IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RETARDING AND STOPPING RAILWAY TRAINS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO VEHICLES TRAVELLING ON COMMON ROADS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Banks, of Derby, Mechanical En-
gineer, and Henry, Banks, of Wednesbury, in the County of
..Stafford, Iron Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RETARDING AND STOPPING RAILWAY TRAINS, WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO VEHICLES TRAVELLING ON
COMMON ROADS."
Sealed the 9th January 1854, and dated the 26th July 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Banks
and Henry Banks at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 26th July 1853.
We, THOMAS BANKS, of Derby, Mechanical Engineer, and HENRY
BANKS, of Wednesbury, in the County of Stafford, Iron Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR RETARDING AND STOPPING RAILWAY TRAINS, WHICH IN-
PROVEMENTS: ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO VEHICLES TRAVELLING ON COMMON
ROADS," to be as follows:-
We propose to place on the axletrees of carriages a description of
brake, consisting of three discs, the first of which is fixed to the axletree.
The second is somewhat larger in diameter than the others, and has

page_text: on its periphery a number of cams or projections; this will turn slightly
on the axletree. The third disc is of the size of the first, and will move
in a line parallel with the axletree, but is prevented from turning or
revolving on it by a feather. A spiral spring coiled round the axletree
keeps the second and third discs tightly pressed up against the first,
which is secured to the axletree. A rod running parallel to and between
the axletrees terminates at one end in a crank handle. About the centre
of this rod a double armed cross lever is attached, so that on turning the
crank the arms of this cross pièce hook the projections or cams on the
centre discs on the axletrees; & as the armis catch the cams, the one
under and the other above the disc, the wheels are immediately locked
& yet not so suddenly as to cause damage, for should the weight or
the impetus of the train be great, the centre disc, on which are the cams.
is, as above described, capable of turning slightly on the axletree &
thus yielding in some measure to the sudden check. For carriages run-
ning on three pairs of wheels an additional rod between the second and
third pairs is required, which is placed higher than that between the first
and second. A connecting rod working freely upon crank arms above
the first rod & under the second, imparts a slight revolving motion to
the second rod parallel to the axletrees, and by a double joint action
lowers a catch piece (which is hung at the opposite end to the framing
of the carriage) down on to the cams in the centre disc on the axle, con-
sequently all three pairs of wheels are simultaneously locked, and yet,
from the form of the cams, the train may be backed without interruption.
By an easy arrangement of rods attached to the crank handles, and
rumming the whole length of the carriages, with coupling chains between,
the brakes in the whole train may be under the control of one man. A
modification of the apparatus described will apply equally well to
odina wood wohilos

page_text: wednesbury; in the County of Statiora, Iron Merchant, senu
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Thomas Banks and Henry Banks,
Her special licence that we, the said Thomas Banks and Henry
Banks, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Thomas Banks and Henry Banks, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at 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 Chan-
nel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RETARDING AND STOPPING RAILWAY TRAINS, WHICH IM-
PROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO VEHICLES TRAVELLING ON COMMON
ROADS, upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the sai
Thomas Banks and Henry Banks, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and scals, should particularly 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 immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Thomas Banks and Henry
Banks, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say):
Our Invention consists of improvements in the construction of brakes,
to be applied to the axles of running carriages, for the purpose of
checking the speed and gradually bringing them to a stop within a
short distance, without suddenly or abruptly checking or blocking the
wheels, whereby we avoid the grinding of the peripheries of the wheels,

page_text: Sheet A, is a longitudman section of the under part of a runway
tender or van, shewing apparatus constituting a form of brake adapted
for use under ordinary circumstances.
Sheet B, a plan of same.
Sheet C, a longitudinal section of the under part of a railway carriage,
shewing apparatus; a modification of the above, forming a brake, to be
applied in cases of danger.
Sheet D, a plan of same.
Sheet E, Figure 1, a transverse section of the brake, shewn in Sheets
A, and B. Figure 2, a transverse section of that represented in Sheets
C, and D.
We now proceed to describe the working of the brake, shewn in
in Drawings, Sheets A, and B, and Figure 1, Sheet E, which is that
intended to be applied to the tender or the guard's van. On the axle of
each pair of wheels are mounted three metal discs (a, b, c,) separated by
wood plates or discs a', a', that marked (a) being firmly keyed and
secured to the axle; the second (b), of somewhat larger diameter, is
hung loosely upon the axle, the bore being made slightly larger than the
diameter of the axle; the third (C) is attached to the axle by a feather,
which prevents its revolving, and at the same time admits of its moving
freely up and down the axle; (D) is an iron bar traversing the entire
length of the van, and firmly secured to the framing timbers at either
end, having slots cut through it in position immediately over the centre
of the discs on the axle, the middle ones of which, marked (b), have cach
a cain or projection formed on their peripheries, which pass through the
slots and are secured by pins and cotters, as seen at (6), by which they
are kept in suspension. These centre discs we propose to make of
wrought iron boiler plates, of sufficient thickness, bolted or rivetted
together, the side discs being of cast iron. (e) is another_rod.of.round
iron running parallel to the former, and also traversing the entire length
of the van; but instead of being fixed to the framing timbers it is hung

page_text: in bearings screwed to them, and is free to revolve slightly on spindles
in those bearings. The clutches (e¹) are keyed on to this rod exactly
opposite to the discs on the axle, and the forked lever (f) is also keyed
thereto. A spanner (g) and spur wheel gear (91) such as is at present
used for common brakes, is mounted on proper carriages secured to the
framing timbers, as seen at (h,h,) which by means of a double threaded
Screw (h) working in a nut hung loosely between the arms of the lever
(f) applies the brake, the operation being as follows:-On turning the
spanner (9) motion is given to the double threaded screw (h¹) by means
of the spur wheels (g'); by this screw working in the loose nut the lever
(f) is raised, which being keyed on to the bar (e) causes the latter to
turn slightly, and thus bring the clutches (e¹) to bear tightly against the
disc (C), which is by them pressed against the loose disc (6), and the
force being continued this pressure can be so increased that the axle is
prevented from revolving in the centre disc by the lateral pressure of the
outer one (C); the revolution of the wheels is consequently checkel,
and the carriage brought to a stop.
We will now describe the modification of the brake shewn in
Drawings, Sheets C, D, and Figure 2, Sheet E, which is the form
intended to be applied to any number of or all the axles of the carriages
in a train, and is adapted for use as an extraordinary or danger brake
in cases of emergency, its application being instantaneous. It will be
seen, on reference to the Drawings, that the discs on the axles; the longi-
tudinal rod, and slotted bar, and the clutches are precisely the same as
those already described, the mode of application alone being different,
the
spanner and spur wheel gear being dispensed with, and the following
contrivance for applying the break substituted :-(J) is a transverse
metal rod passing through one of the longitudinal framing timbers of the
carriage, and resting in a proper bearing, secured to the opposite one to
that end which passes through the framing timber, is attached a lever
handle (k), and on the rod itself is fixed the eccentric (1). (m, m',) are
two arms keyed on to the longitudinal rod (e), that marked (m²) ter-
minating at one end in a balance ball, and at the other being secured
to a strong spring (0) fastened at the top to the framing timber. The
eccentric (1) which is shewn in the Drawings às bearing on the arm (m)

page_text: in that position, prevents the clutches from operating, but on moving
down the lever handle (k), the arm (m), is relieved of the pressure of
the eccentric, the spring (o) comes into force, raising that end of the
arm (m), causing the rod on which the clutches are keyed to turn
slightly, and thus bringing the clutches into close contact with the discs.
The raising of the lever handle, and thus restoring the eccentric to its
former position, withdraws the clutches, and the carriage travels freely.
We propose to apply this form of brake to every carriage in a train, if
necessary; and that the whole of the axles may be checked by one
operation, we employ a bar (p) attached to the sides of every carriage
framing by bearings in that framing through a slot, in which bar the
lever handle () passes; these bars being connected between the car-
riages by link rods or chains, it follows that on lowering the lever and
applying any one of the brakes, the rest throughout the train must be
simultaneously put in action; consequently, every pair of wheels will be
checked; and although they are not rendered utterly incapable of re-
volving, whereby we prevent the grinding of the periphery of the wheel,
a sufficient resistance is applied to overcome the momentum of the car-
riages, and even to render the engine incapable of moving the train.
It is evident that this form of brake may be applied to the axles of
vehicles travelling on common roads, for which purpose we prefer the
second form described, being instantaneous in its operation.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, we wish it to be clearly
understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details herein
specified, so long as the principle and main features of our Invention be
retained; nor do we claim the exclusive use of the spanner and spur
wheel gear employed for the purpose of actuating the form of brake
shewn in Sheets A, B, and Figure 1, Sheet E, as we are aware that
those parts are at present in use. But that which we claim is,-
Firstly, the application of a brake to the axles of railway or other
carriage wheels for the purpose of checking, without abruptly preventing
their revolution, in manner described; and,
Secondly, the general arrangement and application of the whole of the
working parts belonging to this brake in either of the forms shewn and

page_text: described, or any mere modification of the same, whether as the instan-
taneous or danger brake, or that intended for ordinary use, with the
exception, as before stated, of the spanner and spur wheel gear.
In witness whereof, wc, the said Thomas Banks and Henry
Banks, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Nineteenth
day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four.
THOMAS (1..s.) BANKS.
HENRY (L.S.) BANKS.
THOMAS (..s.) BANKS.
HENRY (L.S.) BANKS.