IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO AUTOMATIC VACUUM BRAKE APPARATUS
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES GRESHAM of the firm of Gresham and Craven of Craven Iron Works,
Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers and Machinists, do hereby declare
the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO AUTOMATIC
VACUUM BRAKE APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
,lה נ'
My improvements relate to a ball valve apparatus which valve is used in
automatic vacuum brakes to allow air to pass from the vacuum chamber when the
vacuum is being formed and prevent its return when air is admitted into the train
pipe when the brakes are to be applied and ny invention consits in a combination
and arrangement of a ball valve with its casing and passages, and with a stem or
stirrup and diaphragm and lever for withdrawing the ball valve from its seating
when the atmosphere is to be allowed to enter the vacuum chamber, as when the
vehicle to which the brakes aro applied is detached from the train-My invention
refers to three modifications in each of which there is a ball valve resting vertically
upon its seating, this ball valve being placed in a hole in a stem or stirrup sliding
in guides in the casing for the ball valve which stom passes through a disc screwed
in the casing which disc secures between it and the casing the margin of a small
diaphragm through which the stem passes being secured air tight thereto by a
screw nut screwing the diaphragm against a shoulder on the stem or stirrup.
The end of the stem or stirrup is jointed with a T lever two arms of which
extend across the said disc so that when this lever is pulled by a wire or other
connection from either side of a vehicle the T lever will with-draw the stem and it
will pull the ball valve from its seating and thus admit air to the vacuum chamber
-The action of the vacuum in the train pipe is to draw the diaphragm inwards
and keep the hole in the stem or stirrup for the ball central with its seating.
In one modification the casing is formed with two horizontal passages one com-
municating with the train pipe the other with the vacuum chamber and from the
first named passage there is an ascending passage leading to the upper side of the
ball valve and from the seating of the latter there is a descending passage to
the pipe passing to the vacuum chamber-There is a screw plug in the casing
which when open admits of the ball being placed and withdrawn when required.
In another modification there is a horizontal passage which ascends to one above
the ball valve that communicates with the underside of the piston or diaphragm of

page_text: the vacuum brake and there is a passage from the seating of the ball valve which
descends, then passes horizontally and then ascends to the vacuum chamber.
The screw plug for the ball valve is in the side of the casing in this modification.
The third modification of my invention includes the arrangement of the ball
valve actuating stem or stirrup its diaphragm, disc, T lover, an screw plug as
herein before described and a cone plug in addition combined with suitable passages
in the casing by which the apparatus is adapted so as to change it to operate for
either automatic or simple vacuum brakes, and also shut off the brake apparatus
altogether from the train pipe which will thus be left free between the vehicles of
the train in its front and rear.
The casing in this modification has four branches one to the train pipe, one to
the vacuum chamber and one to the upper and the other to the lower part of the
piston or diaphragm cylinder.
When the cone cock is in one position for automatic working there is a passage
through it from the train pipe directly to the cylinder at the underside of the
diaphragm, and with this passage and another in the cock there is communi-
cation with the vacuum chamber past the ball valve, and also a communication
with a passage from the ball valve to that leading to the cylinder at the upper
side of the diaphragmn or piston-When the cone cock is turned to another position
for simple vacuum there is a passage in it directly leading to the cylinder at the
upper side of the diaphragm or piston, but the passage to the ball valve and
vacuum chamber is closed, and there is a chamber in the cone cock which opens
through small holes at the end of the cone cock into the atmosphere and allows it
to pass freely to the cylinder at the underside of the brake piston or diaphragm-
When the cone cock is turned into a middle position between the two positions
above described, communication between the train pipe and the cock is closed.
This ananud Jan 300

