IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING SUCH BREAKS, IN PART APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Clark, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS, AND
IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING SUCH BREAKS, IN PART APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th January 1879.
JOSEPH CLARK, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING SUCH
BREAKS, IN PART APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
The object of my present Invention is to improve the apparatus for compressing
air or other elastic fluid for working railway breaks, and in applying this part of
my Invention for compressing air or other elastic fluids for other purposes; to
improve the valve or cock for regulating the supply of such compressed air for
working railway breaks; to improve the block hanger and to provide a safety-catch
for railway breaks.
In carrying my present Invention into practice I construct the pump for com-
pressing air or other elastic fluid with two cylinders, and place one such cylinder
on each side of the centre line. I fit each of the said cylinders with a piston, and
make an air-tight joint in each of the said pistons by rings or other suitable meaus.
I connect the said pistons by togglo links and join such toggle links to the piston-
rod of a steam engine to work the same. 1 fit the said air-cylinders with suitable
valves for admitting and discharging the air or other elastic fluid to be compressed.
I fit the said steam engine with an improved slide-valve to cut off the steam at a
determined part of the stroke. The said air-cylinders may also be fitted so as to
oscillate in connection with the said toggle links, and thereby reduce the friction of
the said pistons.
I fit an improved valve to regulate the compressed air or other elastic fluid, so as
to charge the cylinders or other apparatus used in working railway breaks as
required. The said valve consists of an external tube having ports for the admission
and discharge of air or other elastic fluid used for such breaks. I fit the said tube
with an internal tube or piston to cover such ports as required.

page_text: In order to apply railway breaks which are operated by air or other fluid rapidly
for emergency or slowly for ordinary stoppages I construct a large operating cock
or valve fitted with a small internal cock or valve of any required dimension to
suit the different speeds of application of such breaks, or the said small cock or
valve may be fitted as a bye-pass to the said larger cock or valve.
I fit an improved catch to drop on the chain used in railway breaks, and secure
the end thereof if such chain gets broken. The said catch rests at its free end
upon the chain so long as it is sound, but falls, and thereby stops the chain, when
broken.
I fit an improved block hanger to simplify and reduce the cost of such hangers
of railway breaks. The said hanger consists of a back strap of iron bent to any
required shape, and to which is fitted the cast or other block forming part of such
railway break.
I fit a lever to enable the break apparatus to be used by hand when required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th July
1879.
(f
JOSEPH CLARK, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer.
IM-
PROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING SUCH
BREAKS, IN PART APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
The object of my present Invention is to improve the pumping apparatus for
compressing air or other elastic fluid for working railway breaks, and in applying
this part of my Invention for compressing air or other elastic fluids for other
purposes; to improve the valve or cock for regulating the supply of such com-
pressed fluids for working railway breaks; to improve the block hanger and to
provide a safety catch for railway breaks.
In carrying my present Invention into practice I construct the pump for com-
pressing air or other elastic fluid with two cylinders, and place one such cylinder
on each side of the centre line. I fit each of the said cylinders with a piston and
make an air-tight joint in each of the said pistons by rings or other suitable means.
I connect the said pistons by toggle links and join such toggle links to the piston-
rod of a steam engine to work the game. I fit the said air-cylinders with suitablo
valves and pipes for admitting and discharging the elastic fluid to be compressed.
The same pump may also be used for forcing non-elastic fluids, such as water, and
when so used I fit the inlet valve, as well as the outlet valve, with suitable pipes for
conveying the water or other fluid to and from the said valves as may bo
required.
I fit the said steam engine with an improved slide valve to cut off the steam at a
determined part of the stroke of the piston. The said air-cylinder may also be
fitted so as to oscillate in connection with the said toggle links, and thereby reduce
the friction of the said pistons.
I fit an improved valve to regulate the supply of compressed fluid, so as to charge
the cylinders or other apparatus used in working railway breaks as required. The
said valve consists of an external tube having ports for the admission and dischargo
of air or other elastic fluid used for such breaks. I fit the said tube with an
internal tube or piston to slide therein and cover such ports as required.
In order to apply railway breaks which are operated by air or other elastic fluid
rapidly for emergency or slowly for ordinary stoppages I construct a large operating
cock or valve fitted with a small internal cock or valve of any required dimension
to suit the different speeds of application of such breaks, or the said small cock or
valve may be fitted as a bye-pass to the said larger cock or valve in any convenient
manner.
