An Improved Break Apparatus for Use on Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Break Apparatus for Use on Railways and Tramways.
I, Count PIETRO FANCESCO DE FORESTA, of 2 Via Jacopo Peri, Florence, in the
Kingdom of Italy, retired Colonel of Infantry in the Italian Army, do hereby declare
the nature of this Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
My invention has for its object an improved break.apparatus for use on railways and
tramways, and which is arranged in such a manner that, when caused to operate, the
entire train, or the tramcar, shall be raised or elevated above the rails by means of
break-blocks allowed to fall upon and bite such rails, thereby arresting further motion
of the train, or the tramcar; said break-blocks being under the control of the driver
and capable of being rapidly restored or raised to their normal position to allow the
train, or the tramcar, to descend again upon the rails and be ready to continue its
journey.
My invention will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying drawings
which shew one mode of carrying out the same.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan of a portion of a railway train; in the
latter figure the under framing only of the locomotive and carriages is shewn.
.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the right hand end of the locomotive; Fig. 4 an end.
view of the same, and Fig. 5 a section on the line x, x, Fig. 3. The above figures
sliew the breaks in their fallen position and the train lifted from the rails.
Fig. 6, shews the position the parts assume when the breaks are raised.
Fig. 7, shews mechanism applied to a carriage, or a tender, for retaining the breaks
in their raised position when uncoupling is to be effected.
Fig. 8 shews a modification.
The figures 3 to 8 are drawn to an enlarged scale.
a is the locomotive, b, b, are carriages: coupled to the same in any ordinary way,
c. c, are the break-blocks, which are arranged in pairs at the front and rear of each
carriage, and of the locomotive, as shewn at Fig. 4. They are carried by arms or
supports d, and are connected by means of chains e to a winding drum f. Standing
out from each break-block is an arm c¹ whose outer end is connected by a tie-rod c³ to
the corresponding arm c¹ of the break-block on the opposite side. Powerful springs g,
carried by the tie rods c³ and h cause the break-blocks to turn on their axis, and to
descend and firmly bear on the rails and, by thus acting as levers, raising or elevating
the entire train. The under side of each break-block is covered with vulcanised
rubber cx, or other suitable material, for causing the blocks to firmly bite the rails.
There is also a flange c¹ on the inner side of each block which comes against the side of
the rails when the blocks are lowered and keeps them in position on the rails. j is an
auxiliary cylinder, operated by steam taken from the boiler, for working the winding
drum which, when turned winds up the chains upon it and raises the break-blocks into
the position shewn by Fig. 6. A pawl ' engaging with the teeth of a ratchet wheel (,
mounted on the axis of the drum, retains the break blocks in their raised position.
Should it be desired to cause the breaks to act, the pawl is lifted by means of the
lever 1, and the springs g being no longer prevented from contracting, bring the
break-blocks firmly down upon the rails, their combined power being sufficient to raise
the entire train above the rails. m is an anti-concussion spring, one extremity of
which is connected by a chain m² to the winding-drum f, and the other to the under-
framing of the locomotive. This spring is provided in order that when the break-
blocks are released from their raised position their too sudden fall shall be prevented
and the passengers relieved from sudden jolting. But instead of using the anti-

page_text: concussion spring m, I may allow steam to enter the auxiliary cylinder j at the time of
releasing the breaks, and in this way regulate the too sudden falling of the break-
blocks. n is a ratchet-wheel carried by one of the break-blocks of each carriage and
capable of turning with it, and o is a pawl engaging with the same; when it becomes
necessary to uncouple any of the carriages the pawl o is turned into the position
shown by the full lines in Fig. 7, and prevents the break-blocks from falling. When
the carriages are coupled up again this paw! is turned into the position shewn by the
dotted lines, a spring catch o' coming beneath the nose of the pawl prevents the said
pawl from inadvertently engaging with the ratchet-wheel when the train is running.
Fig. 8, shews a modification in which the arm c¹ is dispensed with, and one end of
the springs g connected to the break-blocks at p, and their other ends to the arm q;
there being a corresponding arın on the other side, and a tie bar between them.
When applying my improved break apparatus to tramcars, I dispense with the
flange c, and in place thereof I provide the break-blocks with a
longitudinal central
rib which, when the blocks descend upon the rails, enters the groove in the rails, the
vulcanised rubber facing being aranged on each side of the rib.
I furthermore couple
up the mechanism by any suitable system of levers so as to enable the driver to raise
the break-blocks by hand. Or the arrangement herein before described to be worked
by steam may he retained, and be worked by compressed air; or when steam is used
to drive the car, the apparatus may be worked by steam.
My improved break apparatus is not intended to replace the existing breaks,
(although it may be used in place thereof) but as an extra means of effectually and
rapidly stopping the train, or the tramcar.
.Having now particularly described and ascertained my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The improved break apparatus in which break-blocks are caused to descend upon
and bite the rails of a railway or tramway and to thus lift the entire train, or the
tram car, from the rails and so arrest further motion, substantially as described.
2. The means or mechanism for operating the break-blocks and causing the lifting.
of the train, or of the tramcar, from the rails, substantially as described and shewn by
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of Inne 1889
ERNEST DE PASS,
68, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the Applicant.