An Improved Brake Block for Rubber or Noiseless Tyred Wheels.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Brake Block for Rubber or Noiseless Tyred Wheels.
ALFRED HOPTON, 124, Euston Road, London, Coach Ironmonger, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvement consists in making the block or that portion of the brake
which is pressed against the tyre, of earthenware or porcelain, which may have
a glazed, polished or extra hardened surface where required, and; be adapted
for sliding into the pans or liolders, or, attached by bolts fixed or adjustable, to
the fittings of the brake.
An improved Brake Block for Rubber or Noiseless Tyred Wheels.
I, ALFRED HOPTON, of 124, Euston Road, London, Coach Ironmonger; 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:
-
1
The invention relates to an iniproved brake block for rubber or noiseless tyred
wheels and has for its object to obtain a block which shall be inexpensive to
produce virtually indestructible and which whilst affording the necessary grip
of the tyre will be less liable to injure the same than blocks of the construction
hitherto in use.
In carrying this invention into effect the brake block is formed of earthenware
of any suitable kind, including porcelain, which is hard fired and therefore
possesses the necessary degree of hardness.
This material whilst in the clay state is moulded, worked, or formed to the shape
required for the finished brake block that is to say it is formed with a dovetail
at the base or back to slide into the ordinary brake pan and it is slotted and in
its face recessed to receive bolts by which it may be adjustably fixed therewith or
said block may be formed with a plain back and fixed with the pan or other
holder in any suitable manner.
The block on its face or front is longitudinally curved to approximately the
same arc as tlie wheel in connection with which it is to be employed and said
face is formed slightly concave in transverse section to receive and obtain the
required grip of the tyre.
The clay material is preferably that employed in the production of stoneware
and after it has been moulded, worked or formed to the required shape it is baked

page_text: carried into effect I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a brake pan fitted with a brake block con-
structed according to the present invention.
Figure 2, is a rear elevation thereof.
Figure 3, is a horizontal section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the brake block separately.
Figure 5 is a front elevation thereof and
Figure 6 is a side elevation thereof.
In the several figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
a represents the brake beam or bar which is assumed to be mounted and
to receive motion in the manner well known. a represents the pan or holder
which is fixed therewith and b represents the brake block.
The brake block b is formed of earthenware of any suitable kind, including
porcelain which is hard fired and therefore possesses the necessary degree of
hardness.
This material whilst in the clay or plastic state is worked or formed to the shape
required for the finished brake block 6 that is to say it is formed with a longitu-
dinally tapered dovetail 6 at the back to slide into the correspondingly shaped brake
pan a whilst it is provided with holes or slots a² therethrough and recesses ba
in the face thereof which receive bolts c passing through plain or they might
be slotted holes in the back of the pan a¹ so that the block b may be securely
fitted thereto and fixed therewith notwithstanding any slight variation in the
dimensions thereof.
Instead of forming the brake block b with a dovetail back 61 it may be formed
with a plain back and fixed with the pan or other holder in any suitable manner.
The brake block 6 on its face or front is longitudinally curved to approxi-
mately the arc of the wheel in connection with which it is to be employed and said
face is formed with a concave 63 in transverse section to receive and obtain the
required grip of the tyre of the wheel:
The clay material employed is preferably that used in the production of stone-
ware and after it has been worked or formed to the required shape it is baked
and preferably wholly or partly glazed and hard fired in the manner usual in
the manufacture of said ware.
Although stoneware is perhaps the material best suited for the purpose in
view it will be understood that any other suitable earthenware may be employed
in lieu thereof and although it is thought to be preferable to mould or otherwise
shape the block in the clay state it may if desired be fashioned whilst in the
biscuit or unfinished state previous to being hard fired.
By the means hereinbefore described a brake block of an inexpensive character
is obtained which is more durable and possesses other advantages compared with
brake blocks as heretofore constructed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is―
1. A brake block formed of hard fired earthenware such as stoneware or
porcelain substantially as herein shown and described.
2. A brake block constructed of earthenware formed to the required shape
whilst in a plastic state and subsequently hard fired substantially as herein
shown and described.
3. A brake block formed of hard fired earthenware and provided with means
of attaching the same to the brake pan substantially as herein shown and described.

page_text: 4. A brake block formed of hard fired earthenware and provided with slots or
holes terminating in countersinks designed to receive bolts whereby the brake
block is adapted to be adjustably fixed to the brake fitting substantially as
herein shown and described.
Dated this 27th day of Sentember 1899.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.