IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING AND EASING THE STARTING OF TRAM-CARS, OR OTHER VEHICLES, MACHINES AND MACHINERY
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest Evitt Cook at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th September 1883.
.
ERNEST EVITT COOK, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Engineer and Model
Maker, IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING AND EASING THE
STARTING OF TRAM-CARS, OR OTHER VEHICLES, MACHINES AND MACHINERY,
The object of my Invention is to obtain a greatly increased power at the time of
starting tram-cars or other vehicles machines and machinery thus relieving the
horses or other motive power of the severe strain now put upon them.
.
This object I attain by causing the horses or other Motive Power to draw away
from the tram car, vehicle, machine or machinery, say about two feet, more or less,
at the time of starting and by this drawing away to act upon the apparatus
hereinafter described.
For the purpose of my Invention and in one arrangement, whereby the tram
car, vehicle, machine or machinery can be drawn, propelled or impelled or set in
motion in either direction, I provide chains, ropes or other gear which I attach to a
lever or levers, the said lever or levers being mounted loosely on the axle or axles
of the wheels of the tram car or other vehicle or on the shaft of the machine or
machinery. These chains or ropes extend to both ends of the tram car or other
vehicle, machine or machinery, and the horses or other motive power are attached
to the said ropes or chains at either end of the tram car, vehicle, machine or
machinery at will. The lever or levers carry double and jointed pawls or clicks
and the axle of the wheels is provided with two ratchet wheels toothed in opposite
directions and fixed on the said axle or with friction wheels. These double pawls
or clicks act upon the ratchet or friction wheels in either direction and
consequently upon the wheels of the car or vehicle, and in the case of machines or
machinery upon the shaft thereof, according to the direction desired, thereby
assisting in starting the car, vehicle, machine or machinery.
A counterbalance weight is provided at the lower end of the lever or levers for
the purpose of restoring these levers to their normal position on the axle or shaft
of the car, vehicle, machine or machinery being stopped, thereby bringing the said
lever or levers into position for the restarting of the car, vehicle, machine or
machinery. On the lever or levers being acted upon by the horses or other motive
power, drawing on the chains, ropes or other gear, the pawls or clicks engage with

page_text: the ratchet or friction wheels and cause them to move or turn, thereby setting in
motion the axle and wheels or shaft of the car, vehicle, machine or machinery.
In a modified arrangement in which the car, vehicle, machine or machinery is
always drawn, propelled, impelled or set in motion in one direction only the chains
ropes or other gear attached to the horses, or other motive power, extend only to
one end of the car, vehicle, machine or machinery. The said lever or lovers carries
a pawl or click which engages in the teeth of a corresponding ratchet or friction
wheel fixed on the axle or shaft of the car, vehicle, machine or machinery. A
spring or other suitable contrivance keeps the pawls. or clicks at work. A
counterbalance weight is likewise provided on the lever or levers. The extent
of travel of the chains, ropes or other gear is limited by stops, bars or the like.
When my Invention is applied to machines or machinery I mount a drum or
pulley, or drums or pulleys, on an axle or shaft worked by the motive power and
'fix two drums or pulleys on the shaft or axle of the machine or machinery to be
driven. A strap, belt or other means connects these drums or pulleys and is
adjustable at will (or regulated by the machine itself) through the agency of a
fork, or other means, for shifting the strap or belt, from one drum or pulley of the
machine or machinery to be driven to the other drum or pulley.
On starting the machine or machinery, this belt or strap draws on the chains,
ropes or other gear aforesaid and afterwards the strap or belt is shifted in the
way above specified to the second drum or pulley of the machine or machinery and
the said machine is then driven in the ordinary way.