Improvements in and connected with Railway Brakes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 25th July, 1898-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1898
Improvements in and connected with Railway Brakes.
I, JOHN HARDY, of 8, Morton Street, West Hartlepool, in the County of Durham,
Locomotive Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to brakes for railway vehicles.
In air brakes as at present in use an air tap or cock is provided on the brake pipe
at each end of the vehicles and should extra carriages having this tap shut and the
brakes in an off position he coupled on to a train, the brakes in that part of the train
will remain off until the tap or taps is or are opened; similarly if an engine is
coupled up to a train having the brakes off and the main or connecting cock to the
engine brake pipe shut the brakes on the train will remain off and cannot be put on
until the engine communicating cock is opened and thus accidents occur owing to
the inability of the engine driver or guard to apply the brakes to perhaps half or the
whole of the train should the opening of the cocks be overlooked.
It is the object of my invention to overcome these defects and this I do by providing
a means whereby the brakes shall be automatically put on throughout the train as
soon as the engine is coupled thereto or as soon as any extra carriages are added to a
train, said brakes remaining on until the connections are put into proper position,
and I also provide means for indicating to the guard or engine driver the fact that the
connecting taps or cocks are not in proper position.
According to my invention I provide in conjunction with each coupling and tap a
valve connected by a suitable pipe to a bye-pass upon the main tap, adapted to be
opened to the main brake pipe when the tap is off, and shut off when the tap is open,
this auxiliary valve is arranged in the coupling joint and adapted to be opened to the
atmosphere as soon as and by the act of coupling up, each coupling being provided
with a part adapted to operate the valve for this purpose, and may provide means
whereby the escaping air will operate a whistle or otherwise indicate to the guard or
engine driver the fact of the brakes being inoperative.
In one arrangement the plug of the main controlling tap is of the usual construction
having one through hole and I connect a pipe of suitable dimensions and material
from the auxiliary valve to an aperture in the side of the tap body, at right angles or
in other position to the main pipe and I so arrange the parts that when the tap is
in an off position the hole in its plug opens communication with the said auxiliary
pipe and valve and a bye-pass arranged on the opposite side or other part of the body
of the tap and communicating with the main brake pipe. The auxiliary pipe may be
separate or bound to the usual flexible coupling pipe with suitable clips. The
auxiliary valve may be of ordinary construction and is arranged to open against spring
or air pressure on one side and communicates with the atmosphere on the other by a
suitable aperture in its casing, the valve is mounted upon the coupling piece and a
pin or projection upon it or a part in connection therewith projects into the coupling
and is adapted to be operated to open the valve by a projection, wedge, cam or the
like on the opposite coupling piece by the act of coupling up. The couplings other-
wise are of the usual construction.

page_text: It will thus be seen that each coupling, being provided with an attachment such
as above described, should a portion of the train with the main cock shut and the
brakes off, be shunted onto and coupled up with a train, the act of coupling will
cause the brakes in that part and the whole of the train to be applied and air pumped
into the brake pipe from the engine will simply escape and not relieve the brakes
until the cocks, taps or connections are put into proper order throughout the train;
at the same time even should the engine be coupled up to a train with the brakes off
the act of coupling will put them on and if the engine connection is not in proper
position the fact can be indicated to the driver by means of a whistle or other
indicator attached to and adapted to be operated by the air escaping from the
auxiliary pipe valve before described.
Further, it sometimes happens that an engine is coupled up to a train having the
main taps shut and the brakes off and no air in the train brakes: In such cases
there is no air to relieve and consequently the brakes would remain off. For obviating
the danger arising from such an occurrence I provide on the coupling side of each
brake pipe tap a whistle, horn or other indicator adapted to be operated and opened
to the coupling pipe by a projection or cam upon the tap handle when in an off
position so that should an engine be coupled up to a train having the first tap on the
train and that on the engine shut the act of coupling up will as before described put
on the engine brakes but not the train brakes. The engine driver then to get his
brakes off must open the cock to the engine and in so doing air passes into the next
coupling pipe and immediately sounds the alarm on the coupling side of the next tap
should it be shut and when this has been opened should the next or any taps in the
other carriages be shut, the brake will be put on by the automatic device before
described, to the intervening carriage or carriages or the alarm sounded and so pre-
vent the train leaving the station without the taps being in proper order on all the
vehicles, and accidents arising from the negligence of railway employees in not
attending to the proper connection of the brakes will be obviated.
I may by modifying the connections to the valves apply this invention to vacuum
brakes where taps are employed, so as to open connection with certain parts and
apply the brakes in the event of the taps or connections not being in proper order.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1897.
Improvements in and connected with Railway Brakes.
I, JOHN HARDY, Locomotive Foreman, of 8, Morton Street, West Hartlepool, in the
County of Durham, 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:-
My invention relates to brakes for railway vehicles.
