IMPROVEMENTS IN OR Applicable TO AUTOMATIC PRESSURE AND VACUUM BRAKES "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Courthope Peache of Crewe, in the County of
Chester, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR Applicable
TO AUTOMATIC PRESSURE AND VACUUM BRAKES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Courthope Peache
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th September 1882.
JAMES COURTHOPE PEACHE, of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Engineer,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO AUTOMATIC PRESSURE AND VACUUM
BRAKES,"
My invention is applicable to both automatic pressure and vacuum brakes and
its object is to take off the brakes from the vehicles of a train or prevent them
from being applied automatically when the carriages or vehicles of the train are
uncoupled, so as to leave them at liberty to be moved about when required, which
is a difficulty with most automatic pressure and vacuum brakes.
My invention consists in applying a valve or cock to allow air to exhaust from
the pressure reservoir or enter into the vacuum chamber, connected with the
cylinder, diaphragm, sack or other equivalent apparatus, for actuating the brakes
of the vehicle, this cock or valve being combined with and actuated by a small
cylinder, diaphragm or other equivalent arrangement, which communicates directly
with the train pipe.
The small cylinders or other arrangements are not moved to open the valves or
cocks by the ordinary pressures or partial vacuums used (as the case may be) for
actuating the brakes; and to cause then to open when required, I form, in the case
of pressure brakes a small partial vacuum in the train pipe by an ejector or other
suitable means, and in the case of vacuum brakes I cause a slight pressure in the
train pipe by a blower or injector or other apparatus, and thus the small cylinders
diaphragms or other arragements are acted upon to open the connected cock or
valve, and will, in presure brakes, allow the compressed air to pass out of the
reservoir, and in vacuum brakes allow air to enter into the vacuum chamber, to
bring both sides of the pistons or diaphragms of the automatic pressure or vacuum
brake apparatus to an equilibrium and thus prevent the brakes from being applied.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Courthope Peache in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd March 1883.
JAMES COURTHOPE PEACHE of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO AUTOMATIC PRESSURE AND VACUUM
BRAKES,"
My invention is applicable to both automatic pressure and vacuum brakes, and
its object is to take off the brakes from the vehicles of a train, or prevent them
from being applied automatically when the carriages or vehicles of the train are
uncoupled, so as to leave them at liberty to be moved about when required, which
is a difficulty with most automatic pressure and vacuum brakes.
My invention consists in applying a valve or cock to allow air to exhaust from
the pressure reservoir, or enter into the vacuum chamber, connected with the
cylinder, diaphragm, sack or other equivalent apparatus, for actuating the brakes
of the vehicle, this cock or valve being combined with and actuated by a small
cylinder, diaphragm, or other equivalent arrangement, which communicates directly
with the train pipe.
The small cylinders or other arrangements are not moved to open the valves or
cocks by the ordinary pressures or partial vacuums used (as the case may be) for
actuating the brakes and to cause them to open when required, I form in the
case of pressure brakes, a small partial vacuum in the train pipe by an ejector or
other suitable means, and in the case of vacuum brakes I cause a slight pressure in
the train pipe by a blower or injector or other apparatus and thus the small
cylinders, diaphragms or other arrangements are acted upon to open the connected
cock or valve and will, in pressure brakes allow the compressed air to pass out of
the reservoir (either into the train pipe or directly to the atmosphere as arranged)
and in vacuum brakes allow air to enter into the vacuum chamber (either from the
train pipe or directly from the atmosphere as arranged) to bring both sides of the
pistons or diaphragms of the automatic pressure or vacuum brake apparatus to an
equilibrum and thus prevent the brakes from being applied.
In place of the small piston or diaphragm being arranged to act upon a special
valve for the purpose it is or may be arranged and combined to act upon the valve
used for closing the communication between the train pipe and pressure reservoir
or vacuum chamber, when the brakes are to be applied in such manner as (when
required) to push or draw such valve away from its seating and open communi-
cation between the pressure reservoir or vacuum chamber and thus allow air to
escape from the pressure reservoir in the one case, or enter the vacuum chamber in
the other case.
Fig 1 is a longitudinal section of one arrangement of valve apparatus according
to my invention for automatic vacuum brakes.
a is a casing screwed at a' so as to screw into the sides of the vacuum chamber,
or into a pipe communicating with it. This casing has a valve seating made in it
for a valve b formed on the end of a spindle b' which can slide in a guide formed
in a cover a² screwed to the casing a.
