IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES OF RAILWAY TRAINS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Armstrong, of No. 30, Wellington Street,
Swindon, in the County of Wilts, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES OF RAILWAY TRAINS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Armstrong at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th May 1881.
JOSEPH ARMSTRONG, of No. 30, Wellington Street, Swindon, in the County of
Wilts, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES OF
RAILWAY TRAINS."
My Invention relates to apparatus for working brakes by means of compressed
air, steam, or other fluid, or by atmospheric pressure acting against rarefied air,
and my present improvements have for their object to simplify the construction
and render more effective the action of portions of such apparatus.
According to my Invention, which relates to the class of continuous brakes,
such as Sanders and Bolitho's, Eames', Aspinall's, and others, in which a small
ejector is used for maintaining a partial vacuum in the pipes and cylinders of a
train, I place a reducing pressure valve between the valve on the boiler and the
small ejector in order that a constant and regular degree of exhaustion may be
maintained, the said reducing valve allowing the steam to pass to the ejector at the
particular pressure at which by its construction it is capable of working to the
greatest advantage, notwithstanding a considerable variation of pressure in the
boiler.
The form of reducing pressure valve I prefer to use is that which is constructed
with a Bourdon tube and equilibrium valve, or those worked by a piston, diaphragm,
or its equivalent, but I do not confine myself thereto.
The amount of steam admitted to the ejector, though uniform with the same
adjustment of the reducing valve, may be varied at the will of the engine driver
by an alteration in the adjustment of the reducing valve, this alteration being effected
by an adjustable spring or by other means.
The admission of steam to the ejector may also be regulated by an adjustment
of a barrel spindle or cone in the ejector itself, this adjustable part being connected
with a Bourdon tube, diaphragm, piston, or its equivalent.

page_text: Another part of my Invention relates to the combination of brakes worked by
steam, air, vacuum (so called), or other fluid with brakes worked by hand, so that
the two descriptions of brake may be fitted to the same vehicle and worked either
together or separately. I effect this by connecting the screw shaft and bell crank
lever commonly used for actuating hand brakes on railway vehicles with a cylinder
and piston, sack, diaphragm, or equivalent arrangement. When a cylinder and
piston is used I connect the piston with the screw shaft and the cylinder with the
bell crank lever direct, so that the lever may be raised either by the hand screw
or by the admission of air or other fluid pressure into the cylinder.
Another part of my Invention has for its object the automatic removal of water
or other foreign substances from the pipes and cylinders of a train fitted up with
brake apparatus actuated by compressed air or vacuum (so called). I place in a
convenient position on the pipe or cylinder of the engine or other vehicle a cup or
other vessel in which the water and other foreign substances will collect; at the
bottom of this cup I place a valve so arranged as to close automatically when there
is pressure or vacuum, as the case may be, in the pipes and cylinders, and to open
and allow the water and other substances to escape when the pipes contain air of
ordinary atmospheric pressure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Armstrong in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th November 1881.
JOSEPH ARMSTRONG, of No. 30, Wellington Street, Swindon, in the County of
Wilts, Engineer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES OF
RAILWAY TRAINS."
My Invention relates to apparatus for working brakes by means of compressed
air, steam, or other fluid, or by atmospheric pressure acting against rarefied air,
and my present improvements have for their object to simplify the construction
and render more effective the action of portions of such apparatus.
When ejectors are used for maintaining a vacuum, the vacuum obtained varies
with the pressure of steam in the boiler. This is in consequence of the ejector
being arranged by its construction to obtain the highest vacuum with a particular
pressure of steam.
In consequence of the pressure of steam in the boiler varying I place a reducing
pressure valve between the steam valve on the boiler and the ejector, the said
reducing pressure valve allowing the steam to pass to the ejector at the particular
pressure at which by its construction it is capable of working to the greatest
advantage, notwithstanding a considerable variation of pressure in the boiler.
I do not employ any particular form of reducing pressure valve, but I specify
as forms of valve which may be used that which is worked by what is known as a
Bourdon tube and equilibrium valve, or those worked by a piston diaphragm or
their equivalents. The amount of steam admitted to the ejector, though uniform
with the same adjustment of the reducing valve, may be varied at the will of the
engine driver by an alteration in the adjustment of the reducing pressure valve,
this alteration being effected by an adjustable spring or other means.
