IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AND RETARDING MOTIVE POWER, SUCHI IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE AMONGST OTHER PURPOSES TO THE ACTUATION OF BRAKES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES PROAL
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bullock Tibbits of Clifton (near Bristol) in the
County of Gloucester for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
APPLYING AND RETARDING MOTIVE POWER, SUCHI IMPROVEMENTS BEING
APPLICABLE AMONGST OTHER PURPOSES TO THE ACTUATION OF BRAKES FOR
RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bullock Tibbits
"
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th January 1882.
WILLIAM BULLOCK TIBBITS of Clifton (near Bristol) in the County of
Gloucester "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AND RETARDING
MOTIVE POWER SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE AMONGST OTHER PURPOSES
TO THE ACTUATION OF BRAKES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES
This Invention consists partly of a quadruple eccentric or cam so adapted that
it can be oscillated or partialy rotated at pleasure on an axis to the extent of
about 90°, more or less, thereby causing a frame or other suitable mechanical
device in which it is situated, or with which it is connected, to rise or fall or move
in any direction and to remain raised moved, or depressed, as the case may be, until
the said quadruple eccentric or cam is oscillated or rotated into the original
position.
This quadruple cam is applicable to various purposes where it is required to
raise or depress or otherwise move any mechanical device or other object through
a moderate distance, and to hold it in its raised or depressed or other condition,
for any required period of time, as for example, in the application of the brakes to
the wheels of railway carriages and other vehicles, to the opening or closing of
valves and to other such like purposes.
When applied in connection with the brakes of railway trains the quadruple cam
is fixed on a bar or shaft running under the whole length of the carriage, wagon or
other vehicle; partial rotation of this bar or shaft in either direction to the extent
of about 90° causes a sliding frame or other device in which the said quadruple
...oll

page_text: cam is situated, or with which it is connected, to move up or down and to put in
action the brake mechanism, which mechanism may be varied according to
circumstances, but the arrangement I have found most suitable is of the following
character. On an axle of the carriage or other vehicle is formed or fixed an
eccentric or cam. Through the aforesaid sliding frame there moves a lever or bar
so shaped at one end that when the said end is raised or lowered into a suitable
position it engages with the said eccentric or cam on the axle in such manner that
the said lever or bar is moved thereby so as to cause a pawl carried at or near the
other end of the said lever or bar to engage with or to drop into or between the
teeth of a ratchet formed on a rod or bar or other device connected to or with a
lever on the brake shaft, and to push the said rod, bar or other device step by step
so as to apply the brakes. The said rod, bar, or other device is prevented from
returning at each step by step movement by means of a retaining pawl or other
suitable device. In some cases the sliding frame or other device raised and lowered
by the quadruple cam may be caused to act directly upon a lever on the brake
shaft without the intervention of the eccentric or cam on the axle, the pawl and
the ratchet bar. The partial rotation of the longitudinal bar or shaft below the
carriage may be effected by a lever and geared wheels, one of the latter being fixed
on the said bar or shaft and the other placed in the Guard's van or other suitable
arrangement may be employed for this purpose. A continuous brake may be
formed by coupling together the longitudinal bars or shafts under the carriages, by
means of links jointed together after the manner of a parallel ruler or by other
means which will compensate for the varying distances apart of the ends of the
carriages or vehicles and at the same time provide a sufficiently rigid coupling to
transmit the partial rotary motion of one bar or shaft to the others.
This Invention relates further to certain means whereby in the event of one
part or portion of a train or series of vehicles becoming abruptly detached from
the other the brake is caused to be applied. For this purpose. I fix in each end of
the framework carrying the apparatus, a hollow box or bearing through which the
corresponding end of the partially rotating bar or shaft projects. Into these
hollow boxes or bearings there pass cylindrical sockets formed on the ends of the
couplings and adapted to slide on the ends of the bar or shaft being prevented
from slipping off accidentally therefrom by means of wooden pegs or other suitable
devices. On these cylindrical sockets are formed or fixed triangular projections or
feathers which pass into and through inclined or spiral grooves formed in the
interior of the hollow boxes or bearings. The effect of this arrangement is that in
the event of the carriages or vehicles in a train becoming abruptly disconnected
and breaking asunder one or other of the cylindrical sockets at the part where the
separation takes place is or will be drawn out of its corresponding hollow box or
bearing, and as the projection on the cylindrical socket is forced to follow the
inclined or spiral groove in the hollow box or bearing, the cylindrical socket is
caused to make a partial revolution therein turning the bar or shaft sufficiently
to raise the sliding frame and to put in action the mechanism for applying the
brakes to all attached carriages.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Bullock Tibbits in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th July 1882.
