IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of A. M and
W. Clark of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of
the Institute of Patent Agents for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAILWAY BRAKES Communicated to him from abroad by John Van Dussen
Reed of New York City United States of America and at present of Paris,
France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th February 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of AM and W Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES" [Communicated to him from abroad by
John Van Dussen Reed of New York City United States of America and at present
of Paris, France]
This Invention relates to improvements in automatic railway brakes of that class
in which the brake applying mechanism of each carriage is operated by means of
friction gear and other mechanism from one of the axles of its own carriage, but
which brakes are made continuous in their character by means of a connecting
chain or rod that joins the brake mechanism of one carriage to another in
distinction from those of the class for which Letters Patent were granted to me
dated August 14th 1880 no 3305 and August 10th 1881 no 3469 respectively and
in which the brake mechanism of one carriage is entirely independent in its
operation from that of any other carriage, although the two forms of brake have
features similar in principle although different in construction.
This Invention consists, first, in the combination with friction drum and brake
applying mechanism of the usual construction, of draught mechanism arranged and
operating to bring the friction brake applying mechanism into action, and
compensating lever mechanism, whereby the pull or draught received by the
draught mechanism of one car is caused to be transmitted to the like mechanism
of an adjoining car without loss of power or motion.
Secondly, in the combination with the friction drum brake applying mechanism,

page_text: of draught mechanism connected to and brought into action by a hand shaft, and
arranged and operating so that when the friction brake mechanism of the car is
brought into operation by the hand shaft acting on the draught mechanism,
a draught or pull from the friction brake mechanism will be transmitted equally to
like brake mechanism upon the adjacent cars at front and rear.
Thirdly, in the combination with friction drum brake applying mechanism of
draught mechanism arranged and operating so that when a train of cars equipped
with the brake of this Invention is accidentally broken apart, the brakes shall be
automatically applied to the cars at either side of the point of rupture, and to the
other cars of the two parts of the train, and shall remain so applied until released
by a brakesman.
Fourthly, in a combination, of mechanism whereby the friction drums are
brought into operative contact and locked into such contact when the motion of
the mechanism has exceeded a certain prescribed limit.
Fifthly, in the arrangement of the band shafts pertaining to and operating
respectively the ordinary hand brake and the draught mechanism of the automatic
brake, the one within the other.
Sixthly, in a combination of mechanism in connection with the friction brake
gear arranged to regulate the power of the brake in proportion to the load carried
by the car.
Seventhly, in the combination (in a railway car system in which the brake
applying mechanism of the several cars composing a train are operated each from
some moving part of its car) of the brake applying mechanism of a car with
draught mechanism adapted to engage or be coupled with draught mechanism on
on adjoining car and operated by said brake applying mechanism to exert upon the
draught mechanism of the adjoining car a pull or draught which shall bring into
action the brake applying mechanism of that car.
==
Eighthly, in various combinations of the mechanism for various purposes to be
bereafter more fully set forth..
The friction gear applied to the wheel axle and the brake applying mechanism.
intermediate of said gear, and. the brake shoes, resemble in general arrangement the
same parts in the aforesaid Letters Patent. The brake chain winding shaft is
supported at one end in a stationary bracket support and at the other end in a
journal bearing free to slide up and down within certain limits on a pendent arm
free to swing within certain limits towards and from the wheel axle to bring the
friction drum upon said shaft in or out of contact with the friction drum on the wheel
axle. The motion of this swinging arm is so limited and the action of the relief
spring next referred to is such that considerably more brake power will be exerted
when the carriage is loaded than when it is light, the relief spring operating to
limit the power of the brake in proportion to the load. The journal bearing is
pressed downwards by a spring placed upon said swinging arm termed the relief
spring. The swinging arm is drawn towards the axle to bring the friction drums
into contact by a rod terined the draught rod connected at one end to said swinging
arm through the medium of a spring and at the other end to a short crank arm
fastened to the lower end of a hand shaft that passes through another tubular
hand shaft used for applying the brake by hand power. When the crank arm is
turned round until the draught rod approaches the dead point farthest from the
swinging arm, the spring connection of the draught rod yields and allows of its
passing the dead point whereupon it is prevented going further, and having passed
the dead point it cannot return, and thus the friction drums are locked in operative
contact until released by the brakesman turning the crank back again by means of
its shaft. The crank arm may either be operated by its hand shaft to put the
friction drums in gear, or automatically by its connection with the brake gear of
adjacent carriages by mechanism which I will now describe.
Two other longer arms projecting in opposite directions and at right angles to
the crank arm are formed in one with the latter and are curved upwards at the
ends. To the one arm are attached chain and rod connections which extend to the

page_text: other end of the carriage for connection with the brake gear of the succeeding
carriage, so that an outward pull upon said connections will turn the arm and with
it the crank by which the friction drums are put in gear to apply the brake, whilst
the other arm has an eye through which runs a chain for connection with the brake
gear of the preceding carriage. The chain which runs through this eye has a stop-
upon it which comes against the eye and causes the arm to be turned and with it
the crank arm by which the friction drums are put in gear to apply the brake
when the said chain is pulled outwards by the gear of the preceding carriage.
This chain is connected to one end of a lever termed a compensating lever whose
other end is connected by another chain passing round a sheave, with the
connections running to the other end of the carriage so that a pull upon either or
both ends of said lever will cause an inward pull upon the chains or connections
above described which being connected to corresponding connections on the
preceding and succeeding carriages will cause an outward pull on the last
mentioned connections, and so cause the brakes of those other carriages to be
applied.
