IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Ivey of 5 Cromwell Terrace Battersea in the
County of Surrey, and John Henry Craddock, of Love Lane, in the City
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Ivey and John
Henry Craddock at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
21st March 1882.
HENRY IVEY of 5 Cromwell Terrace, Battersea, in the County of Surrey, and
JOHN HENRY CRADDOCK, of Love Lane, Wood Street, in the City of London.
IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES."
Our invention relates to improvements in brakes for railway vehicles and consists
in a novel construction and combination of parts whereby a train or a portion of a
train may be very readily retarded or stopped. In carrying our invention into practice
we arrange within or upon the vehicle whereon the brake mechanism is mounted
a hand wheel which through the medium of a short chain imparts motion to a
lever when the said hand wheel is turned. This lever is connected to one arm of
a bell crank lever which is suitably pivoted to the under frame or truck of the
vehicle. The other arm of this lever is connected to a longitudinally sliding bar
or rod which we term the brake operating bar or rod by means of two connecting
rods or bars one on each side of the said brake rod. The latter slides in suitable
supports or bearings at each end of the vehicle.
To the said brake rod we attach, two other connecting rods or bars which are
united to and adapted to move a crank or lever mounted upon a shaft extending
transversely, across the vehicle frame. This shaft carries two double crank levers
that is to say two levers, each having two arms. Each of these arms is attached
by a connecting rod or bar, to a bell crank lever, two of such levers being fixed
upon a shaft at one side of, and parallel to, the aforesaid transverse shaft and the
other two levers upon a shaft at the other side of and parallel to the said trans-
verse shaft. These bell crank levers are each connected by a rod or bar and
intermediate arms to the two brake blocks which we arrange in connection with

page_text: each wheel. These blocks or shoes are preferably arranged to bear upon the
periphery of the wheel at or near its top and on each side of a vertical line passing
through the axis of the wheel. The said 'blocks moreover, may be arranged to fit
over the flange of the wheel, in addition to extending across the tread of the same.
Each of the said blocks is mounted upon, or forms part of, an arm or lever which
extends downwardly over the periphery, of the wheel and is pivotted at its lower
end upon a transverse shaft supported in a plate extending along the carriage
frame. To compensate for the wear of the brake blocks we preferably form the
rod or bar which connects each of the arms of the double crank levers with the
bell crank levers on the transverse shafts in two parts one of which is screwed into
the other so that by turning the one part or the other the length of the said bar
or rod may be varied and the throw of the brake blocks consequently regulated.
To the arms of the aforesaid double crank levers we also attach one end of a bar
or rod whose other end is connected to a bar or plate preferably of spring steel
secured at its lower end to a lever foot. The lever foot is pivoted upon the same
shaft as the lever or arm carrying the brake block and is arranged when depressed,
to come in contact with and bear upon the upper surface or head of the rail so as
to exert friction thereon and consequently assist in retarding or stopping the train.
The bar or plate between the lever foot and connecting bar is preferably made
elastic so as to permit the lever foot to adapt itself to any irregularities in the
surface of the rails. In the above description we have described our improvements
as applied to a four wheeled vehicle in which two break blocks and two lever feet
are arranged adjacent to each wheel. It will be evident however that the said
improvements may be applied to vehicles having a greater number of wheels
without departing from the principle of our invention. Moreover the brake blocks
and lever feet may be applied in connection with two only of the wheels of a
vehicle and if desired the brake blocks only may be used or the lever feet only.
Again it will be evident that the brake rod or bar instead of being operated by
levers and a chain and wheel may be operated by any other suitable devices such
as a screw and nut for instance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Ivey and John Henry Craddock in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st September 1882.
HENRY IVEY, of 5 Cromwell Terrace, Battersca, in the county of Surrey, and
JOHN HENRY CRADDOCK, of 1º. Love Lane, in the city of London ⚫ "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES
دو
Our invention relates to improvements in brake-mechanism for railway vehicles
and consists in various novel features in the construction and arrangement of the
parts of the said mechanism whereby a train or a portion of a train may be readily
retarded impeded or stopped.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which :-
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the under frame or truck of a vehicle provided
with our improvements and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

