IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BREAKS ON RAILWAY TRAINS BY FLUID PRESSURE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR WORKING BREAKS ON RAILWAY TRAINS BY FLUID PRESSURE."
A communication from abroad by George Westinghouse, junior, of Rue de la
Victoire, Paris, in the French Republic.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th February 1879.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES ON
RAILWAY TRAINS BY FLUID PRESSURE." [A communication from abroad by
George Westinghouse, junior, of Rue de la Victoire, Paris, in the French
Republic.]
•
This Invention relates to that class of break apparatus for railway trains in
which a store of power in an auxiliary reservoir or chamber containing either com-
pressed or rarefied air is retained on each break carriage for the purpose of applying
the breaks on that particular vehicle, these auxiliary reservoirs communicating by
a pipe extending throughout the train with a pump or ejector on the locomotive.
In the Specifications to Letters Patent formerly granted to the said George Westing-
house, junt, and to me, the said C. D. Abel, for Inventions communicated to me from
abroad by the said G. Westinghouse, junt., arrangements of break apparatus such as
is above referred to have been described, and also arrangements of valves whereby
changes of pressure in the communicating pipe effect the triple functions of charging
all the auxiliary reservoirs of the train, applying the power stored in them to pro-
duce pressure on pistons or their equivalents for putting on the breaks, and relieving
this pressure for taking the breaks off. The present Invention relates to improve-
ments in such apparatus whereby its action is rendered more simple and effective,
as will now be described. In order to render the apparatus capable of being worked
either by compressed or rarefied air, or by both conjointly, the following arrange-
ment is adopted --The communicating pipe, at its end next the engine, terminates
in a three way cock having two branch pipes from it, the one connected to the
main reservoir of compressed air on the locomotive, the other connected to tho
suction of the air compressing pump, or preferably to a steam ejector, for creating a
Price 621

page_text: partial vacuum. When the cock is in one position the pipe is put in communication
with the reservoir of compressed air, and all the auxiliary 'reservoirs throughout the
train become charged. When the cock is turned partly-round. the communicating
pipe is closed. When the cock is turned farther round the pipe is put in communication
with-the-suction of the pipe or ejector whereby it is rapidly exhausted, causing the
-breaks-to-be-applied. ___On turning the cock-back so as to charge the pipe again the
breaks are released. This is the operation when the pistons-or-their-equivalents
connected-to-the-break_levers are worked by pressure exceeding that of the
atmosphere. When, on the other hand, the break pistons or their equivalents-arc-
arranged to be worked by the excess of the atmospheric pressure over that of the
rarefied air in the auxiliary reservoirs the opening of the cock to the suction or
ejector effect the rarefaction of the air in these reservoirs and the release of the
breaks, and its opening to the main reservoir causes the breaks to be put on. By
introducing valves into the two branches from the cock, that in the one branch
opening from the air inwards, and that in the other branch opening to the air out-
wards, the pressure in the communicating pipe is rapidly changed to that of the
atmosphere independently of the pressure reservoir, and of the suction or ejector
when either of these is not in action, the said valves nevertheless remaining closed
when they are in action. In like manner a valve is introduced at each auxiliary
reservoir, such valve opening from the air inwards when the reservoir is employed
to contain compressed air, so that a supply may be drawn in from the atmosphere
when by the above described action of the suction or ejector the pressure in any
auxiliary reservoir is reduced below that of the atmosphere, and conversely, the
valve opening to the air outwards so as to relieve pressure in any auxiliary reser-
voir intended for rarefied air when the pressure in it exceeds that of the atmosphere.
The auxiliary reservoir may be a vessel separate from the break cylinder and con-
nected with one end of it by a pipe, or it may form an extension of one end of the
cylinder. In either case the valve above mentioned while it is self acting, as
described, may be provided with a lever handle to open it against pressure when it
is desired to have only atmospheric pressure in the auxiliary reservoir, as when the
break carriage is standing or being moved by hand in a station yard. The break
piston is made to work tightly in the break cylinder by packing it with a belt ring
of leather within which is a spring ring of metal pressing the leather outwards
against the internal surface of the cylinder. The piston rod also works through
packing in the cylinder cover, and it has a collar next the piston coned as a valve,
so that when the piston is at the end of its out stroke this valve collar being
pressed against a seating in the cylinder cover prevents escape of air around the
piston rod.