The said lever has a rolling fulcrum consisting of a sheave rolling against it
within certain limits, said sheave being carried by a rod provided with a spring
bearing against a fixed point to form a yielding fulcrum for the lever, said rod
being attached to one end of a chain, the bight of which passes round a sheave
attached to the brake gear and the other end of which chain is attached to the
friction drum and is wound up on the shaft of said drum when the latter is brought
into contact with the drum on the axle, so that when the friction drums are put
into operative contact by the brakesman on that carriage, the winding up of the
chain serves the double purpose of applying the brakes of its own carriage, and also
of applying a draught equally to both ends of the compensating lever by which the
connections attached thereto will be pulled inwards simultaneously, thus causing
an outward pull on the corresponding connections of the preceding and succeeding
carriages, and causing the brakes of those carriages to be applied also which in
turn causes the brakes of the next adjacent carriages to bo applied, and so on
throughout the train. If the chain attached to one end of said lever and running
to the front end of the first carriage, be pulled by mechanism on the engine, it will
cause the brakes of the first carriage to be applied and the winding up of the chain
upon the chain winding shaft whereby this application of the brakes is effected
will cause a draught on the fulcrum of the compensating lever, and through the
connections of said lever with the mechanism of the next succeeding carriage, will
cause the brakes of that carriage to be applied, and so on in turn for each succeeding
carriage throughout the train. When the chain at one end of this lever is pulled
outwards as above described, an inward pull is caused upon the chains or connections
attached to the other end of said lever, and when the one end of the lever is thus
drawn forward, the sheave which forms its fulcrum rolls along the lever towards
the opposite end so that when the winding up of the automatic brake applying
chain causes a draught on the fulcrum of the lever, the greater portion of the power
will be transmitted to that end which is in connection with the gear of the
next carriage at the opposite end to that from which the pull that caused the
brakes to be applied, proceeded, the operation so far as the application of the
brakes is concerned being the same from whichever end of the carriage the pull by
which the brakes are caused to be applied may proceed.
This rolling fulcrum and lever are intended not only to take up any slack in the
chains, but also to compensate for the amount of draught consumed in putting the
brakes of that carriage into operation. Hence it is termed the compensating lever.
In ordinary working, so long as the carriages are coupled together, the crank
which brings the friction drums into operative contact would not pass the dead
centre and so lock the drums in that position as previously described, the movement
of the parts being limited by stops, but should the couplings break, then the chains
which connect the brake mechanisms of the two carriages between which the
racture occurs, will be drawn out so far in the act of breaking away that the

page_text: crank will pass the centre and lock the friction drums in operative contact, apply
the brakes of the two carriages, and from them in turn the brakes of the other
carriages in the two parts of the train, the brakes then remaining applied until
released by the brakesman turning the crank back again past the centre as
previously explained.
The Invention comprises further improvements relating principally to an
arrangement for automatically storing power for use at required times to effect
instantaneous application of the brakes of a carriage, the. construction and
arrangement of portions of the brake mechanism being also modified without
changing the principal feature that underlies the action of the brake. These
further improvements consist mainly :-
First, in the combination with the friction brake mechanism of storage
mechanism connected with and acted on by the friction brake chain when the
latter is wound up, to store and accumulate power and operating when released to
pull upon the said brake chain in the direction requisite to apply the brakes.
Secondly, in the various combinations of the mechanism. In this case in lieu of
using a single compensating lever with a rolling fulcrum, two are used and each is
pivoted on a stationary pivot at one end, the differential power necessary under
certain circumstances being obtained by making them of such form and arranging
the friction brake chain to act on them in such a direction that the differential
effect required under certain-circumstances will be produced. These levers are
accordingly bent or elbowed and have sheaves at their elbows round which the
friction brake chain passes so that when it is wound up it tends to draw the levers
together. The said chain is attached to the winding shaft of the friction gear as
before and passed around sprocket wheels of the power storing mechanism (to be
and after passing around the
hereinafter described) before it reaches the said leveloper as before. Connections
sheaves of the latter, it is attached to the brake gear
équivalent to those before described as being connected to the opposite ends of the
same compensating lever are here connected to the free ends of the two levers
respectively. In this case the crank arm by which the friction drums are put in
gear is upon a horizontal cross rocking shaft operated by connections from a hand
wheel shaft within the hollow hand wheel shaft of the hand power brake as before,
and the two other arms described as at right angles to the said crank arm are also
upon the horizontal rock shaft and are connected by loose or sliding connections
with the free ends of the two compensating levers respectively. The operation
of the parts is much the same as that previously described, although the
construction is different. When the friction brake applying mechanism is brought
into action by a brakesman on the same carriage through the medium of the hand
wheel shaft provided for the purpose, the friction brake chain will, in winding up,
exert equal power on both the compensating levers and consequently transmit an
equal pull on the similar mechanism of the adjoining carriages through their
connections therewith, thus causing the brakes to be applied on the said adjoining
carriages and on the other carriages in front and rear throughout the train. But
when the brakes of a carriage are applied by a pull on the connections of either
compensating lever, the leverage must be unequal instead of being equal as in the
last mentioned case so as to compensate for the power consumed in throwing the
brake applying mechanism into gear, and this result is attained by the form of
the compensating levers and the mode in which the power of the friction brake
chain is applied thereto in the different positions of the levers, the result being in
effect virtually to bring the point at which the chain applies its power nearer to
the fulcrum of the one lever than the other to obtain the unequal effect desired.
