AN IMPROVED BREAK FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO BREAKS FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1855

page_text: Sealed the 4th April 1856, and dated the 17th October 1855.
I, JULES HYPPOLITE CLEMENT, of Paris (France), Proprietor, do hereby
5 declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED BREAK FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGES, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO BREAKS FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be
as follows:-
The improved break is composed of two bars a, a', hinged together, the bar
a having at its extremity a strong spring 6 and a shoe c, and the bar a' having
10 at its extremity a shoe c'. This break is placed between the two wheels on
the same side of a carriage, the rod a being supported on the guide bar d, and
the end of the bar a' when out of action being supported at a slight elevation
above its wheel, both shoes being kept at a slight distance from the wheels.

page_text: Upon withdrawing the support from the arm a, the shoe
weight on to the rim of the wheel, by which it is drawn round until the rod a
is brought into a straight line with the rod a, but is prevented from descending
lower by a link e; and this straightening of the rods compresses the spring b,
which by its reaction presses the shoes c, c', against the wheels and arrests
their motion. The apparatus for letting fall the breaks is so arranged as to
bring them into operation in succession, commencing with the hindmost one,
and the apparatus of one carriage is connected to that of the next by universal
joints and sliding movements to allow for the action of the buffer springs, the
curves of the road, and the horizontal oscillations of the carriage.
The apparatus may be arranged to be under the command of the driver of
the locomotive, or under that of the guard or conductor.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jules Hyppolite Clément in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULES
HYPPOLITE CLEMENT, of Paris (France), Proprietor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Jules Hyppolite Clément, Her special licence that I, the said Jules
Hyppolite Clément, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Jules Hyppolite Clément, 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 Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED BREAK FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES, PARTS OF WHICH ARE
APPLICABLE TO BREAKS FOR OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Jules Hyppolite Clément, my executors or admi-
nistrators, 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

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 Jules Hyppolite Clément, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
5 to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My improvements in breaks, although intended for railway purposes, are
applicable to the stoppage of the revolution of any kind of wheel or cylindrical
object.
They consist in the following means, which constitute my system, of
o which several relate to certain working parts of the principal points.
First, the principle of depressing powerful springs by means of the revolu-
tion of wheels, and making available the reaction of these springs by their
pressure exerted on breaks to stop the movement.
Second, the use of one series of rods running the whole length of the train,
5 capable of revolving by one single effort, and for the purpose of establishing
a communication with the waggons that are not armed, and of putting in
motion under those that are armed certain gearing, giving action to the direct
agents, or replacing them in their primitive position. These rods possess in
particular means of execution this marked characteristic, to give rise to
certain forces employed, but to produce none themselves.
Third, the use of a system of articulated rods or bars to which the break is
attached, susceptible of being lengthened but not shortened, to make up by
self-acting means the diminution in thickness of the breaks caused by their
friction against the wheels.
Fourth, in certain means, in the case that the diminution in thickness of the
breaks has not to be made up by self-acting means, and in the case that it
should be made up or lengthened to a definite length; in the use of two
articulated joints for the purpose of, for the first to produce this lengthening,
and for the second to open, in order to give through the lengthening of the
first, until the break is in contact with the wheels, a length calculated before-
hand, and always to remain the same whatever may be the amount of wear
of the breaks, this second joint having a regulator.
Fifth, to maintain the break at a slight and constant distance from the
wheel when the breaks are at rest, and to employ to oppose it to the break a
spring (or other means, such as a weight, &c.) less than that of the break,
attached to a ring supporting the shoe, which advances towards the wheel
under the pressure of the action of the break as fast as the shoe itself wears!
Sixth, the application of a system for disengaging successively and uniting

page_text: all the breaks together, so that directly one break acts all the others will at
the same time; but with this distinctive feature, that each break does not
support the one that precedes it, and is not supported by the one that follows
it; each one when it is returned opposing only an obstacle to the evolution
of the parts which maintain the next, it reciprocally rests not on it but 5
against it.
Seventh, the use of a fulcrum or resting point (fixed or not fixed), destined
to maintain the reaction of the springs when it is desirable to obtain an interval
of time between the depression and the reaction.
Eighth, in the use of a bar with a fixed joint at one end, and the other 1
end placed at a very acute angle, facing the periphery of the wheel, which
jams itself when the wheel revolves, and works like an excentric to depress
springs.
Ninth, in certain means of making use of the reaction of the springs to
disengage the train which had been stopped previously by the same.
Tenth, the use of triple joints, either isolated or resting one on the other,
to counterbalance a great power by a very small one before disengaging the
main springs, and to obtain this result by suspending the breaks, the back one
a little above the axis of the wheels and the front one a little below.
After having explained the theoretical and practical bases on which my 2
Invention rests, even in certain working parts which will necessitate the use
of one of these means in preference to another, I will now describe, with the
assistance of the annexed Drawings (Figures 1 to 5), the means of executing
my Invention, such as I have carried out; I will then explain two other means
which I employ also in certain cases, without limiting myself to the one sooner
than to the other.
My first means present the following points:-First, movement of rotation
of the wheels employed at the periphery; second, a bar fixed at one end,
acting as an excentric employed for depressing the springs; third, simultaneity
in the depression and reaction of the springs; fourth, springs formed of very
stiff bars or blades; fifth, successive and nevertheless nearly instantaneous
disengagement of the breaks, series of rods articulated near the breaks under
each waggon; sixth, obligation to raise each break.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the framework of a waggon, the break being
raised and out of action. A, A', rods divided into two parts; B, B', articulated S
shoes; C, main depression spring; D, D', guide plates, supporting the extre
mities of A, A'; E, india-rubber plates to deaden the fall of the break; F,
springs to maintain the fore part of A, the guide plate being open underneath.

page_text: The rods A, A, together are a trifle longer than the space between the two
wheels, are suspended by means of the guide bar G on a line set at a very
acute angle with the line from centre to centre of the wheels. While the
train is in motion, the shoe B is kept a short distance off the tyre of the
5 wheel, on which it falls by its own weight when disengaged. Being partly
carried round by the revolution of the wheel, the shoe tends to force the bars
A and A¹ into a space too short to contain it; consequently the spring C being
depressed acts against the wheels, and causes nearly an instantaneous stoppage.
G, G', parts of guide bar; H, regulator, which is taken out to extend the screw
10 to correspond with the wear of the shoes. The thickness of this regulator is
equal to the excess of length which the whole break should present, compared
to the distance existing between the tyres of the wheels. J, nut of the bar A¹;
K, connection rod, more amply described in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5. Figure 2
is a separate view of the connection rod separate from the waggon, the breaks
5 being raised; Figure 3 is a fragment of the same rod, the breaks lowered;
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the connection rod through AB, Figure 2,
to show the profile of the disengaging gear; and Figure 5 is a section of the
same rod through D, Figure 3. a, right angle piece forming the posterior
extremity of each length of rod, supporting the head of break by means
of a branch T-shaped, whose presence, as long as the preceding brake is
raised, opposes itself to the evolution of that part of the rod which supports
the following break; b, branch of the T, attached to head of break near the
back shoe; c, slides of each length of rod; d, d', universal joints on each
length of ditto; e, e', connecting forks, provided with spring to maintain them.
RECAPITULATION OF THE WORKING OF THIS FIRST METHOD.
Whilst in motion all the breaks are raised. When it is desirable to stop the
train, the guard turns the connection rods a quarter of a revolution; all the
breaks fall nearly simultaneously, each on the tyre of its wheel; it depresses
the spring, the reaction of which stops the revolution of the wheel. When
the train is stopped, the breakmen raise successively all the breaks, and the
train can proceed.
I will now describe another way of carrying out my Invention, which refers
in certain of its points to the Figures 6, 7, and 8 of the annexed Drawings.
This way of carrying out my Invention presents the following distinctive
features:-First, that there is no successive action, as the series of rods are
rigidly connected from one end of the train to the other, being used to raise
all the breaks, and consequently being without joints near them. Figure 6 i

page_text: an elevation of a break separated from the waggon, which is raised by the
connection rod. A, shoe without a joint; B, shoe plate fitted on guide bar.
A spring 6 let into the thickness of this plate is depressed by the pusher c of
the break rod at the moment that the main spring acts; after its action the
spring b pushes back the whole break a smaller distance, in order to maintain 5
the shoe a litle way from the wheel whilst the train is in motion. This ring
maintaining the shoe slides on the guide bar to compensate for the diminution
in thickness of the shoe. C, pusher; D, grooved guide to conduct the handle
of the key H; it is here merely shown in profile, see Figure 8. E, handle of
D; F, nut furnished with longitudinal grooves; G, bolt holding the nut, 1
allowing it at the same time to turn; H, key to turn nut; K, left-hand ratchet
pall; L, right-hand ditto, ditto. These two palls have each their outside angle
cut off, in order to rise out of the grooves as they slide backwards and forwards.
M, screw to lengthen the break; N, collar piece, sliding freely, forming the
first link of o, o; O, articulations with three joints; P, key piece to the above,
bearing at its extremity the weight P. The first and fourth pieces of these
articulations are fixed, and destined to touch one another by means of the
butting pieces Q and R when P rises. Figure 7 shows the sections of the
collar piece N, and of the connecting rod. S, pusher stopping the key at
the end of the stroke; T, steel piece with a spring destined to sustain under
the ascentional effort of the key; P, the tumbler; U, U, tumbler impeding
the motion of P, either rising or falling; V, connecting rod to lower or to
raise the breaks; X, arm working the tumbler U after the depression of the
spring, and the stoppage of the train to raise the break. It is at this moment
and before lifting the head of the break that the nut can be worked, to com-
pensate for the shortening caused by the wear of the shoe. Y, arm lifting the
head of the break; Z, arm acting on the tumbler U, to shut the break at the
moment that the head of the break has commenced rising. Figure 8 is a plan
of the grooved guide, conducting the head of the key D of the nut F. In
ordinary cases the handle of the key of the nut will be in the centre. E', heel
of the handle D, stopping the passage, and susceptible of being lowered to
leave the way free to the groove F, G; F, G, groove, in which the handle I
works with a reciprocating motion, in order to lengthen the break by means of
the screw; F, H', I', K', direction in which the handle I travels, during
which the palls or ratchets do not act on the nut, owing to their peculiar dis
position; K', L', groove in which the handle tightens slightly the nut in order
to free the shoes; M', inclined plane, with a spring, which the handle lowers in
order to resume its central position.

page_text: WORKING OF THE SECON
WAY.
When the train is in motion all the breaks are raised and maintained by all
the connecting rod, which is rigid and not jointed, under each waggon. When
it is desirable to stop the train the guard abandons the rod, all the brakes fall
5 on the wheels and cause it to stop, as in the manner above described. To lift
the brakes, the guard turns the connecting rod by means of a gear, and causes
it to revolve about one-third of a revolution. During the first action an arm
frees the main spring by lifting the key of the brake; then a second arm
lifts the head of the brake; and, lastly, a third arm allows the key of break
to fall.
I have still to describe my third way, which is indicated by the Figures 9
and 10, for the parts which are intended to replace the parts described in the
preceding Figure 10. This third way possesses the following points:-First,
the rotation of the wheels, made available by means of cog wheels; second,
screw employed to depress the springs; third, interval of time between the
depression and the action; fourth, connecting rod, completely self-acting, and
giving rise at different positions of its rotation to the depression of the springs,
to their reaction on the brakes, and to the replacing of all the different parts to
their primitive position. Figure 9 is a plan of one-half of a waggon, to which
a brake is adapted; Figure 10 is a section through the line A, B, of Figure 9;
and Figures 11 and 12 are details of separate parts. A, clutch gearing into
bevil wheel B; B, bevil wheel gearing into the pinion C; C, bevil pinion
keyed on the extremity of the shaft, running from one shaft to the other; D,
plain part of shaft; E, part of ditto, on which a screw is cut; F, nut made in
two pieces, and provided with a projecting tappet, and resting against the
guide G, sliding along, this guide pushing before it the hollow cylinder I, and
all parts attached to it; G, guide suspended by a hinge, against which the
tappet of the nut F strikes. At the extremity of this guide is a neck which
allows of the tappet's passage, and consequently of the nut following the
rotation of the shaft. I, hollow cylinder
I, hollow cylinder sliding on the shaft attached to
different parts hereafter described; K, main springs, one above and the other
below the shaft, fixed on the hollow cylinder, and acting on the two opposite
springs by means of rods united in the middle by the right and left handed
nut L; L, nut with a right and left handed screw, maintaining the opposite
springs and regulating their action; M, triple joint, attached on one side to
the end of the hollow cylinder, and on the other to a fixed point depending
on the framework. When the nut travels forward on the screw it pushes

