AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR STOPPING OR RETARDING THE PROGRESS RAILWAY TRAINS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and
Company, Patent Agents, Frankfort-on-the-Maine, Germany, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR
STOPPING OR RETARDING THE PROGRESS RAILWAY TRAINS." - A
communication from George Krauss, residing at Munich, Bavaria.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said. Francis Wirth at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th March 1868.
I, FRANCIS WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent
Agents, Frankfort-on-the-Maine, Germany, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR
STOPPING OR RETARDING THE PROGRESS OF RAILWAY TRAINS," a communication
to be as follows:-
The purpose of this Invention is to provide a strong brake for
railway trains and at the same time to economise the power which

page_text: is lost by the working of the ordinary brakes. The medium through
which this is done is the steam, and the purpose is attained chiefly
by the change of the steam ports. In braking, the steam passes
into the cylinder through the channels through which the steam is
discharged if the engine is working, and vice versa, while the steam
distributor stops in the direction of the train. It is preferred that
the regulator should be placed in the smoke box and provided with
a segment valve; in this case the arrangement is the simplest. The
regulator valve is connected with the blast pipe by a tube; the blast
pipe is also provided with a segment valve. When the inlet to the
steam chest is shut by the first-mentioned valve and the communi-
cation with the blast pipe is open, the outlet of the latter being shut,
then the steam passes from the boiler through the tube, and the blast
pipe in the outlets or discharge ports of the slide valves, and rushes
against the piston with a counter pressure adequate to the steam
pressure during nearly the full stroke, that is to say, during the time
that the steam is acting to work the engine; during this counter
pressure the steam is returned into the boiler. Nearly 16th of the stroke
before the end of the same the outlet is shut, and the steam being still
in the cylinder is further compressed till by the slide valve the ordinary
inlet is opened, and this steam can escape to the steam chest and
from there through a valve to the chimney. This valve is regulated
by a cock and can be put in communication through the inlet tube
with the steam chest, but during the working of the engine the
valve is shut. This valve regulates the quantity of steam which is
retained in the steam chest, and also regulates the work of the brake.
The regulation of the brake pressure may also be effected by
regulating the steam pressure in the blast pipe, and this is done by
enlarging or narrowing the inlet opening, also by admitting steam to
the steam chest through the regulator valve and the expansion valve,
that is to say, by the introduction of steam into the cylinder at both
sides of the piston.
To simplify the working of the apparatus, the regulator valve, the
blast pipe valve, and the valve with the regulating cock are connected'

page_text: piston is nearly at the end of the stroke on the other side the slide
valve begins to open the emission openings and the steam passes
into the empty cylinder, so that the latter is full of steam when the
piston returns; this.steam is now forced back into the boiler. This
action continues till the slide valve shuts the communication between
the cylinder and the emmission opening; the enclosed steam is then
further compressed.. This compression is at the highest point when
the slide valve is in communication with the cylinder and the steam
chest just before the crank is at the dead point; the steam then
passes into the steam chest and through the valve. It is necessary
that the slide valves should work in slides for preventing, the pressing
back of the same by the compressed steam. A. piston is employed
whose back is provided with a hole; this hole-is. connected by a tube
with the blast pipe, so that while braking the steam can act upon
the piston and prevent, the pressing back of the slide valve..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agents, Frankfort-
on-the-Maine, Germany, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight,. in. the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and. successors,.
give and grant unto me, the said Francis Wirth, Her special licence:
that I,, the said Francis Wirth, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such. others as I, the said Francis. Wirth,, 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 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. "AN IMPROVED MODE,

page_text: OF AND APPARATUS FOR STOPPING OR RETARDING THE PROGRESS OF RAILWAY
TRAINS," upon the condition (amongst others) that the said Francis
Wirth, my executors or administrators, 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 Francis Wirth, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings forming a part of this Specification.
The purpose of this Invention is to provide a strong brake for railway
trains and at the same time to economise the power which is lost by
the working of ordinary brakes. The medium through which this
is done is the steam, and the purpose is attained chiefly by the change
of the steam ports. In braking, the steam passes into the cylinder
through the channels through which the steam discharged if the
engine is working, and vice versa, while the steam distributor stops in
the direction of the train. It is preferred that the regulator should be
placed in the smoke box and provided with a segment valve; in this
case the arrangement is the simplest. The regulator valve is connected
with the blast pipe by a tube; the blast pipe is also provided with a
segment valve. When the inlet to the steam chest is shut by the first-
mentioned valve and the communication with the blast pipe is open,
the outlet of the latter being shut, then the steam passes from the
boiler through the tube, and the blast pipe in the outlets or discharge
ports of the slide valves, and rushes against the piston with a counter
pressure adequate to the steam pressure during nearly the full stroke,
that is to say, during the time that the steam is acting to work the
engine; during this counter pressure the steam is returned into the
boiler. Nearly one-tenth of the stroke before the end of the same the
outlet is shut, and the steam being still in the cylinder is further com-
pressed till by the slide valve the ordinary inlet is opened, and this
steam can escape to the steam chest and from there through a valve
to the chimney. This valve is regulated by a cock and can be. put in

