IMPROVEMENTS IN MA- CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STOPPING OR RETARDING THE PROGRESS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF CONNECTING TWO OR MORE CARRIAGES WITH THE SAID APPARATUS TOGETHER
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Newall, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster,
Railway Carriage Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STOPPING OR RETARDING THE PROGRESS OF RAILWAY
AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF CONNECTING TWO OR
MORE CARRIAGES WITH THE SAID APPARATUS TOGETHER."
Sealed the 11th July 1854, and dated the 16th January 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Newall at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th January
1854.
JAMES NEWALL, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STOPPING OR RETARDING THE
PROGRESS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF
CONNECTING TWO OR MORE CARRIAGES WITH THE SAID APPARATUS TOGETHER," to be
as follows:-
These improvements are merely additions or different methods of carrying
out my self-acting continuous break, for which I obtained Her Majesty's Royal
Letters Patent, dated the Third of December, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-two, and consist of,-
Firstly, working the said patented apparatus from the tender as well as from
the guard's van or break carriage, which I find perfectly practicable, and also
in working the same from any carriage of a train in whatever part of the
train the said carriage may be situated.

page_text: And, secondly, in adopting other modes of connecting the revolving shafts
which form the continuous connection of the breaks. In the accompanying
Drawing I have shewn two methods of connection by which I dispense with
the slide, sockets, and coupling joints, as described in my former Patent, but
there are many modifications of the same which will answer the same
purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Newall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
July 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
NEWALL, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Railway Carriage Builder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Newall, Her special licence that J, the said James Newall,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Newall, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR STOPPING OR RETARDING THE PROGRESS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER CAR-
RIAGES, AND IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF CONNECTING TWO OR MORE CARRIAGES WITH
THE SAID APPARATUS TOGETHER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Newall, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 Royal Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Newall, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
(that is to say)
These improvements are modifications or different methods of working and
connecting my self-acting continuous break, for which I obtained Her Majesty's

page_text: Royal Letters Patent, dated the Third day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the Specification of which
I describe my said Invention as consisting of a method of working the common
slide break by attaching a lever to the centre shaft of the break, the said
lever extending to or a little beyond the end of the carriage; the said lever
acting upon the break-shaft, so that when it is lifted up it detaches the break
blocks from the wheels, and when it is allowed to fall down it forces the
block to the periphery of the wheels by its own weight or gravity, thus being
partially self-acting.
The method of raising the said lever, as there described, is by means of a
conical spring or springs enclosed in a cylinder and fixed about the centre of
the end of the carriage. A vertical rod is fixed to the bottom end of the said
spring, and extends to and is connected with the aforesaid lever; another
vertical rod is fixed to the top end of the said spring, and extends to the top of
the carriage; the said vertical rod being raised or lowered by means of a
rack and wheel placed at or near the top of the carriage, so that when the
person in charge of the train turns the wheel he raises the rack, and con-
sequently the lower vertical rod, thus compressing the spring or springs in the
cylinder and raising the lever and releasing the blocks from the wheels. I
make the said apparatus continuous through the train by means of longi-
tudinal shafts along the top of each carriage, one end of which passes through
the wheel aforesaid, so that when the said wheel is turned, by turning the
longitudinal shafts having a pinion which works in each rack, and thus as the
racks are raised each lever is raised, and all the break blocks detached at
the same time, and by releasing the said racks all the breaks act upon the
wheels by the weight of the levers and force of the springs. I connect the said
longitudinal shafts of each carriage together by means of flexible joints, slides,
reversing couplers, &c., as will be clearly understood by reference to the said
Specification. But as further improvements in or developement of the said
Invention, I now propose to apply and work the said apparatus,-
Firstly, from underneath the carriages instead of the top, which I accomplish
by fixing the longitudinal shafts under the centre of the carriages, or if
necessary, to be out of the way of the couplings, a little to the right or left of
the centre, but which, in practice, will not be found absolutely necessary, as
very little, if any, inconvenience will be found from the position of the couplings.
For this position of working the apparatus, I also place the cylinders containing
the spiral springs near the bottom part of the end of the carriage, the said
springs acting upon the break-lever from the bottom of the cylinder instead of
the top. But in applying this apparatus to waggons and carriages, where there

page_text: is not sufficient height of body or frame work to fix the cylinder and spring
on the end, I fix it under the waggon or carriage in a transverse position, to
which I attach a bell crank lever, so that as the said lever is acted upon by the
rack at the end of the spring it is drawn sideways, and thus detaches the break.
blocks from the wheels; and when a single waggon or carriage only is used, I
provide a separate ratchet wheel at the end with the necessary pall and con-
necting lever to the break shafts, so that by turning the said wheel the blocks
are detached from the wheels and kept in that position when not required.
to act.
Secondly, from the tender or any carriage in any part of the train, as well
as from the guard's van or box, which I accomplish by fixing the ratchet
wheel on the tender, and conveying and uniting the connecting shaft to the
longitudinal shafts either to the top of the carriages or underneath them;
if underneath, I take the connecting shaft through the centre of the tender; if
on the top. I take it upwards in a diagonal position.
Thirdly, in adopting other modes of connecting the revolving shafts, besides
those described in my former Specification.
And fourthly, in making the same apparatus act as a signal by striking a
bell to signal the engine-driver when necessary.
These additional improvements will be clearly understood by reference to
the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, in which the same letters of
reference are used to represent the same parts in all the different Figures.
Fig. 1, No. 1 Sheet, is a side elevation of a tender with a waggon attached,
shewing how the said apparatus may be worked underneath the carriages, and
also from the tender to apply the breaks; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same;
Fig. 3, a front view of the tender; Fig. 4, an end view of the waggon; Fig. 5,
a view of the improved arrangement for connecting the carriages together, so
as to make the operation continuous; and Fig. 6 shews another method of
connecting the same.
Fig. 1, No. 2 Sheet, is a side elevation of a tender and carriage, shewing
how the apparatus is worked from the tender and on the top of the carriages
with my new couplings or connections; and Fig. 2 is an end view of the same.
Instead of the square expanding slide as described by me in the Specification
of the Patent already alluded to, and shewn at a and b of the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, for the purpose of allowing for the contraction and elonga-
tion caused by the action of the buffer rods, I use the compound jointed
levers c, c, Fig. 5, or the jointed levers, Fig. 6. These jointed levers are
attached to the longitudinal shafts d, and are placed between the carriages or
waggons to allow for the lengthening or shortening of the buffer rods, between

page_text: the points of connection e, e. It is evident that motion can be given to the
breaks by means of the levers c, whether they are in the position shewn by
the plain lines, or that shewn by the dotted lines, or any intermediate position.
When the carriages are close together the connecting levers are in the position
shewn by the dotted lines, and they open to the position shewn by the plain
lines as the carriages extend asunder. At f is a signal bell which sounds
when the guard puts the breaks in action, which is effected by means of pins
in the arms of the wheel g, which pins come in contact with the spring h, the
end of which forms the clapper. Notice is thus given by the guard to the
engine-driver when the breaks are put on or taken off. At l is another method
of connecting the longitudinal shafts; and m, Fig. 2, No. 1 Sheet of Drawings,
shews the ratchet wheel and gearing for detaching the breaks by hand, when
only one carriage or waggon is used, and consequently no communication with
the connecting apparatus.
By reference to Fig. 1, No. 1 Sheet of Drawings, it will be seen how I
arrange the apparatus underneath the carriages and from the tender; n repre-
sents the wheel connected to the shaft o, which passes through the tender,
and is attached to the longitudinal shaft by means of its connection with
shaft o, and by a pinion on the longitudinal shaft working into the rack q,
compresses the spring in the cylinder r, and acts upon the crank levers in a
transverse direction, and thus relieves the break blocks from the wheels, which
would otherwise be pressed against them by the self-acting power of the said
springs. The cylinder and spring is placed in this position when there is not
sufficient room at the end of the waggon or carriage to fix it in a vertical
position. The rods or plates to which the break blocks are attached are
furnished with joints n, Fig. 1, Sheet 1, in order to secure the more effectual
fitting of the blocks to the rims of the wheels, which joint can be applied to
every description of break. I also employ the jointed compound levers shewn
at c, c, Fig. 5, for the purpose of connecting the carriages or waggons, instead
of the chain usually employed, as shewn at o, Fig. 2, (Sheet 1).
In No. 2 Sheet of Drawings will be seen how I arrange the apparatus
to work it from the tender, and fix the longitudinal shafts on the tops of
the carriages, which arrangement is so simple and so similar to the plans
already described, that I consider further details unnecessary; and altho' I
have not shewn a method of working the breaks from an intermediate carriage,
it is quite evident that the wheel and rack for giving motion to the longitudinal
shafts may be placed upon any carriage, and in any convenient position; for
instance, if necessary or desirable, they may be fixed inside the guard's van or

page_text: box, and in the centre of the carriage, so that by turning the wheel it shall
act upon the racks and shafts outside as already described.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said improve-
ments, I desire it to be distinctly understood, that I do not confine myself to
the exact details herein set forth, as such may be varied or modified without
departing from the principle of the same; but I claim,―
Firstly, the method of working my continuous self-acting break underneath
the carriages or waggons, as well as at the top of them.
Secondly, of working the same either from the tender or any carriage in the
train.
Thirdly, the several modes of connecting the revolving longitudinal shafts.
Fourthly, the plan of making the said apparatus act as a signal.
And, fifthly, the use of a joint in the rod or plate, to which the break block
is attached to any description of break, as all such improvements are herein
described, and illustrated in the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Newall, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-four.
JAMES NEWALL.
(L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named James Newall, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.