IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BRAKES AND COUPLINGS OF RAILWAY TDATING
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmond Ovide Richard, of Quebec, in the
Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BRAKES AND COUPLINGS OF RAILWAY TDATING”

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edmond Ovide Richard, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings forming
a part of this Specification, that is to say :—
4
My Invention relates to means for preventing collisions on railways
and those accidents liable to occur on account of the cars jumping the
track and from other causes, and consists in the construction, novel
combination, and arrangement of devices constituting the brake and
coupler, whereby the brakes of each car may be applied in succession
from the rear of the train, or from any car forming part thereof, and
whereby the uncoupling of the rear, or any other car forming part of the
train, will cause the brakes to be "put on" automatically with all the
power due to the steam head and momentum of the engine.
"
In the accompanying Drawings the letter A indicates a portion of the
engine tender, and B and C cars attached thereto, the latter being the
rear or end car of the train. There may be any number of intermediate
cars B, all of which will be similarly arranged.
Each car is provided with a coupling device D capable of being
adjusted to uncouple automatically when actuated by a rise or jump of
the car to a certain height in accordance with which the adjusting lever
is set. The adjustment is made in accordance with the depth of the
flanges of the wheels of the car and the roughness of the road. It is not
always essential that the coupler should be adjustable, but the automatic
uncoupling by the rise or jump of the car is highly important. Each
car is also provided with swinging brakes having pulleys attached to
carry the brake chain or rope which is designed to run from the engine
back to the rear car free of the brakes, and then forwards over the brake
pulleys to the engine again. The brake chain is made in sections
arranged to uncouple between the cars.
The engine is provided with a windlass, to which one end of the chain.
is attached, the other end being fastened to the engine brake or frame
securely. The windlass is designed to be brought into connection with
the shaft of the engine, wheels by means of clutches or other devices
which may be operated by a lever conveniently arranged for access by
the engineer.

page_text: connected to an arm f, which is pivoted at one end to the frame of the
engine, and provided at the other end with a connecting arm 9, which is
pivoted to a horizontal disc h, journalled to the engine frame, and
connected by another link or arm g¹ with the operating lever F. To the
arm f is also attached a spring i, which is designed to bear on the
under side of the collar 6¹ to steady the windlass sleeve on the wheel
shaft, if two chains are employed as is indicated in the Drawings, one
end of each may be attached to a stout link passing through a perforation
in the collar 6', whence the chain passes to the end of the engine frame
through a metal lined chain hole k, and terminates in a coupling hook 1
or link l.
.
G indicates the brake blocks connected with a swinging frame H,
which may be kept off the wheels when not drawn up by the chain by
means of springs or other suitable devices. To the swinging frame H
in rear of the blocks G are attached the pulleys m. Blocks n of any 1
suitable form may be attached to the under side of each car frame at
proper distances apart to support the brake chains. wherever necessary,
and metal lined chain holes are designed to be provided at each end of
each car for the passage of the brake chains. These are provided usually
with pulleys p, either single or double, to carry the chains. Instead of 2
chain holes rigidly constructed in the frame of the car, blocks with
single or double shives may be employed, as indicated by Figure 5.
The brake chain V consists of a number of sections connected between
the cars by means of coupling devices, so that they can be casily
detached when the cars are uncoupled. If two chains are used each car 2
will be provided with four sections of chains, of which the two upper
sections form portions of the upper or free branches, and the two lower
sections portions of the lower branches which are connected with the
pulleys m.
The coupling devices by which the cars are connected and disconnected 3
are chiefly attached to a bumper frame K, which may consist of several
longitudinal bars q connected with the drawhead r by transverse bars 8.
This frame is pivoted at its rear end to the frame of the car by means of
a transverse journal shaft pivoted at its ends in slide blocks v, adapted
to move in suitable ways in the car frame. To the rear of the drawhead 3
is pivoted by the transverse shaft p a joint u designed always to be
square with the spring, whatever be the angle of the frame K, as this

