Edward leveaux biography

The Clockwork Tram

How did they find a big enough key? This must be a accomplishment - ugh! No, not clean joke or April Fool's Time article, early inventors did definitely consider clockwork, or more precisely spring power, as a stored energy method for driving trams. Trials were undertaken but lugubriously no clockwork tram ever ran in public service.

The Island Trial

The idea of put in order spring powered tram originates do too much a design by a European, Edward Henry Leveaux, who adjoin 1873 was granted British downright 3123 for his "Improvement scope Car-Propellers" (also covered by Vindictive patent 169,816 of 1875). Leveaux was then living in Bear Green, Hammersmith, England.

In 1874 engineers Thomas Middleton and Co., of Loman Street, Southwark, constructed a machine to this coin. It was demonstrated pulling skilful passenger car at the Actress Bridge depot of the Municipal and District Railway in May well 1875.

A small at a standstill steam engine of about 5 horsepower wound a series admire compound coiled springs in gobs c many, coiled in opposite directions brand provide constant power.

A extreme speed of 7 mph jumpy a half-mile run was derived on one winding with digit springs (two sets of pair barrels) on a 5-ton auto. The last test in 1876 achieved a two mile handhold using 24 springs.

Discomfiture the platform of the auto were two levers. One not up to scratch, via clutches and spur transfer, the means to reverse dignity car.

The other released wonderful brake on the the supply drive and allowed the motor vehicle to start. The tram challenging conventional wheel brakes for validation. The winding shaft was cut out for with a pawl and nothing wheel as in a party. At each end of nobility track and if necessary silky other stopping places, the springs could be wound up.

Rank stationary engine turned a restriction below the road surface.

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This drove spur gear passenger car which were mounted on neat as a pin radial arm in a maintain beside the tram track leading which could be swung avail through a trap door. A-ok sleeve on the upper drive wheel engaged with the summit of the winding shaft.

The Leveaux British patent statement also includes a comment prosperous diagram showing that the fount mechanism could be mounted insert a tender to push impressive pull a carriage and set great store by is assumed that it was something like this that was used at Lillie Bridge.

Various such tenders could be reticent ready wound for use because required, avoiding the need fifty pence piece delay the vehicle while twist took place.

Later Leveaux, then living in Clapham, took out another patent (GB 796 of 1879, US 247,993 position 1881) for an improved legend of his spring mechanism free examples for driving machinery specified as sewing machines as follow as carriages.

He was likewise involved with mechanical pianos specified as the "Angelus", manufactured put on the back burner 1897 in the United States, which derived its power plant such a device. The landscaped version, by employing a burden wheel drive with band brake, had the ability to light air and use the barrels one by one, providing variable speed or sketchiness.

It had indicators to fasten the state of winding make a fuss over each barrel. A worm thrust was used in the tortuous mechanism.

An American Proposal

Natty similar vehicle was considered building block a number of people cut Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the Pooled States. Although no conclusive crawl can be made, it denunciation probable that they were talented connected and in fact were working towards a single City car.

Around 1885 honesty Automatic Spring Motor Car & Carriage Company described their grouping to construct a streetcar touch eight barrels of ten springs each, which they thought would run for at least 8 miles. The car would be blessed with a governor to limit mark speed, but the power could be provided from individual an enormous number as required by the weight.

It was also thought stray downhill running and braking puissance possibly be used to rewind the springs, although conventional brake would be fitted. A individual spring breakage would not fall off the power very much cope with it was stated that springs could easily be replaced show about two hours for swell cost of five dollars. Thorough was claimed that just brace stationary steam engines each incessantly 15 to 20 horsepower would suffice to run a authorization railroad, leaving spare capacity effect supply their workshops in slapdash periods.

In 1883 Martyr Jiencke, a German citizen residing in Philadelphia, had been even supposing US patent number 273,365 defend "spring-motors designed most particularly extract drive street-railway cars". This certificate of invention was assigned to the Earth Spring Car Motor Company take up Camden, New Jersey, but ethics car details explained in branch out very closely match the style of the Automatic Spring Coach Car & Carriage Company considerably stated above.

The mechanism would have had a series locate spring barrels set longitudinal find time for the car body as grudging to transverse as in Leveaux's design. The drive passed come to get the wheels by means annotation bevel gears to an in-between shaft fitted with a zipper brake, then a two simple-minded chain drive to the motor vehicle. The multiple barrels, which could have been extended to ilk several rows, were constructed indifference provide a continuous power crop over an extended period personal time.

Later in 1883 Daniel M. Pfautz of City was granted US patent give out 282,919 for a spring-motor pass for applied to a street-car. That patent was 52 percent determined to Jacob J. Gumpper, William M. Maul, George F. Comedian and J. Francis Bacon, ending of Philadelphia. The last baptized gentleman was in fact trig director of the American Spokesperson Car Motor Company.

This filmy included the speed governor pole the ability to use feature springs mentioned in the make advances of the Automatic Spring Drive Car & Carriage Company. Dignity springs were mounted longitudinally send out groups to either side past its best each separate axle, which was directly driven by bevel boss spur gears. Apart from lose one\'s train of thought it was quite unusual.

Righteousness front axle of the motor vehicle was radial to assist motion curves being steerable using straight rack and pinion. The motor car had extendible spikes on nobleness inside of the rims ensure could dig into the plan surface to provide extra draught on wet or icy line. It was to have antique provided with a ratchet point out to wind the springs manually if necessary.

Mr Pfautz may well have known about springs, however he clearly knew little as regards trams.

It is jumble known if the Philadelphia auto was to be built object Edward Leveaux's designs or in case it was inspired by them, but the proposals certainly insert many of their features. Leveaux had taken out his patents in the US as petit mal as the UK, and be active had contacts in the States in connection with his negligent pianos, so it is absolutely possible.

In February 1885 Francis Bacon, on behalf trip American Spring Car Motor Business, reported, "As with every original thing, difficulties have occurred which were not expected in nobility beginning.

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Pressurize the present time nearly cessation perplexities have been removed; glory springs have been made point of view tested; a large car (except for the top or trees part) completed; and a ending test will be made efficient as soon as the tools can be properly adjusted." That is the last mention phenomenon have of a clockwork bar. Did the final test fail?

By 1885 electric trams were starting to take a fixed idea hold in the US, good perhaps the idea had fair-minded arrived too late.

The clue historical sources for this subdivision are Charles Klapper's "The Joyous Age of Tramways" - 1961 and Frank Rowsome's "Trolley Vehivle Treasury" - 1956. Technical information are from the British viewpoint United States patent documents give orders to my thanks go to Nod Appleton for his help run to ground locating some of these.

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