IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clark, of 8, Belmont Terrace, Parish of
Kensington, County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS."
•
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th January 1873.
I, JOHN CLARK, of 8, Belmont Terrace, Parish of Kensington, County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS," to be as follows:-
•
The object of my said Invention is to fit upon cach carriage of a train
a novel arrangement of levers and pulling rods to apply the breaks upon
the several carriages of a train simultaneously by either the guard or`
driver of the train.
--
I now proceed to describe more particularly my said Invention and
how I carry the same out in practice. I suspend in slings from the
carriage framing break blocks to press upon each side of each whcel of
"

page_text: the carriage. The said blocks may be either of wood or of metal, but by
preference I use the latter, or I may use a combination block formed of.
metal but having a recessed cavity on the face side, into which cavity
I fit segments of wood cut across the grain. Upon the back of said
blocks 1 joint a diagonal lever to the back of each block, and connect the
top end of the inside lever of each pair of blocks to the carriage framing,
and I connect the top end of the outside lever of each pair of blocks to a
pair of diagonal struts at or near the centre of the carriage framing by
jointed pulling rods. I also connect the bottom end of each pair of
levers by a screwed take-up rod to adjust the said blocks when required.
I lay a chain along the centre line of the train having coupling hooks at
cach carriage length for coupling or uncoupling the several carriages
forming a train. The said chain is carried in pullics attached to the
framing, and is carried under a pulley attached to the said pair of
diagonal struts in such a manner that when the said chain is tightened
the said struts are raised at their free end to nearly a horizontal position
by which the said pulling rods are tightened and the said blocks pulled
with great force against the carriage wheels. I tighten the said chain
by a friction clutch or wheel, which is put into contact with the revolving
axle of the van or tender by the guard or driver. The said clutch or
wheel is operated from the van or tender by a weighted spring lever
fitted to the framing.
In a modification of my said Invention I make the arrangement of
diagonal levers and pulling rods self-acting by fitting a friction wheel or
clutch in contact with one of the carriage axles, to be operated by the
continuous chain described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th July 1878.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Jonx 3
CLARK, of S, Belmont Terrace, Parish of Kensington, County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IIer Letters
Patent bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth B

page_text: year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Clark, Her special licence that I, the
said John Clark, executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Clark, my exccutors, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BREAKS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Clark, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or onc
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 cause 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 John Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of my said Invention is to fit upon cach carriage of a train
a novel arrangement of levers and pulling rods to apply the breaks upon
the several carriages of a train simultaneously by either the guard or
driver of the train.
I now proceed to describe in detail my said Invention and how I
carry the same out in practise. I suspend in slings from the carriage
framing break blocks to press upon cach side of each wheel of the
carriage. The said blocks may be either of wood or of metal, but by
preference I use the latter, or I may use a combination block formed of
metal but having a recessed cavity on the face side, into which cavity I
Upon the backs of said
fit segments of wood cut across the grain.
blocks I joint a diagonal lever to the back of cachi block, and connect
the top end of the inside lever of each pair of blocks to the carriage
framing, and I connect the top end of the outside lever of cach pair of
blocks to a pair of diagonal stouts at or near the centre of the carriage
framing by jointed pulling rods. I also connect the bottom end of each
pair of levers by a screwed take-up rod to adjust the said blocks when
required. I lay a chain along the centre line of the train having

page_text: coupling hooks at each carriage length for coupling or uncoupling the
several carriages forming a train. The said chain is carried ou pullies
attached to the framing, and is carried under a pulley attached to the
said pair of diagonal stouts in such a manner that when the said chain is
tightened the said stouts are raised at their free ends to nearly a 5
horizontal position, by which the said pulling rods are tightened and the
said blocks pulled with great force against the carriage wheels. I
tighten the said chain by a friction clutch or wheel, which is put into
contact with the revolving axle of the van or tender by the guard or
driver. The said clutch or wheel is operated from the van or tender by 1
a weighted spring lever fitted to the framing.
In a modification of my said Invention I make the arrangement of
diagonal levers and pulling rods self-acting by fitting a friction wheel or
clutch in contact with one of the carriage axles, to be operated by the
continuous chain described.
I now proceed to describe my said Invention more particularly,
reference being made to the accompanying Shect of Drawings; scalo
1 inch to a foot.
]
Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 a plan of the general arrange-
ment as fitted to one carriage of a train. A similar arrangement is fitted s
to several adjoining carriages, and the through chain coupled up by
hooks at cach. The terminal end of the chain is fixed to tho headstock
of the last carriage of the series.
Figure 3 is a plan and Fig. 4 an elevation of the means for tightening
the said through chain, and is a general fitted on the van or tender; ;
but in a modification of my said Invention to make it self-acting in the
event of a train breaking away on an incline I fit a similar friction wheel
or clutch upon the axle of the carriage having the breakwork and
operate the series by a through chain as before.
"
"
Figures 1 and 2. "a, a," the through chain, carried on pullies "U, U,”
fixed to the framing and under the centro pulley “c; pulling
rods" d, d," for uniting the diagonal block levers "e, e," to the stouts "ƒ”
so that when the said chain is tightened the pulley "C" is raised to
nearly a horizontal position and the pulling rods and levers pull the
blocks on both sides of the carriage wheels with great force. The centre
pulley "c" is weighted, and may also be assisted by a spring to take off
the break when the chain is slackened,

page_text: Figures 3 and 4. "a" is a cast drum, fixed in halves on the van
axle; "," a friction hooped wheel, which is forced into contact by
lowering the weighted bell-crank lover "c." In some cases for working
trains on long inclines I prefer the said hoop to be loose on the wheel to
avoid the external surface of the hoop wearing uneven. "D" is a hand
starting lever in the guard's van compartment, held while the train is
running by the catch lever "e." When the guard wishes to apply tho
break ho releases the catch" e" and the weighted lever falls, by which
the friction wheel is brought into close contact with the revolving drum
on the axle; the end of the through chain is fixed to the spindle of the
friction wheel "b," it is thereby wound tight when the friction wheel is
brought into contact with the drum on the running axle. The driver
can also release the catch lever "e" by pulling a line fixed to the end
of it; in ordinary cases I prefer to do this by the communication line
which is usually fitted to the train.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I may observe in conclusion that I do not confine or
restrict myself to the precise details which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my Invention; but
what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
operating the several sets of breaks in a train by the arrangement of
diagonal block levers and pulling rods contrived with the means for
tightening the through chain by the friction gearing and relieving catch
on the van.
on the van.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, One' thousand
eight hundred and seventy-three.
TATTY AT