Improvements in Apparatus for Starting Tram Cars and other Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1893
'Complete Specification Left, 21st May, 1894-Accepted, 21st July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Starting Tram Cars and other
Vehicles.
I JOSEPH WILLOUGHBY of Erme House Mutley Compton Gifford in the
County of Devon Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to Improvements in Apparatus for Starting Tramway Cars
and other Vehicles.
It is well known that in starting a tramway car or like vehicle an excessive strain
is thrown upon the horses, and many attempts have been made to devise an
apparatus to obviate this difficulty but they have all been more or less of an
impracticable character.
Now the object of my present invention is by a novel and simple means to give
to such a vehicle a powerful initial impulse independent of the horse traction and
thereby to reduce the strain upon the animals to a minimum.
For this purpose I mount upon the frame of the vehicle a cylinder within which
is a piston from which a piston rod extends through a suitable stuffing box and this
piston rod is coupled by a link or connecting rod with the outer end of a
reciprocating arm or lever which at its inner end is mounted loosely upon one of the
axles of the vehicle or in other manner and upon this reciprocating arm or lever is
mounted a spring pawl or equivalent device which engages a ratchet wheel or the
like fixed upon the axle or wheel of the vehicle so that the reciprocation of the arm
or lever will give a rotary movement to the axle or wheel.
The cylinder which is furnished with suitable inlet and exhaust ports (the latter
controlled by a suitable valve or cock) is provided upon its interior with a powerful
coiled or spiral spring and the inlet port is connected with a force pump which is
driven from one of the axles of the vehicle through suitable chain gearing so as to
allow of the vertical oscillation of the vehicle or in other suitable manner so that
whilst the vehicle is in motion and until the spring is compressed it is constantly
pumping into the cylinder air, water, or other fluid thereby gradually carrying the
piston towards the end of the cylinder and at the same time compressing the spring
and storing the required power.
The exhaust port of the cylinder is placed under the control of the driver of the
vehicle or other official so that when it is desired to start the same it is only
necessary for him by means of a lever to open the exhaust port or the starting of
the horses might be caused to effect this purpose thereby releasing the compressed
air or other fluid when the spring will force forward the piston and through the
piston rod and connecting rod cause the reciprocating arm or lever to be moved
through the arc of a circle and by means of the pawl or driver and ratchet wheel
the axle or wheel of the vehicle will be correspondingly turned a portion of a
revolution and the vehicle will thus receive an initial impulse in the direction
desired.
When employing air or other fluid a suitable pressure or safety valve is employed
to allow of the escape of the excess thereof after the compression of the coiled
spring.
When employing oil, water, or other liquid I store the same in a suitable tank or
reservoir and connect therewith the exhaust port of the cylinder so that upon the
same being opened to bring the apparatus into action the liquid contained in the
cylinder will be returned to the tank in readiness for the next operation and I also
connect the inlet port of the cylinder or the pump with the tank and control the

page_text: same by means of a suitable pressure valve so that after the compression of the
coiled spring any excess of fluid will be caused to return to the supply tank or
reservoir.
It will be understood that I may if desired employ several cylinders and
corresponding parts where increased power is necessary.
By the means herein before described I obtain a simple comparatively inexpensive
and effective apparatus adapted to give a powerful forward impulse to the vehicle
whilst inasmuch as the driver is only required to open and close the exhaust
port of the cylinder the apparatus is placed completely and reliably under his
control.
Although I have herein before described the means that I at present prefer for
carrying my invention into effect I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself thereto as 1 may achieve the same or substantially the same result by
modifying the parts. For example I may arrange the coiled spring in any suitable
position exteriorily of the cylinder and cause the same to exert its force either by
expansion or contraction and in lieu of the coiled spring 1 may employ any other
suitable form of spring whilst instead of giving motion from the piston rod to the
axle of the vehicle through a link and arm or lever as hereinbefore described I
may employ a rack upon the piston rod to engage a toothed wheel or pinion which
through a pawl and ratchet wheel and if desired chains and chain wheels may
convey the necessary motion to the axle or wheel of the vehicle.
Dated this 21st day of July 1893.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Starting Tram Cars and other
Vehicles.
I, JOSEPH WILLOUGHBY, of Erme House, Mutley, Compton Gifford, in the
County of Devon, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said 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 Improvements in Apparatus for Starting Tramway
Cars and other Vehicles.
It is well known that, in starting a tramway car or like vehicle, an excessive strain
is thrown upon the horses and many attempts have been made to devise au apparatus
to obviate this difficulty but they have all been more or less of an impracticable
character.
Now, the object of my present invention is by a novel and simple means to give
to such a vehicle a powerful initial impulse independent of the horse traction and
thereby to reduce the strain upon the animals to a minimum.
For this purpose, I mount upon the frame of the vehicle a cylinder within which
is a piston from which a piston rod extends through a suitable stuffing box and this
piston rod is coupled by a link or connecting rod with the outer end of a recipro-
cating arm or lever which at its inner end is mounted loosely upon one of the axles
of the vehicle or in other manner and upon this reciprocating arm or lever is
mounted a spring pawl or equivalent device which engages a ratchet wheel or the
like fixed upon the axle or wheel of the vehicle so that the reciprocation of the arm
or lever will give a rotary movement to the axle or wheel.
The cylinder which is furnished with suitable inlet and exhaust ports (the latter
controlled by a suitable valve or cock) is provided upon its interior with a powerful
coiled or spiral spring and the inlet port is connected with a force pump which is
driven from one of the axles of the vehicle through suitable chain gearing or in
other suitable manner so as to allow of the vertical oscillation of the vehicle, so that

page_text: whilst the vehicle is in motion and until the spring is compressed it is constantly
pumping into the cylinder air, water, or other fluid thereby gradually carrying the
piston towards the end of the cylinder and at the same time compressing the spring
and storing the required power.
The exhaust port of the cylinder is placed under the control of the driver of the
vehicle or other official, so that when it is desired to start the same it is only
necessary for him by means of a lever to open the exhaust port thereby releasing
the compressed air or other fluid, when the spring will force forward the piston,
and, through the piston rod and connecting rod, cause the reciprocating arm or lever
to be moved through the arc of a circle, and, by means of the pawl or driver and
ratchet wheel, the axle or wheel of the vehicle will be correspondingly turned a
portion of a revolution and the vehicle will thus receive an initial impulse in the
direction desired.
When employing air or other fluid a suitable pressure or safety valve is employed
to allow. of the escape of the excess thereof after the compression of the coiled
spring.
When employing oil, water or other liquid, I store the same in a suitable tank or
reservoir and connect therewith the exhaust port of the cylinder so that upon the
same being opened to bring the apparatus into action the liquid contained in the
cylinder will be returned to the tank in readiness for the next operation and I
also connect the inlet port of the cylinder or the pump with the tank and control
the same by means of a suitable pressure valve so that after the compression of
the coiled spring any excess of fluid will be caused to return to the supply tank or
reservoir.
It will be understood that I may if desired employ several cylinders and corre-
sponding parts where increased power is necessary.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully
Figure 1. is a sectional elevation representing a portion of a tram car having
my invention applied thereto and showing the actuating spring in its normal
condition.
Figure 2. is a plan thereof.
Figure 3. is a similar view to Figure 1. but representing only the right hand end
thereof and showing the spring in its compressed condition.
Figure 4. is a similar view to Figure 1. but representing the apparatus applied to
one end of a tram car, and,
Figure 5. is a plan thereof partly in section.
Figure 6. is a longitudinal section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 7. representing
a modification, and,
Figure 7. is a plan thereof.
In the several figures of the drawings like parts are indicated by similar letters
of reference.
Referring to Figures 1. to 3. a. represents the frame of the vehicle which is of
ordinary construction, and b. represents a cylinder which is supported by bearers a¹
upon the frame a. and to which it is secured by flanges and bolts.
