IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR STOPPING OR RETARDING RAILWAY CARRIAGES.
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George William Sayer, of Cognac, in the Empire of
France, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
STOPPING OR RETARDING RAILWAY CARRIAGES.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George William Sayer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th March 1857.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM SAYER, of Cognac, in the Empire of France, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY
FOR STOPPING OR RETARDING RAILWAY CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improved machinery for stopping or retarding railway
carriages relates to various improvements upon an Invention for which I
obtained Letters Patent, bearing date 20th September 1856, and consists,
first, in an improved mode of adjusting the break blocks, so that when a
number of carriages are connected together in the form of a train, all the
break blocks may be in proper adjustment, such adjustment having been
previously effected with facility, and in much less time than heretofore.
This adjustment is effected by making the horizontal arms which carry the
break blocks, as shewn in the Specification of my former Patent, adjustable
on the central longitudinal break shaft, instead of such blocks being separately

page_text: adjusted, as therein described. I also propose in some cases to provide the
central longitudinal shaft with right-handed screws only, which will act either
way; and instead of connecting together the break rods of contiguous carriages
by a simple square socket, I propose to effect the connexion by means of forked
sockets and universal joints; and in order to facilitate the connexion of the
forked sockets of two carriages together, I provide adjusting points or studs
which are placed on the framing, so that the forked ends or sockets of the
central rod may be brought into a given and determined position, in order
that they may always exactly correspond with one another when required to
be connected.
In reference to this part of the apparatus, I also propose in some cases to
impart a certain amount of elasticity to the break arms or break blocks, or to
both in combination. This object is effected by making the transverse break
arms of steel, so as render them somewhat elastic; and I also propose to
adapt to the back of the break blocks cushions or springs of india-rubber,
or some elastic material which will yield slightly, when undue pressure is
imparted thereto. By this means the central longitudinal shaft may con-
tinue to rotate, even after some of the break blocks are brought into action
and pressed against the peripheries of the running wheels. In order that
the guard may know when the break blocks have been brought into 'con-
tact with the peripheries of the running wheels by the action of the band
wheels, which are driven by a band passing round the axle of the guard's
van or tender, I adapt to the central longitudinal break shaft an alarm
bell and trigger, which will make an audible signal when the blocks are
screwed up.
Another improvement relates to a more simple and convenient mode of
actuating the central break shaft from the running axle of the guard's break
van or of the tender. Motion is transferred from the running axle to the
central shaft by means of suitable gearing, actuated by a band working over
two band wheels, as before mentioned, one of which is on the running axle,
and the other mounted on a horizontal shaft in the break van, immediately
above and connected with the hand driving gear. The band when not in use
is loose, so that it will not touch the lower band wheel, and will not, therefore,
be subject to friction by the rotation of the latter with its axle; but when it
is required to actuate the driving gear, and through it the central break shaft,
the band is tightened by means of a lever and antifriction wheel, so as to
cause the band to bind upon both band wheels, and thereby set in motion the
toothed gearing, which actuates the central longitudinal break shaft, through
the agency of a vertical shaft, provided at its lower end with a worm that

page_text: takes into a worm wheel on the longitudinal break shaft, and at its upper end
with toothed wheels of different diameters.
On the horizontal shaft of the upper one of these band wheels is a pair of
bevil wheels which run free on the shaft, but their bosses are provided with
spring clutches, one of which is right-handed and the other left-handed. Both
of these bevil wheels are kept in gear with a bevil wheel at the top of the
vertical worm shaft, and whichever way the band wheel is turned, the vertical
shaft which is actuated thereby must always turn in one direction, as one of
the clutches when actuated will yield, and the other will carry round its bevil
wheel. In order to drive the vertical worm shaft by hand, there is another
horizontal shaft provided with bevil wheels of different sizes, that gear into
corresponding bevil wheels on the vertical worm shaft. Either of these latter
wheels on the worm shaft may be thrown into gear by means of a clutch,
worked by a lever or treadle by the guard or attendant, and the hand driving
gear on the hand wheel shaft is provided with ratchets or spring clutches,
which will admit of the gear being driven round by the band wheels without
actuating the handle or winch.
