IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKE GEAR FOR LOCOMOTIVES, TENDERS, CARRIAGES, AND OTHER VEHICLES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bernard Lefebure, of South Lambeth, in the County
of Surrey, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKE GEAR FOR
LOCOMOTIVES, TENDERS, CARRIAGES, AND OTHER VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bernard Lefebure at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th January 1881..
BERNARD LEFEBURE, of South Lambeth, in the County of Surrey. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BRAKE GEAR FOR LOCOMOTIVES, TENDERS, CARRIAGES, AND OTHER
VEHICLES."
86
My Invention relates to improvements in brake gear for locomotives, tenders,
carriages, and other vehicles, whereby all the rods of such gear are in tension, and
the pull is the same on all the brake blocks, so that an equal wear and tear is
secured, and no strain put on the axle guards and boxes.
It consists in the application and use of a weigh shaft to each pair of wheels.
This shaft is suspended by brackets or any other means to the frame work or
body of the locomotive, tender, carriage, or wagon, and between the two blocks of
a wheel. Fastened on or forming parts of it are two or more levers connected
directly or through a bar to the brake blocks or their suspension levers.
The levers on the brake shaft are of unequal length, and so arranged with the
suspension levers of the brake blocks that the power exerted is the same on all the
blocks.
On the weigh shaft is another lever connected by a rod directly to the piston or
body of a cylinder or vessel worked by steam, water, or air. These pulling rods of
two pairs of wheels may have screws cut on them, and have the power of a hand
brake transmitted to them by nuts and bevil wheels.
In this case the two weigh shafts work in opposite directions. When however
the pulling rods are working in the same direction they may be connected together
by a lever or balance. This balance is fastened in its centre to a third pulling rod
which is worked by the gear of a hand brake, steam, water, or air power. This
third pulling rod may be also fastened to a second balance. This second balance
takes also the pulling rod of a third pair of wheels (if used), and has fastened to
it another tie rod acted upon by the power used for working the brake. The
centres of the pins of the second balance are so arranged as to cause the power to
be distributed equally on all the wheels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Bernard Lefebure in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th July
1881.
BERNARD LEFEBURE, of South Lambeth, in the County of Surrey.
" IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BRAKE GEAR FOR LOCOMOTIVES, TENDERS, CARRIAGES, AND OTHER
VEHICLES."
My Invention relates to improvements in brake gear for locomotives, tenders,
carriages and other vehicles, whereby the power exerted on every brake block is the
same, so that an uniform wear and tear is secured, and no strain put on the axle
guards and boxes.
The
It consists in the application and use of a weigh shaft to each pair of wheels.
This shaft is suspended by brackets or any other means to the framework or body
of the locomotive, tender, carriage, or wagon, and between the two blocks of a
wheel. Fastened on or forming parts of it are one or more levers connected by
rods directly or through a bar to the brake blocks or their suspension levers.
levers on the brake shaft are of equal or unequal lengths, and so arranged with
the suspension levers of the brake blocks that the power exerted is the same on all
the blocks. On the weigh shaft is another lever connected by a rod to the piston
or body of a cylinder or vessel worked by steam, water, or air. These rods of two
pairs of wheels may have screws cut on them, and have the power of a hand brake
transmitted to them by nuts and bevil wheels.
And in order that my said Invention may be well understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, reference being made to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, like letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in the
respective Figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation shewing the arrangement of my improved brake
gear applied to a railway carriage; Figure 2 an end view, and Figure 3 a plan
thereof.
A represents a weigh shaft suspended by brackets B (or otherwise) to the frame-
work or body of the carriage between each pair of wheels at any point between
the brake blocks of each wheel, either above or under (as shewn), and to either side
of the axles, as the case may require.
On the shafts A are formed or fixed one or more levers C and D. The levers C
communicate the power transmitted to them by the rods E (either directly or
through the balancing lever F and connecting rods G) to the shafts A. Or these
levers C may be dispensed with in some cases, such as when the power acts
directly on the levers D, the arms of which are of equal or unequal lengths
according to the lengths of the brake block hangers H, and are connected by the
rods I, J, to the crossbars K, the ends of the latter being either connected directly
to the brake blocks or to their hangers H which are suspended from the carriage
framing as shewn. L, L, are rods connecting the shafts A for keeping them at their
proper distance apart.
If preferred, in lieu of the brackets B (Figures 1, 2, and 3) I may suspend the
shafts A by links M, M, as shewn in Figures 4 and 5.
In this case the shafts A. are connected by one or more pulling or pushing rods
to prevent the power exerted on the blocks being unequal.
The rod E for actuating the brakes may be connected with the piston of a
cylinder worked by steam, atmospheric, or hydraulic pressure; or it may be
operated by hand or otherwise, as found most suitable.

page_text: By this arrangement of brake apparatus the operating power may be applied in
various ways.
1. Pulling in the same direction on the shafts A, as shewn in Figure 1.
2. Pulling in opposite directions on the shafts A.
3. Pulling in opposite directions on the shafts A, as shewn in Figure 4.
4. Pushing in the same direction on the shafts A.
5. Pulling on one or more shafts A and pushing on the others.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as my Invention is,―
The application and use of a weigh shaft or shafts in combination with levers
and rods, and with crossbars for actuating the brake blocks of railway carriage
or other wheels, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bernard Lefebure, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
BERNARD LEFEBURE. (L.S.)