IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES AND Starting APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES AND Starting
APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES."-A communication from abroad
by Edward Pugh Jones, of Shell Mound, Mississippi, United States
of America.
Sealed the 3rd June 1870, and dated the 12th April 1870.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 12th April 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
" IMPROVEMENTS
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for
IN BRAKES AND STARTING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES," and have
petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made

page_text: solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me from abroad
by Edward Pugh Jones, of Shell Mound, Mississippi, United States of
America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, forming a
part of this Specification.
The nature of my Invention consists in so connecting the brake bars
by short chains with friction clutches that when the latter are revolved
the bars shall be so drawn as to bring the shoes in direct contact with the
wheels of the carriage....
The clutch consists of a sleeve or neck and a wheel or disk, the
diameter of the former being such as to allow of its fitting loosely so as
to move freely on the axle, while the diameter of the disk is the same
as that of the carriage wheel. Through toggles these clutches are
connected with a horizontal arm or bar which runs the entire length of
the carriage. This arm or bar is connected with and moved by a short
lever or brake handle. To the sleeve of the clutch are attached short
chains which are connected with brako bars. These bars are secured in
suitable bearings on the opposite sides of the axle. The entire mechanism
is so arranged that when the toggles are extended the disks of the
clutches are thrown against the wheels when through frictional contact
the same are caused to revolve, winding the chains and thus drawing
on the brake bars so that their shoes are brought in contact with the
wheels. Thus it will be observed that although immense pressure can
be exerted simply by working the brake handle, at the same time through
the disk and shoes it is so equalized as to avoid undue or injurious strain
at any one point.
The said Invention also consists in so connecting a drum, in which is
confined a spring, and the brake bar by chains with a friction clutch,
that when the latter is thrown in contact with the carriage wheel and
revolved it will not only so wind the chain as to draw in the brake bar,
but will also so entirely take up all "slack" and tighten the spring
that its entire tension or force shall be so accumulated that its full and
undivided power, no matter what that degree of power may be, can at
the moment when it is desired to start the carriage be applied, and that

page_text: contact alone. The friction clutches are placed on the axle before the
wheels are secured, and consist of a sleeve C and a disk plate or wheel
C. The sleeve O is of such dimensions as to allow of its fitting loosely
on the axle A', so that when the brake is "off" the revolution of the
axle shall not impart motion to the same. The disk plate or wheel C¹ of
the clutch is of the same diameter as that of the annular rim or shoulder
B'. The inner surface of this sleeve O is slightly recessed, as at c, to
leave a shoulder c'. In this recessed face of the sleeve C works a ring
or collar. To this ring or collar are secured by a suitable bolt the
clamping jaws d, d, of the toggle arms D, D, and also the jaws d', d',
of a guide arm D'. The free end of this arm D' passes through and is
supported in a suitable aperture or opening in the brake-bar H. --The
toggle arms D, D, are securely pivotted to the bar E. This bar E runs
horizontally under the axles A', A', nearly the entire length of the
carriage, and is connected by a link e to an arm e¹ which is permanently
attached to the spindle F, to which the brake handle or lever F is also
fastened, and whereby it is revolved. This spindle F' has its bearing in
suitable plates ff. The handle or lever F passes up vertically through
a guide plate G which is so recessed on its upper surface as to afford a
ratchet bearing for the pin f' of the lever; the plate G being so pivoted
as to allow of its elevation or depression; the lever F can readily be
secured and held at any desired point. H, H, are brake bars, and are
secured in spring bearings H², H', at such points as to hold the shoes h, h,
entirely free of the wheels. ,, are short chains that connect the
brake bars H, H, with the sleeve C, and by means of which when the
clutch is revolved the shoes h, h, are drawn against the wheels. Should
the natural elasticity of the metal of the bearing H³, H', prove insufficient
to unwind the clutch in order that after the pressure is relieved the bar
shall be so thrown back as to leave the shoes free of the wheel, an
additional spring can readily be applied.
The starter consists of a hollow drum L that revolves freely in a suitable
recess cut in a sleove L' that fits loosely on the hind axle. This sleeve L'
is moved laterally by means of a bifurcated lever M which is connected
with a vertical lever handle by which its movements are controlled. This
lever M is pivoted on a suitable bearing m'or other equivalent device about
midway between the axle and the rear end of the truck. As the sleeve L'
is not intended to revolve, but only to work laterally and simply as the
conveyor of the drum, the bifurcated lever M may be permanently bolted

page_text: to the sleeve. n, n, are spring pawls on the outer surface of the drum Land
enter recesses in the wheel precisely as do the pawls n', n', of the clutch.
P is a volute spring and is retained in the drum L, one end of the spring
being secured to the outer case of the drum, and the other to tho
sleeve L', which really serves as an arbour or axle for the drum. The
periphery of this drum L is grooved and has secured at any desired point
one end of a chain R; the other end of this chain is fastened in the
grooved periphery of the wheel or disk C' of the clutch.
The carriage being in motion and the brake being "off," to throw the
brake on it is simply necessary to force out the handle or lever F to any
desired point, where through the pin fit can readily be secured in the
ratchet face of the plate G. This movement of the handle or lever F
pushes towards the rear of the carriage the horizontal bar E which extends
the toggle arms D, D, thus forcing the clutch toward the wheel. So soon
as the disk plate or wheel C of the clutch is brought to bear against the
annular rim or flange B' of the wheel through frictional contact it is
revolved, carrying with it the sleeve C which winds the chains ', ', and
thus forces the shoes h, h, against the opposite sides of the wheel. I thus
produce a powerful brake, but one at the same time so arranged that the
degree of its pressure can readily be regulated. To free the brake I have
simply to disengage and return the lever handle F, when the disk C¹
being no longer by pressure held against the wheel is by the slightest.
momentum of the carriage freed from its contact, when the tension of
the spring bearings H', H', will readily unwind the chains and allow the
brake bars H, H, to return to their former positions, carrying with them
the shoes h, h. To apply the starter I have simply, through the lever
handle, to bring the disk or wheel C in contact with the wheel. The
revolution of this clutch caused by frictional contact winds the chain R
which revolves the drum until the entire power or tension of the spring P
is accumulated to assist the starting of the carriage. When it is desired
to start I free the clutch and bring the drum in contact with the hind
wheel, when instantly the entire force of the spring is applied at or near
the periphery of the wheel.
Of course some of the features herein described may be modified or
varied without departing from my Invention. The devices herein shown
are only sufficient to start a carriage or vehicle on a road where the
turntable is used. When the draught is to be alternately applied

page_text: at the opposite ends of the carriage the mechanism will have to be
duplicated.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim,--
First. The friction clutch C, C₁, brake bars H, H, chains h¹, h³, and
wheels B, B, when the same are so combined and arranged as to operate
substantially as described.
Second. The friction clutch C, O', brake bars H, H, toggles D, D,
bar E, and lever F, when the same are so combined and arranged as to
operate substantially as described.
Third. The drum L, spring P, clutch C, C', and chain R, when the
same are so combined and arranged that when the clutch is thrown in
such position as to aid in arresting the momentum of the carriage it
shall through the chain R so act on the drum as to wind up the spring
and thus accumulate power to start the carriage when desired, sub-
stantially as described.
Fourth. The drum L, spring P, and lever M, when the same are so
combined and arranged that through the latter the power of the spring
can be applied to the drum at the desired moment, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Eleventh day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
HARRY WRAIGHT,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.