improvements in Vacuum brakes for Locomotives and Railway cars.
Year: 1887

page_text: I LOUIS PETER LAWRENCE Mechanical Engineer of Passaic in the County of
Passaic State of New Jersey United States of America do hereby declare the nature
of this Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to improvements in Vacuum brakes for Locomotives and
Railway cars.
"
The object of my Invention is to provide a new and improved Vacuum brake of
simple construction which can be applied on Locomotives and Passenger or Freight
cars, the parts of said brake being so constructed and arranged that they are not
subject to any undue strains but work very easily, "give" more or less according to
the movements of the car or locomotive and adapt themselves as much as possible to
the numerous and various positions that the car body has in relation to the trucks
or wheels.
The Invention consists in the construction of numerous parts and combinations of
the same as will be fully described hereinafter.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of a Locomotive provided with
my improved vacuum brake between the drivers, parts of the Locomotive being
omitted and others being in section.
Fig. 1 is a central cross sectional view through the power cylinder of the brake
and its bracket.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the cylinder, the pistons in
the same, the connecting devices and the brake-shoes at both sides of the rims of the
wheels.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cylinder and sectional plan views of the couplings and
parts of the wheels.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the tubular screw.
Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of my improved vacuum brake, as applied to a
tender or car.
Fig. 6 is a side view of the saddle, shoe, link, pin and socket and part of the driver,

page_text: of my improved construction for permitting the shoe to shift laterally with the driver
when clamped on the same.
Fig. 7 is an end view of the construction shown in Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the socket for receiving the pin or bolt,
the cap or eye on the end of the pin or bolt being in section.
Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view on the line
of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view of the saddle and shoe.
Fig. 11 is a similar view, showing a self locking key.
Fig. 12 is a rear view of the saddle and shoe connected by means of the self-locking
key shown in Fig. 11.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
I will first describe my improved locomotive vacuum brake.
Heretofore the cylinders of power brakes used on locomotives have usually been
arranged between the driving wheels, and in most cases the shoes were arranged to
act on those parts of the rims of the driving wheels facing each other, whereby said
shoes when applied had the tendency to spread the wheels, thereby injuring the tires
of the wheels and the axle-bearings of the same, thus rendering said brake highly
disadvantageous.
The cylinder A is constructed of the cylindrical centre-section a¹ and the two end-
sections or heads a². Between the inner end flange of each section a² and an
end-flange of the section a¹ the outer edge of a rubber ring B is clamped, the inner
edge of which is provided with an annular head, which is sprung into an annular
groove in the rim of a piston C, of which there are two in the cylinder, said pistons C
being each mounted on the inner end of a tube c¹, passed through an aperture in the
closed end of a head a³, the tubes e sliding on a tube D, held longitudinally in a
spider-frame or cross-piece d', in the centre of the cylinder, so that the said tube D
serves as a guide for the pistons C and the tubes c¹. A spiral spring d² is contained
in the guide-tube D, and in the two tubes c', as shown in Fig. 2. Into the outer end
of each tube c¹ a plug E is screwed, on the outer end of which a fork e' is swiveled
by a pin e, passed longitudinally through the plug. To each fork e¹ a link Fis
pivoted, the opposite end of which is pivoted to the lower part of a lever G, having
its upper end pivoted to one of the inner brake-shoe saddles H, to which saddles the
brake-shoes h¹, resting against the tires I', of the driving wheels I are fastened. Each
lever G is provided with a series of apertures g', to permit the links F being con-
nected to the levers G at different elevations. To the upper part of each saddle H
is pivoted a link J, the upper part of which is pivoted to the frame 1 of the loco-
motive. A fork K is pivoted to each lever G, near the upper end of the same, said
fork being formed on the end of a pin k', which is passed into the bore of a tubular
screw L, provided on its outer end with a nut 1, the screw thread. of the screw
extending from the inner end of the sleeve to within a short distance from the nut, as
shown at 12, Fig. 4. The tubular screw Lis screwed into a screw threaded aperture m¹
of a box M, which is provided on its inner side with an opening or recess N, as shown
in Fig. 3, in which a nut n' is located, which is screwed on the screw threaded end o¹
of a connecting bar or rod O, extending across the wheel I on the inside of the same,
the screw threaded end of the bar O passing through the box M, as shown. A nut P
is screwed on that end of the screw-threaded part of the bar o' projecting beyond the
outer end of the box M. The opposite end of each connecting rod O is passed
through a box M in the manner described, at the outside of the wheel, said box M also
having the recess N. A turn-buckle Q is held by nut p¹ on the end of each box M,
at the outside of the wheel, and the turn-buckles on corresponding boxes M at the
opposite sides of the locomotive are connected by the rods g'. The boxes M at the
outsides of the wheels are also provided with screw-threaded apertures m¹, into which
the tubular screws L are screwed, but in this case the outer ends of the pins K are
pivoted direct to the brake-shoe saddles R, whereas at the inner sides of the wheel
they are pivoted to the levers G, which in turn are pivoted to the saddles H. The
upper ends of the saddles R are connected by links with part of the frame j¹ of the
locomotive, as shown at the right hand side of Fig. 2.

page_text: A tube S is screwed on the section A of the cylinder and provided with the exterior
collars, surrounded by a ring T, formed on the lower end of a bracket t¹, fastened
to the frame. Nuts (2 are screwed on the tube S, above the collar s', and resting
upon the ring T, support the cylinder from said ring. A pipe U is coupled to the
upper end of the pipe $ by means of a coupling, which pipe U leads to an air
ejector W, for vacuuni brakes the construction of which is well known.
To fully illustrate the different positions of the shoe, I have shown the brake of one
wheel applied and the other loose, which position is practically impossible.
The operation is as follows:-When the brakes are not applied, the pistons Care
at the outer ends of the cylinders, as shown at the right hand side of Fig. 2. When
the brakes are to be applied, a vacuum is created in the cylinder, whereby the
pistons are pressed toward the middle of the cylinder, the lower ends of the links G
turning in the direction of the arrow x¹, Fig. 2, whereby the brake-shoes H are
pressed against the tires of the wheels at the inner sides of the wheels. The boxes M
at the inner sides of the wheels are moved in the direction toward the centres of the
wheels, whereby the connecting rods are drawn in the same direction, as are also
the boxes M at the outer sides of the rims of the wheels, and thus the brake-shoes on
the saddles R are pressed against the rims of the wheels at the outside.. When air is
admitted into the cylinder, the pistons C are pressed from each other by the action
of the spring d², and both are brought into the position shown in the right hand side
of Fig. 2. As the forks F are swiveled in the plugs E, they can turn on the same.
The pins being loosely mounted in the tubular screws L, they can turn in the same.
The saddles can easily be adjusted according as the tires of the wheels and the brake-
shoes wear off, by turning the nuts l' to screw the tubular screws L outward more
or less to bring the brake-shoes in proper relative position to the tires.
So as to protect the threads of the tubular screws L from being clogged with dirt,
oil &c., when the said screws L project a greater or less distance from the apertures
in the box M, the outer part of said screws are made plain, as shown at 1, Fig. 4.
Likewise when the brake-shoes and tires wear off the boxes M on the opposite sides
of the wheels can be adjusted by turning the nuts n¹ in the recesses N of the boxes,
and by turning up the nuts P on the ends of the screw-threaded parts of the rods O,
I am thus enabled to adjust the brakes at all times according to the wear of the tires
and shoes.
At the same time the connections between the levers and tubular piston-rods c¹
are swiveled, as are also the connections of the brake, so that the swinging, swaying,
rocking and jolting of the locomotive does not in any way injuriously affect the
connections of the several parts. If such should be the case, the slack can be taken
up very easily and rapidly.
I will now describe the same brake as adapted for passenger and freight cars.
construction is shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, which represents a tender.
This
sprung
The cylinder A is open at the bottom and closed at the top, and is fastened to the
under side of the car or tender B in such a manner that the longitudinal axis of
the cylinder is at right angles to the plane of the car-floor. The cylinder is provided
with a bottom flange, to which is bolted the flange of the head C³, forming the bottom
of the cylinder. A ring D³, of rubber or other suitable flexible material is provided
in the inner and outer rims with a bead E³, preferably made wedge-shaped. The
outer bead is clamped between the cylinder and head and the inner bead is
into the corresponding shaped groove in the thickened edge of the piston F² in the
cylinder, which piston is of less diameter than the cylinder, so as to permit the flexible
material D' to lap as shown. The piston F is provided with a downwardly projecting
piston-rod G', which is guided in an aperture in the head (3, and directly below
the piston the piston-rod is provided with an enlargement in which the pulley H' is
mounted, pulleys being pivoted in slots in the head at the sides of the piston-rod.
A chain K passes under the pulleys J2 and over the pulleys H2, and is connected
with the rods L' connected with the brake-levers in the usual manner.
The piston F is also provided with an upwardly-extending tubular guide M³,

page_text: which projects into a tubular projection N2 in the top of the cylinder, said tubular
projection being cast integral with the top of said cylinder.
A spiral spring O2 is contained in the tubular guide M², and its ends rest against
the bottom of said guide M2 and the closed end of the tubular projection Nº on the
top of the cylinder, which spring serves to press the piston downward. Pipes P³,
having the usual couplings are connected with the cylinder and extend along the
bottom of the car or tender.
The operation is as follows:-When a vacuum is formed in the top of the
cylinder A, the piston F' is pressed upward by the pressure of the exterior air and
the brake-shoes are pressed against the tires of the wheels, but when the vacuum is
destroyed the piston is moved downward, whereby the brakes are released. The
edge or rim of the piston does not slide on the inside of the cylinder, but is
always some distance from the same, so that the space between the piston and
the cylinder is filled by the packing ring, which forms an absolutely air-tight
connection.
It is well known that the drivers of locomotives, especially when running at high
speed, have considerable lateral movement, and when the brakes are applied, they
bind firmly on said driver and prevent this lateral movement, causing the drivers to
slip, especially on curves whereby the drivers and their bearings are subjected to
undue strains. The brake-shoes are usually fastened on the saddles by means of
bolts passed through the saddles and shoes, and as the shoes wear off, the heads of the
bolts, which are countersunk in the shoes, also, wear off and said shoes drop from the
saddle.
To avoid all these difficulties I bave hung and mounted the saddles and shoes in
the following manner:-
The brake-saddle A³, Figs. 6 to 12, which is of the usual construction, is pivoted
at its upper end to the lower end of a link B³, in such a manner that the shoe
can swing toward and from the tire I¹ of the locomotive driver. The upper end of
the link B³ is pivoted in a cap or circular casing D³, provided in its bottom with
a slot or opening for admitting the upper end of said link, the cap being formed on
the front end of a pin E, mounted to turn axially in a socket F³, projecting
from a plate G³, fastened on the frame of the locomotive. So as to permit said
pin E to turn in the socket but at the same time prevent its being withdrawn, it is
provided with a circumferential groove J³, through the lower part of which a key K³
is passed, part of which is located in a transverse groove or box L³, formed in the
underside of the socket F. With this construction the brake-shoe can swing toward
and from the rim of the wheel either on the pivot uniting the saddle and link, or the
pin E may form the pivot. The saddle and link B³ can swing laterally on the pivot
uniting the cap D and the upper end of the link B³. The shoe and saddle are thus
capable of following the lateral movements of the driver even when said shoe is bound
on the driver, as it is when the brakes are applied.
The brake-shoe M³ is provided with two side-flanges N³, which embrace the
saddle A³, and said flanges are each provided with an aperture, which can register
with apertures in the saddle, so as to permit of passing a key 0 through the
apertures in the flanges and sa Idle for the purpose of holding the shoe on the saddle.
A spring-key can be passed through an aperture P³ in the key 03, for the purpose of
holding said key 0³ in place. As the shoe is held in place on the saddle by the
flanges and key, the shoe can wear off until it has a minimum thickness, without
becoming detached from the saddle.
Instead of the spring key passed through the aperture P³ in the key 03, any other
locking device may be used.
