IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS AND SIGNALS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Heath, of Betley, in the County of
Stafford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS
AND SIGNALS."
Sealed the 29th September 1853, and dated the 29th March 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Heath at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th March 1853.
T, ROBERT HEATH, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS AND SIGNALS" to be as
follows:-
I propose to use the ordinary friction break, but to make it perfectly
self-acting, I attach a lever and weight in such a position under the
carriage that they will press the breaks on the wheels without any
assistance from the breaksman; and when he turns his wheel it will
only be to detach them. If it be desirable to put breaks on a number
of carriages in the same train, I connect them by a chain similar to
the present connecting chains, so that one man may detach any

page_text: reasonable number of them; and if any of the carriages, by accident,
become unconnected, the breaks would apply themselves, and they are
so powerful by the lever and weight that they will stop a train in a very
short time. I propose, to make use of the same apparatus to strike a
bell or other contrivance for a signal which may be attached to the said
levers in any convenient manner by chains, cords, &c., the said breaks,
when put on, being so very powerful, will be of themselves a sufficient
signal to the engine driver to warn him that the guard or guards wish
to call his attention to some particular object. I wish it to be distinctly
understood that this is merely an outline of my Invention, which I will
more clearly explain in my complete specification.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Heath, in; the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 29th September.1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1.
ROBERT HEATHI, of Betley, in the County of Stafford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of March, 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 succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Heath, Her especial
licence that I, the said Robert Heath, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Heath, my 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 of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAILWAY BREAKS AND SIGNALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Robert Heath, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and

page_text: 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 Robert Heath, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):
My Invention consists of an improved method of working or apply-
ing breaks to railway or other carriages in motion to stop or retard
their progress when necessary, which I accomplish by fixing a lever
and weight under the carriage, or in any other convenient position, to
work the breaks, so that they are forced against the wheels of the
carriages by a self-acting power, and thus retard or stop their progress.
This my improved method of working breaks is applicable to all kinds
of carriages, cither on common' roads or railways, and also to engines,
tenders, vans, trucks, waggons, or any kind of vehicles used for the
conveyance of passengers or goods.. It can also be used to a single.
carriage, or be made continuous-throughout-a-train,-by-connecting-the
levers of the different carriages or vehicles together by means of chains.
and hooks, or other similar contrivances, so, that the guard or person in,
charge of the train ori carriage, by turning a handle, winds, a small.
portion of a chain on a barrel; and takes off all the breaks at the same.
time and by letting off the said chain from the barrel allows them. to!
go on to the wheels and press against their peripheries by the power or
force of the said levers and weights, thus becoming or constituting a
self-acting power or motion. This self-acting power is perfectly safe,
and easy, and enables one.man to work any reasonable number of break
carriages, say, from two to ten; but I venture to say, that with six
carriages, one break van, and the tender. break he will be able to pull.
up a train, running at the speed of forty miles an hour, in one hundred;
and twenty yards, on a level line, with perfect case, and safety.; and if-
the engine or any part of a train gets off the line, the breaks will force
theniselves into action, and prevent the carriages coming into violent
collision and running one over another: When the breaks are to be:
applied it is only necessary to let the chain off. the barrel, from six to,
1

page_text: nine inches, or thereabouts, which is done by turning the handle the
contrary way; and this application of the breaks will be a sufficient
signal to the engine driver by the pressure on the wheels,acting on the
draw bars, which, being connected to the engine, enables him at once
to feel or perceive it, which thus becomes a perfect signal between the
guard and engine driver. This method of working or applying the
breaks is so easy that the passengers cannot perceive their application;
and the cost of them will be less than the present system, as I can dis-
pense with buffer rods and the bow springs, a very heavy item in the
construction of carriages on the present plan; but where springs are
desirable. I prefer the spiral springs of Mr. John Brown, of Sheffield.
I also effect a considerable saving in the wear and tear of the rolling
stock, which is a very desirable advantage.
These my improvements will be clearly understood by reference to the
accompanying sheet of drawings, in which the same letters of reference
are used to represent similar parts where different views or diagrams are
shewn. Fig. 1, is a side elevation of two carriages fitted with my
improved breaks, one shewing a luggage van with breaksman's box,
and the other a first-class carriage. Fig. 2, is an end view of one of
the carriages. Fig. 3, is part of a sectional elevation, shewing the
self-acting apparatus for keeping the breaks in their right position,
allowing for wear and tear; and Fig. 4, is a side elevation of the
bottom frame of an engine, shewing how my breaks can be applied to
the wheels of engines. In Fig. 1, a, represents a handle by which
the pinion b, is turned; c, a toothed wheel keyed fast on the same shaft
as the barrel d, shewn in dotted lines, and which is in gear with the
pinion ; e, the bearings for the shafts on which are keyed the pinion b,
and the larger toothed wheel c; f, a chain secured at one end to the
barrel d, and the other end to the bar g, which is shewn as running
along the tops of the carriages, each carriage carrying its own length;
but I do not confine myself to this position of the continuous or con-
necting bar, as it may be placed at the sides or in any other convenient
position. h, friction rollers, over which the bars g, slide; i, a connect-
ing chain between the carriages, which couple the bars g, together; k, a
chain passing down the end of the carriage, and a little way over the

page_text: top, one end being fast to the lever, on which is placed the weight, the
other end terminating with a short length of bar iron l, or other suitable
metal, which is secured to the bar g, with bolts or other similar fasten-
ings. In the bar 1, is a long slot for the purpose of raising or lowering
the lever and weights required; m, is a horizontal lever, on which is
secured the weight n; o, a short shaft, more clearly seen in Fig. 2,
on which the lever m, is keyed to brackets for supporting the shaft o;
q, a vertical lever keyed on the shaft o, at right angles to the lever m;
, a short connecting rod, having a screw at one end working in a
socket which is connected to the lever q, to lengthen or shorten the rod
as required; the other end of the rod r, is flat, with a swivel joint, and
has holes drilled in it for the purpose of adjusting it to the lever s, which
is keyed on the shaft t, one end of the lever s, being secured by a strong
joint pin to the flat ends of the rod r; t, is the shaft running underneath
the centre of the carriage, on which is keyed the levers for putting on
the breaks, which are seen shewn as the common slide break now in
general use; but my plan of working and connecting them is applicable
to any other kinds of breaks. 2. is a short lever for turning the rod r,
for the purpose of lengthening or shortening it as required; w, is a
guide for the lever m, with holes drilled in for a pin to support the lever
and weight when they are not required to work. It will be readily
seen, by reference to Fig. 1, that by the handle a, the chain f, can be
wound on or off the barrel d, by which means the lever m, and weight n,
is lowered or raised as required. It is also evident, that by lowering
the weight n, the breaks will be put on the wheels, and by bringing
them back into their position, they will be taken off.
In Fig. 3, n,
is the weight; m, the lever, keyed on the short shaft o, as in Fig. 1;
q, is the vertical lever; a, a bar, one end of which is secured to the
lever q, by a joint pin, the other end being a kind of beak working in
corresponding notches in the segment of the lever y; this lever y, is a
segment with notches, and is keyed on the shaft t;, is a fall, working
on the pin a', and falling into the notches of the segment of the lever y,
so that when the weight falls it will, by means of the bar x, pull the
lever y, which will turn the shaft t, and thus put on the breaks u; and
as the breaks wear by the friction of the wheels, the break on the bar x,

page_text: will get over a notch in the segment on the lever y, and the fall,
getting over a notch at the same time, keeps the lever y, up to its work.
In Fig. 4, A, represents the lower frame work of an engine: B, a
strong bracket secured to the frame work; C, a long lever, which works
on a joint pin in the bracket B, and which is made a convenient length
for the engine driver to work it; D, is a long rod or bar, one end form-
ing a joint, with the lever to the other end, secured to the lever E,
which is keyed on the shaft F, running underneath the engine; but I
do not confine myself to this position, as already noticed, with respect
to the bars on the carriages. G, is a lever keyed on the shaft F,
opposite the wheel; H, is a box secured to the lover G, by a pin; I, is
the break block which is fitted into the box H. On the other end of
the shaft F, and opposite to the corresponding wheel of the engine, is
placed a lever similar to G, with the box H, and break block I, at-
tached, which forms a double break. It will be casily understood, that
by the engine driver pulling the lever E, towards himself, he will, by
means of the bar or rod D, draw the lever E, in the same direction,
which, being keyed on the shaft F, turns it, and thus puts the break
blocks I, on the wheels by means of the levers G, one end being-fitted
in the box H, and the other end keyed on the shaft F. "The blue lines
shew how the lever and weight can be applied to put on the breaks.
K is a lever on the shaft F; Lis the weight secured to the end of the
lever K; , a chain also fast to the end of the lever K, and which can
be worked in a similar manner, as described in Fig. 1. The dotted
lines in red and blue represent other methods of taking up the chains
for raising the lover and weight.
1. r
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said
Invention; I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine
myself to the exact details herein described, as such may be varied or
modified without departing from the principle thereof. But I claim, as
of my Invention and which, to the best of my knowledge and belief;
has not been hitlierto used within this' realin,
Firstly, the method of working or applying single breaks by means
of a lever and weight, or levers and weights, to the peripheries of
carriage wheels. whether the same be used on common roads or rail-

page_text: ways, and whether such wheels be attached to coaches, carriages, vans,
trucks, wagons, engines, tenders, or any kind of vehicles in motien for
the purpose of conveying or transporting passengers, goods, or mer-
chandize; and,
Secondly, the method of connecting the said levers and weights
together, so as to make them continuous, and to act upon a number
of such vehicles simultaneously, and to be under the control of one
person, as all of such improvements are herein described and illustrated
in the accompanying sheet of drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Heath, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Robert Heath, in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
ROBERT HEATH. (L.S.)
Manchester.