AN IMPROVED ELECTRICAL BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Southampton Buildings, London, Patent Agents, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ELECTRICAL BRAKE FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGES." A communication from abroad by Joseph Olmstead,
of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
Sealed the 9th June 1871, and dated the 13th December 1870.

page_text: apparatus, and whereon is carried a freely revolving magnet wheel
geared by friction or otherwise in connection with the carriage axle.
Within the periphery or rim of this wheel is an armature plate. The
magnet wheel has attached to it the battery wires and the shaft is
provided with revolving connections for these wires, so that the said
shaft may rotate without disconnecting them. The brake chain is
connected to the axle or shaft of the apparatus. When the magnet
wheel is charged it draws the armature to it and holds the same fast.
The axle or shaft of the apparatus will then be caused to revolve and
wind the brake chain upon it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th June 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Southampton
Buildings, London, Patent Agents, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
my 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
"AN IMPROVED ELECTRICAL BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES," a communication
to me from abroad by Joseph Olmstead, of Chicago, Illinois, United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same

page_text: 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 I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
This Invention relates to an electrical brake annaratus to be annlied
section, with my improvements.attached, and Figure 2, a vertical section
through a portion of the same on the line x, x, of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan of a key board used with the aforesaid brake;
Figure 4 is a side view of the same.
A is the frame of a carriage truck; a, a, are the wheels; and A¹, A³,
are the axles; B is a horizontal shaft having a bearing 6 at one end
loose enough to allow a slight amount of lateral play to the opposite
end, which has its bearing in a sliding journal box, or, as shown in the
Drawing, in the end of a swinging arm B¹ pivotted to the truck frame.
The shaft carries a friction roller consisting of a brass or copper plate C
flanged, as shown, and having a hub c, through which the shaft B
passes so as to allow the roller O to turn freely upon it. The freedom
of the end of the shaft B at the swinging arm B¹ or equivalent con-
trivance permits the flanged face of the roller to be always in contact
with the axle A¹ to be rotated by it while the truck wheels are revolving.
The disc or friction plate D is firmly secured upon the shaft B near the
roller C, and carries two electro-magnets d, d, the poles of which pass
through it and are made flush with its surface on that side which is
adjacent to the roller C being properly insulated by plates d' in the disc.
Wires d³, d³, connect the coils of the magnets with a battery placed
in any desired position upon the train through the intermediation of
collars & upon the shaft B, which allows the same to be rotated without
twisting the wires. An armature E in the form of a flat circular plate
less in diameter than the roller O is placed loosely upon the hub c of
the roller Q, being provided with pins e which enter corresponding holes

page_text: in the plate of the roller, and thereby cause the two to rotate together,
while at the same time end motion on the hub c is allowed to the
armature E so that it may approach the friction plate D, and be in
contact with it when the circuit is completed at the battery, and at the
same time revolve with the roller C carrying the friction plate D with it.
The shaft B is connected by a chain f to the upper end of the lever F
which is pivotted to the brake beam G of the axle A¹, and has its lower
end connected by a rod f¹ to the brake beam G¹ of the axle A². The
brake beams G, G', carry brake shoes g of the ordinary construction.
The operation of the above-described devices is as follows:-While
the train is in motion the roller C and armature E are rotated by the
axle A' around the shaft B which is stationary, the electric circuit
through the wires and magnets being open. When it is desired to
apply the brakes the circuit is closed at the battery by means of a
suitable key and magnetism thereby developed in the magnets d by
which the armature E is attracted toward and held in contact with the
friction plate or disc D. The armature E continuing to rotate with
the roller C and being held in contact with the disc D which is secured
to the shaft B imparts rotation to the latter, and winding thereby the
chain fupon it applies the brake shoes g to the wheels a. The winding
of the chain on the shaft B draws the roller C so tightly against the
axle A¹ as to prevent its slipping and insure its revolution until the
wheel is locked by the brake and ceases to turn.
When the brakes
are to be released the circuit is opened by the key, and the disc D and
shaft B thereby freed from their connection with the armature E yield
to the falling of the brake shoes g from the wheels, and the parts are
in proper position to repeat the operation when required.
Similar devices to those herein described are attached to each truck
of the train, and the wires are so connected to the magnets and
battery that the circuit is opened and closed through the whole series
simultaneously, thereby allowing the brakes of the entire train to
be simultaneously applied and released, enabling the speed of the train
to be checked without loss of time and greatly reducing the liability to
accident.
The key board has several pulleys 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, one of which 5 is
attached to a moveable lever 6. The ropes are passed through the
guides, and over these several pulleys 1, 2, 3, 4, in such a way that by
drawing one rope taut the said lever is changed and the circuit com-

page_text: pleted, so that the brake operates, the other rope being drawn the
circuit is broken immediately. These ropes pass from the engine
through the carriages, in each of which is a key board. The key board
is placed upon the ceiling of the carriage and serves as the medium of
completing and breaking the circuit.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim,-
First. The combination of the axle A², friction roller C, and armature E
with the friction plate D and magnets d, d, of an electro-magnetic
battery, arranged and operated substantially as set forth for the purpose
of causing the plate D to be held in contact with the armature E, and
revolve to be released and remain at rest as desired.
Second. The shaft B supported at one end by the swinging arm B¹ or
its equivalent for the purpose set forth, and the roller O in combination
with the chain f and lever F, substantially as shown and specified to
increase the pressure of the roller O against the axle A¹ and prevent
it from slipping while the brakes are acting on the wheels.
Third. The shaft B having lateral play at one end, for the purpose
set forth in combination with the friction plate D, magnets d, d, and
wires d³, d, of an electro-magnetic battery, arranged and operated
substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
"
W. J. LOWE.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)