IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY. BRAKES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, Proprietor of the
Firm of J. Brandt et G. W. v. Nawrocki, Patent Solicitor and Civil
Engineer, of Berlin, 124, Leipzigerstrasse, Germany, for an Invention of
“IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY. BRAKES.” A communication from Gustav
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von
Nawrocki at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th April
1881.
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI, Proprietor of the Firm of J. Brandt
et G. W. v. Nawrocki, Patent Solicitor and Civil Engineer, of Berlin, 124,
Leipzigerstrasse, Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES." A com-
munication from Gustav Herrmann Lippmann, of Zwickau, Saxony, Germany.
Railway brakes constructed according to this Invention may be worked by any
suitable power or by hand, and depend upon the action of wheels having V or U
shaped rims which embrace the head of the rails and are pressed against the same,
so as to create friction sufficient to stop the train almost in a moment.
The brake wheels, four in number, are fastened one on each end of two shafts,
and have rims with V or U shaped grooves, with which they embrace the head of
the rails when brought down upon them. The two shafts are suspended in levers
or links from the framing of the carriage, and are by means of other links con-
nected together, and to one common gudgeon on each side of the carriage. Each
gudgeon has an upper continuation or part which is guided vertically, and so
arranged that when depressed the V grooved brake wheels are forced down against
the rails; the suspending links and intermediate connecting links form knee or
toggle joint levers. There are springs of usual carriage spring or other suitable
form or material for keeping the brake wheels off the rails.
The brake wheels may be depressed either directly or by means of levers, and
acted on by pistons in cylinders moved by air, water, or steam. The piston rods

page_text: are not connected directly with the aforesaid levers, but by means of slotted links
from the lower end of a cross head on the piston rod, so that the aforesaid levers
also may be moved down without dragging the piston rods down with them; this
arrangement is necessary when the brakes are to be worked by hand. For this
purpose there is a weigh shaft placed across under the carriage and provided with
two tappets or cams, the ends of which bear on the ends of the aforesaid levers;
the weigh shaft has also a lever which by rod and lever or other gear is connected
to a bell crank, or to screw in the brake van.
The brakes may thus be the worked either by hand or power.
As the brake wheels are pressed against the rails they are caused to revolve by 1
the friction. In order to increase their efficiency their shafts may be braked in any
suitable manner, such as block or band, but this is needless in most cases.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 11th October 1881.
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI, Proprietor of the Firm of J. Brandt
et G. W. v. Nawrocki, Patent Solicitor and Civil Engineer, of Berlin, 124,
Leipzigerstrasse, Germany. " IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES. (A com-
munication from Gustav Herrmann Lippmann, of Zwickau, Saxony, Germany.)
Railway brakes constructed according to this Invention may be worked by any
suitable power or by hand, and depend upon the action of wheels having V or Ŭ
shaped rims which embrace the head of the rails and are pressed against the same,
so as to create friction sufficient to stop the train almost in a moment.
.
And in order that this Invention may be more fully understood, I will describe
the same with reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Figure 1
is a side view of the lower part of a railway carriage, fitted with brakes con-
structed according to this Invention; Figure 2, a plan of the same; Figure 3, a
central cross section; Figure 4 is a plan of the brake levers and brake wheels, and
Figure 5, a detail view of the gear for working the latter. The brake wheels A,
four in number, are fastened one on each end of two shafts B, and have rims with
Vor U shaped grooves a, with which they embrace the head of the rails, as shown
in Figure 3, when brought down upon them. The two shafts B are suspended in
levers or links D from the framing of the carriage, and are by means of other
links F connected together and to one common gudgeon G on each side of the
carriage. Each gudgeon is guided vertically in horn plates G1, and is so arranged
that when depressed the V grooved brake wheels A are forced down against the
rails; the suspending links D and the intermediate connecting links F form knee
or toggle joint levers. There are springs H of usual carriage spring or other
suitable form or material for keeping the brake wheels A off the rails.
The brake wheels may be depressed either directly, or as shown in Figure 3 by
means of levers d having their fulcra at C, and acted on by pistons in cylinders M
moved by air, water, or steam. The piston rods are not connected directly with
the aforesaid levers d, but by means of slotted links f from the lower end of a cross
head on the piston rod, so that the aforesaid levers d also may be moved down
without dragging the piston rods down with them; this arrangement is necessary
when the brakes are to be worked by hand. For this purpose there is a weigh
shaft g placed across under the carriage, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, and provided
with two tappets or cams h, the ends of which bear on the ends of the aforesaid
levers d; the weigh shaft g has also a lever which by rod o and lever or other
gear is connected to a bell crank p, or to the screw in the brake van.
The brakes may thus be worked either by hand or power.
As the brake wheels are pressed against the rails they are caused to revolve,
which however involves a considerable friction. In order to increase their efficiency
their shafts B may be braked in any suitable manner, such as block or band, but
this is needless in most cases.
And having thus described and ascertained this Invention as communicated to
me, I declare that I claim,
A railway brake consisting of wedge wheels A fixed on shafts B, which may also
be braked, and which by rods D are suspended from the under framing of the

page_text: carriage, and by the rods F and through the lowering of the cross shafts G are
pressed against the rails, springs being arranged to lift the wedge wheels off the
rails, all substantially as described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.