New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-02

valuable present.
The pastor Of the church, Rev. j. c
Hartzell, who also by the unanimous re
quest of the school acts as superintendent
econducted a scriptural exercise on the life
of Hezekiah. Several good recitations
were given. Rev. Mr.. Woodward delivered
a short address. and two dialogues were
recited. An extract from "Longfell6w'e
Divine Tragedy" selected and arranged by
Mr. w. P. Rogers, and spoken by several
young men, was especially interes ting. The
exercises of the evening were opened with
prayer by Rev. Mr.. Daily, and closed with
the benediction by Rev. Mr.. Cole.
LABOR AND LIFE SAVING MAcHrNERY-An
Atmospheric Brahe.-Last evening special
train of cars made flying trip few miles
up the jackson railroad, principally to give
some gentlemen an opportunity to take
close and practical tests of the working of
the Westinghouse atmospheric brake, a
machine which is applied to train of cars
to gain four very important points-saving
time, labor, property and life. This, we
think, is the first train with the apparatus
which has come here. although it has been
in use considerable time on Northern and
Western lines.
/ Ia order to give our readers clear idea
of the machine we furnish an extended de-
scription:
on the right hand side of the locomotive,
fastened to the running boa I'd, and imme-
diately under the engineers eyes, is an up
right, direet-acting air pump, which draws
- - fIa koSI
pumps air into a reservoir, G, which is at
tachsd to the fOot-bOard, and hangs directly
under the cab. This pump, of which A is
the steam cylinder and b the air cylinder.
is entirely selfacting, and is really me-
dunn between the pressure of steam in the
boiler and the pressure Of air in the reser-
voir. Thus it will be seen that when the
pressure of steam rises, thereby giving
more power to the pump, the air pressure
III the reservoir must also rise or, if the
engineer draws a supply of air from the re-
servoir to apply the brake the pump at once
begins working vigorously, without atten-
ton from the engineer, to make up the de-
ficiency of pressure in the reservoir caused
By the application of the brakes; it then
works on until the steam and air pressures
are the same, less the allowance for friction
in the pump. The quantity of steam used
in pumping the air is scarcely perceptible,
and the time necessary for the pump to re-
minutes.
Under each car of the train is a cylinder,
firmly bolted in such a position that the
piston acts directly on the lever now used
for the ordinary hand brake, and not at all
interfering with hand breaking.
The pressure of air is conducted to these
( cylinders from the reservoir under the loco
motive by line of three-quarter inch gas
pipe, running the entire length of the train,
and the connection with each cylinder is
made from the main line with a quarter
inch elbow. From each end of a car the
pipes are extended by three-ply rubber
hose, which are connected, when the cars
are coupled together, by an ingenious
coupling, 50 arranged that when the parts
are united the air passes freely through
them. But should any of the cars become
detached from any cause, the coupling
which is held together by stiff springs, pulls
1apart. the valve closes, the escape of air is |
prevented, and the brake remains effective
on the rest of the train. Or should the |
brake have been applied, and afterward a |
car become detached, the valves of the |
coupling on the detached car Immediately |
close, and the brake continues applied, thus |
preventing a car from running back on |
grade.
Al air gauge, placed immediately above /
the steam gauge indicates to the engineer /
the amount of pressure in the reservoir;
and the entire management of the train is
placed in his hands by means of the three
way cock, by turning which he can in
stantly and effectively stop the train, with
out that unpleasant Jerking and bounding /
noticeable on all trains where hand or other
Makes are used, or can as quic ky release
the brake or graduate Ii to any desired
speed.
While the brake is so adjusted that the
engineer can, by a simple movement OF his
hand, apply it with his utmost force, as in
4 - - - -a9I, Ia fsnr4h
to get such force as to break anything, or
even lock or slide the wheels.
The brake is applied Instantly to all the
cars of q train alike, SO that, In running
ins obstruction the train would be per-
fec4y taut, and could stand a considerable
blow; or in case of an anticipated collision,
the train could be slapped, the brake re-
leased, and the train backed out OF danger
at once
The cases are numerous where railway
officers have testified to the prevention of
accidents by the use of this brake. Many
engineers who have become accustomed to
it's use, say they would be unwilling to run
without it.
The demonstrations given yesterday
nroved that an ordinary passenger train,
when going at the rate of thirty miles an
hour. can be stopped in about seventeen
seconds, in a space less than the length of
the train. This is far superior to handwork I
and far more effective. Other experiments
confirmed this first to the satisfaction Of I
Ill., The engineer does not expend as much
lime in applying the brake as lie formerly {
lid in whistling "down brakes" He simply
.urlia crank, which is in convenient To- 2
,ation.
The following named gentlemen. gathered
around lunch table in one Of the cars