Also a small groove is formed in the cylinder, so that when the piston
is at the end of its stroke air can slowly leak past the piston from the one end of
the cylinder to the auxiliary reservoir in which the air is rarefied or into the
cylinder from the auxiliary reservoir in which the air is compressed, this leakage in
either case serving to establish an equilibrium of pressure-on-both sides_of_the_break
piston, but being insufficient to maintain that equilibrium when the pressure on the
one side is rapidly changed by charging or discharging the communicating pipe for
the purpose of applying the breaks. The improved valve arrangement for effecting
the triple function above referred to when compressed air is employed to work the
breaks is of the following description:-A cylindrical cavity communicates at its
top with the communicating pipe, and at its bottom with the auxiliary reservoir,
and at its side it has two ports, the lower one leading to the break cylinder and
the upper one to the outer air. It has also a groove extending some way down
from its upper end at one side, and another groove extending some way up from its
its lower end at its other side. In this cavity is fitted a cylindrical slide in form of a
hollow piston or plunger, which can slide freely up or down, and this slide has a
recess like that of a D slide extending over the two side ports. When the slide is
down compressed air from the communicating pipe passes by the lower groove into
the auxiliary reservoir and charges it, and at the same time the break cylinder is
by means of the recess and the two side ports in communication with the outer air,

page_text: so that the break piston is under equilibrium of pressure, and the breaks are held
off by a weight or spring. If now the pressure in the communicating pipe be
reduced by discharging the air from it more rapidly than the air can leak past the.
lower groove the pressure already existing in the auxiliary reservoir causes the slide
to rise above the lower groove, cutting off communication between the pipe and the
reservoir, and the recess of the slide being now above the side ports that which
opens to the air is covered, while that which leads to the break cylinder is opened
to the auxiliary reservoir, so that the pressure therein is brought to act on the break
piston, causing the breaks to be applied. At the same time the recess of the slide
is by means of the upper grooves put in communication with the pipe, whereby the
pressure in it is equalised with that in the pipe. A moderate reduction of pressure
in the pipe causes the slide to rise so far as to admit moderate pressure to act on the
break piston, applying the brakes with moderate force, whereas a rapid and full
reduction of pressure in the pipe causes the breaks to be applied with full force. By:
means of a check valve in a branch of the communicating pipe at the opposite end
of the break cylinder the break piston can be caused to advance and apply the
breaks when the air in the communicating pipe is rarefied; and this valve is made
with a recess in its stem facing two side ports, one to the air and one from the
break cylinder, so that in working with compressed air when the valve remains.
closed there is free passage eut from this end of the break cylinder.

page_text: July 1879
"
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, -of-Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County_of_Middlesex.. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BREAKS
ON RAILWAY TRAINS BY FLUID PRESSURE."-A-communication from abroad by
George Westinghouse, junior, of Rue de la Victoire, Paris, in the French
Republic.