By means of this arrangement of parts, the guard may commence working
the breaks by setting in motion the quick gearing, and while he is continuing
to rotate the driving shaft, he may, by simply moving the clutch on the vertical
worm shaft by means of his lever or treadle, increase the power at his
command by bringing into gear the more powerful combination of gearing.
The vertical worm shaft which actuates the break shaft is divided into two
parts, which are connected together by means of a socket or slide with a
feather, which allows a portion of the shaft to move vertically with the
carriage body without affecting the toothed gearing connected therewith.
In order to admit of two carriages being connected together by either end,
without affecting the application of the breaks to the wheels, I adapt to the
central longitudinal break shaft double-action screw sockets, containing right
and left-handed male and female screws, provided with shoulders and catches,
which will come into action at certain points of the rotation of the central
shaft, and cause the breaks to be applied or released as the case may be.
As sometimes two or more break vans and driving gear may be connected
with a number of carriages in one train, it will be necessary to provide that
either of the break vans may act upon the central break shaft without
actuating the driving gear of the other break van; this is effected by adapting
spring or lever clutches to the worm wheels of the central shaft, so as to admit
of the latter being driven independent when required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George William Sayer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th September 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WILLIAM SAYER, of Cognac, in the Empire of France, Merchant, send 5
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the 1
said George William Sayer, Her special license, that I, the said George William
Sayer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George William Sayer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there:
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY
FOR STOPPING OR RETARDING RAILWAY CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George William Sayer, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George William Sayer, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of "Improved Machinery for Stopping or Retarding Railway
Carriages relates to various improvements upon an Invention for which
obtained Letters Patent, bearing date Twentieth September One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-six, and consists, first, in an improved mode of adjusting
the break blocks, so that when a number of carriages are connected together
in the form of a train, all the break blocks may be in proper adjustment, such
adjustment having been previously effected with facility, and in much less time
than heretofore.
This adjustment is effected by making the horizontal arms which
carry
the

page_text: break blocks, as shewn in the Specification of my former Patent, adjustable
on the central longitudinal break shaft instead of such blocks being separately
adjusted, as therein described. I also propose in some cases to provide the
central longitudinal shaft with right or left handed screws only, which will act
either way; and instead of connecting together the break rods of contiguous
carriages by a single square socket, I propose to effect the connexion by
means of forked sockets or slotted forks and universal joints; and in order
to facilitate the connexion of the forked sockets or slotted forks of two
carriages together, I provide adjusting points or studs which are placed on the
framing, so that the forked ends or sockets of the central rods may be brought
into a given and determined position, in order that they may always exactly
correspond with one another when required to be connected.
In reference to this part of the apparatus I also propose in some cases to
impart a certain amount of elasticity to the break arms or break blocks, or
to both in combination. This object is effected by making the transverse
break arms of steel, so as to render them somewhat elastic; and I also propose
to adapt to the back of the break blocks, cushions or springs of india-rubber,
or some elastic material which will yield slightly when undue pressure is
imparted thereto. By this means the central longitudinal shaft may continue
to rolate, even after some of the break blocks are brought into action and
pressed against the peripheries of the running wheels. In order that the
guard niay know when the break blocks have been brought into contact
with the peripheries of the running wheels by the action of the band wheels,
which are driven by a band passing round the axle of the guard's van or
tender, I adapt to the central longitudinal break shaft or to other convenient
part of the apparatus an alarm bell and trigger, which will make an audible
signal when the blocks are screwed up.
Fig. 1 in the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation of a train fitted
with my improved apparatus; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same. The
central longitudinal shaft a is supported in its bearings b at the ends of the
quadrilateral break frame c, c, carried by the axle boxes. This shaft a is
provided with adjusting screw threads a turned upon it all in one direction,
as shown in the detached views, Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, a square thread being
probably the best. Over each of these adjusting screw threads a slide short
tubes d, having cut on their outer surfaces the working screw threads, shewn
in Figures 3, 4, 5, & 6. These screws are alternately right and left, as
described in my former Patent, and serve to apply or release the breaks f, f.
These tubular working screws are provided internally with a feather 1, Fig. 6,
sliding in a key way cut longitudinally from end to end of the adjusting screw

page_text: threads a on the break shaft. The working screws are thus obliged to
rotate with the shaft a, and are adjusted to and fixed at any point on the
adjusting screws a* of the longitudinal shaft a by means of jam nuts 2, 2,
turning on the shaft a.
These hollow working screws d turn in their female
screws g, described in my former Patent, and are fixed by means of an iron
strap and nuts 3, 3, to the rigid arms e, e, carrying at their extremities the
break blocks f, f, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2. It will be manifest then
that by means of the jam nuts 2, 2, on the adjusting screw threads a* of the
longitudinal shaft, the working screw d, carrying the break arms e, can be
brought into such position on the central longitudinal break shaft a as the
wear of the blocks f may from time to time require. By making these
working screws d, d, of the same length as the female screws g, g, they will
always be preserved from dust, except while the breaks are being applied to
the running wheels. To compensate any trifling variations in the distance of
the blocks from the wheels of a train of carriages, and to provide for the loss
of rotation in the break shaft a by the play of the successive connexions,
I adapt between the break blocks f and the vertical bracket pieces f at the
end of the break arms, to which the blocks are screwed, a sheet of india-
rubber or other slightly yielding material, as shewn at Fig. 1, the effect of
which will be that the break shaft a may continue to turn a little after the
blocks (nearest the point where the power is applied) have come in contact
with the peripheries of the running wheels, thus allowing the break shaft a
to be made to rotate until the furthermost blocks are brought to act in
stopping or retarding the train, and also compensating, as before mentioned,
any trifling variation in the distance of the blocks from the various running
wheels. The same object may be effected, but not so cheaply, by constructing
the break arms of steel instead of being rigid.
The mode of adjusting the position of the break arms e, e, on the central
longitudinal shaft a, herein described, dispenses with the separate adjustinent
of the blocks, as described in the Specification of my former Patent; but as
it might be desirable in some cases to adhere to this latter means of adjust-
ment, I have shown in Fig. 7, Sheet II., the adaptation of the india-rubber
or other flexible material to this mode of adjusting the breaks, this elastic
material being placed between the vertical bracket pieces f* and a metal
plate next the jam nuts contiguous to the blocks.
In order to diminish the loss in the rotary motion imparted to the central
longitudinal break shaft to work the breaks caused by the play in the con-
nexions between the break shafts of the successive carriages of a train, I have
devised the following means of placing the points of connection farther from

page_text: the centre of the break shaft, whereby the loss of rotary motion imparted to
it becomes proportionately reduced. This is effected by combining with an
universal or swivel joint of any suitable diameter a sliding connection, as
shewn in Figures 1 and 2, and upon an enlarged scale in Figures 8, 9, and 10,
Sheet II. The universal or swivel joint is formed in one direction by the
forked end a² of the central longitudinal break shaft, being connected by pins
to the ring h, through which passes the rod i that forms the joint in the
other direction. The ends of this rod i, which is shewn by dots in Figures 8
and 10, are made to slide in the slots formed in the fork j, and are provided
with washers and nuts 8, 8, to keep them in position in the slots 7 of the
fork j. Thus the universal joint allows of a train of carriages fitted with
these continuous breaks, passing curves, and the sliding sockets admit of the
carriages approaching each other more or less. The slotted fork j is provided
at its other extremity with a cross piece 9, having at one end a pin 10, and at
the other a hole 11, which hole and pin will receive a corresponding pin and
hole of either end of any other carriage similarly provided. In the end of
these pins 10 is a slot to receive a small spring wedge cottar or key, which
hangs suspended to the fork j, and serves when in use to make fast the con-.
nection between the break shafts of two carriages. This fork j with the cross
piece 9 at its extremity should be placed in the horizontal position to be
connected with another carriage, which connection may then be effected by
either end indiscriminately so far as the connection is concerned. Figures 11
and 12 represent plan and sectional views of a modification of the above con-
nection; the slotted fork ; with its cross piece 9 and pin 10 are dispensed with,
and the same object is effected by adapting the universal or swivel joint a²
and the ring hand cross pin i to a tubular socket. The ring h of the swivel
joint is jointed to the fork j" at the outer end of a short tube k, which works.
in a tubular socket 1, the corresponding tube ¹ of the contiguous carriage
being inserted into the opposite end of the tubular socket l. These tubes k, k³,
are provided respectively with feathers and key ways to cause them to rotate
together. Thus the universal joint removes the connections further from the
centre of the break shaft, and the tubes will effect the same object without
a greater weight of metal than in the solid rods shewn in the Specification of
my first Patent.
As it is necessary for the prompt connection of the break shafts a of
successive carriages that the connecting parts should be in the correct position
for being united when carriages are brought together to form a train, I fix in
a suitable place on the end of the frame of the carriage an adjusting stud or.
piu 12, as shown in Figures 9 and 10. Upon the jointed end of the central

page_text: longitudinal break shaft a being turned up at right angles, as shewn by dots
in the Figures, and also in Fig. 1, it is brought round until it touches the pin
or stud 12, which is so placed that the jointed end of the break shaft shall be
then exactly vertical, at which point it is allowed to fall, and will be in the
exact position to be connected with the break shaft of any other carriage
similarly fitted and disposed.
This adjusting pin or stud 12 also serves another important purpose; the
end of the shaft being turned up as before mentioned, and then turned once
round until in contact with the pin again, will be at the adjusting point, that
is to say, the position in which the blocks for the break arms e must bé
adjusted for the breaks f, f, to touch the wheels. The shaft a must then be
turned back to touch the pin, and left in the position for connecting the break
shafts together. By this means a train of carriages when thus adjusted from
time to time as the blocks wear may be connected together, and the whole of
the break blocks f. f, will be brought into contact with the running wheels, by
the connected break shafts being made to rotate once on their axes by the
machinery provided for that purpose, and placed under the control of the
guard and engine driver. If it be thought that the wear of the blocks would
entail too frequent adjustment, the guard's vans can be fitted with the ordinary
breaks between the wheels, for the purpose of being used for ordinary
occasions of stopping or retarding the train; and this patent break can be
fitted on the other side of the wheels to act in conjunction with the breaks of
the whole train in a case of emergency, so that the blocks would then rarely
require adjustment. If found desirable the ends of the break arms may be
provided with vertical projecting blocks that will work against the flat side of
the quadrilateral break frame c, c, as shewn at 13 in Fig. 2, and will thereby
steady the break arms when applying or releasing the breaks; or the ends of
the arms may be made to grip the break frame instead of sliding in slots, as
represented.
With this system of breaks the carriages composing a train will require to
be arranged respectively all one way, or the direction of rotation of some of
the break shafts will be reversed; but as the tenders or some other carriages
are obliged to be turned according to the direction in which the train is
intended to move, such carriages must be fitted with the working screws d on
the break shaft a all one way, say, all right-handed, so that whichever way
the shaft is turned the breaks will be applied on one side of the wheels or on
the other, according to the direction of rotation. This reduces the breaks to
single instead of double action. This object of making the breaks act
whichever way the shaft is turned may be effected in another manner, and

page_text: preserve the application of the breaks to both sides of the wheels, though the
system just described is the simpler, and therefore the better of the two. This
second mode consists in providing the central longitudinal break shaft a with
double male and female screw sockets m and n, as shewn in Figures 13, 14,
and 15. The male screw o of the longitudinal break shaft a is provided with
a shoulder 14, as shewn in Fig. 14, and the male screw of the screw socket n
is also provided with a shoulder 15. The screw socket n is also provided
internally with a catch 16, which is capable of rising and falling in its recess;
so as to lock the screw socket n either to the central shaft a or to the outer
screw socket m, to which the break arms are connected. As the shaft
begins to turn, say to the left, in Fig. 13, the catch 16 is driven up into the
upper catch hole by the bevil of the under one, and will thereby prevent the
screw socket n from turning while the break is being subsequently released.