page_text: Figure 3 represents in elevation partly in section a modification of our invention
hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate the same parts in all of these figures.
In carrying our invention into practice we arrange within or upon the vehicle
whereon the brake-mechanism is mounted a hand-wheel or other device which
through the medium of a short chain imparts motion to a lever when the said
hand-wheel or other device is turned or operated. This lever is connected to one
arm A of the bell-crank-lever A. which is pivotted at A* to the under frame or
truck B. of the vehicle. The other arm A2. of this lever is connected to a longi-
tudinally sliding bar or rod C, which we term the brake operating bar or rod, by
means of two connecting rods or bars D. one on each side of the said brake bar or
rod.
The latter slides in suitable supports or bearings E. at each end of the
vehicle. To the said brake bar or rod we attach two other connecting rods or
bars F. which are united to and are adapted to operate a crank or lever G. mounted
upon a shaft H. extending transversely across the vehicle-frame. This shaft carries
two double crank levers I. that is to say two levers each having two arms.
Each of these arms is attached by a connecting rod or bar J. to a bell-crank-
lever K. two of such levers being fixed upon a shaft L. at one side of, and
parallel to, the aforesaid transverse shaft H. and the other two levers upon another
shaft L. at the other side of, and parallel to, the said transverse shaft. These bell-
crank-levers are each connected by a rod or bar N. and intermediate arms N¹ to
the two brake blocks or shoes O. which we arrange in connection with each of the
wheels of the vehicle. These blocks or shoes O. are preferably arranged to bear
upon the periphery of the wheel at, or near its top and on each side of a vertical
line passing through the axis of the said wheel. The said blocks may also be
arranged to fit over and come in contact with the flange of the wheel as shewn, in
addition to extending across the tread of the same. Each of the said blocks or
shoes is mounted upon or forms part of an arm or lever P. which extends down-
wardly adjacent to the periphery of the wheel and is pivotted at its lower end
upon a transverse shaft Q. supported in a brace or plate Q. extending along the
carriage-frame. To compensate for the wear of the brake-blocks O. we preferably
form the rod or bar J, which connects each of the arms of the double crank-lever I.
with the bell-crank-levers K. on the transverse shafts L. in two parts J¹. J. one of
which is screwed into the other as shewn so that by turning one part or the other
the length of the said bar or rod may be varied and the throw of the brake-blocks
consequently regulated. To each of the arms of the aforesaid double crank-levers I.
we also attach one end of a bar or rod R. whose other end is connected to a bar or
plate S. preferably of spring steel, secured at its lower end to a lever-foot or friction
exerting device T. This lever-foot or device is pivotted upon the same shaft as
the lever or arm Q. carrying the brake-block O. and is designed when depressed to
come in contact with and bear upon the upper surface or head of the rail so as to
exert friction thereon and consequently assist in retarding, stopping, or arresting
the impetus of the train. The bar or plate between each foot T. and the connecting
bar is preferably made elastic so as to permit the said foot to adapt itself to any
irregularities or inequalities in the surface of the rails. R. R². R³. represent
bars for combining the bar S. at one side of a wheel with the bar S. on
the other side of the said wheel so as to ensure their simultaneous operation.
In Figure 3. we have shown a modification of our invention wherein we employ
for operating the brake blocks or shoes O. a lever U. pivotted to the frame of the
truck at U-This lever is united by a connecting bar or link V. to the hinge or
joint of two arms or levers W. W. These arms or levers are in turn connected to
the lower ends of two levers X X. pivotted at X X¹. in a plate or bracket,
depending from the frame of the truck or a cross bar connecting the sides of the
same, and united at their upper ends to one end of bars or links Y; attached at their
other ends to the brake blocks or shoes. The said arms W. W., are also connected
by the links Z. Z. with the bars or plates carrying the feet T. as shewn. From this
construction it follows that when power is applied to depress the lever U. the

page_text: brake blocks or shoes will be applied to the wheels and the feet to the rails
. with great force and rapidity the motion of the said blocks and feet being
instantaneous.
In the above description we have described our improvements as applied to a
four wheeled vehicle in which two brake-blocks and two feet are arranged adjacent
to each wheel. It will be evident however that the said improvements may be
applied to vehicles having a greater number of wheels without departing from the
principle of our invention. Moreover the brake-blocks and lever-feet may be
applied in connection with two only of the wheels of a vehicle and if desired the
brake-blocks only may be used or the lever-feet only. Again it will be evident
that the brake rod or bar, instead of being operated by levers and a chain and
wheel may be operated by any other suitable devices such as a screw and nut for
instance.
Having thus fully described our invention and the manner of performing the
same we wish it understood that we claim :
First. The combination with the bell-crank-lever A, operated by a lever or
other device, of the longitudinally sliding bar C. connected to the said lever A. by
the rods or bars D, the rods or bars F, the crank or lever G. mounted upon the
shaft H, and the levers I. combined by the adjustable rods or bars J. with the
· levers K. mounted upon the shafts L. and connected by the rods or bars N. and
the arms N¹ with the brake blocks or shoes O. which are mounted upon the
levers P. pivotted upon the shaft Q. all substantially as above set forth and for the
purposes specified.
Second The combination with the devices referred to in the preceding claim
of the bars or rods R. connected to the bars or plates S. carrying the feet T.
and the bars R'. R². R³. all substantially as above set forth and for the purposes
specified.
Third The combination with the brake blocks or shoes O. and the feet T. of
the lever U, the bar or link V, the levers W W, the levers X X, the bars or links Y.
connected with the said shoes, and the links Z. Z. attached to the said feet all
substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 3, of the drawing and
for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Craddock on behalf of the said
Henry Ivey and myself have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty
first day of September in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.
JOHN HENRY CRADDOCK.
(L.S.)