IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING AND INDICATING THE SPEED AND PREVENTING THE SLIP OF RAILWAY WHEELS, AND FOR REGULATING THE BRAKE POWER APPLIED THERETO
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Westinghouse, junior, of No. 20, Southampton
Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of " IMPROVED
MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING AND INDICATING THE SPEED AND
PREVENTING THE SLIP OF RAILWAY WHEELS, AND FOR REGULATING THE
BRAKE POWER APPLIED THERETO."
Sealed the 31st January 1879, and dated the 14th November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Westinghouse at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th November 1878.
GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, junior, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING AND INDI-
CATING THE SPEED AND PREVENTING THE SLIP OF RAILWAY WHEELS, AND FOR
REGULATING THE BRAKE POWER APPLIED THERETO."
When an engine is started to put a train in motion it often happens, especially if
excessive power be suddenly applied, that the driving wheels fail to take sufficient
hold of the rails, and, the friction being decreased when they slip the engine works
at a dangerously rapid rate, so as sometimes to cause serious fractures of some of the
moving parts; also when for the purpose of retarding or stopping a train the breaks
are applied with too great pressure to the running wheels these wheels cease to
revolve while the train continues to move, and the friction being decreased when
they thus slip along the rails the breaks become less effective and damage is done
both to wheels and rails. The object of my Invention is to prevent damage from such
causes, and I effect this by applying to the engine a system of governor which auto-
matically retards the driving wheels when they tend to revolve too rapidly, and by
applying to the breaks in various parts of the train a system of governor which
automatically regulates the pressure of the break blocks against the wheels. The
governor, which, as stated above, I apply to the engine, serves also to indicate and
to limit the speed of its working, and consequently the velocity of the train. This
Price Gd]

page_text: system of governor consists in a combination of two centrifugal governors, the one
worked from the axle of the driving wheels and the other worked from one of the
axles of the running wheels. These governors act upon valves arranged in passages
to and from a subsidiary steam cylinder, which is fitted with a piston connected to
a throttle or other suitable regulating valve in the steam pipe of the engine, as
described in the Specification to Letters Patent No. 1656 of 1877. The said piston
is of the differential kind, presenting on its one side a larger area than on the other
side. A small adjustible passage slowly supplies steam to the cylinder, at the end
where the larger piston area is presented, and from this end of the cylinder there is
an outlet valve of considerable area which is worked by the governor. The other
end of the cylinder is supplied with steam by a passage of considerable area. When
the outlet valve is closed steam fills the cylinder on both sides of the piston, but the
pressure on the larger area forces the piston to the opposite end of the cylinder,
whereby the regulating valve of the engine is kept open, the engine receiving full
supply of steam. But if the outlet valve be opened the steam flows out of the larger
end of the cylinder faster than fresh steam can enter it by the contracted passage;
the pressure on the larger area of the piston consequently becomes reduced, and the
piston is forced back by the superior pressure on its opposite side, causing the regu-
lating valve of the engine to be more or less closed, and thereby more or less reducing
the speed of the engine. The outlet valve, above mentioned, inay be worked either
directly from the governors by a rod or other suitable connection, or it may be
worked by fluid pressure communicated by a pipe from a valve box, the valves in
which are worked by the governors, which act in the following manner :-The
governors are so speeded or the valves on which they respectively act are so adjusted
that when both the driving wheels and the running wheels are revolving with
equal circumferential velocity, that is to say when there is no slip of the former,
there is no pressure in the communicating pipe such as will cause the outlet
valve to open.
But when the speed of the driving wheels exceeds that of the
running wheels then a valve is opened, which causes either an increase or a
decrease of pressure in the communicating pipe, such as effects the opening of
the outlet valve before mentioned, thereby causing the throttling of the steam
supply to the engine and its consequent retardation. One of the governors may be
of the kind described in the Specification to Letters Patent No. 1656 of 1877, above
referred to, for indicating the speed of rotating machinery; or by applying a
pressure gauge to the communicating pipe the pressure therein can be ascertained,
and as that pressure depends upon the speed of the governor the gauge serves to
indicate its speed, and consequently, by suitably proportioning its scale of division,
to indicate the speed of the engine or train. Moreover, by a suitable adjustment of
a spring or weight keeping an outlet valve usually closed it may be made to open
whenever the pressure in the pipe attains a certain amount, and thus the speed of
the engine and train can be kept below a predetermined limit. Steam from the
locomotive boiler may be employed to charge with water of condensation the com-
municating pipe for the speed indicating governor as well as the cylinder having the
differential piston, or when compressed or rarified air is employed to work the
breaks of a train the pipe and cylinder may be charged therewith instead of steam,
as may be readily understood. When it is not desired to provide against the slip-
ping of the driving wheels, but only to govern, limit, or indicate their speed, a single
governor may be employed, as above described, to operate the outlet valve of the
differential cylinder by altering the pressure in a communicating pipe provided with
a gauge. For effecting the automatic regulation of the pressure of the break blocks
on the running wheels when the breaks are worked by fluid pressure communicated
throughout the train and caused to act in cylinders or other vessels on the break
carriages so as to move the break gear I adopt the following arrangement :-I sus-
pend one break block of each brake vehicle by a link from the short urm of a lever,
the long arm of which acts on an escape valve in a passage communicating with the
break cylinder or its equivalent. This valve is loaded to a determined amount.
When the friction of the break block on the periphery of the wheel exceeds a certain

page_text: amount the wheel tends to drag the block round with it. The lever from which the
block is hung is thus caused to move, opening the escape valve, and so reducing the
pressure acting in the break cylinder and proportionally reducing the pressure of
the block against the wheel. In loading the escape valve as mentioned above it is
of advantage to divide the load into two parts, the one being an adjusted spring or
weight, and the other being the pressure in the communicating pipe acting on a
piston or diaphragm connected to or forming part of the escape valve. Thus the
total load on the escape valve can be varied within certain limits by varying the
pressure in the communicating pipe, and the engine driver having command of a
suitable valve governing the supply to or escape from the communicating pipe can
thus adjust the limit of pressure to which the break blocks can be subjected,
according to the state of the weather and more or less slippery condition of the
rails. In the case where the breaks throughout the train are worked by air pressure
or partial vacuum, or by hydraulic pressure communicated through a pipe common
to them all, the pressure or amount of rarefaction in the pipe may be regulated, as
above described, by one of the break blocks, and thus all the break blocks throughout
the train will have their pressure regulated. The lever to which the break block is
suspended is arranged to act on the escape valve in either direction of its motion from
its normal or middle position, so that whether the break carriage be moving back-
wards or forwards the drag of the block on its wheel shall operate the escape valve,
as above described. When the breaks instead of being worked by fluid pressure are
worked by hand or otherwise, the motion imparted to the break block when its
frictional hold exceeds a certain amount may in like manner be applied to ease the
pressure with which it is forced against the wheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters [Patent filed by
the said George Westinghouse in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
May 1879.
GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, junior, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING
AND INDICATING THE SPEED AND PREVENTING THE SLIP OF RAILWAY WHEELS,
AND FOR REGULATING THE BRAKE POWER APPLIED THERETO."
When an engine is started to put a train in motion it often happens, especially if
excessive power be suddenly applied, that the driving wheels fail to take sufficient
hold of the rails, and the friction being decreased when they slip, the engine works
at a dangerously rapid rate so as sometimes to cause serious fractures of some of
the moving parts. Also, when for the purpose of retarding or stopping a train the
brakes are applied with too great pressure to the running wheels, these wheels
cease to revolve while the. train continues to move, and the friction being decreased
when they thus slip along the rails the brakes become less effective and damage is
done both to wheels and rails. The object of my Invention is to prevent damage
from such causes, and I effect this by applying to the engine a system of governor
which automatically retards the driving wheels when they tend to revolve too
rapidly, and by applying to the brakes in various parts of the train a system of
governor which automatically regulates the pressure of the brake blocks against
the wheels. The governor which, as stated above, I apply to the engine serves also
to indicate and to limit the speed of its working, and consequently the velocity of
the train. This system of governor consists in a combination of two centrifugal
governors, the one worked from the axle of the driving wheels, and the other
worked from one of the axles of the running wheels. These governors act upon
valves arranged in passages to and from a subsidiary steam cylinder which is fitted
with a piston connected to a throttle or other suitable regulating valve in the steam
pipe of the engine, as described in the Specification to Letters Patent No. 1656 of
1877. The said piston is of the differential kind, presenting on its one side a larger
area than on the other side. A small adjustable passage slowly supplies steam to
the cylinder at the end where the larger piston area is presented, and from this end
of the cylinder there is an outlet valve of considerable area which is worked by the
governor. The other end of the cylinder is supplied with steam by a passage of
considerable area. When the outlet valve is closed steam fills the cylinder on both
sides of the piston, but the pressure on the larger area forces the piston to the
opposite end of the cylinder, whereby the regulating valve of the engine is kept
open, the engine receiving full supply of steam. But if the outlet valve be opened
the steam flows out of the larger end of the cylinder faster than fresh steam can
enter it by the contracted passage, the pressure on the larger area of the piston
consequently becomes reduced and the piston is forced back by the superior pressure
on its opposite side causing the regulating valve of the engine to be more or less
closed, and thereby more or less reducing the speed of the engine. The outlet
valve above mentioned may be worked either directly from the governors by a rod
or other suitable connection, or it may be worked by fluid pressure communicated
by a pipe from a valve box, the valves in which are worked by the governors which
act in the following manner :-The governors are so speeded or the valves on which
they respectively act are so adjusted that when both the driving wheels and the
running wheels are revolving with equal circumferential velocity, that is to say,
when there is no slip of the former, there is no pressure in the communicating pipe
such as will cause the outlet valve to open. But when the speed of the driving
wheels exceeds that of the running wheels then a valve is opened which causes
either an increase or a decrease of pressure in the communicating pipe such as effects
the opening of the outlet valve before mentioned, thereby causing the throttling of
the steam supply to the engine and its consequent retardation. One of the governors

page_text: may be of the kind described in the Specification to Letters Patent No. 1656 of 1877,
above referred to, for indicating the speed of rotating machinery; or by applying a
pressure gauge to the communicating pipe the pressure therein can be ascertained,
and as that pressure depends upon the speed of the governor the gauge serves to
indicate its speed, and consequently by suitably proportioning its scale of division
to indicate the speed of the engine or train. Moreover by a suitable adjustinent of
a spring or weight keeping an outlet valve usually closed, it may be made to open
whenever the pressure in the pipe attains a certain amount, and thus the speed of
the engine and train can be kept below a predetermined limit. Steam from the
locomotive boiler may be employed to charge with water of condensation the com-
municating pipe for the speed indicating governor as well as the cylinder having
the differential piston. Or when compressed or rarified air is employed to work
the brakes of a train the pipe and cylinder may be charged therewith instead of
steam, as may be readily understood. When it is not desired to provide against the
slipping of the driving wheels, but only to govern, limit, or indicate their speed, a
single governor may be employed, as above described, to operate the outlet valve
of the differential cylinder by altering the pressure in a communicating pipe pro-
vided with a gauge. For effecting the automatic regulation of the pressure of the
brake blocks on the running wheels when the brakes are worked by fluid pressure
communicated throughout the train and caused to act in cylinders or other vessels
on the break carriages, so as to move the break gear, I adopt the following arrange-
inent I suspend one brake block of each brake vehicle by a link from the short
arın of a lever, the long arm of which acts on an escape valve in a passage com-
municating with the brake cylinder or its equivalent. This valve is loaded to a
determined amount. When the friction of the brake block on the periphery of the
wheel exceeds a certain amount the wheel tends to drag the block round with it.
The lever from which the block is hung is thus caused to move, opening the escape
valve, and so reducing the pressure acting in the brake cylinder, and proportionally
reducing the pressure of the block against the wheel. In loading the escape valve
as mentioned above, it is of advantage to divide the load into two parts, the one
being an adjusted spring or weight and the other being the pressure in the com-
municating pipe acting on a piston or diaphragm connected to or forming part of
the escape valve. Thus the total load on the escape valve can be varied within
certain limits by varying the pressure in the communicating pipe, and the engine
driver having command of a suitable valve governing the supply to or escape from
the communicating pipe can thus adjust the limit of pressure to which the brake
blocks can be subjected, according to the state of the weather and more or less
slippery condition of the rails. In the case where the brakes throughout the train
are worked by air pressure or partial vacuum, or by hydraulic pressure communi-
cated through a pipe common to them all, the pressure or amount of rarefaction in
the pipe may be regulated, as above described, by one of the brake blocks, and thus
all the brake blocks throughout the train will have their pressure regulated.
The lever to which the brake block is suspended is arranged to act on the escape
valve in either direction of its motion from its normal or niddle position, so that
whether the brake carriage be moving backwards or forwards the drag of the block
on its wheel shall operate the escape valve as above described. When the brakes
instead of being worked by fluid pressure are worked by hand or otherwise, the
motion imparted to the brake block when its frictional hold exceeds a certain
amount may in like manner be applied to case the pressure with which it is forced.
against the wheel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, on Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, shew the
construction and connections of the two combined governors which I employ for
controlling and indicating the speed of the driving wheels of a locomotive. Figs.
1 and 2 represent sectional plans of the two governors, which are connected by a
pipe F led in any convenient direction to suit the relative positions of the two

page_text: governors, and provided in any convenient part of its course with a relief or safety
valve G. Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the governors, which externally are alike,
and differ only in the internal arrangements of their respective valves. Fig. 4 is a
section of the differential cylinder and its valve box, the pressure in which is varied
by the action of the governors, and the piston rod of which is connected to the
throttle or other valve governing the steam supply to the engine. The governor
shewn in Fig. 1 is driven by a band or by frictional contact from one of the running
axles of the locomotive or tender, its weights A, A, and their levers being enclosed
within a casing B, the circumference of which is made to receive a band at b, or may
have a periphery of leather, wood, or the like, to be driven by frictional contact.
The weights A, A, by their centrifugal force when revolving push the stem C
inwards towards the left, thereby causing the separate rod c, which slides but does
not revolve, to be pressed towards the left, as shewn in the Figure, thereby keeping
the valve D seated, and preventing passage of fluid through it; but when the
centrifugal force of the weights A, A, is reduced by the slower revolution of the
governor, then the valve D is moved from its seat by the pressure of the fluid
behind it acting on the flexible diaphragm attached to the valve, and a portion of
the fluid can then pass through the hole in the valve D and escape by a side
passage d, shewn in Fig. 3. The fluid which thus acts is water supplied from the
boiler, or preferably from the condensation of steam from the boiler, and subject
to the boiler pressure by the pipe E, which by means of passages provided
in the casing (at one part made of very small area by the introduction of
a pin attached to a spring valve e) communicates with the pipe F. So long there-
fore as the valve D is held closed or nearly closed by the centrifugal force of the
governor, so that water cannot escape from F through d so quickly as it is supplied
from E past e, there is considerable pressure in F; but if the centrifugal force of
the governor be so far reduced that the valve D becomes unseated, giving passage
to the discharge opening a faster than the fluid is supplied from E past e, then the
pressure in F becomes lessened. To prevent the pressure in F ever exceeding a
certain limit a safety valve G is introduced at any convenient part of the pipe F.
The pressure regulated as thus described is communicated by the pipe F to the valve
box of the second governor, shewn in Fig. 2, where it acts as I will now describe.
This second governor is driven by a band or by frictional contact from the driving
axle of the locomotive, and the centrifugal force of its weights acts on a piston
slide H, which works in a cavity over a port h opening to the outer air, the cavity
itself being in communication by a pipe I with the valve of the regulating cylinder,
which will hereafter be referred to. The slide H has a stem bearing against a rod K
faced with a flexible diaphragın & subject to the pressure in the pipe F. When this
pressure is sufficient to counterbalance the centrifugal force of the governor weights
then the slide H covers the port h, as shewn in the Figure, preventing escape of
fluid from the pipe I; but when the centrifugal force of the governor exceeds the
effect of the pressure in the pipe F acting on the diaphragm %, then the slide H
being moved towards the left uncovers the port and allows fluid to escape from
the pipe I, so reducing the pressure in that pipe. The regulating cylinder, shewn
in Fig. 4, has a double piston N, N', one of considerably larger area than the other,
connected by a rod O to a throttle or other suitable regulating valve in the steam
pipe of the engine. The space between the two pistons is freely supplied by the
passage L with water from the boiler, or water of condensation subject to the
boiler pressure, or with steam, and the space behind the larger piston is supplied
with the same by a passage of small area adjustable by a setting screw.
