IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAILWAY BRAKES, a communication to me from abroad by Henry Flad of
St Louis, Missouri, United States, Manufacturer, 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 air brake apparatus for railway cars in which the
valves upon the several cars are controlled by electro-magnetism.
The objects of the improvement are to provide for the simultaneous release of the
brakes on all the cars of the train, and to furnish a simple and reliable attachment
whereby either compressed air or vacuum brakes may be rendered automatic in
their action for applying the brakes to a train of cars in case of accident resulting
in the breakage of the main air pipes or the rupture of the electric circuit by means
of which the valves are operated.
'
A further object of the invention is to render it practicable to include and
operate in the main air pipes, cocks for retaining compressed air therein without
interfering with the conducting wires, of which the main air pipes form conduits.
A further object is to prevent the brakes from being applied or set on a car
which is to be uncoupled and shifted from a train.
A further object is to render it possible for a conductor or other person, in case
of necessity to operate the brakes of a train from any car in such train.
This invention is especially applicable to the Westinghouse compressed air brake,
and to the Eames and similar vacuum brakes, its application to such brakes
involving very slight expense and enabling the engineer to operate them simul-
taneously on all the cars of a train. By combining with it my improvement, the
ordinary Westinghouse compressed air brake is rendered automatic without the use
of a triple valve.
In the accomplishment of its intended purpose, this invention consists in certain
novel constructions and combinations of devices which will be fully understood
from the following particular description in connection with the accompanying
drawings in which, Fig 1 is a bottom view of a compressed air brake apparatus
D

page_text: provided with this improvement. Fig 2 is a view of the same partially in elevation
and partially in vertical section, the line of sight being in the direction of the
arrow No 1 in Fig 1. Fig 3 is a sectional view. Fig 4 is a bottom view of a
vacuum brake apparatus provided with this improvement. Fig 5 is a view of the
same partially in elevation and partially in vertical section looking in the direction
of the arrow No 2 in Fig 4. Fig 6 is a detached vertical section of the chamber
containing the electro-magnetic valve apparatus which is shown in full lines.
Fig 7 is a view in elevation partly in section of device showing two wires arranged
in the main air pipe. Fig 8 is a view of a coupling adapted for use with a single
wire. Fig 9 is a view of a coupling employed with the double wires. Fig 10 is a
view of the blind coupling. Fig 11 is a detail vertical sectional view illustrating
the devices which enable the circuit to be broken for operating the brakes from any
car of a train. Figs 12 and 13 are plan views showing an arrangement for cutting
off communication between the reservoir or vacuum chamber reservoir, and Fig 14
is a detached view of a portion of my device.
Referring to Fig 1, the letter M indicates the main air pipe which is to be
_connected from car to car and to the usual apparatus on the engine for conveying
compressed air, as in the Westinghouse compressed air brake reservoir connected
with the main pipe by a branch pipe p, which enters the reservoir and is provided
with an inwardly opening check valve V which prevents air from escaping from the
reservoir through pipe p.
C is the brake cylinder vertically across the head of which is arranged a
chamber E, which is divided into three compartments e e¹ e. The middle com-
partment e is larger than the other two and divided therefrom by partitions e³ ³.
This middle compartment communicates with the brake cylinder by means of a
central opening or passage of which is formed through the head of the brake
cylinder and the wall of the chamber E. The partitions e³ ³ have central apertures
and through both of these partitions is arranged a tubular valve Fin the
intermediate portion of which, lying in the compartment E, are apertures f
connecting the bore of the valve with the compartment. Within this compart-
mente is vertically supported an electro-magnet G having its poles turned
downward to act upon armature g which is carried by the tubular valve F, and in
its yoke piece g', is an aperture through which said valve loosely plays. Upon the
inner surfaces of the upper and lower heads respectively of the chamber E, are
formed seats 8 and s¹, against which the opposite ends of the valve may alternately
impinge so that the ends of said valve may be alternately opened and closed. The
upper compartment c¹ of the chamber E is connected with the reservoir R by a
pipe and the lower compartment e³ of said chamber communicates with the
external air by means of a port or passage. The middle or larger compartment e
of the chamber E is connected with the main air pipe M, by a small pipe I.
