Improvements in or relating to Railway Brake Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1896-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1856
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Railway Brake Apparatus.
We, WILLIAM BORMANN and HEINRICH BORMANN of the Firm of
W. Hoffmann & Company, of M. Gladbach, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The present invention relates to apparatus for preventing trains or locomotives
from entering a station or on a section of the line between two signals, (such section
is herein termed a "block") in case of danger. Such cases happen, as is well-
known, in spite of signalling arrangements, as it is impossible for the driver always
to notice a stop-signal. The present invention brings the stop-signal into such
connection with or relation to the train, that even in case the driver fails to see the
signal, no accident can happen. Further this arrangement enables the signalman
or inspector to cause an automatic stoppage of the train on any part of the line,
independently of the signal.
The essence of the invention is that the devices on the line, which work in
conjunction with the signal or are independently operated by the signalman for the
purpose of stopping the train, are brought into connection with a device on the
locomotive in such way, that the brakes act and stop the train.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in. which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the whole arrangement and
Figures 2-6 represent details.
As shown in these drawings there is, on one of the axles of the locomotive or
of the tender, a pulley or roller i (Figs. 1 and 2,) which is capable of yielding to
radial pressure. On this roller, which can be placed between or outside of the
running or track wheels, bears an arm h of a pawl or detent lever which is pivotted
at to the frame, the other arm g catching into a notch on a pulley f, which also
is pivotted to the frame. The pawl is held by a spring m so, that the arm y
remains in engagement with the pulley funder ordinary circumstances.
A wire, chain, cable, belt or the like e suitably guided at nop passes first over
the pulley then over a pulley d and then returns to the pulley f. The pulley d is
mounted in the cab and movement can be easily transmitted from it to the valvo
controlling the ordinary brake apparatus. In the construction shown in Fig. 1
this transmission of motion is effected by means of a toothed wheel
9. secured on
the same axle as the pulley d, and gearing with a toothed rack c, which is connected
to the valve or equivalent a of the train pipe. The whistle b may be connected to
the before described mechanism as by means of a link r.
Besides the foregoing apparatus ou the locomotive there is another apparatus
placed on the line or track. The latter arrangement consists of a treadle or cam-
bar k which is placed in a suitable box, from which water is excluded and which
cam-bar can be raised and lowered by an eccentric or other suitable device. The
altering of the position of the cam-bar k is effected simultaneously with the
adjustment of the road-side signal; this is effected by the pulleys being connected
to the signalling apparatus so that when the signal is moved, the pulleys makes a
corresponding movement. The arrangement is such, that when the signal is lowered
to indicate "line clear," the cam-bar k moves downwards, whereas when the signal
s raised to "stop" or "danger" the cam-bar is raised.

page_text: The operation of the apparatus is as follows ;-
When the signal shows "stop," as soon as the locomotive passes over the then-
raised cam-bar k, which is placed at a suitable distance from the station, the yielding
pulley i, which is placed on the axle so as to correspond exactly with the position
of the cam-bar k, glides over the raised cam-bar k. As the cam-bar cannot yield
and as the pulley yields to radial pressure, the latter will take, whilst passing over
the cam-bar an eccentric position relatively to the wheel axle and will thus exert
pressure on the detent-lever hy so that the pawl g releases the pulley f. By this
operation the apparatus for holding the brake valve is released which apparatus for
instance may be under the influence of a spring, or weight, to which it yields when
released, so that when released the brake can act.
In the construction shown in the drawings the rack c will be moved downwards
and the wheel 9 and the pulley d will turn and thereby the whistle b and the brake
will be made to act. While the brakes yet act and the train gradually stops, the
driver can by turning a handle t place the apparatus again in its original position,
as by that operation the notch in the pulley is again brought into engagement
with the pawl g.
The construction of the various parts of the apparatus is of course not limited
to that represented in the drawings. For instance, the pulley i can be mounted on
the wagon frame as shown in Fig. 3 instead of on the wheel axle and the pulley
can run on a rail and have a projection, which travels over the cam-bar k. It is
6ssential for the pulley i to have the same rotary motion, as would be commu-
nicated to it for instance when if it were mounted on a wheel axle; the violence of
a sudden contact with the cam-bar k is thereby lessened and the destruction of the
pulley, which would result if the pulley were at rest when brought in contact with
the cam-bar, is obviated. The pulley itself may also be constructed in different
ways in order to release the detent-lever hg when passing over the cam-bar k.
A suitable construction of this pulley is that shown in Fig. 6, according to which
the rim is connected to the hub, fixed on the axles by means of springs, which
allow of the necessary movement of the rim.
The guiding of the wire belt or equivalent e need not of course be effected in the
manner shown in Fig. 1; this guiding depends on whether the apparatus is fixed
directly on the locomotive or on the tender or other part of the train. The chief
consideration in these guiding devices is to see that they do not cause the brake-
valve to be released simply in consequence of the usual movement of the
locomotive.
Concerning the cam-bar k, which releases the brake apparatus, it is herein before
mentioned, that this apparatus must be connected with the signalling apparatus.
This is the case only for cam-bars k which are permanently on the line, for
instance just in front of the stations and so on. This arrangement is shown in
Fig. 5.
To provide for stopping a train or locomotive in an emergency such for instance
as the breakage or displacement of a rail, special cam-bars & Fig. 4 may be used,
which are in possession of the line inspectors. Such a cam-bar consists of a simple
frame of a height necessary to enable it to act on the pulley i. This frame when
out of use may be fixed on the sleepers between the rails or next to one rail for
instance by means of a pin inserted in the hole v or the like.
The before described apparatus may be fixed on each line and on each loco-
motive without any alterations in the rolling-stock, and will effectually prevent
accident in case the drivers fail to see the signals or the danger on the line as it
automatically brings the train brake into action at the proper time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An arrangement for automatically applying the brakes to a locomotive or
railway train the characteristic feature of which is that a cam-bar such as kis

page_text: adjusted to position by the ordinary signalling apparatus or placed on the line by
à line inspector or other person so that when a yielding pulley such as i carried by
the locomotive or train passes over it a detent lever such as hg is operated and the
brakes and steam whistle are actuated substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus such as described in Claim 1 connecting the yielding pulley (i)
with the brake and steam whistle in such way, that the detent lever bears on the
pulley () and holds another pulley (f) in position to prevent the opening of the
spring or equivalently controlled brake valve or cock until a radial or edgewise
movement of the pulley (i) caused by the passage of the pulley i over a cam-bar
such as k effects the release of the detent-lever from the pulley (f) substantially as.
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus such as described in Claim 1 a yielding pulley such as i having
its rim connected to the hub by springs substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
4. In apparatus such as described in Claim 1 a cam-bar such as k¹ adapted to be
applied at any part of the line or track or to be fixed to a sleeper between the
rails or next to either of the rails substantially as and for the purpose described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete.
apparatus for effecting the application of the brakes and operation of the whistle of a
railway train substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying.
drawings.
Dated this 31st day of January 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants..