IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKE APPARATU FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Westinghouse, junior, of Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, but at present
of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKE APPARATU
FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 27th August 1872, and dated the 4th July 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Westinghouse
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th July 1872.
I, GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, junior, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in
the United States of America, but at present of No. 20, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKE
APPARATUS POR RAILWAY CARRIAGES," to be as follows:―
My Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of the
levers, rods, and links by which brakes are worked on railway carriages

page_text: in such a manner that the operating power shall be distributed equally
or in any desired proportions over the several brake blocks, that the
brakes can be worked either by the ordinary hand apparatus or by
pneumatic or other power, or by both, and that the slack of the
apparatus can be readily taken up so as to allow for the wear of the
brake blocks. For this purpose I arrange a system of levers, rods, and
links, as shown on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1
shews a side view of the under framing of a carriage with the brake
A is a lever
apparatus attached, and Fig. 2 shews a plan of the same.
connected at its upper end to B the piston rod of a cylinder C, into
which air or other fluid under pressure can be admitted. The lower
end of the lever A is connected by rods D, D, to a cross bar E connected
to the brake blocks F, F, of one pair of wheels. At an intermediate
point the lever A is connected by a link G to a second lever A', the
upper end of which is connected by a rod or chain H to the ordinary
hand brake gear, while its lower end is connected by rods D', D', and a
cross bar E¹ to the blocks F, F", of another pair of wheels. The lever A'
is supported by a pin a at its upper end from a bracket I in which it can
move in the direction of the arrow.
When fluid under pressure is admitted into the cylinder C so as to
push forward the piston, the lever A. being moved in the direction of the
arrow draws the blocks F, F, against the one pair of wheels and through
the link G; lever A' and rods D', D¹, also draws the blocks F¹, F¹,
against the other pair of wheels; or if the rod or chain H be pulled by
the hand brake gear, then the lever A¹ being drawn in the direction of
the arrow, applies the brake blocks F¹, F', through the rods D', D', and
also applies the blocks F, F, through the link G, lever A, and rods D, D.
For removing the brake blocks from the wheels when the brake power
is taken off, the levers A, A¹, are connected by a spring under tension J
at points above the link G so as to draw the upper ends of the lever
together. Or a spring under compression may connect them at points
below G so as to force the lower ends of the levers A, A¹, asunder.
For applying the brakes to three. pairs of wheels, the lower end of one
of the levers, as A, may be connected to the middle of an equal armed
beam K, each end of which is connected by rods to the brake blocks
of one pair of wheels. In this case, in order that the brake power may
be distributed equally to the three pairs of wheels, the link G is con-

page_text: nected to the levers A and A' at unequal distances from their respective
ends, so that the end of A, which works two sets of brakes, may act
with double the leverage of A' which works only one set. By varying
the points where the link G is connected to the levers A and A', the
brake power may be distributed over the several sets of brake blocks in
any desired proportions.
For four pairs of wheels the lever A' may be connected to a beam
similar to K, so as to operate the blocks for two pairs of wheels.
It is sometimes convenient to have means of applying the brakes
when a carriage is at rest, as in a station. For this purpose a lever L
may be mounted on the under framing, having its end projecting at the.
side of the carriage so as to be within reach of a workman on the ground.
This lever being connected by a chain or slotted rod to the lever A²,
the workman by pulling the lever L in the direction of the arrow can
apply the brakes as if he acted by the ordinary hand apparatus on the
rod H. When this arrangement is adopted, the rod H requires to be
slotted or to be connected to A¹ by a chain so as to permit of that lever
being pulled by either the hand gear or the lever L.
In order to allow for the wear of the brake blocks, several holes are ·
provided in the bracket I, into any one of which a pin b can be inserted
behind the lever A', so that when the brakes are taken off, the lever A¹
is prevented from being drawn farther back by the spring J than is
sufficient to bring the brake blocks clear of the wheels. As the brake
blocks become worn, the pin is shifted to a hole farther towards the
left so as to limit the back stroke of the lever A' to the amount necessary
for taking the brake blocks clear of the wheels.
In order to ensure that all the brako blocks shall be taken off the
wheels cach of their suspending rods may be extended upwards, as
shewn by dotted lines at M, M', so that its upper end can be brought
against a stud or stop m or m². When the brakes are released, the
spring J can push one set of the brake blocks only so far as to bring
their suspending rods in contact with the studs or stops. The farther
action of the spring must, in like manner, push off another set of the
blocks.
It is obvious that stops of other forms may be employed in place of
those described above so as to limit the distance that the brake blocks
can be pushed away from the wheels.