Through the main air pipe M is arranged an insulated electrical conducting
wire W, a loop of which extends laterally through the small pipe I, and includes
the coils of the electro-magnet G. This conducting wire is to be provided with
couplings combined with the pipe couplings at the opposite ends of the car in the
manner shown in Fig. 8, and 10.
The coupling shown in Fig 8 is adapted for the single wire shown in Fig 1 and
consists of two parts o¹ o secured to the hose Z, and provided with clutches to
engage each other in the usual manner, and each has let into its mouth a rubber
gasket o³, the two of which coming together form an air tight joint when the two
parts of the coupling are engaged. Through the centre of each part of the coupling
is arranged a metallic rod o arranged to slide in bearings o³ supported respectively
by a cross bar o near the mouth, and a perforated disc o' near the rear end of the
coupling part. The rods o, have at their free ends heads 08 and each rod has
behind its front bearing a shoulder o against which bears one end of a helical
spring surrounding the rod, and having its other end bearing against the
perforated disc o7, so that normally the springs will come together in elastic contact
when the two parts of the coupling are engaged. To the rear or inner end of each
J

page_text: rod o', is connected the conducting wire W, which is arranged through the main
pipe of the car, the rods serving as automatic circuit connections of the wires from
car to car when the hose are coupled. Into the rear of each part of the coupling is
screwed a metal disc having at its centro an aperture of preferably about three
times the diameter of the rod of which passes through it. Around this aperture on
the rear side of the disk is formed a seat to receive a ball valve T secured upon the
rod o, which passes centrally through it. The valves T are preferably formed of
india rubber, and when the parts of the coupling are engaged and the heads of the
rods of butted against each other, these rods will be forced inward to carry the
valves off their seats and leave free passage for air through the main pipes, hose
and couplings. When, however, the hose are uncoupled, either by accident or
purposely, the rods are forced outward and press the valves snugly upon their seats,
thus automatically closing the main pipes so that compressed air cannot escape,
or air enter to destroy a vacuum as the case may be. Either part of the coupling
may be connected with a blind or false coupling, as shown in Fig 7, to re-establish
the electric circuit temporarily broken by the uncoupling of the hose. It is of
course understood that where one wire is employed the current is returned to the
locomotive through the track and car and locomotive wheels.
In operating this new apparatus, as now described, a current of electricity is to
be kept continually upon the circuit of which the wire W forms a part and thus
the electro-magnet G will be kept constantly energized and will hold up its
armature g, so that the upper end of the tubular valve F will be driven against its
upper seat 8.
The reservoir R being charged with compressed air in the usual
manner and by the well known means, it will be observed that the air cannot
escape from said reservoir, because the check valve V will be closed by its pressure
and the pipe H, which is the only other outlet of the reservoir, opens into the small
compartment el which is closed air tight by the packing p', which surrounds the
tubular valve. In this position of the parts it will be understood that only the
ordinary atmospheric pressure is exerted on the piston in the brake cylinder
because the external air has free communication with the interior of said cylinder
through the passage h, tubular valve F, its apertures f and the passage e leading
from the middle compartment e of the chamber E to the interior of said brake
cylinder.
to
If, now, the brakes are to be put on or applied to the car wheels, the engineer
breaks the electric circuit and the magnet G releases it and the tubular valve F
drops so that the lower end of said tubular valve will be closed against its lower
seat and opened at its upper end, so that the compressed air will rush from the
reservoir through the pipe H into the small compartment e¹ of the chamber E and
thence pass down through the tubular valve F, its apertures f and the passage
the interior of the brake cylinder and drive the piston outward to apply the brakes
in the usual manner. The valve may drop by gravity or may be assisted by a
spring if desired. When it is desired to relieve the brakes the engineer simply
closes the circuit thus cutting off communication between the brake cylinder and
the reservoir and opening communication between said cylinder and the external
air as before explained so that the compressed air will escape from the cylinder and
allow the brakes to ease off from the wheels.
