AN IMPROVED BREAK BLOCK FOR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Fredrick Broughton, of 3, Hanover Cottages,
Regent's Park, and Robert Stephens, of 17, Green St., Pad-
dington Green, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED BREAK BLOCK
FOR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND RAILWAY CARRIAGES.”
Scaled the 1st March 1872, and dated the 5th September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Fredrick Broughton and
Robert Stephens at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 5th September 1871.
I, FREDRICK BROUGHTON, of 3, Hanover Cottages, Regent's Park,
and I, ROBERT STEVENS, of 17, Green Street, Paddington Green, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Ar IMPROVED
BREAK BLOCK FOR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND RAILWAY CARRIAGES," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention consists of wood cast iron worked in together so

page_text: giving greater power than the ordinary wood blocks, thus enabling
the engines & trains to be stopped in much quicker time. Its
durability is much greater than the ordinary blocks, as the blocks
are made of cast iron with holes passing through the face of the blocks
to the back. These holes are filled with wood, and after wearing down 5
to a certain depth they can be replaced by wood & iron again, being
so constructed as to fit into the remaining part of block without
having to destroy the remaining portion of the blocks, whereby
considerable saving is effected.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 1
filed by the said Fredrick Broughton and Robert Stephens in the
Great Scal Patent Office on the 5th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc,
FREDERICK BROUGHTON, of 3, Hanover Cottages, Regent's Park, and
ROBERT STEPHENS, of 17, Green Street, Paddington Green, sond 1
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, a
give and grant unto us, the said Frederick Broughton and Robert
Stephens, Her special licence that we, the said Frederick Broughton
and Robert Stephens, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Fredorick Broughton and Robert Stephens, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, usc, cxcrcise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A COMBINED AND
IMPROVED BREAK BLOCK FOR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND RAILWAY CARRIAGES,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Frederick.
Broughton and Robert Stephens, our exccutors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our or their or one of their hands
and scals should particularly describe and ascertain the naturo of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,

page_text: and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Frederick Broughton and Robert
Stephens, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to accompanying Drawings.
Our Invention consists in the break blocks being of cast iron
perforated, theso perforations being filled with wood so that wood
and cast iron can work on the wheels at one time, thereby giving
greater power than the ordinary wood blocks, thus enabling the engine
and trains to be stopped in a much quicker time. Its durability is
much greater than the ordinary blocks, being made of cast iron with
holes passing through the face of the blocks nearly to the back, and
after wearing down to a certain depth they can be replaced by wood
and iron again, being so constructed as to be fitted into the remaining
part and without having to destroy the portion we called the block
box, thereby a considerable saving is effected.
To more fully explain the nature of the said Invention, reference is
made to accompanying Drawings in which Figure 1 represents what we
term the block box and is made of cast iron and constructed to receive
the moveable block, Figure 2, the rebate a, a, of which fits into and
forms part of the block box, when bolted together at the point b, b, and
the clip c, which fits into the block box at d., The block, Figure 2, is also
composed of cast iron having perforations or holes e, e, in any required
number cast in to the depth shewn by dotted lines, theso holes are
filled with wood to their entire depth; thus when the movable block
(Figure 2) is worn down to its utmost capacity it can be readily removed
from the block box, Figure 1, and replaced by a new one, the box
portion being allowed to remain attached to the carriago or engine for
further use.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention and the mode

page_text: applicable to locomotive engines and railway carriages, substantially
as herein described and as shewn on accompanying Drawing, or any
mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, wo, the said Frederick Broughton and Robert
Stephens, havo hereunto set our hands and scals, this Fifth
day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and soventy-two.