IMPROVED METHODS OF AND APPARATUS FOR STOPPING LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES AND RAILWAY CARRIAGES BY THE APPLICATION OF STEAM POWER TO THE WORKING AND MANAGEMENT OF RAILWAY BREAKS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bird, of Wakefield, in the County of York,
Railway Storekeeper; for the Invention of "IMPROVED METHODS OF AND
APPARATUS FOR STOPPING LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES AND RAILWAY CARRIAGES
BY THE APPLICATION OF STEAM POWER TO THE WORKING AND MANAGEMENT OF
RAILWAY BREAKS."
Sealed the 28th February 1865, and dated the 22nd October 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bird at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd October
1864.
I, HENRY BIRD, of Wakefield, in the County of York, Railway Storekeeper,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED METHODS
OF AND APPARATUS FOR STOPPING LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES AND RAILWAY
CARRIAGES BY THE APPLICATION OF STEAK POWER TO THE WORKING AND MANAGE-
MENT OF RAILWAY BREAKS," to be as follows:-
I propose to attach the breaks. or break apparatus to be used for the
purpose of stopping or checking the speed of locomotive steam engines and
other railway rolling stock forming parts of railway trains in motion to the
ends of pistons working in steam cylinders, and to make the steam power of

page_text: the engine available for the working and management of such breaks or break
apparatus. The control of the breaks and break apparatus will be placed in
the hands of the engine driver, who by turning on the steam into the cylinders
will put the breaks or break apparatus connected therewith into action, and
by turning off the steam will release such action.
The breaks and break apparatus to be used in the practical working. and
applications of the general principle above described will be of three kinds,
which may be distinguished according to their respective purposes and
-character as the "engine break," the "single-carriage break," and the
"connecting or train break." These breaks will be of the natures and
descriptions following:-
First, the "engine break."-In the case of locomotive steam engines a
steam cylinder will be placed in a vertical position underneath the buffer
beam in front of each of the fore wheels of the engine, and to the end of the
piston of each cylinder will be fixed, a break or sledge which when put in
action will press upon the rails of the line of railway, raising the fore wheels
and driving wheels of the engine from the rails, and causing it to slide upon
the fixed break or sledge. This break (though most suitable for locomotive
steam engines) may if desired be adapted to other railway carriages.
Second, the "single-carriage break."-In this case a double-action steam
cylinder with a piston at each end will be placed in a horizontal position
crossways underneath the middle of the carriage; opposite to the end of each
piston a strong spring in the shape of a bow will be so fixed that when the
pistons are put into motion they will press against the convex sides or
crowns of such springs, thereby forcing them straight and extending
their ends. With each end of each spring a break block similar to those
now commonly used will be connected in such a manner that when the.
springs are extended and lengthened by the action of the pistons the break
blocks will be forced against the wheels of the carriage, so as instantaneously
to lock them. This form of break will be most suited for tenders, break
vans, or other carriages where an independent break applying only to a single
carriage is required, and might be placed under the control of a guard or
breaksman, and be worked by means of steam from a separate boiler to be
placed in the van or carriage to which it is applied.
Third, "the connecting or train break."-In this case the breaks to be used
will act upon the axles of each pair of wheels. The principle and mode of
action of the break will be the same as that now employed in regulating the
action of cranes known as the crane break, and consisting of an iron pulley,
strap, or belt attached to a fixed support at one end, and acting by binding

page_text: round and pressing upon the circumference or periphery of a wheel in motion,
so as to check or stop its rotation. In order to increase the power of the
break a broad wheel or drum will be fixed upon the centre of each axle, upon
the cylindrical circumference or periphery of which the break, strap, or belt
will act. The fixed end of each break strap or belt will be attached to the
body of the carriage, and the free end of each break strap or belt will be
attached by a moveable joint or lever to an iron rod or rods running under-
neath the carriage.
By means of couplings or connections easily adjustable the break appa-
ratus of each carriage will be connected as occasion may require with the
break apparatus of any number of other carriages fitted with such apparatus,
and finally with the piston of a cylinder to be placed in a horizontal position
under the tender of the engine attached to such carriages. When the piston
is put in motion the iron rods and couplings will cause the moveable joint or
lever attached to each break strap or belt to act so as to bind the same round
the axles, arresting their motion, and thus locking the wheels of each.
carriage.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Bird in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st April.
1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BIRD, of Wakefield, in the County of York, Railway Storekeeper, send.
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Iler reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry
Bird, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said.
Henry Bird, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times. thereafter
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 METHODS
OF AND APPARATUS FOR STOPPING LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES AND RAILWAY
CARRIAGES BY THE APPLICATION OF STEAM POWER TO THE WORKING AND MANAGE-
MENT OF RAILWAY BREAKS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the

page_text: said Henry Bird, 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 performed, 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 Henry Bird, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the figures and
letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention consists in the direct application (in manner herein-after
described) of steam power to the working and management of railway breaks
and break apparatus, and in the special forms of breaks and break apparatus
which it is intended to employ.
Three forms of breaks and break apparatus will be used, according to the
purpose or class of carriages to which they are to be applied.
Figure 3 represents what I have termed "the engine break." In this case
a steam cylinder (F) is fixed vertically under each of the front buffer beams
of the engine. This cylinder communicates with the engine boiler by the
steam pipe (D, D,) and the three-way cock (B), and is furnished with a
piston (G), to which is attached the break apparatus. When steam is
admitted to the cylinder the piston (G) descends and forces the break or
sledge (K) on to the line of rail, thus transferring part of the weight of the
engine from the front wheels to the sledge (K); at the same time the action
of the piston forces the break block (L) against the front wheel of the engine
and retards or stops its revolution. The action of the breaks (K) and (L) is
steadied by fixing the bar to which they are attached to the side framework of
the engine by means of the bracket (M). To release the action of the break
the steam by means of the three-way cock (B) is turned off and allowed to
escape along the pipe D, which communicates with the external air through
the escape pipe C fixed on the cock B, the piston being forced back to the
top of the cylinder by a spiral or other convenient form of spring. The
control and management of these breaks will be entirely in the hands of the
engine driver or stoker.
Figure 4 represents what I have termed "the single carriage break." The
plan gives a horizontal or cross section of the under side of a railway carriage,
shewing a double-action steam cylinder (A) fixed crossways underneath the
centre of the carriage. This cylinder communicates by the steam pipe (B)