The shoulders prevent the wrong screw from acting when the breaks are
required to be applied. If the shaft a be turned to the right it will be seen
that the catch 16 will be driven down, and will therefore lock the screw
socket n to the central shaft a while the breaks are being released. The
catches may be differently arranged, but this is the simplest form. This system
requires the blocks f. f, to be adjusted, as shewn in Fig. 7.
'
Having described the construction of the various parts of the break, I will
now proceed to explain the mode of operating the same, and causing the break
blocks to be applied both by hand and by the rotation of one of the axles of
the guard's van: The simplest means of putting on these breaks would be by
means of a toothed wheel on the break shaft a, acted upon by a pinion at one'
extremity of an iron rod, having at its other extremity a handle, by which the
breaks may thus be screwed up; and if this appliance were adapted to the
end of each carriage the breaks might be put on from any part of the train;
but where the break shafts of a number of carriages are connected together it
would require a certain amount of power to apply all the breaks effectively,
while promptness of application is also essential. In order to combine these
two essential features, I make use of an improved arrangement of alternative
gearing, which is shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings. A vertical
shaft o in the guard's van is furnished with a pinion p at its lower extremity,
and which takes into a toothed wheel g on the central longitudinal break
shaft a. This vertical shaft o is supported at its lower end in a bearing on a
bar, placed diagonally on the quadrilateral break frame c, and at its
upper end
by a bearing in a fork secured to the side of the frame that sustains the
applying gear. This vertical shaft is also divided into two parts, which
slide one into the other, and are caused to rotate together by one being

page_text: on
furnished with a feather and the other with a key way to receive it. This
arrangement allows of the depression of the carriage body on its springs
without affecting the position of the pinion p at the lower end of the vertical
shaft o, and which transmits the motion to the break shaft a through the
intervention of the bevil pinion 2. The vertical shaft o is furnished on its
upper portion with three toothed wheels r, 7, and s; the use of the uppermost
wheels will be hereafter explained. The other two wheels r and turn
loose upon the vertical shaft o, and impart motion to it only when the double
clutch is thrown into gear with one or the other, according to whether
quickness or power of application is required. These two wheels and *
take into two other toothed wheels u and u* of different diameters, placed
the horizontal shaft v, having at one end a fly wheel v*, and at the other
the handle, whereby the shaft vis turned by the guard. The double clutch t
is commanded by the treadle lever w², which is connected by the rod w³ to
the double treadle w, w*, shewn detached and on an enlarged scale at
Fig. 16; and by throwing into gear the lower wheel on the vertical
shaft o, this wheel by receiving its motion from the large wheel u on the
horizontal shaft v will revolve rapidly, and through the intervention of the
bevil wheels P and 2 will screw up the breaks at the same rate; and when
the guard feels the blocks f, f, beginning to bite on the peripheries of the
running wheels, and that more power is required to be applied, he attains it
by simply depressing the treadle w, and shifting the double clutch t into the
boss of the upper wheel *, which receives its motion from the small pinion u*
on the handle shaft v. Thus the guard obtains the increase of power at the
moment it is wanted without ceasing to impart a movement of rotation by the
handle. The momentum of the fly wheel is also preserved to assist in working
the breaks. The treadle by which the double clutch t is worked is constructed
so as to be self-acting in fixing the latter in the required position, or for
releasing it. The treadle is double, as shewn in the detached view, Fig. 16, and
turns upon a centre pin w, and having fixed to it the rod w³ suspended from
one end of the bent lever w², that works the double clutch t. On each half of
the treadle is a pedal board w and we, and it will be seen on referring to
Fig. 16 that the pedal boards w, w*, of the treadle are hinged at their inner
ends to the upright piece x, and that they are provided with short arms 17,
which enter slots in the metal plates of the treadles, which are capable of
moving laterally so that the outer ends of the treadle plates may, when required,
be caused to rest in notches made in the standards a, from which they will be
forced back by the arms 17 at the end of the pedal boards w, w, when these
latter are depressed by the foot. When one half of the treadle is thus depressed

page_text: the position of the double clutch t will be altered by the simple pressure of the
foot, and as the opposite half of the treadle rises the catch at the end of the
treadle plate, by the action of the spring 18 under each of the pedal boards,
enters the hole or notch 19 in the side standards a, and thus maintains the
treadle and the double clutch t in the desired position. If the treadle be only
depressed until it comes to the horizontal position both catches will fly out and
keep it so, leaving the clutch t on the vertical shaft o, Fig. 1, quite free. These
lower catch holes w³ being bevilled in their upper part, one catch releases itself
while the other is released by the pressure of the foot when the position of the
treadle is changed. I would observe, that at the lower part of the double
clutch t on the vertical shaft o is a clutch box t with square teeth, which take
into gear with corresponding teeth in the boss of the lower wheel r, thereby
affording a square bearing for applying or releasing the breaks.
