IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY RDATES AND ÅDDADAMNO POR COMMUNICATING IN RAILWAY TRAING”
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Clapp, of 14", Austin Friars, in
the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
RDATES
AND
ÅDDADAMNO POR COMMUNICATING IN RAILWAY TRAING”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Clapp
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd April 1875.
I, WILLIAM HENRY CLAPP, of 14, Austin Friars, in the City of
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING IN
RAILWAY TRAINS," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to provide means for the purpose of
communicating a thrust along a train of railway carriages or trucks for
either actuating brakes or transmitting signals from one part of a train
to another. For this purpose I provide metal cylinders having exterior
flanges attached to receive the clamps uxed in fixing the cylinders in a

page_text: continuous line to the carriages. Each cylinder contains a rod or piston
passing through its centre, and divided and made elastic by springs.
When used for the purpose of actuating brakes the cylinders are
placed one over cach axle, so that a four wheeled carriage has two
cylinders. The rods or pistons passing through the cylinders abut one on
the other, forming a continuous line for the application of direct force
from one end of the train to the other.
On some lines where the connections of the draw bars would interfero
with the action of the centre rods connected to brake, I prefer to
employ attached to the central rods two arms radiating at an angle
strengthened by a tic rod, cach arm carrying at its extremity a buffer
head to be acted upon by buffers attached to similar apparatus of other
carriages. Each carriage with its apparatus is thus quite independent of
another. There is no necessity for coupling, the brakes and carriages or
trucks may be slipped at any station on the road without interfering
with the brake power remaining, or the means of communicating
signals.
Each pair of wheels is provided with four brake blocks which are fixed
to the extremities of two cross bars connected together by lazy-tong
levers, so that the brake blocks on either side of the wheels simul-
taneously approach to and recede from them.
The rods or pistons have shoulders upon them, and when a thrust is
communicated to the rods or pistons the shoulders act upon parts
attached to the cross bars and put on the brakes. When the thrust is
from front to rear the cross bars in front of the wheels are acted upon so
as to bring their brake blocks against the wheels, and the cross bars
behind the wheels are drawn up by the lazy-tong levers so as to bring
their brake blocks also against the wheels. When the thrust is from
the rear the hinder cross bars are directly acted upon, and the others
through the lazy-tong levers.
The mechanism for applying force for actuating the brakes is contained
in a cylinder placed in a line with the other cylinders, and so con-
structed as to be capable both of transmitting the force applied from
either end of the train, and of being used independently for applying a
thrust towards both ends of the train right and left at the same time.
The brakes are thus applied simultaneously from the centre of the train

page_text: through its entire length, or it may be more convenient to have a brake
van at either end of the train.
I employ right and left handed screws to obtain the outward thrust,
and I actuate them by suitable gear and levers.
When it is desired to use parts of my Invention for the purpose of
transmitting and communicating signals, the cylinders are placed at
the tops of the carriages. The end of the piston rod in the guard's van
is jointed to a lever, so that when it is pushed it may release a detent
and ring a bell or bells, or strike a gong conveniently placed in the van
and thus attract the attention of the guard.
If it is desired that the passengers should be able to communicate
with the guard, then immediately over the top of the carriage wherever
it is thought desirable, I place a handle and fix a cylinder containing
the right and left-hand screw action already described. Extra springs
may be used to aid the operation if required to make the handles work
more easily.
The cylinders with their rods are so fixed that a certain amount of
play is allowed to be regulated by the buffers proper of the train.
I may employ any known motive power for actuating the brakes, as
steam, aur, or water, and in some cases it will be convenient to employ a
cylinder having a piston rod and carrying a buffer head, the piston
working in a steam-tight and packed cylinder passing under the engine.
A steam pipe having communication with the boiler of the engine may
be connected with the packed cylinder, and the brake can then be
applied by the engineer by simply turning the steam on.
I allow the steam or compressed air to escape from the packed
cylinder after it is wished to remove the brakes by having a two-way steam
cock, the outlet valve of which is always open when the brakes are off',
and closed when steam or compressed air is turned on by the engineer.

page_text: filed by the said William Henry Clapp in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY CLAPP, of 14", Austin Friars, in the City of London, send |
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Ier heirs and successors, give :
and grant unto me, the said William Henry Clapp, Her special license
that I, the said William Henry Clapp, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Henry Clapp, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during 1
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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING IN
RAILWAY TRAINS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Henry Clapp, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should
particularly describe and ascertam 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar 2
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Clapp, 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 a
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:
-
The object of my Invention is to provide means for the purpose of
communicating a thrust along a train of railway carriages or trucks for
either actuating brakes or transmitting signals from one part of a train

page_text: flanges attached to receive the clamps used in fixing the cylinders in a
continuous line to the carriages. Each cylinder contains a rod or piston
passing through its centre and divided, and made elastic by springs.
When used for the purpose of actuating brakes the cylinders are
placed one over cach axle, so that a four wheeled carriage has two
cylinders. The rods or pistons passing through the cylinders abut one
on the other, forming a continuous line for the application of direct forco
from one end of the train to the other.
On some lines where the connections of the draw bars would interfore
with the action of the centre rods connected to brake I prefer to
employ attached to the central rods two arms radiating at an angle
strengthened by a tie rod, cach arm carrying at its extremity a buffer
head to be acted upon by buffers attached to similar apparatus of other
carriages; each carriage with its apparatus is thus quite independent
of another, there is no necessity for coupling the brakes and carriages;
or trucks may be slipped at any station on the road without interfering
with the brake power remaining or the means of communicating
signals.
ir Each pair of wheels is provided with four brake blocks which are
fixed to the extremities of two cross bars connected together, by lazy-
tong levers so that the brake blocks on either side of the wheels simul-
taneously approach to and recede from them.
The rods or pistons have shoulders upon them, and when a thrust is
communicated to the rods or pistons the shoulders act upon parts
attached to the cross bars and put on the brakes When the thrust is
from front to rear the cross bars in front of the wheels are acted upon so
as to bring their brake blocks against the wheels, and the cross bars
behind the wheels are drawn up by the lazy-tong levers so as to bring
their brake blocks also against the wheels. When the thrust is from
the rear the hinder cross bars are directly acted upon, and the others
through the lazy-tong lovers
The mechanism for applying force for actuating the brakes is con-
tained in a cylinder placed in a line with the other cylinders, and so
constructed as to be capable both of transmitting the force applied from
either end of the train, and of being used independently for applying a
thrust towards both ends of the train right and left at the same time
The brakes are thus applied simultaneously from the centre of the train

page_text: through its entire length, or it may be more convenient to have a brako
van at either end of the train
I employ right and left-handed screws to obtain the outward thrust,
and I actuate them by suitable gear and levers.
When it is desired to use parts of my Invention for the purpose of
transmitting and communicating signals the cylinders are placed at the
tops of the carriages The end of the piston rod in the guard's van is
jointed to a lever, so that when it is pushed it may release a detent and
ring a bell or bells, or strike a gong conveniently placed in the van and
thus attract the attention of the guard.
If it is desired that the passengers should be able to communicate
with the guard, then immediately over the top of the carriage, wherever
it is thought desirable, I place a handle and fix a cylinder containing
the night and left-hand screw action already described. Extra springs
'may be used to aid the operation if required to make the handles work
more easily.
The cylinders with their rods are so fixed that a certain amount of
play is allowed to be regulated by the buffers proper of the train
I may employ any known motive power for actuating the brakes, as
steam, air, or water, and in some cases it will be convenient to employ
a cylinder having a piston rod and carrying a buffer head, the piston
working in a steam-tight and packed cylinder passing under the engine.
A steam pipe having communication with the boiler of the engine may
bc connected with the packed cylinder, and the brake can then be
applied by the engineer by simply turning the steam on
I allow the steam or compressed air to escape from the packed
cylinder after it is wished to remove the brakes by having a two-way
steam cock, the outlet valve of which is always open when the brakes
are off, and closed when steam or compressed air is turned on by the
engineer.
In order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