page_text: with the engine boiler or other boiler used to work the break. The two
pistons (C, C,) are connected with the two springs (E, E,) to the ends of
which (F, F,) are attached iron rods (H, H,) bearing the break blocks (G, G).
When steam is admitted to the cylinder the pistons are forced outwards,
pressing against the crowns of the springs (E, E,) and extending the ends
(F, F,) in a lateral direction, so as to force the break blocks (G, G,) against.
the wheels (L, L,) and thereby to stop or retard their revolution. In order.
to steady the action of the breaks, the iron rods (H, H,) are made to pass
through fixed guides (J, J,) which are held together (so as to prevent lateral
straining) by the iron stays (K, K). To release the action of these breaks
the steam is turned off, and allowed to escape along the pipe (B) by means
of a three-way cock, when the springs (E, E,) will assume their natural
position, withdrawing the break blocks from contact with the wheels. This
form of breaks and break apparatus may be worked by steam from the engine
boiler, or from a small boiler to be placed in the van or carriage to which it
is applied, and will be under the control accordingly of the engine driver or
of the guard.
:
Figures 1 and 2 represent what I have termed "the connecting or train
break." Figure 1 gives a vertical section of a railway tender, and Figure 2.
a similar section of a carriage coupled with the tender, as part of the same
train. Underneath the tender (Figure 1) is placed a steam cylinder (A)
communicating at one end by the steam pipe (B) with the engine boiler, and
furnished with a piston having two piston rods passing through the opposite
end of the cylinder, the piston rod (C) acting upon the break gear or appa-
ratus of the tender, and the piston rod (C¹) upon that of the connected
carriage or carriages. The rod (F) connects the piston (C) with the
ordinary form of break shaft (E). Upon the middle or centre of the axles
of the wheels (L, L,) are keyed cast-iron drums (K, K,) having round their
outer edges flanges, between which fit the steel or wrought-iron straps or
belts (J, J). These straps or belts are fixed at one end to the bottom or
frame of the tender by the brackets (H, H,) the other ends being attached
to the bent levers (M, M,) at the joints (N, N). When these bent levers
(M, M.) are put in motion by the action of the piston. (C) upon the break
shaft (E), to which they are coupled by the rod (G,) they cause the straps or
belts (J, J,) to bind round the surface of the drums (K, K,) thus arresting
or stopping their rotation, and thereby the rotation of the: wheels of the'
tender. The principle here applied to railway breaks being that long applied:
to cranes, and known as the crane break. To release the action of the

page_text: breaks the steam is allowed to escape from the cylinder (A) by means of a
three-way cock along the pipe (B), the balance weight (0) attached to the break
shaft (E) then falls, bringing back the bent lever (M), and thus releasing
the action of the straps or belts (J, J,) and allowing the drums (K, K,) and
wheels to rotate freely.
The break gear or apparatus of the carriage (Figure 2) is the same, and
acts in every respect in the same way as that of the tender already described,
and by means of the cross-head joint (D) and the screw coupling (P) is
attached to the piston rod (C¹). The carriage breaks will therefore be
applied or released at the same time, and by the same cylinder as in the case
of the tender breaks, and if the apparatus be applied to all the carriages the
engine driver or stoker will be able at once. to apply the breaks to every
wheel throughout the train. At the same time the simplicity of the connec-
tions between each carriage will allow of carriages being added to or taken
from the train without interfering with this efficient system of continuous or
train breaks.
Although the connecting or train break is intended to be worked by steam
in the manner already described, it can also be worked by hand-power if
desired. Thus, in Figure 2, this may be effected by means of the rack and
pinion at (S), which when worked by the hand wheel (T) and the handle
(V) will raise the lever (R) and put the breaks into immediate action, and
by means of the wheel and screw (Figure 1) the tender breaks may also be
worked by hand when required.
Where more than one kind of break is adopted in one train, as for example,
the engine break and the connecting or train break, all the breaks will be put
in acțion or released by means of the three-way cock (B) and its handlo (A),
see Figure 3; and by placing cocks at O and P, the engine driver or stoker
may at any time shut off and so dispense with the action either of engine or
carriage breaks.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed and carried into effect,
it must be understood that I do not restrict or limit myself to
the precise
details herein described or delineated, as the same may admit of slight
variations without departing from the principle or nature of my said Invention.
I wish also to state that I do not claim to have invented the general appli-
cation of steam power to the working of breaks, but what I claim is, the
applying of steam power directly to the working and management of railway
breaks and break apparatus in the several methods herein-before described,

page_text: and also the special adaptations and general constructions, combinations, and
arrangements of machinery, apparatus, and breaks for such purposes, shewn
in the accompanying Drawings, and herein-before described, or any mere
modifications thereof, operating substantially in like or the same manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bird, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the above-named Henry Bird,
in the presence of
JOHN MASTERMAN,
Barstow Square,
HENRY BIRD. (L.S.)
Wakefield.