The mechanism for storing the power of the brake consists of a hollow plunger
sliding within a fixed guiding cylinder and containing a spring which is compressed
when the plunger is moved in one direction by the winding up of the friction
brake chain which passes over a sheave on the end of the plunger on its way to
the brake gear. In order to hold the spring in this compressed state and thus
store power which may be made available for the purpose hereinbefore indicated,

page_text: the plunger has a rack upon it with which a pawl engages. But inasmuch as it is
necessary that the power should be kept stored without interfering with the
operation of the automatic brake mechanism, and also that it should be in a
condition to be applied when needed independently of said mechanism, special
devices are employed for this purpose. The pawl just referred to is a double acting
one, its short end engaging the rack on the plunger, and its long arm engaging
ratchet teeth on a sprocket wheel engaged and turned by the friction brake chain,
the action of the pawl being such that it always engages and holds either the
sprocket wheel or the spring plunger and never disengages from one before
engaging the other. The double acting pawl is pivoted to a link connected to a
small crank arm on the cross rock shaft before referred to as carrying the crank
by which the friction drums are thrown into gear, so that when the friction. brake
mechanism is thus thrown into gear the pawl is moved so as to fall into the ratchet
teeth of the sprocket wheel, and is caused by an incline upon it abutting against a
fixed point, to quit the rack on the spring plunger. Then the friction brake chain
as it winds up to apply the brakes, compresses the spring of the plunger, and when
the brakes are taken off, the pawl quits the sprocket wheel and re-engages with
the rack on the plunger to hold the spring under compression. When after this it
is desired to use the power thus stored for instantaneously applying the brakes, the
pawl is, through the medium of the rock shaft operated by the brakesmans hand
wheel, caused to disengage from the spring plunger and to engage with and hold
the sprocket wheel. The spring of the plunger thus freed from restraint expands
and forces back the plunger, causing the sheave which it carries to draw on the
part of the chain intermediate of the now immovable sprocket wheel and the point
of connection of said chain with the brake gear, with the effect of applying the
brakes.
Thus by means of this combination, power is stored and made available at any
moment for the instantaneous application of the brakes.
The Invention relates further to mechanism for automatically applying the
brakes when the train breaks apart the use of which mechanism is not limited to
the brake hereinbefore described but may be combined with the ordinary or any
other type of brake. It consists of a draft rod mounted beneath the car frame and
connected at one end to the floating lever or other part of the brake gear and
adapted at the other end, for connection with the corresponding draft rod on the
adjoining car, or with any fixed point on the frame of such car so that should the
ordinary car couplings accidentally give way this bar will be drawn out by
the breaking apart of the two portions of the train and cause the brakes of the car
to be applied. To keep the brakes applied after the breaking apart of the train
this draft rod is provided with a retaining device consisting of rack teeth upon it
and a pawl mounted on a fixed point which engages therewith whereby the rod is
automatically locked in its drawn out position and the brakes are kept on until
released by hand by means of a connection attached to the pawl and extending up
through the car platform.
It is inevitable that the connection of this draft rod with the adjoining car be
severed after it has so applied the brakes and this may be done either by making
a portion of its connecting chain between the two cars the weakest point of the
system so as to be the first to yield after the brakes have been sufficiently applied
but I prefer to so form the connection that it can be severed without injury. A
convenient way of doing this is to engage a stirrup shaped link on the end of
connecting chain, with a forwardly inclined slot in the draft rod and make said
link pull against a spiral spring on the draft rod which prevents it slipping out of
the slot until the pull overcomes the opposition of the spring which is enough to
ensure the application of the brakes with sufficient force before it will yield
sufficiently to let the link escape from the slot. The spring may bear against a
cross-pin which is removable to allow the parts to be readily connected and placed
in position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th August 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES." A communication to me from abroad by
John Van Dussen Reed of New York City, United States of America, and at
present of Paris, France
This Invention relates to improvements in automatic railway brakes of that class
in which the brake-applying mechanism of each carriage is operated by means of
friction gear from one of the axles of its own carriage, but which brakes are made con-
tinuous in their character by ineans of a connection that joins the brake mechanism
of one carriage to that of the next in distinction from the class of brake for which
Letters Patent were granted to me dated August 14th 1880, N° 3305, and August
10th 1881, N° 3469, and in which the brake mechanism of one carriage is
entirely independent in its operation from that of any other earriage. The two
forms of brake have, however, features similar in principle although different in
construction.
This Invention consists, first, in the combination with friction-drum and brake
gear of the usual construction, of drauglit mechanism whereby the friction gear is
put into action for applying the brakes, and compensating lever-mechanism whereby
the pull or draught acting on the draught-mechanism of one carriage is transmitted
to the like mechanism of an adjoining carriage without loss of power or motion.
Secondly, in the combination with the friction-drum and brake gear, of draught-
mechanism connected to, and brought into action by, a hand shaft, and so arranged
and operating that when the friction gear of the carriage is brought into operation
by the hand-shaft acting on the draught-mechanism, a draught or pull from the
friction gear will be transmitted equally to like brake-mechanism upon the adjacent
carriages at front and rear. Thirdly, in the combination with friction drum and
brake gear of draught-mechanisin arranged and operating so that when a train of
carriages equipped with the brake of this Invention is accidentally broken apart,
the brakes shall be automatically applied to the carriages at either side of the
point of rupture, and to the other carriages of the two parts of the train, and shall
remain so applied until released by a brakesman. Fourthly, in a combination of
mechanism whereby the friction-drums are brought and held in gear when the
motion of the mechanism has exceeded a certain prescribed limit. Fifthly, in the
arrangement of the hand shafts pertaining to and operating respectively the ordinary
hand-brake and the draught mechanism of the automatic brake, the one within the
other. Sixthly, in a combination of mechanism in connection with the friction
gear arranged to regulate the power of the brake in proportion to the load carried
by the car. Seventhly, in various combinations of the mechanism for various
purposes to be hereafter more fully set forth.
