the pawl 18.
The pin 12 is located to one side of the center of the chamber 10 and toward the
handle (see Figs. 1, 3, 4) thus reducing the leverage which the base 13 exerts against
the walls 11 of the chamber, reducing thereby the danger of forcing the walls apart
when the motorman exerts his full strength upon the handle in applying the brakes.
By thus running the chamber 10 back of the pivotal pin, the walls 11 become stiffer
by reason of the additional metal that enters into their construction.
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 1
claim is,
1. In a brake staff and handle therefor, a suitable brake staff, a ratchet carried
thereby having teeth disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of the staff, a socket
loosely passed over the ratchet, a brake handle pivotally carried by the socket, and a
pawl carried by the handle adapted to normally engage with the teeth of the ratchet,
and adapted to be disengaged from said teeth upon the movement of the handle in one
direction, substantially as set forth.
2. In a brake staff and handle therefor, a suitable brake staff, a ratchet carried
thereby and having teeth disposed substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of
the staff, a socket adapted to be passed over the ratchet, a handle pivoted to said
socket, an arm depending from the handle below the pivotal point of the latter, and a
pawl carried by the depending arm and adapted to play in a suitable opening formed
in the socket and adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet by the gravitating action
of the handle, substantially as set forth.
3. In a brake staff and handle therefor, a suitable brake staff, a ratchet carried
thereby and having teeth disposed substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of
the staff, a socket adapted to be passed over the ratchet and rotating freely about the
staff, one side of the socket being open, a chamber having lateral bounding walls
formed at the upper end of the socket, a brake handle having an expanded base
pivoted within said chamber, the handle being adapted to oscillate in a vertical plane,
an arm depending from the base of the handle and carrying a pawl adapted to play in
the space formed in the socket and to engage with the ratchet under the gravitating
action of the handle, the said pawl being adapted to be disengaged from the ratchet
by the tilting of the handle upwardly, substantially as set forth.
4. In a brake handle, a suitable handle proper, adapted to be pivotally mounted on
top of a brake staff, an arm depending from the pivotal base of the handle, a plate

page_text: carried by the arm, and a deflected wing forming a part of the plate and serving as a
pawl, said pawl being tapering from its base upward, and having a ratchet-engaging
bevel edge substantially as set forth.
Doted this 92nd dow of Fohm 1907
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.