Improvements in Automatic Brakes for Use on Railways.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Brakes for Use on Railways.
I, FREDERICK AINSLIE PERRY, of 197, Seventh Street, East Liverpool, Ohio,
U.S.A., Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to brakes for use on railways; the object of the inven-
tion being to provide simple mechanism which will automatically exert more or
less pressure, as required, to stop the motion of railway coach, truck, or train
in emergencies, either by being operated by the driver or guard, or by the sever-
ance of the coupling devices by accident.
The brake comprises a shaft which is journalled transversely beneath each
coach or truck, in such manner as to be capable of being raised or lowered by
flexible connections running over pulleys atranged along the train, preferably
beneath the foot-boards, or by suitable levers and connections.
The shaft has a brake-shoe or shoes swung thereon and kept in proper position
with respect to the wheels by links or levers connected to the framework of the
coach.
The shaft also carries a lever having its opposite end connected to a clutch on the
car axle adjacent to a drum thereon.
When the driver or guard releases the flexible connection by unwinding it from
a drum in the locomotive cab or brake van, or in case the connection should break
by the cars separating, the shaft will descend until the brake-shoe rests upon
the rail; the lever, projecting from the shaft, operating the clutch to rotate the
drum with the axle and to wind thereon a chain wound around and connected to
the shaft thereby drawing it towards the tyres of the wheels, and the brake shoo
in close contact therewith. The greater the impetus of the train, the greater will
be the force applied.
Coiled springs may be arranged on the brake-shafts, and are wound when the
brake-shoes come into contact with the wheels, so that the full force of the brakes
is not applied immediately, which would cause severe shock.
In an alternative form, the lever and clutch is dispensed with and the chain
on the brake-shoe shaft has a clevis at its end held adjacent to a series of hooks
projecting radially from the axle near the drum thereon, by a flexible connec-
tion, passing over a pulley on the framework of the car, and attached to the
shaft.
When the shaft descends the clevis is raised and engaged by one of the hooks,
and the chain is wound around the drum upon the axle for the purpose afore
described.
Dated thin oond of unterhar 1908
P. R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: I, FREDERICK AINSLIE PERRY, of 197, Seventh Street, East Liverpool, Ohio,
U.S.A., Inventor, 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 relates to certain new and useful improvements in car-brakes,
and relates more particularly to that class known as emergency brakes," having
for their object to suddenly check the speed of the car when the same is beyond
the control of the ordinary braking mechanism. The principal features of my
invention consist of a shaft which carries upon its ends the brake-shoes and is
supported from the car-body by a novel mechanism which, when released, allows
the brake-shoes to fall into engagement with the rail. The descending of this
shaft draws a clevis or look into engagement with T-shaped catches which are
secured in a collar rigidly mounted to the car axle, and through this means
drawing the brake-shoes firmly under the wheels, so as to be engaged by the same,
all of which will be hereinafter more particularly described, and specifically
pointed out in the claims.
In describing the invention in detail reference is to be had to the accompany-
ing drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein like letters of reference
indicate similar parts throughout the several views, in which―
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a car, showing my
improved brake in position thereon. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the car
with the brake in position. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the brake in position on
the car.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the double brake-shoe. Fig. 5 is a per-
spective view of a portion of the chain and its supporting casing. Fig. 6 is
a perspective view of a portion of the car-axle with the guide collars mounted
thereon.
Referring now to the drawings by reference letters, a represents the car-axle,
which has centrally affixed thereto a sleeve b, which carries a series of T-shaped
hooks c, arranged entirely around the same, the purpose of which will be herein-
after more fully described.
Arranged underneath the car-body d and operating in keepers e supported by
said body, is a bar f, having affixed thereto arms extending at an angle and
operating in keepers h, which are also attached to the underneath side of the
car-body. On the upper face of these arms are secured keepers k, which are
adapted to receive the hook ends of the hangers m, which support the shaft n,
carrying the brake-shoes. These brake-shoes are formed in two sections a¹
and a², the latter of which is provided on its inclined face with a groove a³, which
is adapted to receive the flange of the car wheel, the said shoe a² being loosely
mounted on the shaft n. The shoe is supported on the screw-threaded end n
of the shaft and is provided with a projecting tongue at, adapted to receive the
car-wheel and perniit the same to ride forward on the shoe. The shaft has
rigidly mounted thereon two collars and has attached thereto between these
collars a double chain p, which has attached to its free end a clevis or hook q,
which is adapted to engage the T-shaped hooks e when brought into engagement
therewith. This chain passes through the sleeve or casing, carrying a wire »¹,
to which is attached a springs, having a cord attached thereto, which passes
over a pulley ', supported from the car-body, and having its other end divided
into branches thus connerting the chain both to the shaft between the collars and
to collars, mounted on the shaft outside of the collars 0. The chain winds
upon the sleeve between two collars or dises b', rigidly affixed either to the axle

page_text: or on the said collar at the ends thereof. As the chain is wound on the
sleeve bit turns the shaft n, and the screw threads formed on the end n cause the
shoes al to move toward the shoes a². The brake-shoes a¹ and a² are further
supported by means of the clamps 2, attached to an arm and having a pin b+,
which passes through both shoes, the said arm 63 being pivotally connected to a
lever c, which is in turn pivotally connected to the lever the upper end of
which is secured by a hinge to the car-body. The bar is adapted to be
fastened at one end of the car by any suitable mechanism which can be readily
released, and at the other end of the bar is attached a stiff-coil-spring f¹, the
other end of which is secured to a stop f, attached to the car-body.
