IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF STOPPING OR RETARDING THE PROGRESS OR VELOCITY OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1858

page_text: (This Invention received Provisional Protection, but notice to proceed with the
- application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Billington Booth and Robert
Ashworth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 8th July 1858.
We, JOHN BILLINGTON BOOTH, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, and
ROBERT ASHWORTH, of Heywood, in the said County, do hereby declare the.
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF STOPPING
OR RETARDING THE PROGRESS OR VELOCITY OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES,"
follows:-
Our said improvements consist,-
Firstly, of an improved self-acting break; to the tyre of the wheel we place
a shell which is acted upon by a break formed of segments of wood or other
material connected to radial arms,, which are raised up when required so as to
press the segments with great force against the interior of the shell, the radial
arms being governed by a nut and worm wheel and pinion, worm and worm-
wheel, or spiral spring.
Secondly, of certain arrangements for giving a dead stop to the revolution
of the wheels of railway carriages, waggons, or tenders, by placing in the
boss of the wheel, or any part of the axle, a sliding catch, and upon the guard
plate a sliding plate with ratchet tooth, the position of both catch and
tooth being adjusted by cams, so that in one position the wheels may turn
either way as desired, or placed so that the catch and tooth may come in con-

page_text: tact with each other, and give a dead lock to the wheels, thus forming an
efficient self-acting break, and thus prevent the carriages, waggons, or tenders
from descending an incline, if by any accident they should be detached from
the engine. Or, a loose rack may be placed on the axle secured by a break
band, and acted on by centrifugal catches so as to give a dead lock to the
wheels and produce the same result. The position of the arrangements may
be reversed by placing the catch on the guard plate or axle boxes, and the
ratchet tooth on the wheel or axle, and also other simple combinations can be
based upon the aforesaid principles; or the sliding catch in the boss of the
wheel may be made when placed in its proper position by the before mentioned
sliding plate and cams to act upon a lever, and thereby detach a governing
apparatus from the before-mentioned spiral spring, which will in consequence
act upon the radial arms, and thereby put on the break of wooden or other
segments, should the wheels of the carriages commence revolving in a contrary
direction, thus also forming an efficient self-acting break in case of any acci-
dent as before mentioned whilst ascending or standing upon inclines.
Thirdly, of an improved retarding and controlling arrangement; instead of
giving a dead stop to the wheels, they may be retarded and controlled by the
guard, when, if descending an incline, the train should be separated or detached
from the engine.
On the axle we place a boss having a tooth projecting from it, around the
boss is a loose ring, on the exterior of which is a break band of wood or other
material, the said band being screwed up so as to give friction to the ring,
the retarding action of which is transmitted to the wheels by a sliding tooth
acting upon the tooth in the boss on the axle, the sliding tooth being governed
by a clutch; thus, when the teeth are not in contact, there is no obstruction,
but when in contact, the break acts and retards the progress of the wheels.