Within the cylinder b. at each end thereof is a piston 61 from which a piston rod b
extends through a stuffing box 63 and each piston rod 62 is coupled by means of a
link or connecting rod at one end pinjointed thereto with the outer end of a
reciprocating arm or lever c¹ to which its opposite end is pinjointed and which arm
or lever c is loosely mounted upon the axle c³ of the wheels c.
Upon the reciprocating arm or lever c' is mounted a weighted or it might be a
spring pawle which normally engages a ratchet wheel or the like fixed upon the
axle so that the reciprocation of the arm or lever c¹ will give a rotary movement

page_text: to the axle c or wheel c. and the pawl is provided with a chain c which is at one
end attached thereto and passes up through an opening in the framing a. and at its
other end is provided with an eye adapted to hook upon either of two hooks a³ aª
carried by the framing a. the former a controlling the free end of the chain c when
the pawl is in engagement with its ratchet wheel c as indicated at the right hand
of Figure 1. and the latter as holding the chain in its tautened position with the
pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel c³ as indicated at the left hand side
of the same figure.
A similar set of these parts but arranged to act in opposite directions is located
at each end of the car, so that the device is adapted to work in both directions
according to the direction of travel of the vehicle the chain holding free of
engagement with the ratchet wheel c³ that pawl c¹ which, for the time being, it is
desired to place out of action.
The cylinder b. is furnished with suitable inlet and exhaust ports 64 65 the latter
controlled by a suitable valve or cock and the cylinder b. is provided upon its
interior with a powerful coiled or spiral spring 66 located between the two pistons b¹.
The inlet port 4 is connected by a pipe or conduit ³, valve or cock d² and pipe d'
with the delivery port d of a force pump d. of ordinary construction in which d
represents the suction inlet and d represents the delivery outlet hereinbefore
referred to, these ways being controlled by suitable oppositely acting valves as will
be readily understood.
The inlet or suction port d' of the pump d. is by a pipe or conduit dº, valve
or cock d' and pipe or conduit de connected with the body of the cylinder b.,
which, in this example, serves the purpose of a tank or reservoir, hereinafter
more fully referred to, adapted to contain the necessary oil or other fluid.
The rod do of the force pump d. is pinjointed to an eccentric rod d" which is
fixed to the strap d of an eccentric d¹² fixed upon one of the axles of the
wheels c., so that, whilst the vehicle is in motion and until the spring 66 is com-
pressed, the pump d. is constantly drawing the oil or other fluid from the cylinder b.
through the pipes or conduits de d and pumping it through the pipes or
conduits d d³ and through the inlet port 6 into the cylinder b. thereby gradually
carrying the piston 6 at that end of the cylinder b. towards the opposite end
thereof, and at the same time compressing the spring 66 until it occupies the position
indicated at Figure 3. and thus storing the required power.
The exhaust port 6 of the cylinder b. for the compressed fluid is connected by a
pipe or conduit with the tank part of the cylinder at 18, and, in a suitable
position, a valve is placed in the conduit 67, and this valve is connected with a
pedal or foot plate 60 located in a convenient position to be actuated by the foot of
the driver so that the exhaust port of the cylinder is thus placed under the
control of the driver so that when it is desired to start the vehicle it is only
necessary for the driver to depress the foot plate or pedal 610 when the exhaust
port of the cylinder will be opened and placed in free communication with the
tank part of the cylinder at 68 thus releasing the fluid which has been previously
pumped into the cylinder.
The spring 6 will now force forward the piston 6' and through the piston rod ³
and connecting rod c² cause the reciprocating arm or lever e¹ to be moved through
the arc of a circle from the position indicated by the dotted lines into the position
indicated by the full lines at the right hand of Figure 1., and, by means of the
pawl or driver and ratchet wheel c³, the axle e and wheel c. of the vehicle will
be correspondingly turned a portion of a revolution and the vehicle will thus receive
an initial impulse in the desired direction.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that the body of the cylinder b.
constitutes a tank or reservoir for the oil, water or other liquid and that the same is
employed over and over again, being returned to the tank or reservoir in readiness
for the next operation by the action of the spring bº.
