Improvements in Apparatus suitable for Automatically Actuating the Brakes of Railway-vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus suitable for Automatically Actuating the
Brakes of Railway-vehicles.
I, ANDRÉ ANDREITSH CHOLODKOWSKY, of Nigni Vladimirsky No. 3, Kiew,
Russia, Railway Engineer and State Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus suitable for use in connexion with the air-
pipes of the brakes of a railway-train for the purpose of automatically actuating
the said brakes in case of an accident such as derailment or the breakage of an
axle.
An apparatus for this purpose according to this invention comprises a tubular
body which is adapted to be screwed to a branch of the air-pipe of the brakes
and in which there is arranged a valve that is normally kept closed by a suitable
spring. The stem of this valve is extended through the end of the tubular body
and is provided at its outer end with a screw adapted to be held in a selected
position by means of a nut.
One or more of such apparatus is or are inserted in the brake-pipe of a vehicle
for example, above one or more axle-boxes or above the middle of a spring or
springs and the outer screw is so adjusted that any abnormal movement of the
vehicle will cause the head of the screw of the, or each such, apparatus to strike
against the axle-box or spring. This action will open the valve and thereby
automatically actuate the brakes. The valve, when thus opened, is kept in that
position by a spring stop which engages with teeth cut in the stem of the valve
in such a manner that the brakes cannot be released until after the valve stop
has been disengaged by hand.
One example of apparatus in accordance with this invention comprises. a
tubular body which is screwed to a branch or union of the brake air-pipe. The
tubular body has a seat for the valve which is guided by a stem that works in
a cross piece in the tubular body or the branch or union. The valve is normally
kept pressed against its seat by means of a coiled spring placed on the stem
between the valve and the cross-piece. The valve is also provided with a spindle
which extends through to the outside of the tubular body and in which fits a
screw the length of whose externally projecting portion can be regulated by
means of a nut provided thereon. This screw is provided at its outer end with
a suitable head which-strikes in the case of derailment, for example, against the
surface of the axle-box or against the piece screwed or bolted to the middle part of
the spring. When a shock is produced in this way, the spring is compressed,
and the valve moved from its seat, allowing the air to pass through orifices formed
in the tubular body, and to escape or flow in, according to the kind of the air-
brake employed. When the valve is moved from its seat, it is kept open by a
catch carried by a spring and engaging with ratchet-teeth formed in the valvé
spindle, which is slotted to give free communication, whenever the valve is open,'
between the interior of the tubular body and the aforesaid apertures, a guide-

page_text: screw being provided in the tubular body engaging in a groove in the spindle to
keep the latter from rotating.
The apparatus may be arranged, for example with the head of the aforesaid
screw above an axle-bar and another and similar screw below the said box, the
latter screw being connected to the former by one or more suitable bars and
guides, with or without an interposed spring. If the said screws are suitably
adjusted, the valve will remain closed so long as the relative positions of the
screws and the axle-box remain normal; but if, in consequence of a derailment or
from any other cause, the axle or the body of the vehicle move suddenly, one of the
screws will strike the axle-box and thus produce with certainty the automatic
operation of the brakes.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus suitable for Automatically Actuating the
Brakes of Railway-vehicles.
I, ANDRÉ ANDREITSH CHOLODKOWSKY, of Nigni Vladimirsky No. 3, Kiew,
Russia, Railway Engineer and State Consulting Engineer, 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 apparatus suitable for use in connexion with the air-
pipes of the brakes of a railway-train for the purpose of automatically actuating
the said brakes in case of an accident to the rolling-stock-such, for instance, as
derailment or breakage of an axle.
Apparatus for this purpose according to this invention comprises a tubular
body which is adapted to be screwed to a branch of the air-pipe of the brakes
and in which there is arranged a valve that is normally kept closed by a suitable
spring. The stem of this valve is extended through the end of the tubular body
and is provided at its outer end with a screw adapted to be held in a selected
position by means of a nut.
One or more of such apparatus is or are inserted in the brake-pipe of a vehicle-
for example, above one or more axle-boxes or above the middle of a spring or
springs and the outer screw is so adjusted that any abnormal movement of the
vehicle will cause the head of the screw of the or each such apparatus to strike
against the axle-box or spring. This action will open the valve, and thereby
automatically actuate the brakes. The valve, when thus opened, is kept in that
position by a spring-stop which engages with teeth cut in the stem of the valve
in such a manner that the brakes cannot be released until after the valve-stop
has been disengaged by hand. In some cases the valve may be combined with a
cock normally kept closed by a spring and provided with a bar carrying a second
screw adjusted under the axle-box in order to record, so to speak, the downward
abnormal movements of the axle-box.
In the annexed drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view of an apparatus constructed
according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, and Fig. 3 a horizontal
section, of the same apparatus. Fig. 4 shows as an example the combination of the
said apparatus with an axle-box of a railway-vehicle, and Fig. 5 is a detail side
elevation showing the connexion between the rod S and the cock T of Fig. 4.
The apparatus shown comprises a tubular body A, which is screwed to a union B

page_text: of the brake air-pipe C. The tubular body A has a seat a for the valve D, which
is guided by a stem E that works in a cross-piece F in the tubular body A or the
union B. The valve D is normally kept pressed against its seat a by means of
a coiled spring G placed on the stem E between the valve D and the cross-piece F.
The valve D is also provided with a spindle E', which extends through to the
outside of the tubular body A and in which fits a screw H, the length of the
externally projecting portion of which can be regulated by means of a nut I
provided thereon. This screw H is provided at its outer end with a
suitable head K, which strikes, in the case of derailment, for example, against
the surface of the axle-box V (Fig. 4), or against a piece screwed
or bolted to the middle part of the spring. When a shock is produced in
this way, the spring G is compressed and the valve D moved from its
seat, allowing the air to pass through orifices L formed in the tubular body A,
and to escape or flow in according to the kind of the air-brake employed. When
the valve is moved from its seat, it is kept open by a catch M carried by a
spring N and engaging with ratchet-teeth P formed in the valve-spindle E¹ which
is slotted to give free communication, whenever the valve is open, between the
interior of the tubular body and the aforesaid orifices, a guide screw O being
provided in the tubular body and engaging in a groove in the spindle E¹ to keep
the latter from rotating.
The apparatus may be arranged, for example, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, with
the head K of the screw H above an axle-box V and another and similar screw H¹
below the box V, the latter screw being connected by one or more suitable bars S,
passing through guides u u¹, to a slotted arm or slotted arms S¹ on a cock T
provided in a branch from the union B or in the brake-pipe, adapted when open
to give also free communication between the interior of the pipe C and the
outside, and furnished with a spring G¹ bearing with one end on a collar on one
of the bars S and with the other on the guide ¹ so as normally to keep the
cock closed. If the screws H H are suitably adjusted, the valve D and the
cock T will remain closed so long as the relative positions of the screws H H¹
and the axle-box V remain normal; but if, in consequence of a derailment or from
any other cause, the axle or the body of the vehicle move suddenly, one of the
screws H, H will strike the axle-box, and thus produce with certainty the
automatic operation of the brakes by actuating either the valve 1) or the cock T.
The cock T may be kept open after being operated by a detent engaging a ratchet-
wheel fixed on the plug of the cock.
The arrrangement described in the preceding paragraph might be modified by
dispensing with the cock T and connecting the screw H¹ to the screw H by linkage
so that the depression of the screw H¹ would raise the screw H.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In combination, a tubular body, a brake-pipe upon which the said body is
screwed, a valve arranged in the said tubular body, means adapted to keep the
valve closed normally, a spindle extending from the valve to the outside, means
for keeping the valve open after operation, and a screw fitting in the said spindle
and adjusted above an axle-box or spring, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
2. In combination, a-tubular-body,-a-brake-pipe-upon which the-said body is
screwed, a valve arranged in the said tubular body, a seat for the valve in the
tubular body, a stem working in a cross-piece as a guide for the valve, a spring
placed on the said stem and pressing the valve against its seat, means for keeping
the valve open after operation, a slotted spindle extending through to the outside
of the tubular body, means for keeping the said spindle from rotating, a screw
fitting in the said "spindle, and means for regulating the length of this screw,.
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 3. My improved apparatus constructed, arranged and operating as, hereinbefore
described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive of the accompany-
ing drawings.
Doted this 21st day
1000
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.