In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the bogie truck of
a carriage, Figure 2 is a plan of the same, and Figures 3. 4. 5. 6 and 7 are detail
parts of the brake mechanism.
A are the wheels, B the axles, C the bolster, D the spring plank, D' its springs,
E the brake beams, E¹ the brake levers, E' E' and E the chains and rods, and
E³ the centre brake lever. F is the shaft for operating the hand-brake preferably
made hollow and having passed through it another hand shaft pertaining to the
present Invention. G is the friction drum fast on axle B; G¹ the friction drum
fast on the chain winding shaft G³ of the automatic brake.
三

page_text: The friction gear G G¹ and the brake mechanism E E¹ E' E³ E* E³ present no
special feature. The shaft G' is supported at one end in a sleeve a loose in a
stationary bracket arm H H fixed to bolster C and extending downward and
towards friction drum G, and at the other end by a sleeve b in a bearing K free to
slide up and down within certain limits on a pendent arm L (see Figure 6) jointed
at d d to bracket H and free to swing towards and from the friction drum G to
bring the friction drum G¹ in or out of contact therewith. The motion of this arm L
is so limited by a rod M and adjustable stops g, and the action of the relief spring I
next referred to is such that considerably inore brake power will be exerted when
the carriage is loaded than when it is light, the relief spring I operating to
limit the power of the brake in proportion to the load. The bearing K is pressed
downwards by the spring I (termed the relief spring) placed upon the arm L. The
arm L is caused to bring the friction drums G G₁ into contact by a rod N (termed
the draught rod) which passes through a hole h in arm L and a slot in the
bearing K. A collar h larger than the hole h plays in the rear slot and a
spring is placed on rod N and confined between said collar and the head . The
rod N is connected by eye N2 and rod N³ to a short crank arm 0³ (see Figures 2
and 4) on a cross pieco O fixed to the lower end of a shaft P having a hand wheel
P' (Figure 3) and which passes through the tubular hand shaft F of the ordinary
hand brake. When the crank armı 08 is turned round until the rod N³ approaches
the dead point, as in Figure 4, the spring i on rod N will under certain circum-
stances, yield and allow the dead point to be passed, whereupon it will be prevented
going further, and having passed the dead point it cannot return and thus the
friction drums G G¹ are locked in operative contact (with a pressure depending on
the power of spring i) until released by the brakesman turning the crank O³ back
again by means of shaft P. The crank arm 03 may be operated to put the friction
drums Ğ G¹ in contact, either by the hand shaft P, or automatically by the brake
gear of adjacent carriages through the agency of mechanism which
describe.
will now
01 0³ are two other longer arms at right angles to the arm 0° and forming part
of the cross piece O. They are curved upwards at the ends. To the arm 0₁ are
attached chain and rod connections S S' which extend to the other end of the
carriage for coupling with the brake gear of the succeeding carriage, and tension
upon S S¹ will turn the arm 0' and the crank O' in such direction as to throw the
friction drums G G³ into gear. Thus, a pull from the brake gear of the next
succeeding carriage will cause the brake on the carriage now being described to be
automatically applied. The other arm 01 has an eye O' through which runs a
chain W for connection by means of a hook Ws with the brake gear of the
preceding carriage. For convenience of coupling the brake mechanism of two
carriages, the rod S¹ may be branched as at S S³ (Figure 5) and run round.
sheaves S and pass out at either side of the carriage coupling through guides, said
branches terminating in hooks Se for coupling with the hook W' of the next
carriage. The chain W² runs through a guide Y (Figure 4) on the framing R and
the hook W cannot pass through said guide which also forms a stop for the eye O*.
The chain W which runs through the eye 01 is attached to an eye on the end of a
rod W which eye comes against the eye O' when a pull comes on the chain W' and'
causes the arm O¹ to be turned and with it the crank arm 0³ whereby the friction:
drums are brought into contact to apply the brake automatically when the chain W
is pulled outwards by the brake gear of the preceding carriage, or by the engine
driver, as hereafter referred to. This rod W is connected to one end of a lever V'
(termed a compensating lever) whose other end is connected (by chain y passing.
round a sheave y' mounted on the framing) with the connections S¹ which run to
the other end of the carriage so that a pull upon either or both ends of said lever V
will cause an inward pull upon the chains or connections attached to its ends and'
consequently cause an outward pull on the corresponding connections of the
preceding and succeeding carriages and so cause the brakes of those other carriages'
to be applied. The said lever V has a rolling fulcrum consisting of a sheave ·T*

page_text: rolling against it for about one third of its length between stops V₁ V*, said
sheave T being carried by a rod T2 at right angles to lever V provided with a
spring T bearing against a fixed point T' to form a yielding fulcrum for the lever V.
