IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RETARDING AND STOPPING CARRIAGES ON RAILWAYS, AND IN COCKS OR TAPS USED FOR SUCH AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Draper, of Lenton, Nottingham, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RETARDING AND STOPPING
CARRIAGES ON RAILWAYS, AND IN COCKS OR TAPS USED FOR SUCH AND OTHER
PURPOSES."
Scaled the 25th August 1857, and dated the 27th February 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Draper at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
February 1857.
I, SAMUEL DRAPER, of Lenton, Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature
of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RETARDING AND STOPPING
CARRIAGES ON RAILWAYS, AND IN COCKS OR TAPS USED FOR SUCH AND OTHER
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for retarding
and stopping carriages on railways, and in cocks or taps used for such and
other purposes; and my improvements are applicable when using hydraulic
and pneumatic apparatus. For these purposes each carriage is arranged
with a hydraulic cylinder and ram in a suitable cistern or vessel containing
water. The pump to the hydraulic cylinder is put in motion (when it is
desired to apply the breaks) by means of excentric or cam surfaces on one of
the axles of the carriage. The ram of the hydraulic cylinder acts on a lever,
which in its turn acts by connecting rods on the several breaks of the carriage..
It is preferred that each wheel should have two breaks to act on it, one on
either side of the periphery.
Apparatus is provided to enable the guard or engineer to put the apparatus
into action; and in order also to render break apparatus, such as is above.

page_text: described, as well as other arrangements, self-acting, a flexible tube is laid on
the line of railway, and is pressed on by a wheel carried by each train, by
which fluid contained in the tube is prevented passing onwards beyond the nip
of the wheel of the forward train. Each train also carries another wheel on a
lever or apparatus, arranged in such manner as to put the break. apparatus
into action, when the wheel is caused to rise by the tube being expanded by
fluid. By this arrangement fluid enters the tube at determined distances, and
by the pressure of the wheel of a train it is caused to flow forward through
the tube; but should there be a previous train so little in advance that its
wheel is pressing on the tube, the fluid will be prevented passing forward,
and the tubo will be swelled or expanded, and will act on the wheel in
connection with the break apparatus, and the breaks of the train will be put
into action, and if desired the whistle or a bell may also be thereby sounded.
In constructing cocks or taps for such like apparatus, and for other purposes
where it is desired that the plugs should only close slowly and not with a
shock, the plug in opening is arranged to rise or move a distance, in addition
to its rotation, to open the passage through it, and there is a close case below
or beyond the end of the plug. The plug is made with a passage through it,
with a valve, which allows tho passage of the water or fluid freely in one
direction, but stops it in the other; hence, when the plug has been opened it
'can only be closed slowly, and the speed, at which it is allowed to be closed, is
regulated by the fluid beyond the plug being allowed to pass through a
comparatively small holo or passage.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Draper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the g
27th August 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
DRAPER, of Lenton, Nottingham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our 3
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
ine, the said Samuel Draper, Her special license that I, the said Samuel
Draper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Samuel Draper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any 3
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RETARDING AND STOPPING CARRIAGES ON RAILWAYS,
AND IN COCKS OF TAPS USED FOR SUCH AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Samuel Draper, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Samuel Draper, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for retarding
and stopping carriages on railways, and in cocks or taps used for such and
other purposes, and my improvements are applicable when using hydraulic
and pneumatic apparatus. For these purposes each carringo is arranged with
a hydraulic cylinder a and ram b, in a suitable cistern or vessel e containing
water. The pump d to the hydraulic cylinder is put in motion (when it is
lesired to apply the breaks) by means of excentric or cam, surfaces e on one
of the axles of the carriage. The ram b of the hydraulic cylinder acts on a
lever f, which in its turn acts by connecting rods on the several breaks g, g,
of the carriage. It is preferred that each wheel should have two breaks to
act on it, one on either side of the periphery.
Apparatus is provided to enable the guard or engineer to put the appa
ratus into action. This apparatus consists of a tube h, which is constantly
filled with water. On this tube is a cock, by turning of which by the guard
the water will flow out from under a small plunger i, in the small cylinder j..
by which the lever (which upholds the lever f) will descend, and the lever f
will come into position to be acted on by its cam surface; and in order also to
render break apparatus, such as is above described, as well as other arrange-
ments, self-acting, a flexible tube is laid on the line of railway, and is
pressed on by a wheel carried by each train, by which fluid contained in the
tube is prevented passing onwards beyond the nip of the wheel of the forward.
train. Each train also carries another wheel on a lever or apparatus, arranged.
in such manuer as to put the break apparatus into action, when the wheel is

page_text: caused to rise by the tube being expanded by fluid. For this purpose a
flexible tube or a trough with a flexible surface is laid along the centre of a
line of railway, which is open at its ends to admit of its being kept supplied
with water. m is a wheel which runs on such flexible tube, and so long as the
water forward of such wheel is free to flow forward in the tube or trough, the
breaks will remain out of action; but should there be another train within a
determined distance, its wheel will be pressing on the tube, and prevent tho
water flowing freely, and the same will react and raise the wheel m, by which
means the cock n will be opened by the connecting rod o, which will, as beforo
explained, allow the water to flow from the small cylinder, and thus bring tho
break lever within the action of its cam surface. By this arrangement
fluid enters the tube at determined distances, and by the pressure of the wheel
of a train is caused to flow forward through the tube; but should there bo
a previous train so little in advance that its wheel is pressing on the tube, the
fluid will be prevented passing forward, and the tube will be swelled or
expanded, and will act on the wheel in connection with the break apparatus,
and the breaks of the train will be put into action, and if desired the whistle
or a bell may also be thereby sounded.
In constructing cocks or taps (see Figure Z) for such like apparatus, and
for other purposes where it is desired that the plugs should only close slowly
and not with a shock, the plug p in opening is arranged to rise or move a
distance, in addition to its rotation, to open the passage through it, and thero
is a close case q below or beyond the end of the plug p. The plug is made
with a passage through it, with a valver which allows the passage of the
water or fluid freely in one direction, but stops it in the other; hence, when
the plug has been opened it can only be closed slowly, and the speed, at
which it is allowed to be closed, is regulated by the fluid beyond the plug
being allowed to pass through a comparatively small hole or passage.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Draper, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
JNO. ALCOCK.
SAMUEL DRAPER. (L.S.)