The operation is as follows: Assuming that it is desired to employ the emer-
gency-brake, the operator releases the mechanism which holds the bar f, allowing
The spring f, which in the normal position of the brake has been extended, to
draw the bar f toward itself and moving the arms in the same direction, and
thus withdrawing the supports for the hangers m, which support the shaft n and
the brake-shoes. This allows the brake-shoes to fall into engagement with the
rail, and through the shaft descending therewith, also pulls the cord t, so as to
cause the same to lift upwardly on the casing r and draw the hook or clevis q
into engagement with the T-shaped hooks c, one of which it engages, and as the
axle continues to revolve the chain is unwound from the axle n and wound upon
the sleeve b, that is mounted on the axle a. As these brake-shoes descend they
also cause the pivoted levers e¹ and 2 to move to the inclined position that is
shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus holding down the rear or the brake-shoe
and retaining the brake so as to permit the car to ride upward onto the same.
As the shaft n is turned by the chain unwinding from the same it draws the
cuter shoe a¹ toward the car-wheel and causes the same to bind firmly against the
head of the rail, also producing a uniform wear of the shoe a¹ against the entire
face of the tread of the car-wheel. This gripping of the rail, together with the
insertion of the projecting tongue a under the car-wheel, so as to permit the same
to rid up onto the brake-shoe will serve to instantly check the speed of the car
and bring the same almost to a sudden stop.
It will of course be understood that this brake is to be used only when the car
is beyond the control of the ordinary braking mechanism employed therefor, and
is adapted to be attached to the car in a manner so as to not in any wise inter-
fere with the same.
When the emergency brake has been used, it will be necessary to move the car
backward, so as to permit the elevating of the shoes and the unwinding of the
chain from the shaft a and the shaft and for engaging the hangers in their
keepers on the supports y as heretofore described.
It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction
without departing from the general spirit of my invention.
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
(1) An emergency brake, comprising a shaft supported from the car-body, a
movable brake-shoe, and a brake shoe loosely mounted upon said shaft, and
means for drawing the brake-shoes into engagement with the wheels when the
same are lowered to the rails, substantially as shewn and described.
(2) In an emergency brake, a shaft supported from the car-body, brake-shoes
mounted on said shaft, a chain attached centrally to the said shaft, and a cord
connected to said chain and shaft, in combination with the car-axle having a
series of hooks mounted thereon to engage said chain and wind the same on the
car-axle when the brake-shoes are lowered into engagement with the rails, sub-
stantially as shewn and described.
(3) In combination with a car-axle having a sleeve mounted thereon, which
carries a series of hooks, a shaft carrying near each end a movable brake-shoe,

page_text: and a brake-shoe loosely mounted thereon, means for supporting said shaft,
chain attached thereto, said chain carrying a clevis, means for drawing the sam
into contact with the hooks on the car axle when the shaft is lowered, and an
operating bar to release the brake-shoes and permit the same to fall into engage-
ment with the track, substantially as shewn and described.
(4) An emergency brake, comprising a shaft having a movable shoe and a shoe
loosely mounted thereon near each end, supporting means for suspending said
shaft and shoes from the car body, means for releasing said support to permit the
shoes to engage the rails, and means whereby the movable shoes are drawn toward
the shoe loosely mounted on the shaft when in engagement with the rails, sub-
stantially as shewn and described.
(5) In an emergency brake, a shaft supported from the car-body, a movable
shoe and a shoe mounted loosely on said shaft near each end; a chain secured to
said shaft near each end; a chain secured to said shaft and carrying a clevis,
hooks secured to the car-axle, means for drawing said chain into contact with
the hooks, connections between the brake-shoes and the car-body, screw-threads
formed on the ends of the shaft whereby the movable shoe is drawn toward the
shoe loosely mounted on said shaft, substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 23rd day of June 1800
P. R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.