Improvements in Apparatus for Operating Railway Brakes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1890-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Operating Railway Brakes.
I HERBERT JOHN HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of
18 Buckingham Street Strand W.. in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by
Charles Tonneau of Godine in the Kingdom of Belgium Engineer to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus to be fixed on or to the engine or any carriage
and apparatus fixed in or on the permanent way in such manner that the air or
vacuum brakes on the train may be worked by any party distant from the train or
by the train itself on arriving at a certain obstruction presented in the permanent
way.
The apparatus in the permanent way consists of a lever or equivalent with a knob
and a tension spring worked on a pivot or hinge placed between two cheeks, said
lever having a cord, wire or chain attached to it passed round or over pulleys by
means of which anyone drawing such cord &c. can pull the lever over into a vertical
position and ready to operate the apparatus on the engine or carriage, next to be
described when it impinges on it.
The operating device on the carriage consists of a flat steel spring. This spring
must be in the centre beneath the carriage. A round rod which is fastened to the
spring and which passing through supports communicating with the rod of the brake
pipe. Said round rod is of optional length and cannot be defined as all engines and
carriages vary in dimensions. It is provided with a ring which prevents it descending
beyond a certain point. Without this ring, the rod attracted by the spring would
have continually a certain inclination to descend. A pipe which is adapted to the air
brake pipe and which ends in a valve and a rod which connected to the round rod
and which through the latters motion operates an escape pipe or a valve.
A pawl fastened to a support by means of a bar which is provided with a screw at
its end permits the pawl to move a spring holding the pawl continually against the
rod, from which it results that as soon as the spring operates, the rod in rising engages
in a notch in front of the pawl which entering said notch holds the rod steady and at
this moment the brake operates and the valve occasions an escape. To the end of the
pawl is fixed a rod which is within the reach of the engineer. When the apparatus
works the rod rises 5 to 6 centimeters and remains in this position until the engineer
pulling the rod removes the pawl from the notch and the bar drawn by the spring
resumes its original position.
The apparatus arranged between the rails is as follows. This apparatus is placed in
the centre of the permanent way and consists firstly of a movable cleat encased in a
cushion and which works by means of a spring and secondly of a string attached to
the cleat passing underneath the rail over pulleys and which is connected to the string
of the disc.
The apparatus arranged for the vacuum brake differs from the one for the Westing-
house brake only so far as the escape system is concerned. Thus the round rod is
connected to the bar by a screw. In the centre of the bar is a fulcrum which balances
it. The bar has at its end a hook which grasps the handle of the vacuum rod.
Dated this 21st day of November 1889.
HERBERT & CO.,
Agents to Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Operating Railway Brakes.
1 HERBERT JOHN HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of
18 Buckingham Street Strand W.C. London Civil Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention a communication to me from abroad by Charles Tonneau
of Godine in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer, and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to apparatus to be fixed on or to the engine or any carriage
and apparatus fixed in or on the permanent way in such manner that the air or
vacuum brakes on the train may be worked by any party distant from the train or by
the train itself on arriving at a certain obstruction presented in the permanent way or
other communication or alarm given to the driver of the train thereby.
The improvements consist firstly in the particular shape of a fever or obstacle
placed into the axis of the permanent way. This lever is constructed in such fashion,
that when at rest as well as during motion when it is operated by the cord or the like
of the disc to which it is generally connected it is at all times covered so that moisture
ashes or cinders, dust etc. may not enter the interior and thus stop the working,
secondly, in the arrangement of an automatic pawl or lock on to the rod connected to
the spring in these kinds of apparatus. This rod is intended when influenced by the
bending of the spring to act by means of levers rods etc. either upon the steam valve
or upon the vacuum or Westinghouse brake or the like or it may be for the change of
route etc. With the similar systems the rod rising by the action of the spring whilst
the latter is in contact with the said obstacle only operates upon the brake or the
throttle valve during this short moment and will attract the attention of the operator
or even provoke the stoppage of the train but up till now no mechanical arrangement
has been used to prevent the spring from resuming its original position and thus
,causing the stopping of the action of the rod upon the brakes immediately after the
passage of the obstacle. In the present system as soon as the rod connected with the
spring is displaced to cause the stoppage of the train it remains in this position by
reason of the aforesaid lock or pawl.
The intervention of the operator is thus necessary to replace the rod and the spring
into their normal position.
The spring and the other parts adapted to the locomotive engine in combination with
the lever in the permanent way to cause the stoppage of the train or to attract the
attention of the operator are known. The present invention lies in the shape and
arrangement of the essential parts the lever and spring and in the construction giving
the special advantages set forth above.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the stopping lever.
Fig. 2 is likewise an elevation showing the positions of the covers of the cleat when the
latter is set out of action to allow free passage.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are respectively elevation, plan and section on line A B of the frame
upon which the spiral spring and guide pulley are placed.
Figs. 6 7 and 8 are elevation and side views of the stopping lever.
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section intended to show the arrangement of the spring and
of the locking gear located underneath the locomotive engine or carriage.
Fig. 10 is a transverse section on line (D Fig. 9.
Figs. 11, 12 & 13 are elevation plan and side view of the locking gear and Fig. 14
is a plan of the permanent way showing the location of the stopping lever and its
connection with the cord of the disc or semaphore.