The eye T of said rod is attached to one end of a chain c which passes round a
sheave E attached to the rod E* of the brake gear, and the other end of the chain a
is attached to the friction drum G' and is wound up on the shaft G when the
drum G¹ is brought into contact with the drum G. Therefore when the friction
drums G G¹ are put into operative contact by the brakesman on that carriage
turning the hand wheel P¹, the winding up of the chain c serves the double purpose
of applying the brakes of its own carriage, and also of applying a draught equally
to both ends of the compensating lever V, whereby the connections attached to its
two ends will be pulled inwards simultaneously, thus causing an outward pull on
the corresponding connections of the preceding and succeeding carriages, as before
explained, and causing the brakes of those other carriages to be applied also, which
in turn causes the brakes of the next adjacent carriages to be applied, and so on
throughout the train. The lever V may be slightly curved between the stops Vi
and V to facilitate the rolling fulcrum T finding the centre of the lever V when
there is no unequal strain on said lever. If the chain W' attached to one end of
-said lever and running to the front end of the first carriage, be pulled by mechanism
-on the engine, the eye of rod W₁ will come against the eye 0 and turn the cross
piece O until the crank arm has brought the friction drums G G into operative
contact and so caused the chain c to be wound up and the brakes on the first
carriage to be applied. The winding-up of the chain c will also apply a pull to the
fulcrum T of the compensating lever V, which pull will be transmitted by the
connections y-and S' to the chain W³ of the next succeeding carriage, whereby the
brakes of that carriage will be caused to be applied in the same way as those of the
first carriage were applied, and so on in turn for each succeeding carriage t
throughout
the train. When the chain W' (for instance at one end of this lever V) is pulled
outwards, as above described, an inward pull is caused upon the chains or
connections S¹ attached to the other end of said lever and when the one end of the
lever V is thus drawn forward, the sheave T* which forms its fulcrum rolls along
the lever V towards the opposite end. Consequently when the winding up of the
chain c causes a draught on the fulcrum T' of the lever, the greater portion of the
power due to the winding up of the chain will be transmitted to the shorter end of
the lever V which is in connection with the gear of the next carriage farthest fromn
the point whence the pull that caused the brakes to be applied proceeded, the
operation so far as the application of the brakes is concerned being the same from
whichever end of the carriage the pull by which the brakes are caused to be applied
may proceed.
This rolling fulcrum T and lever V are intended, not only to take up any slack
in the chains, but also to compensate for the amount of draught consumed in
putting the brakes of that carriage into operation. Hence it is termed the
compensating lever. In ordinary working, so long as the carriages are coupled
together, the crank O" which brings the friction drums into operative contact would
not pass the dead centre and so lock the drums in that position as previously
described, the movement of the parts being limited by the hook W³ striking the
guide Y on the next carriage, but should the carriage couplings break, then the
chains which connect the break mechanisms of the two carriages between which
the fracture occurs, will be drawn out so far in the act of breaking away that the
crank O³ will pass the centre and lock the friction drums in operative contact, thus
applying the brakes of the two carriages, and from them applying in turn the
brakes of the other carriages in the two parts of the train, the brakes then remaining
applied until released by the brakesman turning the crank Os back again past the
centre by means of hand wheel P¹ as previously explained.
The brakes may also be applied and locked by the brakesman turning hand
wheel P¹ sufficiently
The operation of the relief spring I in modifying the brake power exerted

page_text: according to the load on the carriage, is as follows:-When the carriage is not
loaded the stops g g on rod M should be far enough apart to allow drums G G¹ to
be brought into contact by the forward pull on rod N³ as before described, but near
enough so that when the relief spring I is moderately compressed and the swinging
arm L advances a little, the nuts g will prevent its further advance, thereby
allowing the power of the brake to be limited by a moderate compression of the
relief spring. But now if the carriage be loaded and the carriage springs D'
compressed, the relief spring I must be compressed considerably more to allow the
shaft G to rise sufficiently to bring the arm Lagainst the nut g, and consequently
considerably more brake power will be exerted than when it is light.
The Invention comprises further improvements relating principally to an
arrangement for automatically storing power for use at required times to effect
instantaneous application of the brakes of a carriage, the construction and arrange-
ment of portions of the brake mechanism being also modified without changing
the principal feature that underlies the action of the brake. These further
improvements consist mainly -1st In the combination with the automatic brake
mechanism of storage mechanism connected with and acted on by the brake chain
when the latter is wound up, to store and accumulate power, and operating when
released to pull upon the said brake chain in the direction requisite to apply the
brakes. 2nd In the various combinations of the mechanism hereafter described and
claimed.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of the bogie truck and part of the framing of
a carriage with the improved brake applied. Figure 8 is a plan of the same.
Figure 9 is a sectional elevation on a larger scale of the power storing mechanisın.
Figures 10. 11. 12 and 13 show details. Figures 14 and 15 are longitudinal
sections of the storage cylinder showing the parts in different positions, Figure 14
representing the brakes off and the power stored and ready for use, and Figure 15
representing the brakes applied by the store power. Figure 16 is a cross section
on line x-x Figure 15.
The parts A B C D D'E E¹ E E E E are of the usual construction and
require no further description. The friction drum G fast on axle B, the other
friction drum G¹ fast on the chain winding shaft G, the bracket and swinging
arm by which shaft G2 is supported in bearings, and the relief spring I combined
with the bearing at the swinging end of shaft G2, are substantially the same and
operate in the same way as those in the previously described arrangement. It is
therefore unnecessary to again describe those parts further than to say that when
G is drawn against drum G whilst the train is running, the chain C (which is
connected at one end to shaft G and at the other end to brake rod Eat c) is
wound upon shaft G* and the brakes are then applied, the relief spring I operating
to limit the efficiency of the brake, as in the previously described arrangement.