WILLIAM BULLOCK TIBBITS, of Clifton (near Bristol) in the County of Gloucester
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AND RETARDING MOTIVE POWER
SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE AMONGST OTHER PURPOSES TO THE
ACTUATION OF BRAKES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES"
This Invention consists partly of what I call a quadruple eccentric or cam so
adapted that it can be oscillated or partially rotated at pleasure on an axis to the
extent of about 90° or less thereby causing a frame or other suitable mechanical
device in which it is situated or with which it is connected, to rise or fall or move.
in any direction and to remain raised, moved, or depressed as the case may be until
the said quadruple eccentric or cam is oscillated or rotated into the original
position.
This quadruple cam is applicable to various purposes where it is required to raise
or depress or otherwise move any mechanical device or other object through a
moderate distance, and to hold it in its raised or depressed or other position for
any required period of time as for example in the application of the brakes to the
wheels of railway carriages and other vehicles, to the opening or closing of valves
and to other such like purposes.
When applied in connection with the brakes of railway trains the quadruple cam
is fixed on a bar or shaft running longitudinally under the whole length of the
carriage, wagon, or other vehicle being carried in a horizontal frame placed either
above or below the axles thereof.
On this bar or shaft where it passes through an open or double frame sliding
vertically in the beforementioned horizontal frame I fix the said quadruple eccentric
which is so adapted that when it stands in a certain position it holds the said
sliding frame down in its lowest position, but when turned in either direction to
the extent of about 90° it raises the said frame, and keeps it so raised as long as
the said quadruple eccentric is left or allowed to remain in the same position.
Through the aforesaid sliding frame there moves a lever or bar so shaped at one
end that when the said end is raised by the sliding frame into a suitable position
it engages with and fully half encircles an eccentric or tappet formed or fixed on
one of the axles of the carriage and is thereby moved in such a manner as to
cause a pawl carried at or near the other end of the said lever or bar to engage
with or to drop into or between the teeth of a ratchet formed on another bar con-
nected to or with a lever fixed on the brake shaft, and to push the said bar step by
step so as to turn the said shaft and to apply the brakes which if desired can be
accomplished during two or three revolutions of the wheels. The aforesaid bar
connected with the brake lever is prevented from returning at each step by step
movement by means of a retaining pawl or other suitable device. In some cases,
as for instance in wagons or trucks the sliding frame raised and lowered by the
quadruple cam may be caused to act directly upon the lever on the brake shaft
without the intervention of the eccentric or tappet on the axle, the pawl and
ratchet bar, and as the brakes may not all come into action at the same angular
position of the quadruple eccentric I arrange the said lever so as to rest upon a
spring in the sliding frame so that after any brake has acted the spring belonging
to that brake shall yield and not prevent the further rotary action of the longitu-
dinal shaft, required to apply the others. The partial rotation of the longitudinal
bar or shaft below the carriage may be effected by levers and chains or by geared
wheels, one fixed on the said bar or shaft and the others placed in the Guard's van.

page_text: Or other suitable arrangement may be employed for this purpose. A continuous
brake may be formed by coupling together the longitudinal bars or shafts under
the carriages by means of links jointed together by pins or otherwise or by other
means which will compensate for the varying distances apart of the ends of the
carriages or vehicles and at the same time provide a sufficiently rigid coupling to
transmit the rotary motion of one bar or shaft to the others.
