IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Massey Hollinshead at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th May 1882.
JAMES MASSEY HOLLINSHEAD of Newcastle-under-Ly[m]ne in the County of
Stafford Coal Merchant IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY ROLLING
STOCK"
"6
My Invention has for its object to so construct and apply brakes for railway
rolling stock that the operating power for applying the brakes is obtained from
the momentum of velocity or weight of the train itself.
My said Invention is especially applicable to the braking of trains of Railway
trucks but may also be applied to trains composed of other vehicles. I will explain
its application to a train of trucks from which explanation its application to trains
of vehicles generally will be readily understood
The brake blocks of each truck are arranged in proximity to the wheels and are
connected with levers which are operated from a lever carried by an axis or
fulcrum rod which extends under the truck and turns in bearings affixed to the
truck. To the end of this rod another lever is affixed having a bearing surface
extending transversely to the length of the truck. A rod or bar is capable of
sliding longitudinally that is to say in the direction of the length of the truck in
guides carried by the bottom of the truck the other end of the said sliding bar
projecting from the buffer of the truck. A passage is made in the transverse lever
affixed to the fulcrum rod of the brake actuating lever and a plate is capable of
being slidden to and fro in or on the said lever so as when pulled against the
tension of a returning spring to obstruct the said passage through the said lever
but so that when the said plate is returned by the spring that is to say when the.
parts are in their normal position a passage in the said plate is coincident with the
passage in the lever and the longitudinal rod before mentioned being in line with
these passages the said rod passes therethrough without moving the lever. The
aforesaid plate has attached to it a chain or rope by pulling which the said plate
may be brought into position as aforesaid to obstruct the passage through the lever
when if pressure be applied to the end of the longitudinal rod projecting from the
buffer its other end will press upon the lever and by turning the fulcrum upon
which it is fixed through a portion of a rotation the levers attached to the brake

page_text: blocks bring the said blocks into forcible contact with the wheels. Each truck is
provided with an arrangement like that described and the chains or ropes attached
to the sliding obstructing plates are led around guides or rollers and attached to a
main chain or rope running throughout the train being coupled at each vehicle and
terminating at one end in the Guard's van and at the other end on the engine.
There are preferably two chains or ropes connecting each sliding plate to the main
chain or rope the said chains or ropes being passed around the guides or pulleys in
reverse directions so that on pulling upon the main chain from either end the
sliding plates of all the trucks are slidden into their position. to obstruct the
passages through the levers upon the fulcrum rods of the brakes. Therefore when
the buffers of contiguous trucks come into contact the rods projecting at one end
from the buffers are all moved longitudinally and act upon the said levers to put
on the brakes as before described the said brakes therefore being applied with a
force corresponding to the braking requirements of the train
In order to effect the braking of each truck by means of its own independent
motion in shunting or like operation. I attach to one of the axles of the truck a
collar or pulley which in its normal position does not turn with the wheels but can
by means of a kind of clutch lever be moved along the axle so as to engage with a
running wheel or part revolving therewith. A chain is connected with this collar
or pulley and with the lever before described as being fixed to the fulcrum rod of
the brake levers. The collar or roller is moved in one or other direction through
the clutch lever by means of a screw projecting at the side of the truck and there
furnished with an operating handle. Thus on turning this handle in one direction
the collar or pulley is engaged with a running wheel and the chain or rope thereon
pulls upon the lever and applies the brakes-By turning the handle in the other
direction the collar or pulley is disengaged from the wheel and the brakes are
taken off. A strong spring may be used for pressing back the lever of the fulcrum
rod of the brakes to its normal position
It will be evident that the buffers of passenger trains may have their rods
extended to act upon the brake applying levers as hereinbefore described
The application of the pressure may be effected by one rod or by two rods one
connected with each buffer.