Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 29th Mar., 1887.
I, JESSE FAIRFIELD CARPENTER, of No. 19, Leipziger Platz, Berlin, in the Empire
of Germany, Engineer, 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide efficient means for operating pneumatic
brakes by electrical apparatus; the principal purpose of the invention, in common
with other inventions having a like object, being to put the brakes on all the coaches
of a train regardless of their number at practically one and the same instant, so as to
avoid the succession of shocks that would occur by the following coaches catching up
with the preceding ones if any appreciable lapse of time occurred between the putting
of the several brakes on their respective coaches.
The invention consists in a valve or valves of peculiar construction; also of novel
combinations of a valve with pneumatic brake-mechanism; also a novel construction
of the air pipe and electric lead couplings; all of which I will hereinafter particularly
set forth and claim.
In the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like parts are
similarly designated,
Fig. 1 is a sectional view illustrating my invention as applied to the Westinghouse
automatic brake system.
Fig. 2 is a similar view of my invention applied to the ordinary English and
European vacuum-brake system.
Fig. 3 is a similar view of my invention applied to the Eames vacuum-brake
system.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of one form of coupling.
Fig. 5 is a similar view of another form of coupling.
Fig. 6 is a sectional olevation showing my invention applied to a combined reservoir
and brake cylinder.

page_text: Fig. 9 is a sectional view of another form of valve.
my
Fig. 10 is a sectional view of my two valve electro-pneumatic brake system..
Fig. 1 shows, in front and side elevation and plan, a form of cock for controlling
the air and electric systems.
Fig. 12 is a section and plan of another form of coupling constructed in accordance
with my invention, and
Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the air-pipe cut-off cock showing the arrangement of
the electric conductors, thereon.
In carrying my invention into practical effect, I make use of any of the well known
systems of pneumatic brakes, or of modifications thereof; and in applying my invention
thereto I am enabled to operate the brakes by electricity, or by the use of the motor
fluid, or by employing both simultaneously.
I will first describe the construction of my valve, and then proceed to describe
several modes of applying it in pneumatic brake systems; and first then as to the
valve.
Referring to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, wherein the details of the valve are illustrated, I have
shewn said valve having, as essential features, an outlet to the external atmosphere,
communication with the line of pipes for conveying the motor-fluid from one car to
another, and an electrically operated valve.
In Fig. 7 the simplest form of this valve is shown, and it comprises a shell A, of
suitable shape, having sockets a for connection with the pipes and provided with an
outlet B to the external atmosphere. The inner face b of this outlet is formed as a
valve seat, and within this outlet, and seated upon said seat is a winged valve C. The
stem of this valve is extended up in to the shell and is provided with a metal plate c
made fast thereto. The valve is kept seated normally by means of a coiled spring c
bearing upon the plate c. Suspended within the shell is a magnet D having suitable
connections with a source of electricity. This magnet, when electrified, attracts the
plate cand unseats or lifts the valve to open communication to the atmosphere.
The plate c, therefore, is, in fact, an armature, and will be so referred to hereafter.
I prefer to use a dynamo or battery on the engine as the source of electricity, and I
pass conductors, if desired, through the lines of pipe so as to make a circuit throughout
the train, and I put these immediately under the control of the engineer.
Now, if a train be equipped with the Westinghouse system of automatic air brakes
comprising the usual main reservoir, air compressor, and the customary appurtenances
on the engine, together with the usual lines of pipe, and the brake-cylinder, auxiliary
reservoir, and triple valve for each car, my valve may be applied to operate the air
system to set and release the brakes. I have shown such combination in Fig. 1.