This Invention relates to that class of break apparatus for railway trains in which
a store of power in an auxiliary reservoir or chamber containing either compressed
or rarefied air is retained on each break carriage for the purpose of applying the
breaks on that particular vehicle, these auxiliary reservoirs communicating by a
pipe extending throughout the train with a pump or ejector on the locomotive. In
the Specifications to Letters Patent formerly granted to the said George Westing-
house, junior, and to me, the said C. D. Abel, for Inventions communicated to me from
abroad by the said George Westinghouse, junior, arrangements of break apparatus,
such as is above referred to have been described, and also arrangements of valves
whereby changes of pressure in the communicating pipe effect the triple functions
of charging all the auxiliary reservoirs of the train, applying the power stored in
them to produce pressure on pistons or their equivalents for putting on the breaks,
and relieving this pressure for taking the breaks off. The present Invention relates
to improvements in such apparatus whereby its action is rendered more simple and
effective, as will now be described. In order to render the apparatus capable of
being worked either by compressed or rarefied air, or by both conjointly, the
following arrangement is adopted :-The communicating pipe at its end next the
engine terminates in a three way cock having two branch pipes from it, the one
connected to the inain reservoir of compressed air on the locomotive, the other
connected to the suction of, the air compressing pump, or preferably to a steam
ejector for creating a partial vacuum. When the cock is in one position the pipe is
put in communication with the reservoir of compressed air, and all the auxiliary
reservoirs throughout the train become charged. When the cock is turned partly
round the communicating pipe is closed. When the cock is turned farther round
the pipe is put in communication with the suction of the pump or ejector, whereby
it is rapidly exhausted, causing the breaks to be applied. On turning the cock back
so as to charge the pipe again the breaks are released. This is the operation when
the pistons or their equivalents connected to the break levers are worked by pres-
sure exceeding that of the atmosphere. When, on the other hand the break pistons
or their equivalents-are-arranged to be worked by the excess of the atmospheric
pressure over that of the rarefied air in the auxiliary reservoirs, the-opening-of-the
cock to the suction or ejector effects the rarefaction of the air in these reservoirs
and the release of the breaks, and its opening to the main reservoir causes the
breaks to be put on. By introducing valves into the two branches from the cock.
that in the one branch opening from the air inwards, and that in the other branch
opening to the air outwards, the pressure in the communicating pipe is rapidly
changed to that of the atmosphere, independently of the pressure reservoir and of the
suction or ejector when either of these is not in action, the said valves nevertheless
remaining closed when they are in action. In like manner a valve is introduced at
cach auxiliary reservoir, such valve opening from the air inwards when the reser-
voir is employed to contain compressed air, so that a supply may be drawn in from
the atmosphere when by the above described action of the suction or ejector the
pressure in any auxiliary reservoir is reduced below that of the atmosphere, and
conversely the valve opening to the air outwards so as to relieve pressure in any

page_text: auxiliary reservoir intended for rarefied air when the pressure in it exceeds that of
the atmosphere. The auxiliary reservoir may be a vessel separate from the break
cylinder, and connected with one end of it by a pipe, or it may form an extension
of one end of the cylinder. In either case the valve above mentioned, while it is
self acting as described, may be provided with a lever handle to open it against
pressure when it is desired to have only atmospheric pressure in the auxiliary
reservoir, as when the break carriage is standing or being moved by hand in a
station yard. The break piston is made to work tightly in the break cylinder by
packing it with a belt ring of leather, within which is a spring ring of metal
pressing the leather outwards against the internal surface of the cylinder. The
piston rod also works through packing in the cylinder cover, and it has a
collar next the piston coned as a valve, so that when the piston is at the
end of its outstroke, this valve collar being pressed against a seating in the
cylinder cover prevents escape of air around the piston rod. Also a small
groove is formed. in the cylinder, so that when the piston is at the end
of its stroke air can slowly leak past the piston from the one end of the
cylinder to the auxiliary reservoir in which the air is rarefied, or into the
cylinder from the auxiliary reservoir in which the air is compressed, this leakage
in either case serving to establish an equilibrium of pressure on both sides of the
break piston, but being insufficient to maintain that equilibrium when the pressure
on the one side is rapidly changed by charging or discharging the communicating
pipe for the purpose of applying the breaks. The improved valve arrangement for
effecting the triple function above referred to when compressed air is employed to
work the breaks is of the following description:-A cylindrical cavity communi-
cates at its top with the communicating pipe, and at its bottom with the auxiliary
reservoir, and at its side it has two ports, the lower one leading to the break'
cylinder and the upper one to the outer air. It has also a groove extending some
way down from its upper end at one side and another groove extending some way
up from its lower end at its other side. In this cavity is fitted a cylindrical slide in
form of a hollow piston or plunger which can slide freely up or down, and this
slide has a recess like that of a D slide extending over the two side ports. When
the slide is down compressed air from the communicating pipe passes by the lower
groove into the auxiliary reservoir and charges it, and at the same time the break
cylinder is by means of the recess and the two side ports in communication with
the outer air so that the break piston is under equilibrium of pressure, and the
breaks are held off by a weight or spring: If now the pressure in the communi-
cating pipe be reduced by discharging the air from it more rapidly than the air can
leak past the lower groove, the pressure already existing in the auxiliary reservoir
causes the slide to rise above the lower groove, cutting off communication between
the pipe and the reservoir, and the recess of the slide being now above the side
ports, that which opens to the air is covered, while that which leads to the break
cylinder is opened to the auxiliary reservoir so that pressure therein is brought to
act on the break piston; causing the breaks to be applied. At the same time the
recess of the slide is by means of the upper groove put in communication with the
pipe, whereby the pressure in it is equalised with that in the pipe. A moderate
reduction of pressure in the pipe causes the slide to rise as far as to admit moderate
pressure to act on the break piston, applying the breaks with moderate force,
whereas a rapid and full reduction of pressure in the pipe causes the breaks to be
applied with full force. By means of a check valve in a branch of the communi-
cating pipe at the opposite end of the break cylinder the break piston can be caused.