This
space is in communication with a valve box, in which is fitted a piston valve M,
which seats on and closes an escape aperture m, being kept seated by a spring
aided by the pressure in the pipe I, which communicates with the cavity of the
slide H worked by the second governor (see Fig. 2). While the valve M remains
closed the pressure on both sides of the larger piston being the same the pistons
take the position shewn in the Figure, the throttle or regulating valve of the
engine being then full open. But should the valve M become unseated owing to a

page_text: reduction of the pressure in the pipe I, then the fluid at the right hand end of the
cylinder escaping faster by the aperture m than it can be supplied by the limited
passage, the pressure on the back of the larger piston is reduced and the pistons
will therefore be moved towards the right whereby their rod will be made to close
more or less the throttle or regulating valve of the engine. It will now be seen
that if the second governor, Fig. 2, which is worked by the driving wheels be
caused to revolve rapidly by these wheels slipping without putting the train in
full movement, then the other governor, Fig. 1, worked by the running wheels being
at rest or revolving slowly the pressure in the pipe F, and therefore on the
diaphragm, will be reduced by the escape of water through d as described, while
the force pushing the slide H to the left will be considerable, and consequently
that slide will uncover the passage h allowing escape of fluid from the pipe I, and
Bo reducing the pressure on the valve M, which becoming unseated will cause the
pistons to move back closing or partly closing the throttle or regulating valve
of the engine supply and so reducing the speed of the engine. The safety
valve G in the pipe F is held down by a spring which being adjusted to any desired
pressure acts as a limit to the speed of the engine by determining the pressure on
the diaphragm k which resists the centrifugal force of the governor worked by the
engine: When the engine tends to exceed the predetermined speed the slide H
uncovers the passage h, and the pistons in the regulating cylinder thereupon move
the throttle or regulating valve so as to reduce the supply of steam to the
engine and so retard its working. A pressure gauge connected with any part of
the pipe F by shewing the pressure in that pipe will indicate the speed of the
engine, that pressure being made to act on the diaphragm k as a counterbalance to
the centrifugal force of the governor worked by the engine.
The Figures on Sheet II. of the accompanying Drawings shew my apparatus for
causing the pressure of the brake blocks on any of the wheels of a train to be
automatically adjusted according to the amount of friction which they develop.
Fig. 6 is a side view of the apparatus applied to the under-framing of a carriage, its
valve being shewn partly in section; Fig. 7 is a plan, and Fig. 8 is a vertical
section to an enlarged scale of the valve and its operating lever. The break block A
is suspended by a link B from one end of a lever C, the other end of which is linked
to one arm of a three armed lever D. The ends of the other two arms of this lever
catch in recesses of a block E to which is attached an escape valve box, and the
middle of the lever bears against a spring stem F in line with the stem of the
valve G. The valve box is connected by a branch pipe from H to the break cylinder.
When the breaks are applied by pressure acting in the break cylinder, the valve G
being closed, the wheel by the friction of the block upon it tends to drag the block
along with it, and so to move the lever C upwards or downwards according as the
wheel is revolving in the one direction or the other. This action communicated
through the link to the three armed lever D tends to make it move on the end of
the one or the other of its vertical arms as on a fulcrum and to press forwards
the stem F in opposition to the spring. When the dragging force on the brake
block thus transmitted to F is sufficient to overcome the pressure of the spring
and that on the valve G, the valve is opened and air escapes from the break-
cylinder reducing the pressure therein and consequently reducing the force
with which the break block is pressed against the wheel. When this force
is sufficiently reduced and the drag of the block reduced with it, the valve G
again closes. The force resisting the drag of the break block may in part be
adjusted by the more or less compression of the spring surrounding the stem F.
Another portion of the force depends on the pressure with which the valve G is held
to its seat, which consists partly of the pressure of a light spring, and partly of the
pressure of the fluid in the break-cylinder. The latter portion of the pressure may
be varied by charging the communicating pipe to a greater or less pressure, and
thus the total force keeping the valve closed may be varied to suit different degrees
of slipperiness of the rails, the pressure of the break blocks being thus retained
under that which will cause the wheels to slip along the rails. The action of this

page_text: apparatus may be rendered more effective with diminished waste of compressed air
by modifying the valve box, as shewn in Fig. 10, and placing it in the pipe com-
municating from the auxiliary reservoir to the break cylinder. In this case the
stem of the valve G carries on it a piston g which fits a cylindrical cavity com-
municating by a branch K with the branch pipe from the auxiliary reservoir.
While the valve G remains closed the compressed air from the auxiliary reservoir
passes the piston g and through the passage H to the break cylinder. But when
the drag of the break blocks exerts sufficient pressure on the valve G to open it,
the piston g advancing into the cavity beyond it stops the supply of air from the
auxiliary reservoir to the break cylinder, whilst air escapes from the latter past
the valve G.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I claim,―
First. Controlling the speed of a locomotive by the use of two governors driven
respectively by the running and the driving wheels, and so combined that their
relative speed determines the pressure on a piston working a throttle or other valve
regulating the steam supply to the engine, substantially as herein described with
reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 on Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. Controlling automatically the fluid pressure applied to press the breaks
on railway wheels by means of an escape valve worked by the frictional drag of
the break blocks, substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 6, 7,
and 8 on Sheet II. of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
GEO. WESTINGHOUSE, JR. (12.8.)