I fit an improved catch to drop on the chain used in railway breaks and secure
the end thereof if such chain gets broken. The said catch rests at its free end upon
the chain so long as the latter is sound, but falls, and thereby stops the chain when
broken.
I fit an improved block hanger to simplify and reduce the cost of such hangers
of railway breaks, which said hanger consists of a back strap of iron bent to any
required shape, and to which is fitted the block forming part of such railway
break.
I fit a lever to enable the break apparatus to be used by hand when required.
I now proceed to describe my said Invention more particularly, reference being
made to the accompanying six Sheets of Drawings, and to the reference letters
marked thereon.

page_text: a is a section of the steam cylinder fitted with piston b in the usual manner.
The piston-rod c is connected by the joint x to the toggle links d and slides in the
guides f. The air-cylinders g are placed one on each side and fitted with air-tight
pistons working in trunnions i. The toggle links d are jointed to the said pistons,
and as the piston-rod c rises and falls by the action of the steam the pistons h are
moved backwards and forwards in their cylinders corresponding with the inclination
of the toggle links d, so that when the piston rises and falls to the extremity of its
stroke the pistons h are drawn to the inner ends of the cylinders g, and when the
piston is at the middle of its stroke as shown the pistons h are moved to the
bottom of the cylinders g, and thereby expel the air through suitable valves and
pipes into a reservoir to store the compressed air therein for working railway breaks;
k is the inlet valve for admitting air to the cylinders g, and is fitted with a perfo-
rated plate to exclude dust; is the outlet valve having a duct m leading from the
trunnions i, which are each fitted with an air-tight gland to permit the cylinders g
to oscillate and make an air-tight joint for the duct m A pipe is fixed in the
opening o for conveying the air to the reservoir as previously described.
l
Fig. 2 is a modification of Fig. 1, wherein the cylinders g are fixed in the framing
instead of oscillating therein, thereby dispensing with the gland and duct m
previously described.
Fig. 3 is a modification of Fig. 1, having the cylinders both on one side and
one of the toggle links d jointed to a pendulum link . In this and the other Figs.
the cylinder a may be placed horizontally and the cylinders g vertically when
preferred to be so.
Fig. 4 is the slide valve for controlling the steam to cylinder a, Figs. 1, 2, 3. a is
the cylinder, the piston, and c the piston-rod, as previously described; b₁ is a
cylindrical hole in which slides the plug c', moved therein by the ping, which is
moved by a lever connected to the piston-rod c in such a manner that when the
piston rod c ascends the pin g descends. Steam is ndinitted from the boiler by the
pipe to the ports i, i¹, and when the piston is near the top of its stroke the
ping slides the plug c' down so as to uncover the port a little. Steam is thus
admitted to the space b', and the steam moves the plug c¹ the length of the slot on
the ping, thereby opening the port i and the passage & to admit steam to the upper
side of the piston b; the piston then descends, and the pin g moves upwards and slides
the plug c¹, so that by the time the piston has moved one-fifth of its stroke (more
or less) the plug c¹ has covered the port i, and the steam in the passage k and above
the piston then works expansively to complete the stroke. By the time the
piston arrives near the bottom of its stroke the plug c has been pushed
upwards to uncover the port i¹ a little, and the steam fills the space and slides the
plug c so as to fully uncover the port ', and thereby admit steam by the passage k'
to the underside of the piston b, and thus to work the said piston continuously.
A small bye-pass pipe is fitted to admit steam to the cylinder a to start the engine,
and which pipe is closed in the act of opening the pipe h. Suitable stop-cocks are
fitted to the said pipes for the purpose described. A small slit d¹ is cut in the
plug c to pass steam as the plug rises. The exhaust port e is opened and covered
by the movement of the plug c as required. Any steam leaking past the sides of
the plug c is conveyed by an annular groove f into the exhaust port. The sliding
spindle g' is fitted with a gland g² in the usual manner.
Fig. 5 is an exterior elevation, and Fig. 6 a sectional elevation of the barrel and
plugs of an operating cock for applying breaks which work by compressed air to
railway trains. A pipe is fitted to connect the port a with a reservoir of compressed
air carried on the tender or other part of the train, and a pipe is fitted to connect
the port b with the pipe along the train for working the break apparatus fitted
thereon. The large handle c is fitted to the plug c' and uncovers the large opening c
to apply the breaks rapidly for emergency, while the smaller handle d is fitted to
the internal plug d' to uncover the small opening d to apply the breaks slowly for
ordinary stoppages.
This combination of a large and small operating cock is applicable to all breaks

page_text: worked by compressed air, but the arrangement as shown is more particularly suited
to those self-acting breaks which charge the break mechanism with compressed air
while the train is running, and apply the breaks by reducing the pressure in the
main pipe along the train. When both handles stand in line with 2 the ports aro
all closed, and air only sufficient for replacing leakage in the pipes is passed by a
slit o in the plug c¹, but when the smaller branch d is moved to point to 1 the port d'
is opened and allows the air to escape slowly from the pipe b by the exhaust e,
and thereby to reduce the pressure in the pipe along the train, and thus apply
the break apparatus on the train in the usual manner of such self-acting
breaks.
When the handle c is moved to cover 1 the breaks are applied in a similar
manner, but more rapidly, and when either or both handles are moved to point to 3
the port is opened to admit compressed air from the reservoir before referred to to
the pipe b, and thus by restoring the pressure of air in the pipe along the train to
relievo the breaks in the manner usual with such self-acting breaks.
Fig. 7 is a section of a charging valve which I fit for regulating the supply of
compressed air to charge the break cylinder when applying the break by direct
pressure. The pipe a is connected with a small receiver of compressed air on each
vehicle fitted with break mechanism. The pipe b is connected by a branch pipe
with the main pipe along the train, and the pipe c is connected by a pipe to the
break cylinder, which works the break levers or their equivalent. When the
pressure in the pipe b is reduced by opening the cock previously described,
the pressure of air in the receiver acting on the piston or plug & slides it along the
tube c and uncovers the port f, by which the compressed air passes along the centre
of the piston d and charges by direct pressure the break cylinder connected to the
pipe c; the air thus passes until the pressure in a and baro equal, or nearly so.
The spiral or other spring g is to close the port of when the air pressure is alike on
both sides of the piston d, but it may in certain cases be dispensed with. When
the pressure in the pipe is increased for the purpose of relieving tho breaks it
acts on the piston d and slides it along to first cover the port as shown and
then to uncover the port / by which the air in the break cylinder after it has
done its work is allowed to escape, and thus relieve the pressure of air in the
said break cylinder. is a plug fitted in the end of the plug d, and is preferred
to be the same in diameter as the outside of the plug dat the other end; k is a
perforated plate into which the plug i is fitted; m is a passage fitted with a
valve for passing compressed air from the pipe b to the receiver connected to
the pipe a.
Fig. 8 is a section of a valve for regulating the admission and withdrawal of
compressed air for that class of breaks in which the pressure of air is alike on both
sides of the piston in the break cylinders, and by withdrawing the pressure of
air from one side of such piston, the expansion of air in a receiver acting upon
the other side of such piston applies the break mechanism in the usual manner with
such self-acting breaks. This valve is connected at a by a branch pipe to the main
pipe along the train; it is also connected at 6 by a pipe to the back end of
the break cylinder; it is also connected at c by a pipe to the front end of the break
cylinder; and it is connected at d by a pipe to the receiver or vessel for storing
compressed air. When the train is running the several pipes, also both ends of the
break cylinder and the receiver, are filled with compressed air in the usual manner
with such breaks, but when the air is allowed to escape from the main pipe along
the train, the pressure of air in the back end of the break cylinder is withdrawn
at b, and the pressure of air in the receiver, expanding and acting on the front of
the piston in the break cylinder through the pipe connecting it at c, operates the
break mechanism with power proportioned to the difference of air-pressure on both
sides of the said broak piston. The valve e prevents the air escaping from the
receiver, but allows it to fill as required.
Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are sectional views of a valve for the same purpose as described
under Fig. 8, but for operating two break cylinders instead of one corresponding

page_text: letters represent similar parts to those in Fig. 8, but the parts b² and c¹ are con-
nected to the second break cylinder in a manner similar to those at b and c;
thus a is connected to the main pipe, b and 61 to the back ends of break
cylinders, c and c' to the front ends of break cylinders, and d to the receiver.
On withdrawing the compressed air at a the air in the receiver expands in both
cylinders and thus applies the break, as described under Fig. 8.
The said receiver and break cylinders are not shown in detail, as they are of the
ordinary kind and well understood, see a and a', Figs. 16 and 17.
Fig. 12 is an improved catch to fall on the chain to prevent it running through
the pullies if the chain gets broken accidentally. a is the chain on which rests the
free end of the catch. The heel c of the said catch is formed to stop the chain.