The device in the permanent way consists principally of the frame A having sub-
stantially the shape of two semicircular plates, they are connected at several points by
cross pieces c d e cast therewith. Two lugs ab arranged on the transverse axis are
prolonged in front and at the back to form two bearers perforated with a circular hole

page_text: through which passes the wood screw bolt or other part to fasten the device upon the
sleeper. At the lower part and in the interior is a pivot fon which turns the lever F.
In the interior and on the left is the volute spring B connected by a cord to the lever.
On the right is a guide pulley C underneath which passes the cord which connects the
lever to the cord of disc. The left hand part is covered by a plate D fastened by
screws whilst the right hand part is left unenclosed to allow of the displacement of the
lever.
The lever F is composed of a rod of rectangular sections ending above in two
branches in the shape of a fork between which is located a roller G over which the
spring on the locomotive engine passes. The inner part terminates by a bearing
which encircles the pivot f. The lateral right hand surface of this rod is provided
with a groove i into which is placed a catch H movable on pivot, & and connected
first to the spring B by a cord which passes into a hole pierced obliquely in the
lever. A cord I connected with the cord of the disc ends at the inner part of this
catch which is intended to raise the latch E to release the same from the notches g h
(Fig. 4). To the lever I is fastened a guide J, it is between this guide and the lever
where the latch may be displaced the latter being guided besides by a hook m engaged
in the groove i. Upon the lateral surface at the left hand side is fastened a cover K
the cross section of which has the shape of three sides of an oblong. The cover is
curved similar to the outer wall of the frame. On the lateral surface at the right
hand is fastened a similar cover L the attachment n of which forms a hinge joint. The
inner part has a small pulley M which when the stop is displaced will revolve on the
cord I whilst the cover oscillates on the point N and occupies the extreme position as
shown by Fig. 2. These covers are intended to shelter the apparatus when at rest and
during its motion.
When the device is in action the lever F is vertical (see Fig. 1) if it is to be set out
of action it suffices to draw the cord I. At the outset of this motion the catch raises
and disengages the latch then the lever inclines to the right whilst straining the
spring B (Fig. 2) so that in this position should the traction of the cord cease
accidentally the lever would return to its upright position and would thus prevent
rupture of the cord.
The cord of the disc O is connected with the lever by another cord I which after
having passed over guide pulleys and traversed the rail perforated with an opening
ends at the catch.
The apparatus arranged on the locomotive engine or carriage consists of a spring P
bent in the arc of a circle and fastened at its ends to two Tirons Q and Q placed
transversely to the permanent way and fastened to the frame-plates.
The spring is connected in its centre to a cylindrical rod R guided in vertical
direction by a ring S, which it traverses. This ring is united with two irons fastened
to the irons QQ Underneath the floor and opposite the rod i.e. in the longitudinal
axis of the permanent way is the locking device, which is composed of a lever T
oscillating upon a support U fastened to the cross-piece V kept by the squares o. A
spiral spring p is interposed between the cross-piece and the upper arin of the lever T
in order to maintain the latter continually against the rod R provided with a scotch
into which the point of the lever enters, when the spring P is bent. This rod is
connected in an optional manner to the parts, which it should work or control (steam
valve, Westinghouse brake etc.); for this reason Figs. 9 and 10 show only part of its
length. Also the lower arm of the lever T ends within the reach of the operator by a
series of levers, the arrangements of which as well as those of the rod vary according
to the system of locomotive or carriage to which this device is applied.
9,
The device is located in the permanent way at a convenient distance from the point
of danger and in its general position it constitutes an obstacle i.e. that the lever is
vertical and kept rigorously in this position by the latch and its arrangement upon the
frame. Should now the driver fail to perceive or hear some stop-signal, which is
operated for him and that the train advances as far as the lever, the train will stop
before reaching the point of danger, for in meeting the lever the spring P as well as the
rod R are sufficiently raised to operate the part, which should stop by its action the

page_text: progress of the train. It is expedient to remark that this part is operated until
the complete stoppage of the train, for with the upward motion of the rod, the upper
end of the lever T encounters the notch g underneath which it gears and after the passage
of the lever, prevents the spring and the rod to which it is fastened from resuming their
normal position.
To re-establish the parts in their original position and to put the train into motion
again, the driver should disengage the lever T by operating a lever located within his
reach and connected by means of other levers to the lower arm of the lever T.
If the lever is in combination with the disc or semaphore, it is at a stop when the
latter is raised and is inclined to allow free passage (Fig. 2) when the disc is down.
To protect level crossings, one must in this case use two levers for a single track,
one for the up-train and one for the down train and connect same with the barriers
by a cord in such a manner that they are at stop when the barriers are open and
that they allow passage when the barriers are shut.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
In automatic safety apparatus arranged on locomotive engines or carriages, mine
or other lifts etc. and permanent ways therefor of the nature described
1). The special shape and arrangement of the parts composing the stop-lever device
whereby the inner part thereof is always protected from moisture, dust etc.
2). The special shape and arrangement of the spring P movable with a rod R. in
combination with a locking mechanism which maintains this rod raised by the contact
of the spring upon the stationary stop-lever and thus prolongs its action until the
complete stoppage of the train.
Dated this 21st day of August 1800
HERBERT & Co.,
. 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.