IM- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH RAILWAY BREAKS
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edwards and Eli Edwards
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the
12th August 1861.
We, WILLIAM EDWARDS and ELI EDWARDS, both of the City of Coventry,
Ribbon Weavers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH RAILWAY BREAKS," to be as
follows:-
We construct, and by suitable bearings attach to and under the floor of the
carriage connected with the usual buffers, or with the buffer springs of the
carriage, or with additional buffers or buffer springs fitted for the purpose, and
also with such breaks as may be desired to be used or applied, an apparatus
which acts upon the shutting off of the steam or upon reversing the engine
attached to the train, or upon any other powerful arresting cause on the whole
of the breaks fitted to such carriage, and the train is very speedily brought to
a stand. After applying the power of the engine, or other means, and commu-
nicating back motion for the purpose of shunting on to a siding or otherwise,
the whole of the breaks become released and cease to act or retard the motion
of the carriage.

page_text: The break acts by pressure on the rim of the wheel in the usual way, and
to each carriage any number of breaks not exceeding the number of wheels
may be fitted.
Each break is mounted on a bar or on a set of straight springs
attached to or fitted with and working upon an axle between that portion
which acts on the wheel and its other end; we place this metal bar or spring
which carries the break vertically or nearly so. The axle is attached to the
carriage by suitable bearings, causing the axle either to be a positive fixture
or allowing it a horizontal spring motion, as may be desired; the upper end of
such bar or spring has a hole in which the end of the buffer rod fits. To each
buffer rod we attach longitudinally along one of its sides three metal fittings,
that next the buffer working on a pin fitted to a hole in it, the pin having a
head, and being fixed at its other end through a slot in the buffer rod, and
rendered fast by a screw nut or other suitable fitting capable of adjustment.
The first metal fitting is attached at its other end by a joint to the second, and
that to the third, somewhat similarly to the connection of three links of a watch
chain, in such manner as to allow these three pieces to perform, when requi-
site, a peculiar horizontal motion. The central fitting or piece has attached to
its inner-edge or side a projection, having a longitudinal slot in which is a
metal pin, the motion of which pin (when another piece acting as a lever on
and to which it is fitted is acted upon as herein-after mentioned) causes the
three pieces either to occupy a straight line, or, when requisite, to perform a
lateral motion, the effect of which is to shorten their aggregate length; the
'third piece and furthest from the buffer has a slot along its centre which works
easily on suitable fittings, allowing, when the other pieces are moved by the
pin referred to, an adjustable amount of longitudinal motion. By this arrange-
ment, when the three pieces are in a straight line, the end of the third piece on
the buffer being depressed or forced inwards to a certain extent (which extent
is regulated by the attachment of the first piece), presses against the side near
the upper end, and puts in motion the metal bar or spring carrying the break,
bringing into action the break attached to the other end of the same, and con-
tinuing such action either as long as such buffer is depressed or until motion
is communicated to the three pieces by the action of the pin working in the
slot attached to the second of them.
In order to enable a carriage or train to be backed or shunted, it is requisite
that on commencing such operation our breaks should cease to act; for this
purpose we fasten in a suitable manner the pin working in the slot of the
second piece to one of a set of slides and levers fitted to and under, the floor of

page_text: the carriage, which, when brought into action, moves the said pin and fittings,
and so releases the break or breaks, in consequence of one of such levers
becoming acted upon by one of the teeth of a small wheel fitted on to the axle
of the wheel or wheels, equidistant or thereabouts from each other, on which
the breaks have acted. The difference of pressure of the breaks after the train
has been brought to a stand, and the reversing of the direction in which the
wheels rotate, enables us to effect such purpose as soon or thereabouts as back
motion is communicated.