Improvements in Automatic Brakes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1899-Accepted, 12th Aug., 899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Brakes.
I, HENRY NEWTON WOOD, 524, Mining Exchange, Denver, Colorado, United
States of America, Gentleman, 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 improvements in automatic brakes, and consists of
the features hereinafter described and claimed, all of which will be fully under-
stood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated an
embodiment thereof.
In this drawing
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the brake applied to a car-wheel, the brake beam
being shown in cross section.
Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a section taken through the brake head on the line X-X, Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation illustrating another form of construction.
Fig. 5 is a rear view of the same.
Fig. 6 is a section taken through the brake head on line x, x, Fig. 5, showing
a fragment of the shoe.
Fig. 7 illustrates this form of the brake applied to a car truck.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating another form of construction.
Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts in these views, and
referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, let the numeral 5 designate the brake shoe,
which is adapted to engage the wheel 16 of the car. This shoe is provided on
the side opposite its wheel-engaging surface with two faces 5", rearwardly inclined
from a central point, forming a wedge-shaped shoe. The inclined faces 5" of the
shoe are grooved, as shown at 6 to receive an anti-frictional roller 7, which is
journaled in an open bearing 8" formed in a head 8, which is secured to the
brake beam 9 by means of bolts 10.
The shoe is formed with upper and lower hook-shaped lugs 5° adapted to
respectively engage upward and downward projections Se formed on the head 8,
whereby the movement of the brake shoe is limited in both directions. The shoe
is supported in the operative position by means of a spring 12, one extremity of
which is attached to the head 8, while the other extremity is connected with a
link 13 attached to the upper part of the brake shoe. This link, as shown in
the drawing, is composed of two members connected by bolts 14 and 15. The
bolt 15 connects the link with the shoe, while the spring is attached to the
bolt 14 between the link members.
In the use of this brake it is only necessary to shift the brake beam until
the shoe is brought in contact with the wheel, after which the wheel moves the
shoe by friction either upward or downward, according to the direction of the
wheel's rotation, the brake setting function being performed in either case by the
wedging of the shoe between the wheel and the head upon which the shoe is
supported. The roller 7 reduces the friction between the shoe and the head and
prevents lateral displacement of the shoe. This form of shoe acts equally well,
regardless of the direction of the wheel's rotation or the train's movement.
This

page_text: shoe is also reversible, that is to say, it may be applied to either wheel of the
truck on the same side of the car by reversing the position of its extremities.
the lower extremity having an opening A for connecting the link 13.
In the construction shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the brake shoe, which is
designated by the letter B, is provided with an inclined face B', in which is
formed a groove B2 which the anti-frictional roller 7, engages. This shoe is
provided with upper and lower lugs B and B which, by engagement with the
head C, limit the movement of the shoe in both directions. The head is secured
to the brake beam 9 by bolts 10. This shoe is provided with upwardly-pro-
jecting arms C provided with slots C². A pin D, passed through an opening in
the lug B3 of the shoe, engages the slot Ca as the shoe moves up and down. The
upward movement of the shoe is limited by the lug B', which is adapted to engage
the depending portion C³ of the head. The downward movement of the shoe is
limited by the engagement of the lug B³ with the top face C of the head located
between the arms C. The slot C³ in each arm C increases in width from the
bottom upwardly to allow the pin D to move in the arc of a circle as the shoe
travels up and down.
In the operation of this shoe the friction of the wheel carries it upward, or in
the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, the setting of the brake being
effected by wedging the shoe between the wheel and the brake head. As soon as
the brake beam is shifted to release the brake, the shoe drops by gravity to the
position shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, being supported on the brake head, which is
its normal position. It is evident that this shoe can operate automatically only
when the wheel is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4,
since the automatic brake-setting operation requires a movement in the direction
of the wheel's rotation, and the shoe, when in the position shown in Fig. 4,
cannot move farther downward, assuming that the wheel were moving in the
direction opposite that indicated by the arrow.
In use, however, the brake shoes are located on opposite sides of the two
pairs of wheels comprising the truck (see Fig. 7); that is to say, the one shoe
or pair of shoes engages one wheel or pair of wheels in the rear, while the other
shoe or pair of shoes engages the other wheel or pair of wheels in front. In this
event, when the brake beams are shifted toward the wheels, the brake shoe or
shoes on the one brake beam will operate automatically, while the others will
only act directly, their brake-setting function being limited to the power
employed in forcing them against the wheels, no matter in which direction the
wheels are turning. In other words, the one shoe or pair of shoes on the same
brake beam would operate automatically when the car is moving in a given
direction, while the shoe or shoes on the other brake beam will operate auto-
matically when the car is moving in the reverse direction, the two shoes or sets
of shoes alternating in automatic action.
Instead of the brake head C, the brake shoe may be mounted on a roller 23
supported by a bar 22 which forms the brake beam. As shown in the drawing,
the roller is located between two collars 14" fast on the bar.
It must be understood that I do not limit the invention to the details of con-
struction herein shown, as I am aware that many modifications may be employed
without departing from the spirit of the invention.
The wheel 16 in Fig. 4, is shown provided with a flange 16, the shoe having
a hook B5 engaging said flange. This hook prevents undue lateral movement
of the shoe.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. The combination with a suitable support arranged to move back and forth
in a horizontal plane, according as the brake is to be applied or released, of a
shoe having two rearwardly inclined faces, a head mounted on said support, the