to advance and apply the breaks when the air in the communicating pipe is
rarefied. And this valve is made with a recess in its stem facing two side ports,
one to the air and one from the break cylinder, so that in working with compressed
air when the valve remains closed there is free passage out from this end of the.
break cylinder.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a section showing the mode above described of connecting the pipe A.
which communicates throughout_the_train_either by a branch b to the main reser-
-voir-B-when-it-is-desired_to_use_compressed air to work the breaks, or by a branch
to a vacuum vessel, or to the suction of the pump, or to an ejector when-it-is-
desired-to-use-rarefied-air-in-working_the_breaks. The pipe A and the two
branches b and c are connected to a cock D, which may have a fourth branch d by
which the compressed air reservoir B may be emptied, or the vacuum vessel can
be filled wlien required. The branch c may have a check valve. C opening out-
wards to permit rapid escape, when air from the pipe above atmospheric pressure
is suddenly directed into the branch c by turning the cock D one quarter round.
In some cases it is of advantage to maintain a partial vacuum in the branch c even
when the breaks are usually worked by compressed air. Thus when it is required
to put on the breaks with great force and rapidity, which is done by discharging
the pipe A, by turning the cock D so as to put it in communication with c, the
discharge will be rendered more rapid and complete if the air in c be rarefied.
Fig. 2 is a section partly in elevation shewing an arrangement of the connections
for one of the break cylinders E, so that its piston G may be worked either by
pressure or vacuum, and Fig. 3. shews a modified arrangement in which the
auxiliary reservoir is an extension of the break cylinder. A is part of the pipe
communicating throughout the train which is connected by a branch a with one
end of the break cylinder E, the other end of this cylinder being connected by a
branch with the auxiliary reservoir F when it is a separate vessel, as in Fig. 2.
There is a notch or small hole H at one end of the break cylinder giving a small
area of passage for air when the piston G is at the end of its stroke, as shewn in
the Figure. The piston rod has on it a conical boss g which seats as a valve on
the hole through which the piston rod passes, so as to prevent escape of air when
the piston is in the position shewn. The piston is packed with a leather ring K,
pressed outwards by a steel ring k, as is more clearly shewn in Fig. 4, which is a
section to an enlarged scale of part of the piston and end of the cylinder of Fig. 3.
The piston rod works through a leather packing ring L. There is an opening into
the auxiliary reservoir fitted with a check valve M opening inwards, and this valve,
may be provided with a lever handle for opening it when desired, as shewn in
Fig. 3. Assuming that the pipe A is usually charged with compressed air, the
piston G is forced down to the end of its stroke as shewn, the breaks being off, and
air leaks past the piston by the notch or hole H so as to charge the auxiliary
reservoir F. If now the pressure in A be reduced the pressure in the auxiliary:
reservoir will cause the piston to move, applying the breaks with more or less.
force-and-rapidity, according to the extent and suddenness of the reduction of the
pressure in A. "When it is desired to work the breaks by vacuum, the pressure in
the pipe A and also in the auxiliary reservoir F being normally that of the atmos-
phere, then on exhausing the pipe A the atmospheric pressure in F will move the
piston so as to put on the breaks, additional air entering the auxiliary reservoir by
the valve M so as to maintain the atmospheric pressure therein. When the
auxiliary reservoir has been charged with compressed air it is somewhat con-
venient to discharge it, as when the train is in a station yard, and for this purpose
the valve M can be opened by hand.
