Improvements in Air Brakes for Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Air Brakes for Railway Vehicles.
I, SAMUEL LEEK FRENCH, of Ligonier, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in air brakes for railway
vehicles.
The object of the invention is to provide improved means, whereby the engineer
can automatically release the air or other fluid pressure from the brake cylinders
direct, without passing through and independent of the triple valves.
A further object of the invention is to provide an air brake system with
connections between the main air reservoir and the auxiliary reservoirs, controlled
by a valve so that when the engineer throws his valve to apply the brake the main
reservoir will be automatically placed in communication with the auxiliary reservoirs
so as to maintain the pressure therein.
The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in com-
binations of parts more fully and particularly described hereinafter and pointed
out in the claims..
Referring to the accompanying drawings
:-
Figure 1, is a diagrammatical view showing the present invention applied to use
in connection with an ordinary air brake system, the diagram is intended to
illustrate the working parts carried by the engine and tender and two cars.
Figure 2, is a detail plan view showing the engineer's valve and the supplemental
valve actuated thereby and portions of the connections, the valve being shown in
released positions.
Figure 3, is a detail side elevation of the engineer's valve showing portions of
the connections, and the auxiliary valves in vertical longitudinal sections.
In the drawings the reference letter a, indicates the main reservoir carried by
the locomotive and having the usual connection b, to the engineer's controlling
valve c.
d, is the usual train pipe extending from the engineer's valve beneath the tender
and cars as usual.
e, is the triple valve suitably connected with the train pipe, a triple valve being
provided for the locomotive and tender and euch car as usual.
The auxiliary reservoirs f, are suitably connected with the triple valves;
and the brake cylinders g, are also connected to the triple valves in a suitable
manner.
C
The ordinary air brake system in general use has thus far been described, and
the operation is as usual. A suitable pressure is maintained in the train pipes,
auxiliary reservoirs and the main reservoirs. When the engineer throws his valve
to the stop position a suitable quantity of air is allowed to escape from the train
pipes, the connections to the main reservoir being closed by the same moveinent,
thus reducing the pressure in the train pipes, causing the triple valve to
automatically move by reason of the excessive pressure in the auxiliary reservoirs
so as to shut off connection between the auxiliary reservoir and the train pipe, and
to open connections from the auxiliary reservoirs to the brake cylinders thereby
applying the brakes.
To release the brakes the engineer throws his valve to the position shown in
Figures 1, and 2, thereby throwing the pressure from the main reservoir into the

page_text: train pipes which operation automatically causes the triple valve to shut off the
connection between the auxiliary reservoirs and the brake cylinders, and place
the auxiliary reservoirs in communication with the train pipe and discharge the
pressure from the brake cylinders to the outer air.
In practice this ordinary air brake system has been found to be defective in
certain respects.
When the engine and tender are used in switching cars it has been found that
under certain conditions the brakes on the engine and tender cannot be released
quick enough for certain purposes.
To avoid this difficulty and enable the brakes of the engine and tender to be
immediately and instantaneously released whenever desired, the connections 2, from
the brake cylinders 9, of the engine and tender, opening directly into the same
independent of the triple valves, are carried to any suitable valve 3. The case of
this valve 3, can be secured to the casing of the engineer's valve c. The pipe 2,
opens through this casing and is adapted to register with the port or passage 5,
through the plug valve 6, in said casing 3, so that the pipe 2, can be open to and
closed from the discharge 4, to the outer air by said plug valve. This plug valve
can be operated in any suitable manner from the engineer's valve. 1 here show the
stem of the engineer's valve provided with the toothed segment 7, meshing with
the toothed segment 8, rigid with the stem of the plug valve so that when the
engineer's valve is thrown to release, the plug valve will be also moved so as to
place connections 2, and the brake cylinders in communication with the outer
air thereby permitting the pressure in the brake cylinders to be discharged
instantaneously and at once.
The cut off valve 9, is located in the connection 2, at a convenient point in the
engineer's cab so that said connection 2, can be closed when it is not desired to
open the brake cylinders to the outer air every time the engineer's valve is thrown
to release.
Considerable difficulty has been experienced with the ordinary brake systems when
running trains on long down grades because of the rapid consumption of the air
pressure, it often being necessary to let the train get beyond control or to "run
away "before sufficient pressure could be again restored with sufficient rapidity in
the auxiliary, reservoirs."
To obviate this defect an auxiliary train pipe 10, provided running beneath
the cars of the train and provided with suitable couplings and directly connected
by branches 11, with all of the auxiliary reservoirs, the connections being made
directly from this auxiliary pipe 10, to the auxiliary reservoirs independent of the
triple valves and main train pipe d. This pipe 10, is directly connected with the
main air reservoir through the medium of the valve 6, and side connection 12, to
the connection b, between the.engineer's valve and the main reservoir. In order to
control the pressure through the pipe 10, the plug 6, is extended downwardly and
provided with a duct 13, arranged to register with the pipes 10, and 12, opening
through the casing 3, of the valves so that the connections between said pipe 10,
and 12, can be cut off by said valve 6.
The duct 13, preferably extends through the plug 6, in a plane at right angle to
the duct 5, so that when the pipes 2 and 4, are in communication and the brakes
are being released communication between the pipe 10, and the main air reservoir
will be cut off, as clearly shown in Figure 3.
When the engineer's valve is thrown to the stop position (the position opposite
to that shown in Figures 1, and 2.) communication through the pipes 2 and 4 will
be shut off and the valve will open communication from the main air reservoir
through pipes b, and 12, and through the valve to the pipe 10, and all of the
auxiliary reservoirs so that a plentiful pressure is provided in the auxiliary
reservoirs to apply the brakes.
:
A cut-off 14, can be located in the pipe 12, to cut off connection between the
main reservoir and the pipe 10, when it is not necessary to employ this direct
connection for maintaining sufficient pressure in the auxiliary reservoirs.

