IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND BRAKES FOR FACILITATING THE STOPPAGE AND RE-STARTING OF TRAMWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES WHICH HAVE THE WHEELS " FASTENED ON THE AXLES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Johann Heinrich Cohrs, Merchant, of Steinstrasse,
in the City of Hamburg, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS AND BRAKES FOR FACILITATING THE STOPPAGE AND RE-STARTING OF
TRAMWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES WHICH HAVE THE WHEELS
"
FASTENED ON THE AXLES."
'
Sealed the 7th March 1873, and dated the 7th December 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Johann Heinrich Cohrs
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 7th December 1872.
I, JOHANN HEINRICH COHRS, Merchant, of Steinstrasse, in the City
of Hamburg, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND BRAKES FOR FACILITATING THE STOPPAGE"
AND RE-STARTING OF TRAMWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES WHICH HAVE
THE WHEELS FASTENED ON THE AXLES," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to break appliances or apparatus for facili-
tating the stoppage and the re-starting of tramway carriages, wagons,
carts, and vehicles generally, in which the axles move in bearings.

page_text: The Invention consists of an apparatus which accumulates the power
required to stop a carriage, and which enables the driver to use a part of
this power to put the carriage in motion again. It is constructed and
worked as follows:-On, say, one of the axles of the vehicle are
fastened two pinions which turn loose upon the same; each pinion has
on one end projections by which it can be coupled to a clutch box
moved by levers within reach of the driver or other attendant. The
pinions gear into racks which are at one end connected by a strong
cross piece, and are arranged one above and the other beneath the axle.
At the outer end of the clutch boxes are two strong iron frames in
which the axle turns loosely; they are connected by bolts to each other
at one end, and by a cross piece through a strong iron bracket or tressle
to the carriage. On the bolts two rollers are fitted which keep the racks
in exact position. The frames are also connected by a cross piece which
is bent, so that it clears the pinions and clutch boxes. From the tressle
a rod passes through the connecting piece of the racks and through the
cross piece. Springs press the racks away from the tressle so long as
the pinions turn loosely upon the shaft, but as soon as the carriage is
required to be stopped one of the clutch boxes is brought in connection
with its pinion, in consequence of which the rack moves backward and
compresses the springs which slackens the motion of the carriage, and
brings it to a stand still. The action of the other clutch box is put into
gear with the other pinion for the reverse stoppage when the carriage is
to be again put into motion, the clutch box last in action is uncoupled,
the springs press the rack forward and turn the axle through the pinion
in the intended direction, thus assisting the horses when the greatest
strain is on their necks.
Bearings are arranged for the rod through which the levers commu-
nicate with the clutch boxes. Between the connecting piece of the
racks and the cross piece there is a short but strong spring which
prevents the racks moving so far from the pinions that they cannot be
brought into gear again. Either one of the levers is thrown over by
hand when the carriage moves in the direction for which it is fitted.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Johann Heinrich Cohrs, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHANN
HEINRICH COHRS, Merchant, of Steinstrasse, in the City of Hamburg,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Johann Heinrich Cohrs, Her special licence
that I, the said Johann Heinrich Cohrs, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Johann Heinrich Cohrs, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS AND BRAKES FOR FACILITATING THE STOPPAGE AND RE-STARTING OF
TRAMWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES WHICH HAVE THE WHEELS FASTENED
ON THE AXLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said.
Johann Heinrich Cohrs, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Johann Heinrich Cohrs, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
1.
This Invention relates to brake appliances or apparatus for facilitating
the stoppage and the re-starting of tramway carriages, heavy wagons,
carts, and vehicles generally, in which the axles move in bearings.

page_text: The Invention consists of an apparatus which accumulates the power
required to stop a carriage, and which enables the driver to use a part of
this power to put the carriage in motion again. It is constructed and
worked as follows:-On, say, one of the axles of the vehicle are
fastened two pinions which turn loosely on the same; each pinion has
on one end projections by which it can be coupled to a clutch box
moved by levers within reach of the driver or other attendant. The
pinions gear into racks which are at one end connected by a strong
cross piece, and are arranged one above and the other beneath the axle.
At the outer end of the clutch boxes are two strong iron frames in
which the axle turns loosely, they are connected by bolts to each other
at one end and by a cross piece through a strong iron bracket or trestle
to the carriage. On the bolts two rollers are fitted which keep the racks
in exact position. The frames are also connected by a cross piece which
is bent so that it clears the pinions and clutch boxes. From the trestle
a rod passes through the connecting piece of the racks, and through the
cross piece. A set of springs press the rack away from the trestle so
long as the pinions turn loosely upon the shaft, but as soon as the
carriage is required to be stopped one of the clutch boxes is brought in
connection with its pinion, in consequence of which the rack moves
backwards and compresses the springs which slackens the motion of the
carriage and brings it to a standstill. The action of the other clutch box
put into gear with the other pinion causes the reverse stoppage. When
the carriage is to be again put into motion the clutch box first in action
is uncoupled, the springs press the rack forward and turn the axle
through the pinion in the intended direction, thus assisting the horses
when the greatest strain is on their necks.
Bearings are arranged for the rods through which the levers commu-
nicate with the clutch boxes. Between the connecting piece of the
racks and the cross piece there is a short but strong spring which
prevents the racks moving so far from the pinions that they cannot be
brought into gear again. Either one of the levers is thrown over by
hand when the carriage moves in the direction to which it is fitted.
The Invention will be more particularly understood by reference to
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which the lower portion of a
tramway car is shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the apparatus applied
thereto; a, a, is the bottom of the car; b, a bracket depending there-
from at or near the axle c, opposite to that on which the mechanism is