This spindle b' has a shoulder, and two washers between which a diaphragm c is
screwed by a nut on the spindle b'.
The outer margin of the diaphragm c is secured air tight between the flange on
the casing a, and the cover a² by screws a³; a is a passage for a pipe which
communicates with the train pipe.
There are holes a³ in the cover a² which admit air freely to the outer side of the
diaphragm c.

page_text: When a vacuum is formed in the train pipes the atmosphere acts on the
diaphragm c to force the valve b against its seating, and this and the vacuum inside
the vacuum chamber, will act to keep the valve b closed, in the ordinary working of
the brakes.
But when a low pressure above that of the atmosphere is formed in the train
pipe, the diaphragm c is forced outwards and the valve b is opened allowing air to
enter from the train pipe to the vacuum chamber to release the brakes.
Fig 2 shows an arrangement of apparatus similar to that illustrated by fig 1, but
in this case it is arranged for pressure brakes, the valve b being reversed, and the
pressure in the train pipe and in the reservoir keeps the valve b closed in the
ordinary working of the pressure brakes; but when a pressure below that of
the atmosphere is formed in the train pipe, the valve b is opened and the air will
escape from the pressure reservoir into the train pipe.
Fig 3 is a longitudinal section and fig 4 an outside view at a right angle to
fig 3 of a valve apparatus applicable for automatic vacuum brakes, when the air is
to be allowed to pass into the vacuum chamber directly from the atmosphere and
not from the train pipe.
a is a casing part screwed at a¹ to fit a hole in the vacuum chamber or a pipe
connected and communicating with it-The casting has a valve seating formed in
it for a valve b attached to or formed upon a loop b* which passes round the casing
without touching it as shown in fig 4, and is attached to the spindle 6 from the
diaphragm c as shown in fig 3.
a* is a screw plug used to close the hole in the casing a required to form the
seating for the valve.
The vacuum formed in the train pipe and vacuum chamber acts as before
described to keep the valve b closed in the ordinary working of the brakes, but
when a small pressure above the atmospheric pressure is formed in the train pipe
the diaphragm c acts to open the valve and allow air to enter the vacuum chamber
directly from the atmosphere.
A similar arrangement of apparatus is or may be used for pressure brakes but
the valve b is then reversed as in fig 2, and the stem of the valve after passing
outwards is attached to the loop b* so as to move with it.
Fig 5 illustrates my invention by a longitudinal section, combined with a valve
to be used for the ordinary working of pressure brakes.
a is a casing having a seating formed in it for a ball valve b which is prevented
from moving too far away from its seating by a pin b².
This casing a screws into the side of the pressure reservoir or is connected with
a pipe leading thereto.
There is a winged spindle 6' that fits the bore leading to the ball valve but will
allow air to pass freely along its sides, and the outer end of this spindle b¹ is carried
and slides freely in a hole in the boss of the cover a², and to this spindle the
diaphragm c is attached as shown.
The passage a is connected with the train pipe and brings air from the train
pipe to the pressure reservoir, and in the ordinary working of the brakes the
diaphragm c is acted upon to keep the spindle away from the ball valve b which in
the ordinary working of the brakes will close against its seating to retain the air
in the reservoir under pressure at the time the air is allowed to escape from the
train pipe, when the brakes are applied.
But when a partial vacuum is formed in the train pipe, the pressure of the
atmosphere acts upon the exterior of the diaphragm c and the spindle b₁ forces the
ball valve b away from its seating, and allows the air to pass from the pressure
reservoir to the train pipe.
d is a lever jointed upon a fulcrum on the casing at d¹ one arm of which comes
against the end of the spindle b' so that by means of a cord or chain attached to
the other arm of the lever d the spindle 6¹ is or may be acted upon by hand when
required to release the brakes.
A similar lever to d is or may be applied to all the modifications above referred

page_text: to and connected with the diaphragm spindles b' so that the valves b may be acted
upon by hand when required.
An arrangement similar to that illustrated by fig 5, is or may be used for
automatic vacuum brakes in which case the valve b is reversed in position and
acts to prevent the admission of air to the vacuum chamber, the spindle b' being
arranged in this case to draw the valve away from its seating when air is to be
admitted.
In the case of new brake mechanism, it will be obvious that my improved valve
apparatus may be combined with the brake cylinder and train pipe by passages in
the casting so as to dispense with separate pipes if desired.
The area of the diaphragm is proportioned to the pressure upon the valve, and to
the pressure of the small vacuum or pressure intended to be formed in the train
pipe to operate the valve.