page_text: 15, are check valves in the branches 11, to permit the air to flow from the
pipe 10, into the auxiliary reservoirs, but prevent back flow, hence the air is held
in said reservoirs to apply the brakes if the train pipes break or the train breaks..
The invention can be easily applied to an ordinary air brake system and at a
very slight expense.
I do not wish to limit myself to the peculiar valve 6, or to the employment of
such a double valve.
It is evident that various changes might be made in the forws, arrangements and
constructions of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of
my invention, hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein
set forth, but consider myself entitled to all such changes as fall within the spirit
and scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what [
claim is :-
First. The herein described air brake.
Second. An air brake system having an air brake discharge from the brake
cylinders to the engine and tender, independent of the triple valves and extending
to the engineer's cab, and provided with a controlling valve.
Third. An air brake system having a direct release or discharge from one or
more brake cylinders, controlled by the valve in the engineer's cab.
Fourth. An air brake system having direct discharge connections from one or
more of the brake cylinders independent of the ordinary system, a separate valve
controlling the same, arranged adjacent to the engineer's valve, and connected
with and operated by the same to open said connections, to discharge the air from
said cylinder or cylinders, when the engineer's valve is thrown to the release
position,
Fifth. An air brake system having the direct connections from one or more of
the brake cylinders provided with a discharge to the outer air, a brake controlling
valve in said connections adjacent to the engineer's valve connected and arranged
to be operated by the same, substantially as described.
Sixth. An air brake system having the discharge connection from the brake
cylinders of the tender and engine, a controlling valve for said connection secured
to the engineer's valve and having its stem connected with and operated by the
engineer's valve, and a cut off in said connection between said controlling valve and
the cylinders.
Seventh. An air brake system having direct connection from the main air
reservoir to the auxiliary reservoirs independent of the triple valves, and the valve
in said connections, as and for the purpose set forth.
Eighth. An air brake system comprising the main air reservoir, the engineer's
valve, the train pipe the triple valves, the auxiliary reservoirs, the brake cylinders,
an auxiliary train pipe directly connected with the auxiliary reservoirs and with
the main air reservoir, and provided with the separate controlling valve connected
with and operated by the engineer's valve and arranged so that when the engineer's
valve is thrown to stop, air is supplied to the auxiliaries through said auxiliary
pipe.
Ninth. An air brake system having connections from one or more of the brake
cylinders to the outer air, a connection from the main air reservoir to the auxiliary
reservoirs, a single plug valve controlling said two connections with and operated
by the engineer's valve and constructed so that when the engineer's valve is thrown.
to release the direct connection to the auxiliary reservoir will be cut off and the
direct discharge from the brake cylinders will be opened, and when the engineer's
valve is thrown to stop, the discharge from the brake cylinders will be closed
and direct communication opened from the main air reservoir to the auxiliary
reservoirs.
Tenth. An air brake system having an auxiliary train pipe arranged to directly

page_text: place the main air reservoir in communication with the auxiliary reservoirs and
check valves to prevent outflow from the auxiliaries through said auxiliary
train pipe.
Dated this 29th day of January 1895.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.