IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKE APPARATUS FOR TRAMWAY OR OTHER VEHICLES, WHICH APPARATUS ALSO SERVES TO ASSIST IN STARTING OR PROPELLING THE SAME
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
and Co Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKE APPARATUS FOR TRAMWAY OR OTHER VEHICLES,
WHICH APPARATUS ALSO SERVES TO ASSIST IN STARTING OR PROPELLING THE
SAME." Communicated to him from abroad by Henri Marneffe of Liege
in the Kingdom of Belgium.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st February 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKE APPARATUS
TRAMWAY OR OTHER VEHICLES, WHICH APPARATUS ALSO SERVES TO ASSIST IN
FOR
STARTING OR PROPELLING THE SAME "
Communicated to me from abroad by
Henri Marneffe of Liege in the Kingdom of Belgium
The chief object of this Invention is to store the energy or momentum of vehicles
when being brought to a standstill so that it can be utilized at any time when
an extra supply of power is required. The brake apparatus or mechanism comprised
in this invention can be fitted to vehicles intended to be driven in either direction,
such as tramway cars, it also obviates the necessity for providing different brakes,
one to be used when going forwards and the other when travelling backwards the
brake being arranged to operate in both directions The brake mechanism is
arranged beneath the flooring of the vehicles.
According to the said Invention, I employ as a brake a spiral spring coiled in a
box fitted to the axle of the vehicle, by which it is coiled. This spring is uncoiled
at will, either at the moment of starting, or at any other time, say when running up
a gradient.
The two ends of the carriage being alike, I shall describe the brake mechanism
as attached at one end of the carriage only.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a plan and
Figure 2 is a side view of mechanism constructed according to this invention
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the axle and spiral spring
Figures 4, 5, and 6, are detail views hereinafter described.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding nude

page_text: A is the axle of the vehicle, D D¹ is the floor, B B are two rings fixed to the
axle, which rings maintain at a given degree of tension the two spiral metallic
springs II. These rings are preferably made of steel, and are fixed by means of
screws whereby I can strengthen or weaken at will the action of the springs I I.
CC are two ratchet-wheels which run loosely upon the axle and can be engaged
with the two clutches G G¹. These clutches are constructed to slide upon the
axle A and to engage with the naves of the said ratchet wheels in such a manner
as to impart to them the motion of the axle. The inclination of the teeth i of these
clutches is so arranged as to allow them to slip automatically over the corresponding
teeth on the naves of the ratchet wheels under a given degree of tension which is
the maximum strain of the spiral spring X.
The springs II serve the purpose of forcing the clutches G and G₁ towards the
ratchet wheels. K'; Lare the pawls of the ratchet wheels and act conjointly when
stopping the vehicle but separately when starting. The pawl L is controlled
directly by a rod a and is connected with the pawl K¹ by means of a rod O in such
a manner that when the rod a moves back it will leave the pawl K' in its place.
These two pawls are linked together by a socket U which however does not interfere
with their moving independently of each other.
W is a check weight for restoring the pawl K¹ to its normal position when the
spring X is relaxed.
P is a plate revolving excentrically upon its axis Y¹ and describing a circle
PPP. In revolving, this plate imparts a backward and forward motion to the
lever H.
V is a pivot fixed to the centre of the plate P and describing a circle v vv round
the axis y. By means of the rod a this pivot controls the pawls of the ratchet
wheels.
The spiral spring X is fixed at one end to the ratchet wheel C and at the
other end to the ratchet wheel C. Qis a band or block acting as a brake
according to the direction of the vehicle's run, first upon the spring box containing
the spring X, and then upon a drum M N which forms a portion of the ratchet
wheel C¹.
Y¹ is a shaft controlled by means of a handle y by the guard of the vehicle.
This handle can be removed and fixed to either one or the other end of the
carriage.
EF are two clutches arranged on the shaft Y¹. The clutch E engages with the
clutch F when the shaft y' is rotated in one direction and slips over it when the
said shaft is rotated in the opposite direction.
The shaft y runs through these two clutches and the feather h causes the clutch E
to turn round with the said shaft. j is a stud rivetted to the clutch E, and g is a
stud fixed to the flooring D D¹ of the carriage. The clutch E cannot make more
than one revolution as it is checked by the stud ; which catches against the stud g.
k is a ring or eye fixed to the lower clutch F. To this ring are attached a chain b
and a rod S connected with the brake Q. m, n, are two fixed studs the former of
which is attached to the shaft y' and the other, n, to the excentric plate P. The
shaft y can turn in the plate P without moving it. By means of this arrangement,
if the shaft y¹ be turned in one direction it will act upon the brake Q during an
entire revolution (as the chain b coils round the clutch F) without acting on the
excentric P. If the said shaft be turned in the other direction it will act on the
spiral spring brake. Thus the stoppage of a vehicle can, in case of need, be effected
with great rapidity by causing the two brakes to act simultaneously, it being only
necessary for this purpose to give a quarter of a turn to the excentric P (the spring
then acting as a brake) and then to turn the shaft y¹ in the opposite direction in
order to act upon the brake Q.
The operation of the apparatus will be better understood by reference to Figures
1, 4, 5 and 6 which show the four positions of the excentric or plate P.
Figure 4 shows the position of the said plate while the vehicle is running. The
pawls K¹ and L are then raised out of contact with the ratchet wheels and the

page_text: clutch G is engaged with its ratchet wheel, which then turn with the axle A-
Figure 5 shows the position of the said plate when the vehicle is being stopped.
The pawls then drop and engage with the ratchet teeth; the apparatus then forms
a brake. The clutches are also in gear while the spring X, coiled by the ratchet-
wheels, stands at tension point. Figure 1 represents the position of the plate when
the energy is stored up. The clutches are then out of gear and the pawls in
engagement with the ratchet teeth.
Figure 6 shows the position of the plate when the energy stored up has been
expended. The apparatus is then thrown out of gear and disengaged with the
exception of the pawl K' which does not disengage from the ratchet wheel C₁ until
acted upon by the check weight W₁ when the spring is quite relaxed.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim.
First The brake apparatus or mechanism substantially as herein before described
for storing the energy or momentum of vehicles when being brought to a stand-
still, the said apparatus being arranged to be actuated from either end of the said
vehicles.
Second The spiral spring arranged as above described for effecting such storage
of force or energy, the said spring being controlled by, and having its extremities
fixed to, two ratchet-wheels in such a manner that it will be coiled or uncoiled
according as one or other of the ratchet-wheels operates, the tension of the said
spring being capable of regulation by means of rings upon the axle, substantially
as set forth.
Third The ratchet wheels, pawls and clutches arranged as above described to
permit the utilization, at any moment, of the force or energy stored, by means of
apparatus operated from either end of the vehicle, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The brake provided with a band or block as hereinbefore described and
actuated by the handle or lever which governs the spring brake apparatus, and
serving as a substitute for the ordinary brakes, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this First day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
W RORT LAKE G01