Inasmuch as the rod do of the pump d. is always working when the vehicle is in
motion, it is necessary to provide means to prevent the fluid being forced into the

page_text: compression end of the cylinder b. after the spring 60 is compressed and for this
purpose the outlet from the cylinder b. to the pipe d or d* as the case may be
is arranged in such a position that it will then be closed by the piston as
represented at Figure 3. and in order to carry off any possible leakage past the
piston into the pipe de a relief or safety valve d¹s is provided which connects with
the pipe d' through which the fluid is pumped on its way to the inlet port 6 of the
cylinder b. and also connects with a pipe or conduit d" which leads to the tank or
reservoir part of the cylinder b. so that any leakage fluid will be caused to return to
the supply or reservoir part of the cylinder b.
In order to provide for the starting of the vehicle in either direction the
cylinder b. is, as herein before described, formed with duplicate pistons and piston
rods 62, at each end thereof and with duplicate co-acting parts, such
as the
connecting rod c² reciprocating arm or lever c', pawl c and ratchet wheel c³, whilst
the chain serves, as previously stated, to hold out of action that one of the
pawls which for the time being is not required as represented at the left hand of
Figure 1.
The pump d. and actuating eccentric d¹ are common to the entire apparatus, but
in order to connect the pump d. with that end of the cylinder b. which is for the
time being in action as a compression chamber, the valves d² d' are formed with two
ways, so that in one position they will connect the pump d. with one set of pipes
or conduits d³ d and in the other position they will connect the pump d. with the
other set of pipes or conduits d* *, the pipes or conduits d¹ d' and the relief
valve d¹³ being common to both arrangements.
It is desirable that the valves.d2 d' should be placed under the control of the
driver from either end of the car, and for this purpose they are provided with
offsets or levers d²* d* which at their outer ends are both pinjointed to a horizontal
sliding bar e. which extends from end to end of the car, or nearly so, and at each
end passes through a slotted bearing in a depending bracket e² and is provided with
a handle e so that the driver or attendant may by pulling the handle e' readily
reverse the valves d² d' whilst a removeable stop pin e³ is employed to lock the bar e.
in the position desired for the time being.
In the example given at Figures 4. and 5. the apparatus is arranged to act upon
only one pair of wheels of the vehicle, no matter what may be the direction of
travel thereof, but it is placed under the control of the driver at both ends of the
vehicle in the manner hereinbefore described with respect to the previous figures.
In this case, one of the pistons b¹ is provided with a tubular piston rod b², which
by means of an offset or crosshead 62* connects with a connecting rod c** which
couples it with one of two reciprocating arms c¹ mounted upon the axle e³, whilst
the other piston b' is provided with a long piston rod 62 which passes through the
tubular piston rod, and by means of a connecting rod c² pinjointed thereto connects
with the other reciprocating arm or lever c¹ and upon the axle care fixed two
ratchet wheels the teeth of which are arranged in opposite directions, whilst two
pawls c carried by the reciprocating arms or levers e engage therewith and are
controlled by chains e in a similar manner to that herein before described with
respect to the previous figures the pawls c in this case being furnished with counter-
weighted heads c* having for their object to normally hold them in engagement
with the ratchet wheels c³.
In the example given at Figures 6. and 7 the apparatus is arranged to give, by
means of a single piston b¹ the required impulse to the wheels of the vehicle in
either direction, in this example chain links are employed to convey the motion of
the piston b' to the axle c³ of the wheels c.
In this case chain links c³, c2* are substituted for the links hereinbefore described
and these chain links pass around pawl plates cl c¹* the links ² * are connected
by rods to guide chains which pass around guide sheaves g. 9' on the axle * of
the vehicle. The pawl plates c¹ c* normally run loose on the axle, attached to
them are the pawls c, which at the desired times engage ratchet wheels of o***
fixed upon the axle c of the vehicle.

