IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF SELF-ACTING RAILWAY BREAKS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederick Stansbury, of the firm of Nourse
& Co., of Nos. 17 and 18, Cornhill, London, American and General
Patent Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
AND OPERATION OF SELF-ACTING RAILWAY BREAKS."-A. communication from
Sealed the 29th June 1855, and dated the 19th January 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederick
Stansbury at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 19th January 1855.
I, CHARLES FREDERICK STANSBURY, of the firm of Nourse & Co., of No. 17
& 18, Cornhill, London, American & General Patent Agents, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUC-
TION AND OPERATION OF SELF-ACTING RAILWAY BREAKS," being a communication
from James J. McComb, of New Orleans, United States of America, to be
as follows:
The first part of my Invention consists in placing the buffer heads (which I
shall also call break heads) which apply the momentum of the carriage to
the working of the breaks, one on each side the coupling, and having but one
buffer head on each end of each carriage. These are so arranged as to abut
not against each other, but against a plate on the framework of the opposite
carriage. By this arrangement the effective leverage is doubled, as all the

page_text: play between the carriages is made use of in applying the breaks, instead of
half as in the common method, where four buffer heads abutting against each
other are used between each pair of carriages.
The second part of my Invention consists in a method of simultaneously
throwing the breaks out of action when it is desired. This consists in so con-
structing and connecting the series of break heads that when the engineer
desires to back the train, or for any other purpose to throw the breaks out of
action, they may be all raised simultaneously.
The buffer heads are connected with their beams by a rule joint or hinge,
which allows them to be raised by any suitable mechanical means. For this
I employ a series of cords & rods in connection with lifting pieces and rollers
in substantially the following manner :-
On the top of each carriage I place two upright pieces facing each other,
& having vertical slots in them, in which the journals of a roller are guided
& move up & down. To each of said journals is attached a cord which
passes over a pulley at the end of the carriage, and is fastened to the break
head; it is intended to raise & lower. Ways or guides are placed on the
carriage, between which moves longitudinally a slide or lifting piece connected
by rods & cords to the lifting piece on every other carriage of the train, cords
being used between the carriages. These rods, cords, & lifting pieces form
an unbroken line from the rear of the train to the engine, or to whatever posi-
tion the guard or operator may occupy. The ends of the lifting pieces are
chamfered off, & so placed that when the line of cords and rods is drawn in
one direction, the lifting piece will pass under the roller & force it to rise
between its uprights until it has, by means of the cords attached to its journals,
raised the break heads, to which said cords are fastened, & thus throw the
breaks out of play.
When
Thus, by shortening the line of cords and rods, the operator can simul-
taneously throw up & out of action every break head in the train.
the train starts forward & straightens out, the lifting pieces will all be simul-
taneously withdrawn from under their rollers, and the break heads lowered
ready for action. The apparatus need not be placed on the top of the carriage;
it may be attached to the bottom or sides without a change of principle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Frederick Stansbury in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th July 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
FREDERICK STANSBURY, of the firm of Nourse & Co., of Nos. 17 and 18,
Cornhill, London, American and General Patent Agents, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Frederick Stansbury, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
Frederick Stansbury, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Charles Frederick Stansbury, 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 CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF SELF-ACTING RAILWAY
BREAKS," a communication from James J. McComb, of New Orleans, United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Frederick Stansbury, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 Charles Frederick Stansbury, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side view of a pair of carriages (a
portion of one being broken away) coupled together, and the break and fixtures
in place; Figure 2 represents an end view of one of the trucks, with the break
thereon; Figure 3 represents a pair of small trucks with the same breaking
apparatus applied. Similar letters in all the Drawings denote like parts.
The nature of the first part of my Invention relates to the placing of the
bumper heads which apply the momentum of the carriage to the working of
the breaks, one on each side of the coupling, so that said heads shall come
against the carriage, or the platforms thereof, instead of abutting against