The vacuum is or may be formed in the train pipes of pressure brakes for
actuating the valves by a small steam ejector which is placed on the Engine or
Tender and is arranged to form part of an outlet pipe, through which the air will
pass from the train pipe when a cock or valve is opened to allow the air to escape
when the brakes are to be applied by the Driver.
The ejector is arranged in the said outlet pipe so that the air will pass through
it in the direction in which steam acting in the ejector would cause air to pass
through it.
Thus arranged, the air from the train pipe would pass through the ejector as
part of an ordinary outlet pipe, in the ordinary working of the brake; but when
the Driver desires to take off the brakes and empty the pressure reservoirs, he
would open to apply the brakes in the ordinary manner which would let the air
out of the train pipe, as described, and then turn on steam by a cock to the ejector
which would draw out air and form a partial vacuum, which would act as herein-
before explained.
In the case of automatic vacuum brakes a cock or valve is formed in the train
pipe between the latter and the ejector and the cock or valve for working the
brake, when this added cock or valve is shut the communication between the train
pipe and the ejector and cock for working the brakes is closed, and the commu-
nication between the train pipe and atmosphere is also closed.
Then a cock is opened between the train pipe and a pump, bellows, fan or
reservoir of air under pressure or a steam injector or other suitable means of forcing
air under pressure as preferred.
Instead of two cocks one cock with two ways may be used to close the train
pipe and open communication with bellows or a pressure reservoir by one movement
of the bandle.
I prefer a pair of bellows which the Driver or Fireman could work and in that
case to use an arrangement of valve similar to that illustrated by figs 3 and 4
where the air passes directly from the atmosphere to the vacuum chamber as then
no more air need be forced into the train pipe than will be required to act upon the
diaphragms to open the valve to the atmosphere.
In place of bellows a reservoir for air under pressure is or may be used, which
is or may be charged to be ready when required, by a steam injector with a
valve between the injector and the reservoir, to prevent the return of the air and
steam.
The injector would be used at intervals until the reservoir was charged with
air, the intervals being to allow time for the steam, driven in with the air to
condense in the reservoir to be drawn off from the lower part thereof by a cock.
A part of the water Tender of the Locomotive is or may be the reservoir for air
pressure by arranging a partition in it extending from the top of the inside of the
tender to nearly the bottom, thus leaving space for water to enter the air pressure
compartment of the Tender,—and as the water would seal the outlet and inlet for
water the space or compartment of the Tender above the surface of the water would
be air tight.

page_text: With this arrangement air is driven into this compartment of the tender by any
suitable means, but in preference by a steam Injector.
The steam would be condensed by the water and the air would accumulate
above its surface in the air pressure compartment, and the pressure of the air would
drive the water to some extent out of the air compartment into the other compart-
ment of the Tender, and the "head" of water thus formed in the other
compartment would be equal to the pressure of air in the air compartment of
the Tender.
A safety valve is or may be used on the air compartment of the Tender to let air
escape when it exceeds the pressure required for actuating the valves (b) and to
allow water to enter the air compartment.
The air is taken to the train pipe by a pipe communicating with the upper part
of the air compartment of the Tender.
I have now particularly described the nature of my said invention and the
modes of carrying the same into effect, and wish it to be understood that I do not
claim cocks or valves for allowing air to pass out of automatic pressure brake
cylinders or reservoirs, or into automatic vacuum brake cylinders or chambers, but
what I do claim as my invention, is.
Firstly. The arrangement and combination of cocks or valves, with automatic
pressure or vacuum brake apparatus, which said cocks or valves are opened to form
a communication between the pressure reservoirs or vacuum chambers of automatic
brakes and the atmosphere directly, or through the train pipe by forming a small
partial vacuum, or small pressure in the train pipe to act upon the diaphragms or
their equivalents, connected with the said cocks or valves, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
Secondly. The use of a small partial vacuum in automatic pressure brakes, and
a small pressure above the atmosphere in automatic vacuum brakes for releasing
the brakes, substantially as herein before described.
Thirdly. The arrangement of a diaphragm or its equivalent to act upon each
valve, closing communication between the train pipe and pressure reservoir and
vacuum chamber of automatic brakes, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described and illustrated by fig 5 of the drawings.
Fourthly. The several combinations and arrangements of valve mechanism
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings when used combined with
automatic pressure or vacuum brakes, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described.
In Witness whereof I the said James Courthope Peache have hereunto set
my hand and seal this first day of March in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
JA”. C. PEACHE. (L.S.)