E-may represent my electrically operated valve arranged in the branch pipe connecting
the main pipes with the triple valve F. G is the brake cylinder, and H, the auxiliary
reservoir. The operation of this form of brake mechanism, being perfectly well known,
need not be further described. But it should be remarked that the valve, being placed
in a pipe normally under pressure, is operated by the application of the electric current
to the inagnet therein for the purpose of unseating the valve and permitting the escape
of the pressure into the atmosphere. This well known act of removing the pressure
from the underside of the piston in the triple valve opens the outlet from the auxiliary
reservoir to the brake cylinder, and applies the brakes. When the electric circuit is
broken, the valve E is seated, and the pipe lines being thus closed, the fluid pressure
can at any time be re-established, raising the triple valve, releasing the brake and
recharging the auxiliary reservoir.
Operating the valve E in Figs. 2 and 3 in the vacuum systems therein shown, so
as to let the air into the main pipes, will serve to set the brake in the usual way; and
by exhausting the air, the brakes will be released as usual. Now in all of these three
systems of operating brakes by pneumatic pressure in conjunction with my electrically
operated valve, it is possible to work the valves electrically, or pneumatically, or by a
combination of the two methods. Hence a train equipped with my apparatus can bẹ

page_text: held under the most perfect control at all times no matter what the number of coaches
composing it, or the grades on which it is travelling.
A good form of cock for controlling the electric circuit and the fluid pressure is
shewn in the three views in Fig. 11. The internal mechanism of the cock is of the
usual type, its handle; however is provided with a spring-lever which engages a
notch in the head of the plug in order to lock said lever to the plug, and to cause the
plug to turn with the lever when the latter is moved. It being understood, of course,
that when said lever j¹ is disconnected from the notch, the handle j is free to turn
without turning the plug. The handle j has an electric contact-piece j. which finds
its counterpart at on the body of the cock; and said. contact ja is connected with the
circuit-wires including the electro-magnetic valves. Now it will be seen that when the
valves are to be operated electrically, the handle j is disconnected from the plug, and
contact made between contacts and 3 to close the circuit and open the valves. So
also, it will be seen that when the plug is to be operated for the purpose of controlling
the fluid pressure, the handle is turned to a point just short of establishing contact.
And again, when electricity and fluid pressure are to be combined for operating the
valves, then the handle j is connected with its plug and contact established, the plug
being at such time closed, and the electric circuit also closed.
In coupling a brake system in accordance with my invention, I prefer to run the
electric conductors through the air-pipes, and to utilise the metal heads of the couplings
as electric conductors. I therefore connect the wires with the metal heads in such a way
that when the current is established the couplings will be electrified.
Figs. 4, 5 and 12 serve to illustrate this feature. The lines p and p¹ indicate the
conductors; and in this connection, I may also describe my mode of carrying the
conductors around the cock usually placed in the ends of the air pipes, for the purpose
of closing the latter when the train is to be broken up. I lead the wires through tho
rubber hose, and where the hose is jointed to the coupling, I let the wires project
Or,
between the hose and the coupling and lead them outside and around the cock.
the wires may be passed out through the metal connections, e.g. through hollow
screws, as indicated on the left hand side of Fig. 13. When the hose requires
renewing, the wires are disconnected at the side screws, and a new piece of hose
supplied with wires in position. The projecting ends of the wires may be readily
connected by any unskilled person to the projecting ends of the wires left connected
with the cock.
In Fig. 8 I have shown a valve which is designed to subserve the purposes in some
respects of both the valve already described, and of the triple valve. In this valve the
inlet and outlet will usually be at different levels, and on the stem m of the valve I
arrange a piston or diaphragm n, supporting it by means of a spring n¹ in a position
which normally shuts off communication between the inlet and outlet. The magnet
and the armature c are arranged with relation to the valve C substantially as in the
form shown in Fig. 7, and so far as the operation of opening and closing the outlet to
the atmosphere is concerned, the valve is the same as that shown in Fig. 7. But the
piston or diaphragm n forms another opening or port, and, under certain circumstances,
a valve, as I will now explain. When the armature c is lifted and the valve C thereby
unseated, it will be noticed that the head n² is raised from the opening in the piston or
Whether the
diaphragin, allowing the air to escape through said piston into the air.
port be closed or not, if at any time the pressure on the upper side of the piston or
diaphragm is greater than the pressure on its under side, then said piston will be
moved downwardly so as to uncover its opening and admit the incoming air below it
and into the reservoir or brake cylinder as the case may be, so that by the use of this
valve, not only can the brakes be applied and held, but at the same time the supply of
fluid pressure to the reservoir can be replenished.
In Fig. 6, I have shown a form of brake apparatus for use especially in conjunction
with the valve illustrated in Fig. 8 and described therewith. G' represents the brake
cylinder; H', the reservoir; H2, a piston; and H³, a piston-rod which is connected with
the brake at one end, and at the other end with the piston. The valve is connected to

page_text: ng
one end of the brake cylinder by its outlet . In using this form of brake apparatus,
air pressure from the main-pipe enters at 7 pressing down the piston
and passing
through the valve n² enters the brake cylinder G at P. Pressing against the brake
cylinder piston H2, it moves it into the position shown, and then passing over the same
(the cupped leather packing of the piston offering little resistance in this direction)
fills the auxiliary reservoir H¹. If now an electric current is sent through the magnet,
the whole valve mechanism-see Fig. 8-will be lifted so that the pressure in the
cylinder G will escape through the opening 4, and the compressed air in the
reservoir H which cannot return over the piston H2, (the leather of the piston being
cupped the other way), will expand, forcing the piston H2 towards the other end of
the cylinder, and apply the brakes. If instead of the electric current, air pressure had
heen let out of the main pipe o, the piston or diaphragm n together with the valve C
would have been lifted by the pressure under it, and the air from the cylinder G¹
would have escaped through the port, effecting the same result as before.
In either case, to release the brake, fresh pressure from the engine depresses the
piston n, and the valve being closed, enters the cylinder G at 1, and driving back
the main piston H, releases the brake as has been shown. Thus, the brake arrangement
shown in Figs. 6 and 8 is capable of being applied by air pressure alone, by electricity
alone, or by both combined. This form of apparatus could, therefore, be used on
Westinghouse trains whether the same were fitted with the additional electrical
apparatus above described or not.
In long trains, however, and also where quickness of action, a minimum of air-
consumption and the ability to brake down long grades without once releasing the
brake, are a desideratum, the apparatus shown in Fig. 10 possesses special advantages.
In this form of apparatus, a brake cylinder I is used, and also an auxiliary reservoir I',
and connections with the main pipe o, and I employ between the main pipe and the
auxiliary reservoir a valve J constructed according to Fig. 8, and connect said valve
by means of a branch pipe i with the inlet to a second valve K of the construction
illustrated in Fig. 7 interposed between said branch pipe and the brake cylinder
substantially according to the arrangement shown. In this form of apparatus, each
valve is supplied with an independent electrical circuit for operating it. Now it will
be seen that by operating the valve J, either by electricity, or air or both, the pressure
in the auxiliary cylinder will pass into the brake cylinder and operate the brake; and
that during this operation the air will pass from the main reservoir on the engine
through the valve into reservoir I', thus keeping up the pressure therein without in
the least disturbing the flow of air from said reservoir through the branch pipe and
valve K into the brake cylinder, so that the brakes may be held on or set for any length
of time on long down grades, and this feature I believe to be of great importance in
the working more especially freight trains supplied with automatic pneumatic brakes.
Heretofore it has been customary to release the brake periodically in order to
replenish the auxiliary reservoir.
With this arrangement, no auxiliary brakes, such as steam or vacuum, are needed
on the engine.
In the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 10, to release the brakes the valve J is
closed, and the valve K is opened, whereby the air pressure is let out of the brake
cylinder.
