IM- PROVEMENTS IN CONTINUOUS BRAKES FOR RAILWAYS."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sutherland Grant Colquhoun, of 1, Royal Terrace, in the
City and County of Edinburgh, North Britain, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CONTINUOUS BRAKES FOR RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sutherland Grant Colquhoun
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th September 1879.
SUTHERLAND GRANT COLQUHOUN, of 1, Royal Terrace, in the City and County of
Edinburgh, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTINUOUS BRAKES FOR
RAILWAYS."
"
This said Invention has reference to a new or improved simple automatic
mechanical arrangement of continuons brakes for actuating the brake blocks of
every carriage, goods-truck, or waggon throughout the train fitted with it.
The action of this brake arrangement is under the complete control of the engine
driver at any moment, and also acts automatically and instantaneously on all the
brakes of any part of a train separated from the engine by the breaking of the
drawing links, books, or otherwise. While it is most suitable and easily applied to
the present arrangement of brakes and springs at a small expense compared with
the other systems of air continuous brakes now being applied, and from this and its
simplicity is particularly applicable to the trucks and waggons for the safety of all
goods trains and traffic. The nature and novelty of the Invention consists in
making the reactionary power of the draw springs and their hook rods, of each
carriage frame, put on all the brakes at the same moment the engine man stops the
engine, or suddenly and materially lessens the speed of the train; or the drawing
action on the hook, rods, or springs is stopped from the breaking of a draw link or
any other cause; all through connecting the draw rods or their springs by a
simple arrangement of joint links or pins and sloted holes to powerful levers on a
transverse shaft under each carriage frame, coupled by short crank levers and ad-
justable rods or links to the brake blocks, much the same as to the transverse lever
shaft, or powerful bell-crank worked at present by a hand wheel and screw spindle
passing down from the brake vans and other carriages. Two cross shafts might be
mounted under each carriage frame, one for each draw bar, and set of brake blocks
$

page_text: acting in a reverse direction on opposite sides of the wheels, or otherwise, one such
shaft may be made to answer by having double reverse acting levers on it con-
nected to the opposite draw bars, and double set of connecting draw rods and links
of the brake blocks, so as to act in reverse directions. Thus it will be obvious that
this arrangement will cause the last portion of the reactionary motion and power of
the draw springs to set on the brakes, acting through the said arrangement of levers
with an increased force regulated by, and proportionate to the length of the draw
spring levers, and the brake levers respectively, and vice versa the pulling of the
draw bars and their springs, while the engine is drawing the carriages would
relieve the brake blocks, and allow them to fall back out of action by their own
weight or by the power of the springs for the purpose, by slots in their connecting
links. Besides this continuous arrangement for putting the brakes of a train of
carriages into or out of action automatically by the power of their draw springs,
the brakes of each carriage would be fitted with the usual means of putting off, or
on their brakes by the ordinary levers in the case of mineral waggons, or goods
trucks trucks, or the screw and lever arrangement worked by the guard of the train
inside or outside the brake vans, trucks, or carriages. This allows the brakes to be
all worked individually and voluntarily as desired by the guards, or put into gear,
and actuated automatically by the system of draw springs continuously or through-
out the train under the control of the engineer. A further improvement consists
in using the force exerted on the buffer rods, either through their springs direct, or
through an arrangement of levers, when the train has to be backed to act on the
drawing hook rods or their springs, to take or keep the brakes out of action while
the pressure is on the buffers, and their springs in backing the locomotive and
train of carriages. In some cases this preventing of the action of the draw springs
and their bars from putting on the brakes throughout the train of carriages might
be effected by a coupled line, or light rods, which, when pulled by the guard or
driver, would bring chock" or "catch" into action on each draw spring or its
bar, which would prevent the last backward motion of these from putting on the
brakes, when this was not desired, as for backing the train.
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Sutherland Grant Colquhoun in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th March 1880.
SUTHERLAND GRANT COLQUHOUN, of 1, Royal Terrace, in the City and County.
of Edinburgh, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTINUOUS BRAKES FOR
RAILWAYS."
My said Invention has reference to a new or improved simple automatic.
mechanical arrangement of continuous brakes for actuating the brake blocks of
every railway carriage, goods truck, or waggon throughout the train fitted with it.
The action of this brake arrangement is under the complete control of the engine
driver at any moment; and also acts automatically and instantaneously on all the
brakes of any number of carriages, or part of a train separated from the engine by
the breaking of the drawing links, hooks, or otherwise. While it is most suitable
for, and easily applied to the present arrangement of brakes, and draw or buffer
springs at a small expense, compared with the other systems of air continuous
brakes now being applied, and from this and its simplicity is particularly
applicable to the trucks and waggons for the safety of all goods trains and traffic.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing my said Invention
may be properly understood, I shall now proceed to particularly describe the same.