page_text: may be adjusted higher or lower to suit cars of different heights. The
bar's q are of different lengths, that on one side being extended at q¹ to
form a finger adapted to fit, when two cars are coupled together, between
two hinged plates respectively attached to the short bar q on the same
side of the opposite car. The short bar 9 on the opposite side of the
drawhead is provided on its upper surface with a hinged plate w, having.
near its forward end a standard f' slotted at its upper end for the passage.
of the lever bar g³, which is fastened at its outer end to a standard hi
connected to the frame K. The bar q is provided with a slide groove or
way for the reception of a slide bar k³, having a wedge shaped rise or
cam abruptly shouldered at its forward end. This slide may be moved
. forwards by means of a handle m¹ to support the plate w and keep the
coupling pin raised. Below the bar ģ is attached, by a hinge connection
at its rear end, a plate n¹ slotted when the handle m¹ of the upper plate
passes through it, and bent downwards and forwards at its front end to
form an inclined plane o¹, which projects under the extension q¹ of the
opposite bar q of the opposite frame K.
.
A staple p¹ or other support may be passed under the drawhead at its
forward portion to support the frame K, said staple or support having
sufficient length to allow the requisite play to said frame, which is
directly suspended by its forward end to an adjustable lever ² by means
of an arm s¹. The adjustable lever is pivoted to the car frame and
slotted at its rear end to receive a pin t¹ designed to enter any one of a
series of perforations u¹ of a plate v¹, also attached to the car frame. By
the adjustment of the lever the frame K. may be suspended at any
height desired to correspond with the height of the coupling devices of
the opposite car.
The forward end of the plate n¹ is supported by a staple or loop w¹,
and a wedge or key w" is provided for the purpose of holding the plate
up against the under side of the bar q when the cars are coming together
in the coupling operation. In this manner the extension q¹ of the
opposite coupling frame Ķ is brought directly to bear against the
projecting end of the slide ³, driving it home and releasing the upper
plate w, which falls, dropping the coupling pin into the coupling link in
the cavity of the drawhead. The coupling frames are carefully adjusted
by means of the lever ¹ to regulate the height at which the coupling pin
will be drawn by a jump of the car. This is sometimes necessary, as the
same car may pass over roads of rough character as well as over smooth

page_text: roads. When the character of the road is uniform a constant adjustment
will serve. The jump of the car raises the extension q¹ of its coupling
frame K, thus throwing up the plate w, and with it the coupling pin of
the opposite car, uncoupling the two from each other.
As it commonly happens in railway accidents that the cars are thrown 5
laterally, the windlass discs and all pulleys and openings over or through
which the brake chain or rope passes should be rounded or flared to
prevent catching or parting said chain or rope. The coupling pin may
be provided with a nut and screw thread to facilitate the adjustment of
the same.
Also the lever may be operated from underneath the car, and 1
the pin may be so arranged as to rise in the coupling operation instead
of falling, a spring being employed.
Having thus described my Invention, I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to the exact details shewn and described, as the
same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of 1
my Invention, but what I claim is,—
First. The arrangement and combination of means for operating the
brakes and couplings of railway cars, substantially as described.
Second. The combination with a windlass or other winding device
on the engine and car brakes having suitably arranged pulleys, of a 2
brake chain or rope connected by both ends to the engine, and engaging
by its return branch with said pulleys, substantially as specified.
Third. The combination with an automatic uncoupling device of an
automatic car brake, substantially as specified.
Fourth. The hinged coupling frame K, bearing on one side of the 2
drawhead the extension 9¹, and on the opposite side thereof the lifting
plate w, respectively designed to engage with a similar lifting plate and
extension connected with the opposite car, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination with the hinged coupling frame K, having the
lifting plate w and the extension g¹ on opposite sides of the drawhead of
the hinged guide plate, key, and adjustable suspension lever, substantially
as specified.
Sixth. The combination with the coupling frame K of the transverse
journal shaft, slides, and pivoted joint designed to move constantly in
line with the spring at the rear of the drawhead, substantially as set
forth.

page_text: pulleys, whereby the brakes are operated in succession from the rear,
substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmond Ovide Richard, have liere-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of October, in the year
of our Lord 1873.
EDMOND OVIDE RICHARD. (L.S.)
EDMOND OVIDE RICHARD. (L.S.)