page_text: Although I have described brake apparatus suited for being worked
by hand and also by fluid pressure, a similar arrangement of the levers,
rods, and links is applicable, when other means are employed, for acting
on the levers A and A'.
It is obvious that the upper end of the lever A' might be made to
work on a fixed pin as a fulcrum, and both the pneumatic or other
power and the hand power could be applied to the upper part of the
lever A, the connections in both cases being slotted so as to allow of
either power working the lever A independently of the other. In this
case the pin 6 could be inserted in holes provided in the slotted con-
nection to the piston rod B, so that the slack arising from wear of
the blocks could be taken up in a manner similar to that described
above.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Westinghouse, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th December 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WESTINGHOUSE, junior, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in the United States
of America, but at present of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Westinghouse, junior, Her
special licence that I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Westinghouse, junior, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should ·
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKE APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said

page_text: George Westinghouse, junior, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of the
levers, rods, and links by which brakes are worked on railway carriages
in such a manner that the operating power shall be distributed equally
or in any desired proportions over the several brake blocks, that the
brakes can be worked either by the ordinary hand apparatus or by
pneumatic or other power, or by both, and that the slack of the
apparatus can be readily taken up so as to allow for the wear of the
brake blocks. For this purpose I arrange a system of levers, rods,
and links, as shewn on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which
Fig. 1 shews a side view of the under framing of a carriage with the
brake apparatus attached, and Fig. 2 shews a plan of the same. A is
a lever connected at its upper end to B the piston rod of a cylinder C,
into which air or other fluid under pressure can be admitted. The
lower end of the lever A is connected by rods D, D, to a cross bar E
connected to the brake blocks F, F, of one pair of wheels. At an
intermediate point the lever A is connected by a link G to a second
lever A', the upper end of which is connected by a rod or chain H
to the ordinary hand brake gear, while its lower end is connected by
rods D', D', and a cross bar E¹ to the blocks F", F¹, of another pair
of wheels. The lever A' is supported by a pin a at its upper end from
a bracket I in which it can move in the direction of the arrow.
.
When fluid under pressure is admitted into the cylinder C so as to
push forward the piston, the lever A. being moved in the direction of
the arrow draws the blocks F, F, against the one pair of wheels, and

page_text: through the link G; lever A¹, and rods D¹, D', also draws the blocks
F, F, against the other pair of wheels; or if the rod or chain H be
pulled by the hand brake gear, then the lever A¹ being drawn in the
direction of the arrow applies the brake blocks F, F, through the
rods D', D¹, and also applies the blocks F, F, through the link G,
lever A, and rods D, D.
Instead of employing double rods D, D, or D¹, D', acting on the
bar E or E¹ near its ends, single rods might be employed connected
to the middle of the bar, and in that case the bars E, E', would have to
be made of sufficient strength, by trussing or otherwise, to bear the
strain required for working both blocks.
For removing the brake blocks from the wheels when the brake
power is taken off, the levers A, A¹, are connected by a spring under
tension J at points above the link G, so as to draw the upper ends of
the levers together. Or a spring under compression may connect them
at points below G, so as to force the lower ends of the levers A, A',
asunder.
Such a spring may be conveniently arranged as shewn in Fig. 3,
which represents, on an enlarged scale, a side view of the levers A, A',
with their connecting link G and a longitudinal section of the spring
applied to the levers below the link G. To one of the levers A is
jointed a tube x within which another tube y is free to slide. The
tube y encloses a screwed rod which is jointed to the other lever A',
and a helical springs is placed on the tube y between a collar upon it
and the end of the tube x. Nuts n working on the screwed rod z serve
to adjust the compression of the spring 8.
For applying the brakes to three pairs of wheels, the lower end of
one of the levers, as A, may be connected to the middle of an equal
armed beam K, each end of which is connected by rods to the brake
blocks of one pair of wheels. In this case, in order that the brake
power may be distributed equally to the three pairs of wheels, the
link G is connected to the levers A and A' at unequal distances from
their respective ends, so that the end of A, which works two sets of
brakes, may act with double the leverage of A', which works only
one set. By varying the points where the link G is connected to the
levers A and A', the brake power may be distributed over the several
sets of brake blocks in any desired proportions.

page_text: For four pairs of wheels, the lever A' may be connected to a beam
similar to K, so as to operate the blocks for two of the four pairs of
wheels.
It is sometimes convenient to have means of applying the brakes
when a carriage is at rest, as in a station. For this purpose a lever L
may be mounted on the under framing having its end projecting at
the side of the carriage so as to be within reach of a workman on
the ground. This lever being connected by a chain or slotted rod
to the lever A', the workman by pulling the lever L in the direction
of the arrow can apply the brakes as if he acted by the ordinary
hand apparatus on the rod H. When this arrangement is adopted in
connection with the ordinary hand brake, the rod H requires to be
slotted or to be connected to A¹ by a chain, so as to permit of that lever
being pulled by either the hand gear or the lever L.
In order to allow for the wear of the brake blocks, several holes are
provided in the bracket I, into any one of which a pin 6 can be
inserted behind the lever A¹, so that when the brakes are taken off the
lever A¹ is prevented from being drawn farther back by the spring J
than is sufficient to bring the brake blocks clear of the wheels. As the
brake blocks become worn the pin b is shifted to a hole farther towards
the left so as to limit the back stroke of the lever A¹ to the amount
necessary for taking the brake blocks clear of the wheels.
In order to ensure that all the brake blocks shall be taken off the
wheels, each of their suspending rods may be extended upwards, as
shewn by dotted lines at M, M', so that its upper end can be brought
against a stud or stop m or m¹. When the brakes are released the
spring J can push one set of the brake blocks only so far as to bring
their suspending rods in contact with the studs or stops. The farther
action of the spring must in like manner push off another set of the
blocks.
It is obvious that stops of other forms may be employed in place of
those described above, so as to limit the distance that the brake blocks
can be pushed away from the wheels.
Although I have described brake apparatus suited for being worked
by hand and also by fluid pressure, a similar arrangement of the levers,
rods, and links is applicable when other means are employed for acting
on the levers A and A¹.

page_text: It is obvious that the upper end of the lever A¹ might be made to
work on a fixed pin as a fulcrum, and both the pneumatic or other
power and the hand power could be applied to the upper part of the
lever A, the connections in both cases being slotted so as to allow of
either power working the lever A independently of the other. In this
case the pin could be inserted in holes provided in the slotted con-
nection to the pistón rod B, so that the slack arising from wear of the
blocks could be taken up in a manner similar to that described above.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim,—
First. The mode, substantially as herein described, of operating the
brakes of a railway carriage by the action of two levers connected by a
link and spring, the operating. power being applied to either or both of
the said levers.
Second. Connecting each pair of the brake blocks to the operating
levers through a cross bar and rods, so as to equalize or proportion the
strain on each wheel, substantially as herein described.
:
Third. The means, substantially as herein described, of taking up
slack and allowing for wear of the brake blocks by inserting a pin
behind one of the operating levers.
•
Fourth. The use of a subsidiary lever connected to one of the
operating levers, whereby the brakes can be operated by a workman
on the ground, substantially as herein described.
In witness whercof, I, the said George Westinghouse, junior,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of
August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-two.
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