page_text: shoe being movable on the head, while the latter is relatively stationary and
arranged to set the brake when the wheel is turning in either direction, and suit-
able means for maintaining the shoe in operative relation with the head.
2. The combination with a suitable support arranged to move back and forth
in a horizontal plane, according as the brake is to be applied or released, of a
shoe having two rearwardly inclined faces, a head mounted on said support, an
anti-frictional device mounted on one part, that is, the shoe or the head, and
engaging a groove or way formed in the other part, the shoe being movable on
the head, while the latter is relatively stationary and arranged to set the brake
when the wheel is turned in either direction, and suitable means for maintaining
the shoe in operative relation with the head.
3. The combination with a suitable support arranged to move back and forth
in a horizontal plane, of a shoe having two rearwardly inclined faces, a head
mounted on the said support, and a roller journaled in one part, that is to say
the shoe or the head, and engaging a groove formed in the other part, the shoe
being movable on the head, while the latter is relatively stationary.
4. The combination with a suitable brake beam, of a shoe having two rear-
wardly inclined faces, a head mounted on the brake beam, and a roller journaled
in open bearings formed in the head and engaging a groove formed in the wedge,
the shoe being movable on the wedge, while the latter is relatively stationary.
6. The combination with a movable brake beam, of a head made fast thereon,
a shoe engaging the head and movable thereon, the shoe having two rearwardly.
inclined faces diverging from a central point, one of the said parts, that is to say
the shoe or the head, being provided with a roller engaging a guide or groove
formed in the other part, and suitable means for returning the shoe to its normal
position after each braking action.
6. The combination with a movable brake beam, of a head made fast thereon, a
shoe engaging the head and movable thereon, the shoe having two rearwardly
inclined faces, one of the said parts being provided with a roller engaging a
guide groove formed in the other part, and suitable means for returning the shoe
to its normal position after each braking action, comprising a spring attached
to the shoe at one extremity, and to the head at the opposite extremity.
7. In an automatic brake, the combination with a suitable support, of a shoc
having an inclined face engaging said support, and a lug adapted to catch on
the support, whereby the shoe is held in operative relation when not in use.
8. In an automatic brake, the combination of a brake head having an upward
projection, a brake shoe mounted thereon having an inclined face, and a hook
or projection on the head, whereby the shoe is supported in the operative posi-
tion when not in use.
9. In a brake, the combination with a brake beam of a head secured thereon,
and a shoe mounted on the head and provided with a rearwardly inclined face
and having a hook at each extremity.
10. The combination of a brake shoe, having an inclined groove and a support-
ing hook or projection, a support upon which the shoe is mounted, and a roller
carried by said support and arranged to engage the groove in the brake shoe.
11. The combination with a suitable support, of a brake shoe having a hook
or projection adapted to engage said support when the shoe is at rest, or in its
normal position, the shoe being provided with an inclined face extending rear-
wardly and downwardly below the supporting hook or projection.
12. The combination with a suitable support, of a brake shoe having an
inclined face engaging said support, and a hook or projection located on opposite
sides of said support and adapted to limit the movement of the shoe in both
directions.
13. The combination with a suitable support, and a roller mounted thereon, of
a brake block or shoe mounted on said support and having an inclined face
which the roller engages, said shoe being provided with a projection adapted to
engage said support when the shoe is at rest.

page_text: 14. The combination with a suitable support, of a wedge-shaped block or shoe
mounted on said support, the shoe having a hook or projection adapted to engage
the support from above, and suitable means for holding the shoe in operative
relation with its support.
15. A brake shoe having an inclined rear face, and a rearwardly projecting
lug located both above and below said face.
Total thi 1341
1000