Improvements in Brakes for Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: States of America, Civil Engineer].
Improvements in Brakes for Railway Vehicles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:---
This invention relates to improvements in brakes for railway vehicles and has
for its object to enable the brakes to be applied simultaneously to all the wheels
of a six wheeled "bogie," truck, or vehicle with equal force and in such manner
that the stress produced on such vehicle when applying the brakes according to
methods generally in use, is so greatly reduced that the injurious effects of this
stress are practically eliminated, and that the various parts of the brake mechanism
and of the truck itself are more perfectly balanced than heretofore.
According to the method hitherto generally followed for applying brakes
(sometimes known as "triple brakes") to all the wheels of a six wheeled truck or
vehicle in which the wheels are arranged in pairs at equal distance apart, a brake
beam having a brake shoe at each end has been suspended from each end of the
truck frame and so arranged that the brake shoes can be forced by levers against
the outer sides of the peripheries of the end wheels, and a similar brake beam
with brake shoes has been suspended from the truck frame in an intermediate
position between the wheels so that its brake shoes can be forced by levers against
the middle pair of wheels. The result of this arrangement is that two pairs of
brake shoes are forced in one direction while only one pair of brake shoes is
forced in the other direction, thus setting up an unequal stress in the structure
of the truck frame when the brakes are operated. Furthermore this method of
arranging the "triple brakes involves a pulling stress between the body of the
vehicle and each truck or "bogie," which stress is approximately equal to the
force or pressure of one pair of brake shoes upon one pair of wheels, and tends
to lift the central part of the vehicle body in a manner which is detrimental to the
framework of the vehicle.
According to my invention I so arrange the brake mechanism of a six wheeled
"bogie," truck or vehicle, that the brakes (when operated) are simultaneously
applied from points between the wheels, that is to say to the inner sides of the
peripheries of the end pairs of wheels and to both sides of the middle pair of
wheels; and that an equal braking force is applied to each pair of wheels.
This is effected by suspending a brake beam carrying a pair of brake shoes at
cach end of the truck body by means of links or other suitable means in such
position that the brake shoes can be applied to the inner sides of the peripheries
of the two end pairs of wheels, and by suspending two similar brake beams with
their brake shoes from the truck body, one on either side of the middle pair of
wheels, in such position that their brake shoes may be applied to both sides of

page_text: the middle pair of wheels, when the brakes are operated. All the brakes are
connected by a system of levers and connecting rods in such manner that when the
lever at one end of the system is moved all the brake shoes are simultaneously.
applied or released.
Each of the brake beams has an extension projecting towards the axle of a pair
of wheels. The ends of these extensions are suspended by links or similar de-
vices from the truck frame. To each of these beam extensions is pivoted a lever.
These levers are respectively connected by suitable connecting rods. The lever at
one end of the system is connected to a suitable source of power, and the lever at
the other end of the system has one of its ends pivoted to a point forming the
final fulcrum or fixed point of the system. Suitable means are provided for
adjusting the apparatus to compensate for the wear of the brake shoes and wheels
or for other purposes, and the levers are so constructed and arranged that the
braking force is applied equally and simultaneously to each pair of wheels.. Any
known means may be employed for suspending the various parts of the apparatus,
brake means of any suitable form may be employed, and springs, counter-
balancing weights or other devices may be employed for promptly releasing the
brakes.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Drakes for nanway venicios.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention 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 improvements in brakes for railway vehicles and has
for its object to enable the brakes to be applied simultaneously to all the wheels
of a six wheeled bogie, or truck, of the vehicle with equal force and in such
manner that the strain produced on the vehicle body in applying the brakes
according to methods generally in use, is so greatly reduced that the in-
jurious effects of this strain are practically eliminated, and that the various parts
of the brake mechanism and of the truck itself are more perfectly balanced than
heretofore.
66
According to the method hitherto generally followed for applying brakes (some-
times known as triple brakes") to all the wheels of a six wheeled railway
vehicle in which the wheels are arranged in pairs at equal distances apart, a brake
beam having a brake shoe at each end has been suspended from each end of the
truck frame and so arranged that the brake shoes can be forced by levers against
__ the outer sides of the peripheries_of_the_end_wheels. A similar brake beam..pro-
vided with a pair of brake shoes has been suspended from the truck frame in an
intermediate position between the wheels so that its brake shoes can be forced
by levers against the middle pair of wheels. The result of this arrangement is
that when the brakes are applied, two pairs of brake shoes are forced in one
direction while only one pair of brake shoes is forced in the other direction, thus
setting up unequal strains in the structure of the truck frame.
Furthermore this method of arranging the "triple brakes" involves a pulling
strain between the body of the vehicle and each truck or bogie, which strain
is approximately equal to the force or pressure of one pair of brake shoes upon