page_text: together, as shown. The parts a² of the pistons are hollow, and at their
ends have an internal flange, they are connected by the rod b which
works freely through their ends, but is prevented from drawing com-
pletely out by the nuts b' coming against the internal flanges. Around
the rod there is a spiral spring d³ which tends to force the hollow
pistons a apart. Outside the pistons there are boxes c³, c³, provided
with flanges, as shown, and containing spiral springs d¹, d. The rod 6
is surrounded by a cylinder b² whose ends bear against the springs d², d².
If the connections of the draw bars of the carriage would be interfered
with by the cylinder I provide one end of the piston with a cross bar and
buffers, as shown.
Figure 2 is an under side view of a four wheeled railway carriage
fitted with two of my cylinders. The cylinders are supported on the
carriage by brackets or bearings e¹, e³, which embrace the boxes c¹, c²,
leaving them free to move end wise until their flanges come against the
bearing. The brake blocks fare supported by hangers from the frame
of the carriage, and are connected in pairs by the rods f¹ in the usual
way. The rods f¹ have collars upon them which embrace and hold the
boxes between two flanges, a slight play being given to allow for
> inequalities of fitting. The rods f¹ are connected in pairs by lazy-tong
levers, as shown, so that when one rod with its brake blocks is pressed
towards the wheels it similarly actuates the other rod and blocks.
The brakes may be put on either by pushing the cylinders on the
carriage apart (as will hereafter be described), or by the pushing of
3 both cylinders together in the same direction by the cylinder in either of
the next carriages having been pushed outwards by putting on the
brakes in any other part of the train.
The springs & are for the purpose of giving play to allow for unequal
coupling together of the carriages. The brakes are not put down until
the flange or the hollow piston a³ comes into contact with the box c*.
Figure 1 shows these two in contact, Figure 2, apart; the springs d
being slightly compressed when the cylinder is in position on the
carriage. If the pistons are moved longitudinally after the flange on a
is in contact with c³ the brakes are put on, the springs being com-
pressed, and the boxes of approaching each other. When the brakes are
taken off the springs & bring the boxes back to their original
positions.

page_text: The spring is to allow for the brake blocks of the two pairs of
wheels being at unequal distances apart from wear or any other cause.
Suppose when the brakes have skidded one pair of wheels the other pair
continues to turn, then if additional force be applied the spring d³ of
the cylinder above this latter pair will be compressed until these wheels
are also skidded. The spring d³ is made much stronger than the springs
d¹, d³, so that it is not compressed until the brakes are hard down on
one pair of wheels.
also
Any other convenient way of moving the cylinders endwisc may
be employed.
7

page_text: For six wheeled carriages three cylinders would be used, and in this
case the apparatus for putting on the brakes would be situated between
the middle one and either of the outside ones.
When my apparatus is used for communicating signals in the train I
prefer to carry it at the top of the carriages; the brake rods and lovers
arc of course omitted, as also is the spring d³ which is not required, the
two pistons being now simply screwed together at the middle; but in
the cylinder over the guard's van they screw into a flat piece of motal,
as shown at Figuro 5. This piece of metal has a hole in the centre to
receive the joint of a lever, which by being moved right or left actuates
the signal apparatus inside the guard's van.
The arrangement for giving the signals may be similar to that for
putting on the brakes, and after giving the signal may either be brought
back to position by a spring, or may be so arranged that it cannot be
withdrawn; thus indicating the compartment from which the signal
was given. For signals only one cylinder would be used for each
carriage.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I
claim is my improvements in railway brakes, and in apparatus for com-
municating in railway trains, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Clapp, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of September,
in the ycar of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five