In air brakes as at present in use an air tap or cock is provided on the brake pipe
at each end of the vehicles and should extra carriages having this tap shut and the
brakes in an off position be coupled on to a train, the brakes in that part of the train
will remain off until the tap or taps is or are opened; similarly if an engine is
coupled up to a train having the brakes off and the main or connecting cock to the
engine brake pipe shut the brakes on the train will remain off and cannot be put
on until the engine communicating cock is opened and thus accidents occur owing
to the inability of the engine driver or guard to apply the brakes to perhaps half or
the whole of the train should the opening of the cocks be overlooked.

page_text: :
It is the object of my invention to overcome these defects and this I do, by
providing a means whereby the brakes shall be automatically put on throughout the
train as soon as the engine is coupled thereto or as soon as any extra carriages are
added to a train, said brakes remaining on until the connections are put into proper
position and I also provide means for indicating to the guard or engine driver the
fact that the connecting taps or cocks are not in proper position.
According to my invention I provide in conjunction with each coupling and tap a
valve connected by a suitable pipe to a bye-pass upon the main tap, adapted to be
opened to the main brake pipe when the tap is off, and shut off when the tap is open,
this auxiliary valve is arranged in the coupling joint and adapted to be opened to the
atmosphere as soon as and by the act of coupling up, each coupling being provided
with a part adapted to operate the valve for the purpose, and I may provide means
whereby the escaping air will operate a whistle or otherwise indicate to the guard or
engine driver the fact of the brakes being inoperative.
I will further describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively elevation and plan of a brake coupling and
connections having, my invention applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a section through the
coupling pieces and Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are sectional details of the controlling taps or
cocks and Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are respectively elevation, plan and perspective view of a
means of applying my invention to existing couplings.
#1
Referring to Figs. 1 to 7, C C₁ are the coupling pieces, A, A¹ the auxiliary
valves, FF the flexible connecting pipes and T T₁ are the controlling taps or cocks.
In such an arrangement the plug t of the controlling tap T (see Fig. 4) is of the
usual construction having one through hole 2 and I connect an auxiliary pipe e of
suitable dimensions and material from the auxiliary valves A A¹ to an aperture t³ in
the side of the tap bodies T, Tat right angles or in other position to the main pipe
and I so arrange the parts, for instance, as shown dotted in Fig. 4 that when the tap
is in an off position the hole 12 in the plug t opens communication with the said
auxiliary pipe e and auxiliary valve A or A¹ and a bye-pass b arranged in the opposite
side or other part of the body of the tap T and communicating with the main brake
pipe M, or I may equivalently open coinmunication between the pipe e and brake pipe M.
by, providing the plug t with a bye-pass 62 Fig. 7. The 'auxiliary pipe e may be
bound to the usual flexible coupling pipes F, F1 by suitable clips or it may be
separate as shown in the drawings or only secured by clips at intervals. The auxiliary
valves A, A¹ (the large reference letters being used to refer to the valve as a whole)
may be of ordinary construction or formed as shown, (see Fig. 3,) a being the valve
proper enclosed, in a casing or part on the couplings C, C and arranged to open
against spring or air pressure on the side and communicating with the atmosphere
on the other by an aperture 2 in. the chamber a³. The spring at operating on the
valve may be carried by adjustable or removable screwed caps 'a and the
chamber a¹ is placed in communication with the auxiliary pipe e by a connection
or passage in the casing a or otherwise suitably. The valves A, A¹ are
mounted upon the coupling pieces C, C as shown or otherwise suitably and a pin,
projection or extended spindle a7 of the valve a projects outwards, for instance,
as shown and is adapted to be operated to open the valve by a projection, wedge,
cam or the like c² on the opposite coupling piece by the act of coupling up. The
couplings otherwise are or may be of the usual construction having means such
as c³, for securing an airtight joint when coupled.
741.
"
In operation, assuming each coupling is provided with devices such as above
described, should a portion of a train with the main cock T shut and the brakes
off he shunted onto and coupled up, with a train (assuming it to be that carrying
the tap T) the act of coupling, the parts C, C¹ will 'cause the brakes in that part
coupled and the whole of the train to be applied and air pumpe.l into the brake pipe
from the engine will simply escape and not relieve the brakes until the taps or
connections are put in order throughout the train. Thus, referring to the drawings,
on the parts C, C, being coupled the cams.c², c², come against the pins a7 and open
valves a placing the auxiliary pipe e and consequently the bye-pass b Fig. 4
J
&
.

