IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis. Pellissier, Mechanician, and Jean Puytorac,
Bailiff, both of Bordeaux (France), for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RAILWAY BREAKS."
Sealed the 22nd February 1859, and dated the 7th September 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Pellissier and Jean
Puytorac at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 7th September 1858.
We, LOUIS PELLISSIER, Mechanician, and JEAN PUYTORAC, Bailiff, both of
Bordeaux (France), do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to an improved arrangement of break for stopping the
rotatory motion of the wheels of railway carriages. The same consists in
causing suitable curved break blocks or shoes to be pressed against the
periphery of the wheels. For this purpose each of the wheels of the carriage
is provided with two. of such shoes acting in opposite directions to each other
on the periphery of the wheel; the corresponding shoes of each two opposite
wheels of the carriage are connected by a cross bar suspended from the frame of
the carriage; each of the said cross bars is provided with a crank arm, which
arms are connected by rods, one rod acting with one of its ends on one of
the said arms commanding the shoes of one pair of wheels, whereas the opposite

page_text: end of this rod acts on one end of a balance lever, the other end of which lever
is connected by the other rod to the crank actuating the shoes of the other
pair of wheels; the said rods and balance lever receive motion by means of a
rack, in the teeth of which acts a pinion fixed to the spindle of a wheel in gear
with an endless screw, which latter may be turned in the required direction by
a winch handle or other suitable contrivance at the reach of the guard of the
carriage, thus enabling this latter to press the shoes against the rims of the
wheels, or to draw them back for liberating the wheels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Louis Pellissier and Jean Puytorac in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th March 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, Louis
PELLISSIER, Mechanician, and JEAN PUYTORAC, Bailiff, both of Bordeaux,
France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Iler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said Louis Pellissier and Jean Puytorac, Her special licence that
we, the said Louis Pellissier & Jean Puytorac, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Louis Pellissier and Jean Puytorac,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Louis Pellissier and Jean
Puytorac, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describo
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Louis Pellissier and Jean Puytorac,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
The ensemble or union of the various Figures of the annexed Drawing form.
the exposure of the system called "Freins Pellissier," (or Pellissier's curb, break
or brake, stopper, or checker;) the Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, show the principle
or main curb or brake. Its power is one and single, the physical force of the
skid or curb guard serving as the cause; it is by the means of a vis motrix wheel
fixed on an axletree by an endless screw that indents in a notched wheel, the
pinion of which produces a drawing or pulling against a dented arm that
presses on the wheel, whose rotation is checked by eight shoes, that is to say,
two shoes per wheel; the action is so rapid that the wheels, scized as by a
vice, skate and slide, producing instantly their resistance.
The Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, show the
system called the auxiliary curb or break. This system is composed also of
eight shoes per waggon, with this difference, that each pair of wheels has its
particular pressure; this pressure of drawing is made either by an arm moved
by a dented or catching system, similar and identical to the motrix system
represented in the Figures marked (a), or by the drawing produced by traction.
If, however, necessary, the two methods can be simultaneously employed; the
denting or notching can be brought to effect, and a considerable force obtained,
by employing two men one for each pair of wheels; in that case this break can
itself become the main or principal curb or break. Nothing is changed in the
waggon represented in the Figs. marked (a); the system of fitting is that
generally used on railways, but in the Figs. 1 to 16 the tender is supported by
the arm itself, and produces its natural drawing; it becomes consequently
necessary to obtain the proposed result by means of the two breaks, that when
question of working or playing them simultaneously, aiding reciprocally one
another to place in the composed train the curb or brake (see Figs. marked a)
behind as motor of the action, and forward or before the auxiliary breaks or
curbs, the resistance of the main or principal break causes itself a pulling on
the arms of the auxiliary.breaks, which produces a strain or squeezing on the
wheel bands, that, if not completely stopped, turn with such difficulty that they
aid considerably in stopping the trains. A most important point of the system
in curb or break (Figs. 1 to 16,) auxiliary break,) is a shaft or pillar that fixes
at will the arm motrix, either those before or behind, for the
pressure is
separately made on each pair of wheels, and in the Figs. marked (a) (principal
or main break,) the pendulum fixed on its arm, and that equalises the pressure
produces on the two pair of wheels a simple drawing made by a man at the

