Year: 1889

page_text: À clerical error in the name of the Communicator, in the original Specification,
having been amended by the Patentee, with the consent of the Comptroller, the printed
Specification will now read as shown below:-

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1889-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to a System of Automatic Air Brakes
for Railway Trains.
I, PETER JENSEN, of 77, Chancery Lane in the County of London, Fellow of
the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention
(a communication to me from abroad by Henry Jefferson Ubert, residing at
number 111, Broadway, in the City, County and State of New York, one of the
United States of America, Merchant), and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to improvements in a system of straight air-automatic-brakes,
and has for its object the simplification of such a system and the more direct action
of the brakes, and to obviate any chance for a misapplication of the brakes, and the
danger of any portion of the system not operating perfectly and freely and also the
rendering of such a system automatic in its action, either when the Engineer, or
person handling the brakes, shall through carelessness or inattention, not manipulate
the apparatus properly, or in case of accident, the train should become broken or one
car parted from another.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention-
Figures 1 and 2, are diagrams, (side and bottom) showing the complete system as
applied to a train of cars;
Figure 3, is a detail view of the apparatus as applied to the brakes of a
single car;
Figure 4, represents, more in detail, the general outline of the various parts of my
improved brake-system, and shows the position the Engineer's valve and triple valve
occupy when the brakes are off;
Figure 5, is a longitudinal sectional view of the storage tank and brake
cylinder;
Figure 6, is a detail view of my improved triple valve ;
Figure 7, is a section on the line, x-x, of Figure 6, showing my improved inlet
and outlet port ;
Figure 8, is a plan view of this port ;
Figure 9, is a sectional view of the triple valve in the position it occupies when
the brakes are thrown on,
and―
Figure 10, shows the position of the Engineer's valve when the brakes are
thrown on.
A, is the air-pump for compressing the air into the reservoir, B. C, is a pressure
gauge. D, is a safety valve; E, the Engineer's operating valve. F, is the line of
pipe through which the compressed air is supplied to the brakes. G, is a releasing
pipe. H, H, are flexible couplings between the cars. I, 1, are the main storage
tanks and brake cylinders, one of which is located under each car. J, J, are the
triple valves for operating the same. L, L, are check valves in the pipes, F¹, F',
connecting the main line pipe with the brake cylinders. M, M, are the brakes,
and, N, N, are the main connecting rods between the brake and the brake
cylinders, I, I. 0, 0, are pipes connecting the triple valves, J, J, with the main
release pipe, G. P, P, are pipes connecting the brake storage tanks, I, I, with the
triple valves, J, J. Q, Q, are pipes connecting the triple valves, J, J, with the
brake cylinders, I, I.
Figure 5, shows in detail the main brake cylinder and storage tank, I. It is
divided into two air-tight portions, 1', and, 11, by the diaphragm, S, through which
passes the inlet port, w, which is connected with the pipe, Q, at, a. b, is a nipple
connecting the pipe, P, to the brake storage tank, I", and, c, is a nipple in the storage
tank to which is connected the pipe, F'.

page_text: The triple valve is shown in detail in Figures 6, 7, and 8. This triple valve has
an outer casing provided with heads, h, h, in which are openings, V, VI. Y, is a
diaphragm separating the valve cylinder into two chambers, J', J, through whose
centre passes the air-tight connecting rod, W, at the extremities of which are
located the piston heads, T, U. The piston head, T, has a larger area than the
piston head, U, the reason for which will be explained further on; f, is a port leading
from the chamber, J¹¹, into pipe, O, and thence to the release pipe, G. e, is a port
leading from the chamber, Ji, through pipe, Q, and the diaphragm, S, into the brake
cylinder. The port, d, communicates with chamber, J', through the holes. y, so
arranged that, as the piston head, U, passes over them, the area of inlet through said
holes will be gradually enlarged or reduced as may be determined by the direction
in which the piston head, U, is moving.
The operation is as follows:
When the apparatus is in the position shown in Figure 4, with the Engineer's
valve set in the position shown, the air pressure from the main tank, B, is transmitted
to the braking apparatus through both of the pipes, F, G. That portion of it passing
through the pipe, F, passes through the pipes, F, through check valves, I., into the
storage cylinders, I, and from these tanks through the pipes, P, to the chambers, J,
of the triple valve, J, exerting its pressure against the piston heads, U. The air
pressure also passes through the pipe, G, and connecting pipes, O, into the other
chambers, J, of the triple valves, J, exerting its pressure against the piston
heads, T. As the area of the heads, T, is greater than the area of the heads, U,
the difference of pressure exerted against the heads, T, over that exerted against the
heads, U, maintains these pistons in a position shown in Figure 4. In this position
the pipe, Q, will connect the brake cylinder, I', through the port, w, pipe, Q,
port, d, and outlet, V, with the outer air, so that no air pressure is exerted against
the brake piston heads, R, the brakes are released and the car wheels free to revolve.
If it is desired to set the brakes, the Engineer turns the valve, E, into the position
shown in Figure 10. When the valve, E, is in this position, the air supply from
the storage tank, B, is cut off from the pipe, G, and the pipe, G, connected with the
outer air through the port, I. This relieves the pressure which existed upon the
face of the piston-heads, T, of the triple valves and allows the pressure which exists
against the face of the piston heads, U, to force the pistons forward into the
position shown in Figure 9. When this takes place the port, d, is uncovered by
the piston head, U, passing it, and the air stored in the tank, I", passes through
pipe, P, chambers, J, of the triple valves, J, thence through port, d, pipes, Q, and
ports, w, and is exerted against the face of the brake piston heads, R, forcing them
forward and setting the brakes.
Figure 4, represents the normal position of the brakes while the cars are running.
If through accident the train should be parted, a break would occur in the pipes
connecting the cars together, in all probability at the flexible connections, H.
When this takes place, the brakes will be automatically applied to the cars by
the following operation:
The brake storage tanks, I", always contain air under pressure which cannot
escape from them on account of the check valves, L, except through the pipes, P,
into the chambers, J', of the triple valves, J. The main release pipe, G, being
broken, a communication is thereby established with the open air at the point of
rupture and the same action takes place as when the Engineer turns his valve to
the position shown in Figure 10. The pressure will be removed from the face of
the piston heads, T, and the pressure of the air from the tanks, 1", through the
pipes, P, will act upon the piston heads, U, and throw the pistons forward as before,
and the air pressure from the tanks, I, will pass through pipes, P, triple valve
chambers, J', ports, d, pipes, Q, and ports, w, and be applied to the face of the
brake piston heads, R.
When the Engineer desires to apply the brakes gradually, either to slack the
speed of the train, or to bring it to a stand-still, by turning the valve, E, slowly the
release pipe, G, is gradually opened through port, i, to the outer air. The pressure

