IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO BREAKS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Luke Jackson, of the City of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPLICABLE TO BREAKS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Luke Jackson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th April 1881.
WILLIAM LUKE JACKSON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO BREAKS FOR RAILWAY
VEHICLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING BETWEEN PASSENGERS AND
GUARDS."
This Invention relates to the employment of hydraulic pressure as a means of
actuating the breaks of railway vehicles, and consists in applying a cistern upon,
and by preference underneath each vehicle. This cistern contains water or other
suitable liquid, and is in communication by means of a connecting pipe with a pair
of hydraulic rams (or a single ram may be employed), which in turn are connected
to the breaks of the vehicle. The plunger of the pump for operating the rams is
actuated by an eccentric upon the axle of the vehicle, but the rams are only forced
out when a tap upon the connecting pipe before mentioned is closed; at other
times the water simply circulates through the connecting pipe and cistern by the
action of the plunger. It will thus be apparent that it is only necessary to provide
a means of closing this tap to enable either the passengers (in any of the com-
partments) or the officials of the train to put the break on each and all the vehicles
forming the train simultaneously, and this is accomplished by a pair of rods
running underneath the vehicles, and connected together by wire ropes passing
over or round grooved discs or pullies, so that when either of the rods is pulled
the whole of the breaks upon the various carriages are applied by the act of closing
the cocks, and so setting the rams in motion.

page_text: By having a semaphore attached to the rod, which is actuated by the passengers,
a signal or indication is given of the particular carriage or compartment from which
the break has been applied.
And in order to facilitate the speedily taking off or releasing of the break blocks
I arrange an arm or arms projecting from the ordinary draw bars, which as soon
as the train starts again pushes the rams back, and thus withdraws the break
blocks.
This Invention further consists in improvements in the ordinary metal break
blocks, and consists in casting or otherwise forming recesses in the same, which are
filled up with lead, tin, spelter, or other suitable soft metal, which has the effect of
creating the necessary friction without becoming so heated, as in the case of
ordinary metal break blocks.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Luke Jackson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th October 1881.
WILLIAM LUKE JACKSON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO BREAKS FOR RAILWAY
VEHICLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING BETWEEN PASSENGERS AND
GUARDS."
This Invention relates principally to the employment of hydraulic pressure as a
means of actuating the breaks of railway vehicles, and consists in applying a
cistern upon, and by preference underneath each vehicle. This cistern contains
water or other suitable liquid, and is in communication by means of a connecting
pipe with a pair of hydraulic rams (or a single ram may be employed), which in
turn are connected to the breaks of the vehicle. The plunger of the pump for
operating the rams is actuated by an excentric upon the axle of the vehicle, but
the rams are only forced out when a tap or valve upon the connecting pipe before
mentioned is closed; at other times the water simply circulates through the
connecting pipe and cistern by the action of the plunger. It will thus be apparent
that it is only necessary to provide a means of closing this tap to enable either the
passengers (in any of the compartments) or the officials of the train to put the
break on the wheels of each and all of the vehicles forming the train simultaneously,
and this may be accomplished by a pair of rods running underneath the vehicles,
and connected together by wire ropes passing over or round grooved discs or
pulleys, so that when either of the rods is pulled the whole of the breaks upon the
various carriages are applied by the act of closing the cocks, and so setting the
rams in motion.
By having a semaphore attached to the rod, which is actuated by the passengers,
a signal or indication is given of the particular carriage or compartment from which
the break has been applied.
And in order to facilitate the speedily taking off or releasing of the break blocks
I arrange an arm or arms projecting from the ordinary draw bars, which as soon
as the train starts again pushes the rams back, and thus withdraws the break
blocks.
This Invention further consists in improvements in the ordinary metal break
blocks, and consists in casting or otherwise forming recesses in the same, which are
filled up with lead, tin, spelter, or other suitable soft metal material or composition
which has the effect of creating the necessary friction without becoming so heated,
as is the case with the ordinary metal break blocks.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be clearly under-
stood I have annexed hereunto two Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, and
have marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with
those in the following explanation thereof:-
In Sheet 1 of the Drawings Fig. 1 is an end view, Fig. 2 a side elevation,
Fig. 3 a transverse section, and Fig. 4 a longitudinal section of my improved
apparatus.
In Sheet 2 of the Drawings Fig. 5 is a side elevation (partly in section) and
Fig. 6 an underneath plan view, showing the application of my Invention to the
framework of a railway carriage.
a, a, is the cistern containing water or other suitable liquid, beneath which is a
strong casting b, b, forming the cylinder for a hydraulic ram c, c, and also for a
plunger d, d, which acts as a force pump.

page_text: -
The plunger d, d, is connected to a fork e, e, embracing an excentric f, f, keyed
or otherwise fixed on the axle g, g, of the running wheels of the vehicle, and it
will thus be evident that this plunger d, d, will continúe in action so long as the
vehicle is in motion.
This plunger draws the water or other liquid from a cistern a, a, along the
pipe h, h, and through the valve. i, i, and forces it up through the valve k, k, and
along the passage in the conical plug m, m, through the pipe n, n, back again
into the cistern a, a, and thus the water or other liquid is kept constantly
circulating.
But as soon as the conical plug m, m, is turned so as to close the communication
between the passage and the lower end of the pipe n, n, this circulation is stopped.
and the pressure of the water forces out the hydraulic ram c, c, which is connected
to the break lever by the hollow rod cx, and this applies the breaks blocks 8, 8, to
the wheels.
Above the valve k is a relief valve o, which is held down by a weighted
lever p, p, but which as soon as the pressure exceeds a certain limit rises and
allows the water to escape along the pipe 7, q, into the cistern a, a, the limit of
pressure being regulated by adjusting the position of the weight upon the lever p, p.
r, r, is the lever for turning the plug m; m, so as to put the break into or out of
action. These levers are all connected together by means of rods, which may
either be strictly under the control of the engine driver and guard, or levers or
other suitable means of moving these rods may be applied to each carriage or
compartment, and these same levers or other connections may also be made so as
to work a semaphore or other signal between the passengers and guard in order
to call his attention to any particular carriage or compartment.
Fig. 6 is a fixing for carrying the rods, which extend along the sides of the
carriages, and connect the levers r, r, together..
My improvement in metal break blocks will be readily understood on reference
to Fig. 7 (Sheet 1), which represents a face view of a break block made according
to my Invention. Instead of casting the block solid as usual I cast or otherwise
form in the face thereof a number of recesses x, x, which. I fill up with lead, tin,
spelter, or other suitable soft metal material or composition, as before described,
and I would here remark that the form and number of these recesses may be varied
to a considerable extent so long as the peculiar feature of the compound surface is
retained.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, I wish it to
be understood that I claim,
First. The apparatus for applying the breaks by hydraulic pressure, and
signalling between passengers and guard, constructed substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
And, Secondly. I claim the manufacture of cast metal break blocks with recesses
filled in with lead, tin, spelter, or other suitable soft metal material or composition,
as hereinbefore set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Luke Jackson, have hereunto set my
.
hand and seal, this Seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
WILLIAM LUKE JACKSON. (L.S.)