Producing Frictional Contact.
Year: 1888

page_text: Producing Frictional Contact.
We, L'ANCIENNE SOCIÉTÉ J. G. BIDEAU ET CIE., of Clermont-Ferrand, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturers, and EDOUARD ETIENNE MICHELIN, of Clermont-
Ferrand, in the Republic of France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of brake blocks for the wheels of
vehicles, pullies &c. and it consists essentially in the employment for this purpose of
caoutchouc or other analogous substance and animal, vegetable, or mineral fibre, used
either separately or in combination. This mode of construction affords important
advantages.
The ordinary metal brake block makes a noise is rapidly worn out and produces
sudden shocks which act injuriously upon the vehicle or mechanism to which it may
be applied for regulating its speed, it is therefore both inconvenient for the traveller
and detrimental to the vehicle.
The brake blocks made of caoutchouc alone remedy these inconveniences, but in
order to render them serviceable it is necessary to make them of caoutchouc of
superior quality which renders them too expensive for general use; in any case they
are only of very limited duration, while the combined caoutchouc and fibre blocks that
form the subject of the present invention possess all the good qualities of caoutchouc
without its faults.
The fibrous materials used for this purpose may be in any form, thus tissues,
ribbons, braids, plaits, cords, rovings, felts &c. may be used; or they may consist
of fibres or threads which may or may not he felted and which may be arranged in
more or less parallel position and held either by other fibres or threads interlaced
therewith, or simply by adhering to the caoutchouc.
In all cases it is preferred to arrange the fibres in such manner as to be presented
either as much as possible normally as regards the direction of the pressure, or at
a certain angle, as by this means the durability of the brake block is increased.

page_text: Thus, when using textile fabrics they are by preference so placed in the brake block
as to rub with their edges upon the surface to which the block is applied.
When using groups of fibres in which these are not parallel to themselves, but are
bent to varying angles, the position of the elemental parts is unimportant as whatever
may be the direction of the bundles formed by them in the block such as braids,
plaits, cords &c. they will always present themselves at an angle to the wearing
surface.
The combination of fibres and caoutchouc is agglomerated either by pressure or by
moulding, or by any other means, and it may either be formed into blocks of the size
of the brake blocks to be produced, or into large blocks which are cut into smaller
ones before or after vulcanisation. In the case of woven fabrics for example the.
layers thereof may be agglomerated together. after impregnation with caoutchouc by
passing them between pressing rollers, or layers of the woven fabric may be made to
alternate with layers of caoutchouc for forming a large block or slab which is
afterwards cut up.
For the caoutchouc, may of course be substituted any equivalent more or less elastic
and cementitious matter capable of replacing it.
The block of fibrous caoutchouc, having had the required form imparted to it can
be fixed by any suitable means to the inetallic base of the brake block such for
instance as by simple screw bolts and the sides may be confined between side cheeks
on the base to afford them support.
When we employ tissues or other regular layers of fibres, the alternate layers of
fibre and caoutchouc may be arranged either horizontally or vertically.
Brake blocks of the abovo described construction are applicable in all cases where
motion requires to be stopped or retarded by friction, as for instance in brakes for
vehicles of all kinds, such as railway carriages, vehicles for common roads and
tramways and in various kinds of machinery, the prony dynamometer brake, friction
clutches, and the like.
und this 15th dive of M.... 1900
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improved Construction of Brake Blocks and other Blocks for
Producing Frictional Contact.
We, L'ANCIENNE SOCIÉTÉ J. G. BIDEAU ET CIE. of Clermont-Ferrand, in the
Republic of France, manufacturers, and EDOUARD ETIENNE MICHELIN of Clermont-
Ferrand in the Republic of France, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved construction of brake blocks for the wheels of
vehicles, pullies &c. and it consists essentially in the employment for this purpose of
caoutchouc or other analogous substance and animal, vegetable, or mineral fibre, used
either separately, or in combination. This mode of construction affords important
advantages.
The ordinary metal brake block makes a noise, is rapidly worn out, and produces
sudden shocks which act injuriously upon the vehicle or mechanism to which it may
be applied for regulating its speed, it is therefore both inconvenient for the traveller
and detrimental to the vehicle.
The brake blocks made of caoutchouc alone remedy these inconveniences, but in
order to render them serviceable it is necessary to make them of caoutchouc of
superior quality which renders them too expensive for general use; in any case
they are only of very limited duration, while the combined caoutchouc and fibre blocks
that form the subject of the present invention possess all the good qualities of
caoutchouc without its faults.
The fibrous materials used for this purpose may be in any form, thus tissues, ribbons,
braids, plaits, cords, rovings, felts &c. may be used; or they may consist of fibres or
threads which may or may not be felted and which may be arranged in more or less
parallel position and held either by other fibres or threads interlaced therewith, or
simply by adhering to the caoutchouc.
In all cases it is preferred to arrange the fibres in such manner as to be presented
either as much as possible normally as regards the direction of the pressure, or at a
certain angle, as by this means the durability of the brake block is increased.
Thus, when using textile fabrics they are by preference so placed in the brake block
as to rub with their edges upon the surface to which the block is applied.
When using groups of fibres in which these are not parallel to themselves, but
are bent to varying angles, the position of the elemental parts is unimportant, as
whatever may be the direction of the bundles formed by them in the block such
as braids, plaits cords &c..they will always present themselves at an angle to the
wearing surface.
The combination of fibres and caoutchouc is agglomerated either by pressure or
by moulding or by any other means, and it may either be formed into blocks of
the size of the brake blocks to be produced, or into large blocks which are cut
into smaller ones before or after vulcanisation. In the case of woven fabrics for

page_text: example the layers thereof may be agglomerated together after impregnation with
caoutchouc by passing them between pressing rollers, or layers of the woven fabric
may be made to alternate with layers of caoutchouc for forming a large block or slab
which is afterwards cut up.
For the caoutchouc, may of course be substituted any equivalent more or less elastic
and cementitious matter capable of replacing it.
The block of fibrous caoutchouc, having had the required form imparted to it can.
be fixed by any suitable means to the metallic base of the brake block, such for
instance as by simple screw bolts and the sides may be confined between side cheeks
on the base to afford them support.
When we employ tissues or other regular layers of fibres, the alternate layers of
fibre and caoutchouc may be arranged either horizontally or vertically.
Brakes blocks of the above described construction are applicable in all cases where
motion requires to be stopped or retarded by friction, as for instance in brakes for
vehicles of all kinds, such as railway carriages, vehicles for common roads and
tramways, and in various kinds of machinery, the " prony dynamometer brake,
friction clutches, and the like.
"
On the accompanying drawing is shewn by way of example a brake block con-
structed according to our above described invention, of layers of woven fabric treated
with caoutchouc, which material gives very good results. Fig. 1 shews a vertical
longitudinal section of a block a formed of layers of such fabric, mounted in the
metal jaw or backing of the break block and secured thereto by screws c. the
inner surface of the block being shewn applied to a wheel d of a vehicle. Figs. 2
and shew respectively a horizontal section on line X X and Fig. 3 a vertical
transverse section on line Y Y Fig. 4 shews a transverse section of a modification
in which the layers of fabric are arranged horizontally instead of vertically, the block
being secured by four screws c instead of two.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to. be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The use for brake blocks and other blocks for producing frictional contact, of
one or more groups of animal, vegetable or mineral fibres in the form of tissues,
woven fabrics, plaits, braids cords, threads ribbons felts or rovings, impregnated
with caoutchouc or equivalent material and afterwards moulded under pressure, sub-
stantially as herein described.
2. Brake blocks constructed of superposed layers of woven fabric saturated with
caoutchouc substantially as herein described with. reference to the accompanying
drawings.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.