page_text: each other, by which means I use all the play between each pair of carriages
in applying the breaks, instead of only one-half the distance, as is the case
when the break heads or buffers abut against each other.
And the second part of my Invention relates to a method of simultaneously
throwing self-acting breaks on railroad carriages into or out of action, as
circumstances may require.
:
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my Invention, I will
proceed to describe the same with reference to the Drawings.
The usual amount of coupling distance between each pair of carriages in a
train is, or should be, about four inches, and ought not to exceed six inches.
To allow more than six inches causes too much jerking, jarring, and some-
times "piling" of the carriages when the train is being checked up or started.
In self-acting breaks, the distance apart at which the carriages are coupled or
"their "play," as it is termed, is all the available leverage that can be used to
first bring the several parts of the break up to their bearings, and then apply
the breaks. When this is done, by allowing the break heads or the buffers
(when the latter are used in lieu of separate break heads) to abut one against
the other, cach one can only move half the coupling distance, or, say three
inches at farthest, if coupled six inches apart. This is not sufficient, as the
break blocks must hang clear of the wheels, and there is necessarily some addi-
tional play in the joints of the connecting rods, &c. Three inches is but
barely enough to bring up the break blocks in contact with the wheels, and
leaves nothing to apply them hard against the wheels when so brought up:
Now, by my method, each break may move the entire six inches, and after the
break blocks and the other necessary parts are brought up against the wheels
and against each other, I still have three inches more of motion to apply in
forcing the break blocks against the wheels. This difference is what consti-
tutes the essence of my Invention.
It might be said that by a combination of levers the three inches of motion
on the old plan might be increased to six or more: In reply to such theory,
I would state, such multiplication of parts in complication of levers, would
make the break worse than useless, for it would make it dangerous. There is
more safety in trusting to one piece than to two, three, or more, as the liability
to "give way" or to become inoperative increases with the number of pieces
used; and hence, if it were possible to make a break of one piece only, it
would be more reliable than when made of several pieces, and my plan gives
the greatest availability to the simplest forms of efficient breaks.
A, A, represent a pair of trucks or small carriages, the principle being
equally applicable to four or eight-wheeled carriages as at present constructed;

page_text: B is a coupling. of any of the well-known forms; C, C, are break heads, one at
each end of each carriage and on opposite sides of the central coupling, so as
never to be opposite the beam of the next carriage, whichever of their ends
may go foremost. These break heads, as the carriages come up against each
other, strike against a plate D, (Figure 2,) which forcés them back with all the
momentum of the train, and by means of their beams E, the lever F, and con-
necting rods A, A, bring up the break blocks G against the wheels H. The
break beams or heads E, E, as before stated, are placed one on each side of
the coupling B; this equalizes the thrust or strain upon the platform or upon
the carriages. The object is, however, to so place these heads as that they
shall not strike one against the other, but so that the entire coupling distance.
may be used to actuate or apply each and every break of the series.
The heads C may be secured to the beam by a screw, as shewn in dotted
lines (Figure 3); so as to make them adjustable, and a rule joint is formed in
the beams E at b, so that these heads may be raised up when the train is
to be backed or the breaks not to be applied. The general construction of the
break may be such as is now in use, and I do not deem any further detailed
description of it necessary, so long as I clearly point out what I believe to be
new in its application.
When the train is started, and the break heads released from contact with
the carriage in front or rear of it, the springs c throw the break blocks G
clear of the wheels. By my method of breaking the train, the trucks are as
free to follow the curvatures of the road, as by any other of the known
methods, and any tendency of the carriage frames to adapt themselves to the
line of the road is not affected, as the break heads may readily slip on their
plates when in contact therewith.
The second part of my Invention consists in so connecting the series of
break heads on the train as that they may all be raised up at once by the
engineer or attendant when the train is to be backed, or for any other purpose.
This involves a method that can be adjusted to each carriage in the train, as
an allowance must be made for each and every coupling space; and said heads
are, by the same contrivance, or by the lengthening out of the train, as the
carriages are started by the engine, again let down, so as to be ready to apply
the breaks when occasion may require, as will be now described.
. I have said that the coupling distance between the carriages should be from
four to six inches, and for the sake of illustration I shall assume four inches
as the distance, and a train to consist of ten carriages. Now, the break of the
first carriage in the train will be jammed up when said carriage, or the one in
rear of it, advances four inches, the next at eight inches, the next at twelve,

