IM- PROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES AND RAILS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Ormerod Whitehead, of Pendleton, near Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES AND RAILS."
Sealed the 22nd September 1877, and dated the 27th March 1877
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Ormerod Whitehead
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1877.
PETER ORMEROD WHITEHEAD, of Pendleton, near Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES AND
RAILS."
The object of this Invention is by an improved combination of apparatus to ensure
automatical application of the break power in the event of a carriage or carriages
becoming accidentally detached or breaking away from the train; or a like appli-
cation in the event of the train passing a danger signal; and the Invention
relates to an improved construction of "continuous" rail without the use of "fish
joints.
23
According to my Invention, I arrange that the break shall be applied to each
carriage, van, tender, or to the engine, by means of a weight or spring, relieved by
means of vacuum, steam, pneumatic, hydraulic, or other medium, and brought into
operation by the driver or guard when starting the train, and ceasing to operate
when the train is to be brought to a standstill, thereby allowing the spring or weight,
which is constantly tending to apply the blocks to act.
The application of the brake may be ensured by the severance of the train or by a
lever connected with the signalling apparatus, so that the act of signalling would
cause the lever to operate a valve or valves on the train and destroy the vacuum or
pressure applied to keep the blocks clear of the wheels.
The brake apparatus and power above referred to are of course under command
of driver and guard, but determined points of the line cannot be passed without
application of the brakes, either through driver or guard, or by means of the appa-
ratus above described.
The rails I construct in duplicate halves, the upper one of steel, the lower part of
iron. A groove or recess is formed in the head and in the bottom part of each rail,

page_text: the mid rail or stem being thus divided so that the rail consists of two parts, each
somewhat after the form of the letter P, the foot of cach part being received within
the groove formed in the corresponding part and bolts being passed through the
stem or mid rail, the two are thereby, and by reason of the grooves, securely held
together; the halves overlap so as to make practically a continuous rail without the 5
use of fish joints.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Peter Ormerod Whitehead in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th September 1877.
PETER ORMEROD WHITEHEAD, of Pendleton, in the County of Lancaster.
PROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES AND RAILS."
"IM-
The object of this Invention is, by an improved combination of apparatus, to
ensure automatical application of the brake power in the event of a carriage or
carriages becoming accidentally detached or breaking away from the train; or a
like application in the event of the train passing a danger signal; and the Inven-
tion relates to an improved construction of "continuous" rail without the use of
"fish" joints.
According to my Invention, I arrange that the brake shall be applied to each
carriage, van, tender, or to the engine by means of a weight or spring, relieved by
means of vacuum, steam, pneumatic, hydraulic, or other medium, and brought into
operation by the driver or guard when starting the train and ceasing to operate
when the train is to be brought to a standstill, thereby allowing the spring or
weight (which is constantly tending to apply the blocks) to act.
The application of the brake may be ensured by the séverance of the train or by
a lever connected with the signaling apparatus, so that the act of signaling would
cause the lever to operate a valve or valves on the train and destroy the vacuum or
pressure applied to keep the blocks clear of the wheels.
The brake apparatus and power above referred to are, of course, under command
of driver and guard, but determined points of the line cannot be passed without
application of the brakes, either through driver or guard, or by means of the appa-
ratus above described.
The rails I construct in duplicate halves, the upper one of steel and the lower
part of iron. A groove or recess is formed in the head and in the bottom part of
cach rail; the mid rail or stem between being thus divided so that the rail consists
of two parts, each somewhat after the form of the letter P, the foot of each part
being received within the groove formed in the corresponding part, and bolts being
passed through the stem or mid rail, the two are thereby, and by reason of the
grooves, securely held together; the halves overlap so as to make practically a
continuous rail without the use of "fish joints."
Such being the nature of the said Invention, in order that the particulars may
be understood, I have hereunto annexed two Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation in section on line a, b, of Fig. 2, which is a plan view of
frame axles and wheels of a carriage having my improved brake apparatus applied
thereto. The several views on Sheet two shew the continuous rail and modifications
thereof. A, A, are the brake blocks supported by the hangers B, B, and by the
rods C, C, connected with the levers D, the boss d of which is keyed upon the
shaft E; at F is a lever (having the shaft E as fulcrum) the end of which is con-
nected with the piston rod G of the air, vacuum, steam, or hydraulic cylinder H,
the said piston rod being, as shewn, likewise connected with the strap J of the
spring K; the tendancy of the latter is, through the connections above described,

page_text: to force the piston to the end of the cylinder and apply the brake blocks A, A, and
the said blocks are by the spring so applied at all times save when by pressure of
air, steam, or other medium, or by vacuum, the piston and piston rod are caused
to compress the said spring so as, and by the connections, to reinove the blocks
clear of the wheels. It will be seen then that the application of the brake may be
instantaneous, as it is only necessary to relieve the piston from the air or other
pressure whereon the spring expands and the blocks are applied; L, L, are the
pipes for supplying the air or other medium for acting upon the piston, the pipes of
the several carriages being connected by flexible tubes as is well understood."
At Fig. 1a I have shewn application of spiral springs K¹, K¹, and a chain M as
the medium through which the pressure of the said spring is to be taken off when
removing the blocks, the chain M passing over the guide pulleys N, N, N, and to
an ordinary drum under the control of the driver or the guard; as the chain M is
wound up or tightened, the links P, P, force apart the pendant arms R, R, pushing
off, by means of the connecting rods S, S, the brake blocks A, A, at the same time
further compressing and charging the spiral springs K, K, which, when the brake
power is required, will, on removal of tension on the chain, at once expand and
instantly apply the blocks by forcing outwards the spindles T, T, and collars W, W,
the connecting rods S, S, being thus drawn together and the blocks applied.
It will be understood that, in the event of severance or accidental detaching of a
carriage or a portion of a train, the severance of the pipes L, L, or the removal of
the tension on the chain M at once allows the springs K, K¹, to expand, and there
is immediate and self-acting application of the brake blocks. The continuous rails
are made in duplicate halves or parts Y, Y, and secured to each other by bolts Z,
ordinary chairs as at Z being used the edges Z2 of the rails fitting the heads being
as shewn of various form to fit corresponding shoulders or recesses formed in the
heads.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, I would have it understood that I limit and confine my
claims to,―
The use and employment of a spring or springs (in combination with the apparatus
described) for self-actingly applying the brake blocks, as described.
Secondly. The construction of rails in duplicate or parts, as described and illus-
trated by Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Ormerod Whitehead, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Patent Agent,
Halifax & Blackburn.
P. O. WHITEHEAD. (LS.)