AN IMPROVED FRICTION BRAKE FOR CARS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Elijah Warren Sandford, of the City of Brooklyn,
State of New York, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED FRICTION BRAKE FOR CARS AND OTHER
PURPOSES." Partly a communication from William Leaver, residing
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Elijah Warren Sand-
ford at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 27th June 1870.
I, ELIJAH WARREN SANDFORD, of the City of Brooklyn, State of
New York, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED FRICTION
BRAKE FOR CARS AND OTHER PURPOSES," the result partly of a communi-
cation made to me from William Leaver, a person resident at said
Brooklyn, and partly of Invention and discovery made by me, to be
as follows:-

page_text: This Invention consists in the use of one or more pairs of revolving
wheels constituting brake wheels, which are supported on axles parallel
with the car or truck axles and rendered adjustable by slotted bearings,
so that such brake wheels can have lateral motion toward and from
each other, and which brake wheels are placed between any two of
the wheels of a truck or car, and are so arranged that as the brake
lever is operated such brake wheels will be brought in contact with
the peripheries of both such truck or car wheels, thereby not only
increasing the friction applied to the wheels to check their motion, but
rendering it easily possible to reverse the motion of one of such car
wheels, and thus more effectually and certainly resting the car or
carriage. These brake wheels have their axles supported in a frame
or bearing which has motion up or down, and which is so connected
with the brake lever that as such lever is operated such frame is drawn
down (when the brake wheels are placed. above the truck wheels) and
the brake wheels forced in contact with the peripheries of the truck
or carrying wheels, and with varying results as they are forced against
such wheels more or less closely. If the brake wheels are forced only
moderately against the truck wheels, the motion of the latter will be
checked as with the use of the ordinary brakes; if they are forced
against such wheels with greater power the effect is through or by reason
of the revolution of the brake wheels to reverse the motion of one of
such truck wheels, which is equivalent to a certain degree to reversing
the engine; and if they are forced against the truck wheels with full
power both truck wheels will be entirely arrested and will slide upon
the track or railway. Such revolving brake wheels thus become a most
powerful means of controlling the speed and movement of the train,
and the power applied at the brake lever is rendered much more effectual
than is possible with the ordinary brake.
In cases where the truck wheels are not very far apart a single pair
of brake wheels will only be required, but where the truck wheels are
more distant the pairs of brake wheels may be duplicated so as to
bring the outer pair by a little extent of motion in contact with the
truck wheels, and the effect will be the same as to checking or reversing
the motion of the carrying or truck wheels. Such revolving brake wheels
may also be placed below as well as above the horizontal plane of
the axle of the truck wheels, and will act with the same effect in

page_text: either position. Such brake wheels may be operated by any suitable
mechanism, but a convenient and effective arrangement is to attach the
brake lever which is acted upon by the chain to an excentric shaft,
so that as the lever is drawn forward the excentric will force down
the frame supporting the brake wheel's axles, and thus bring such
wheels against the peripheries of the truck wheels, a spring when the.
power is released carrying back the brake lever and raising the brake
wheels..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Elijah Warren Sandford in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 27th December 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELIJAH
WARREN SANDFORD, of the City of Brooklyn, State of New York, United
States of America, Mechanical Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Elijah Warren Sandford, Her special
licence that I, the said Elijah Warren Sandford, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Elijah Warren
Sandford, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED FRICTION BRAKE FOR CARS AND OTHER PURPOSES," the
result partly of a communication made to him from William Leaver,
a person resident at said Brooklyn, and partly of Invention and
discovery made by him, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Elijah Warren Sandford, 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,

page_text: 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 Elijah Warren Sandford, 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 :-
My Invention consists in the use of one or more pairs of revolving
wheels which constitute the brake, the axles of which have adjustable
bearings so that the wheels can have lateral motion toward and from
each other, and which are placed between two truck wheels on either
or both sides of a car, and so arranged and connected with the brake
lever that as the latter is operated such wheels will be brought in
contact with the peripheries of such truck or car wheels, thereby
checking their revolutions and rendering it easily possible to reverse the
motion of one of such car wheels, and thus more certainly and
effectually arresting the movement of the car.
Figure 1 is a side view of a truck of a rail car with my improved
brake connected therewith; Figure 2 is a sectional view of the same
showing the brake wheels acting upon the truck wheels; Figure 3 is a
plan showing the position of the brake and truck wheels and brake
lever; Figure 4 is a view of the ratchet wheel and pawl for fastening
the brake; Figure 5 shows the brake and truck wheels when the former
are not acting upon the latter; Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the use of one
or two pairs of brake wheels.
The brake wheels 1, 1', are supported on transverse bars or axles a, a,
parallel with the axletree of the car, and having their bearings in a
frame A, such bearings being also adjustable by means of the slots b, b,
and thus permitting such wheels to have lateral motion as the frame A
and the wheels 1, 1', are moved up and down by the action of the brake
lever B operated by the brakeman at C. Such brake wheels may be
placed either above or below the line of the axle of the truck wheels,
though I consider it preferable to place them above as shown in the
Drawing. As the brake lever is operated by the brakeman the frame A
is drawn down when the brake wheels are placed above the line of the
car axle, and the brake wheels 1, 12, forced against the peripheries of
the truck wheels 2, 21, and with different results according as such brake

page_text: wheels are brought more or less tightly against the truck wheels. If
the brake wheels are forced only moderately against the truck wheels
the motion of the latter will be checked as by the use of the ordinary
brake. If, however, they are brought against the truck wheels with
greater power the action of such brake wheels by being revolved in
opposite directions on their axles from contact with the truck wheels will
be to reverse the motion of one or the other of such truck wheels, and
thereby producing a result like that effected by reversing the engine.
And if such brake wheels are forced with full power against the truck
wheels the revolution of the latter will be wholly arrested and they will
slide upon the track. This arrangement of revolving brake wheels thus
becomes a most powerful as well as a convenient means of controlling
the speed and movement of any car or train, and the power applied
at the brake wheel is much more effectual than is possible with the
ordinary brake. The brake wheels 1, 1', are operated as shown in the
Drawing by means of the brake lever B which is moved by a chain c
winding around a spindle C, such lever being fixed to an eccentric
shaft D turning in a collar E fixed to the frame A in which are the
bearings of the wheels 1, 1'. As the brake lever B is drawn forward
into the position shown in Figure 2 the eccentric shaft D turning in the
collar E draws down the frame A and brings the brake wheels against
the peripheries of the truck wheels 2, 21. When the spindle C is
released the spring s carrics back the lever B to the position shown in
Figure 5, thus raising the frame A and carrying the brake wheels away
from the truck wheels. When the truck wheels are not very far apart
only a single pair of wheels 1, 1', will be required, but where the truck
wheels are more distant from each other the brake wheels may be
doubled as shown in Figure 7. The effect, however, in reversing the
truck wheels will be the same in either case. When the brake wheels
are placed below the line of the axle of the truck wheels the mechanism
operating them will be so arranged as to raise such wheels as the lever B
is moved forward. The adjustable bearings for the brake wheels are
deemed advisable but are not considered necessary and may be omitted.
What is claimed as new is, a car brake consisting of one or more
pairs of revolving wheels placed between the carrying wheels of a car,
and so arranged that the peripheries of such wheels may be thrown
in contact with each other, and at the same time in contact with the

page_text: treads or peripheries of such carrying wheels substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Elijah Warren Sandford, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
ELIJAH WARREN SANDFORD. (L.S..).