IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING BREAKS ON RAILWAY TRAINS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Tyer, of No. 4, Old Street, Finsbury, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS
AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING BREAKS ON RAILWAY TRAINS."
ealed the 22nd September 1877, and dated the 24th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Tyer at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th July 1877.
EDWARD TYER, of No. 4, Old Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex.
" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING BREAKS ON RAIL-
WAY TRAINS."
For working breaks on railway trains, it is of great advantage to have a store of
power ready to be applied on a moment's notice, and power has been stored for
this purpose in various ways, as, for example, in the form of fluid pressure accumu-
lated so as to be available when it is required to put on the breaks.
My Invention relates to means and apparatus whereby power for working breaks
is accumulated in springs, which are either compressed or extended, ready to act
when desired on the breaks of one carriage, or simultaneously on those of several
carriages of a railway train. Springs applicable for this purpose may be of various
forms; I prefer however to employ those of helical form, and by subjecting them
to compression, to accumulate power such as can apply the breaks with sufficient
force when the springs are permitted partially to extend. For this purpose on two
or more rods extending horizontally under the carriage frame, I place a number of
helical springs, abutting at the one end against a fixed plate or collars, and at the
other end against a plate connected by a chain to a winding drum, which may be
shaped as a fusee, so as to equalise the spring force. This drum or fusee is mounted
on a shaft which carries a ratchet wheel.
Three spring pawls are provided to engage with the teeth of this ratchet wheel.
One of these pawls is on the arm of a lever worked by an eccentric or cam on one
of the carriage axles, so that at every revolution, the pawl is made to turn the
ratchet wheel partly round and so wind up the springs. The second pawl acts
merely as a stop to prevent the ratchet wheel from turning backwards. The third
pawl is on the arm of a rocking shaft which works the breaks. A lever is provided
ID 1

page_text: which can be moved by a guard or by a cord or chain of communication throughout
the train so as to partly turn a cam which operates the three pawls, as I will now
describe.
In the ordinary or normal condition of the cam lever, the third pawl is held by it
out of gear, but the first and second pawls are engaged with the ratchet wheel,
which, being made to rotate step by step, causes the chain to be wound on the
drum or fusee compressing the springs. When they have been compressed to a
certain extent, the first pawl is automatically thrown out of gear by a projection
on the ratchet wheel, so that no farther compression is produced, the lever of this
pawl continuing to work idly, and the second pawl holding the ratchet wheel in
position.
When it is desired to apply the breaks, the cam lever is moved so as to engage
the third pawl with the ratchet wheel, and then to disengage the first and second
pawls from it. The springs thereupon, by the partial recoil, cause the rocking
shaft to turn partly round and the breaks to be applied. The strain of the spring
keeps the breaks on till the cam lever is moved back, permitting the first and
second pawls again to engage with the ratchet wheel and then disengaging from it
the third pawl on the break shaft, which being thus left free allows the breaks to
be taken off by counterweights or springs. The length and power of the com-
pressed springs is such that their full recoil is sufficient to effect several successive
applications of the breaks. Helical springs similarly arranged may be subjected to
extension instead of compression; also springs of other forms, such as spiral or
volute springs, may be employed.
The lever carrying the first pawl, instead of being worked by an eccentric or cam
on one of the running axles, may be worked by the oscillation of the carriage, the
force of such oscillation being thereby utilised for the storing up of power to work
the breaks when required. For this purpose the eccentric or cam on the axle is
dispensed with, and the lever which carries the first pawl is made with a roller that
nearly bears against one of the wheels or axles of the carriage, or a collar on one of
those axles, so that as the carriage oscillates relatively to its wheels or axles, the
lever is caused to move, working the first pawl, as above described.
For the purpose of applying a number of breaks simultaneously throughout a
train, I pass a communicating chain or cord round a pulley on each of the cam
levers, and couple it from carriage to carriage, so that a pull of this chain or cord
at any part of its length and in either direction, moves the cam levers of all the
break carriages, thereby engaging the break shaft pawls with the ratchet wheels
so as to apply the breaks, and the slacking of the chain or cord permits the cam
levers to be returned to their normal position by weights or springs, releasing the
break shaft pawls and taking off the breaks.
A catch may be provided for each cam lever to hold it in the position for
applying the breaks, and the several such catches throughout the train may be
connected by a secondary cord or chain, so that in the event of the train accidentally
separating, the breaks being in the first place applied by the movement of the cam
levers resulting from the pull of the primary chain or cord at the moment of
separation, are kept on by the retention of the cam levers which are engaged with
the catches by the pull to which the secondary cord or chain is subjected before
its fracture. In order however to avoid complexity of connections from carriage
to carriage, I prefer to dispense with the secondary cord or chain, and to provide
a spring stop or a secondary loaded lever and catch for each cam lever, so arranged
that an excessive pull of the one communicating chain or cord, besides causing the
breaking to be applied by the movement of the cam levers, causes also the catches to
be engaged with those levers so that they are held in position, retaining the breaks
under the strain of the springs.

