Improvements in Brakes for Railway Wagons and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for Railway Wagons and similar Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM FRANCIS MCDERMID, of 267, Well Street, South Hackney, in
the County of Middlesex, HENRY CHAPMAN TRIGG, of 1, York Road, Leyton,
in the County of Essex, and WILLIAM BRAMHAM, of 115, Bow Road, London, E.,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:—
This invention relates to brakes, such as are capable of being applied to the
wheels of railway wagons and similar vehicles by hand. As the improvements
are specially applicable to railway vehicles we will herein describe the invention
as applied to such.
In brakes as generally applied to railway wagons it is necessary for the person
applying or releasing the brake to make two distinct movements, one of which
engages or disengages the hand lever with or from the catches which serve to
retain the brake in both the on and off positions; and the other to
apply or release the brake. Now in this invention the catch or catches which
serve to retain the brake in either position, are automatic, that is to say they
are brought into action by the simple movement of the hand-lever.
The hand levers are pivoted to the wagon in the usual manner, the pivots in
general consisting of spindles which pass across the wagon so that levers being
attached to both ends thereof, the brakes can be actuated from either side of
the wagon. There are two levers on each side, one disposed towards each end,
and from the pivot of each of these projects an arm, the one upwardly and the
other downwardly. To the end of each of these arms is pivotally attached one
end of a connecting rod in such manner that the rocking of the arms produces
a longitudinal movement of the rod in or about a direct line.
To a bracket or brackets projecting downwardly from the sides of the vehicles,
and between the wheels, is pivoted the brake lever or levers each of which has
one arm projecting upwardly and the other downwardly; each arm operating
a rod or rods which serve to press the brake-blocks upon the wheels when the
brake levers are rocked. The upper arm is extended so as to be in close proximity
to the connecting rod, and this extension has pivoted to it a quadrant plate
the upper side of which is serrated, the teeth having the shape of saw teeth
These engage normally with the correspondingly shaped teeth of a rack, which is
fixed rigidly to the body of the vehicle and a special feature of our invention
consists in the mechanism for allowing the teeth of the quadrant to be engaged
with, or disengaged from, the rack by the simple movement of either of the
hand levers.
The inclination of the rack and quadrant teeth is such as to hold and press
the brake-blocks into contact with the wheels, and when it is necessary to
put on" the brakes, the bending of the connecting rod is sufficient to allow
the quadrant teeth to rise from and pass over the rack teeth when the rod
receives its longitudinal movement. When the brake is to be taken "off" a
special device is necessary which enables the quadrant teeth to be automatically.
disengaged from the rack. For this purpose slots are cut in the quadrant and.
1

page_text: in one of these slides a block which is formed integrally with a pin, this latter
being connected to the rod in such manner that when the longitudinal move-
ment of the latter takes place, the block slides along the slot.
The lower part
of the quadrant has a più projecting from it, (which may slide along a slot to
allow the quadrant to turn on its pivot); and to this pin is pivotally connected
one end of a second rod, which is disposed at an angle to the connecting rod
and has its other end attached thereto in any convenient manner which ensures
the rods moving together. Assuming now that it is desired to take the brake
"off" it is sufficient to move either of the hand levers to ensure the disengage-
ment of the teeth, for as the pin on the connecting rod can slide in its slot
while the second rod is operative, the quadrant is rocked on its pivot sufficiently
far to lift its teeth from the rack teeth. By this means the pressure on the
brake blocks is removed, the teeth engage again owing to the spring of the
connecting rod, and the friction between the inclined faces of the teeth which
are in contact, is sufficient to secure the levers in the "off" position.
The mechanism is preferably disposed so that the depression of either of the
hand levers puts on the brake; while raising them ensures the
position.
"
off"
In some cases a spring or other equivalent device is attached which tends to
retain the brake in the normal off" position.
"
It will be understood that the mechanism constituting this invention may be
disposed in various ways, and operated in various directions; in all cases retain-
ing the essential feature of our invention, which consists in the herein before
described device which enables the brake to be securely retained in either the
or off" positions, while enabling one to be changed to the other by
a simple movement of one of the hand levers.
