Improvements in Stopping and Starting Apparatus for Tramway Cars and other Vehicles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 6th June, 1889-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stopping and Starting Apparatus for Tramway
Cars and other Vehicles.
We, CECIL HENRY MAXWELL LYTE, of 60, Finborough Road, London, S.W.
Esquire; GEORGE MILES, Engineer, Metropolitan Fire Brigade; and FREDERICK
FRANCIS OMMANNEY, Engineer, 16, Oberstein Road, New Wandsworth, S.W.; do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to pneumatic apparatus for facilitating the stopping and
starting of tramcars and other vehicles and so relieving the horses, in the case of
vehicles drawn by animal power by storing up the energy of motion of the vehicle in
stopping or in descending gradients and utilizing the power thus stored for aiding
the starting of the vehicle or its propulsion in ascending gradients.
The apparatus comprises one or more air pumps driven by one of the axles or
wheels, one or more air receivers in which air is compressed by the pumps, and a
pair of engines provided with link or other reversing motion, and adapted to be
worked in either direction by the compressed air from the reservoirs and to be
geared at required times with one of the axles or wheels for assisting the propulsion
of the vehicle in the required direction.
The apparatus may also comprise independent pneumatic brake gear for use on
emergency, such gear being operated by compressed air from the same receiver or
from an independent receiver in which compressed air is stored for working the
brakes and also, if desired, for working the starting engines at the beginning of a
journey before power has been stored in the main receivers.
The pumps, engines, and gearing connecting them to the axle, are mounted on a
frame-work carried by the axles and independent of the body of the vehicle so as
to preserve a constant relation to the axles.
The pump and engine cylinders are connected by pipes with the air reservoirs,
and are provided with suitable valve gear. The starting engines drive a train of spur
and chain gearing of which the last wheel runs loose on the wheel axle but is engaged
therewith at required times by a clutch which, as well as the cock controlling the
supply of compressed air to the engine cylinders, is worked by hand or other gear at
the drivers platform or by an air cylinder controlled from the same point. A pedal
or other motion is also provided on the platform for controlling the connection between
the pumps and the air reservoirs, and between the latter or the special reservoir and
the brake cylinders of which the pistons act directly on the brake blocks. The air
pumps act as brakes in the act of stopping, and the independent brake gear may, or
may not, be employed.
Dated this 7th day of Amonet 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stopping and Starting Apparatus for Tramway
Cars and other Vehicles.
We, CECIL HENRY MAXWELL LYTE, of 60, Finborough Road, London, S.W.
Esquire; GEORGE MILES, Engineer, Metropolitan Fire Brigade; and FREDERICK
FRANCIS OMMANNEY Engineer, 16, Oberstein Road, New Wandsworth, S:W: do
TD 017

page_text: 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 pneumatic apparatus for facilitating the stopping and
starting of tram-cars and other vehicles, by storing up the energy of motion of the
vehicle in stopping or in descending gradients and utilizing the power thus stored for
-aiding the starting of the vehicle or its propulsion in ascending gradients.
The apparatus comprises one or more air-compressing pumps worked by one of the
axles or wheels, one or more compressed air-receivers, and a pair of reversible com-
pressed air engines adapted to be geared at required times with one of the axles or
wheels for assisting the propulsion of the vehicle in the required direction.
The apparatus may comprise independent pneumatic brake gear for use on
emergency and also an independent auxiliary receiver in which compressed air is
stored for working the brakes as well as for working the starting engines at the
beginning of a journey before power has been stored in the main receivers.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specifica-
tion, in which figures 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections of the running gear of a tram-
car on lines 1-1 and 2-2 figure 3, shewing the air compresser and starting engines
respectively, Figure 3 is a plan of the same. Figure 4 is a section through the brake
cylinders. Figure 5 is a section of the compressed air three-way distribution valve.
Figures 6 and 7 shew details of the driving clutch. The same letters of reference
indicate like parts in all the figures.
A is the air compresser, B B are compressed air receivers and are the starting
engines. The air compresser is of the ordinary kind and the cylinder is mounted
beneath the car framing where it is supported by horizontal side bars bearing on the
wheel axlo D and by suspension rods on each side of the air compresser cylinder
pendent from the car frame. The piston of the compresser is worked by an eccentric
or crank on the axle D, and in the case of an eccentric a clutch O is interposed between
the eccentric in order that the compresser may be thrown into action when it is
required to pump air into the receiver, whilst in the case of a crank the compresser
piston is always in motion whilst the car is running, although it is not necessarily
compressing air. The air compresser cylinder communicates with the main pipe b
connecting the reservoirs B B through a flexible pipe a and a three-way valve E
whose chamber is connected through a check valve F and a flexible pipe f with the
main pipe 6. G are the pneumatic brake cylinders connected with valve chamber E
through pipes g. The valve E so controls the several communications, that the air
pumped by the compresser A may either be allowed to escape freely into the atmosphere
or be forced into the receivers B B¹ or into the brake cylinders F. The construction
of this valve is represented in detail in figure 5, and it is operated from a hand
lever H at each of the driver's platforms through suitable connections h h etc., with a
lever on the valve spindle. The valve is returned by a spring to its normal position
and the compresser then does no work. By moving the valve a certain distance, the
air is compressed in the receivers and by a further motion it is forced into the brakes.
The starting engines are an ordinary pair of engines supported in the same way as
the air-compressor. The supply pipe c to the engines is flexible and connects with the
main pipe b through a valve 1. The starting engines C drive a train of spur gearing
of which the last wheel, K is loose on the wheel axle D except when engaged therewith
at the proper time by a clutch L, M, which as well as the valve I controlling the supply
of compressed air to the engine cylinders, is worked by foot levers N at the driver's
platforms acting directly through suitable connections n n', etc., or through an air
cylinder controlled from the said foot levers, the clutch being thrown into and out of gear
at the same moment that the valve I is opened or closed. The horns of the clutch
are carried by a ring fitting friction tight upon the hub of the wheel K so as to be free
to yield sufficiently to prevent breakage when the clutch is thrown into gear. The
brake cylinders G contain two single acting pistons, acting directly on the brake
blocks, the compressed air-being admitted between the two pistons. Springs g³ take
off the brake blocks when the pressure in the cylinders is relieved.-

page_text: The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-During the normal running of the
car the air compresser is either stationary or is running idle the air in the latter case
being pumped in and escaping through the outlet e in the chamber of the three-way
valve E which is shewn in its normal position in figure 5. In order to store up power
in stopping, or in descending gradients, the hand lever H is operated so as to throw
clutch O or as the case may be turn the valve E so as to close the outlet e. In the
arrangement shown in the drawings both these operations are performed, but it will
be obvious that the outlet e³ may be dispensed with when clutch is used: compressed
air is then pumped through check valve F into the reservoirs B B¹, or by turning the
valve a little further, so that its cavity puts pipe a in direct communication with pipe g,
the air is pumped directly into the brake cylinders G. To work the starting engines C,
the valve I is opened at same time that the clutch L, M, is thrown into gear by
depressing the foot lever N.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The combination and arrangement, substantially as herein described and
represented in the drawings, of an air compresser, one or more compressed air
receivers, and a pair of engines, the compresser being driven directly from the axle
and the engines driving the axles through a train of gearing and a clutch, the dis-
tribution of the air pumped by the compresser being controlled by a valve operated as
described, and the engine supply valve and clutches being also operated as described.
2. The combination with the herein described air compresser worked by the car
axle and with the distribution valve, of the pneumatic brake cylinders, as specified.
كيم
1
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1000
C. H. MAXWELL LYTE.
G. MILES.
F. F. OMMANEY.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.