Apparatus for Operating Brakes on Railway Trains from the Permanent Way.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1899
****Complete Specification Left, 2nd Feb., 1900-Accepted, 24th Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Operating Brakes on Railway Trains from the
Permanent Way.
We, GIDEON SAMUEL JEFFRIES, Manufacturer, of Reading, in the County of
Berks, and State of Pennsylvania, and NICHOLAS JAMES JEFFRIES, Capitalist, of
Atlantic City, in the County of Atlantic, and State of New Jersey, both in the
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for causing the brakes of a train to be
applied independently of the driver and it comprises mechanism mounted on the
locomotive adapted to be operated so as to release the air in the pipe and apply
the brakes by contact with an obstruction placed on the rail itself or placed along-
side the track and brought into operative position when the semaphore signal
is set.
The obstruction to be placed on the rails consists of a thin metal plate of
approximately the width of the rail head provided with clips whereby it is secured
to the rail and having at its rear end an upwardly inclined portion which rises
to a height sufficient to act on the mechanism on the train for opening the air
pipe and is hollow so as to yield and be crushed flat by the wheels of the bogie.
The device which operates on the mechanism when a switch or semaphore arm
(or both) is set is in the form of an upwardly arched plate pivoted at one end and
having its other end engaged by an arm of a bell crank lever connected with the
switch rod which is suitably connected with the semaphore arm so that the plate
may be readily adjusted. A downwardly extending pipe is connected with the
air brake system and is secured to the bogic truck and is provided at its lower
end with a vent which is contracted preferably by a plug which is bored to
furnish the size of vent required and at the outer end of the vent there is a valve
seat closed by a valve carried by a lever which is rocked by the obstruction and
opens the valve. This lever is locked by a latch when tilted and means are pro-
vided for enabling the latch to be released under the control of the driver. The
lever and the latch mechanism are secured to a bracket carried by the pipe, said
bracket having three arms to the central one of which the lever is pivoted, the arm
in the rear having a spring which forms a yielding abutment for the lever and
receives the shock when the lever strikes the obstruction, while to the arm in
advance of the latch is pivoted. The lever has in rear of its pivot, a portion which
is convex on its under edge and moves alongside the rail so as to come in contact
with the obstruction. In rear of the pivot a portion overlies the rail in position
to come in contact with the obstruction upon the rail. The first portion is
upturned at its free end so that it will ride over the obstruction if the train should
be backed after passing forward over the obstruction, and provided with a strength-
ening web, but the other portion need not be so upturned at its forward end
because its obstruction will be flattened by the wheel of the train. The lever has
an arm in advance of its pivot and is provided near the forward end of such arm

page_text: with a notch for the latch which is pivoted to the bracket and has an arm whose
point engages in the seat when the lever is operated by an obstruction on the
track and operates to hold the lever in the locked position until the latch is
released by an arm which is hooked to engage the latch, the bar being operated by
suitable connections leading to a point in the cab of the locomotive. A spring
engages the latch and forces the same to the locked position and another spring
draws the same normally to the position in which the valve closes the vent. The
valve is on the upper side of the lever and normally closes the pipe, being held
tightly to its seat by the tension of the spring. This valve is preferably of rubber
or other suitable material to properly conform to its seat and secure a tight closure
of the train pipe.
It will be readily understood from the foregoing that until the lever meets
with the obstruction the valve closes the pipe and the brakes are in their inopera-
tive position and when the lever comes into contact with the obstruc-
tion the lever is caused to rock Oll its pivot and as the rear end
of the lever is raised its front end is lowered and the latch forced by its spring
into engagement with the seat of the lever, the latch holding the lever in such
position until the parts are readjusted.
It will be understood that the obstruction may be operated by electrical devices
as well as by the mechanical means, and that the curved or shoe portion of the
lever may when desired be arranged to operate inside the track instead of outside.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1899.
A. M & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London:
Apparatus for Operating Brakes on Railway Trains from the
Permanent Way.
We, GIDEON SAMUEL JEFFRIES, Manufacturer, of Reading, in the County of
Berks, and State of Pennsylvania, and NicuOLAS JAMES JEFFRIES, Capitalist, of
Atlantic City, in the County of Atlantic, and State of New Jersey, both in the
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus for causing the air brakes of a train to he
applied independently of the driver or brakesman and it comprises mechanism
mounted on the locomotive adapted to be operated so as to release the air in the
pipe and apply the brakes in the manner usual to air brake systems by contact
with an obstruction placed on the rail itself or placed alongside the track and
brought into operative position by the setting of a semaphore signal or switch.
The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts
as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention
shown in connection with the railroad track and a locomotive thereon. Figure 2
is a front view thereof. Figure 3 is a top plan view of a switch and a semaphore
arm arranged to operate the obstruction on the track. Figure 4 is an elevation of
the semaphore arm. Figures 5 and 6 are respectively perspective and detail
sectional views of the obstruction for application to the rail.
sectional elevation showing the valve lever, its supporting devices and the train
Figure 7 is a
pipe with the valve adjusted to close the vent of said pipe. Figure 8 is a view

page_text: similar to Figure 7, partly broken away, showing the valve open, and Figure 9
is a detail perspective view illustrating the parts shown in Figure 7.
The obstruction to be placed on the rails may consist of a thin metal plate such
as shown in Figures 5 and 6 of approximately the width of the rail head provided
with wire clips A whereby it is secured to the rail at any desired point, and
having at its rear end an upwardly inclined portion A¹ which rises to a height
sufficient to act on the mechanism on the train for opening the air pipe and is
made hollow so as to yield and be crushed flat by the wheels of the bogie as it
rides thereon.
Means are provided whereby the setting of the switch or the setting of a sema-
phore arm (or both) at a railroad crossing or bridge will throw an obstruction 13
(Figure 1) up alongside the rail so as to engage with the device on the train.
This obstruction B is in the form of an upwardly arched plate pivoted at one
end 13 and having its other end B3 engaged by an arm C of a bell crank lever
which is pivoted at C¹ and has its arm C³ connected with a rod C3 which may be
suitably connected through a bell crank lever C+ (Figure 3) with the switch rod C
which is connected by suitable devices with the semaphore arm 06 (Figure 4) so
that the plate B may be readily adjusted as may be desired.
A downwardly extending train pipe D (Figure 1) is suitably connected with
the air brake system and is secured at E to the bogie truck. At its lower end the
pipe D has a vent D¹ (Figure 7) which is contracted preferably by a plug in the
lower end of the pipe D, such plug being bored to furnish the size of vent desired
and at the outer end D2 (Figure 8) of the contracted vent is formed a valve seat
which is closed by a valve 12 carried by a lever F or movable device presently
described which is tilted by the obstruction B on the track and supports the valve
in such manner that the valvd will be opened when the lever is tilted by such
obstruction. A latch is provided for locking the lever, when tilted by the
obstruction and also devices for releasing said latch, such devices being under the
control of the engine driver. In the construction shown a bracket E (Figure 7)
is employed secured to and supported by the train pipe and having a depending
arm E to which the lever F is pivoted at F; an arm in rear of the arm E
and having a spring E which forms a yielding abutment for the lever and
cushions the operation of such lever by the obstruction on the track, and a for-
wardly projecting portion Et to which is pivoted the latch presently described.
The lever F has in rear of its pivot a portion G which is convex on its under edge
and moves alongside the rail so as to come in contact with the obstruction B as
will be understood from Figure 2 and in rear of the pivot F there is provided a
Fortion H which overlies the rail in position to come in contact with the obstruc-
tion A upon the rail as will also be understood from Figure 2. The portion G of
the lever is upturned at its free end so that it will ride over the obstruction B
if the train should be backed after passing forward over the obstruction; but the
portion H need not be so upturned at its forward end because its obstruction A
will be flattened by the wheel of the train passing over it and will not strike the.
portion H as the train is backed. I prefer to provide the portion G with a
strengthening web Gas best shown in Figures 7 and 9.
The lever has an arm I in advance of its pivot F1 and is provided near the
forward end of such arm with a notch or seat I for the latch J which is pivoted
at J' to the portion E of the bracket and has an arm J2 whose point engages in
the seat. I' as shown in Figure 8 when the lever is operated by an obstruction on
the track and operates to hold the lever in the position shown in Figure 8 until
the latch is released by an arm K supported on the locomotive framing which is
hooked at K and engages with the arm J2 of the latch J, the arm K being
operated by suitable connection's leading to a point L in the cab of the loco-
motive. A spring J engages the latch and forces the same to the position shown
in Figure 8 and a spring M connects with the lever F and draws the same nor-
mally to the position shown in Figure 7. The valve 12 before referred to, is
mounted on the upper side of the arm I of the lever F and operates when the
.:

page_text: lever F is in the position shown in Figure 7 to close the train pipe, being held
tightly to its seat by the tension of the spring M: This valve 12 is preferably of
rubber or other suitable material to properly conform to its seat and secure a tight
closure of the train pipe.
In the operation of the invention if the parts be as shown in Figure 1 and in
detail in Figure 7, the pressure in the train pipe will be retained by the valve I
and the brakes will not be set; but if an obstruction A be placed on the rail
or the plate B be lifted alongside the rail, the lever F will be operated, as it
passes over said obstruction to the position shown in Figure 8 and as the rear
nd of the lever F is raised its front end will be lowered and the latch J will be
forced by its spring J into engagement with the seat I¹ of the lever F and will
hold the lever in such position until the parts are readjusted by means of the
arm K and its connections leading to the locomotive cab by which the latch will
be brought to the position shown in Figure 7 and the lever will be forced by its
spring M to the position shown in such figure causing its valve to close the vent
in the train pine. The arm K has a sliding engagement with the latch whereby
to compensate for changes of relation between the truck and frame as in rounding.
curves.
The invention is simple in construction, positive in its action, will operate to
hold the train pipe open until it is desired to close the same and may be readily
applied to any style of locomotive.
It will be understood that the obstruction may be operated by electrical devices
as well as by the mechanical construction shown; also that the part G may when
desired, be arranged to operate inside the track instead of outside as shown. The
device shown in Figure 5 is made of such length that the bogie wheel will rest
on its rear end and anchor it in place before the lever strikes part A' so that
such part will certainly operate the lever as described.
•
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In an apparatus substantially as described, the combination of the train pipe
having a valve seat and the lever pivoted between its ends and having an arm pro-
vided with a valve fitted to said seat and its other arm arranged for operation
by an obstruction on the track, substantially as set forth.
2. In an apparatus substantially as described, the combination of the train pipe,
the valve controlling the same, the operating device for said valve arranged for
operation by an obstruction on the track to open the valve, a latch for holding
the operating device in such position, such latch and the operating device being
supported on the locomotive truck, and the arm for releasing said latch, such arm
being supported on the locomotive framing and having a sliding engagement with
the latch whereby to compensate for changes of relation between the truck and
frame as in rounding curves, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of the train pipe, the lever arranged for operation by an
obstruction on the track and the double armed latch pivoted at the juncture of
its arms, having one arm arranged to engage and lock the lever and the other arm
arranged for engagement by the latch releasing device, and means whereby the.
lever may be readjusted when the latch is released substantially as set forth.
4. In an annaratus substantially as described the combination of the train pipe,
having a vent, the lever having a valve controlling said vent and arranged for
operation by an obstruction on the track, and a stop for the lever having a yield-
ing abutment by which to cushion the operation of the lever by such obstruction
substantially as set forth.
5. In an apparatus substantially as described the combination of the train pipe,
the lever arranged for operation by an obstruction on the track and provided with
a depression or seat for the latch, and the latch arranged to engage in said seat.
and lock the lever when tilted by such obstruction substantially as set forth.

page_text: 6. An apparatus substantially as described comprising the lever pivoted between
its ends, having one end arranged for engagement by an operating obstruction on
the track and its other end provided, with a depression or seat, the latch arranged
to lock said lever when the latter-is operated by said track obstruction, means for
releasing said latch, and the spring for readjusting the lever substantially as
set forth.
7. The combination of the bracket having a depending cushion arm and a sup-
porting arm, the lever pivoted to said supporting arm arranged for operation by
an abutment on the track and to engage the cushion arm when so operated, the
spring connecting the lever with the bracket and arranged to readjust the lever,
the double armed latch pivoted to the bracket and locking the lever when the
latch is operated by the track abutment, the spring for actuating said latch, and
means for releasing the latch, substantially as set forth.
8. In an apparatus substantially as described a lever having a portion arranged
to overlie the rail and be operated by an obstruction thereon, and a portion lateral
to said first portion and arranged for operation by an obstruction alongside the rail,
substantially as set forth.
9. In an apparatus for controlling air brake mechanism the combination of the
train pipe having its end open and downwardly directed, and the lever extended
approximately in a horizontal line and arranged for operation by an obstruction on
the track, said lever being provided with a valve movable therewith up and down
to close and open the downwardly directed end of the train pipe, substantially as
set forth.
10. An automatic safety appliance for rail roads constructed in substantially the
manner herein set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1900.
A. M. & WM. CLARK.
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.