page_text: -
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SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Tyer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd January
1878.
EDWARD TYER, of No. 4, Old Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING BREAKS ON RAIL-
WAY TRAINS."
For working breaks on railway trains, it is of great advantage to have a store of
power ready to be applied on a moment's notice, and power has been stored for this
purpose in various ways, as, for example, in the form of fluid pressure accumulated
so as to be available when it is required to put on the breaks.
My Invention relates to means and apparatus whereby power for working breaks
is accumulated in springs, which are either compressed or extended, ready to act
when desired on the breaks of one carriage, or simultaneously on those of several
carriages of a railway train. Springs applicable for this purpose may be of various
forms; I prefer however to employ those of helical form, and by subjecting them to
compression, to accumulate power such as can apply the breaks with sufficient force
when the springs are permitted partially to extend. For this purpose on two or
more rods extending horizontally under the carriage frame, I place a number of
helical springs abutting at the one end against a fixed plate or collars, and at the
other end against a plate connected by a chain to a winding drum, which may be
shaped as a fusee, so as to equalise the spring force. This drum or fusee is mounted
on a shaft which carries a ratchet wheel.
Three spring pawls are provided to engage with the teeth of this ratchet wheel
One of these pawls is on the arm of a lever worked by an eccentric or cam on one
of the carriage axles, so that at every revolution the pawl is made to turn the
ratchet wheel partly round, and so wind up the springs. The second pawl acts
merely as a stop to prevent the ratchet wheel from turning backwards. The third
pawl is on the arm of a rocking shaft. which works the breaks. A lever is provided
which can be moved by a guard or by a cord or chain of communication throughout
the train so as to partly turn a cam which operates the three pawls, as I will now
describe.
In the ordinary or normal condition of the cani lever, the third pawl is held by it
out of gear, but the first and second pawls are engaged with the ratchet wheel,
which being made to rotate step by step, causes the chain to be wound on the
drum or fusee compressing the springs. When they have been compressed to a
certain extent, the first pawl is automatically thrown out of gear by a projection on
the ratchet wheel, so that no farther compression is produced, the lever of this
pawl continuing to work idly, and the second pawl holding the ratchet wheel in
position.
When it is desired to apply the breaks, the cam lever is moved so as to engage
the third pawl with the ratchet wheel, and then to disengage the first and second
pawls from it. The springs thereupon by their partial recoil cause the rocking shaft
to turn partly round and the breaks to be applied. The strain of the spring keeps
the breaks on till the cam lever is moved back, permitting the first and second
pawls again to engage with the ratchet wheel, and then disengaging from it the
third pawl on the break shaft, which being thus left free allows the breaks to be
taken off by counterweights or springs. The length and power of the compressed
springs is such that their full recoil is sufficient to effect several successive applica-
tions of the breaks. Helical springs similarly arranged may be subjected to exten-
sion instead of compression; also springs of other forms, such as spiral or volute
springs may be employed.
For the purpose of applying a number of breaks simultaneously throughout a
train, I pass a communicating chain or cord round a pulley on each of the cam
levers, and couple it from carriage to carriage, so that a pull of this chain or cord at
any part of its length, and in either direction, moves the cam leyers of all the break

page_text: carriages, thereby engaging the break shaft pawls with the ratchet wheels so as to
apply the breaks, and the slacking of the chain or cord permits the cam levers to
be returned to their normal position by weights or springs, releasing the break
shaft pawls and taking off the breaks.
A catch may be provided for each cam lever to hold it in the position for
applying the breaks, and the several such catches throughout the train may be
connected by a secondary cord or chain, so that in the event of the train accidentally
separating, the breaks being in the first place applied by the movement of the cam
levers resulting from the pull of the primary chain or cord at the moment of separa-
tion, are kept on by the retention of the cam levers which are engaged with the
catches by the pull to which the secondary cord or chain is subjected before its
fracture. In order however to avoid complexity of connections from carriage to
carriage, I prefer to dispense with the secondary cord or chain and to provide a
spring stop or a secondary loaded lever and catch for each cam lever, so arranged
that an excessive pull of the one communicating chain or cord, besides causing the
breaks to be applied by the movement of the cam levers causes also the catches to be
engaged with those levers, so that they are held in position, retaining the breaks
under the strain of the springs.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a side view and Fig. 2 a vertical
section of spring apparatus, according to my Invention, for accumulating a store of
force to work the breaks of a railway carriage.
A is one of the running axles of the carriage, and B is part of the under framing.
