AN IMPROVED MODE OF APPLYING BREAKS TO RAT PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATIONWAYNGIRIA
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Samuel Laycock, of Sheffield, in the
County of York, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF APPLYING BREAKS TO RAT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Samuel
Laycock at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 9th February 1875.
I, WILLIAM SAMUEL LAYCOOK, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED MODE OF APPLYING BREAKS TO RAILWAY ENGINES AND CARRIAGES,”
to be as follows :—
My Invention consists in the use of electricity and magnetism either
separately or combined in the form of electro-magnets worked by
galvanic batteries or magneto-electric machines for applying single or
continuous breaks to the wheels of railway carriages.
The breaks may either be applied by the electric current or the electric
current may be used to keep the breaks out of use; in this latter case

page_text: the moment the electric wire becomes disconnected by accident or
otherwise the breaks come into operation.
When greater power is required than that produced by the electro-
magnet or its equivalent, I make use of the electric current to control
suitable machinery worked from the axle or other convenient part of the
engine on each or all of the carriages of the train, which machinery may
be driven by friction or otherwise for working hydraulic pumps or air
compressers or exhausters. In this case an immense [power may be
obtained from each revolving axle.
Electro-magnetic machines may be worked from the axle of each
carriage of the train if required, and controlled by an electric wire from
the engine or guard's van. This mode of working the breaks can be
applied to breaks of the ordinary construction, and the breaks or the
machinery for working them are all united by the same continuous
electric wire.
1
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the comm
filed by the said William Samuel Laycock in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SAMUEL LAYCOCK, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Samuel Laycock, Her special
licence that I, the said William Samuel Laycock, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Samuel
Laycock, 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
"AN IMPROVED MODE OF APPLYING BREAKS TO RAILWAY ENGINES AND
for

page_text: CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Samuel Laycock, 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 In-
vention, 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 William Samuel Laycock, 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 (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists in the use of electricity and magnetism, either
separately or combined, in the form of electro-magnets worked by
galvanic batteries or magneto-electric machines for applying single or
continuous breaks to the wheels of railway carriages.
The breaks may either be applied by the electric current or the electric
current may be used to keep the breaks out of use; in this latter case.
the moment the electric wire becomes disconnected by accident or
otherwise the breaks come into operation.
When greater power is required than that produced by the electro-
magnet or its equivalent, I make use of the electric current to control
suitable machinery worked from the axle or other convenient part of the
engine on each or all of the carriages of the train, which machinery may
be driven by friction or otherwise for working hydraulic pumps or air
compressers or exhausters. In this case an immense power may be
obtained from each revolving axle.
Electro-magnetic machines may be worked from one axle of each-
carriage of the train if required, and controlled by an electric wire from
the engine or guard's van. This mode of working the breaks can be
applied to breaks of the ordinary construction, and the breaks or the
machinery for working them are all united by the same continuous
electric wire.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet.
of Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters. marked
thereon.
}

page_text: g
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a railway truck or carriage of the ordinary
construction, to the wheels of which is shewn one mode of applying my
Invention; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. a are the wheels fixed to the
axles 6 which revolve in the bearings c, fitting in slots in the framing e;
f is a cross shaft placed between the wheels, and on this shaft are fixed
the levers f¹ which are connected by links 9 to the sliding blocks on the
side beams i; all these parts are made as usual. To the shaft fis keyed the
lever f³, and near to this lever is the lever f³; both of these levers are
made of brass or other non-magnetic metal, and at the upper end of each
lever is fixed a bar of soft iron marked k and k² respectively. The levers
are guided in a bar e¹ fixed to the framing e, and the lever f' is drawn
back by the spring e². In front of the soft iron bars k, k¹, is fixed the
electro-magnet 1, 1, which is connected by wires to a galvanic battery or to
a magneto-electro or electro-magnetic machine placed on the locomotive
engine or tender or in the guard's van, so as to be within easy reach of
the driver or guard of the train. The electro-magnets may be placed
either on all or any convenient number of the carriages of the train.
The end of the electro-magnet 1, 1, must be placed at such a distance
from the soft iron bar k', that the moment the coils are excited the said
bar shall be drawn towards and in contact with the magnet, and if the
motion thus given to the levers ƒ³ and f³, and shaft f is not sufficient
to apply the breaks to the wheels the soft bar k will be brought within
the influence of the magnet, and in advancing will impart a further
motion to the breaks.
If it should be found necessary to move the break lever more than
the distance produced by two magnetic attractions as above described,
I use three or more levers, all of which are so connected with each other
that when the first has been brought up to the face of the magnet it
will bring the second into the position it previously occupied, which will
be within the attraction of the magnet, and in like manner when this
second lever has been brought to the face of the magnet it will bring the
third into the place it occupied previously, and so on until the breaks
have been pressed with the desired force against the wheels.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent a modification of my Invention;
in this case
the electro-magnets 1, 1, are mounted on the brass cross bars i, but
capable of moving thereon within certain limits, one electro-magnet
being placed at each side of the carriage. The electro-magnet is fixed
on the sliding block / mounted on the brass cross bar i, each block is

page_text: drawn back by a spring of sufficient strength to hold the electro-magnet
which forces the break out of contact with the wheel. The electro-
magnets on each side of the carriages are in communication with an
electro-magnetic or magneto-electric machine, or with a galvanic battery,
as before described, and the moment the current is applied the breaks
adhere to the tyre of the wheel. The brass cross bar used from the end
of one coil to the other is merely to keep the coils steady in their place
and assist in retarding the wheels.
When I make use of the electric current to keep the breaks shewn
in Figs. 1 and 2, out of operation I apply the electro-magnetic power
gained either by electro-magnetic machine and electro-magnet, or by a
battery and electro-magnet to hold the levers 2 and 3 or their
equivalent adhered to the magnet. In this case I reverse the levers fi
and f³ on the shaft f and fix the electro-magnet on the opposite side,
and I use a spring of sufficient strength to apply the breaks, so that the
moment the electric current shall become disconnected the electro-
magnet will release its hold of the levers f* and f³, and the spring will
draw the levers a sufficient distance to apply the required amount of
power to put on the breaks.
Should the power derived from electro-magnets or their equivalents or
from galvanic batteries not be sufficient to apply the breaks I make use
of the electric currents so produced to control the action of hydraulic
pumps or air compressers or exhausters or other mechanism actuated by
the driving axles or other convenient part of the train.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention and described the
manner of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do
not intend to limit myself to the details given, and I declare that I
claim,―
First. The application of electricity and magnetism generated by
magneto-electric or electro-magnetic machines for applying the breaks
to the wheels of railway carriages, as shewn and described, or to control
suitable machinery set in motion by the axles of the railway carriages,
or by the engine, or worked by a small donkey engine.
Secondly. Keeping the breaks out of action by the action of electric
currents generated by magneto-electric or electro-magnetic machines, or
by galvanic batteries, as described.

page_text: Thirdly. The improved mode of applying the ordinary railway breaks
by galvanic battery, as shewn and described in Figs. 1 and 2.
And, lastly. Connecting the electricty or magnetism to railway breaks
in such wise that the breaks are applied by the breaking of the con-
necting wire.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Samuel Laycock, have
hereto set our hands and seals, this Sixth day of August, Onë
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.