AN IMPROVED BRAKE, APPLICABLE TO PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION TO LOCOMOTIVES, RAILWAY, AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Testuz, of Villette, Canton de Vaud,
Switzerland, but temporarily of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Watch Maker, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED BRAKE, APPLICABLE TO
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Testuz at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
February 1864.
I, FRANÇOIS TESTUZ, of Villette, Canton de Vaud, Switzerland, but
temporarily of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Watch Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED BRAKE, APPLICABLE
TO LOCOMOTIVES, RAILWAY, AND OTHER VEHICLES," to be as follows, that is
to say:-
My Invention consists in the construction of mechanism by means of which
two blocks of wood or other suitable material are brought to bear from
opposite directions upon each periphery of the two wheels upon the same axle
of a railway or other carriage simultaneously. Close to the inner side of
each wheel a bracket is fixed to the frame of the carriage, which brackets
carry a small shaft placed just above the axle of the wheels, or it may be
placed either before or behind it. At each end of this shaft is fixed a double
lever in the form of an S, or nearly so, or it may be varied; the upper end of
each of these S-shaped levers is connected by means of a chain with a trans-

page_text: verse bar extending from one wheel to the other, and placed behind them, and
the lower end of each lever is connected with a similar transverse bar placed
in front of the wheels; these bars are suspended freely from the frame of the
carriage, and carry at each end a block of wood for pressing on the wheels;
these brakes may be brought closer to the wheels when rendered necessary
from wear by means of nuts and screws. In the middle of the before-
mentioned shaft, in a more or less inclined position, is fixed a lever or arm
furnished with a counterweight; the top of this arm is connected by means of
a chain (provided with a serew and nut for regulating the incline of the arm)
with a horizontal rod which passes along the entire length of the carriage;
this rod is turned into a ring at one end, for preventing it having too much
play in a backward direction. It will be easily understood that if the said
horizontal rod be drawn forward by any suitable mechanism, it will raise the
arm to which it is connected by a chain, this arm will move the shaft, and
also the S-shaped levers fixed to it, & the latter being connected as already
described with the transverse bars carrying the brakes will draw thom against
two sides of the periphery of each wheel simultaneously. As soon as the
horizontal rod is released, the aforesaid counterweight falls, and causes the
S-shaped levers to take their original position, thereby releasing the transverse
bars, which by reason of their weight will recede from the wheels and drop
into their primitive position; or this recoil of the bars can be assisted if
necessary by properly adapting to them a blade or other suitable spring. In
cases where the axles of the wheels do not revolve, the bearings for the shaft
of the S-shaped levers may be fixed on the axles. It is evident that if this
arrangement be applied to all the carriages of a train, and the horizontal rod
of each carriage be properly connected, the brakes of all the carriages may be
caused to act simultaneously. I attach to the horizontal rod of each carriage
a catch, by which the brakes may be held against the wheels as long as may
be required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Testuz in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th July 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANÇOIS
TESTUZ, of Vilette, Canton the Vaud, Switzerland, but temporarily of 4, South
Street, Finsbury, London, Watch Maker, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh
year of Her reign, did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said François Testuz, Her special license that I, the
said François Testuz, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said François Testuz, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED BRAKE, APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVES, RAILWAY, AND OTHER
VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said François
Testuz, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed'
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said François Testuz, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereto annexed,
and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in the construction of certain mechanism by means
of which two blocks of wood or other suitable material are brought to bear-
from opposite directions upon each periphery of the two wheels upon the same
axle of a railway or other carriage simultaneously. The blocks of wood are
fixed upon transverse bars reaching from one wheel to the other, and these
bars are freely suspended from the frame of the carriage, one in front and one
behind each pair of wheels to which the brake is to be applied.
In order that my Invention may be more easily understood, I will now
proceed to describe it by the aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which
Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a longitudinal section of the ordinary frame of a railway
carriage with my improved brake attached. Figure 2, Sheet 1, being a plan of
the same.
As close to the inner side of each wheel as may be convenient a bracket
or bearing A is fixed to the frame of the carriage M, Figures 1 and 2, for