page_text: communication through the inlet tube with the steam chest, but during
the working of the engine the valve is shut. This valve regulates the
quantity of steam which is retained in the steam chest, and also regulates
the work of the brake. The regulation of the brake pressure may also
be effected by regulating the steam pressure in the blast pipe, and this
is done by enlarging or narrowing the inlet opening, also by admitting
steam to the steam chest through the regulator valve and the expansion
valve, that is to say, by the introduction of steam into the cylinder at
If the m
De effected by regulating the steam pressure in the last pipe, and
is done by enlarging or narrowing the inlet opening, also by admitting
steam to the steam chest through the regulator valve and the expansion
valve, that is to say, by the introduction of steam into the cylinder at
both sides of the piston.
To simplify the working of the apparatus, the regulator valve, the
blast pipe valve, and the valve with the regulating cock are connected
by levers, so that by simply moving the regulator the engine can be
driven at full speed or can be reversed. By this arrangement of the
apparatus it is possible nearly instantaneously to change the propelling
force of the engine into the breaking force for the same. When the
piston is nearly at the end of the stroke on the other side, the slide
valve begins to open the emission openings and the steam passes into
the empty cylinder, so that the latter is full of steam when the piston
returns; this steam is now forced back into the boiler. This action
continues till the slide valve shuts the communication between the
cylinder and the emission opening; the enclosed steam is then further
compressed. This compression is at the highest point when the slide
valve is in communication with the cylinder and the steam chest just
before the crank is at the "dead point;" the steam then passes into
the steam chest and through the valve. It is necessary that the slide
valves should work in slides for preventing the pressing back of the
same by the compressed steam. A piston is employed whose back is
provided with a hole; this hole is connected by a tube with the blast
pipe, so that while braking the steam can act upon the piston and
prevent the pressing back of the slide valve.
For simplicity of construction the regulator R is placed in the smoke
box, see Figures 1 and 2. The communication which is necessary
during the process of braking between the boiler or the space for the
steam and the blast pipe is effected through the tube C with the small
valve v.
The tube C fits into the cover of the regulator R. The blast
nine can he shut by a small valve.

page_text: of the engine. The regulator R and the blast pipe B. are open,, the
valve is shut.
Figure 2. represents the position of the valves during the process of
braking. The ordinary regulator is shut and also the blast pipe B
through the valve V, but the counter steam regulator with the valve v
is open, and the communication between the steam space and, the.
cylinder is. effected by the blast pipe and the steam. ports..
To avoid the pressing back of the slide valves it is necessary that the
same should be loaded, which is done by a piston D, Figures 3 and 4.
The back side of this piston is in communication with the blast pipe.
through a tube connected to the hole e, so that the pressing back of
the slides during the process of braking, is avoided..
The braking is effected in the following manner:-In Figure 5. the
piston is in the position in which during the ordinary working of the
engine the steam begins to escape; but if, as it is shown in Figure 2,.
counter steam is given, instead of the steam escaping it will enter,. and
the steam has time enough to fill the cylinder with the same pressure-
as in the boiler, so that the piston on its return stroke has to overcome a
counter pressure equal to the pressure in the boiler, and through. this
counter pressure the speed of the piston is retarded. During the travel
of the piston from the position shown in Figure 6. to that shown in
Figure 7, the steam is forced into the steam outlet channels,, and returns
partly into the boiler and partly enters into the other cylinder.. At
nearly one-tenth of the stroke the outlet is shut, see Figure 7; and the
steam which is in the cylinder is also compressed till the valve opens,
and this steam then passes into the steam chest.. The effect of the
braking can be regulated at the will of the engineer by means of the
regulator R. The manipulation during the process of braking is
simplified by coupling the spindles of the valves V and v.
1
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and shown how the
same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice,
I claim,―
First. The segmental valves and V, constructed and operating
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: Second. Connecting the regulator valve with the blast pipe, for the
purpose set forth.
Third. The cock for regulating the escape of the steam, arranged and
operating substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Wirth, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.