Improvements in Hand Brakes for Railway Rolling Stock.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hand Brakes for Railway Rolling Stock.
I. WILLIAM SAMUEL LAYCOCK, of Victoria Works. in the City of Sheffield,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention in hand brakes for railway rolling stock has for its object to
simpty the mechanical details, whereby the brake may be applied or released
on either side, and to dispense with the use of springs or or special counter-
balance weighis to return the hand levers to their normal position when the brake
is released.
In carrying out my invention I propose to use short hand levers securely fixed
upon the ends of a first shatt; the pusi rods with the brake shoes being operated
by a second shaft connected with the first shaft by suitable rods and levers as
will be well understood.
In a suitable position upon the first shaft. I secure a short arm or lever, it is
fixed at a right angle or thereabouts to the hand levers and pointing in an
upward direction; 1 then place upon the same shaft loosely a segmental or cam
shaped rack provided with ratchet teeth, and a pivotted drop catch is arranged
to engage with the teeth of the rack and retain it. when, the hand lever is pressed
down and the brake is put on.
A short arm projects radially from the boss of the rack, and is pivotally con-
nected with the rod which actuates the second shaft. by which the push rods and
brake shoes are operated.
To cause the hand lever on either side of the vehicle to put on or take off the
brakes, a portion of the side face of the rack plate, projects laterally across the
back edge of the first mentioned short lever fixed upon the shaft, thus when the
hand lever is pressed down, the back edge of the short lever acts against the
projecting part of the rack and causes it to turn round on the shaft, and its con-
nected short arm to pull the rod which operates the second or brake shaft, the
gravity catch before described then engages and prevents the return movement
when pressure is removed from the hand lever.
To enable the brake to be taken off from either side of the vehicle, the hand
lever is raised and this action eventually brings the end of the short lever under
the gravity catch and raises it out of the rack, the brakes are then immediately
"taken off" by the gravitation of the various parts of the mechanism.
To retain the hand levers in their normal or "off" position, I use a pivotted
plate, having an L shaped slot, in which a stud projecting from the side of the
short first mentioned lever works, so that when the hand levers are in their
raised, or normal, or off" position, the vertical part of the slot drops over the
stud and thus retains the levers; the application of downward force causes the
slotted plate to turn on its pivot and release the stud.
This arrangement of mechanism enables automatic brakes such as the Westing-
house, the vacuum and others to be used in combination with it.
In some cases where desirable I may use a fixed horizontal rack, and cause

page_text: the pivotted catch to move over its teeth when the hand levers are depressed,
until it engages; the reverse movement of the hand levers raises a finger which
releases the catch, and the brakes are withdrawn by gravity.
Dated the 25th day of November 1899.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Agent for Applicant,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield.
.
DARDS Fay noming StocK.
I, WILLIAM SAMUEL LAYCOCK, of Victoria Street Works, in the City of Sheffield,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same has to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement: —
My invention in hand brakes for railway rolling stock, has for its object to
simplify the mechanical details in connection therewith, and to dispense with
the use of springs or of special counterbalance, weights used to return the hand
levers to their normal position when the brake is released.
In carrying out my invention as applied to a railway wagon, and by which
the brakes may be applied or withdrawn from either side of the vehicle as may
be most convenient, and which I have illustrated in the sheets of drawings annexed
hereto, and in, which
Fig. 1 represents an elevation of half a wagon fitted with the said brake
apparatus.
Fig. 2 a plan of same,
Fig. 3, elevation of segmental rack and adjacent mechanism, (enlarged).
Fig. 4, side view of same.
I propose to use short hand levers 1, securely fixed upon the ends of a first
shaft 2, which is connected with a central shaft 3, by suitable rods and levers 4
and 5, as will be well understood; the said central shaft operates the push
rods 6, which carry the shoes 7.
In a suitable position upon the first shaft 2, I secure a short arm 8; it is
fixed at a right angle or thereabouts to the hand levers 1, and preferably pointing
in an upward direction. I then place upon the same shaft loosely, a segmental
or cam-shaped rack 9, provided with ratchet teeth, and a pivotted drop catch 10
is arranged to engage with the teeth of the said rack 9, and retain it when the
hand lever is pressed down, and the brake is applied from either side of the
vehicle.
A short arm 11, projects radially from the boss of the rack 9, and is pivotally
connected with the rod 4, which actuates the central shaft 3, to which the push
rods G. are connected.
"3
To enable the hand lever 1, on either side of the vehicle to "put on
6
or to take
off" the brake blocks or shoes 7, from the wheels of the vehicle, a portion of
the side face of the rack plate, marked 12, projects laterally across the back edge
of short lever 8, fixed rigidly upon the shaft 2, so that when either hand lever
is pressed down, the back edge of the said short lever S, engages with the said
projecting part 12, of the rack 9, and causes it to turn upon the shaft and the
arm 11, (which is connected with it) attached to the rod 4, operates the central
shaft 3, and applies the brakes.
The pivotted drop catch 10, travelling over the rack then engages with it, and

page_text: prevents the return of the rack when the, hand lever 1 is released; by this action
the brakes are retained in action until released by hand.
To enable the brake to be withdrawn out of action from either side of the
vehicle, the hand lever on that side is raised, and this action eventually brings
the end or top face of the short lever 8, in contact with the underside of the
catch 10, and raises it out of the rack.
When so released, the gravitation of the various parts of the mechanism at
once causes a reverse movement and withdraws the brake.
*
To retain the hand levers 1, in their normal or off" position, I use a pivotted
plate 13, provided with a L shaped slot 14, which engages with a stud 15, pro-
jecting from the side of the lever or arm 8, so that when the hand levers are
raised to the off position, the short vertical end of the slot drops over the stud
and retains the levers 1 in position.
The application of downward force to the hand levers causes the plate 13 to turn
on its pivot and release the stud by entering the horizontal part of the slot.
This arrangement of mechanism lends itself to the combination of the
inghouse, Vacuum and like brakes with it.
66
"
..
West-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1-The improvements in hand brakes for railway wagons as herein before
described and shown.
The operating, retaining, and releasing mechanism to be used in com-
bination with ordinary hand levers and push rods for railway wagon brakes, as
herein before described and as shown in Figs. 3 & 4.
Dated the 25th day of August 1900.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Agent for Applicant.