US358642A

US358642A - Car-starter

Info

Publication number: US358642A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1887-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 1904-03-01

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 1. B. B. BRADY 8v A. B. MGGANNA. GAR STARTER. No. 358,642. Patented Mar. l, 18%87.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2,

B. B. BRADY 8v A. B. MGCANNA.

CAR STARTER.

No. 358,642. Patented Mar. 1,1887.

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BERNARD B. BRADY AND ANDREV B M-CCANNA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-STA RTE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,642, dated March vl` 1887.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BERNARD B. BRADY and ANDREW B. MOC-ANNA, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State Yof Iliinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Starters, of which the following is a specication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

|This invention relates to devi-ces for assisting the horses in starting a car; and it has for its object to provide an arrangement by which the driver, by operating the brakes, will compress a spring, the elastic force of which again will be utilized for starlinga car; also, to provide friction-wheels brought in contact by the brake-operating mechanism and tending to utilize the momentum of the car for compressing such spring.

Our invention therefore consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of the platform and running-gear of a car embodying our improvements and in position as when the ear is in motion; Fig. 2, a similar view of the same in position as after applying the brakes; Fig. 3, a plan View of the running-gear, and Figs. 4 and 5 a longitudinal section and edge view of the segmental starting-wheel.

Corresponding letters in the several figures of the drawings designate like parts.

A and A denote the axles, and B the carwheels, mounted thereon. Upon the middle of each axle is also rigidly1 mounted a ratchetwheel, C, and a friction-wheel, D. A segmental sprocket-wheel, E, is loosely sleeved upon each axle A by bifurcated arms e and V- straps d, that embrace the ratchet-wheel C, and a pawl, F, is pivoted between the arms e, engaging with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel C.

G G are the brake-shoes, each pair connected by a brake-beam, II, and suspended to the carbody by links in the usual manner.

Between brackets I, secured upon the middle of each brake-beam, is pivoted a shaft, fi, upon which is rigidly mounted a frictionwheel, J, and asprocket-wheel, K. The friction-wheel J, being in line with wheel D, will be rotated by frictional contact therewith, which rotating movement will be imparted to sprocket-wheel K, that again is in line with segmental sprocket-gear E. l

A spiral spring, L, is placed between plates M M', that slide upon longitudinal rods fixed between brackets N N of the car-body. A rod, O, passed through the spring L and through an opening in plate M, is coupled with its end to plate M', and another rod, O', also passed through spring L and through an opening in plate M', is coupled with its end to plate M, and while rod O has coupled the end of a chain or link belt, P, which, after passing over segmental sprocket-gear E and sprocketwheel K of one end of the car, is secured with its opposite end to brake-staff Q, the rod O has coupled a similar chain or link belt, R, that, after passing over the segmental sprocket-gear E and sprocket-wheel K of the opposite end of the ear, is secured to brake-staff S.

The friction-wheels J have each two diametrically-opposite arc-shaped notches,j,that, while the car is in motion, are on a diagonal position, as shown in Fig. l, but will bring the wheel J into frictional contact with wheel D; this wheel J will be rotated such portion of a revolution until the notchesj are brought in horizontal line with wheel l), as shown in Fig. l.

The car moving in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. l, the driver, for stopping, will turn staff S, when the tension of chain It will rotate sprocket-wheel K to compress spring L, and at the same time he will pull wheel J into frictional contact with wheel D to rotate therewith, whereby the momentum of the car will help the driver, compressing the spring until the notch j engages the 'rim of the wheel, and then, with a further turning of the brake-staff, the brake-shoes will be brought to bear against their respective carwheels, stopping further motion of the car; and while thus the wheels J K are turned and the spring L is compressed, the segmental sprocket F/ is also tluned by the chain orlink belt B engaging its teeth in a manner that the sudden releasing of the brakes will release the full elastic force ofthe spring to act upon such segmental sprocket E', which, by the engagelment of its pawl F' with ratchet-wheel C, will transmit such force upon the axle to be rorated thereby in the forwardly-moving direction, and will thus assist the horses in starting the car.

As will be noticed, the friction-wheels D- and J are herein applied for the purpose of assisting the driver in compressing the spring by the momentum of movement of the car; but yet by the great leverage power the driver can exert for winding the chain upon the staff he can sufficiently compress the spring L to start or assist the horses in starting the car, and therefore in certain instances these friction-wheels D andJ can be omitted, and when thus omitted thetwo break-beams may be connected in any well-known manner to operate all the brake-shoes simultaneously by the turning of either brake-staff.

rlhe improvement herein described will be adapted as well for a cable-car as for a horsecar.

We are aware that car brakes `and starters have been made with a spring under the car and a chainuconnecting to the brake-shaft, and having a lever for operating the axle positively connected with and forming a part of said chain, and that friction-wheels for aiding in stopping the carhave beenused directly upon theground-wheels, to which friction-wheel the brake-shoe is secured 5 and we do not claim such, as in our invention the chain and axlelever are not positively connected, nor are the friction-wheels applied to the ground-Wheels, nor do they have the brake-shoes attached to them; and in no previous devices, so far as we are aware, have separate friction-wheels been applied to the car-axle, nor have the frictionwheels upon the brake-shaft been provided with notches Vfor limiting their motion.

1. Inacarstarter, the combination, with the brake-staff, aspring secu red under the body of the car, and a sprocket-chain connecting said spring with said brake-staff, of a sprocketwheel around which the sprocket-chain passes, a ratchet-wheel fixed on an axle of the car, and a` segmental sprocket-gear loosely mounted on said axle and having a pawl to engage the ratchet-wheel, said segmental gear being engaged with the sprocket-chain.

2. The combination, with the brake-beam, friction-wheels, as described, for braking, and brake-staff, of a spring secured under the body of the car, a ratchet-wheel fixed upon the axle, a segmental sprocket-gear loosely sleeved upon such axle and having a pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel, a sprocket-wheel pivoted between brackets on the brake-beam, and a sprocket-chain engaging the segmental gear and passing round the sprocket-wheel, said chain being attached at one end to the brakestaff and at the other to the spring under the body of the car.

3. The combination, with the brake-beam and brakestaff of a car, of a spring secured under thecar-body, a friction-Wh eel andratchetwheel rigidly mounted upon the axle, a segmental sprocket-wheel loosely sleeved upon the axle and provided with apawl engaging the ratchet-wheel, a sprocket-wheel and frictionwheel pivoted between brackets of the brakebeam, and a chain connected with the spring and passed over and around the segmental gear and sprocket-Wheel, all substantially as set forth, to operate as specified.

4. The combination, with the brake-beam and brake-staff of a car, of a spring secured under the car-bod y, a friction-wheel and ratch etwheel rigidly mounted upon the axle, a segmental sprocket-gear loosely sleeved upon the axleand provided with a pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel, a sprocket-wheel and frictionwheel pivoted between brackets of the brakebeam, such friction-wheel having notches for limiting its movement, and a chain connected with the spring and passed over and around the segmental gear and sprocket-wheel, all substantially as set forth, to operate as specied.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

BERNARD B. BRADY. ANDREW B. MCCANNA'. Witnesses:

Wivr. H. Lofrz, NIooLAs lSCHARL.