page_text: fitted. This bracket or trestle has the ends of two longitudinal straps,
rods, or guides d, d, fastened to it, whose other ends are attached to a
framing e, e, borne loosely by the axle f. The framing is composed of
two side cheeks connected by stay or tie bolts 9, 9, and between which
are two clutches h, h³, feathered upon the axle and free to be moved to
the right and to the left by the forked levers i, i, according to the
direction in which the car may be travelling. The clutches when
thrown outwards gear into one or other of two pinions j, j, the teeth of
which are always in gear with the teeth of two racks k, k¹, for forcing
the racks back, and thereby compressing the springs 1, 1, 1, 1, up towards
the end at which the bracket is situated. This compression acts as a
break to stop the car, and forms the medium by which the car can be
re-started when required by the conductor or the driver moving the lever
first acted upon back to its normal position. This removing of the
clutch first in action out of gear allows the other pinion which is still
coupled to the axle to run in the teeth of its rack in a reverse direction
for causing the vehicle to rebound forwards, thereby taking all the strain
or part of it from the horses, as is usually employed for putting the vehicle
into motion again.
I have shown the springs as being composed of four separate pieces,
between which partition or division- plates, or collars m, m, are arranged,
and this plan not only enables each portion of the spring to be acted upon
for giving better results than one long spring only would give, but it
ensures greater compressibility and durability of the whole or of any one
portion than a single spring, besides a better equality" of "temper'
can be put into a few coils of steel than into many coils, and without
fear of the coils breaking upon a sudden contraction or compression
taking place.
"
The racks k, k³, are arranged one above the axle f and one below it,
so that supposing the car to be travelling in the direction of the arrow
and the driver is called upon to stop, he moves the hand lever n over to
the position p, shown in dotted lines, to throw the clutch ¹ which is
feathered upon the axle into gear with the pinion j³, and this causes the
pinion to rotate in the proper direction for pushing back the rack bar k³,
and thereby causing the springs 1, 1, 1, 1, to be compressed. This com-
pression of the springs retards the forward motion of the car and
ultimately brings it to a standstill. The driver then pushes the other
lever q over to engage its clutch with the pinion ; when the carriage

page_text: has to go on again he releases the clutch ¹ out of gear with the
pinion, when the rebound or expansion action of the springs reverses
the motion or travel of the rack bar, and this in its turn causes the
pinion to move the axle and consequently the wheels round to propel
the car forward.
On the travel of the carriage in the reverse direction the levers n and q
are removed from their places to the new seat of the driver, as shown in
Figure 1 in the dotted lines q¹, n¹. The stopping and removing of the
carriage is attained by the driver working the levers in the same manner
as explained before, where the carriage moved in the direction of the
arrow.
According to the Figures on the Drawings both levers are arranged
near the central line of the vehicle, but they may be at one side or in
any other convenient position within reach of the driver.
Instead of two levers one lever can be employed, but in this case
grooved discs or a lock must be added in the mechanism to secure the
alternative and proper motion of the clutches.
Again, the compression of the springs can be utilized for checking
the speed of the vehicle when going too fast, or when going down an
incline in lieu of the breaks as at present employed. In this case the
driver or the conductor engages and disengages one and the same clutch
one time or more, thus partly compressing the springs in each case,
which in expanding again only cause the pinion in gear to turn loosely
on the axle as the other clutch is not in gear. But for this purpose the
ordinary break can be employed or a friction break can be attached to
one of the levers n or q.
I have referred to toothed clutch boxes, but frictional gearing can be
employed if desired; the main feature and which I claim as my In-
vention being the compression of a set of springs (four as shewn in the
Drawings, or more or less) under the body of a vehicle for retarding and
stopping its motion in the manner described, and the retaining of the
springs in the compressed state, which when released forms the pro-
pulsive medium for re-starting the vehicle, substantially as set forth and
shown.
Secondly. I claim the general arrangement and method of action of
the appliances for facilitating the retarding, stopping, and re-starting

page_text: of tramway cars and other similar vehicles, which have the wheels
fastened upon the axles, as described and shown.
Thirdly. The modification herein-before referred to for the purpose set
forth or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Johann Heinrich Cohrs, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of April, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.