A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR CONTRIVANCE AND APPARATUS FOR LOCKING THE WHEELS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Osborn and George
Nicholas at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 27th November 1872.
We, JAMES OSBORN, of Worcester, in the County of Worcester,
Grocer, and GEORGE NICHOLAS, of the same Place, Grocer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE
OR CONTRIVANCE AND APPARATUS FOR LOCKING THE WHEELS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES,"
to be as follows:-
According to the present method of stopping a railway train when
in motion breaks are applied at intervals through the train to some of
the carriages, but as the retarding power is applied to some of the
carriages only, and not to all, and when so applied is by means of
manual labour only, a train if in rapid motion cannot be immediately
stopped, and thus accidents often occur.
Now the object of this Invention is to effect an almost instantaneous
stoppage of the train, the chief novelties of our Invention being that
the impetus of the train itself shall supply its own motive power for

page_text: retardment or stoppage, and that by the means herein-after explained
this motive power shall be so applied as to act simultaneously upon
all the wheels of the carriages of which the train may be composed.
Our, Invention is carried. into effect substantially in the following
manner-Upon the shaft of the driving wheel of the engine is affixed a
composite catch somewhat in the nature of a clutch, the one part of which
is permanently attached to the said shaft, and consequently always re-
volving with it, the other part being in connection with the mechanical
apparatus next herein-after described, and jointed or thrown into that part
of the clutch permanently attached to the shaft, when the break power is
required to be applied by a hand lever in the usual manner. Over the
last-named part of this composite clutch or catch goes a clain or band,
which is in connection with a bevil wheel which takes into another bevil
wheel, upon the shaft of which last-named bevil wheel is cut a screw,
upon which works a block which by the revolution of this second bevil
wheel in contrary directions is caused to travel either forwards or back-
wards upon this shaft or chain as may be desired. In connection therewith
is applied a rod or chain which in its turn acts through a lever upon the
shaft to which the breaks (which may be of the usual kind or construc-
tion) are attached. Each carriage is provided with a similar rod or chain
acting upon a corresponding shaft, which in its turn actuates similar
breaks, and when the train is made up these said rods or chains (as the
case may be) are attached to each other, so that the action of the breaks
upon the wheels of the first carriage is continued in a similar manner
through all the carriages of which the train may be composed, and as
will be readily understood the greater the speed of the train, when
through the action of the shaft of the driving wheel the breaks are
applied, the greater will be their tension or power, and similarly when
the train has come to a standstill the tension will be removed from the
breaks, which by weights or other equivalents are caused to assume
their normal positions.