The Invention consists as follows:-In making the power or reactionary force of
the draw springs, and the hook rods of each carriage frame put on all the brakes at
the same moment the engine man stops: the engine, or suddenly and materially
lessens the speed of the train, or the drawing action on the hook, rods and springs
are stopped by the breaking of a draw link or any other [cause, all through or by
connecting the draw rods or their springs by a simple arrangement of rods or
joint links or equivalent pins and slotted holes to powerful brake levers on a
transverse shaft or shafts carried in suitable bearing brackets under each carriage
frame, and coupled by short crank levers and adjustable rods or links direct or
through cross pressure bars to the back of the brake blocks, much the same as to
the transverse lever, shaft, or powerful bell-crank worked at present by a hand
wheel and screw spindle passing down from the brake vans and other carriages.
Two cross shafts might be mounted under each carriage frame, one for each draw
bar, and set of brake blocks acting in a reverse direction on opposite sides of the
wheels, or otherwise one such shaft may be made to answer by having double
reverse acting levers on it, connected to the opposite draw bars and double set of
connecting draw rods and links of the brake blocks, so as to act in reverse
directions. Thus it will be obvious that this arrangement will cause the last
portion of the re-actionary motion and power of the draw springs to set on the
brakes, acting through or by the said arrangement of levers with an increased
force regulated by and proportionate to the length of the draw spring levers, and
the brake levers respectively, of the said intermediate cross brake shaft and its
connections, and vice versa the pulling of the draw bars and their springs while
the engine is drawing the carriages, would relieve the pressure of the springs on
the brake blocks, and allow them to fall back out of action from the surface of the
wheels by their own weight, or by the power of springs for the purpose by slots in
their connecting links. Besides this continuous arrangement for putting the
brakes of a train of carriages into or out of action automatically by the power of
their draw springs and said intermediate gear, the brakes of each carriage would be
fitted with the usual means of putting off or on their brakes by the ordinary levers
in the case of mineral waggons, or goods trucks, or the screw and lever arrange-
ment worked by the guard of the train inside or outside the brake vans, trucks, or
carriages, or other equivalent screw or cam action desired; this allows the brakes
to be all worked individually and voluntarily as desired by the guards, or put

page_text: into gear and actuated automatically by the system of draw springs continuously,
or throughout the train under the control of the engineer, all as herein before
described.
A further improvement consists in using the force exerted on the buffer rods,
either through or by their springs direct, or through or by an arrangement of levers,
or equivalent rods or connections when the train has to be backed to act on the
drawing hooks, rods, or their springs, to take or keep the brakes out of action
while the pressure is on the buffers and their springs in backing the locomotive
and train of carriages.
In some cases this preventing of the action of the draw springs and their bars
from putting on the brakes throughout the train of carriages might be effected by
a coupled line, or light chain or rods and levers which when pulled by the guard
or driver would bring a "chock," catch, cam, or other equivalent into action on
each draw spring or its bar, so as to prevent the last backward motion of these
springs, as described, from putting on the brakes when this was not desired as for
backing the train.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The making and setting of the brake blocks and their fittings, or con-
necting rods, brake shaft and levers to the rods of the draw hooks and their
springs (whether these are single or double conoidal or blade springs used for the
draw springs only, or for draw and buffer springs combined) so that these springs
will automatically put on the brakes of each or all the carriages or waggons of a
railway train when the draw hooks cease to be drawn, or the hooks break, and so
stop the carriages, and also vice versa take off the brakes the moment the draw
hook rods begin to draw or start the carriages, both automatically at the proper
time, and all substantially in the new or improved manner and by the means
hereinbefore described.
Second. The making and fitting the spring buffers of railway carriages or
waggons, so that the force exerted in backing or shunting these will take the
brake blocks out of action from the wheels previously put into action by the
slacking of the draw hooks and rods, all substantially in the new or improved
manner, and by the means herein before described.
Third. The fitting of railway carriages and waggons with an arrangement of
levers and a "chock," catch, cam, or other equivalent connnected by a cord or
chain throughout the train for the engine driver or guard to bring these into
action, so as to prevent the springs putting on the brakes, or in making these or
a special hand lever on each carriage or waggon, take off the brakes against the
power of the springs, all substantially as and by the means herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sutherland Grant Colquhoun, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
S. G. COLQUHOUN. (L.S.)