AN IMPROVED RAILWAY CARRIAGE BREAK AND COUPLING APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Palmer, of Long Eaton, in the County of
Derby, Station Master, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED RAILWAY
CARRIAGE BREAK AND COUPLING APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Palmer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th March 1859.
I, WILLIAM PALMER, of Long Eaton, in the County of Derby, Station
Master, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
RAILWAY CARRIAGE BREAK AND COUPLING APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to le
as follows:-
⚫ Heretofore railway carriage breaks have been placed on one carriage only in
each railway train, whereas by this my Invention each carriage in a railway train
carries its own apparatus, and each wheel can be locked by means of the
friction wheel, so that a long train may be stopped in as brief a time as a short
train. Either the leading or rear guard can stop the train.
The apparatus consists of friction drums and hinged straps, which allow for
the deflection of the vehicle when loaded, and there are two slide bars to each
carriage. These bars when coupled together throughout the length of the
train form two slide bars the length of the same. The first or last carriage in

page_text: a train carries the usual guard's break wheel, to which one of the slide bars is
connected by a chain attached to it and a drum at the lower end of the break
wheel. If there are two guard's breaks required to the train, the wheel of
one guard's break is attached to one of the slide rods, the second rod being
attached to the other break wheel. The connections at the ends of the slide
bars of each carriage, when properly adjusted, allow of one of the bars being
wound up by either guard independantly of the other, and they are so con-
structed that the train may be backed or shunted without interfering with the
action of the break bars and straps.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Palmer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PALMER, of Long Eaton, in the County of Derby, Station Master, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Palmer, Her special licence that I, the said William
Palmer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Palmer, 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
makc, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED RAILWAY CARRIAGE BREAK, AND COUPLING APPARATUS CON-
NECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
"William Palmer, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Palmer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to an improved railway carriage break, together with
the coupling apparatus connected therewith.
Heretofore railway carriage breaks have been placed on one carriage only
in each railway train, whereas by this my Invention each carriage in a railway
train carries its own apparatus, and each wheel can be locked by means of
a friction wheel or pulley so that a long train may be stopped in as short a
time as a short train. Either the leading or rear guard may stop the train
if required.
The apparatus consists of friction drums or pullies and hinged straps (which
allow for the deflection of the vehicle when loaded) and two slide bars or rods to
each carriage. These bars or rods when coupled together throughout the length
of the train or part thereof, form two slide bars or rods the length of the same.
The first or last carriage in a train carries the usual guard's break wheel, to
which one of the slide bars or rods is connected by a chain or wheel attached
to it, and a drum or wheel at the lower end of the break wheel. If there are
two guard's breaks required to the train, the wheel of one guard's break is
attached to one of the slide rods, the second rod being attached to the other
break wheel. The connections at the ends of the slide bars or rods of each
carriage, when properly adjusted, allow of one of the bars being wound up by
either guard independently of the other, and they are so constructed that the
train may be backed or shunted without interfering with the action of the
break bars and straps.
The arrangement is intended as a substitute for the breaks usually employed
on railway carriages.
The accompanying Sheets of Drawings illustrate the whole apparatus.
The apparatus consists of friction pullies, hinged straps, lever bars, break
rods or bars with left and right hand double threads. There are two break
rods to each carriage, which rods when coupled together throughout the length
of the train, or part thereof, form two rods the length of the same. The first
or last carriage in a train carries the guard's break gear, to which one of the
rods is attached, with a bevel wheel corresponding with one on the bottom of
the vertical shaft. If there are two guard's break vans required to the train
the second can be reversed and attached to the other break rod; the connection
at the ends of the break rods, when properly coupled, allow of one of the rods to
be worked by either guard independently of the other, and they are so con-

page_text: structed that the train may be backed or shunted without interfering with the
action of the break rods and straps.
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a part elevation of a first-class carriage attached to
guard's van, the connexion being the same whichever end of a carriage is put
next another; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of guard's break van shewing
the arrangement of the break throughout; Figure 3 is half plan and half
inverted plan of framing, shewing more fully the coupling together of the
vehicles, also the slotted boxes for the ends of the universal joints to work in;
Figure 4, plan of guard's break van coupled to the above; Figure 5 is an end
view partly in section of guard's break van, and elevation of fly wheel and
pillar; Figure 6 represents enlarged detail of friction wheel or pulley, which
is fixed on centre of axle; Figure 7 detail of universal joints, with mode of
coupling them together; and Figure 8 detail of nuts.
On Sheet 2, Figure 9 is an enlarged inverted plan of break rods, shewing
more particularly the box in which the universal joints slide, and arrangement
of springs; and Figure 10, side elevation of the same.
A is a fly wheel with handles to be worked by the guard in the usual
manner for imparting motion to the bevil wheel B on the top of the vertical
shaft C; this shaft has a bevel wheel at bottom which works a corresponding
one on the break rod D; on the said rod D are two nuts E, which travel
right and left hand; these nuts are attached to the ends of springs G, which
springs slide along the break rod D, the other end of the springs is attached
to a lever bar II, which works in and is supported by loops or guides I; to
the other end of the lever bar H are attached the hinged straps J ; one end of
the straps is fixed to the framing of the carriage by a bolt. When the nuts
travel towards the centre of the carriage the springs G pull the lever bars H,
and these are so connected that they bind or impinge upon the friction pulley
K (of which there is one to each pair of wheels), so as to retard or stop the
train when required; L is a cradle bar for the springs and also a guide for tho
nuts E to slide in; M is a box slotted through for one end of the universal
joint N to work in, and through the ends of which is fixed a pin to project
through the slot holes so as to turn all round together, and to prevent the end
of joint N from drawing out; O is a three-square barrel or tube; P, a three-
square rod of a corresponding shape to fit in it, and couple two carriages
together, being fastened by a thumbscrew; by these means a continuous break
rod is formed throughout the whole train. The barrel O and three-square rod
P are so arranged as to give and take according to the length of the buffers,
aud so that the breaks are successfully applied, thereby compensating for any

page_text: slackness in the several couplings. The universal joints N allow for any
ordinary play or vibration of the carriages, and the three-square rods P fitting
into barrels of a corresponding shape enable the whole of the break rods to be
rotated throughout the whole length of the train.
j And having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the arrange-
ment and combination of parts of railway carriage break, and coupling
apparatus connected therewith, herein-before described and exemplified in the
accompanying Drawings.
0
In witness whereof I, the said William Palmer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of September in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Agent, Nottingham.
WILLIAM PALMER. (L.s.)