IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILROAD CARRIAGES
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Clark at the Office of
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th May
1862. A communication from abroad by Augustine Irel Ambler,
Attorney-at-Law, Roseline Nancy Ambler, wife of the said Augustine
Irel Ambler, and Warrick Martin, Banker, all of the City and County
of Milwaukee, in the State of Wisconsin, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILROAD CARRIAGES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved brake for railroad cars, and of that
class which are operated by the movement of the cars from the running gear
thereof. The object of the Invention is to obtain a brake, which will admit
of being applied by a single person to all of a series of a train of cars, the
brakes of the several cars being simultaneously applied with an uniform
pressure, and the pressure graduated as may be required, with the greatest
facility, far more so than the brake of a single car arranged in the ordinary
way. I employ what I term a tumbling rod, which is placed longitudinally
underneath each car, just above its axles, the tumbling rods of the several
cars comprising a train being connected together, and so arranged that they,
with their draw bars, may be rotated, and also lowered and raised, and by
means of a suitable gearing, connected with a slide and belt shipper, the above

page_text: parts being used in connection with two cones, a belt, and two cylinders, one
cone and cylinder being placed on an axle of each car, and the other cone and
cylinder on a lever, which is connected to a chain attached to the brake bars.
The object of the Invention is also to obtain a car brake, which may be
placed under the complete control of the engineer, and be capable of being
operated at will, at a maximum pressure, or to any degree below the same to
the minimum.
The Invention has further for its object the indicating of the precise position
of the brakes at any point of their movement, to serve as a guide to the
engineer and brakesman in adjusting and operating the same. For this
purpose, I arrange the brake bars to extend across the treads of two wheels.
on same axle, and suspend the shoe or brake surfaces, and such bars, by
springs from the framing, which withdraw the breaks from the wheels when
the pressure is released, the mid parts of these brake bars are connected by a
chain, which is diverted from the direct line by passing round two pullies
-mounted on a lever, and according to the position of which lever the direction
of the chain is more or less diverted, and as a consequence, applies more or less
strain to draw the brake levers together, and apply them, at opposite diameters
of the wheels, or if applied to four wheels, one brake surface to each, the
pressure of the one brake bar will be in the opposite direction to that of the other.
The deflecting lever carries a long cone rigger or pulley on its free end, while
a like cone is fixed on one of the carriage axles, but, unlike usual cone pullies,
they are both disposed in same direction, that is, the two large ends together.
At the small ends they have loose pullies, on which the straps run. during the
action of the brakes; when the strap or belt which encircles the cones is at the
small ends, the lever assumes a position to slack the brake chain, but when
the belt is carried towards the large part of the driving cone, it necessarily
draws the cone of the lever towards the cone on the axle, and so shortens the
chain and applies the brakes. This it does with a force that can be regulated
to a nicety, according to the position to which the belt is carried by its shipper.
or traverser. The belt shipper is actuated by the tumbling or continuous rod,
on which is a pinion gearing into a bevil wheel, mounted on a short upright
shaft, carrying a pinion, taking into rack teeth, which traverses the belt shipper
in its slide. The tension of the belt is relaxed on its return or inward move-
ment taking place. Motion is communicated to the tumbling rod or shaft by
bevil gear and a hand wheel shaft, which may be applied to each carriage, or
as these shafts are connected, some of the carriages only need be so furnished,
I
whereby the guard or guards can readily apply the whole of the brakes.
mount the longitudinal shaft or tumbling rod in adjustable bearings, in order

page_text: to lower it out of gear with the hand wheel gear if necessary. A single
arrangement of the cone lever and belt, apparatus is equally applicable for
applying breaks to eight wheels in the same carriage, by simply causing the
break chain to pass from one brake bar over a pulley attached to the opposing
brake bar, thence to a pulley on a third brake bar at opposite end of carriage,.
and thence to the fourth brake bar, where its other end is connected, the third
and fourth brake bars being the second pair. The chain, in its traverse, of
course passes round the deflecting pullies on the cone lever, and to this chain,
which I form partly of rods, I apply screw couplings to regulate its length. I
mount the cone gear on framework or bars, supported directly from the
carriage axles, for which purpose I construct the belt shipper with slides,
having rollers attached and acted upon by springs, which have the effect of
loosening or relaxing the belt or strap on its moving from the large towards
the small part of the cones.
