IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER CAR- RIAGES.
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Benson, of Leeds, in the County of York, Esquire, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER CAR-
RIAGES.' A communication from abroad by Augustus Gross, of Newcastle, in
the Colony of New South Wales, Telegraph Engineer.
"
Sealed the 23rd September 1879, and dated the 25th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Benson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th March 1879..
JOHN BENSON, of Leeds, in the County of York, Esquire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BRAKES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES." A communication from abroad.
by Augustus Gross, of Newcastle, in the Colony of New South Wales, Telegraph
Engineer.
This Invention relates to improvements upon the brakes at present used for
railway rolling stock and other wheeled vehicles, and consists of a circular brake
applied to the circumference of the wheels, of an entirely novel form in so far as
regards its adaptation to railway rolling stock or other wheeled vehicles.
The brake itself, by, which is ineant that portion of the appliance which is brought
into immediate contact with the wheel, is of a circular form, consisting of the
segment of a ring, and can be made of iron, steel, wood, or other suitable material,
and be applied to the wheels by any of the different motive powers, whether hand,
steam, hydraulic, or other power, the motive power or pressure to be applied in a
direction at right angles to the frame work of the carriage, truck, or van, and not
as at present in a direction parallel with such frame work. One end of the brake
is stationary, say about an inch from the wheel, and the power or pressure is
applied to the other end and has the effect of bringing the brake into contact with
the wheel, and thus stopping its revolution.
Each brake is formed with two lugs to which are fastened rods attached to a
similar brake on the opposite side of the carriage.
In applying the Invention to an ordinary D waggon with the principal part of
existing break gear remaining, viz., centre stay, double crank connecting rods and
lever, the following additions are used, viz., a hanger to which is attached the
stationary point of the brake, a stay with double crank attached to the connecting
Price G1

page_text: rod, a double crank connected with the rod, and a shackle. Assuming the brake to
be on, by lifting the lever the wheels are released.
In applying the Invention to a carriage frame, with Westinghouse's motive
power attached, the only difference in the fixtures required in adapting the circular
brake are the following fixtures and parts, vist, hangers connected to corresponding
hangers on the other side of the frame on to which the stationary point of the brake
is fixed and kept in its place by a loose collar screwed to each side of the brake on
to the shaft, stays similarly connected with corresponding stays on the other side of
the frame by shafts to which a double crank is keyed, the crank connected with a
rod and a shackle is placed in direct connection with the brake. Assuming the
brakes to be off so soon as force is applied to the crank the brake grips the wheel.
When the Invention is applied to an ordinary hopper or coal waggon, with
double action brake, the principal parts of the existing brake gear, viz., centre stay,
double crank, connecting rods, and lever are utilized and additional gear is required
in adapting the circular friction brakes as in the case of the arrangement first
herein before described. A similar arrangement is applicable to waggons with single
brakes.
In applying the Invention to an ordinary guard's van fitted up with the circular
friction brake, the rod communicating with the screw by an upward action lifts the
end of a crank attached to it, at the same time depressing the short arm of another
crank to which is attached a shackle, and this shackle is again attached to the
brake. The crank first mentioned is also attached to a rod to which are attached
single cranks, all of which are set in motion by the screw rod, thus, when the screw
rod is lifted it acts upon the cranks and by a direct downward force, for pressure
forces the brake upon the wheels.
It will be obvious that the circular friction brake can be readily adapted to any
of the systems at present in use, either continuous of otherwise.
.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Benson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
September 1879.
JOHN BENSON, of Leeds, in the County of York, Esquire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BRAKES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES." A communication from abroad
by Augustus Gross, of Newcastle, in the Colony of New South Wales, Telegraph
Engineer.
The said Invention relates to improvements upon brakes at present used for
railway rolling stock and other wheeled vehicles, and consists of a circular brake
applied to the circumference of the wheels of an entirely novel form in so far as
regards its adaptation to railway rolling stock or other wheeled vehicles.