When a train is broken by one or more cars becoming accidentally detached, the
pipe or hose couplings and wire couplings will be torn off, the electric circuit will
be broken and the compressed air in the main pipe will escape. The compresed
air, however, cannot escape from the reservoir through the main pipe because the
check valve V will be closed by the internal pressure, and now as the electric
circuit is broken, the magnet G allows its armature and the tubular valve F to
drop so that the lower end of said valve will be closed and the upper end open
thus allowing the compressed air from the reservoir to rush into the broken
cylinder through the passages before described and drive the piston to set the
brakes. Thus it will be seen that the apparatus acts automatically to set the
brakes and stop the train should one or more cars become accidentally detached,
.

page_text: The only change in operation required in the ordinary Westinghouse brake is
that the main pipe M, must be kept constantly charged with compressed air instead
of being filled only as such times as the brakes are to be applied.
Referring now to Figs 4 and 5, illustrating the application of my improvement to
a vacuum brake, the letter M¹ indicates the main air pipe, R¹ is the reservoir
connected with the main pipe by a branch pipe p¹ which extends into an enlarged
portion m, of the main pipe and is provided with a check valve V¹ in said enlarged
portion. The letter E¹ indicates a detached chamber similar to the chamber E in
Fig 1, and connected with the reservoir by a pipe q. The chamber E¹ has within
it the compartments, the electro-magnet, armature, tubular valve, and seats
constructed and arranged precisely as described heretofore for the chamber E, but
the connections are somewhat different as for instance, the pipe q leading from the
reservoir connects with the upper compartment e¹ of this chainber E, and from its
middle compartment e a pipe H¹ leads to the collapsible chamber or diaphragm D,
connecting therewith in the manner usual in vacuum brakes. This collapsible
chamber has connected with its collapsing wall a bar or rod d for connection with
the brakes which are unnecessary to be shown. A small pipe I, leading from the
main pipe to the middle compartment of the chamber E¹ serves as a conduit for the
wire loop extending from the conducting wire W and including the coils of
the electro-magnet G.
In operating the apparatus as last described, the reservoir and main pipe M' are
to be kept constantly exhausted of air, the electric circuit is to be kept closed and a
current flowing thereover so that the electro-magnet G will hold up the tubular
valve F and keep its upper end closed so that there will be no communication
between the reservoir and the collapsible chamber or diaphragm D, while at the
same time this collapsible chamber will be in free communication with the external
air through the pipe H¹, middle compartment e, tubular valve F, lower compart-
monte and passage h. When the brakes are to be applied the electric circuit is to be
broken by any well known means either by the engineer or by a conductor on any
one of the cars of the train. This breaking of the circuit will allow the tubular
valve F to drop, closing its lower and opening its upper end, thus cutting off the
diaphragm from the external air and opening communication between it and the
reservoir so that the collapsible chamber will be partially exhausted by the air
Blowing therefrom into the reservoir. The wall of this chamber which is connected
with the brakes will therefore collapse and apply the brakes to the wheels, holding
them so applied until the electric circuit is again closed. The closing of the circuit
results in the raising of the tubular valve and opening communication between the
diaphragm and the external air, so that the collapsible chamber again becomes
distended and takes off the brakes, after which the main pipe and the reservoir
must be again exhausted ready for another operation in setting the brakes.
In order to make this last described apparatus automatic for setting the brakes
in case of the accidental breakage of a train the check valve V₁ in the pipe p, is
arranged to open toward the main pipe M'. When the connections of the main
pipe and the electric circuit are broken by the parting of a train, air will rush into
the main pipe, but it cannot flow into the reservoir because the check valve V1 will
be held closed by the combined action of the vacuum or partial vacuum in the
reservoir and the pressure of the air which has entered the main pipe. The
electric circuit being broken the tubular valve F drops, opening communication
between the reservoir and the collapsible chamber D, while cutting off communica-
tion of the latter with the external air. The air will thus be partially exhausted
from the collapsible chamber by flowing out to fill the partial vacuum in the
reservoir and thus the brakes will be applied the same as if the electric circuit had
simply been broken for that purpose as before described.
It will be obvious that however many cars there might be in a train the valves
controlling the brakes will be operated upon all simultaneously by the brenking and
closing of the electric circuit,

page_text: The packings pp around the tubular valve are so arranged that they will be
pressed against said valve by the action of the air. The conduit pipes I I are to be
filled with paraffine or a similar substance in order to prevent air from flowing
through said pipes.
