IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF RETARDING THE PROGRESS OF CARRIAGES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Reynolds, of Singleton Street,
Hoxton, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, Henry
Reynolds, of Hoxton, Engineer, and Stephen Reynolds, of
Charles Street, Westminster, Coffee House Keeper, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF RETARDING THE
PROGRESS OF CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 9th August 1853, and dated the 9th February 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Reynolds,
Henry Reynolds, and Stephen Reynolds at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 9th
February 1853.
We, THOMAS REYNOLDS, HENRY REYNOLDS, and STEPHEN REYNOLDS,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS OF RETARDING THE PROGRESS OF CARRIAGES" to be
as follows:
This Invention relates to a novel method of retarding railway
carriages by means of a series of breaks, which may be brought to
act upon the wheels of all the carriages throughout the train. By
means of suitable gearing and wheelwork the guard from his place

page_text: can raise or depress a series of weighted levers, which when allowed
to descend will force the breaks in contact with the peripheries of
the running wheels, and thereby create such an amount of friction
as would soon bring the train to a stand still. Each set of breaks,
or the break of each carriage, is provided with one or a pair of
these weighted levers, and near the end of the weighted lever is
a rotating chain provided with catches, which by lifting up the end
of the lever will relieve the wheels from the friction of the breaks.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Thomas Reynolds, Henry Reynolds,
and Stephen Reynolds in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th August 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
THOMAS REYNOLDS, of Singleton Street, Hoxton, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, HENRY REYNOLDS, of Hoxton, Engineer, and
STEPHEN REYNOLDS, of Charles Street, Westminster, Coffee House
Keeper, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three,
in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Thomas Reynolds,
Henry Reynolds, and Stephen Reynolds, Her special license that we,
the said Thomas Reynolds, Henry Reynolds, and Stephen Reynolds,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said Thomas Reynolds, Henry Reynolds, and Stephen Reynolds,
our executors, administrators, 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 Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF RETARDING THE PROGRESS OF CARRIAGES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas Rey-

page_text: nolds, Henry Reynolds, and Stephen Reynolds, by an instrument
in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and
seal of one of us, 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 I, the said Thomas Reynolds (on behalf
of myself and of the said Henry Reynolds and Stephen Reynolds) do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained 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):
This Invention relates to a novel method of retarding railway
carriages by means of a series of breaks which may be brought to.
act simultaneously upon the wheels of all the carriages throughout
the train. By means of suitable gearing and wheelwork the guard
from his place can raise or depress a series of levers, either weighted
or otherwise, and which, when caused to descend, will force the
breaks in contact with the peripheries of the running wheels, and
thereby create such an amount of friction as would soon bring the
train to a stand still. Each set of breaks, or the break of each
carriage, is provided with one or a pair of these weighted levers,
which are mounted at one end on a
pin or stud, and at the opposite
end are connected with a sliding block or bar, by lifting which
the break levers are raised, and the wheels relieved from the friction.
of the breaks..
Fig. 1, in the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section.
of the under part of a railway carriage, with my improvements
adapted thereto. Fig. 2, is a plan view of the same. a, a, a, a, is
the underframing of the carriage; b, b, the running wheels; c, c, the
breaks, which are jointed to the outer end of the two lever arms d, d;
which are capable of being shortened or lengthened by merely
turning the screw nuts e, e, thereon. The lever arms d, d, are:

page_text: jointed at their opposite ends to a block f, which is secured to the
long lever g, one of which is placed on each side of the carriage.
The levers g, have their fulcra at h, and are connected, at their
opposite ends to a cross bar or block i, as seen best in the detached
view, Fig. 3. The block i, is provided with a short slot j, shewn in
dots in Fig. 3, and in which works a pin or stud k, which is fixed
in the back of a vertical rack 1, Figures 1, and 2, behind the fixed
plate or block m, which is secured to some convenient part of the
framing. The pin k, also works in the long slot n, of the block, or
plate m. A screw wheel o, gears into the rack 1, and is driven by
an endless screw p, on the longitudinal shaft q, on the opposite end.
of which is mounted a bevil pinion r, which is driven by a similar
wheels, on the lower end of the vertical rod or shaft t, the upper
end of which is provided with a handle or winch u, whereby it may
be turned. The operation of the several parts is as follows:-Upon
turning the shaft, t, by means of the winch u, motion is com-
municated to the long shaft q; the endless screw.p, and through, the
intervention of the screw wheel o, to the rack 1, which is by means
of the pin k, connected loosely with the cross bar i, of the long levers
9, 9. By this means it will be seen, that the levers g, g,. will be
depressed, and will consequently push down the arms d, d, and
force the breaks c, c, into contact with the peripheries of the run-
ning wheels, and thereby retard their progress, and, stop their
rotations. This action of the breaks of one carriage is transmitted
to all the breaks throughout the train, as the ends of the longi-
tudinal rod g, g, are connected at both ends by means of universal
joints v, v, to similar rods and apparatus on the carriage immediately
preceding and succeeding, and in this manner with all the carriages
throughout the train. If required, one end of the long shaft q, may
be, provided with a crank w, (Fig. 1,) or other convenient, contri-
vance for acting on a stop cock on the steam pipe of the engine. It
will be seen that by the arrangement above shewn, and described
all the breaks throughout a train may be simultaneously acted on,
and the train consequently may be stopped much more quickly than
if there is only one break carriage in the train; besides, they can all

page_text: be operated by the same person. It is scarcely necessary to say,,
that the breaks may be as simultaneously and easily withdrawn by
merely turning the handle or winch u, of the vertical shaft t, in the:
opposite direction.
Having now. described our Invention, and the best means. with:
which we are at present acquainted for carrying the same into:
effect, we would observe, in conclusion, that we do not mean or
intend to claim the exclusive use of levers for operating the breaks
of railway carriages, nor yet do we intend to confine ourselves
rigidly to the precise arrangement or construction of parts herein.
shewn, and described, as they may doubtless be varied without.
departing from the nature and object of our improvements; but
that which we consider to be new; and therefore wish to claim as
the Invention secured to us by Letters Patent as aforesaid, is,
-
First, the mechanical arrangement herein shewn and described,
or any mere modification thereof, for actuating the breaks of rail-
way carriages; and,
Second, we claim coupling the retarding apparatus of railway.
carriages together by means of universal joints, as above de-
scribed, whereby they may be brought into action or released.
simultaneously.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Reynolds, have hereunto.
set my hand and seal, the Ninth day of. August, in the
year of our Lord. One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three
Witness,.
FRED. WALKDEN,.
66, Chancery Lane.
THOS REYNOLDS. (L.S.)