The brake itself, by which is to be understood that portion of the appliance which
is brought into immediate contact with the wheel, is of a circular form, consisting of
the segment of a ring, and can be made of iron, steel, wood, or other suitable
material, and be applied to the wheels by any of the different motive powers, whether
hand, steam, hydraulic, or other power, the motive power or pressure being applied
in a direction at right angles to the frame work of the carriage, truck, or van, and
not as at present in a direction parallel with such frame work. One end of the
brake is stationary, say about an inch from the wheel, and the power or pressure
is applied to the other end and has the effect of bringing the brake into contact
with the wheel at the top, so that the pressure is upon the rail and not upon the
axle of the vehicle, and the revolution of the wheel is thus arrested.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now pro-
ceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) of the accompanying Drawings represents a side elevation of
an ordinary D wagon having the said Invention applied thereto; Figure 2 is an
elevation of the inside of a carriage frame, with what is known as Westinghouse's
motive power attached and the said Invention adapted to the same; Figure 3 repre-
sents a side elevation of an ordinary hopper or coal waggon, with a double action
brake having the said Invention applied thereto; Figure 4 (Sheet 2) represents a
portion of a similar wagon to that shewn in Figure 3, but having a single brake;
Figure 5 represents a side elevation of an ordinary guard's van having the said
Invention applied thereto:
made in the form
are fastened rods
That part of the
A in the several Figures represents the brake proper which is
of a segment of a ring, and is provided with lugs a, a, to which
attached to a similar brake on the opposite side of the carriage.
brake marked b is the stationary point, whilst b' is the part to which the force is
applied.
In applying the Invention to an ordinary D wagon as illustrated in Figure 1
(Sheet 1) with the principal part of the existing brake gear remaining, viz., the
centre stay G, double armed lever H, connecting rods F, and lever L, the following
additions are used for each brake, viz., a hanger A' to which is attached the
stationary point b of the brake d, stay D with bell crank E attached to the con-
necting rod F' and a shackle C. The brake in this Figure is represented as on, by
lifting the lever L the wheels are released.
In applying the Invention to a carriage frame with Westinghouse's motive power
attached, as illustrated in Figure 2, the only difference in the fixtures required in
adapting the circular brake are the following fixtures and parts, viz., hangers
marked A' connected to corresponding hangers on the other side of the frame, to
which are attached the stationary points b of the brakes, the same being maintained
in their place by loose collars screwed to each side of the brakes on to the shafts.
Stays marked D similarly connected with corresponding stays on the other side of

page_text: the frame by shafts to which bell cranks E are keyed, the said cranks connected
with rods F, and shackles C being placed in connection with the brakes A.
In this Figure the brakes are represented as off, they are designed so as to allow
sufficient space for depression of the carriage springs; so soon as force is applied to
the cranks E the brakes grip the wheels.
When the Invention is applied to an ordinary hopper or coal waggon with double
action brake, as illustrated in Figure 3, the principal parts of the existing brake
gear, viz, the centre stay G, double armed lever H, connecting rod F, and lever
marked L are utilized, and the following additional gear is required in adapting the
circular friction brake, viz., hangers marked A¹ to which the stationary points b of
the brakes are fixed; stays marked D, to which the bell cranks E and shackles C
are attached, the shackles C being connected to the brakes A. The brakes are
represented as on. It will be seen that so soon as the lever L attached to the double
armed lever H is lifted the wheels are released; when the lever L is pressed down
the brakes grip the wheels. An arrangement similar to that last hereinbefore
described is also applicable to wagons with single brakes as illustrated in Figure 4
(Sheet 2). In this Figure the brake is shewn off; the moment the lever Lis
pressed down the brake grips the wheel.
Figure 5, Sheet 2, represents an ordinary guard's van fitted with the circular
friction brake. B is the rod communicating with the screw, and which by an
upward action lifts one end of the bell crank K attached to it, at the same time
depressing the crank M to which is attached a shackle N, and this shackle is again
attached to the brake A. The bell crank K is also attached to the rod O to which
are attached cranks K1, K2, put in motion by the screw rod B; thus when the screw
rod B is lifted it acts upon all the cranks K, K1, K2, and by a direct downward force.
or pressure in the direction indicated by the arrows forces the brake upon the
wheels. The cranks K, K¹, K2, are carried by hangers A².
It will be obvious that the circular friction brake can be readily adapted to any
of the systems at present in use, either continuous or otherwise, and I have illustrated
in Figure 2 the adaptation of the brake to Westinghouse's system of continuous
brake as being a well known form of continuous brake.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and some modes of carrying the same into effect, I would observe in
conclusion that I do not confine myself to the precise mechanical arrangements
shewn in the Drawings, as it is obvious that they may be altered or varied without
departing from the nature of the Invention, but what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore
in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The construction of circular friction brakes and adaptation of the same to railway
rolling stock and other wheeled vehicles, substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Benson, have to this my Specification set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy nine.
JOHN BENSON. (L.S.)