page_text: one pair of wheels, and tends to lift the central part of the vehicle body in a
manner which is detrimental to the framework of the vehicle.
According to my invention I so arrange the brake mechanism of a six-wheeled
bogie, or truck, that the brakes can be simultaneously applied from points between
the wheels, that is to say to the inner sides of the peripheries of the end pairs of
wheels and to both sides of the peripheries of the middle pair of wheels; and
that an equal braking force is applied to each pair of wheels.
This result is effected by suspending a brake-beam carrying a pair of brake
shoes at each end of the truck body by links or other suitable means in such
position that the brake shoes can be applied to the inner sides of the peripheries
of the two end pairs of wheels, and by suspending two similar brake beams with
their brake shoes from the truck body, one on either side of the middle pair of
wheels, in such position that their brake-shoes may act upon both sides of the
middle pair of wheels, when the brakes are applied. All the brakes are connected
by a system of levers and connecting rods, the lever at one end of the system
being connected to a suitable source of power, and the lever at the other end of the
system having one of its ends pivoted to a point forming the final fulcrum or fixed
point of the system, so that when the lever at one end of the system is moved,
all the brake shoes are simultaneously applied or released.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the accom-
panying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a diagram showing a plan of the wheels brake-beams and brakes.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of a six wheeled bogic or truck, showing the
wheels, brake mechanism and part of the frame.
A, A, are the wheels of the vehicle mounted upon axles a. B, B1, B2, B³ are
the brake beams which are provided respectively with extensions b, 61, 62, 63,
suspended from the frame of the vehicle by hangers C, and springs C. D, D are
the brake shoes which are pivoted to the brake-beams and supported by links d,
from the vehicle frame. E, E, E, E are levers which are pivoted in suitable
slots in the extensions b, 61, 62, 63. The upper end of the lever E is connected
to any suitable source of power. F is a rod pivotally connecting the lower end
of the lever E to a point between the ends of the lever E. F is a rod pivotally
connecting the lower ends of the levers E¹, E2. f is a screw-coupling for adjusting
the length of the rod F. F2 is a rod pivotally connecting the lower end of the
lever to a point between the ends of the lever E2. The upper end of the lever E3
is pivoted at G to the vehicle frame. H, H are springs which tend to release the
brake shoes D,.D.
When the upper end of the lever E is moved in the direction indicated by the
arrow in Figure 2, the levers and connecting rods are thereby moved in the
directions indicated by the arrows y in Figure 2 and the brakes are simultaneously
applied to the inner sides of the end pairs of wheels and to both sides of the
middle pair of wheels.
The levers and connecting rods are so adjusted that an equal braking force is
applied to all the parts of wheels, for instance, if a force of say 3,000 lbs. is
exerted at the upper end of lever E and the arms of this lever, (which has its
fulcrum at its lower end), are in a ratio of four to one, a force of 12,000 lbs. is
exerted on the brake beam B and a force of 9,000 lbs. is transmitted along the
rod F to the lever E. The arms of the lever E are in a ratio of two to one,
so that a force of 6,000 lbs. is exerted by the short arm of the lever E¹ on the
brake beam B' and a force of 3,000 lbs is transmitted along the rod F1 to the
lever E. The levers E2, E3 and the rod F2 are similarly proportioned to the
levers E¹, E and the rod E; hence a force of 6,000 lbs. is exerted on the brake
beam B³, and a force of 12,000 lbs. is exerted on the brake beam B³.
The springs H, H, may be replaced by counter-balancing weights or any other
known device for promptly releasing the brakes. Any convenient form of brake
beams and shoes may be employed and suspended from the vehicle frame in any

page_text: suitable manner.
The various rods and other connections may be provided with
any suitable means for adjusting them to compensate for wear or for other
purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A six-wheeled bogie, or truck provided with brakes arranged between the
wheels and operated through a system of levers and connecting rods in such
manner that the brakes are simultaneously applied equally to the inner sides of
the end wheels and to both sides of the middle wheels, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
2. A railway vehicle provided with brakes constructed arranged and operating
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings for the
purpose specified.
100
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.