In this case instead of using a single compensating lever with a rolling fulcrum as
previously described, two levers V V₁ are used and each is pivoted on a stationary
pivot at one end a to the floor timber of the carriage in the position shown in
Figure 8, the differential power necessary under certain circumstances being
obtained by making them of such form and arranging the chain c to act on them
in such a direction that the required differential effect will be produced. These
levers V V¹ are accordingly bent or elbowed as shown and have sheaves bb' at their
elbows round which the chain c passes, so that when it is wound up it tends to
draw the levers together. The said chain c is attached to the winding shaft G³
and passed around sprocket wheels 1 and sheave 2 of the power storing mechanism
(to be hereinafter described) before it reaches the said levers V V and after passing
around the sheaves b, it is attached at c to the rod E of the brake gear proper, as
before explained.
The rods W S of the draught mechanism are connected, the rod W to lever V by.
passing through an eye d on the free end of the lever, the rod having a collar
fixed on it so that when the rod is pulled far enough the collar d' will bear against
the eye d and pull the lever outward; the other draught rod S is pivoted at e to

page_text: the lever V. A three armed lever O (see Figure 9) corresponding in function to
the similar lever in the previous arrangement is fixed upon a horizontal cross rocking
'shaft 3 supported in suitable bearings. Through a slot in the arm 0¹ passes the
end of rod W which has on it a head d larger than the slot is wide. Through a
slot in arm O passes a link rod S₁ united by an eye at one end to rod S, and at
the other end to chain S the eye being too large to pass through the slot in
arm 02. To the crank arm Os is coupled a connecting rod N³ which is jointed at
the other end to the journal bearing K of the shaft G, which is mounted on the
swinging arm L, and is otherwise arranged as previously described. The chain S
is to be hooked to a chain on the adjoining carriage corresponding to the chain W¹
(Figure 8), and chain W₁ is to be hooked to a chain on the next carriage corre-
sponding to S. The lever O is shown in Figure 8 in the position which it occupies
when the brakes are off, and in Figure 9 in the position which it assumes when
-the brakes are on. Supposing the rod W to be pulled until its head d³ pulls the
lever O over to the position shown in Figure 3, the two drums G G¹ are brought
into contact, and the chain c will be wound upon the shaft G, thus applying the
brake. At the same time the lever V is, by the winding up of the chain c, caused
to pull on the rod S and connecting chain S³, and thus a pull is transmitted to the
corresponding draught mechanism of the adjoining carriage, whereby the friction
drum of this adjoining carriage is automatically brought into operative connection
to apply the brakes of the other carringe, and so on through the train. A similar
result will be obtained by pulling on the chain 8 instead of the chain W'. The
friction gear G G¹ can be brought into operation by a brakesman on the carriage
itself by means of the hand shaft P (which passes down through the hollow shaft F)
the crank arm-ffixed to shaft P and connected by a rod g to a crank arm on the
rock shaft 3. The shaft F is connected by a chain E to the brake rod E* so that
the brakes can be applied by hand if necessary.
-
The mechanism, thus far described, in arrangement and mode of operation, is
substantially the same as that before described and requires no further description,
save with respect to the compensating lever mechanism.
When the friction gear is brought into action by a brakesman on the carriage
by means of the shaft P, the chain C will, when it winds up, exert an equal pull
on both levers V V' with the effect of drawing them together, and consequently of
exerting an equal pull on both connecting rods W S, the result being that an equal
pull is exerted upon the draught rods of adjacent carriages in front and rear of this
one, thereby bringing the automatic brake mechanism of those carriages into action.
Thus, under these conditions, the brake will be applied not only to the carriage on
which the brakesman is stationed, but also to all of the other carriages in the
truin both in front and rear of him, as well. But when the brakes of a carriago
are applied by a pull upon either of the rods W or S, the conditions must not be
the same.
The leverage of V and V₁ instead of being equal, as in the case just
described, must be unequal. In other words, supposing that rod W is pulled, then
the chain c must have less leverage on the lever V of rod W than it has on lever V'
of rod S, the object being to restore the power consumed in operating the three
armed lever O. This is accomplished by the arrangement shown in the drawing.
When the rod W is pulled it will pull back the lever V while the lever V' remains
in its normal position. The result will be, in effect, to bring the point b at which
the chain c applies its power, nearer to the fulcrum a, thus decreasing the leverage.
The chain c when wound up, will consequently have greater leverage on the lever V
than on V and consequently while the pull upon the latter is considerably reduced,
the pull upon the former in the direction necessary to operate the brake mechanism
of the next succeeding carriage, is not reduced but is equal to the pull exerted by
the rod W on the lever V.
I will now describe the mechanism for storing the power of the brake. A
cylinder 4, closed at the outer end, is fastened to one of the draw timbers; it is
slotted longitudinally at top and bottom, at 5, for about half its length. Within
this guiding cylinder 4 is a hollow plunger 6 capable of sliding therein, and closed
-

page_text: at the end nearest the closed end of cylinder 4. Through the closed ends of the
plunger and cylinder, passes a rod 7 having on its outer end a retaining nut and on
its inner end a head, between which and the closed end of the hollow plunger is
confined a spiral spring 8, by compressing which the power required for instan-
taneously applying the brake is stored. The open end of the plunger 6 is forked
and the sheave 2 is mounted thereon with its grooved periphery in line with the
slots 5 in the main cylinder 4. When the chain c is wound up as before described
in applying the brakes, it pulls on the sheave 2 around which it passes, draws out
the plunger 6, and compresses the spring 8. In order to hold the spring in the
compressed state and thus store power (which may be made available for the
purpose hereinbefore indicated) the plunger 6 has a rack 9 upon it with which a
pawl 10 engages. But inasmuch as it is necessary that the power should be kept
stored without interfering with the operation of the automatic brake mechanism,
and also that it should be in condition to be applied when needed, independently
of said mechanism, I employ special devices for this purpose which I now describe.