I will now proceed to describe my improved means of using the rotation of
one of the axles of the guard's van for the purpose of applying the breaks
when danger is apprehended:-Placed above the handle shaft v, Figures
1 and 2, in the guard's van is the horizontal shaft y at right angles with it,
both having their bearings on the frame. On this shaft y are two toothed
wheels y and y, that gear into the top wheels on the vertical shaft o; a band
wheel y is also mounted on one end of the shaft y, and exactly under this
band wheel is another band wheel z of smaller dimensions, and keyed on to one
of the axles of the guard's van. A strap 2 passes round both these band
wheels and transmits the motion of the wheel z to the wheel y' and shaft y,
but hangs loose when not in use, so as not to touch the lower band wheel z,
and is therefore free from unnecessary friction. This band ¹ is tightened by
means of the lever 20 having attached to it a friction pulley 20* at the end
thereof, and therefore when the band z¹ is tightened the shaft y rotates and
carries round with it the clutches 21. The two toothed wheels y' and y² on
the band wheel shaft y run loosely thereon, but are provided with clutches 21,
Fig. 2, whose teeth are made in opposite directions, the clutches being kept in
gear by the spiral spring 22, between them. By this arrangement, whichever
way the band wheel shaft y is made to revolve according to the direction in
which the carriage is moving, the proper one of the clutches 21 will carry
round its toothed wheel, while the other clutch slips over the clutch teeth of
the other wheel; thus whichever be the direction the guard's van is moving in,
when the band is tightened, the vertical shaft o will always rotate in that
direction that will apply the breaks. To the tightening lever 20 is attached a
chain 23, the other end of which is placed by the side of the engine driver or
attached to a lever on his tender, so as to give him more power. This permits

page_text: him the instant he perceives danger to bring down the lever 20 in the guard's
van, and thereby tighten the band and apply the breaks without losing time to
signal the guard to do so; thus all the breaks of a train may be brought into
operation before it has proceeded fifty yards from the point where danger was
perceived.
In order to enable the driver or guard while applying the breaks to know
how fast they are being screwed up, and also to judge at what moment to
release the lever again, I have shewn at Fig. 17 a means I propose to adopt
to effect this object:-The apparatus consists of three triggers 2, 2, 2, placed
on the toothed wheel q on the break shaft a, which by any ordinary arrangement
may be made to strike a bell in the guard's van or some other convenient place.
so that at the first sound of the bell the shaft will have performed one-third of
a revolution, and at the second two-thirds, preparing the guard or driver for
the third sound, at which to release the lever and friction pulley, the breaks
being then screwed up. The wheels of the axle y that gives the motion to the
applying gear would also be checked by their own break blocks, and the strap
would likewise allow of a slip if the strain were continued longer than neces-
sary. This bell serves also to call the notice of the guard that the breaks are
being applied by the driver, so that he may instantly assist in the operation.