"
on
25
"
The hand levers may also have catches and in this case we preferably arrange
them so that they spring away from the catches when they have been raised
sufficiently high to clear the said catches.
Dated this 27th day of October 1899.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
75, Chancery Lane,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Brakes for Railway Wagons and similar Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM FRANCIS MCDERMID, of 267, Well Street, South Hackney, in
the County of Middlesex, HENRY CHAPMAN TRIGG, of 1, York Road, Leyton,
in the County of Essex, and WILLIAM BRAMHAM, of 115, Bow Road, London, E.,'
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention 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 brakes such as are capable of being applied to
the wheels of vehicles by hand.
As the improvements are specially applicable to railway vehicles, we will
herein describe the invention as applied to such.
In brakes as generally applied to railway wagons it is necessary for the person
applying or releasing the brake to make two distinct movements, one of which
engages or disengages the hand lever with or from the catches which serve to
retain the brake in both the "on" and "off" position's, and the other to apply
or release the brake.

page_text: The object of this invention is to make the catch or catches which serve to
retain the brake in either position automatic, that is to say, to be brought into
action by the simple movement of the hand lever.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 an end elevation, and Figure 3. a plan
(with the body removed) of an ordinary railway wagon fitted with brakes accord-
ing to our invention.
Figures 4 and 5 are diagrams to a larger scale illustrating the action of the
automatic catch shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 showing the position of the parts
when the brake is off but about to be put on, and Figure 5 when it is being
taken off.
Figures 6 and 7, 8 and 9, and 10 and 11, are similar diagrams of three modifi-
cations showing the positions of the parts when the brake is being put on and
taken off respectively.
The hand fevers are pivotted to the wagon in the usual manner, the pivots
in general consisting of spindles a¹ a' which pass across the wagon so that levers
being attached to both ends thereof the brakes can be actuated from either side of
the wagon.
The mechanism is preferably disposed as shown so that the depression of either
of the hand levers put on the brakes, while raising them ensures the "off"
position.
*
:
There are preferably two levers on each side, one disposed towards each
end, and from the end of each of these projects an arm a², the one upwardly
and the other downwardly.
To the end of each of these arms is pivotally attached one end of a connecting
rod 6 in such manner that the rocking of the arms produces a longitudinal move-
ment of the rod in or about a direct line.
B
All the levers being thus linked together must rock in unison and owing to
the arrangement of their connections must all rise or fall together.
The connecting rod shown has a "half twist" which allows it to spring or bend
to suit the motion of the quadrant when the brake is operated.
It is not necessary although it is desirable to fit two hand levers on each side
of the wagon or a lever or levers on both sides as the invention is equally applic-
able when there is a single lever on one side only.
The connecting rod b is only required on wagons fitted with hand levers
which point to opposite ends of the wagon.
To a bracket or brackets c projecting downwardly from the sides of the
vehicles and between the wheels is pivotted at the brake lever or levers d
each of which has one arm projecting upwardly and the other downwardly; each
arm operating a rod or rods e which serve to press the brake blocks f upon the
wheels when the brake levers are rocked.
:
The upper arm is extended so as to be in close proximity to the connecting
rod b and this extension has pivotted to it at g' a quadrant plate g, the upper side
of which is serrated, the teeth having the shape of saw teeth as shown in
Figure 4.
These engage normally with the correspondingly shaped teeth of a rack h
which is fixed rigidly to the body of the vehicle; and a special feature of our
invention consists in the mechanism for allowing the teeth of the quadrant to
be engaged with or disengaged from the rack by the simple movement of either.
of the hand levers.
The inclination of the rack and quadrant teeth is such as to hold and press
the brake blocks into contact with the wheels and in the arrangement shown
in Figures 1 to 4 when it is necessary to put "on" the brakes the bending of
the connecting rod 6 is sufficient to allow the quadrant teeth to rise from and
pass over the rack teeth when the rod receives its longitudinal movement.
When the brake is to be taken off" a special device is necessary which
enables the teeth of the quadranty to be automatically disengaged from the.
rack h.