The pawl 10, just referred to, is a double acting one. One of its ends a works
through a notch 11 in the guiding cylinder 4 and engages the ratchet teeth 9. Its
other end y engages a ratchet wheel 12 which is fast to a sprocket wheel 13
mounted to revolve in the guiding cylinder 4. The chain c engages this sprocket
wheel so that one cannot move without the other moving also. The double pawl 10
is connected by a link 14 to a crank arm 15 on rock shaft 3 herein before referred
to. When the shaft 3 is in the position shown in Figure 14 the end y is disengaged
from ratchet wheel 12 and the end x drops into engagement with ratchet 9 and
retains the plunger; when the shaft is in the position shown in Figure 15 the end y
engages and holds the ratchet 12 of the sprocket wheel while the end (by reason
of the incline S on it working against the incline t on the cylinder) is lifted out of
engagement with rack 9. The arrangement is such that the pawl. always engages
and holds either the sprocket wheel or the plunger and never disengages from one
before engaging the other.
The mode of operation is as follows:-When the three armed lever O is brought
to the position requisite in order to apply the friction brake mechanism, as shown
in Figure 9 the pawl 10 is moved so as as to engage the sprocket wheel and to
quit the plunger as seen in that figure. The chain c, as it winds up, draws out the
plunger and compresses the spring. When after this the three arined lever is
turned back again and the brakes are taken off, the pawl W will engage the
plunger and hold the spring under compression, as in Figure 14, and release the
sprocket wheel. When after this it becomes necessary to use the power thus stored
in order to instantaneously apply the brakes, the shaft 3 is operated from the hand
shaft P so as to throw the pawl to the position shown in Figure 15 in which it
engages the sprocket wheel and is disengaged from the plunger. The spring then
causes the sheave 2 to draw on that part of the chain C situate between the now
immovable sprocket wheel and the point C³ where the chain is attached to the
brake rod E, the effect of the spring being thus to apply the brakes. Thus, by
means of this combination, power is stored and kept constantly on hand available
for instantaneous application of the brakes whenever the necessity for this shall
arise.
The Invention relates further to mechanism for automatically applying any
ordinary hand brakes should the couplings between two carriages of a train give
way. Figure 17 is a section of as much of a car as is necessary to explain this
improvement. Figure 18 shows details. The brake mechanism here shown is of
the ordinary type and consists of the brake shoes 1 and their connections 2. 3. 4
with the floating lever A. and its connection 5 with the hand shaft 6 all as usual.
The mechanism of this Invention consists of a draught rod B mounted beneath the
car frame C and connected by a chain to the same end of the floating lever A as
the rod 5 or to any other part of the brake gear and adapted at the other end for
connection with the corresponding draught rod on the adjoining car C¹ or with a
fixed point of the car frame (as here represented) so that should the couplings

page_text: accidentally give way, this bar will be drawn out by the breaking apart of the two
portions of the train and cause the brakes to be applied. This rod B extends about
to the end gill of car frame Ċ where it passes through a guide a on a bracket D
fixed to one of the draw beams. To keep the brakes applied after the breaking
apart of the train, this draft rod B is provided with a retaining device consisting of
rack teeth i upon it and a gravity or spring actuated pawl h mounted on bracket D
which engages therewith, whereby the rod is automatically locked in its drawn out
position and the brakes are kept on until released by hand by means of a
connection j attached to the pawl and extending up through the car platform to a
point where it can be conveniently reached by the brakesman. It is inevitable
that the connection of this draught rod with the adjoining car be severed after it
has Bo applied the brakes, and this may be done by making a portion of its
connecting chain between the two cars the weakest point of the system so as to be
the first to yield after the brakes have been sufficiently applied, but I prefer to so
form the connection that it can be severed without injury. A convenient way of
doing this is to engage a stirrup shaped link c (Figure 18) on the end of the
connecting chain f with a forwardly inclined slot 6 in the draught rod B and make
said link pull against a spiral spring e on the draught rod which prevents it slipping
out of the slot until the pull overcomes the opposition of the spring which is
enough to ensure the application of the brakes with sufficient force before it will
yield sufficiently to let the link escape from the slot. The spring may bear against
a-cross pin d which is removable to allow the parts to be readily connected and
placed in position. The chain fis hooked at g to the next car the length of the
chain being such that so long as the car couplings remain intact the draught rod
remains unaffected and at rest.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is.
1st The combination with the friction drums and brake gear, of draught
mechanisin arranged and operating, substantially as described, to bring the friction
gear into action for applying the brakes, and compensating-lever mechanism
whereby the pull acting on the draught mechanism of one carriage is caused to be
transmitted to the like mechanism of an adjoining carriage without loss of power
or motion, substantially as herein before set forth.