page_text: existing against the piston heads, T, is thereby gradually removed and the pressure
existing against the piston heads, U, takes effect by degrees and slowly forces the
pistons forward, thereby gradually uncovering the graduated holes, g, of ports, d,
allowing the air pressure from the storage tanks, I", to be gradually applied to the
brake piston heads, R, causing the brakes, M, to be slowly and easily set. The
action of the compound piston can be arrested at any point by simply turning
the valve, E, back to its original position, as shown in Figure 4. A certain amount
of pressure by this means can be applied to the brakes, varying from almost
nothing up to the full amount, so that the motion of the train can be very gradually
arrested, until brought to a full stop, or the speed can be slowed up to a given
amount and then held at that. In this way, all sudden or jerking action is relieved
and all danger of parting the train from this cause or damaging the contents of the
cars by such action is obviated.
It will be seen from the drawings that there are no cocks upon any of the
pipes running under the cars which may be turned maliciously or by accident,
thereby preventing the brakes from acting properly. The whole operation of setting
and releasing the brakes is under the control of the Engineer at the locomotive by
means of one and the only valve, E.
In an application filed by me, No. 19437 of even date with this, I have described
a form of valve, E, to be used in this connection, by means of which it is impossible
for the Engineer to throw the valve in the wrong direction when it is desired to
brake the train, the valve operating equally well whichever way it is turned so that
in case of accident and the Engineer becoming confused under excitement he cannot
turn the valve the wrong way.
In said application I have also shown another form of this valve, E, so arranged
that if the Engineer, through carelessness or accident, releases his hold upon the
controlling lever, the valve will automatically shift itself and set the brakes.
It will be seen from this description that it is next to impossible for an accident
to occur without the brakes being automatically set, or for the Engineer to neglect
his duty in attending to the controlling valve without the same action taking place,
and that the whole apparatus is so simple in its construction and so free from all
unnecessary parts that it will be entirely positive and certain in its action at all times
and under all circumstances.
Some of the advantages resulting from the construction herein before described
are the following:
The main line pipe is open at all times from the main reservoir or tank to the
auxiliary reservoirs or tanks, and, therefore, these auxiliary tanks are constantly
supplied with pressure whether the brakes are set or released. Thus there is
obviated the necessity of stopping on grades in order to refill the auxiliary
reservoirs.
Again, there are no cocks on the line pipe to be tampered with by malicious or
careless persons.
Again, pressure being in the storage tanks, a long train of cars may be operated
without serious shocks to the cars.
Again, in my improved system, as pressure of the air is always constant, an
Engineer has nothing to do with the storage of it in the auxiliary tanks, and, there-
fore in setting the brakes, cannot have a varying pressure to apply at times, more
than is required to satisfactorily operate the brakes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what
I claim is-
First An air-brake system, comprising a main tank or reservoir, a main pipe
extending directly from the main tank to each of the storage tanks under each of
the cars,
and a release pipe extending from said main tank to triple valves under
each of the cars, an Engineer's valve interposed in said release pipe, supply passages
connecting the storage or auxiliary tanks and the triple valves, and the triple valves

page_text: and brake cylinder and a return-passage from the brake cylinder to the triple valves,
all combined and arranged to operate, substantially as deseribed.
Second An air brake system, comprising a main tank or reservoir, a main pipe
extending directly from the main tank to each of the storage tanks under each of
the cars, and provided with check valves to prevent the backflow of pressure from
the storage tanks, and a release pipe extending from said. main tank to triple-valves
under each of the cars, an Engineer's valve interposed in said release pipe, supply
passages connecting the storage or auxiliary tanks and the triple valves, and the
triple valves and brake cylinder, and a return passage from the brake cylinder
to the triple valves, all combined and arranged to operate, substantially as
described.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1889
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.