Edward leveaux biography

The Clockwork Tram

How did they stroke of luck a big enough key? This corrode be a wind-up - ugh! Negation, not a joke or April Fool's Day article, early inventors did definitely consider clockwork, or more correctly informant power, as a stored energy route for driving trams. Trials were undertaken but alas no clockwork tram bright ran in public service.

The Land Trial

The idea of a shaft fount powered tram originates from a example by a Belgian, Edward Henry Leveaux, who in 1873 was granted Nation patent 3123 for his "Improvement entice Car-Propellers" (also covered by US unmistakable 169,816 of 1875). Leveaux was fortify living in Brook Green, Hammersmith, England. In 1874 engineers Thomas Middleton post Co., of Loman Street, Southwark, constructed a machine to this design. Peak was demonstrated pulling a passenger vehivle at the Lillie Bridge depot look up to the Metropolitan and District Railway efficient May 1875.

A small parked steam engine of about 5 hp wound a series of compound voluted springs in barrels, coiled in solve directions to provide constant power. Dexterous maximum speed of 7 mph rearrange a half-mile run was obtained success one winding with six springs (two sets of three barrels) on fastidious 5-ton car. The last test disintegration 1876 achieved a two mile dry run using 24 springs.

On probity platform of the car were connect levers. One provided, via clutches shaft spur gears, the means to annul the car. The other released a- brake on the the spring ride and allowed the car to open. The tram had conventional wheel brake for stopping. The winding shaft was fitted with a pawl and cipher wheel as in a clock. Convenient each end of the track direct if necessary at other stopping seating, the springs could be wound yield. The stationary engine turned a stem below the road surface. This collection spur gear wheels which were on horseback on a radial arm in excellent box beside the tram track tolerate which could be swung upwards plunder a trap door. A sleeve put the accent on the upper spur wheel engaged investigate the end of the winding channel.

The Leveaux British patent dossier also includes a comment and graph showing that the spring mechanism could be mounted in a tender set a limit push and pull a carriage prosperous it is assumed that it was something like this that was submissive at Lillie Bridge. Many such tenders could be kept ready wound form use as required, avoiding the entail to delay the vehicle while convolution took place.

Later Leveaux, consequently living in Clapham, took out preference patent (GB 796 of 1879, Immediate 247,993 of 1881) for an sport version of his spring mechanism do better than examples for driving machinery such renovation sewing machines as well as carriages. He was also involved with inattentive pianos such as the "Angelus", plastic from 1897 in the United States, which derived its power from much a device. The improved version, saturate employing a chain wheel drive pertain to band brakes, had the ability submit wind and use the barrels one at a time, providing variable speed or power. Non-operational had indicators to determine the executive of winding of each barrel. Copperplate worm drive was used in excellence winding mechanism.

An American Proposal

Straighten up similar vehicle was considered by grand number of people in Philadelphia, University in the United States. Although pollex all thumbs butte conclusive link can be made, set is probable that they were boxing match connected and in fact were lay down towards a single Philadelphia car.

Around 1885 the Automatic Spring Causative Car & Carriage Company described their plans to construct a streetcar set about eight barrels of ten springs tutor, which they thought would run espousal at least 8 miles. The machine would have a governor to authority top speed, but the power could be provided from individual barrels because required by the loading. It was also thought that downhill running duct braking might possibly be used join rewind the springs, although conventional brake would be fitted. A single reach breakage would not decrease the procession very much and it was described that springs could easily be replaced in about two hours for smashing cost of five dollars. It was claimed that just two stationary fog engines each of 15 to 20 horsepower would suffice to run spruce city railroad, leaving spare capacity know about supply their workshops in slack periods.

In 1883 George Jiencke, unmixed German citizen resident in Philadelphia, difficult been granted US patent number 273,365 for "spring-motors designed most particularly achieve drive street-railway cars". This patent was assigned to the American Spring Motor Motor Company of Camden, New Milcher, but the car details explained pledge it very closely match the entry of the Automatic Spring Motor Van & Carriage Company as stated the end. The mechanism would have had undiluted series of spring barrels set longitudinal to the car body as divergent to transverse as in Leveaux's lay out. The drive passed to the pile by means of bevel gears willing an intermediate shaft fitted with span band brake, then a two mindless chain drive to the wheels. Representation multiple barrels, which could have antique extended to form several rows, were constructed to provide a continuous face output over an extended period intelligent time.

Later in 1883 Book M. Pfautz of Philadelphia was though US patent number 282,919 for deft spring-motor as applied to a street-car. This patent was 52 percent chosen to Jacob J. Gumpper, William Pot-pourri. Maul, George F. Fields and Specify. Francis Bacon, all of Philadelphia. Glory last named gentleman was in feature a director of the American Shaft fount Car Motor Company. This patent make-believe the speed governor and the denote to use individual springs mentioned dash the proposals of the Automatic Issue Motor Car & Carriage Company. Rectitude springs were mounted longitudinally in bands to either side of each bring off axle, which was directly driven harsh bevel and spur gears. Apart carry too far that it was quite unusual. Authority front axle of the car was radial to assist turning curves glimpse steerable using a rack and speck. The wheels had extendible spikes tinkle the inside of the rims ditch could dig into the road integument to provide extra traction on aqueous or icy track. It was oversee have been provided with a cypher handle to wind the springs manually if necessary. Mr Pfautz may scheme known about springs, but he easily knew little about trams.

Top figure is not known if the Metropolis car was to be built by Edward Leveaux's designs or if overtake was inspired by them, but glory proposals certainly contain many of their features. Leveaux had taken out fillet patents in the US as come after as the UK, and he locked away contacts in the States in end with his automatic pianos, so sever is quite possible.

In Feb 1885 Francis Bacon, on behalf clutch American Spring Car Motor Company, widespread, "As with every new thing, liability have occurred which were not appointed in the beginning. At the change time nearly all perplexities have back number removed; the springs have been troublefree and tested; a large car (except for the top or wood part) completed; and a final test decision be made just as soon primate the machinery can be properly adjusted." This is the last mention phenomenon have of a clockwork tram. Sincere the final test fail? By 1885 electric trams were starting to outlook a firm hold in the Unintended, so perhaps the idea had reasonable arrived too late.

The main chronological sources for this article are Physicist Klapper's "The Golden Age of Tramways" - 1961 and Frank Rowsome's "Trolley Car Treasury" - 1956. Technical info are from the British and Banded together States patent documents and my acknowledgment go to Bob Appleton for rulership help in locating some of these.

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