In Fig. 9 I have shown a further modification of my electro-pneumatic valve. In
this valve I employ the piston or diaphragm n as before, the spring n¹, the valves C
and n² and the inlet and outlet 1, but I modify the construction of the armature c
substantially as follows. I divide it into two parts o and o¹, the latter arranged to
rise and fall within a recess made in the face of the main armature, and between the
main armature and the part o¹ I interpose springs o² which normally keep the plate >>¹
up. I also employ three magnets, the outer two operating the part o, and the inner
one, the plate o¹, but I place these two parts o and together constituting a two-part
armature in one and the same circuit; and inasmuch as the springs o normally hold
the plate o somewhat above the level of the upper face of the plate o, the inner magnet

page_text: in point of time operates somewhat in advance of the outer magnets, and hence gives
a preliminary lift to the valve, which is completed by the outer magnets thereafter
acting upon and lifting the armature o.
In this way the lift of the valve is divided between the magnets, thus reducing,
their distance from the armatures by one half and greatly increasing their power. The
stem of the valve extends up through the plates o and o¹, and is surrounded by a
sleeve o³ and provided with a head or nut o. The sleeve rests upon the plate o, within
the recess therein, and the plate o' encircles said sleeve, and acts directly upon the
head o to lift the valve, while the plate o acts upon the sleeve o³ for the same purpose,
the said sleeve bearing by its upper face against the under surface of the said head.
Referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 12, it should be said that the act of coupling up the hose
makes electrical contact on both lines of conductors or wires. The conductor p is
completely insulated from the coupling in any well known way; while the conductor p¹
is in clectrical contact with the coupling, but insulated from the air pipes by being
carried through the rubber hose p².
It may be here remarked that the passing of the conductors around the stop-cock,
as shown in Fig. 13, is useful when automatic couplings are not used.
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. A valve for automatic pneumatic brakes for railway cars, comprising a suitable
shell having an inlet and outlet and an opening to the atmosphere, a valve seated in
said opening, an armature connected to said valve and consisting of two independent
but connected plates, and magnets for operating said two-part armature independently,
and an electric circuit in which said, magnets are arranged, substantially as
described.
2. A valve for automatic pneumatic brakes for railway cars, comprising a suitable
shell having an inlet and outlet and an opening to the atmosphere, a valve seated in
said opening and provided with a plate which serves also as an armature, and a magnet
arranged in an electric circuit, and a piston or diaphragm interposed between the
inlet and outlet between the armature and the opening to the atmosphere, substantially
as described.
3. A valve for automatic pneumatic brakes for railway cars, comprising a suitable
shell having an inlet and outlet and an opening to the atmosphere, a valve seated in
said opening to open and close it, a piston or diaphragm interposed between said inlet
and outlet and provided with a port, a valve in said port connected with the valve in
the opening to the atmosphere, one or more armatures connected to said valve, and
magnets arranged in the electric circuit, the whole adapted to be operated by the
electric current, by pneumatic pressure, or by the two combined, substantially as
described.
4. In a pneumatic brake system, a brake cylinder and a reservoir combined with
the main air pipes, an electro-pneumatic valve interposed between said reservoir and
main air pipes and opening into a branch pipe extending to the brake cylinder, a
second electro-pneumatic valve interposed between the brake cylinder and the first
named valve and independent electric circuits for the said valves substantially as
described.
5. In a pneumatic brake system, a brake cylinder and reservoir and the main line
of air pipes combined with a valve J interposed between the reservoir and air pipes
and having a valve arranged in a piston or diaphragm and operable for admitting air
from the main air pipes into the reservoir, and a second valve arranged in the outlet
communicating directly with the brake cylinder to permit the flow of air from the
reservoir to the brake cylinder to set the brakes, and a second valve K interposed
between the brake cylinder and the first named valve, and operable to release the
brakes substantially as described.

page_text: 6. In an electro-pneumatic brake system, a reservoir and brake cylinder, main air
pipes, one or more electro-pneumatic valves in said air pipes and interposed between
the reservoir and brake cylinder, and an open electric circuit combined with a
regulating cock arranged in said air pipes and electric circuit and provided with an
operating handle detachably connected with the plug of said cock and adapted to be
operated to close the circuit without moving the air cock and to be operated to control
the supply of air without affecting the electric circuit, and also to be operated to put
in use both the electric circuit and the air, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of February 1887.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
Patent Agents.