Fig. 5 represents a general plan of a combined arrangement of break cylinder,
auxiliary reservoir, and operating valve, and Fig. 6 is a vertical section to an enlarged
scale of the upper half thereof. The pipe A communicating throughout the train
has a branch a leading by a passage into the valve box N, which is of cylindrical

page_text: form opening at the bottom by a hole f into the auxiliary reservoir F; and having
at its sides two ports e and o, the port e leading into the break cylinder: E, and the
port o opening to the outer air. Within the valve box N is a hollow. plunger P, fitted
to slide freely up and down and prevented from turning round by a pin m entering
a slot in the side of the plunger. At one side of the plunger is a recess p, like that
of a D slide connecting the ports e and o when the plunger is down, as shewn. A
notch n¹ forms a passage for leakage of air past the plunger when it is down, as
shewn, and another notch n² permits leakage passage to and from the recess p when
the plunger is up. The break piston G is pressed back by a spring Q holding the
breaks off. So far the apparatus is complete when it is to be used exclusively for
working the breaks by compressed air. When it is to be desired to render it applicable
for working also by vacuum the front end of the break cylinder E is connected by
a branch pipe a¹ with the pipe A, and in this pipe there is a check valve R having
a plunger stem in which there is a recess giving free passage when the valve is
closed, between a port ¹ opening from the front of the break cylinder and a
port opening to the outer air. The operation of this apparatus is as follows:-
The pipe A being normally charged with compressed air, the plunger P being down,
as shewn, air leaks by the notch n' past it, and through the hole finto the auxiliary
At the same time,
reservoir F, which thus becomes charged with compressed air.
by means of the ports e and o and the recess p connecting them, there is free escape
for air from the break cylinder, and the piston G is pressed back by the spring Q,"
keeping the breaks off. When it is desired to put on the breaks the pressure in A
is reduced, the superior pressure in F thereupon presses upwards the plunger P so
as to close the port o and to open the port e to admit air from F into the break
cylinder. The air thus admitted presses the piston G forwards, putting on the
breaks; at the same time the air in front of the piston issues by the ports 1, 2
For taking off the breaks the pipe A is again charged with compressed air, the
plunger P descends, putting e and o in communication, so that the air escapes from
the break cylinder and the spring Q presses back the piston, taking off the breaks.
When it is desired to work by vacuum, on exhausting the pipe A the valve R is
pressed up and the lower part of its stem closes the port The air then passes by
the port from the front of the piston G, while air from the atmosphere enters by
the ports o and e behind the piston, which by the excess of atmospheric pressure is
forced forwards, putting on the breaks. For taking off the breaks, the pressure is
restored in the pipe A, the valve R closes down, air enters by 2 and r¹ in front of the
piston G, whilst the air behind it is free to escape by e and o, the spring Q thereupon
presses back the piston, taking off the breaks.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed as cominunicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I claim
in respect of apparatus for working the breaks on a railway train by fluid pressure
communicated throughout the train by a pipe connected with the several break
cylinders and auxiliary reservoirs thereon,-
First. Providing the communicating pipe with two branches, governed by a cock,
the one branch connecting it with the main reservoir of compressed air, and the other
branch connecting it with an ejector or pump suction, so that according as the cock is
turned partly round in the one direction or the other, the communicating pipe and
the break apparatus connected with it are subjected to an increase or to a reduction
of pressure, as and for the purposes herein set forth with reference to Fig. 1 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Second. Providing for the auxiliary reservoirs connected to a communicating pipe
arranged as set forth in the preceding claim, inlet check valves for admission of air
when the breaks are worked by exhaustion of the communicating pipe, as herein
described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3.
Third. The construction of combined break cylinder, auxiliary reservoir, and
operating valve, herein described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6.
Fourth. The combination with the break cylinder referred to in the preceding

page_text: claim of the branch pipe a¹ with its valve R and parts 1 and 2, as herein described
with reference to Fig. 6.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy”nine.
CLAS n ADET