page_text: I JAMES GRESHAM of the firm of Gresham and Craven of Craven Iron Works,
Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers and Machinists, do hereby declaro
he nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO AUTOMATIC
VACUUM BRAKE APPARATUS, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to bo
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My improvements relate to a ball valve apparatus which valve is used in
automatic vacuum brakes to allow air to pass from the vacuum chamber when the
vacuum is being formed and prevent its return when air is admitted into the train
pipe when the brakes are to be applied, and my invention consists in a combination
and arrangement of a ball valve with its casing and passages, and with a stem or
stirrup and diaphragm and lever for withdrawing the ball valve from its seating
when the atmosphere is to be allowed to enter the vacuum chamber, as when the
vehicle to which the brakes are applied is detached from the train-My invention
refers to three modifications in each of which there is a ball valve resting verti-
cally upon its seating, this ball valve being placed in a hole in a stem or stirrup
sliding in guides in the casing for the ball valve, which stem passes through a disc
screwed in the casing, which disc secures between it and the casing the margin of
a small diaphragm through which the stem passes being secured air tight thereto
by a screw nut screwing the diaphragm against a shoulder on the stem or stirrup.
The end of the stem or stirrup is jointed with a T lever two arms of which
extend across the said disc so that when this lever is pulled by a wire or other
connection from either side of a vehicle, the T lever will withdraw the stem and
it will pull the ball valve from its seating and thus admit air to the vacuum
chamber-The action of the vacuum in the train pipe is to draw the diaphragm
inwards and keep the hole in the stem or stirrup for the ball central with its
seating. In one modification the casing is formed with two horizontal passages
one communicating with the train pipe the other with the vacuum chamber
and from the first named passage there is an ascending passage leading to the
upper side of the ball valve and from the seating of the latter there is a descending
passage to the pipe passing to the vacuum chamber-Thero is a screw plug in the
casing which when open admits of the ball being placed and withdrawn when
required.
In another modification there is a horizontal passage which ascends to one above
the ball valve that communicates with the underside of the piston or diaphragm of
the vacuum brake, and there is a passage froin the seating of the ball valve which
descends, then passes horizontally and then ascends to the vacuum chamber.
: U., t...
The screw plug for the ball valve is in the side of the casing in this modification.
The third modification of my invention includes the arrangement of the ball
valve, actuating stem or stirrup, its diaphragm, disc, T lever, and screw plug
as hereinbefore described, and a cone plug in addition combined with suitable
passages in the casing, by which the apparatus is adapted so as to change it to
(
"

page_text: operate for either automatic, or simple vacuum brakes, and also shut off the
brake apparatus altogether from the train pipe which will thus be left free, between
the vehicles of the train in its front and rear.
The casing in this modification has four branches, one to the train pipe, one to
the vacuum chamber and one to the upper and the other to the lower part of the
piston or diaphragm cylinder.
When the cone cock is in one position for automatic working there is a passage
through it from the train pipe directly to the cylinder at the underside of the
diaphragm, and with this passage and another in the cock there is communication
with the vacuum chamber past the ball valve, and also a communication with a
passage from the ball valve to that leading to the cylinder at the upper side of the
diaphragm or piston-When the cone cock is turned to another position for simple
vacuum there is a passage in it directly leading to the cylinder at the upper side
of the diaphragm or piston, but the passage to the ball valve and vacuum chamber
is closed, and there is a chamber in the cone cock which opens through small holes
at the end of the cone cock into the atmosphere and allows it to pass freely to the
cylinder at the underside of the brake piston or diaphragm-When the cone cock
is turned into a middle position between the two positions above described, com-
munication between tho train pipe and the cock is closed.
Fig 1 is a longitudinal section illustrating one modification of my invention,
applicable more particularly to those arrangements of brake apparatus, where
the vacuum chamber separate from the brake piston or diaphragm cylinder.
Fig 2 is a longitudinal section illustrating another modification of my invention
applicable more particularly to brake apparatus where the brake piston or diaphragm
cylinder also forms the vacuum chamber or a part thereof.
Fig 3 is a longitudinal section illustrating another modification of my invention
applicable where brakes are required to be arranged to be worked by the
"automatic" or "simple" vacuum brake arrangement or by neither.
Fig 4 is an elevation showing parts of brake apparatus, and the arrangement
and application of the apparatus shown by fig 3.
Fig 5 is a plan of the cock and valve apparatus shown in fig 4 with the ends of
the shafts attached to the cock shown in section.
In fig 4 b is the train pipe j the vacuum chamber and c the brake diaphragm
cylinder.
In the modification shown by fig 1 k is a casing and it has a connection on one
sido for a pipe leading to the train pipe and on the other side for a pipo j* com-
municating with the vacuum chamber of the vacuum brake apparatus. There is
an ascending passage in the casing k from the pipe, and a descending passage to
the pipe jx at the upper end of which there is a seating formed in the casing k for
a ball valve which is inserted through a hole in the top side of the casing which
hole is closed by a screw plug k³ as shown.
The ball valve k' is free in a hole formed in a stem or stirrup which is arranged
to slide horizontally one end boing guided in a hole in the casing and the other
end in a disc or dish screwing into the casing and securing the edges of a
diaphragm air tight between the disc and casing the central part of the
diaphragm being connected with the sliding stem by a shoulder on the latter
and a screw nut thereon as shown.
To the end of the stem a T lever is jointed at 4° and two of its arms extend
across the disck and when this lever is moved either way by a cord, wire or
other connection, one or the other arm comes against the edge of the disc
thus pulls the stem or stirrup³ outwards and consequently the ball valve k' from
its seating.
and
When the lever is at liberty and a vacuum is formed in the train pipe the
pressure of the atmosphere acts upon the diaphragm to force the stem or
stirrup inwards leaving the ball valve k¹ free to seat itself.
The modification shown by fig 2 is intended to be attached to the piston or
diaphragm cylinder of brake apparatus,
1 :
the