page_text: or 62 Fig. 7 and main brake pipe M in communication with the atmosphere, the air
escapes at the valve A, which escape relieves the air pressure and at once acts in the
known manner to apply the brakes. At the same time even should the engine be
coupled up to a train having the brakes off the act of coupling by opening the
valve A or A¹ will put them on, and if the engine tap or connection is not in proper
position the fact can be indicated to the driver by means of a whistle or other
indicator attached to and adapted to be operated by the air escaping from the
auxiliary valve A before described but the fact of the brakes being at once applied
and the driver's inability to put them off again by pumping until the taps are in
proper position will be quite sufficient.
l
Further it sometimes happens that an engine is coupled up to a train having the
main taps T shut and the brakes off and no air in the train brakes. In such cases
there is no air to relieve and consequently the brakes would remain off. For obviating
the danger arising from such an occurrence I provide on the coupling side of each
brake pipe tap a whistle horn or other indicator as shown dotted at W in Fig. 6-
or it may simply be an opening or valve as at H having a projecting pin has in
the same figures, said valve H being adapted to be operated so as to open the valve
to the coupling pipe F by a cam or projection upon the tap handle L when
the latter is in an off position, or equivalently a bye-pass or groove g in the plug t
Fig. 7 may be arranged so as to open communication between the pipe F and the
atmosphere when the tap is in an off position, so that should an engine be coupled
up to a train having the first tap in the train and that on the engine shut (assuming the
taps to be as in Figs. 1 and 2) the act of coupling up will as before described put on
the engine brakes but not the train brakes (there being no air in the train brakes to
relieve). The engine driver then to get his brakes off must open the tap to the
engine brakes and in so doing air passes into the next coupling pipe F (and im-
mediately sounds the alarm W if it is attached) and escapes on the coupling side
of the next tap by valve H or groove g in the plug t should the tap T¹ be shut,
and the air still escaping the engine brakes are still on and cannot be taken off
until the tap T¹ on the adjoining vehicle has been opened, then, should the next or
any taps in the other carriages be shut the brakes will be put on to the intervening
carriages by the auxiliary valve A in communication with the main brake pipe M
by the bye-pass 6 or 62 and pipe e, (and the alarm W sounded if fitted) so as
to prevent the train leaving the station without the taps being in proper order on
all the vehicles and thus accidents arising from the negligence of railway employees
in not attending to the proper connection of the brakes will be obviated.
In order that the auxiliary valves may be readily attached to existing couplings I
have devised thé arrangement shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 where the valve A and
valve casing A¹ are mounted upon a casting or the like X the cam or projection c²
being also affixed thereto, the part X being formed more or less as shown in
Fig. 10 so that it may be attached by screws or rivets as at a to the coupling CC¹,
one to each, the parts then assume the same positions and operate in a similar
manner to the arrangement before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1/ The improvements in and connected with air brakes for railways comprising a
valve or valves adapted to be opened to the atmosphere by the act of joining the
brake couplings, said valve or valves being in communication with a bye-pass or
equivalent upon or in the tap of the main brake pipe which bye-pass opens commu-
nication between the said valves and the main brake pipe when the tap is shut, and
a bye-pass in or valve operated by the said tap and opening communication between
the coupling pipe and the atmosphere when the tap is closed to the main brake pipe
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2/ The use in combination with the coupling and taps of air brakes for railways of
valves upon the brake couplings adapted to be opened by cams or projections upon

page_text: the coupling pieces by the act of coupling up, said valves communicating by suitable
flexible pipes with a bye-pass upon or in the taps of the couplings which bye-pass
is adapted to open communication with the said valves upon the coupling and the
main brake pipe when the tap or taps is or are in the off position and a valve
operated by the tap handle or a byepass in the tap plug adapted to open com-
munication between the coupling pipe and the atmosphere when the tap is closed all
arranged and adapted for operation substantially in the manner and for the purpose
set forth.
3/ The combination with the coupling and taps of air brakes for railways, of valves
upon the couplings adapted to be opened by cams or projections upon the coupling
pieces by the act of coupling up, said valves being in communication with a bye-pass
upon or in the taps of the couplings which bye-pass is adapted to open communica-
tion with the said valves upon the coupling and the main brake pipe substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
4/ The use in combination with the couplings and taps of air brakes for railways
of valves such as a opening against air or spring pressure and seated in a casing
formed on or secured to the couplings C, C, the valve chamber a¹ being in
communication with the auxiliary pipe e and the chamber a³ open to the
atmosphere the spindle a carrying the valve projecting outwards so as to be
operated to open the valve against the spring pressure substantially in the manner
and for the purposes set forth.
5/ The use in air brakes having couplings of the kind described of a tap or
cock such as T with bye-pass and valve and cam upon the tap handle for operat-
ing the said valve when the brake is in an off position substantially in the manner
and for the purposes set forth.
6/ The use in air brakes having couplings of the kind described of a tap or
cock such as T with bye-pass b or 62 and groove such as g arranged and adapted
for operation substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
7/ The use in combination with the couplings of air brakes such as described of
a valve such as A and cam or projection c2 mounted upon a separate part or
casting X and adapted for use with existing couplings substantially in the manner
and for the purposes set forth.
8/ The method and apparatus herein described for automatically controlling and
ensuring the proper connecting up and coupling of air brakes for railways.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1898.
For the Applicant,
PRYOR & HARVEY,
Agents, 3, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne.