US29007A - Stopping and starting city railroad-cabs - Google Patents

Description

' ZSht-ShtL- E. s. RITCHIE.

Car Starter.

No. 29,007. Patented July 3,- I860.

Witnesses 1711187110 'E. s. RITCHIE.

'Car-Start'er.

No, 29,007. v 'Patented July 3, 1860.

2 Shear-Sheet 2.

Ine nZOW' MPEI'ERS, PNOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, WASHXNGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDYVARD S. RITCHIE. OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

STOPPING AND STARTING CITY RAILROAD-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 29,007, dated July 3, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. RITCHIE, of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Apparatus or Mechanism for Arresting the Motion of and Aiding in Starting a Railway or other Carriage; and I do hereby declare the same to be fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1, is a top view; Fig. 2, a bottom View; Fig. 3, a central vertical and longitudinal section; and Fig. 4, a transverse section of a carriage furnished with my invention, the latter figure or section being taken through the forward wheel axle.

In these drawings, A, exhibits the carriage body or frame as supported by the axles, B, C, of four wheels D, D, D, D.

There is placed on one of the axles or that marked, C, a spring barrel or case, E, provided with two separate heads, 0, (Z, each of which has the form of a pulley, and carries on its inner side, a tubular projection a, or b, one of which is larger in diameter than the other and is arranged concentrically with it. The lesser one forms the inner circular boundary of the case E, and receives the axle which turns freely in it. The outer one envelops a coiled spiral spring, F, whose two ends are respectively fastened to the parts a, 7). Thus the two ends of the spring may be said to be respectively connected with the barrel heads 0, (Z.

A friction brake or band 6, or f, is applied to the periphery of each head 0, or (Z. In the drawings, the ends of each of these friction bands are shown as attached to two rods 9, h, or g, h, which extend in opposite directions from one another, there being a spring, t, introduced into or connected with the longer rod of the other set each spring being'so applied to the rod and the brake as to enable the draft on the brake by the rod to be exerted through the spring, the whole being as shown in the drawings.

On the outer face of each head 0, or (Z, there is a ratchet, Z, or Z. These operate in connection with two clutches, H, I, arranged on the axle as shown in the drawings. Each clutch consists in part of two sets of four or other suitable number of radial arms, (m,) extended respectively from two hubs, 'n, 0, which encompass the axle, C. The two inner hubs are fastened to the axle so as to revolve with it. Each outer hub slides longitudinally on the axle and is grooved as shown at p, and receive the forked ends of a curved bar, 1 arranged as shown in the drawings. Furthermore, the two sets of arms of each clutch are provided with catches, s s, which slide through them and are respectively pressed toward the adjacent ratchet by springs, 2/, t.

The fulcrum, a, of the lever K, extends downward from the curved bar, 11, the said lever being jointed at its opposite ends to the arms of two right angular levers, L, L, whose opposite arms are connected by joint bars, H, M, to two cranks, N, N, which project from the lower ends of two vertical shafts, O, O, situated at the opposite ends of the carriage as shown in the figures. Each of these shafts is provided with a crank, P or P, at its upper end and besides, it carries two cams, R, S, or R, S, which are formed and arranged on it as exhibited in Figs. 1, and 3. The cams of each pair operate against two levers T, V, or T V, which are arranged and connected with the brake rods, 9, h, or g h, as exhibited in Figs. 1, and 3.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Under ordinary circumstances, while the carriage is in motion, the cranks P, P, are to stand pointing inward each being at a right angle with its end of the carriage. When the driver, while standing with his face toward the end of the carriage may desire to arrest the movement of the carriage in order to take up a passenger or for any other purpose, he first turns to the left, the crank next to him, an arc of ninety degrees. This will cause the left hand brake to bind on its brake head and the right hand clutch to engage with the opposite or right hand brake head. As the carriage continues to move on, the spring will next be moved up until the momentum of the carriage is expended in winding the s ring or until the carriage may reach the p ace of stoppage. At this time, the driver should next revolve or turn the crank another quarter of a circle so as to cause the other brake to be drawn closely upon its brake head, the operating cam of the first brake continuing in the mean time to preserve the brake in action on its head. This second movement of the crank will also cause both clutches to be moved out of engagement with the ratchets of the two heads. As soon as the driver is ready to start the carriage forward, he should again turn the crank still farther in the same direction another quarter of a circle. This will produce the release of the left hand brake and the engagement of a. clutch with the ratchet of its brake head. The consequence then will be that the clastic power before generated in the spring will be exerted to impel the carriage forward or assist the draft animals or power in starting a it.

Thus it will be seen that by my invention I not only store up the power that would otherwise be lost in sto ping the carriage, but I subsequently emp oy such to start or impel the carriage forward. It is well known, that great exertion is often required to be made by the horses in starting a railway carriage. By my invention, they are relieved from such, as the power of momentum of the carriage is employed both for stopping and starting it.

My invention is also susceptible of further advantageous use as respects stopping a car while in motion. It can be operated from either end of the railway carriage and whether it be running in either direction. While the two actuating cranks point inward toward the center of the carriage, both clutches will be out of engagement with their ratchets and the axle will be free to revolve in either direction. The springs of the brake are supplementary to their brake operating mechanism and serve to prevent breakage or injury of the apparatus which might result from too strong an action of the brakes on their heads.

I claim- 1. The combination of the following elements, or their mechanical equivalent-s adapted and arranged together as explained, viz., 1, the spring, F; 2, the two separate barrel heads, connected respectively with the ends of the spring F; 8, the two clutch gears or ratchets Z, Z; 4:, the two clutches, H, I and 5, the two friction brakes of the two heads 0, 0?, such combination being applied to the wheel axle and so as to operate 7 substantially in manner and for the purpose I EDW. S. RITCHIE.

lVitnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr.

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