page_text: and so until the rear one moves forty inches to bring up its break, the four.
inches adding itself to the total through the series of carriages in the train.
It will be obvious from this, that a single rod or cord cannot effect the result;
for, as the first break would be raised to its extent by drawing the cord four
inches, it would then hold the cord from being drawn forward any farther,
whilst it requires forty inches movement to raise the rear break head, and
proportional distances for the intermediate breaks. Another fact practically
ascertained is, that in railway carriages everything should have a permanent
adjustment, that is to say, when the train is made up, every part should come at
once into its effective position, for if they require time or attention in arranging
them, they are sure to be neglected, and such neglect to result in accident.
It is to avoid this necessity that I have arranged my mechanical means,
which are put into working order with the same facility that a bell rope is
united throughout a train; so also, when a train of carriages is backed by the
engine, the carriage next the engine will move forty inches before the rear
carriage of the ten will be moved at all, the play between each adding itself to
every carriage in the series. On top of each carriage I arrange two upright
supporting pieces I, facing each other (one only being seen in the side
view), having vertical slots d therein, in which the journals e of a roller J
are guided and move. To each of the journals e is attached a cord f, passing
over a pulley g at the respective ends of the carriages (one cord passing to
one end, and the other to the other end), and thence to the break heads C, C.
K, K, are ways or guides, arranged also on top of the carriages, between which
may slide a lifting piece L, which has connected to it, as well as to each and
every other lifting piece of the train, rods h, which are connected by cords i
intermediately between the carriages, so as to form a flexible connection at that
point. The rods and cords i form an unbroken line from the rear of the
train to the engine, or wherever the operator may stand, the lifting pieces
forming a part of that line. The ends of the lifting pieces have inclined
planes at their ends, which, when they are drawn towards the roller J, will
cause said roller to rise up until it rests on top of said lifting pieces. When
the roller of the first carriage is raised up, its break head is also raised up
(as shewn in red at the end of the Figure 1). The lifting piece may continue
to be drawn in the same direction, and although it will not raise its own break
heads any higher, yet for every four inches it moves it draws under its roller
another lifting piece, which throws out the next break, and so on until it has
been drawn forty inches, when all the break heads are raised in a train of ten
carriages. The principle, however, may be carried to any extent. The break
heads being all raised up, the train can be backed at pleasure, and when the.

page_text: train starts or straightens out, the lifting pieces will be all drawn back from
under their respective rollers, allowing them (the rollers) to drop, and thus
drop the break heads into their proper places for applying the breaks when it
becomes necessary. The lifting piece and roller, in red lines, Figure 1, as well
as the break head, in red lines in the same Figure, are shewn in their respec-
tive positions when the break heads are thrown out of action, whilst the black
lines represent them in position for applying the breaks the moment the engine
is checked and the train is left to move by its own momentum. I have repre-
sented the several devices for raising and lowering the break heads, as arranged
on top of the carriages; they may, however, be placed at the sides or on the
bottom of the carriages, without a change of principle.
Having thus fully described the nature of my Invention, I would state that
I am fully aware that self-acting breaks of various forms have been essayed,
which were to be brought into action by the momentum of the train after the
engine had been checked or reversed; but in all these of which I have
knowledge, the break beams (or the bumpers when used as break beams)
abutted one against the other, thus leaving but one-half of the coupling
distance available for bringing up the several parts of the break to a proper
bearing and applying the breaks, which is found insufficient; and to couple the
carriages farther apart to give the necessary distance to properly operate
the breaks has its equally objectionable features. These, therefore, I do
not claim; but what I do claim under the before in part recited Letters
Patent is, allowing the break beams of each carriage to abut against the
carriage or framework of the carriage next to it, by which means I make
available the whole play or distance between the carriages in bringing up the
breaks, and thus more effectually apply them than heretofore.
I also claim, in combination with the break heads of self-acting breaks on
railway carriages, the lifting pieces L, rollers J, and their several connections
or mechanical equivalents for the same, so as to throw said break heads and
the breaks connected therewith into or out of action at pleasure from any
given point or place in the engine or train.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Frederick Stansbury, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
CHARLES FREDERICK STANSBURY. (L.S.)