In operating brakes with the mechanism above described, it is frequently
convenient, and sometimes necessary to close the main pipe, to the passage of air
without interfering with the conducting wire. To accomplish this end I connect
with the main pipe a small loop or by-pass pipe M³ (shown in Fig 14) the arched
portion m of which is connected by union couplings m³ with short branches m³ m³
projecting from the main pipe. The conducting wire W is led through this by-pass
pipe as shown, and after the said wire is placed in position the arched portion m¹ of
the loop is filled around the wire with paraffine or some similar sealing substance
such as asphalt or plaster of Paris as shown at a before the said portion is coupled
to the branches. In the main pipe, between the points of intersection of the
branches m³ m³, I interpose a cut-off cock J in the usual manner, and it will now be
obvious that the cut-off cock may be turned to prevent the passage of air through
the main pipe without interfering with the conducting wire and the sealing substance
in the by-pass pipe will also prevent flow of air either to or from the main pipe.
As the main pipe will be provided with by-pass pipe at both ends of a car, it may
at any time be closed to preserve therein either a vacuum or compression of air
when the car is detached from a train. Such closing of the main pipe will
however, not prevent the flow of air from the reservoir to the brake cylinder in a
Westinghouse automatic brake, or from the diaphragm to the reservoir in an Eames
or other automatic vacuum brake, and, therefore, the brakes in either of such .
systems will be operated when the main pipe is closed and the electric circuit
broken, but in the systems in which the brakes are set by charging the main pipes
they may be kept set as long as desired after a car is detached from a train
provided the ends of the main pipe are closed by means of the cocks J before the
car is detached.
In order to prevent the brakes on a car which is to be taken out of a train from
being set when the electric circuit is broken and the valves thereby operated so as
to allow of compressed air entering the brake cylinder (as in the caso of Westinghouse
and similar brakes) or to allow the air from a diaphragm chamber or a cylinder to
escape into a reservoir (as in the case of vacuum brakes), I interpose a valve J¹ in
the pipe H which leads from the reservoir R to the valve chamber E as shown in
Fig 13. Before uncoupling the hose this cock in the car or cars to be separated
from the train is closed so that although the valve opens the port which ordinarily
prevents communication between the brake cylinder and reservoir, the cock J¹
shown in Fig 12 and 13 prevents the flow of air and therefore the brakes will not
be set. The uncoupling of the hose and consequent breaking of the circuit will
cause the brakes to be set on those cars which remain connected with the engine,
but as soon as the circuit is restored by connecting the hose coupling at the rear
end of the last car of the train with the false coupling provided for it the valves
will immediately be operated to allow the compressed air from the brake cylinders
to escape (if a Westinghouse brake), or the air to be exhausted from the diaphragm
if a vacuum brake, and the brakes will be taken off.
The branch pipe K shown in Figs 7 and 11 is connected to the main air pipe and
has connected to its top a chamber K¹ having a screw cap K' formed of hard rubber
or other non-conducting material through which plays a hand screw K³ having a
metallic cone K* secured to its lower end. Resting upon a ledge within the
chamber K' is a ring K³ of non-conducting material and having secured to its inner
periphery two convex metal plates kk diametrically opposite each other so that both
will be pressed and thus electrically connected by the metallic cone K* when the
screw is run down a sufficient distance. The insulated conducting wire W is drawn
up through pipe K in the form of a loop which is cut at its top and has its
terminals connected electrically to the plates k k respectively. The pipe K is filled
around the wire strands with paraffine or similar sealing substance to prevent the

page_text: passage of air.
When the metallic cone is screwed down to connect the plates kk
it will be seen that the electric circuit will be maintained at this point, but if, in
case of accident or for any other reason it should be desirable for a conductor or
other person to operate the brakes from the car the operation can be readily
accomplished by screwing up the hand screw so as to raise the metallic cone R out
of contact with the plates ke k, as the electric circuit will be thus broken and the
magnets allowed to release the valves so that the brakes will be operated as
previously described.