page_text: before it the cylinder; the triple joint which was
u,
middle joint is made to stand a little higher than the two others. N, hori-
zontal plate or bolt lodged between two plates of the framework; it is impelled
by means of a spiral spring to pass over the joint M immediately that it
assumes its horizontal position. The surfaces M and N which are at present 5
in contact are slightly inclined, in order that the considerable pressure exerted
by M on N may tend to push N back. O, perpendicular bolt, which falls at
the back of M when N has slidden over M. The surfaces of N and O which
are actually in contact are slightly bevilled, so that O cannot be raised by the
pressure of N unless it be very considerable. Attached to O is a spring, 1
which causes it to fall directly N passes over M. At the extremity of O is
the pedal O', on which at a given amount the eccentric 0" exerts a pressure,
and thus raises the bolt. P, triple joint, of the same kind as the one to the
right under M, not resting on a fixed point, but on the extremity of the bar S,
inserted on the spring bar T; Q, R, bolts symetrical with N, O; S, rigid bar
attached to T; T, bar, in the centre of which the shaft passes freely, having
the brake rods attached at its extremities; U, brake rods, capable by means
of the eccentric u of sliding in one direction, but not in the other. In this
manner the wear of the shoes is compensated in a self-acting manner.
eccentric fitted in brake rods; V, link to maintain the rods; X, collar piece
attached to the guide bar, capable of sliding when impelled by a strong pres-
sure, more amply described, Figure 6, letter B; Y, Z, framework supporting
the main part of the different pieces, the top spring K and the bar T sliding
in four openings in the framework A', the bar connecting framework and
prolongation of guide bars B', C¹; D¹, articulated rod, one end of which is
attached to the spring K, and the other end to the arm of the hammer E'; E'
tumbling hammer, pressing alternately on the two extremities of the spring F
F', strong spring attached to G¹; G¹, clutch handle, gearing and ingearing the
clutch by the depression of the spring F1; H', tumbler, which can prevent
the clutch gearing into the wheel, notwithstanding the pressure of the spring F
At one extremity is a pedal h¹, on which in certain positions the eccentri
N keyed on the connecting rod acts. 11, transverse bars supporting the shaf
and against which it rests at its shoulder; K¹, another transverse bar bearin
the fulcrum, on which the joint M rests; L', key bolt to guide G (Figure 9
provided with a chain and a spiral spring, which tends to draw it forwar
When the hollow cylindrical piece I is itself impelled forward, it also form
an inclined plane in contact with G, so as to force it back whilst F redescend
It must be observed that L' presents first an inclined plane to G, and then

