IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BREAK LEVER GUARD OF RAILWAY TRUCKS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Harland, of Derby, in the County of Derby,
Carriage Superintendent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
BREAK LEVER GUARD OF RAILWAY TRUCKS."
Sealed the 11th June 1858, and dated the 4th February 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Harland at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th February 1858.
I, ROBERT HARLAND, of Derby, in the County of Derby, Carriage Super-
intendant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE BREAK LEVER GUARD OF RAILWAY TRUCKS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the guard of the break lever employed on railway
trucks. These guards have hitherto been made of a suitably bent piece of
iron, attached to the truck side or frame, and projecting downwards near the
wheel were constantly liable to be injured, or even struck off by accidental
contact with other objects whilst running; this Invention is designed to
obviate this defect.
At or near the end of the break lever is to be jointed a quadrant or segment
of wrought iron, which moves through a suitable bearing fastened to the side
of the truck, the segment (which forms the break-lever guide) extending
upwards above, instead of below the break lever. The lever when' out of

page_text: work is held by means of a catch, which is fastened to the side of the truck,
and which also rubs or presses against the side of the segment when the break
is put on, and thus steadies it whilst at work.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Harland in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th August 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,--I, ROBERT
HARLAND, of Derby, in the County of Derby, Carriage Superintendant, send
greeting.
2
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year
of Her reign,. did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Robert Harland, Her special -licence, that I, the said
Robert Harland, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Robert Harland, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during 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
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BREAK LEVER GUARD OF RAILWAY TRUCKS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Harland, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Harland, 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 by the following
statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings, that,
is to say :-
My Invention relates to the guard of the break lever employed on railway
trucks. These guards have bitherto been made of a suitably bent piece of
iron attached to the truck side or frame, and projecting downwards near the
wheels were constantly liable to be injured, or even struck off by accidental

page_text: contact with other objects whilst running; this Invention is designed to
obviate this defect.
At or near the end of the break lever is to be jointed or otherwise attached
a quadrant or segment of wrought iron, which moves through a suitable
bearing fastened to the side of the truck, the segment (which forms the break
lever guide) extending upwards above, instead of below the break lever. The
lever when out of work is held by means of a catch, which is fastened to
the side of the truck, and which also rubs or presses against the side of the
segment when the break is put on, and thus steadies it whilst at work.
In order that my Invention may be perfectly understood, and to explain the
same more in detail, I have annexed hereunto two Sheets of Drawings
illustrating various modifications thereof, and have marked the same with
figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following.
explanation thereof, that is to say :-
In Sheet 1 of the Drawings, Figure 1 represents one modification of my
Invention, wherein the break lever guard is attached by a joint to the break
lever.
A, A, is the body of the truck; B, B, the wheels; C, C, the break; and
D, D, the break lever; E, E, is the break lever guard, which is attached by a
joint at a to the break lever, and projects upwards therefrom. This guard
forms a segment of a circle, and passes through a socket F, F, attached to the
side of the truck. When the break is out of use the lever is supported by a
catch, and when in work it is held by the ratchet b taking into the notches c, c;
on the face of the break lever guard, or by passing the pin d through one of
the holes e, e, in the break lever guard, as shown in dotted lines.
In the same Sheet, Figure 2 shews another modification of my Invention, in
which the guard E, E, is a straight bar connected to the break lever by a joint
at a, and passing upwards through a socket F, F, attached to the end of the
truck. When the break is out of use the lever is supported by the catch G,
and when in work it is held by passing the pin 6 through one of the holes c, c,
in the guard E.
In Sheet 2 of the Drawings, Figures 3 and 4 show still further modifications
of this Invention. In Figure 3 the break lever D, D, is placed in a vertical
position, and is connected to the break C, C, by a supplementary lever and
link H, H. In this arrangement the break lever guard E, E, is curved and
notched, and is attached to the end of the truck, the break lever being furnished
with a catch G, which can be raised at pleasure by means of the thumb
piece d. In Figure 4 of the same Sheet, the guard is in the form of a straight
rack E, E, connected to the break lever, and sliding vertically through a

page_text: socket Fat the end of the truck. The lever is held up when out of use by
the catch a taking into a notch at the back of the rack, and is kept to its
work when in use by the catch 6 taking in the teeth in the. face of the
rack.
b
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of
"Improvements in the Break Lever Guard of Railway Trucks," together with
several modifications of the manner of carrying the same into practical effect,
I would remark in conclusion, that it is evident that an endless number of
mere variations or modifications of this Invention may be made without
departing from the fundamental principles of my Invention; and I wish it to
be distinctly understood that I claim as my Invention, the several arrange-
ments or modifications of the break lever guard, as shown in the Drawings
and above described, or any mere modification thereof, or mechanical
equivalent therefor, by which the same end or object is or may be attained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Harland, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
SAMUEL BARTON,
Patent Agent, Derby.
ROBERT HARLAND. (L.S.)