In the constructions above described a single wire has been referred to, the
return current being completed partly of the wheels of the cars and portions of
the railway rails upon which they run. It might be considered objectionable under
some circumstances to use the wheels and rails as a portion of the electric circuit, as
for instance, on account of the necessity of keeping the rails electrically connected,
end to end in a line of track, and further because of the necessity of arranging
upon the cars and the engine certain intermediate conductors necessary to complete
what may be called the return circuit, or that portion of the circuit which is outside
of the air pipes. These objections are overcome by employing two wires, and
couplings adapted to receive two wires. In this device the direct wire is carried
through the main pipe, and is led in a loop through the pipe I to the valve chamber,
and the other or return wire W¹ extends through main pipe and its hose from
coupling to coupling without interruption.
The hose coupling is composed of the two metallic parts o o, see Fig 9, provided
with clutches for engaging each other in the usual manner and each part of the
coupling has set in its mouth an elastic gasket o' so that when the two parts of
the coupling are engaged, these gaskets will come together and form an air tight
joint. Just behind the gasket in each part of the coupling is screwed a metallic
disc o having air passages or perforations o³, arranged about its centre at which is
formed a larger aperture lined by a non-conducting ring o* within which fits to
Within this tube or thimble is
slide freely a short metallic tube or thimble o*.
arranged the front end of a tube o of ebonite or other non-conducting material the
rear end of which is firmly attached to a disk o' of similar material screwed into
the end of the coupling part and having perforation of about its centre. The rear
end of the ebonite tube o is closed by a screw plug o' perforated through its centre
to form a bearing for a metallic rod oo, which has also a bearing in and projects
outwardly beyond the front end of said ebonite tube. Within said tube the rod is
provided with a shoulder o against which bears one end of a spiral spring 8 which
surrounds the rod and has its other end bearing against the plug o so that said
spring will press the rod outwardly, its outward movement being limited by the
striking of the shoulder o against an inwardly projecting flange at the front end
of the tube o. Around this tube o is coiled a spring s¹ one end of which bears
against the flanged inner end of the short metallic tube or thimble of while the
other end of said spring rest against the disk o'. This spring forces the metallic
tube or thimble of outwardly, or in the same direction in which the spring 8
forces the metallic rod 010. Normally the thimble o" and rod o¹¹ will project
slightly beyond the mouth of the coupling part, but when the two parts of
the coupling are engaged, as shown in Fig 9, their thimbles os will butt against
each other as will also their rods 010, and they will be forced inwardly somewhat
against the the tension of their springs which will hold them in good electrical
connection. At each hose coupling the wire W coming from the main pipe
into the base passes through one of the perforations oⓇ of the disk o' and is
electrically connected to the short metallic tube or thimble oº, while the wire W¹
does not enter the hose coupling but is connected to the rearwardly projecting end
of the metallic rod oo. It will now be seen that at each coupling the thimbles
form the continuous electrical connection of one wire from car to car and the
rods o¹o form the coupling connections of the other wire so that the circuit of both
wires will be completed at the coupling when the two parts thereof are engaged.
On each end of each car is arranged a blind coupling Q with which a hose coupling

page_text: is to be engaged at the end of a train as shown in Fig 7 and in the sectional Fig 10.
This blind coupling has a tubular metallic part q provided with clutching devices
for engaging a hose coupling the same as one hose coupling engages another and in
the mouth of the blind coupling is set an elastic gasket q', which forms an air tight
joint with the gasket o¹ of the hose coupling. Behind the gasket in the blind
coupling is screwed a ring qª which serves as a limit to the outward movement of
a piston g³ pressed outwardly by a spring and having fixed through its centre
a piston rod qª carrying at its outer end a metallic head q which is arranged to
coine in contact with both the thimble o³ and rod 010 of an engaged hose coupling,
as shown in Fig 10. It will now be seen that when the hose coupling at the rear
end of a car is connected with the blind coupling on the rear end of the same car,
the wires W and W' which are arranged through the air pipe and hose will be
electrically connected through the thimble o³, metallic head q, and metallic rod o¹º,
and the metallic circuit will thus be completed at the rear end of the train. In
this as well as in the previous construction of the front end of the train the hose
coupling at the front end of the front car may be connected to a suitable coupling
on the engine or tender and proper connections made in any suitable manner from
the wires W and W₁ to the opposite poles of a generator arranged for operation on
the engine.