The admission of steam to the ejector may also be regulated by an adjustment
of a barrel spindle or cone in the ejector itself, this adjustable part being connected
with a Bourdon tube, diaphragm, piston, or their equivalents.
Another part of my Invention relates to the combination of brakes worked by
steam, air, vacuum (so called), or other fluid, with brakes worked by hand, so that
the two descriptions of brake may be fitted to the same vehicle and worked either
together or separately. I effect this by connecting the screw shaft and bell crank
lever commonly used for actuating hand brakes on railway vehicles with a cylinder
and piston, sack, diaphragm, or their equivalent arrangement.
When a cylinder and piston are used I connect the piston with the screw shaft
and the cylinder with the bell crank lever direct, so that the lever may be raised
either by the hand-screw or by the admission of air or other fluid pressure into
the cylinder.
Another part of my Invention has for its object the automatic removal of water
or other foreign substance from the pipes or cylinders of a train fitted up with
brake apparatus actuated by compressed air or vacuum (so called).
I place in a convenient position on the pipes or cylinders of the engine or other
vehicle a double beat valve, in which water and other foreign substance will collect
when there is pressure or vacuum (as the case may be) in the pipes or cylinders,
this valve being so arranged that when the pressure or vacuum, so called, is
destroyed the valve alters its position and allows all foreign substances collected
to escape freely.

page_text: D is a diaphragm, S is a spring, and A is a screwed stud for adjusting the
compression of the spring.
It will be seen that when the steam enters the port P it passes through the
annular spaces around the valve and on to the ejector by the port P¹, at the same
time pressing up the diaphragm, which is opposed by the spring S, in so doing
reducing the size of annular spaces around the valve, and consequently wire-drawing
the steam until it is reduced to the required pressure.
Figure 2 is an elevation of a hand and steam brake on a tender.
A. is the screw shaft; B, a screwed nut firmly secured to the piston rod D.
E is a bell crank lever, on to which is hung the cylinder C; F is a coil pipe that
conducts steam from the valve on the boiler.
When it is desired to work it as a steam brake only, the steam enters the cylinder
from the coil pipe F, and lifting the cylinder and lever applies the brake, the piston
and piston rod D not moving; but when it is desired to work it as a hand brake,
the screw shaft A is revolved, which raises the nut B, the piston and piston rod D,
the cylinder C, and the lever E, thus applying the brake.
Figure 6 is a plan of an arrangement for taking up the wear of the blocks when
the brake is applied by steam, air, or other fluid pressure.
B is a ratchet wheel, and A a pawle so arranged that the height of the cylinder
may be varied at will, the brake blocks being brought nearer to the wheels,
consequently less steam, air, or other fluid will be used in applying the brake.
In Figures 3 and 4 is shewn another modification as fitted to a brake van.
C is a cylinder; P is a piston; D is a piston rod; A is a screw shaft. The
weight of the cylinder, as in the previous modification, being utilized for taking
the blocks from off the wheels.
Figure 5. M is the main pipe; T, the double beat valve; G, the guide for the
spindle.
It will be seen that when a vacuum (so called) is formed in the main pipes M
the double beat valve lifts and the atmospheric pressure closes the bottom part of
the valve. Water and other foreign substance collects in the space between the
valve seats, so that when the vacuum (so called) is destroyed, the said valve drops
and allows all extraneous substances to escape. This valve may also be arranged
to be worked by compressed air, water, or other fluid pressure. A weight or spring
keeping the valve raised when the pressure in the main pipes or cylinders is equal
to that of the atmosphere.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the exact
arrangement or details hereby specified and described, as such may be varied, and
what I claim as improvements in apparatus for working brakes of railway trains
are,-
First. The combination of a reducing pressure valve and an ejector situated
between the steam valve on the boiler and the ejector, substantially as described.
Second. The combination of a hand brake with a cylinder piston, sack, diaphragm,
or their equivalent arrangement, substantially as described.
Third. A double beat valve situated on the pipes and cylinders of a train, so
arranged that water or other foreign substance collected will escape, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Armstrong, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of November, One thousand eight hundred
JOSEPH ARMSTRONG. (L.S.)