In the annexed Drawing, Fig. 1 represents a plan, partly in section, of the
under frames and wheels of a locomotive and railway carriage, fitted with
brakes, arranged according to the latter part of this Invention, the two parts
being united end to end at x, x, while Figs. 2, 3, and 4, show details berein-
after described.
A represents the framework of a locomotive, and B the framing of a carriage
truck; C, C, are the driving wheels of the locomotive, and D is an upright
frame attached to one side of the locomotive framing A, having two levers
E, E', connected to it by fulcrum pins a, a. The lower end of lever E forms the
bearing for a shaft E", which is provided with a friction wheel F, and the lever
E' is provided with a friction wheel G, and each lever E, E¹, has a spiral spring
connected with it, which springs have a tendency to keep the friction wheels
free from each other, and from the driving wheel C also, which is in line with
them. The shaft E' is provided with an universal joint b, as shown in Fig. 1,
and on said shaft beyond its fixed bearing c. On the framing A there is placed
a pulley d, around which a band I passes, said band also passing around a pulley
J, on a shaft K, which is also provided with an universal joint e, and has a
screw L upon it provided with a double thread. The bearing of the shaft K,
near its pulley J, is fixed or stationary, but its other bearing is in a sliding
rod M, at the outer side of the framing A. Against the front end of this rod
a spring f bears, and the back end of said rod is connected to the lower end
of a bent lever or treddle N, which has a spring g bearing against its upper
part. The upper part of the lever N, at its end, has a chain h attached to it,
which is connected to a shaft a, placed longitudinally on the framing A. in
suitable bearings, and having a bevil toothed wheel P on its front end, which

page_text: gears into a bevil pinion i, on the lower part of a vertical shaft Q, which
also has upon it a toothed wheel j, which gears into a wheel R on the
framing A. The wheel. R has a bevil pinion k attached concentrically to it,
and this pinion gears into a corresponding pinion 1, on a tumbling rod S,
placed longitudinally and centrally on the framing A, and provided at its end
with an universal joint m, to which the draw head T is attached by a pin n,
as shown clearly in Fig. 2; and the back part of the joint m is fitted in a.
bearing o, which is attached to a spring p, the upper part of which is con-
nected to a plate q, provided with vertical guide pins r, r, Fig. 1, which pass
through the horizontal plates of a support u on the framing, said plates,
having a screw t passing through it, which screw also passes through the
plate q, and admits of the latter, and consequently the draw head being ad-
justed higher or lower, as may be required to suit the height of the draw head-
of an adjoining carriage. The spring p, in connection with the universal joint,
admits of all necessary play or vibrating movement that the draw head T
should or inay have under the motion of the cars. On the upper part of
the vertical shaft Q, there is cut a screw u, which gears into a small worm,
wheel on a shaft w. This worm-wheel and shaft are enclosed within a
cylindrical case R', which has a dial plate a' within it, and covered.by a glass.
One end of the shaft wis provided with an index b', which traverses over the
dial plate a', the latter being graduated into twelve equal parts like the dial
of a clock, see Fig. 3. The above described parts constitute the means
employed for applying the power to the brakes and releasing the same, and I
will, in order to avoid confusion, describe the operation of the same before
describing the brake and its operation.
The power is applied through the driving wheel C by the engineer, who
actuates the lever E, so that the friction wheel F will be pressed against the
tread of the wheel C. It will be, seen that the universal joint 6 of the shaft
E admits of this adjustment of the wheel F; and said shaft E' is rotated in
consequence, and a rotary motion communicated therefrom. to the shaft K by
the band I and the screw L of shaft K rotates the wheel R; said screw being
kept engaged with wheel R by means of the springs f, g. The tumbling rod
S, it will be seen, is rotated from the wheel R by means of the bevil gears k, l,
and the brakes herein-after described are operated by the rotation of said
tumbling rod. The vertical shaft Q is also rotated from said wheel F, through
the medium of the wheel j, and the revolutions of the tumbling rod S, and
consequently the degree of pressure of the brakes on the wheels are indicated
on the dial plate a' by the index 6'. As the shaft Q is rotated, motion is com-
municated therefrom to the horizontal shaft O by the bevil gears P, i, and as

page_text: the shaft O is rotated, the chain h is wound around it, and the lever N actuates
the sliding rod M and shaft K, so as to gradually throw the screw L'out of
gear with wheel R. It will be seen therefore that the brakes can only be
applied to a certain degree, and it is desired that the minimum pressure shall
be indicated by 12 on the dial plate. By this arrangement therefore the
engineer cannot, by any inadvertence or carelessness, cause the undue appli-
cation of the brakes. The brakes, however, although they cannot exceed a
certain pressure in their application to the wheels, can be regulated or
graduated as desired, below the maximum to the minimum, by reversing the
movement of the screw L, which is done by the engineer actuating the lever
E', and, thereby throwing the friction wheel G in contact with the tread of
the driving wheel C and the friction wheel F. Thus the brakes may be wholly
taken off, or in part as circumstances may require. And in case a train
should be fully broken up or stopped with the brakes applied to the wheels, the
engineer can immediately take off the brakes by depressing the lever N with his
foot. The taking off of the brakes, therefore, may be accomplished while the
cars are at rest as well as in motion. It is essential that the index b' be at the
minimum point 12, on the dial plate a', when the brakes are not applied. The.
brake is constructed and arranged as follows:-V, Fig. 1, is a tumbling
rod, which is fitted in suitable bearings; longitudinally and centrally on the
framing B, and has an universal joint c¹ at each end, to which the draw heads
are attached. These universal joints c are supported by adjustable and elastic.
bearings X, arranged in the same way as that previously described and per-
taining to the tumbling rod S. The tumbling rod V has a bevil pinion d on
it, which gears into a horizontal bevil wheel Y. There also gears in the latter
a pinion Z, which is on the inner end of the horizontal shaft A', having a crank
wheel A at its outer end, as shown in Fig. 1. This shaft A¹ also has an
indicator B connected with it, which is precisely the same as the one pre-
viously described, and connected with the shaft Q. C is a lever, which has
its fulcrum pin e¹ on the framing B, and is connected at one end by a chain f¹
and rod g to a shaft D', which is at one end of the framing, and has a worm
wheel h¹ upon it.
The lever C is also connected at about its centre to the
hub of wheel Y, by a chain Ex, and said lever has a spiral spring F¹ con-
nected to it at the end opposite to that which has the rod g' attached o it. A
spring G¹ also bears against the lever C*, as shown in Fig. 1, and on the lever
there are placed two pullies h³, h³, one at each side of its fulcrum pin, around
which a chain H¹ passes. One end of this chain H' is connected to a rod I³,
the outer end of which is attached to a lever J', the fulcrum pin of which
passes into a pendant of the framing B. The lever J has two pullies ‚Ì',

page_text: attached to its under surface, around which a chain K¹ passes, one end
of which is attached to brake bars L', L', having shoes M¹ at their ends.
The opposite end of the chain H is connected to a rod N¹, which is provided
with a swivel k¹, having a spring within it, as shown in Fig. 1. The outer
end of the rod N¹ is connected to one end of a lever o¹, the fulcrum pin m² of
which is attached to the outer brake bar P¹, at the opposite end of the
framing B, and at the end of lever O¹, opposite to the end where the rod N¹ is
attached there is connected a rod Q, which is attached to the brake bar R¹.
The brake bars R', P1, are provided with shoes M. The brake bars L, L',
are at opposite sides of one pair of wheels, and the brake bars P¹, R¹, at
opposite sides of the other pair, and it will be seen by referring to Fig. 1 that
by drawing the lever C* in the direction indicated by the arrow, the brake
bars will be simultaneously acted upon, and the shoes M', M', M³, M², thereof
pressed against the wheels, and owing to the arrangement of the levers, as
described, with an equal pressure against each wheel, an essential feature in
a railroad car brake. S¹, Fig. 4, is a shaft, the lower end of which is stepped
in a longitudinal plate n', connected with the framing B. This shaft is not only
allowed to rotate freely in its step or bearing, but is also allowed to be adjusted
laterally, either to the right or left. On this shaft S¹ there is a screw T', and
the upper end of the shaft is fitted in a segment slide U', which works in a
segment guide V₁ attached to the framing, and has a spring o' bearing against
one end of it; said spring having a tendency to keep the screw T' in gear with
the worm-wheel h¹ of the shaft D₁ as shown. To the segment guide U¹ there
is attached a spring stop p¹, by which the screw T¹ may be held out of gear
with the worm wheel h', and in gear with the worm wheel 9' on its tumbling
rod V, as will be fully understood by referring to Fig. 4. The upper end of
the shaft S¹ has a pinion W₁ on it, which gears into a toothed wheel X¹ on a
small upright shaft r, which has a bearing in the slide U₁; on this shaft r¹,
above the wheel X', there is placed a hand wheel Y'.
From the above description it will be easily seen that when the tumbling
rods of a series of carriages are connected, all the brakes thereof may be
simultaneously applied, and taken off by the engineer actuating the levers
E, E¹, previously described. The lever C* of each carriage being moved
through the medium. of the wheels Y, and bevil pinions & all of which of the
several carriages are of the same dimensions, so as to ensure an equal rotation
of the tumbling rods of the several carriages. It will be seen that the draw
heads of the tumbling rods T have a square recess or interior, and that square
links or shackles A2, are employed to fit into them, see Fig. 2, in order to
ensure the rotation of the several tumbling rods. When the tumbling rods

page_text: are returned in the direction to take off the brakes, the springs F', G', throw
back the levers Cx to relieve the wheels. At any time when necessary or
desired the brakesman on the carriages may operate the brakes by adjusting
the shafts S so that their screws T¹ will gear into the worm wheels q¹ on
the tumbling rods of the several carriages by the brakesman turning the hand
wheels Y, and when the brake of the carriages is to be operated separately,
the brakesman withdraws the spring stop p¹, and the spring o' will throw the
screw T in gear with the worm wheel h¹ of the shaft D', and cause the
chain f, to be wound up on the shaft D', thereby actuating the lever C*.
The screw T should never be left in connection with the worm wheels of the
tumbling rods. After each hand or manual operation of said rods the segment
slides U', should be released, and the screws T' allowed to gear into the worm
wheels h¹ of the shafts D¹. This separate band application of power is
necessary in order that a train of carriages or individual carriages may have
the brakes applied when the locomotive is detached from them. This is of
course very frequently done in cases where carriages are run out on sidings. As
each carriage is provided with an indicator it will be seen that the state or
condition of the brakes of each car is made known to the brakesman as well
as to the engineer, and in order to have the indicators of the several carriages
all operate precisely alike, the gearing which moves the several indexes should
all be of precisely the same dimensions, and previous to the starting of a train
of carriages it should be the duty of the engineer or brakesman to see that
the indicators have their indexes at the minimum point, and this may be
effected by turning the shaft A' through the medium of the hand wheel A*.
I would remark that band I, which connects the two shafts E, K, may be
dispensed with, and wheel gearing substituted therefor, the latter however is
merely an equivalent of the former. I would further remark that in order
to admit of the carriages working freely on their springs without interfering
with the operation of the screw T¹, the shaft S¹, may be made with a
slide so that it may adapt itself to the spring of the car.
Various plans,
however, may be devised for effecting this result.