2nd The combination with the friction drums and brake gear, of draught
mechanism connected to and brought into action by a hand shaft and arranged
and operating substantially as hereinbefore described so that when the friction
gear and brake mechanism of one carriage is brought into operation by the hand
shaft acting on the draught mechanism, a pull from the friction gear will be trans-
mitted equally to like brake mechanisin upon the adjacent carriages in front and
rear, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
3rd The combination substantially as herein before set forth, with the friction
drums and brake gear, of draught mechanism arranged and operating in the
manner hereinbefore described, so that when a train of carriages equipped with
the brake of this Invention is accidentally broken apart, the brakes shall be auto-
matically applied to the carriages in front and rear of the point of rupture, and
thence to the other carriages of the two portions of the train, and shall remain so
applied until released by a brakesman.
4th The combination of mechanism, substantially as shown and described,
whereby the friction drums are brought into operative contact and locked into
such contact when the motion of the mechanism has exceeded a certain prescribed
limit, as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
5th The arrangement of the two hand shafts F and P one within the other the
shafts being respectively connected, the one to the brake gear direct, and the other
to the draught mechanism of the automatic brake, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
6th The chain winding shaft G³, relief spring I, and mechanism arranged

page_text: substantially as described to regulate the power of the automatic brake in proportion
to the load carried by the carriage, in combination with the draught rods N and N³,
spring i, and the crank O³ operated either automatically or by hand.
7th The combination of the chain winding shaft G³, the swinging arm L, the
rod M and its adjustable stops g with the draught rods N and N³, and the spring i,
substantially as set forth.
8th The combination substantially as described, of a rod or chain S¹ having
two branches S2 and S3 with a suitable guide or guides S* for conducting the
said branches S or S³ to their respective positions upon opposite sides of the draw
bar of a car.
9th The combination of the chains W* and S' with the lever V and the rod T',
the sheave T, the spring T, and the piece T³, whereby the outward pull upon
one chain W or S is made an inward pull upon the other chain whilst per-
mitting (by means of the yielding fulcrum for the lever V) of a simultaneous
outward pull upon both chains without danger of breakage, substantially as set
forth.
10th The combination of the chains W' and S2, the lever V, the stops V₁ and V³,
the rod T and the sheave T with the chain c for compensating for loss of power
or motion in the draught of chain occasioned by slackness of chain or of power
consumed in operating the cross and its connections, substantially as herein-
before set forth.
11th The combination, substantially as described, of the chain W2, the hook W³,
and the ring Y for limiting the inward draught of the chain W2, as and for the
purposes set forth..
12th The combination of the chain W³, the large eye on rod W, and the ring.or
eye Y for limiting the outward pull of the chain W in such a manner as to cause
any breakage resulting from the breaking apart of the train to occur in the chain
W or hook W substantially as specified.
13th The combination of the automatic brake mechanism with the hand brake
mechanism by means of the chain c, the sheave E6, the hand brake rod E*, the
rod T" and the piece T³, substantially as specified.
14th The combination (in a brake system in which the brake gears of the
several carriages of a train are operated each by power derived from some moving
part of its own car) with the brake applying mechanism of draft mechanism
adapted to throw into action the friction gear of the said brake applying mechanism,
and adapted to be coupled with similar draught mechanism on an adjoining carriage,
each draught mechanism being likewise adapted to be operated by its own brake
applying mechanism and to act upon the draught mechanism of the other carriage
in such a way as to bring into action also the brake applying mechanism of that
other carriage, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
15th The combination with the automatic friction gear, and brake mechanism,
of storage mechanism, substantially as described, connected with and acted on by
the winding up of the friction gear chain to store and accumulate power in the
manner specified, and operating, when released, to pull upon the said chain so as to
apply the brakes substantially as herein before set forth.
16th The combination with the friction gear and brake mechanism, of the
guiding cylinder the spring plunger and sheave, the sprocket wheel and the double
pawl adapted to engage at one end a ratchet on the sprocket, and at the other a
ratchet in the plunger, and connected with and adapted to be operated by both the
three armed lever of the automatic brake mechanism, and by a hand shaft on the
carriage, substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
17 The three armed lever in combination with the two draught rods WS, the
chain winding shaft G2 and the connecting rod N³, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before set forth.
18th The two compensating levers V V₁, the chain c and the brake rod E',
combined with the draught rods W and S, the friction gear and brake mechanisın,
and the hand shaft substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth.

page_text: 19th The combination with shaft 3 of the three armed lever and its connections,
the double pawl or retaining devices, and power storage mechanism connected
with the same, and the hand shaft P, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before set forth.
20th The combination with the brake applying mechanism and the draught
rod, of a separable coupling for connecting the same to the adjoining car, the
strength of which is graduated or proportioned to the pull exerted upon the
draught rod, substantially as specified, so that only strain or pull in excess of that
required to pull the draught rod into position where it applies the brake with
prescribed force, shall dissolve connection between said adjoining car and the
draught rod and automatic locking mechanism, whereby said draught rod is locked
in any brake applying position to which it may be brought, the combination being
and acting as herein before set forth.
21 The combination with the brake applying mechanism and the draught rod
connected thereto and to the adjoining car, substantially as described, of an
automatic locking pawl or detent engaging notches or teeth on said draught rod,
and a pawl lifter adapted to be operated by hand, for the purpose of disengaging
the pawl from the draught rod, substantially as herein before set forth.
22 The draught rod formed with an inclined slot open at its-outer end as
described, in combination with the coupling link, the cross pin and the spring
surrounding the rod and confined between said cross pin and link, substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
==In Witness: whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hereunto set
my hand and seal this eighth day of August, A.D. 1883. =====