In order to prevent the possibility of accident, should the double lever clutch t,
Figures 1 and 2, be in gear when the motion is transmitted through the band
wheels, and which would whirl round the handle of the shaft v, this latter is con-
structed as shewn in Fig. 2, and upon an enlarged scale in Figures 18, 19,
and 20. The handle is suspended loosely on the shaft v, and will therefore be
quite independent of the motion of the shaft that carries it. On this shaft v
are two ratched wheels v¹ and v², each having on one side clutch teeth 25.
The ratchet wheel v¹ above the handle is fixed on the shaft v, and by means
of the pawl v, the rotation of the handle will cause the shaft to turn and
apply the breaks; but if motion is applied by the band wheel action, the shaft v
will turn without carrying round the handle. This arrangement renders the
handle powerless to turn the shaft in the opposite direction to release the
breaks, but as this is required, that power is obtained by the clutch 26
being thrown into gear with the clutch 25 by the lever 27 attached to the
handle, the arm of this lever being made with a spring, in order not to return
of itself over the stud 28 to its former position. This action of the lever 27, it
will be seen, throws in gear the clutch 26" with the clutch teeth on the side
of the ratchet wheel v. This ratchet wheel is free to move on the shaft,
and is provided with a pawle v' fixed to the frame, and is thereby prevented
from turning in the direction necessary to apply the breaks. If, then, the

page_text: handle shaft is made to revolve in that direction from the band wheel action
being suddenly applied by the driver in the presence of danger, while the guard
is releasing the breaks after using them for an ordinary occasion, then it
follows that the ratchet wheel 2 not being able to turn in the applying direc-
tion, its clutch teeth will cause the clutch 26* to slip out, and the same effect
will be produced on the releasing clutch worked by the same lever 27, and
thus the handle will be left again independent of the motion transmitted to
its shaft by the band wheel action, though ready to help in applying the
breaks anew. I would here remark, that in the accompanying Drawings, I
have shewn a toothed wheel and pinion as the means for transmitting motion
to the central break shaft a as being the simplest mode; but if a worm and
worm wheel be adopted instead, it would necessitate an arrangement such as
that shewn in Fig. 21, so as to leave the central break shaft a when driven by
the guard in the front of the train independent of the worm and worm wheel,
through which the guard applies the breaks, in case of need, from the rear of
the train. The worn wheel 29 is furnished on one side with a spring clutch
30, which slips over its teeth when the shaft a is turned, but carries round the
shaft when the worm wheel 29 is turned by the worm on the lower end of the
vertical shaft o. To release the breaks f.f, the lever clutch 31 on the other
side of the worm wheel 29 is thrown into gear by the depression of the
treadle 32 in the guard's van, and as soon as the foot is removed from the
treadle, this clutch flies out again by the action of the spring 33 beneath
the treadle, and allows the central break shaft a to turn again, independent of
the worm wheel carried by it.
Having now described my Invention of "Improved Machinery for Stopping
or Retarding Railway Carriages," and having explained the best means with
which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I would observe that
I do not mean or intend to confine myself rigidly to the precise arrangement
or construction of parts herein shewn and described, as they may doubtless be
varied in some particulars without departing from the nature and object of my
Invention, and I would further remark, that, although for the better explana-
tion of my present improvements, I have found it necessary to shew and
describe certain parts which have been heretofore used for similar or analagous
purposes, I do not mean to claim such well known parts, except when com-
5 bined and arranged substantially in the manner herein shewn and described;
but the essential points, which I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent
as aforesaid, are,-
First, the mode herein shewn and described of adjusting the break

page_text: apparatus, and of imparting a certain amount of elasticity to the blocks or
break arms for the purpose herein set forth.
Second, I claim the mode herein shewn and described of constructing the
connecting joints of the longitudinal break shafts.
Third, I claim the mode or modes herein shewn and described of operating
the break arms, and also the mode of working the central longitudinal break
shafts by the alternative gearing, or the band wheel action, and also the means
shewn, or any mere modification thereof for making the handle independent of
the gearing.
In witness whereof, I, the said George William Sayer, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, the Nineteenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
G. W. SAYER. (L.S.)