This Invention consists further of certain means whereby in the event of one
part or portion of a train or series of carriages becoming abruptly detached from
the other the brake is caused to be applied to all carriages attached by the coupling
of the said bars or shafts. For this purpose I fix in each end of the longitudinal
or horizontal frame, a hollow bearing or kind of axle box through which the
corresponding end of the rotating bar or shaft projects. Into this hollow bearing
or box there passes when in a certain position the cylindrical end or socket of the
coupling which is adapted to slide on to the said longitudinal bar or shaft and is
prevented from slipping off accidentally therefrom, by means of a wooden peg or
other suitable device. On the outside of this cylindrical end or socket is formed or
fixed a triangular projection or feather which passes into and through an inclined
groove or along an incline plane in the interior of the hollow bearing or box. The
effect of this arrangement is that in the event of the carriages or vehicles in a train
breaking asunder one of the cylindrical ends or sockets at the part where the
separation takes place will be drawn out of its hollow bearing or box (the aforesaid
wooden peg or other device being broken) and as the projection on the cylindrical
end or socket is forced to follow the incline in the said hollow bearing or box, the
said cylindrical end or socket is caused to make a partial revolution therein and to
turn the longitudinal bar or shaft with the quadruple eccentric sufficiently for the
latter to lift or force up the sliding frame and to put in action the mechanism for
applying the brakes before the said cylindrical end or socket can leave the said
shaft or the hollow bearing or box.
In the Drawings Figure 1 is a plan of the apparatus as applied to the underside
of a brake van for example, Figure 2 a side elevation of same, Figure 2 an
clevation of the frame X which extends up into the guard's van, Figure 3 an
elevation of the sliding frame in its lowest position, Figure 3a the same sliding frame
drawn up into the position for applying the brake, Figure 4 an elevation of the
outer end of the hollow bearing or box Qin the end of the horizontal frame X X,
Figure 4 an elevation of the other end of the said bearing or box Q, Figures 46
and 40 longitudinal sections of the same, and Figure 4d an end view similar to
Figure 4 but with the contained cylindrical end G₁ of the coupling partly turned
round in the act of being withdrawn.
A is one of the axles of the vehicle; at or near the middle of this axle is
constructed or fixed an eccentric or tappet B. C is a bar which is curved at one
end in such manner that when the said end is raised the said curved part half
encircles the said eccentric or tappet B. The other end of the bar C is forked and
slotted so as to slide on a bearing pin b secured in the horizontal frame X X.
D is a pawl connected by a pin to the bar C and arranged to run over the bearing
pin b. E is a bar connected by a pin joint to an arm or lever F fixed on the axis
or shaft a, which applies the brakes. This bar E has ratchet teeth formed on a
portion of its upper side into which the aforesaid pawl D catches or drops, d d
are retaining pawls one on each side of the pawl D, they move on the bearing pin b
as a fulcrum, their tail ends being supported by and under the pin on which the
pawl D moves and they fall into the said ratchet teeth along with the pawl D.
G is the longitudinal bar or shaft running under the whole length of the vehicle
and connected to or with similar bars or shafts under the adjoining carriages by
the couplings G¹ G and G. One end of G¹ is cylindrical and fitted to slide on to
the longitudinal bar or shaft G. It has on or near that end a triangular projection
or feather G³ which prevents it from entering the hollow bearing or box Qat the
end of the frame X X unless the said longitudinal bar or shaft G is in the position
suitable for applying the brakes. H is a transverse double cross frame arranged

page_text: to slide vertically through the frame X X and through which pass the shaft G and
the bar C. K is a quadruple eccentric or cam fixed on the shaft G and contained
in the sliding frame H. L is a grooved pulley fixed on the shaft G where the
latter passes through a transverse double frame X' which rises from the frine X X
into the guard's van. M is another grooved pulley situate in the same frame X'
in the van. These pullies are encircled by an endless chain N fixed at the upper
part of the pulley M, and at the lower part of the pulley L. M is a bar or lever
fixed on the pulley M, it has near its upper end a forked projection m into which
can be drawn a weighted bar or lever O turning freely on the axis of the said
pulley M. The framework X X runs the whole length of the vehicle on each side
of the eccentric or tappet B and carries the whole of the arrangement. It may
itself be supported on the axle boxes or in any other suitable way.
Figure 10 is a side elevation of an arrangement suitable for vans, trucks, and
such like vehicles, figure 10a is an end elevation of the frame which rises into the
van, figure 11 is an elevation of a sliding frame contiguous to the brake shaft,
figures 11 and 11b are longitudinal sections of same and figure 12 shows a cross
frame attached to the body of the van or truck, or elsewhere to carry the hollow
bearing in which it can slide, the cylindrical end of the coupling G', and the end
of the shaft G.
hare hoops to keep the sliding frame H figure 11 in contact with the lever F
on the brako shaft a: Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in all the
figures of the Drawings.
Action of the apparatus shown in Sheet 1 of the Drawings. Draw the lever M'
down on either side of the frame X', or if preferred pull the weighted bar O into
the fork m, and let it slide down, it will turn the pulley M which by means of the
chain N turns the pulley L and shaft G 90° causing the quadruple eccentric K to
draw or force up the sliding frame H whereby the curved end of the bar C is
applied to the eccentric B and the pawls D and d d' are allowed to drop into the
ratchet teeth in the bar E.
The revolution of the axle A in either direction causes the eccentric B to move
forward the parts C, D, E and F. The pawls d ' prevent the bar E from slipping
back while the arm C and pawl D are drawn back by the next semi revolution of
the axle when the said pawl D drops into another ratchet tooth of the bar E, and
the process is repeated till the brakes are applied. The extending couplings G' G²
and G will effect the application of the brakes to any reasonable number of
carriages. The levers M and O being free, allow the brakes to be applied by any
one of the guards from his van independently of the others, and when applied the
brakes may be released by either guard returning his lever M' to the vertical
position, the lever O if used then falling into its ordinary position. As this
arrangement does not interfere with the application of the ordinary brakes it need
not be used unless considered necessary.
In the event of the abrupt disconnection of the vehicles of the train the
cylindrical end G¹ of the coupling is drawn off the end of the bar or shaft G (see
Figure 4) the wooden peg or other device holding it thereon being broken but
inasmuch as the projection or feather G³ on the end G' is forced to follow the
spiral groove or inclined plane in the hollow bearing or box Q as the said end G¹
is drawn out therefrom the shaft C is turned round (see Figure 4d) and the brakes
applied in the same way as when the lever M' is used.
The action of the apparatus shown in Sheet 2 of the Drawings is similar except
that the frame H instead of applying the curved end of a bar to an eccentric on
the axle and the pawls to a ratchet bar connected with the brake lever Facts
directly on the said brake lever F, springs only being interposed between the
frame H and the lever F as shown, for the purpose herein before described.
The method of delineating the proper forin of the quadruple eccentric H is illus-
trated in figure 9 and is as follows;-Draw a straight line 1-2 and cross it with
another 3-6 at right angles thereto, then from the point of intersection o mark off
on three of the divisions 1-2-3 one half of the length required, next deduct the

page_text: raising or forcing power (which may be any reasonable proportion) from the half
length and mark off the remaining length 4-5 on the lines 1-2 and also on the
remaining line opposite 3 mark 6, next at an angle of 45° between 1 and 3 or 2
and 3 mark at 7 one half the distance between 3 and 6, and draw through it the
arc 4-7-3 and with the same radius draw the ares 1-6, 6-2 and 5-3. In
any direction through the point o the distance between the arcs 3-4 and 6–2
and also between 1-6 and 5-3 will be equal to 3-6 or within a very small
fraction.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in which
the same is to or may be carried into effect I would have it understood that what
I claim is
First. The construction and use of the quadruple eccentric K for the purpose of
raising, depressing or otherwise moving and holding any mechanical device or
other object substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the Drawings
hereto annexed.
Second. The combination of the quadruplo eccentric K, sliding frame H, and
longitudinal bar or shaft G, for the purpose of actuating the brake lever F of
railway trains, either by the intervention of the pawls and ratchet arrangement
shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 3ª, or by direct action on the said brake lever F, as
shown in Figures 10, 11, 11° 11b and 11°, substantially as herein before described.
Third. The use of the hollow bearing or box Q with an inclined plane or spiral
groove formed therein, the cylindrical end G₁ of. the coupling furnished with a
projection or feather G³ and sliding on to the end of the bar or shaft G the whole
arranged, adapted, and operating to effect the self acting application of the brakes
when the vehicles of a train are abruptly disconnected, as hereinbefore described.
and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
In witness whereof I the said William Bullock Tibbits have hereunto set
my hand and seal this First day of July in the year of our Lord, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
WILLIAM BULLOCK TIBBITS. (L.S.)