Improved Powerful Break for Railway Trains and Vehicles of every Description.
Year: 1887

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Powerful Break for Railway Trains and Vehicles of
every Description.
THOMAS GEORGE STEVENS, Bell Wharf Swanscombe, Dartford, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
It can be applied to Railway Trains as a continuous break by means of rigger
keyed to each axle: to each rigger I apply a steel band lined with blocks of wood
which has a lug at each end: these lugs are provided with a pivot nut through which
a shaft passes into a right and left handed worm: on the end of this shaft is a crank
which can be connected to a rod passing from one end of a carriage to the other:
between each carriage the rods can be connected either by a chain or shackle. The
train is breaked by means of connecting the rods to the end of a piston rod which can
be provided on each engine by which means the piston moving from one end of the
cylinder to the other will cause a simultaneous breaking of the train. Each crank is
provided with a coil-spring acting as back spring so that the reversing of the piston,
the breaks are thrown off. There are three small coil springs attached to the break
band to take off all vibration and at right angles to the lug nuts there is a stop pin
for steadying the break. I have another method of which the breaks can be worked
by winding gear either by hand or steam: by this method the train can be steadied
or braked.
For Tram Cars, and Road Carriages the break can be applied by means of riggers
connected to the box of the wheels in cases where the axle does not revolve; and can
be worked either inside or outside the carriage.
Dated this 12th day of February 1887.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Powerful Break for Railway Trains and Vehicles of
every Description.
I, THOMAS GEORGE STEVENS, Bell Wharf, Swanscombe, Dartford, 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-
It can be applied to railway trains as a continuous break by means of a rigger
keyed to each axle; to each rigger I apply a steel band, lined with blocks of wood,
which has a lug at each end, these lugs are provided with a pivot nut through which
a shaft passes into a right and left handed worm on the end of this shaft is a crank
which can be connected to a rod passing from one end of a carriage to the other:
between each carriage the rods can be connected either by a chain or shackle. The
train is breaked by means of connecting the rods to the end of a piston rod which can
be provided on each engine by which means the piston moving from one end of the
cylinder to the other will cause a simultaneous breaking of the train. Each crank is
provided with a coil-spring acting as a back spring, so that the reversing of the
piston, the breaks are thrown off. There are three small coil springs attached to the
break band to take off all vibration and at right angles to the lug nuts there is
stop pin for steadying the break. I have another method of which the breaks can be
worked by winding gear either by hand or steam by this method the train can be
steadied or breaked.
a
For tram cars, and road carriages, the break can be applied by means of riggers
connected to the box of the wheels in cases where the axle does not revolve, and can
be worked either inside or outside the carriage.
Figure 1 is an arrangement of break as applied to a railway carriage.
Figure 2 is an arrangement of break as applied to the axle of a tram car.
Figure 3 is an arrangement of break as applied to the hub of a tram car wheel
where the wheel revolves on the axle, and
Figure 4 is an elevation partly in section of Figures 2 and 3.
In these figures similar letters of reference refer to like parts.
2.
In Figure 1 a is the wheel of the vehicle and the frame work. c is a wheel 3
keyed onto the axle d, e the break strap by preference lined with wood blocks and
having lugs e e riveted at its ends, in these lugs are swivel nuts having right and
left hand screws cut in them, f is a spindle on which are corresponding right and left
hand screws working in the nuts; this spindle is carried by a bracket f¹ the lower
part of which embraces the axle and the top slides in a guide 2 allowing for the play 3
of the springs: a lever g is attached to this spindle and a chain passing around a

page_text: pulley his attached to a draw rod i-this rod is coupled to the piston rod of a small
steam cylinder not shown so that when the piston is forced home the nuts are drawn
together and so tighten the break strap onto the wheel ca spring not shown acting
on the lever g is employed for slacking off the break.
Figure 2 is a similar arrangement but here the break strap is tightened by means
of a hand wheel on the spindle. .,, are small spiral springs to take off the.
vibration of the break strap, the spring is attached to a pin 3 sliding in a guide
this pin carries the weight of that portion of the break strap.
Figure 3 is a similar arrangement to Figure 2 the wheel c being attached to the
hub of the road wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is
My improved powerful break for railway trains and vehicles of every description
substantially as described and shown in the drawings.