So long as the chain is sound the catch at b is held up as shown, but if it is broken
the end b falls and the heel c stops the chain as required.
Fig. 13 is an improved hanger to carry the break-block. a is a bracket bolted to
the framing of the carriage, b is a spring fitted in an oval hole in such bracket and
through a hole in the said hanger at c. The oval hole in such bracket is to cause
each block on both sides of the carriage wheel to fall back from the wheel an equal
distance when the break is relieved. d is the opening for the lever to work the
break-block, and is fitted with a fulcrum pin; e is the block, which may be of any
shape required.
Fig. 14 is an elevation and Fig. 15 a plan of part of the frame of a railway
carriage with improved break details fitted thereon. These improvements, and those
in the two following Figures, are more particularly applicable to break arrangements
secured to me by Patent No. 1047, and dated March 16, 1878, but are also appli-
cable to breaks generally. a is a suspending chain or rod connected to the lever b
by a hole or joint c in such position that when the lever b swings over the pulling
rod d shall be parallel or nearly so with its line of direction; e is a spiral spring
seated against a stop fand working on a spindle jointed at g in such a manner that
when the lever b swings over the spring e is compressed, and by expanding swings
the lever b to its normal position when the breaks are released. The hand-lever h
and the connecting chain i are for working the breaks independently of the air-
break apparatus when required. A graduated rack or its equivalent, see Fig. 16,
is fitted to the hand lever h in any convenient manner to keep the break on
as required.
Fig. 16 is an elevation and Fig. 17 a plan of part of the frame of a railway carriage
with improved break details fitted thereon. In the Patent before referred to one
air-break cylinder was used for each vehicle, but the present improvement uses two
such cylinders, and the valve I prefer for regulating the air thereto is shown bercin
by Figs. 9, 10, and 11. The back ends of such break cylinders are marked b and
the front ends thereof are marked f when described in connection with the valves,
Figs. 8 to 11.
The new arrangement of certain parts existing in the Patent before referred to is
as follows:-a are break cylinders, shown in detail in Fig. 11 of the said Patent;
they are connected directly to the break levers d without the former pulling rods
being used; c are two-way cocks similar to those described under Fig. 1, a', of the
said Patent, and e is a back-pressure valve similar to that described under Figs. 20
and 21 of the said Patent. The other fittings of the pipes are of the ordinary
kind. is a hand-lever for working the breaks independently of the air-break
apparatus when required; i is a graduated rack to keep the break on by pinning
the lever therein in the usual manner.
The method herein described and illustrated as applicable for compressing and
regulating air for working railway breaks is also applicable for compressing and
regulating air for other purposes, such as charging torpedos, working mining tools,
and generally where compressed air is required. It is also applicable for forcing
water and other liquids by the arrangement of cylinders and toggle links described
under Figs. 1 to 4.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said

page_text: Invention, and the method of performing the same, I also further state that I
do not restrict myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated,
because from the nature of my said Invention these may be considerably modified
without departing from the main characteristics of my Invention, but what I
claim specifically as novel, and desire to secure by the herein before mentioned in
part recited Letters Patent is,―
Firstly. The engine for compressing air or other elastic fluid for working railway
breaks, as explained under Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Secondly. The use of such engine for compressing air or other elastic fluid for
other purposes, such as charging torpedos, working mining tools, and generally
where compressed air is required.
Thirdly. The use of such engine for forcing water or other fluids for operating
railway breaks and for other purposes.
Fourthly. The operating cock for applying railway breaks rapidly or slowly as
required, as explained under Figures 5 and 6.
Fifthly. The valve for admitting air from the receiver to the break cylinder to
work railway breaks by direct pressure from such receiver, as explained under
Figure 7.
Sixthly. The valves for relieving the pressure of air from the back end of the
break cylinder to work railway breaks by back-pressure, as explained under
Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11.
Seventhly. The catch for chain, as explained under Figure 12.
Eighthly. The block hanger and regulating spring, as explained under
Figure 13.
Ninthly. The suspending chain, jointed lever, spiral spring, and hand lever, as.
explained under Figures 14 and 15.
Tenthly. The new arrangement of parts referred to in the Specification of Patent
No. 1047, dated March the 16th, 1878, and the hand lever, as explained under
Figures 16 and 17.
All the foregoing claims are substantially as and for the purposes herein described
and illustrated in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Clark, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
JOSEPH CLARK, (L.S.)
JOSEPH CLARK, (L.S.)