AN IMPROVED SINGLE AND DOUBLE SELF- ACTING BREAK FOR TWO AND Four Wheeled CaRTS, CARRIAGES, STREET TRAMWAY CARS, AND OTHER WHEELED CONVEYANCES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Unwin, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SINGLE AND DOUBLE SELF-
ACTING BREAK FOR TWO AND Four Wheeled CaRTS, CARRIAGES, STREET
TRAMWAY CARS, AND OTHER WHEELED CONVEYANCES.”
Sealed the 11th August 1871, and dated the 16th February 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Unwin at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th February 1871.
I, WILLIAM UNWIN, of Sheffield, in the County of York, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED SINGLE AND
DOUBLE SELF-ACTING BREAK POR TWO AND FOUR WHEELED CARTS, CARRIAGES,
STREET TRAMWAY CARS, AND OTHER WHEELED CONVEYANCES," to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to construct a single and double self-
acting break in such a manner that when the carriage is descending an
incline, or a check is given to the power employed, the break imme-

page_text: diately acts both behind and before on the two hind wheels of carriages
with four or more wheels, and on every wheel of street tramway cars.
The action of the break on the wheels of carts and other two-wheeled
conveyances will be single, but in all cases its pressure will be increased
with the momentum, and will be directly withdrawn by a spring when
the traction power is applied.
The Invention consists in providing carriages of four or more wheels
with a fixed break both before and behind, the hind wheels attached by
sockets and fulcrums to the under part of the body of the carriage, and
all carriages of four wheels to the hind wheels of which the break may
be attached will in connection with the wheel plate or turntable require
two or more bars of wood or iron, near each end of which will be sockets
movable on a slide, fixed underneath the body, allowing the body to
slide freely on the under carriage, thus bringing the whole weight of body
to bear on the break blocks, both front and back of the hind wheels. The
connecting rod or rods of the break will be provided with holes, so that
as the break blocks wear by taking out a bolt the connecting rod can
be shortened or lengthened, bringing the blocks nearer to the wheels
and so regulated that the blocks will wear uniformly.
For two-wheeled carriages that part of the harness commonly called
the breech band will be attached to a cross bar by means of a chain or
other method running over a roller fixed to the shafts in place of the
breech band, hook, or staple, and secured by a bolt or bolts.
Provision is made for backing carriages by means of a hand or foot
lever, acting upon a toothed rack, by which the break can be removed
from the wheels allowing them to revolve. It is also provided that the
back band part of the harness shall be attached to the shafts by a slide
in lieu of fixed hook.
In case of a cart being required to shoot up to unload, or other similar
requirement, the rod connecting the cross bar to the break shaft will be
provided with a joint allowing one part of the connecting rod to fall
with the cart, leaving the other part in its usual position. It is also
provided that the break shaft to which the break blocks are attached
shall have one wheel fixed on each side to work on sockets movable on
a slide.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Unwin in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th August 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
UNWIN, of Sheffield, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Unwin, Her special licence
that I, the said William Unwin, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Unwin, my exccutors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
SINGLE AND DOUBLE SELF-ACTING BREAK, FOR TWO AND FOUR WHEELED CARTS,
CARRIAGES, STREET TRAMWAY CARS, AND OTHER WHEELED CONVEYANCES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Unwin, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Unwin, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
The object of this Invention is the construction of a single and double
self-acting break so that when the vehicle is descending an incline, or a
check is given to the traction power employed, the breaks act imme-
diately both behind and before the hind wheels of four or more wheeled
vehicles and street tramway cars, this constituting the double break.
For two-wheeled vehicles, carts, and other conveyances the break is
single, or one break on each wheel, but in either case by this Invention

page_text: the pressure is increased with the momentum, and it can be readily
withdrawn when the traction power is applied.
That the Invention may be readily understood, reference is made in
the following description to accompanying Drawings, and the letters
marked thereon, the same letters refer to like parts.
Figs. 1 and 2 represent a four-wheeled vehicle in plan and elevation,
with the double break shewn in connection with it.
Figs. 3 and 4 a plan and elevation of a two-wheeled vehicle, with the
single break attached.
In Fig. 1 and 2, A represents the sockets and slides fitted to the
under part of the body of the vehicle, to which are attached the wheel
plates or turntable B under the bars of wood or iron C. These
portions B and C move together bodily on the sockets and slides A
backwards and forwards, they being in connecton with the pole of the
vehicle, and readily acted upon by the horse or other moving power, the
sudden backing consequent upon descending an incline would have the
effect of pushing back the movable portion, which immediately brings
the break blocks D to bear upon the wheels by means of the connecting
rod or rods E working the break shaft F and the break arms G, these
latter (F and G) being attached to the body of the vehicle by means of
fulcrums H and sockets H. A. hand or foot lever I controls the move-
ment of the sliding plate B, by which means the breaks are thrown out
of action by the driver of the vehicle when required. The connecting
rods are provided with holes as shewn, so that as the break blocks wear
by taking out a bolt the said rod can be shortened or lengthened as
required, and so bring the block nearer to the wheels and regulate the
wear of the same.
In Figs. 3 and 4, K represents a cross bar attached to the breech
band portion of the harness L by a connecting chain or otherwise, which
passes round the rollers M on the shafts, connected to and forming
a part of bar K is the connecting rod R with a joint T and a spiral
spring W, the latter connected with the axle or other portion of the
body of the cart; at the extreme end of the rod R is the break shaft S,
having at the breaks P fixed at either end of same, two rollers or studs U
being on the same to facilitate the working backwards and forwards on
the slides or grooves V. Thus, by means of the breech band and chain
connection L to cross bar K, the latter is pulled forward as the horse
backs in descending an incline. The chain L passing round the

page_text: rollers M, this movement of the bar K affects the rod R and shaft S and
brings the breaks P to bear upon the wheels. The hinge T is for the
purpose of allowing the vehicle to be tilted or shot up if required,
hinges being also supplied to the shafts for the same object. A hand or
foot lever N and stud X controls the action of the sliding rod R with
the toothed rack O in which the handle works.
The back band portion of the harness is attached by means of a slide Q
on the shafts, in lieu of the ordinary fixed hook.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be carried into effect, what I claim and
desire to be secured to me by Letters Patent is, the said Invention for
"An Improved Single and Double Self-acting Break for Two and Four
Wheeled Carts, Carriages, Street Tramway Cars, and other wheeled
Conveyances," substantially as herein described and as illustrated upon
the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Unwin, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.