IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC BRAKES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1885

page_text: other similar Vehicles.
ROBERT MAYNARD Engineer 1 Norfolk Terrace Westbourne Grove, London, W.
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC BRAKES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES to be
as follows:
This invention relates to an improved form of Automatic Brake, of which the
motive power is the attraction of gravitation, that is to say, instead of transmitting
power by hand through levers, in the usual way, or by a constant vacuum, or
compressed air being constantly kept up, for that purpose, I utilize the weight of
the various parts constituting the mechanism of the Brake, in combination with
levers, to act spontaneously on the Brake-blocks of the vehicle or carriage. For
this purpose I employ two rods or bars to act as powerful levers placed trans-
versely or longitudinally beneath the underside of the carriage or vehicle united
by a joint to which I suspend a counter weight.-The other extremities of the said
levers have holes provided in them to receive a pin or bolt to act as a fulcrum
fixed to the outside or inside cross frames of the carriage or vehicle-Between the
fulcrum and the counter weight of the said levere, I suspend vertical rods, placed
at a very short distance from the fulcrum, which in turn transmit the power
downward to the Brake Blocks (which is derived partly from the counter-weight
and levers during their fall).
To relieve the pressure of the blocks off the wheels, the counter weight must be
raised in a verticle line, either by hand levers vacuum, or by compressed air, gas
or fluid, and when the lifting power is released or let go suddenly or gradually, the
counter weight with its parts will fall by its own gravitation, thereby transmitting
its accumulated force through the transverse levers, and the vertical rods, to the
longitudinal connecting rods, which unite the Brake Blocks between the axles.
Hence the novelty of this invention is the simplicity of parts and their arrange-
ment in accomplishing the rise and fall of the Brake Blocks, by automatic action
substantially as herein described.
.
Southo- 100K

page_text: Improvements in Brake Apparatus for Railway, Tramway, and
other similar Vehicles.
I ROBERT MAYNARD of 60 Park Walk, Fulham London in the County of
Middlesex 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 has for its object the more efficacious and certain application of
the necessary brake power required to stop or partially arrest railway carriages
tram cars and other similar vehicles.
To effect this I use as the motive or actuating power the attraction of gravitation
that is to say that instead of transmitting the necessary power to apply the brake
by hand through levers in the usual manner or by constant vacuum or compressed
air, steam or the like I employ all or any of these means to keep the brake off
when required and utilize the various parts constituting the mechanism of my
improved brake apparatus to act spontaneously on the brake blocks of the carriage
or vehicle in order to apply the brake.
My improved brake apparatus consists of two rods or bars which act as powerful
levers and are hereafter termed the main levers These rods or bars are placed
transversely beneath the underframe of the vehicle-The inner ends of such main
levers are fastened to a counter weight which is mounted on a tubular slotted
central vertical guide bolted or otherwise securely fastened to the underframe of
the vehicle This guide serves to guide the weight in its up and down travel when
raised or lowered as presently described while the slot in such guide allows the
requisite play to a cross pin or bolt which secures and retains the weight in position
on such guide.
When the brake is worked by a hand lever as shewn in Fig. 1 of the accom-
panying drawings such lever is fitted with a connecting rod furnished with a chain
which chain after passing down through the tubular guide is brought up over the
counterweight and secured to such connecting rod thus securely fixing the weight-
Such chain works over suitable sheaves or pulleys with which the guide is fitted
and when the cross pin is inserted in the tubular guide it passes through such
chain.
The outer extremities of such main levers are perforated to receive suitable pins
or bolts wherewith such levers are fastened to the underframe of the vehicle-
These pins or bolts act as fulcri to such main levers Fitted between such fulcri
and the counterweight are suitable vertical connecting rods or bolts placed at any
convenient distance from the fulcri and toggle-jointed to suitable thrust levers fixed
at any convenient angle to the said connecting rods. The outer extremities of
these thrust levers are connected to cranks or link plates which cranks or link
plates have their lower ends connected to brackets attached to the underframe of
the vehicle while their upper ends are connected to the brake blocks by means of
clutches which grip the brake blocks-These clutches are provided with lugs which

page_text: receive the bolts by which the upper ends of the cranks or link plates are fastened
thereto When desired I fit the upper shoulder of each crank or link plate with an
adjustable screw plug or I form a projection thereon so as to keep the brake shoe
truly in position and prevent its upper horn chafing against the tyre of the wheel
when the brake is off.
If desired the clutches may be cast upon the brake shoes themselves-One
advantage of such clutches when made separate from the brake shoes as shewn in
the drawings is that they allow of fresh brake shoes, being readily fitted whenever
required The thrust levers are preferably each made in two parts and are each
fitted with a right and left handed screw collar a and two back nuts a¹ to allow
of their being readily adjusted so as to act upon the brake shoes.
The operation of my invention is as follows-To relieve the pressure of the
brake on the wheels or to remove the brake blocks from the wheels the counter-
weight is raised in a vertical line either by hand lever steam compressed air
vacuum power or other suitable means-When the lifting power is released or
let go either gradually or suddenly the counterweight and other movable parts
connected therewith fall by their own gravitation and thereby transmit their
accumulated force through the main levers and connecting rods and likewise
through the thrust levers and cranks or link plates to the brake blocks thus
instantaneously and effectually applying the brake power to the wheels and
arresting the progress of the vehicle.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shews a view in side elevation of the
underframe of a railway truck fitted with my improved brake apparatus while
Fig. 2 shews a plan view and Fig. 3 an end elevation partly in section thereof.
Upon reference to these three figures the action of my improved brake apparatus
will be clearly seen A is the counterweight mounted on the tubular vertical guide
B and C the main levers connected thereto D are the thrust levers which are
toggle jointed to the main levers at E-F are horn brackets bolted or otherwise
secured to the carriage frame M and fitted with stay rods K and cranks or link
plates P which latter are connected to the brake blocks N by clutches O in the
manner already described Q are brackets carrying the outer extremities of the
main levers which are secured thereto by pins or bolts which serve as fulcri therefor
By simply raising the weight the various movable parts of the mechanism follow
the direction indicated by the arrows on Figs. 1 and 3 while by releasing the weight
the motion is reversed and the brake is applied.
Figs. 4 to 12 both inclusive of the accompanying drawings shew the following
detail views of my improved brake apparatus.viz.
.
Fig. 4 shews one of the thrust levers D fitted with a screw collar a and two back
nuts a¹ and connected at one end to the toggle head and at the other to one of the
cranks or link plates.
Fig. 5 shews one of the main levers C.
Fig. 6 shews one of the cranks or link plates P connected at its upper end to one
of the brake shoes by means of the clutch and bolts as herein before described and
at its lower end to one of the horn brackets F The point marked b shews the
point of connection of one of the thrust levers D therewith.
Fig. 7 shews a detail view of one of the clutches O fitted with a bolt to secure
it to the upper end of one of the cranks or link plates.
Fig. 8 shews one of the vertical rods or bolts which connect the main levers with
the toggle joint.
Figure 9 shews one of the horn brackets F.
Fig. 10 shews one of the horn brackets G which carry the outer ends of the
main levers.
Fig. 11 shews a plan view of the head of the guide B with the sheaves or pulleys
fitted therein and
Fig. 12 is a view in elevation thereof shewing the tubular passage therethrough—
and the slot therein through which the cross pin or bolt is inserted.

page_text: My improved brake apparatus may be worked either by hand lever as shown in
Fig. 1 or by steam, compressed air vacuum or other suitable power,
I would here observe that I do not claim as novel any of the individual parts
constituting my improved brake apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The improved brake apparatus as a whole constructed, combined arranged and
fitted all substantially in the manner herein before described and shewn.
Dated this 9th day of July 1886.
ELT & Co.,
33, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, London,
Agents for the Applicant.