page_text: The pawls e¹ care provided with chains co which are at one end attached thereto
and pass over suitable guide rollers to the end of the car the outer ends of the
chains being attached to weights which are adapted to be fixed upon hooks a
when the pawls are engaged with their corresponding ratchet wheels e as indicated
at the right hand of Figure 6. springs c' keeping the pawls c¹ c¹* in gear with
their ratchet wheels allowing freedom of movement between them.
When a weight is released from its hook as it is suitably guided and compressing
the spring c lifts the pawl c* or * out of engagement with its ratchet wheel as
indicated at the left hand of Figure 6., so that by raising the pawl c* at the
left hand end of vehicle as shown on drawings, the piston will give motion
through the rod and chain links c² pawl plate c' pawl c and ratchet wheel c³ to the
axle and the vehicle will thus be caused to travel to the left, whilst by raising
the pawl and permitting the pawl c* to fall into gear with the ratchet wheel c**
the vehicle will be caused to travel to the right.
In this case inasmuch as the fluid is only required to act upon one side of the
piston b¹ the pump d. is connected to the tank or cistern f. by one conduit or pipe d
and in this pipe or conduit is placed a valve or cock which whilst the piston b¹
is in its normal position allows the pump to draw the liquid for compressing the
spring from the tank or cistern f. but when the pump has compressed the spring, a
pin fixed in connection with the piston 61 closes the valve or cock d' thus
shutting off the supply of liquid from the pump.
The valves 6 controlling the outlet of the compressed fluid from the cylinder b.
are normally held closed by means of springs but are adapted to be opened by
depressing the foot plates 610 and are thus placed under the control of the driver at
-either end of the vehicle but that valve which for the time being is not in use is
held open by means of a turn button 612 adapted to hold the foot plate 61° depressed
and the valve open as shown at the right hand of Figures 6. and 7. so that there
will be a free way for the fluid to that valve 6' which for the time being is in
.action.
In applying this invention to vehicles such as omnibuses or the like designed to
be drawn on common roads by horse traction or the like and in which the axles
are fixed and the wheels revolve thereon a single valve 6 placed under the
control of the driver would be employed and pawl plates such as cc would
be carried by one or more of the wheels of the vehicle, as will be readily
understood.
The apparatus hereinbefore shown and described is constructed for the employ-
ment of water or other liquid as the compressing fluid but it will be evident
that with slight modifications, air might be employed in lieu thereof.
It will be understood that if desired several cylinders b. and co-acting parts
may be employed in the mauner hereinbefore described, where increased power is
necessary.
By the means herein before described I obtain a simple, comparatively inexpensive
and effective device adapted to give a powerful forward impulse to the vehicle
and in which the power is slowly stored after the starting of the vehicle and
during its transit is kept in readiness for the next start, whilst inasmuch as the
driver is required to open the exhaust port of the cylinder, the apparatus is
placed completely and reliably under his control.
Although I have hereinbefore shown and described the means that I at present
prefer for carrying my invention into effect, I would have it understood that I
do not confine myself thereto as I may achieve the same or substantially the
same result by modifying the parts; for example I may arrange the coiled
spring in any suitable position exteriorly of the cylinder, and cause the same to
exert its force either by expansion or contraction, and in lieu of a coiled spring
I may employ any other suitable form of spring whilst instead of giving motion
from the piston rod to the axle of the vehicle through a link, arm or lever, or
links and pawl plates as berein before described I may employ a rack upon the
piston to engage a toothed wheel or pinion.

page_text: And furthermore instead of utilizing the cylinder b. as a tank or reservoir when
employing a liquid as the compressing medium I may employ a separate tank f. as
shewn in examples Figures 6. and 7.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In an apparatus for starting tram cars or other vehicles, the combination of a
pump, cylinder, piston and spring; the pump being put into action by the ordinary
running of the vehicle for the purpose of forcing water, oil, or other fluid into the
cylinder behind the piston of which is the spring compressed by the force of the
pumped water, oil, or other fluid, and which spring when released from this
regularly accumulated and stored force acts upon the wheels of the vehicle-
producing motion, substantially as hereinbefore shown and described.
Dated this 21st day of May 1894.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.