Improved Means of Securing Brake Levers of Railway Waggons in Position.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1892-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Securing Brake Levers of Railway Waggons
in Position.
I, WILLIAM BOUCHER, of Bullo Pill, near Newnham, in the County of
Gloucester, Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
It is well-known that the guard and pin arrangement of securing the brake lever
in position is very inconvenient to manipulate, especially at night time when the
shunter is encumbered with hand lamp and shunting pole, so that he cannot make
full use of his hands. The ratchet arrangement also is uncertain and unreliable in
its action.
Now this invention relates to means of securing the brake levers of railway
vehicles in position, and is designed for the purpose of ensuring safety to waggons
and other vehicles when standing on an incline, and also to ensure certain action of
the brake when put in use during shunting operations.
In carrying this invention into practical effect, I provide a steel spring of
suitable shape and attach the same to the brake lever or within the brake lever
guide in such manner that it will act to secure the brake lever in its proper position
in the rack or ratchet, and at the same time allow of its being readily removed
when required. By this means accidents which frequently occur through the
lever when slightly strained or worn on the lip, failing to keep its place, are
obviated.
Dated this 14th day of October 1891.
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Securing Brake Levers of Railway Waggons
in Position.
I, WILLIAM BOUCHER, of Bullo Pill, near Newnham, in the County of
Gloucester, Works Manager, 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:-
It is well known that the guard and pin arrangement of securing the brake
lever in position is very inconvenient to manipulate, especially at night time when
the shunter is encumbered with hand lamp and shunting pole, so that he cannot
make full use of his hands. The ratchet arrangement also is uncertain and
unreliable in its action.
Now this invention relates to means of securing the brake levers of railway
vehicles in position, and is designed for the purpose of ensuring safety to waggons
and other vehicles when standing on an incline, and also to ensure certain action of
the brake when put in use during shunting operations.
In carrying this invention into practical effect I provide a steel spring of suitable
shape and attach the same to brake lever or within the brake lever guide in such
manner that it will act to secure the brake lever in its proper position in the rack
or ratchet, and at the same time allow of its being readily removed when required.
By this means accidents which frequently occur through the lever, when slightly
strained or worn on the lip, failing to keep its place, are obviated.

page_text: And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
sheet of drawings of which
Figure 1 illustrates the form of the invention in which the spring is attached to
the brake lever guide and
Figures 2, 3, and 4, illustrate the form of the invention in which the spring is
attached to the brake lever itself.
с
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a is the ratchet, the brake lever guide, and c the
brake lever of ordinary construction. As shewn at Figure 1. the spring is secured
at one end on the guide and arranged to slide freely thereon at the other end as
will be readily understood from an inspection of the drawings. The bow of this
spring bears against this brake lever and maintains the same in engagement with
the ratchet a so that it is not liable to be jolted out of position by the vibration
caused by the motion of the vehicle to which it is fitted..
:
As shewn at Figures 2, 3, and 4, the spring e is secured direct to the brake
lever c. one end being secured thereto by a set screw or bolt as shewn at while
the other is free to slide along the lever which it partially embraces. It will
he readily seen that this spring acts to maintain the lever in the ratchet similarly
to the arrangement shewn at Figure 1.
It is obvious that this invention may be applied to the brake levers of road and
other vehicles where a ratchet retaining device is used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
The application of a spring to the brake lever of railway waggons, and other
vehicles, to maintain the same in engagement with the ratchet by which it is held
in position, the said spring being attached either to the brake guide or the brake
lever, substantially as hereinbefore set forth and described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of July 1892
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.