An Improved Railway Brake.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Railway Brake.
I GEORGE EDWARD NEWTON 25 Woodland Road Upper Norwood S.E.
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In place of the brake blocks generally employed I use circular metal discs which
operate in the manner hereinafter described.
A A are the said discs, B is a metal drum bolted to the inner side of the carriage
wheel: CC are two ram pumps working on the crank shaft on which the discs are
fixed: D is a double ram pump which forces the brake discs into contact with the
drum B. E E are two steel reservoirs of compressed air between which & the
double ram pump communication can be made: F is a pipe running the whole
length of the train, on which at intervals i.e. under each carriage, are piston
valves G. These piston valves permit communication between one of the
reservoirs EE & the double acting air ram, & are operated by either driver or
guard, so that the brakes can be applied, or removed at pleasure by lowering the
pressure of the air in the continuous pipe F. Each ram pump is furnished with a
valve H opening inwards & a valve I opening outwards, & communicating with one
of the reservoirs of compressed air. Each has also an opening J communicating
also with one of the reservoirs of compressed air. This opening J permits air to
enter the ram pumps only at the finish of the stroke i.e. when the ram has descended
below this opening, & at such times the compressed air rushes into the pumps &
creates a resistance to the return stroke of the ram.
:
The mode of operation is as follows:-Supposing the brake is to be applied the
driver or guard-opens a stop cock on the pipe F, which allows the escape of
some of its contained air & the movement backwards of the piston valves G this
establishes .communication between the reservoirs & the double ram pump D by
the pipe K thro' which the compressed air passes into the latter the rams of which
are forced apart, & so apply the brake discs. These last being brought into
contact with the drum B are compelled to rotate, thereby bringing into action the
ram pumps C. C, & these, at the end of each stroke, being filled with compressed
air from the reservoirs furnish the resistance to the motion of the train; in other
words the momentum of the train is made to operate as its own brake by working
the ram pumps against a resisting medium, viz. air at a sufficient pressure to bring
the train to rest.
The function of the valve H is to allow atmospheric air to be drawn into the ram
pump at each descont of the ram, such air going to supply the waste occasioned by
applying the brake. It is obvious that any accident which severs the train causes
the instant application of the brake which is thus seen to be automatic.
GEORGE EDWARD NEWTON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Railway Brake.
1. GEORGE EDWARD NEWTON Engineer of 38 Woodland Road Upper Norwood
S.E. 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
5 following statement, reference being made to the drawings filed with
Specification:-
my Provisional

page_text: Fig. 1B & plan or the same.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of rám pump.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the same.
In place of the brake blocks ordinarily employed I use circular metal discs,
which operate as follows:
A. A are the said discs: B is a metal drum bolted to the inner side of the
carriage wheel. CC are ram pumps working on the crank shaft on which the
dises are fixed: D is a double ram pump which forces the discs into contact with
the drums: E. E are steel reservoirs of compressed air, between which & the
double ram pump communication can be made: F is a pipe running the whole
length of the train on which, at intervals, i.e. under each carriago, are piston
valves G. These piston valves permit communication between one of the steel
reservoirs E & the double ram pump & are operated by either driver or guard, 80
that, the brake can be applied or removed at pleasure by merely emptying or filling
the continuous pipe F.
Each ram pump C is furnished with a valve H opening inwards, & communicating
with tho atmosphere, & a valve I opening outwarda, & communicating with one
of the steel reservoirs of compressed air. Each has also an opening J com-
municating also with one of the said reservoirs. This opening J is open only at
the finish of the downward stroke i.e. when the ram has passed below the opening,
& at such moment communication being free, the compressed' air rushes into the
pump from the reservoir, & creates a resistance to the return of the ram.
A forcing pump is fixed on the engine for emergencies, & supposing the
reservoirs to be full of compressed air, the mode of operation is as follows:-
This
Supposing the brake is to be applied the driver (or guard) empties the pipe F
by simply turning a tap at the end of the brake pipe, which allows the escape of its
contained air, & the movement of the piston valves G from N to n.
establishes communication between the double ram pump D & the reservoirs E by
the pipe K through which compressed air passes into the double acting ram
pump D, the pistons of which it forces apart & so applies the brake discs. These
last, being brought into contact with the drums B or wheels are compelled to rotate,
thereby bringing into action the ram-pumps C, & these at the end of each stroke,
being filled with compressed air from the reservoirs, furnish the resistance to the
motion of the train.. In other words the momentum of the train is made to operate
as its own brake, by working pumps against a resisting medium viz. air at a pressure
sufficient to bring the train to rest.
The function of the valve H is to allow the atmosphere to enter the pumps at
each descent of the ram; such air going to supply the waste produced by the
operation of the brake which thus supplies its own brake power. It is obvious that
any accident which severs the train causes the escape of the air from the pipe F, &
the consequent instantaneous application of the brake, which is thus seen to be
Automatic.
All the reservoirs are connected by flexible or other piping, that from the last
one forming a junction with the brake pipe F thro' the intermediation of a two
way tap, the turning of which thro' a quarter cirole puts the brake either on or off.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is not the principle involved in the working of this brake, but its practical
application in the special form of apparatus herein described whereby the
momentum of a train in motion is converted into potential energy, by making it
compress atmospheric air in the manner above set forth viz.
1. By the use of circular metal brake-discs in place of those in ordinary use.
2. By the use of the ram pumps as fully described in the drawings whereby the
brake discs are applied, & a continuous supply of air is obtained for working.
3. By the use of piston valves on the brake pipe F whereby connection is made
between the reservoirs of compressed air & the double ram pumps.

page_text: 4. By the use of such reservoirs for the storage of the air which constitutes the
brake power.
5. By the use & combination of the various parts & appliances as hereinbefore
set forth into the brake apparatus described above, & fully shown in the
drawings.
1003
GEO. E. NEWTON