page_text: carrying a small shaft B placed just above the axle C; or such shaft B may be
placed to suit convenience, either before or behind the axle, but it is better to
be placed above it. At each end of this shaft B is fixed a double lever D in
the form of an S, or nearly so, but it may be of any other suitable form. This
lever D is connected by means of the rods E with the cross bars F, placed
one in front and one behind each pair of wheels. The upper ends of each of
the S-shaped levers are connected to the bar F behind the wheels, and the
lower end to the bar F in front of the wheels, the bars F being suspended
from the frame of the carriage, as shown at G, and carry at each end a block
of wood or other suitable material II for pressing against the wheels to stop
them. The distance of the brakes from the wheels may be regulated by the
set screws and nuts V. In the middle of the shaft B, in a more or less
inclined position, is fixed a lever or arm I, the end of which is connected by
means of a rod K. to the screw block J fixed on the bar L, which has a screw-
thread cut upon a portion of its length, and upon motion being given to the
bar L the screw block J is caused to advance or recede, so giving motion to
the shaft B. The screw block J has upon the top a catch, which runs in a
groove to prevent it twisting or turning. At the end of the bar L is a collar,
which may be placed either inside or outside of the frame to prevent it having
a to-and-fro motion. To prevent the S-shaped lever D from coming in
contact with the axles of the wheels, the end of the lever I is provided with a
chain hanging freely from the bar L. It will be easily understood that upon
the bar L receiving a rotative motion, the screw block J will move along upon
the bar L, which being connected to the rod K will raise the lever I by means
of the rod or chain K, and consequently will cause the shaft B to turn
slightly, as well as the S-shaped levers D fixed to it. By this movement the
bars F, to which are fixed the brakes H, being connected with these levers D
by means of the rods E, as herein-before described, will therefore be drawn
towards the peripheries of the wheels, and cause the brakes, one in front and
one behind each wheel, to press against the peripheries of each wheel simul-
taneously. As soon as the rod L is released, its rotative movement in a
contrary direction will cause the levers D to take their original position,
thereby releasing the bars F and brakes to which they are attached, and
causing them to recede from the wheels of the carriage and drop into their
primitive position, so that all pressure will be removed from the wheels. It
is evident that if this arrangement be applied to all the carriages of a train,
and the horizontal rod of each carriage be properly connected, the brakes of
all the carriages may be made to act simultaneously. By this arrangement

page_text: of mechanism the brake may be worked from any particular carriage. The
connection for the bar L from one carriage to another is effected by
means of the slide o and rod R, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, Sheets 1
and 2. A hinge T raises the rod R to avoid the shock between the slide o
and the rod R when two carriages are approaching, and the bolt serves to
prevent the fall of the rod R during its rotative motion.
The Figures 3 and 4, of Sheet II., represent in elevation and plan some
modifications of the arrangements shewn in Figures 1 and 2, as herein-before
described. The object of these arrangements is to have the blocks H pressing
at the same time only on the two side wheels of the same carriage. There
are two screw blocks J, one of which is cut with a right and the other with a
left handed screw, the part of the bar L on which they work being similarly
tapped. The movement which is given to the bar L will be communicated
to the screw block J, and when the pressure on the brake is given the cross
bar F will approach each other and will draw with them the blocks H, which
are attached by means of a strong hinge G to the frame M of the carriage;
the bar L is placed as near to the axle and wheels as possible, and is sup-
ported by the rods E and brackets B, the number of which can be increased
at will. The movement given to the bar L is communicated from carriage to
carriage by means of the slide o and bar R, as herein-before described when
describing Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1.
The arrangements herein-before described in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, and
those of Figures 3 and 4, Sheet II., are applicable to vehicles for ordinary
roads, to locomotives, tenders, and to railway and other carriages, the prin-
ciple being the same in all cases, the details only varying. The ordinary
carriage frames may be employed.
And having now described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details of construction herein-before stated, as the same may be varied
without deviating from the principle of my Invention; but what I claim and
intend to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
is,
First, the peculiar arrangement of mechanism by which the brakes are
caused to act simultaneously upon the peripheries of two wheels on the two
opposite sides of a railway or other carriage as herein-before described,
reference being had to Figures 1 and 2 of Sheet 1 of the Drawings.
Secondly, the peculiar arrangement of mechanism by which the brakes are
caused to act upon the two wheels of the same side of a railway or other car-

page_text: riage as herein-before described, reference being had to Figures 1 and 2,
Sheet II., of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Testuz, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of July, in the year of our Lord
Ono thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
HY. GILBEE,
10, Rue de la Fidélité,
Paris.
TESTUZ.
(L.S.)