page_text: motrix wheel and endless screw, as represented in Figs. 4 & 16. Matters
being so stated, we now proceed to explain the figures and letters by which the
piéces are designed.
Figure 1, plan of the waggon break; at the extremity of this plan the Figs. 9
& 10 represent two fragments of a waggon, to show how they are fitted to the
main waggon; Fig. 2, elevation and profile rectical & longitudinal; Fig. 3,
section of a small waggon, showing the principal of the beam pieces a, a, that
consolidates the guard plates, as also the fittings of the frame; Fig. 4, plan of
the frame on which is fixed the endless screw, turning on platforms, and
catching in a wheel fixed on a vertical axletree, that has at its lower end a
pinion notching in the rack of the arms; this causes the grand levers to move
& play, and brings the movenient also to the shoe bearers; the pressure is
made on the eight shoes, that strain at the same time the four wheels; Fig. 5,
cap or head piece, in which passes the ends of the arins, and that serve to
support them; Fig. 6, flat cross piece, that enters in the holes of the shoe
bearers; this cross piece has a shoulder at each end, both set with pivots;
Fig. 7, batten or cap mounted on the cross piece; Fig. 8, assemblage of head-
stalls, side view, as represented in Figs. 11 & 12; Figs. 9 & 10, fragments or
portions of waggon, showing the system of the break or curb; Fig. 11, nut
caps or boxes, placed at the extremities and at both ends of the waggon, in
the middle of cross pieces; these two boxes, in which pass the arm caps, are
arrested or fixed in the middle of the cross piece by four screw bolts receiving
two eye pins, in which passes a groove or rail that keeps the arm at its place
during the progress of the waggon; this groove is taken up when the arms
are worked for trigging the four wheels of the waggon by the pressure they
cause upon the levers connected to & with the shoe bearers; Fig. 12, same
repetition as in Fig. 11, only this one bears a support, receiving a shaft or
tree that carries to the inferior part a pinion notching with the rack, forcing it
to advance when the wheels are to be trigged or stopped; the mechanical
system which causes the tree of the pinion to turn is represented in Fig. 4.
When the force is to be doubled, the same system is placed at the extremity
of the waggon, Fig. 11; it is therefore and then indispensable that a man
should be placed at each pulling machine or break; Fig. 13, round axletree
with its lever, to which the arms are adjusted; Fig. 14, lever receiving the
arms ends; Fig. 15, block tackle or muffled arms, with tenons connecting or
in junction with the shoe bearers; Fig. 16 is a moving wheel or motrix.
"
In these Figs., from 1 to 16, corresponding parts are indicated by the same
letters of reference. A, axletrees that unite at the extremities the shoe

page_text: bearers B, on which the two levers C are fixed; B, shoe bearers. These
shoes and bearers are composed of two pieces, one of which forms a groove or
rail receiving the wooden shoe D, that slides by means of two tenons c, c,
sliding in the upper part where a groove exists to ease the body of the waggon
without the shoe itself rising or descending; the pressure is always made at
the centre of the wheel; the piece B is suspended by its socket E to a round
iron shank F, mounted on plate G, fixed by screw bolts against the side of a
frame A; the shank F that enters in socket E bears a spring I, that casts off
the shoe from the wheel after the pressure. C, levers mounted on the axle-
trees H, and represented in elevation Fig. 2; these levers receive the four
arms J, and transmit the pressure to the shoe bearers D; D, eight shoe
bearers that press on the wheels at the same time; E, socket of staunchion or
pillar that supports the shoe and its plate; this staunchion has a tenon in its
centre, in which a hole is bored to receive the ends of the axletrees o, 0,
Figs. 18 & 6; G, iron plate supporting the fittings of the shoes already
mentionned; H, side of the waggon to which are adapted the plates that
sustain or support the mechanical system; I, round cross piece fitted in the
middle with a cover or cap N; this cap is fixed at the center of the cross piece
with a bolt R, and receives at its extremity the arm's ends that passes under
the axletrees; one of these ends V on tackle block or muffles takes the end of
lever C, while the other end E, furnished with a tenon, enters. into the cap or
cover N of the cross piece I, as in Fig. 6. J, the two principal or main arms
that transmit the movement or impulse to the two smaller arms J', which
causes the shoes to press on the wheels. These arms have a notch which
catches the pinion a, mounted on a vertical shaft or tree, the lower part of this
tree reposes and bears on a sole or socket D, fixed on the support C; at the
upper extremity of the tree G the frame as in Fig. 4 is placed. In this
exists the mechanism that produces the movement to the arm with catching
notches, and this last transmits it to the whole system. K, endless screw,
Fig. 4, that by means of the rack transmits the movement of rotation to the
vertical shaft or trec g, causing the pinion that catched on the rack to turn;
this rack has at its extremity a cap or head P, which passes thro' a shackle,
after which is the fitting screw corresponding to a crotchet or hook of traction.
L, shank opening at the arm that permits the arm to make its movement of
go and come; when this shank is out of the arm, and when the waggon is on
its way, the arm is drawn with great force by the effect of the notches existing
at the two ends or extremities of the waggon; when the arrest or stoppage is
to be made slowly, one single indent or notch is used. At one of the ends

