IMPROVEMENTS IN RAIL- WAY BRAKES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Antoine Dominique Sisco, of Paris, in the Empire of
France, Pratical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAIL-
WAY BRAKES."
Sealed the 3rd February 1857, and dated the 5th August 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Antoine Dominique Sisco
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th August 1856.
1, ANTOINE DOMINIQUE SISCO, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Practical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES " to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in railway brakes consists in the applica-
tion of excentric wheels, either to the framing of the locomotive or to that of
one of the carriages, for the purpose of stopping it when required. These
excentrics are fitted at one or at both ends of the locomotive or carriage, as
shown by Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawing; they are fitted with
nuts and bolts, by which they are securely fixed to the axles. Each pair of
excentrics are connected by a rod A, B, when not in use; they are raised by a
lever L, or other suitable contrivance. When the carriage or train is to be
stopped, the attendant takes out the piu g, which causes the brakes to fall upon
the rails, where, by the progressive motion of the train, they assume the
position shown by Fig. 1, which raises the engine or carriage off the rails,

page_text: thereby stopping it at once. The excentrics are made with flanges, similar to
the ordinary railway wheels. When it is required to start the carriage or
train after it has been raised, as shown by Fig. 1, the engine must be reversed,
and when the excentrics are bearing on the part h the wheels also will be
resting upon the rails; the excentrics may then be raised by the lever L.
Fig. 3 shows a modification of the foregoing, in which the excentrics press
against each other and against the peripheries of the wheels; Fig. 4 shows an
arrangement in which the position of the excentrics can be adjusted; Fig. 5
represents a wedge-shaped brake which stops the rotation of the wheel when it
is allowed to rest upon the rail.
SPECIFICATION-in-pursuance-of-the. conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Antoine Dominique Sisco in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th February 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANTOINE
DOMINIQUE SISCO, of Paris, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Antoine Dominique Sisco,
Her special licence that I, the said Antoine Dominique Sisco, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Antoine Dominique
Sisco, 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 Jawfully 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 RAILWAY
BRAKES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Antoine
Dominique Sisco, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Antoine Dominique Sisco, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-

page_text: My Invention of improvements in railway brakes consists principally in
the use of excentrics attached to the framing of the carriage, the object being
to obtain a more rapid and efficient mode of stopping railway trains than is
at present in use.
But in order that my Invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
describe the same in detail, referring to the Drawings accompanying and
forming a part of this Specification, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon.
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, represents a side view of a waggon or truck; Fig. 3 is an
end view of the same. In these Figures the brake S, S, is shown in a raised
position, which allows the wheels to run freely on the rails. Figs. 2 and 4
represent side and end views similar to Figs. 1 and 3, but in these the brakes
are shown bearing upon the rails and supporting the weight of the carriage.
The brakes S, S, are flanged plates fitted on the axle boxes B, B, on which
they are made to move freely.
Fig. 32 a, x, x1, x2, represent front and side views of the brakes and
axle boxes. The brakes S, S, are actuated by the rods C, C, which are
fitted under the side frames of the carriage. These rods move freely in
the guides I, I, and they are attached to the brakes by the connecting
rods b, b, which move on the centre pins i, i, and o, o, so that when the
rods C, C, are put in motion they cause the brakes to rotate on the axles,
and are thereby either raised from the rails or caused to rest thereon. The
rods C, C, are connected together by the cross pieces T and U, the whole
forming a rectangular frame. A hand lever L, fitted in the bearing F, is
secured to the cross piece T, and gives motion to the rods C, C. When the
lever L is in the position shown by Fig. 1 the brakes S, S, are raised from the
rail, and they are kept in this position by a bolt t, which falls into a notch or
recess made in the cross piece T; the bolt is attached to a short lever 1,
moveable on the bearing F, Figs. 3 and 4. By slight pressure on the
lever the bolt is raised, which liberates the cross piece T; the weight of
the brakes S, S, causes them to fall upon the rails, the impetus of the carriage
causing them to take a perpendicular position, thereby lifting the carriage
from the rails; the friction of the brakes upon the rails brings the carriage
rapidly to a standstill. To lift the brakes S, S, from the rails and cause the
carriage to bear upon the wheels again, nothing more is necessary than to
push the train back a short distance; this will cause the brakes to rotate, the
rods C, C, being carried with them and the cross piece T. When the notch
comes under tho bolt t, it falls therein, and secures the whole in that
position.
1

page_text: Figs. 8, 10, and 9, 11, represent a modification of the foregoing arrange-
ment. E, E, are the flanged excentrics or brakes; these are keyed to axles,
similar to those of the ordinary wheels, and run in axle boxes fitted with guard
plates P', P', like those marked P, P, of the wheels. The excentrics E, E,
are connected together by the transverse rods D, D, and by the longitudinal
rods B, B. A hand lever L, moveable on an axis fitted in the frame of the
waggon, is secured at the lower end by a screw to one of the excentrics.
When the brakes are raised, as shown by Fig. 8, the lever L falls into a recess
made in the block S, and is held there by a pin g, which passes through the
lever; the brakes are brought into action by simply removing the pin g. The
-excentrics E, E, fall on the rails, and the carriage is lifted at once therefrom.
In order to prevent the concussion which would arise from the sudden-fall of
the brakes E, E, a safety spring chain B', Figs. 9 and 11, is secured at one
end to the brake E; at a, b, the upper link A is connected by a short rod m
to the bearing c, d; at the lower part of the rod m is fitted a helical spring,
which is retained in its place by the nut i. By this arrangement, when the
brakes are lowered the resistance offered by the helical spring prevents the
brakes from falling with a sudden blow upon the rails. Fig. 11 represents
the safety spring chain detached from the brake; Fig. 11b represents a modi-
fication of the foregoing, in which two helical springs are used.
Figs. 12, 14, Sheet 2, represent another arrangement of the excentric
brake herein-before described. Figs. 13 and 15 are side and end views, with
the brakes lowered upon the rails. These brakes are worked by means of a
fly wheel V under the control of the guard or attendant; the vertical shaft f
of the fly wheel works in a bearing fitted below; this is shown separately at
Fig. 27. The lower end of the shaft carries a pinion, Fig. 29, which gears
with the rack K fastened to the sliding rod T, Fig. 17, 18. On the sliding
rod are fitted arms b, b, b', Figs. 19, 20; these are hinged at j, j, to the rod T,
and connect it with the excentrics E, E, at x. h, h, are grooves cut in the
rod T to allow it to slide freely on bolts fitted in the guard plates P, P. The
hand lever L, Figs. 22, 23, moves on a centre pin in the forked bearing S,
and carries a catch I, Fig. 26, which falls into notches cut in the rod T,
when the brake is either raised or lowered. The catch I and the lever L are
retained in the required position by a spring y, Fig. 26, which is placed on a
pin fitted within the tuber; this is fixed under under the lever L, so that
the upward pressure of the spring prevents the catch I being disengaged
accidentally. When the brakes are to he brought into action the catch I
is released by depressing the lever L, when the catch is free a small lever n,
Fig. 26, presses on the framing, and keeps the pin I free. The excentrics E, E,

page_text: may be attached to the sliding rod by two arms b, b, Fig. 19, or by a single
one b', Fig. 20; they are keyed to their axles, and consequently move with
them; or they may be connected together by bolts and rods.
Figs. 30, 31, x, d, d', represent the guiding pieces, for the rod T. The
brakes E, E, in this arrangement are made with flanges, as before described,
and with jaw pieces to grip the rails. M is the jaw piece held by the springs
R, R, wound on the bolts a, a, Fig. 33, and connected together by the tie
bolt e and cross t. The tie bolts e are secured to the brakes, while the bolts a, a,
pass through them, and are screwed to the jaw piece M; the springs bearing
on one side against the excentrics, and on the other against the cross piece t,
force the jaw M closely against the rails.
Fig. 32 shows a front view and vertical section of one of the excentrics
detached; Fig. 32 represents a modification of the foregoing, in which the
brake is fitted with flat springs j. j, to press against the rail.'
Fig. 39, Sheet I., represents a modification of the excentric brake. In this
arrangement the pressure is brought to bear on the upper part of the wheels.
A shaft A is placed lengthways on the truck; this is fitted in suitable bear-
ings d, d; motion is given to it by the crank M'. On the axis of the shaft A
is fitted a ratchet wheel R, into the teeth of which a paul C takes; there are
also two endless screws V cut on the shaft; these are in gear with the toothed
segments E, which are keyed on shafts B (Fig. 40), fitted just above the axles
of the truck. On the shafts B are fitted small excentrics, which when turned.
bear on the rims of the wheels.
Fig. 41 represents the excentric pressing on the wheel, and Fig. 42 shows
the same lifted therefrom. When the excentrics are caused to bear on the
wheels, the whole weight of the waggon rests upon them and prevents their
rotation.
Fig. 16, Sheet 2, shows another arrangement for working the excentric E,
the upper part of which has a number of teeth cut in it, or a segmental rack
secured to it; this is in gear with the endless screw F on the shaft A, on one
end of which is fitted the level wheel P, in gear with a similar wheelf on the
vertical shaft f, which is put in motion by a hand crank or fly wheel. By
these means the brakes are either raised from or lowered on the rails.
Fig. 43 represents another arrangement of the excentric brakes. In this
modification the excentrics are brought to bear against each other, and on the
outer rims of the wheels. The brakes E', E", are actuated by the lever L
and arms a and b, so that when the lever is depressed it lowers the brake E'
and raises E"; they are thus brought to bear with great force against the
wheels, and quickly stop their rotation. P is a counterpoise weight to keep

page_text: the lever L raised, which is further secured by the catch C taking into one of
the notches o.
Figs. 34 and 35 represent side and end views of a truck fitted with another
kind of brake. This consists of a wedge C, having a curvelinear friction
piece S fitted thereto, shown separately at Fig. 38. These brakes are screwed
to a rectangular sliding frame D, D, T, T. Motion is given to the sliding
frame by a screw V, Fig. 36, which rotates in a nut fitted in the head cross
piece D; the screw is actuated by an endless chain U in gear with the pinion
keyed on the screw shaft; the chain is driven by another pinion secured the
shaft at the hand crank m. On the crank shaft there is also a ratchet wheel,
baving a paul C resting thereon; by this the wedges C may be held in any
position required.
Fig. 32 represents a modification of the excentric brake; the lower part is
serrated. In this arrangement the brake rests on the projecting portions
only.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of carrying
-the-same-into-effect,-I-wish-it to-be-understood that I do not confine myself to
the precise arrangement of the mechanical details herein-before described and
shown in the accompanying Drawings, as the same may be varied without
departing from the Invention; but what I claim, and desire to secure under
the herein-before in part recited Letter Patent is, the several kinds of brakes
herein-before described and shown by the Drawings attached hereto, together.
with the mechanical arrangements for actuating the same, or any mere
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Antoine Dominique Sisco, bave hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of January, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
L. D'AUBRÉVILLE.
A. D. SISCO. (L.S.)