page_text: flat surface, so that it keeps G raised, until the nut F returning, forces
it to reassume its primitive position. M¹, connecting rod, rigid under each
waggon, and provided at each extremity with a slide, an universal joint, and a
connecting form; N¹, double eccentric for clutch; O', single eccentric for
5 fulcrum; P', single eccentric for brake rod; Q', chain and spring for the bolt
of the guide G, Figure 9. The connections are made as represented by the
fork shown near the Figure 9. This fork, preceded by an universal joint and
a slide, is placed at each end of the waggon.
RECAPITULATION OF THE SUCCESSIVE ACTIONS OF THIS THIRD WAY.
Shortly after the starting of the train, whilst the wheels are making about
two revolutions a second, and the main spring K free, the spring F¹ depressed,
tending to make the clutch A gear into the wheel, by turning the eccentric N¹
to disengage the lever G from the tumbler H¹, the clutch A will be geared
into the wheel B; the screw E drives the nut F, which pushes before it the
hollow cylindrical piece I, and the different pieces that it carries. The main
springs K are depressed, the joints M and P extend, M butts against K; this
butting prevents the joint P from bearing on the rod S; the horizontal bolts or
plates N and Q pass on the joints, the vertical bolts fall behind them, the nut
meets the nick in G, and no longer pushes the cylinder; G rises, L¹ passes
behind, D¹ has followed the movement of the cylinder, and tends to disengage
A from B; but this ungearing cannot take place till D ceases to offer a
powerful resistance, i. e., at the end of all action; H¹ rests behind G¹; this is
the position when the train is in full motion, the springs are depressed and
ready to act.
In order to stop the train, the eccentric O¹ acts by means of the connection
rod, the vertical bolt O rises, and the horizontal one N is impelled by the
inclined plane of the fulcrum joints. As this joint is no longer in opposition,
all the force is transmitted to the joint P, which rests on the rod S, which
transmits it to T, and from thence to the brakes by means of the bars U; the
wheels pressed upon by a considerable power cease turning, slide, and stop
the train. At this moment the connecting rod is turned by the guard; the
eccentric P¹ presses on the bolts which rise the joints P. As the cylinder
bears no longer against the brakes, the main spring extends itself; the two
joints are completely raised; the main springs extending by their extension
push back the nut F, which, on arriving at the end of its stroke, replaces
both G and L.
The construction of the brakes is quite symetrical of each half of the waggon,

page_text: so that if a waggon is turned round all that was on the right comes to the left.
By this means the back clutch is always the only one which can go into gear; in
whatever direction the train is running, the shaft revolves always in the same
direction.
The disposition of the eccentrics produces the following result, and are
always for the working of the clutch, one for the fixed point and one for the
brake rods; it follows, that after the fixed point has been disengaged, as all
the force rests on the brakes, the springs remain depressed; D¹ depresses F¹,
always tending to disengage A from B. In this position the eccentric N can
pass without producing any action, and the brake eccentric is arrived at
immediately after the one for the fulcrum or fixed point, without being incon-
venienced by the intermediate clutch eccentric. This contrivance enables the
waggon to move both ways, and assures that four eccentrics produce always
the same result, i. e., three actions always follow in the same order, in what-
ever direction the rod is turned.
Ilaving thus described the nature of my Invention, and the different ways
which I consider the best to put it in execution, I do not claim more par-
ticularly one of these ways than another, nor either of the particular parts;
but what I claim is, each part, single or combined, of the general system
described at the commencement of this Specification, and which I thus
recapitulate.
First, action of the wheels on springs, and reaction of these springs on the
brakes to stop their motion.
Second, contrivance of a series of revolving rods to operate as has been
described.
Third, jointed rods working in such a self-acting manner as to regulate the
action of the shoes on the wheels.
Fourth, replacing the self-acting method by breaks or gaps, producing the
same result as described.
Fifth, a collar carrying the skid or shoe, regulating the distance from the
shoe to the wheel when the brakes are at rest.
Sixth, applying successively all the brakes of a train, the one by the other.
Seventh, fulcrum or resting point, fixed or not in the case of an interval of
time between the depression and the reaction of the springs.
Eighth, rod or bar, fixed at one end, acting like an eccentric on the wheel,
and employed as described.
Ninth, freeing or disengaging the train by the reaction of the springs which
serve to stop it, as it has been described.

page_text: Tenth, contrivance of triple joint, for the use indicated, as it has been
described.
Lastly, I claim the application of these different means separately, or
combined together, or with other known means, to stop the rotation of wheels,
either of common vehicles on ordinary roads, or of railway waggons or any
other kind of wheels, (as well as any kind of cylindrical bodies turning on their
axis, fixed or moveable, and to whatever purpose they may be destined.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jules Hyppolite Clement, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
CHARLES REYNAUD.
J. CLEMENT. (L.S.)