A bolt W³, shown in Figs. 11 and 12, may be pivoted to the end of a key O³,
which bolt, after the key has been passed through the apertures in the flanges of the
saddle hangs down vertically, as shown, and thus automatically locks the key in
place and prevents its dropping out accidentally. The key O³ can only be withdrawn
after the bolt W' has been swung up to be in line with said key.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A locomotive, having a brake-saddle at each side of each wheel, levers for
operating the saddles, a cylinder, piston and piston-rods for operating the levers and
swivel connections between the levers and piston-rods, substantially as shown and
described.
2. The combination with locomotive driving wheels, of a brake-shoe at each side of
each wheel, a box at each shoe, swivel connections between the boxes and shoes, bars
connecting the two boxes of the shoes of each wheel, and a vacuum mechanism for
operating the brakes, substantially as shown and described.
3. The combination with a locomotive, of a bracket between the driving-wheels, a
brake-cylinder suspended from said bracket, two pistons in the said cylinder, piston
rods connected with the pistons, and appliances for connecting the piston-rods with
brake-shoe saddles, substantially as shown and described.
4. The combination with a cylinder, of two pistons in the same, flexible rings
fastened on the rims of the pistons, and a piston-rod projecting from each piston
through one end of the cylinder, substantially as shown and described.
5. The combination with a cylinder, of a fixed guide held longitudinally in the
same, a tubular piston-rod mounted to slide on each end of the fixed guide, a piston
on each tubular piston-rod, and a spring in the guide and tubular piston-rods,
substantially as shown and described.
6. The combination with a cylinder, of a piston in the same, a piston-rod, a fork
swiveled on the end of the piston-rod, and a brake-shoe saddle connected with the
fork, substantially as shown and described.
7. The combination, with a cylinder, of a piston and piston-rod, a fork swiveled
on the outer end of the piston-rod, a link pivoted to the fork, a lever pivoted to said
link, and a brake-shoe saddle hung on the frame of the locomotive and connected
with said lever, substantially as shown and described.
8. The combination, with locomotive driving wheels, of a brake-shoe saddle at
each side of each wheel, a box connected with each saddle, and a bar connecting
the two boxes at opposite sides of the wheels, substantially as shown and
described.
9. The combination, with locomotive driving wheels, of a saddle at each side of
each wheel, a box connected with each saddle, bars extending across the wheels and
connecting the two saddles of each wheel, and transverse bars extending under the
locomotive connecting the corresponding brake-saddles at opposite sides of the
locomotive, and of vacuum cylinders between the drivers for the purpose of operating
the brakes, substantially as shown and described.
10. The combination, with a brake-saddle, of a lever pivoted to the same, a fork
pivoted to the lever and provided with a pin, a tubular screw in which the pin slides,
and a box into which the tubular screw is screwed, and a vacuum apparatus for
operating said lever, substantially as shown and described.
11. The combination, with a cylinder, of a piston in the same, which piston
is of less diameter than the cylinder and consists of a single solid piece, and
a ring of flexible material held in a groove in the rim of the piston, which
ring is also fastened on the sides of the cylinder, substantially as shown and
described.
12. The combination, with a cylinder, of a piston in the same, which is of less
diameter than the cylinder, guides projecting from the top and bottom of the piston,
and a flexible ring held in the rim of the piston and the sides of the cylinder,
substantially as shown and described.
13. The combination, with a cylinder having a tubular closed projection in its top,
of a piston in the cylinder, a tubular guide projecting from the top of the piston into
the tubular projection in the top of the cylinder, a spring in said tubular guide in the
top of the piston, a flexible ring fastened to the piston and to the sides of the
cylinder, substantially as shown and described.

page_text: 14. The combination, with a brake-shoe saddle, of a link pivoted to the saddle, a
pin pivoted to the upper end of the link, and a socket in which said pin can turn
axially, substantially as shown and described.
15. The combination, with a brake-saddle, of a link pivoted to the same, a socket,
a pin mounted to turn axially in said socket, a cap or eye on the outer end of the pin,
in which cap or eye the upper end of the link is pivoted, substantially as shown and
described.
16. The combination with a brake-saddle, of a brake-shoe provided with side
flanges embracing the saddle, said saddle and the flanges being provided with
transverse apertures, a key fitting in said apertures and a bolt hinged to one end of
the key substantially as shown and described.