"
+

page_text: For this purpose slots g² are cut in the quadrant and in one of these g
slides a block pin or roller carried by the connecting rod bin such manner that
when the longitudinal movement of the latter takes place the block slides along.
the slot.
The second slot g³ is in the lower part of the quadrant and in it is a pin
or roller at the end of a second rod which is disposed at an angle to the
connecting rod band has its other end pivotted thereto in any convenient
manner which ensures the rods moving together.
Assuming now that it is desired to take the brake offit is sufficient
to move either of the hand levers to ensure the disengagement of the teeth, for
as shown in Figure 5 partly owing to the movement of the pin in its slot g²
and partly owing to the bending of the connecting rod while the second rod/
is operative, the quadrant can be rocked downwards on its pivot sufficiently far to
lift its teeth. from the rack teeth.
By this means the pressure on the brake blocks is removed, the teeth engage
again owing to the spring of the connecting rod and the friction between the
inclined faces of the teeth which are in contact is sufficient to secure the levers in
the "off" position as shown in Figure 4.
In some cases a spring or other equivalent device is attached which tends
to retain the brake in the normal "off" position.
"
a
We prefer however to retain the brake in its off position by providing
spring, friction or other device tending to hold the handles in their highest
position. Such a device is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, where the handles a.
have spring ends which engage with small inward inclines m¹ in the handle
guides m. The guides m also should be slightly narrower at the top than at
the bottom to prevent the handles from jigging when the truck is in motion.
We also prefer that the quadrant should be out of gear with the rack when the
brake is off as shown in Figures 6 to 11.
Figure 6 shows the positions when the brake is being put on. The pink on
the rod has come to the end of its slot g and is pulling the quadrant g from
left to right putting on the brakes and pulling the quadrant more or less into
line with the rod so bringing the teeth on the quadrant into gear with the
fixed rack. Figure 7 on the other hand shows the positions when the brake
is being put off. In this case the pink has been pushed back in the slot g³
and the pin on the connecting rod has come against the quadrant g and is push-
ing it backwards and downwards out of line with the rod 7. The teeth on the
quadrant are thus forced out of gear with the rack and the brake is taken off.
When the brake is off the quadrant grests on the pin on the connecting rod.
Figures and 9 are similar to Figures 6 and 7 but the rod / is dispensed with.
the quadrant being pushed from left to right and pressed into gear by the lug b
on the connecting rod b.
In Figures 10 and 11 the rod / is slotted at /¹ to receive the pivot g¹ of the
quadrant g. The quadrant is put into gear by its own weight and is pressed out
of gear by the pin 12 on the rod 1.
It will be understood that the mechanism constituting this invention may be
disposed in various ways, and operated in various directions, in all cases retain-
ing the essential feature of our invention, which consists in the herein before
described device which enables the brake to be securely retained in either the
"on" or off" position, while enabling one to be changed to the other by a
simple movement of one of the hand levers.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
:-
1. The combination of a lever operating the brake block, a rack fixed to the
vehicle, a quadrant or pawl gearing with the rack and a handle connected to
the lever, the arrangement being such that the movement of the handle in one

page_text: direction in a single plane puts on the brake, the pawl dropping or being pressed
into gear and the reverse movement of the handle in the same plane disengages
the pawl and takes off the brake.
2. The combination of a lever operating the brake block, a rack fixed to the
vehicle, a quadrant or pawl pivotted to the lever and gearing with the rack, and
a handle connected to the lever, the arrangement being such that the movement
of the handle in one direction in a single plane puts on the brake, the pawl
dropping or being pressed into gear and the reverse movement of the handle
in the same plane disengages the pawl and takes off the brake.
3. The combination of a lever operating the brake block, a rack fixed to the
vehicle, a quadrant or pawl pivotted to the lever and gearing with the rack, and
a handle connected to the lever but free to move a short distance in opposite
directions independently of it the arrangement being such that the movement of
the handle in one direction in a single plane puts on the brake, the pawl dropping
or being pressed into gear and the reverse movement of the handle in the
same plane disengages the pawl and takes off the brake.
4. Brake mechanism substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings.
Doted this 20th day of 1000
W. F. McDERMID.
H. C. TRIGG.
WM. BRAMHAM.