I do not confine myself of course, to the precise construction and arrangement of
parts as shown in the drawings but may vary the same in any manner which may
be suggested by considerations of economy or convenience in applying this improve-
ment to particular kinds of air brakes and to cars of different constructions.
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 combination with the direct brake operating air chamber and its devices
connected with the brakes and the main pipe, of the valve chamber containing the
tubular valve, the reservoir connected with said valve chamber and main supply,
the electro-magnet and suitable connections for operating said tubular valve for
opening communication between the reservoir and the brake operating chamber
by cutting off communication between said chamber and the external air and vice-
versa, substantially as described.
2. In an air brake apparatus the combination with the brake cylinder or
diaphragm and connections substantially as described, of the vertical valve chamber
having the compartments e e¹ e³, the tubular valve extending through the partitions
separating said chambers and having openings from its bore to the intermediate
chamber, the armature carried by said valve, and the electro-magnet arranged to
attract and release said armature for operating the valve, essentially as set forth.
3. The combination with the reservoir, brake cylinder or diaphragm, the valve
chamber and valve and electro-magnet and connections arranged to operate said
valve, of the pipe connecting said reservoir and brake cylinder, and the check valve
arranged to close said pipe automatically when the main pipe is broken, and the
valve released by its magnet, essentially as set forth.
4. The combination with an air brake pipe having a cut-off cock arranged
therein, of the by-pass or loop pipe having its ends connected with the main pipe
on opposite sides of the cock and the electric conducting wire arranged through the
main pipe and the by-pass pipe and sealed in the latter, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
5. An air brake pipe provided with one or more by-pass pipes or loops adapted
to serve as conduits around points between the junctions of each loop with the
main pipe, substantially as described.
6. The combination with the air reservoir, on a car, in an air brake system as
described, the brake applying cylinder or chamber and the conduit connecting the
same with said reservoir, of a cock or cut-off arranged in said conduit and adapted
to close or open communication therethrough, substantially as described.

page_text: 7. The combination with the reservoir, the brake cylinder or chamber the valve
chamber and the pipe connecting the same with the reservoir, of the cut-off cock J'
arranged in said pipe, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
8. The combination with an air brake pipe of a railway car and electrical
conducting wire arranged through said pipe, of the branch pipe extending up into
the car, and having a loop of the wire sealed in it, and a circuit breaker arranged
in said loop, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination with the main pipe, of the branch pipe K extending up into
the car, the conducting wire looped into said branch pipe and provided with
terminal plates near the top of the same, and the adjustable metallic cone or wedge
arranged to make or break electrical connection between said terminal plates as
desired, substantially as described.
10. The combination with the hose coupling and spring actuated circuit connecting
rod arranged therein, of the disc t having an air passage and a valve secured upon
said circuit connecting rod and adapted to open or close said air passage according
to the position of the rod, substantially as described.
11. The combination with the two pipe-connecting hose and the two coupling
parts connected to the same, of the spring actuated circuit connecting rods, arranged
in said parts, air passages arranged in said parts respectively, and the valves carried
by said rods respectively and adapted to open said air passages when the coupling
parts are engaged, and to automatically close said passages when the parts are
uncoupled, substantially as described.
12. In an electro-magnetic car brake system a complete metallic electric circuit
arranged through the main air pipe and connections and including electro-magnets
arranged to operate the valves substantially as described.
13. The combination with the main pipes hose and hose-couplings and the
electrical conducting wires arranged in the pipes and hose of the spring pressed
terminals or electrodes arranged in the opposite couplings and electrically connected
with the conducting wires respectively, substantially as described.
14. The combined hose and wire coupling composed of the hose coupling part o
and the suitably supported and insulated spring pressed thimble and rod arranged
within said coupling part and adapted for connection with the separate conducting
wires, substantially as described.
15. The combination with the blind coupling arranged upon a car and enclosing
the spring pressed metallic head 2 of the hose coupling enclosing the suitably
supported and insulated spring pressed thimble and rod connected to separate
conducting wires and adapted to come in contact with said spring pressed metallic
head when the hose coupling is engaged with the blind coupling, substantially as
described.