Improvements in or relating to Brakes for Tramcars and other Vehicles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Brakes for Tramcars and other
Vehicles.
We, CHARLES GROOMBRIDGE, of 115, Fairbridge Road, Hornsey Rise, Inventor,
and WILLIAM ALFRED SOUTH, of 40, New Bond Street, Veterinary Surgeon,
both in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :-
The object of this invention is to so construct or arrange the handles for operating
the brakes of tramcars, and other vehicles, as to prevent them flying back, on the
removal of the hand, and thereby inflicting injury to the operator, as now frequently
occurs, especially with the handles of tramcar brakes.
According to the invention, the handle instead of being rigidly connected to, or
formed in a piece with, its spindle or chain rod, is now so constructed and arranged
as to be independent thereof, that is to say, on the release of the handle it shall not
return with the spindle or chain rod when this latter revolves backwards by the
action of the break springs.
For this purpose the spindle or chain rod carries a loose bearing into which is
pivotted the crank handle. This crank handle has a slot near one end through
which passes the spindle or chain rod on which is fixed a crown or face wheel. A
tooth (or teeth) on the crank handle is caused to engage with the teeth of the crown
or face-wheel when said handle is depressed, and by this engagement the spindle or
chain rod and the handle are securely locked together and caused to revolve one
with the other, when it is desired to apply the brake blocks to the wheels of the
vehicle. On releasing the brake handle the tooth (or teeth) leaves the crown or
face-wheel by the action of a spring, and the spindle or chain rod is then free to
revolve or fly backwards without influencing the crank handle, which remains
practically stationary.
Instead of the crown or face wheel and the tooth, a clutch arrangement, or similar
contrivance, may be employed.
ERNEST DE PASS,
78, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Brakes for Tramcars and other
Vehicles.
We, CHARLES GROOMBRIDGE, of 115, Fairbridge Road, Hornsey Rise, Inventor,
and WILLIAM ALFRED SOUTH, of 40, New Bond Street, Veterinary Surgeon,
both in the County of Middlesex, 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, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The object of this invention is to so construct or arrange the handles for operating
the brakes of tramcars, and other vehicles, as to prevent them flying back, on the
removal of the hand, and thereby inflicting injury to the operator, as now frequently
occurs, especially with the handles of tramcar brakes.
According to the invention the handle, instead of being rigidly connected to or
formed in one piece with its spindle, or chain rod, is so constructed and arranged as
to be independent thereof, that is to say, it shall not, when released, return with the
Price 87

page_text: spindle or chain rod when this latter revolves backwards by the action of the brake
springs.
For this purpose the spindle or chain rod carries a loose bearing, into which is
pivotted the crank handle. One end of this crank handle is formed with a slot
through which passes the spindle or chain rod, and on this latter we fix a crown or
face wheel. A tooth (or teeth) on the crank handle is caused to engage with the
teeth of the crown or face wheel when said handle is depressed, and by this engage-
ment the spindle or chain rod and the handle are securely locked together and
caused to revolve one with the other when it is desired to apply the brakes.
releasing the brake handle the tooth (or teeth) is caused to leave the crown or face
wheel by the action of a spring, and the spindle or chain rod is then free to revolve
in the opposite direction without influencing the crank handle which remains
practically stationary.
On
Instead of the crown or face wheel and the tooth, any similar clutch arrangement
or contrivance may be employed.
And in order that the invention may be fully understood, we will describe the
same with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show our improved
brake-handle suitable for tramcars.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved arrangement showing the handle in its
normal position.
Fig. 2 is a plan; Fig. 3 an end view; and Fig. 4 a longitudinal section of the
same.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the said arrangement showing the handle in position
for applying the brakes.
a is the brake handle pivotted in the bearing block b, by means of the pin c.
This bearing block, which is provided with two cheeks bx, bx, between which the
brake handle is held, turns loosely on the brake spindle or chain rod d, and is
supported by means of the collar d' carried by the spindle or chain rod d. Secured
rigidly to the brake spindle or chain rod is a crown or face wheel e (or its equivalent),
having a boss e¹ which abuts against a corresponding boss b' on the bearing block b,
the purpose of these bosses being to keep the crown wheel and bearing block at
proper distance apart. The extremity a¹ of the brake handle is provided with a
tooth a² which, when the handle is depressed by the driver, is caused to engage with
one or other of the teeth in the crown or face wheel e. ³ is a slot in the handle to
permit this latter to move freely in a vertical plane. The crown or face wheel e
may be provided with a cap for the purpose of concealing the teeth; and these
teeth, instead of being of the shape shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, may be of a square
shape as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.
fis a spiral spring located in recesses formed, one in the brake handle a, and the
other in the bearing block b, but if desired a flat spring may be employed. The
function of this spring will be hereinafter mentioned.
When the brakes are to be applied the driver depresses the brake handle a and
by so doing causes the tooth a² to engage with the crown or face wheel e, as seen in
Fig. 5, and on turning said handle, the brake spindle or chain rod is rotated and the
brakes are applied in the usual manner. When the brakes are to be released,
the driver allows the handle to resume its normal position under the influence of
the spring, and the crown or face wheel, being no longer in engagement with the
tooth a², is free to revolve by the action of the brake springs without causing the
bearing block b, in which the handle is pivotted, to turn, and consequently the handle
remains practically stationary. It will thus be seen that the driver is entirely free
from any chance of injury from the brake handle, as the handle, when released, is
rendered immediately independent of the motion of the brake spindle or chain rod.
Instead of having only one tooth a² upon the extremity of the brake handle, there
may be two or more if desired.
It will be obvious that instead of the crown or face wheel being located above
the extremity a¹ of the brake handle, as shown in the drawings, it might equally
well be located below the handle with its teeth projecting upwards, in which case

page_text: the extremity a¹ of said handle would be pivotted to the bearing block b, which
would then be placed above the toothed end of the handle; the tooth a² would then
project downwards and would be preferably situated on the opposite side of the
spindle to that on which it is now shown. To apply the brakes the handle would
be depressed as before explained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The construction of brake handles for operating the brakes of tramcars, and
other vehicles, whereby when power is removed the brake handle, instead of flying
back as usual, shall remain stationary or practically so, and thereby prevent injury
to the operator or driver, substantially as described.
2. The improved brake handle for tramcars, and other vehicles, as described and
shown, and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 13th day of
ebruary 1891.
ERNEST DE PASS,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.