page_text: only of the shank is fixed on its plate, as is seen in Figs. 5 & 8, by two eye
bolts 8, s.
It is raised by a small lever placed near the curb or break guard;
where one alone is used, it would cause the two shanks to work at the same
time, for drawing at the extremity of the lever, that is, above the waggon, the
rod M, and bearing on the lever it would produce a movement A by lifting
the polls y, Fig. 11.
A modification of this system is given in the Figs. 1º, 2, 3, 4º, 5º. In
this system the eight shoes form a pressure at the same time on the four
wheels by a sole and single movement of the arm given it by transmission of
the power exercised by the curve or break guard. The pressure is brought to
equilibrium by means of a pendulum, that by two rods bearing at one end on
the levers which shall hereafter be described, and that exercises a complete
stoppage force on the wheel bands, whose rotation is paralysed. Fig. 1º,
pendulum, mounted on the arms; Fig. 2, detailed pieces of same pendulum;
Fig. 8, rod on which the pendulum is fixed; Fig. 4, collar placed in the
middle of each of the axletrees without the levers, but that corresponds with
these by means of an arm that passes under the axletrees; Fig. 5ª, rings
placed at each side of the collar Fig. 4, No mention is made here of different
pieces we have described already in the first system. Our aim is solely to
show the principal pieces that constitutes our system, by which alone the
stoppage of the impulse and movement of trains and convoys are realized in a
delay as well as in a period, & course excessively restrained. In these
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, corsesponding parts are indicated by the same letters
of reference. A, shafts that bear the two levers on their center; B, shoc
bearers; C, levers placed on the center of the shafts A; D, wooden shoes that
press on the wheels; E, sockets of wooden shoes and axletrees A; F, round
iron shank passing in socket E; G, square formed plate supporting the
shank F; this plate is placed on a wooden truss V, and both fixed by bolts
along the waggon; H, long side of waggon; I, spiral spring that enrolls the
shank F, and causes a spring to draw back the shoes, and saves them from
brushing the wheels during the waggon's progress; J, connecting rod or arm
that transmits the movement to pendulum, Fig. 1, the pinion alone commands
the rack Fig. 3; K, pendulum, Fig. 1º, fixed on arm Fig. 3 its center is
reinforced by a bored round hole, in which passes a pivot or spindle double
shouldered, as represented in Fig. 2, with its cramp hook T, fixed by two
screw bolts o, o. At the two ends of this pendulum are the caps or covers W,
fixed by two steel bolts to lever, similar to center pivot T, fastening the
the caps W to the pendulum. The caps have a screw shank g, 2, that enters

page_text: in case box L; these boxes are screw topped at the end of shank q, g, rounding
the boxes by means of the key i. L, boxes that receive the shanks q. 7; M,
rods that correspond at one end with the lever C, C, by muffled tackled
blocks C, stopped by a bolt; these rods are opposite the other end, entering in
the boxes L, L, by which the pressure is regulated; the two rods M, M,
corresponding to the extremity of C, C, and at the other end to the pendulum
W, Fig. 1, forcing the movement to operate in the most regular manner.
The arm is drawn by the rotation of a pinion commanded by the endless screw
or vice, moved by the motrix wheel. The play or working of the pendulum
operates by the tension drawing of the arm on the two rods at the same time,
which causes the eight shoes to work also simultaneously on the four wheels;
in equalizing the pressure, the four wheels are skidded or stopped almost
instantaneously. This highly important amelioration renders this a complete
skidding or stopping system. N, staunchions or pedestals that bear the end
of arm J; O, flat iron picce that from one extremity of the shoe to another
a rail or slide in cramp iron G, G, fixed on the shoe D, D, with screw
bolts; this bar bears on the right of the axletree a collar II fixed by two
bolts II. This collar has a copper or bronze cushion W, that bears on the
axletree, and serves as support to the bar, so that, when by the fact of a load
more or less powerful the waggon descends or ascends on its springs, the shoe
bearers slide along the plate on which the shoe is fixed, and produce a pressure
always in the center of the wheel. P, collars fixed in the middle of the axle-
tree Z; these two last shafts or trees are supported by the shoes B, B; these
collars have a circular movement that permits their setting in in the block
muffles R, that hold the arms 2, 7. Q, rod connecting by the cap heads the
lower part of lever C, with the collar P, by means of rod M, whose cap comes
and takes the end of lever C; the drawing is effected by the arm J, the rod M
giving the movement to lever C, this last drawing the arm Q; this brings
the shoes to bear that impress their strain on the wheels. R, ring placed on
each side of the collars P, to keep them on the middle of the axletree Fig. 5;
W, bronze or wooden cushions.
by
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, we would observe in conclusion that we do not confine or restrict
ourselves to the precise details of the arrangements we have had occasion to
describe, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of the said Invention; but what we consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to

page_text: us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the general arrange-
ment and combination of the various parts of the above-described systems of
breaks for railway carriages.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Pellissier, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
A. LACROIX,
Avocat.
L. PELLISSIER. (L.S.)