IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRAKES AND OF COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAYS AND OTHER CARRIAGES INCLUDING TRAMCARS." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Peter Davies of 75 New Crane Street Chester in the
County of Chester Coal Merchant, for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRAKES AND OF COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAYS AND OTHER
CARRIAGES INCLUDING TRAMCARS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Peter Davies at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th April 1882.
.
JOHN PETER DAVIES of 75 New Crane Street Chester, in the County of Chester
Coal Merchant "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRAKES AND
COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAYS AND OTHER CARRIAGES INCLUDING TRAMCARS."
OF
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of brakes
applicable to railway carriages, railway goods or mineral wagons, tramcars or
other carriages and for improvements in the couplings for connecting wagons of
goods or mineral trains.
The first part of my improvements relates to the brakes for wheels-and for this
purpose; I fix, or have made on when new wheels are used, a brake block attached
to the inside of the wheel, smaller than the diameter of said wheel and projecting
towards the centre of the carriage as much as may be required and is covered if
required with a hoop of iron to receive the friction of the band. The block is
4 or 5 inches in width but this width may be varied as desired. On or over this
circular block is passed a band of iron of suitable thickness, fixed at one end to
the framing of the carriage and actuated at the other end by levers--or other
means as is well known, in the use of similar bands, on cranes, colliery gear, and
other purposes.
The brakes for railways are to be used on each or any carriage of the train, and
can be worked by any of the arrangements of chains, rods, steam, vacuum, or
other means as is now well known, and for wagons I cause the brake to be attached
by simple means to the present brake levers and I make them self acting when
desired by means of a chain from the end or handle of the brake passing over a
11

page_text: pulley on the side of the wagon and attached to the next wagon by a hook, so
that when the train is at work the brake levers are lifted, but when the brakes on
the engine are applied, the chain becomes slackened and the weight of the lever
causes the brake to be applied.
For tramcars or other carriages I fix the blocks on the insides of the wheels as
above described and I apply the pressure of the band by lever or screw as is well
understood.
The second part of my improvements relates to couplings for railway goods or
mineral wagons and has for its object a simple means of coupling and uncoupling
wagons or trucks, without the necessity of the guard or other person, passing
under the buffers of the wagons to get to the couplings. I make the shackle or
coupling in two parts, of sufficient length with a hinge joint between the two ends
such hinge having a butt or stop under it, so that when lifted at the centre the
whole shackle is raised after it becomes straight, this shackle I lift at the centre
joint by means of a chain passing over a pulley suitably fixed at the end of the
wagon or truck and brought to the outside of the truck near to the brake lever,
or otherwise.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Peter Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th October 1882.
JOHN PETER DAVIES of 75 New Crane Street Chester in the County of Chester
Coal Merchant "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRAKES AND OF
COUPLINGS FOR RAILWAYS AND OTHER CARRIAGES INCLUDING TRAMCARS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of brakes
applicable to railway carriages railway goods or mineral wagons tramcars or other
carriages and for improvements in the couplings for connecting wagons of goods or
mineral trains.
The first part of my improvements relates to the brakes for wheels and for this
purpose I fix (or have made on when new wheels are used) a brake block of wood
or iron attached to the inside of the wheel smaller than the diameter of said wheel
and projecting towards the centre of the carriage as much as may be required and
is covered if required with a hoop of iron (if made of wood) to receive the friction
of the band. The block is 4 or 5 inches in width but this width may be varied
as desired. On or over this circular block is passed a band of iron of suitable
thickness fixed at one end to the framing of the carriage and actuated at tho
other end by levers or other means as is well known, in the use of similar bands on
cranes, colliery gear, and other purposes.
The brakes for railways are to be used on each or any carriage of the train and
can be worked by any of the arrangements of chains rods steam vacuum or other
means as is now well known, and for wagons I cause the brake to be attached by
simple means to the present brake levers and I make them self acting when
desired by means of a chain from the end or handle of the brake passing over a
pulley on the side of the wagon and attached to the next wagon by a hook so that
when the train is at work the brake levers are lifted but when the brakes on the
engine are applied the chain becomes slackened and the weight of the lever causes
the brake to be applied.
For tramcars or other carriages I fix the blocks on the insides of the wheels as
above described and I apply the pressure of the band by lever or screw as is well
understood.
The second part of my improvements relates to couplings for railway goods or
mineral wagons and has for its object a simple means of coupling and uncoupling
wagons or trucks without the necessity of the guard or other person passing under
the buffers of the wagons to get to the couplings I make the shackle or coupling
in two parts of sufficient length with a hinge joint between the two ends such
hinge having a butt or stop under it so that when lifted at the centre the whole
shackle is raised after it becomes straight this shackle I lift at the centre point by
means of a chain passing over a pulley suitably fixed at the end of the wagon or
truck and brought to the outside of the truck near to the brake lever or
otherwise.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into practice I will proceed to describe the drawings hereto annexed.

page_text: The brake consists of four cast iron brake wheels or pulleys A, A, A A, each
made in halves and bolted together when upon the axle upon which they are
keyed, B, B, are longitudinal rods to which are secured levers C, C, by which rotary
motion is given to a transverse shaft D working in wrought iron brackets dddd.
Wrought iron, or metal brake straps E, E, are fastened to the levers C, C. Upon
the opposite sides of the wheels they are suspended to the frame work by links F, F,.
The longitudinal rods B are made so as to be coupled with chains links or other,
suitable appliances.
The action of the apparatus will be readily understood as follows;
Upon the rods B, B, which are coupled all along the train being moved towards
the right hand the straps E, E, immediately tighten upon their respective brake
pulleys or wheels A, A, thereby immediately checking the speed of the train which
comes to a dead stop.
In place of the rods B, B, and levers C, C, a lever G is applied (similar to those
in use upon existing wagons) upon pressing which down the same action is
occasioned as by using the other levers G.
The coupling apparatus consists of a lever H working upon a small fulcrum
bracket I links J, J, connected together with a knuckle joint from which it is
suspended by a short link chain to the end of the lever H.
The action is as follows; Upon pulling the outside end of the lever H the
links J, J, are brought upwards as shewn in dotted lines and dropped upon the.
hook of the next wagon or carriage thus doing away with the necessity of a man
having to go between the buffers while coupling.
Figure 5 shows another arrangement of mechanism for the above purpose in
which the shackle or links J, J, are lifted by means of a chain passing over a
pulley K fixed on the end of the wagon the other end of the chain being connected
to the lever L by which the shackle is raised and the coupling effected.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and the manner of performing
or carrying the same into practice I would remark that I make no claim to any
of the mechanical parts separately which are well known and in common use, But
what I claim is ;
First, The improved arrangement and construction of brake apparatus in which
mechanical parts such as A, B, C, D, E, F and G, are arranged to act in combina-
tion so as to apply brake power to the wheels of railway and other carriages and
tramcars substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and represented in
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, of the drawings hereto annexed.
Second, I claim the improved arrangement and construction of coupling
apparatus in which the mechanical parts H, I, J, K and L are arranged to act in
combination substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein before
described and represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, of the drawings hereto
annexed.
Third I claim the improved general arrangement combination and construction
of brakes and couplings for railway and other carriages and tram cars acting
substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein before described and
represented in the drawings hereto annexed.
In witness whereof I the said John Peter Davies have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Second day of October in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
,