page_text: is the passage in the casing k communicating with the train pipe and by
he ascending passage above the ball with the underside of the piston or
liaphragm.
The ball valve ¹ is on a seating over a passage j* in the casing leading to tho
vacuum chamber above the piston or diaphragm.
The hole to admit the ball valve k is in the side of the casing and is closed by
screw plug
..
The lever in this case is a straight lever but may be a T lever, it extends
across the disc and will act to draw the stem or stirrup k³ outwards, whether
the end of the lever is moved towards or from the casing k-The ball valve k¹;
stem or stirrup k³; diaphragm k³ and disc lª are arranged as described in reference
to fig 1.
In figs 3, 4 and 5 the ball valve k¹ stem or stirrup k³ and diaphragm k³, disc k^,
lever and screw plug k² are arranged as described in reference to fig 1.
The casing and its passages are modified and combined with a cone cock or
plug k
The casing has junctions for four pipes one c³ for a short ascending branch from
the train pipe (b) another for the pipe to the vacuum chamber (j) another ♬³
for the pipe to the brake diaphragm cylinder (c) connected with the latter at the
underside of the diaphragm or piston and another pipe to the cylinder (c) at
the upper side of the brake diaphragm or piston.
The cock which fits the casing has three passages 1, 2 and 3, and when in the
position A (shown by dotted centre line) the brake will work automatically, as it
will be seen that the train pipe (c³) in that position of the cock will communicate
through the passage I and passage with the brake cylinder (c) on the lower
side of the brake diaphragm and through the ball valve k' and its connected
passages between 1 and 3 with the brake cylinder (c) above the diaphragm or
piston, and with the vacuum chamber (j) through the passage 2 in the cock and
the passage and j³.
When the cock is turned to the position C to work by simple vacuum, the
vacuum chamber (5) is shut off from the branch train pipe (c) by closing the
passage from to j¹ and communication is then opened directly through the
passage of the cock and passage to the cylinder (c) at the upper side of
the brake diaphragm or piston and the cylinder (c) at the lower side of the
diaphragm or piston is in communication with the atmosphere through passage j³
and chamber 3 in the cock and holes ³ (see fig 5) in one end of the plug k' which
is made hollow at that end.
In the middle position B the cock k² shuts off all communication between the
passages and j³, and the branch to the train pipe which is left free for
communication with the vacuum brake apparatus on the vehicles in the front and
rear of the one where the cock is in the position B.
The cock can be turned by a handle from either side of the vehicle, the
handle being arranged to be locked in any required position. The handle on each
side is on the end of a shaft one on each side of the vehicle, in suitable bearings,
the inner ends of the shaft k being fitted on a square on the ends of the plug of
the cock as shown in fig 5.
The ball valve k¹ is arranged to be actuated from either side of the carriage
by wires or other attachments k* connected with a T lover k as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by fig 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my.said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In apparatus for actuating brakes by a partial vacuum, the combination and
arrangement of a ball valve which lifts vertically from its seating by air pressure,
5 with a casing having passages and a stem or stirrup diaphragm and lever for

page_text: moving the ball valve horizontally as herein before described and illustrated by
fig 1 and also as illustrated by figs 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings
2. In apparatus for actuating brakes by a partial vacuum, the combination and
arrangement of a ball valve which lifts vertically from its seating by air pressure
with a casing having passages, and a stem. diaphragm, and lever for moving. the
ball valve horizontally and a cock for changing the working of the apparatus as
herein before described and illustrated by figs 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings.