Year: 1898

page_text: THOMAS FOSTER, Abbey Hey House, Gorton, Manchester, Assistant Manager,
ROBERT GOODIER, Ashville, Ashton New Road, Clayton, Manchester, Draughts-
man, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
The object of our invention is to enable the brake of a railway vehicle to be
operated from either side of the vehicle, and thus obviate the necessity of persons
crossing the railway lines to get to the hand lever for applying the brake, or for
eleasing it, which is a common occurrence with most brakes now in use.
In our invention the ordinary brake shaft is extended across the width of the
wagon and has the ends made square. On the ends of this shaft, one end of
each of the long hand levers is tightly fitted, so that when either hand lever is
operated, it will cause the lever on the opposite side to the one that is operated,
to move correspondingly & simultaneously.
Near the other end of each hand lever, is a lever guide, curved to follow the
movement or radius of the hand levers; one edge of this lever guide is provided
with a toothed rack. We connect the two hand levers, near the lever guide,
by a bar or rod extending the width of the wagon.
On each end of this bar
or rod we secure a pawl of an improved design. When the brake is applied, by
forcing down one of the hand levers, these pawls automatically and simul-
taneously engage with one of the teeth in the respective lever guides, and so
hold the brake blocks tight against the wheels. We have extended the lower
part of these pawls through the lever guides, the ends of which, act as handles
to the pawls for the purpose of actuating them, or of disengaging them with the
racks, when it is necessary to release the brake. On the upper portion of the
pawls we form hooks, which support the levers when at rest on cross pieces, or
projections formed on the upper part of the brake lever guides.
Doted this 21st day of August 1898
THOMAS FOSTER,
ROBERT GOODIER.
THOMAS FOSTER, Abbey Hey House, Gorton, Manchester, Assistant Manager,
ROBERT GOODIER, Ashville, Ashton New Road, Clayton, Manchester, Draughts-
man, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
Di R1

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:
The object of our invention is, to enable the brake of a railway wagon or like
vehicle, to be operated from either side of the vehicle, and thus obviate the
necessity of persons crossing the railway lines to get to the long hand brake
lever for applying the brake, or for releasing it, which is a common occurrence
with brakes now generally used.
In our invention the ordinary brake shaft is extended across the width of the
wagon, the ends of the shaft being made square, or of other suitable form, to
correspond to, and fit tightly into, and engage with the ends of the long hand
brake levers; which are fixed on each side of the wagon, so that when one long
hand brake lever is operated, it will cause the long hand brake lever on the
opposite side of the vehicle to the one operated on, to move correspondingly and
simultaneously.
In a suitable position on each side of the vehicle, a lever guide is fixed for
guiding the long hand brake levers, these lever guides are curved to follow the
radius formed by the movement, when in use, of the long hand brake levers,
and have one or more of their edges formed with teeth. Near these lever guides
is a bar, or rod, which extends across the vehicle, and is made to connect two
pawls of an improved design; this bar, or rod, acts as a medium by which both
pawls have a simultaneous movement. When the brake is applied by forcing
down either of the long hand brake levers, these pawls automatically, & simul-
taneously, engage with the teeth of the respective lever guides, and so hold the
brake blocks tight against the wheels; we have extended these pawls, at their
lower part, towards the handle end of the long hand brake levers, to facilitate
actuating, or disengaging them from the teeth of the lever guides, when it is
necessary to operate the brake. On the upper portion of the pawls we form
hooks, to pass over cross pieces, or projections formed on, or fixed to, the upper
part of the lever guides, for the purpose of suspending the long hand brake
levers when at rest.
In order that our said invention, and the method and means we prefer to
adopt in carrying it out in practice, may be more completely understood, it is
illustrated on the two accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings, which are
marked with figures, and letters of reference, corresponding with those in the
following description, like reference letters indicating the same parts in all the
figures.
Fig. 1, on Sheet 1 of the drawings, is an elevation of an arrangement of a
lever brake, according to our invention, showing the brake at rest.
Fig. 2, shows a plan of the same.
Fig. 3, on Sheet 2, is an elevation of a long hand brake lever.
Fig. 4, is a plan of the same.
Fig. 5, is an elevation of the lever guide.
Fig. 6, is an end elevation of same.
Fig. 7, is an elevation of the bar or rod.
Fig. 8, is a section of same.
Fig. 9, is an elevation of a pawl.
Fig. 10, is a plan of same.
Fig. 11, is an end elevation of same.
The long hand brake levers A, have holes A', formed in them, for the reception
of the boss B', which is made, or formed on the pawl B; the lever guides C,
have teeth C¹, formed on them for engaging with the pawls B, at part B2, when
the brake is applied.
The pawls B, have openings, or holes B¹, corresponding to, and for the reception
of the bar, or rod D, which passes through the pawls B, and is secured in position
by the cotters at D. The upper part of the pawls B, is formed as a hook B³,
to pass over, and be supported by the cross piece C³, attached to, or projecting
from guides C. when the brake is released and at rest.

page_text: All the parts of the improved brake are intended to be made of iron, steel, or
suitable strong metal, or of compound of metals, or of other suitable materials,
and the form or shape, and also the arrangement, may be modified to suit different
designs of vehicles, according to circumstances.
We may modify our arrangement, by reversing the positions of the racks and
pawls; so that the racks would be fixed to, or form part of, the long hand brake
levers, & move with them, and the two pawls which are connected together by
a bar or rod, would always revolve on a fixed centre, so as to allow the pawls,
to engage with the rack on the long hand brake levers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The general construction, and arrangement of parts, together constituting
an improved lever brake for railway wagons, and like vehicles, having the combi-
nation of two pawls, connected together by a bar or rod, which extends across
the vehicle from one pawl to the other, and which is a medium for actuating the
pawls, and causing them to move correspondingly; and lever guides with teeth
formed in them, to engage with the pawls; the pawls & bar, or rod, carried by,
and move with, the long hand brake levers.
2. An arrangement of a lever brake having toothed racks formed on the long
Kand brake levers; which racks engage with pawls, on each side of the vehicle,
which pawls are connected together by a bar, or rod, in a suitable position in
relation to the position of racks on levers, the bar or rod to revolve on a fixed
centre, and so engage with the teeth on the racks, when the brake is applied,
and also is arranged to suspend the levers, when at rest.
Dated this 7th day of October 1898.