IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY BREAKS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bristow Hunt, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn,,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY BREAKS."—A com-
munication from abroad by Pierre Joseph Le Belleguic, of Paris,
France.
Sealed the 30th October 1874, and dated the 29th July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bristow Hunt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the.
29th July 1874.
I, BRISTOW HUNT, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of:
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion-for-"-IMPROVEMENTS-IN-THE-CONSTRUCTION-OF-RAIlway-Breaks;”—(0.
communication to me from abroad by Pierre Joseph Le Belleguic, of
Paris, France,) to be as follows :—
--

page_text: hopes to avert some of them to give his advice and to point out by the
experiments which the aforesaid Pierre Joseph Le Belleguic, has made
during several years, the means which according to him appear to offer
the greatest chance of success. The breaks now in use are nearly all
upon the same system of producing the break power by friction. This
is an error; and since we cannot stop sufficiently quick wo must seck
elsewhere for success. It is for this purpose that the idea occured to the
said Pierre Joseph Le Belleguic, to invent a system or kind of break of
a new kind, which by its power and a well combined mechanism
shall stop the train almost instantaneously without danger to tho
passengers.
The improved break is constructed with four shoes, two before and
two behind, the under side of these shoes is made of cast steel tempered
and cut like a file. They are connected together from cach side of the
carriage by a transverse shaft which prevents them from acting one
without the other. In the centre of this shaft is a strong lever forked
at one end having two bushes fitted on the centre of the shaft, and the
other end is jointed to the lower end of parallel links placed at the
centre of the carriage or van; the same system is repeated on each sido.
At the centro of the carriage or van is a cast-iron frame strongly fixed,
and in the centre of this frame is a vertical slide in which works a
strong screwed nut having on each side lugs or projections for forming
a joint, and to these lugs or projections the upper ends of the parallel
links are jointed. In the middle of the frame above-named is a vertical
screwed rod or shaft which passes through the screwed nut before-
named, which latter rises and falls to give motion to the two levers and
causes the shoes to fall rapidly on to the rails. Above the frame where the
vertical rod passes through there is a helical or other spring which is
kept at the required pressure by means of another rod which is screwed
its whole length, and passes through a screwed nut fixed immovably in
the top of the iron frame. On the platform at the centre of the van is
a jointed catch or trigger pressing on the top of the lugged nut before-
mentioned, and serving to hold up the shoes whilst the train is in
motion.
The action of this mechanism is as follows:-The vertical rod must
be screwed down to tighten the spring it draws with it; the nut through
which it is tapped and the two parallel links descend also, and cause the
levers fixed on the transverse shaft to oscillate and raise the shoes.

page_text: The parts being thus arranged the catch or trigger must be turned above
tho lugged nut, and the scrow which tightens the spring raised. Then
at the moment of danger the attendant turns this catch or trigger, the
spring is released, and the four shoes fall at once on to the rails. The
effect is so rapid that the shoes, which are cut like files, in falling and
sliding a little stop the train almost instantaneously. The shoes are
provided with flanges like the wheels to keep them in position and
prevent them from getting off the rails.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Bristow Hunt in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 23rd December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BRISTOW
HUNT, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Bristow Hunt, Her special licence that
I, the said Bristow Hunt, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Bristow Hunt, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any timo agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed
should and lawfully might make, usc, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Ohannel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
Railway_Breaks," (a communication to me from abroad bý Pierre Joseph
Le Belleguic, of Paris, France,) upon the condition (amongst others)
that 1, the said Bristow Hunt, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and causo

page_text: 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 Bristow Hunt, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to bo particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, and on reference being had to tho
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
Railway accidents aro so frequent, and the means of preventing the
same are so inefficacious, that it appears to be the duty of any one who
hopes to avert some of them to give his advice, and to point out by the
experiments which the aforesaid Pierre Joseph Le Belleguic has made
during several years, the means which according to him appear to offer
the greatest chance of success. The breaks now in use are nearly all
upon the same system of producing the break power by friction. This 1
is an error; and since we cannot stop sufficiently quick we must scek
clsewhere for success. It is for this purpose that the idea occurred to
the said Pierre Joseph Le Belleguic, to invent a system or kind of break
on a new principle, which by its power and a well combinod mechanism
shall stop the train almost instantaneously without danger to the
passengers.
The improved break is constructed with four shoes, two before and
two behind; the under side of these shoes is made of cast steel tempered
and cut like a file. They are connected together from each side of the
carriage by a transverse shaft which prevents them from acting ono
without the other. In the centre of this shaft is a strong lever forked
at one end, having two bushes fitted on the centre of the shaft, and tho
other end is jointed to the lower end of parallel links placed at the
centre of the carriage or van, the same system is repeated on cach side.
At the centre of the carriage or van is a cast-iron frame strongly fixed,
and in the centre of this frame is a vertical slide in which works a
strong screwed nut having on cach side lugs or projections for forming
a joint, and to these lugs or projections the upper ends of the parallel
links are jointed. In the middle of the frame above-named is a vertical
screwed rod or shaft which passes through the screwed nut before- a
named, which latter rises and falls to give motion to the two levers and
causes the shoes to fall rapidly into the rails. Above the frame where