On a suitable framework C I mount in bearings a shaft D, on which is fixed the
ordinary two-armed lever E, connected by rods e, to break blocks or gear of any
known construction. On the same shaft D, fitted loosely thereon, is a ratchet wheel
F, having a groove to receive a chain f, which at its one end is attached to the
wheel F, and at the other end to a cross head G. This cross head is fitted to
slide along guide bars g, g, and butts against two or more helical springs g'.
Loose on the shaft D is a lever H, at the lower end of which is a roller h facing
an eccentric a, which is fixed on the axle A. At the upper end of the lever H
is mounted a pawl h' and a spring h², attached to this pawl and to the framing C
serves to keep the pawl h' engaged with the ratchet teeth of F, and also to pull
over the lever H so as to keep its roller h bearing against the eccentric a.
Another pawl, mounted on the framing, is kept engaged with the ratchet teeth
of F by the spring 2. A third pawl e¹ mounted on the lower arm of the lever E
(which is extended downwards to carry the pawl) is drawn towards the ratchet
teeth of F by the spring e². On each of the three pawls, h¹, i', and e' is mounted
a roller marked respectively h³, 13, and es. Farther on the shaft D is loosely fitted
a lever K, at the lower end of which is a pulley k. A cord L passes round the pulley
k, and is led over suitable guide pullies 1, 1, along the carriage, at each end of which
it is coupled to similar cords on the adjoining carriages, so that it forms a con-
tinuous communication throughout the train. On the lever K are fixed three cam
surfaces k' bearing against the pawl roller e³, 12, which operates on the roller h³,
and which operates on. On the wheel F is fixed a stud f'in such a position
that when the wheel has been turned a determined distance round in the direction
of the arrow, the stud f1 coming against the lever H keeps its roller h out of the
range of the eccentric a.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The eccentric a at each revolution
causes the lever H to oscillate, and its pawl h' is thus made to turn the wheel F
tooth by tooth in the direction of the arrow, the pawl o' preventing the wheel from
turning backwards. By the revolution of F the chain is wound farther and farther
in its groove, thus drawing forward the cross head G and compressing the springs g¹.
When the wheel F has been so far turned in this manner as to give the springs g'
the maximum amount of compression desired the stud f1 bearing against H keeps
the roller h off the eccentric a, which then continues to revolve without giving
farther movement to the apparatus.
When the springs g³ have been compressed, as described, they form a store of

page_text: force ready for the application of the breaks, which is effected in the following
manner-At any part of the train, on the engine, or guard's van, or elsewhere, the
cord L is pulled in either direction, raising the pulley k and the lever K off its
resting stud c. By this movement of the lever K its cam surface k' is withdrawn
from under the roller e³, whereupon the pawl e¹ engages with the teeth of F. By
the continued movement of K its cam surfaces k and k³, bearing against the rollers
h³ and ³, disengage the pawls h', i, from the teeth of the wheel F', which is there-
upon, by the force of the springs g' acting through the chain f. caused to make a
partial revolution backwards. By this movement the wheel being by the pawl e¹
engaged with the lever E causes this lever to turn and put a strain on the rods e, e,
so as to apply the breaks. For taking off the breaks the cord L is slacked out,
whereupon the pulley descends, turning backwards the lever K. Its cam surfaces
and retreating allow the pawls i', h', to engage again with the ratchet teeth,
and the cam surface k disengages the pawl e', leaving the lever E and its rods e, e,
free, whereupon the breaks are taken off by their springs or counterweights in the
usual way.
In order to provide for keeping the breaks on in cases where by the separation
of the train or other accident the cord L is broken I provide a spring buffer N,
which stops the lever K when it is pulled up as far as necessary to put on the
breaks, but which will yield and allow the lever to be farther raised when the
cord L is subjected to an extraordinary strain, such as would tend to break it. I
also provide a drop catch M, which usually rests on the upper edge of the lever K
at m, but when the lever by an extraordinary pull of the cord L is moved beyond
its usual range, then the catch M drops into the notch at m, and so prevents the
return movement of the lever K when the cord L is released or broken, the breaks
being thus kept on. The catch M also serves to keep the breaks on when carriages
are standing unconnected in a station or yard.
The spindle m' on which the catch M is fixed is preferably extended across the
carriage, with a handle at each end, by which the catch can be raised out of gear
before the train starts.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim,―
First. Accumulating power for working the breaks of a railway carriage in
springs, which being put under strain during the movement of the carriage constitute
a store of force applicable, when required, for applying the breaks, substantially as
herein described.
Second. The use for accumulating power in springs, and applying that power to
work the breaks on a railway carriage, of apparatus wherein a ratchet wheel moved
step by step by a pawl, worked by one of the running axles, winds up a chain,
straining the springs, and a pawl is arranged on the break lever so as to be engaged
with the said ratchet wheel by the movement of a lever, which also disengages the
moving and holding pawls of the wheel, so that the power stored up in the springs
by moving the wheel backwards causes the breaks to be applied, substantially as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Tyer, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
EDWARD TYER. (L.S.)