page_text: the vertical rod passes through there is a helical or other spring which is
kept at the required pressure by means of another rod which is screwed
its whole length and passes through a screwed nut fixed immovably in
the top of the iron frame. On the platform at the centre of the van is
a jointed catch or trigger pressing on the top of the lugged nut before
mentioned, and serving to hold up the shoes whilst the train is in
motion.
•
The action of this mechanism is as follows:-The vertical rod must
be screwed down to tighten the spring it draws with it, the nut through
which it is tapped and the two parallel links descend also, and cause the
levers fixed on the transverse shaft to oscillate and raise the shocs.
The parts being thus arranged the catch or trigger must be turned above
the lugged nut and the screw which tightens the spring raised. Then
at the moment of danger the attendant turns this catch or trigger, the
spring is released, and the four shoes fall at once on to the rails. The
effect is so rapid that the shoes which aro cut like files, in falling and
sliding a little stop the train almost instantaneously. The shoes are
provided with flanges like the wheels to keep them in position, and
prevent them from getting off the rails.
The above description illustrates the application of this Invention to a
carriage or van; its application to a locomotive engine is equally easy
and effective.
A platform must be provided both before and behind, strongly bound
with iron, and projecting sufficiently to support the apparatus for
working the shoes. The locomotive has six shoes, four in front and two
behind, made also of cast steel tempered and cut like a file. The six
shoes fall together on to the rails in a similar manner to those of the
break van. At the centre of the platform in front of the locomotive is
firmly fixed a cast-iron frame, a vertical rod having a bolt head at one
end and tapped at the upper part passes through the frame, and is
connected beneath the platform to a jointed fork. Two transverse shafts
connect the four shoes (two on each side) together. In the centre of
each shaft is a small support with a jointed head to which is connected
the fork fixed at the end of the vertical rod. The second shoes placed
in front of the locomotive are fixed at one end to the front axle of the
engine by bushed collars, and are connected to the fork. Under the
platform the spring is placed, and above a screwed nut with two arms

page_text: working on the vertical screwed rod, serves to raise the shoes. On
turning this nut the vertical rod is raised and in rising compresses the
spring underneath the platform. The arrangement at the back of tho
locomotive is the same. For the locomotive the four front shoes must
be raised first and then the two hinder ones.
At the centre of each vertical rod is a small support which rests on the
detent to hold up the six shoes, the double detent being actuated by
means of a winch placed in front of the engine, causes all the six shocs to
fall together. A windlass actuated by worm gearing turns a drum
placed beneath the platform, and upon this drum is coiled a wido strap 1
or chain which is connected to a rod attached to cach carriage or truck
r
by means of short chains, and continued on to the last carriage which is
the break van.
When danger is imminent the man stationed in front of the engine
gives a signal to the engine driver to shut off the steam, and then by 1
two or three turns of the winch handle causes the detent of the break
van at the end of the train to fall, and at the same time without stopping
turns another drum placed at the opposite side in front of the engine,
which causes the release of the double detent placed on the locomotive.
The accident thus avoided, in one minute tho detents may be replaced 2
and the train may proceed.

page_text: whilst the train is in motion; L, spring to replace the double detent
when the shoes have been raised; M, movable plate for fixing the
spring D which presses down the shoes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of the said Invention, together with the manner in which the
same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I
would remark in conclusion that I claim as the Invention communicated
to me by the said Pierre Joseph Le Belieguic, the novel and peculiar
improvements in the construction and application of railway breaks,
substantially as herein-before described and as illustrated on the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, or any mere variation thereof or modification
therein.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bristow Hunt, have hereunto set
my hand and cool this Twenty-socond day of Decembou in the