IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES
Year: 1884

page_text: We, THOMAS SLOAN, of 49 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, Contractor, and
EDWARD HAWKS, of 41 Queen Street, Edinburgh, Commission Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of our said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
BRAKES," to be as follows:-
"
The main object of our invention is to secure the fullest use of the adhesion
between the rails and every braked wheel of a railway train, whilst obviating
skidding" of the wheels. This object we attain by providing improved means or
appliances for operating the brakes and for regulating automatically the degree of
pressure applied to the brake blocks.
The weight of each carriage as resting on its frame, on its axle bearings, or on
any other possible points, but preferably as on its bearing springs, is applied through
suitable levers to place the brakes on the wheels with an initial degree of pressure
due to any high percentage of such weight, and the entire or partial removal of the
brake-block prossure is effected by mechanical devices actuated by compressed air,
by vacuum, or by water, steam, or other fluid pressure, or by chain, belt, or rope,
or by rod in tension, thrust, or torsion, or by electro-motive action, or by any other
known means of transmitting force, under the control of the engine driver or guard,
the degree of pressure in proportion to the adhesion of the wheels or wheel pairs
being automatically controlled by means of a momentum governor fitted in connection
with any one or more of the braked wheels or their axles.
The improvements are applicable in connection with the brake-actuating levers
and mechanism commonly fitted on railway carriages which have automatic or
other brakes, the only alteration required in general being to connect the brake-
blocks through suitable links, levers, &c., to the carriage framing, so that the weight
of the carriage directly or otherwise applies the brake-blocks to the wheels, and, by
one method, a push rod or draw rod connected to the piston of a brake cylinder
removes the blocks by raising and sustaining the weight. In one arrangement, for
example, adapted to utilise in great measure the brake mechanism in use in
carriages fitted with the well-known Westinghouse automatic air-pressure brake,
the ends of the bearing springs are each connected by links to one arm of a bell-
crank lever secured to the carriage, and the other arm of which is connected to a
lever on the back of the brake-block. Each brake-block lever is suitably secured
on a stay rod or other fixed point, and its opposite end is connected by V rods to a

page_text: lever directly attached to the connecting-rod of the brake cylinder, which may be
conveniently located as at present in the longitudinal centre line of the carriage.
A brake-block is fitted as usual on each side of each wheel, and the V rods con-
nected to the brake-block levers of each wheel pair may be attached to the lever
operated by the brake cylinder. In the case of a four-wheeled vehicle the brake
cylinder may be conveniently placed in the centre of the length of the carriage,
and may be fitted with two pistons, or two brake cylinders may be fitted end to
end. The actuating fluid is conveyed to the brake cylinders on each carriage by a
train pipe fitted with the usual couplings between the carriages, an auxiliary pipo
being in some cases provided for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. The admission
of the actuating fluid to the brake cylinder is preferably through a novel con-
struction of valve, consisting of a flexible disc of rubber or other material, which
on one side bears near or at its outer edge on an orifice through which the actuating
fluid enters on its way to the brake cylinder, the valve being arranged to open by
the pressure of the in-flowing fluid. The opposite face of the valve disc bears near
or towards its centre on an outlet orifice or orifices which it closes so long as the
pressure on the induction face is greater or equal to that in the brake cylinder.
Whenever the pressure on the induction face is sufficiently reduced by the engine
driver or guard or by the breaking of the train pipe, the back pressure on the valvo
disc closes tightly at its outer edge on the inlet orifice, and raises the central part
of the disc from its seat on the outlet orifices and permits of the escape of the
actuating fluid. By this or any other similar valve arrangement having a similar
operation with an equivalent result in action, the pressure within the brake cylinder
is relieved, and the brakes, which were held off by the action of the brake cylinder,
are now applied. The valves as described above, or its equivalent valvular appliance,
can be made to apply the engine steam brake simultaneously with the application
of the brakes on the rest of the train whether applied by the driver or the guard or
by automatic action. When water is the actuating fluid used, it is preferred to
employ the auxiliary train pipe as a means of conveying the escaping water back
to the engine in order to utilise, and, in cold weather, to maintain circulation and
prevent freezing, the pressure of the steam on the water being in general applied
direct mainly for simplicity and economy, but also in order to heat the water in
cold weather, by admitting the boiler steam to reservoirs to which the train pipes
are connected. To provide for rapid escapo of the water for the instantaneous
application of the brakes, a connection is made between the outlet from the valve
or valves and the opposite end of the cylinder into which the water escaping from
the first end inay pass. Any section of the auxiliary pipe may also be employed
in the event of disablement of the main train pipe, to transmit the actuating fluid
to the portions uninjured.
The arrangement of the brake mechanism is by preference such as to permit of
the employment in emergencies of a block pressure equal to that due to several
times the weight of the unloaded or loaded carriage. Such a degree of pressure
will in general suffice to "skid" the wheels of a carriage at very high if not at the
highest train speeds, and as it is unadvisable that "skidding" should take place,
wo fit in connection with one or more of the loaded wheels or their axles, a
momentum governor, which when skidding of the said wheels begins will overrun
the axle speed and effect the opening of a valve permitting of the action of the
actuating fluid in the train pipe and brake cylinders or in a reservoir fitted in
connection with it. This regulating device may assume a variety of forms, for
example, a heavy disc or pulley may be fitted loosely between stops on one of the
wheel axles, and be kept in a normal position out of action by a spring or springs.
When the rotation of the wheel axle is suddenly retarded by skidding being
induced, the disc being loose will tend to continue its rotation and will overcome
the retaining spring, which by shifting the disc or an attachment in a lateral
direction will cause it to act on a lever or equivalent device connected to a valve
on the train pipe. Or by another plan, a momentum governor of similar simple
construction, or of any well-known type, may be suitably adapted and fitted in the

page_text: guard's van and be driven from one of the wheel axles; and it may serve in a
similar way to effect the opening of the valve on the train pipe to partially relieve
the brake whenever there is any tendency towards skidding.
As all the braked wheels on the train, by this Invention, have a brake-block
pressure applied proportionate to the load and other pressures on them and con-
sequently to the adhesion of the wheels on the rails, the tendency to skid will, all
other things being equal, occur on all the braked wheels at the same time, and the
degree of relief which serves to prevent any one wheel from skidding will equally
serve to prevent skidding of all the braked wheels of the train.
In order to provide means for relieving the brakes, for example, in the case of an
individual vehicle, or any number of vehicles, which may have been disconnected
from a train or engine while the brakes were applied, or on which the brakes have
been applied by leakage of the actuating fluid employed to keep off the brakes, or:
applied purposely-as with "slipped carriages "-mechanical or other simple devices
of various kinds and operated by hand, are devised and may be fitted in connection
with the brake mechanism to withdraw the brake blocks from the wheels. In one
convenient arrangement for this purpose, we form a slot in the stay rods which form
the fulcra for the brake block levers, in order to permit of the traverse to a suitable
extent of the brake-cylinder piston-rod and the brake-cylinder lever before the
point is reached at which the brake blocks are fully applied by the weight of the
carriage, and so that a corresponding backward traverse of the piston-rod may be
obtained to relieve the brake blocks when locked, as above mentioned. In ordinary
circumstances the brake-cylinder piston, or equivalent apparatus, is prevented from.
moving to the full extent of its said backward traverse, by a stop of any convenient
kind placed in the path of movement of the connecting rod or aforesaid brake lever
and other parts, and this stop is withdrawn or removed by hand when it is required
to unlock the brake blocks in the circumstances before specified. The same or
equivalent action or result may otherwise be obtained by providing for the
shortening and lengthening of any of the rods of the brake mechanism, as for
example by the use of right and left hand screws or by toggle joints or equivalent
devices.
In order to maintain the brake-blocks with the curvature of their bearing faces
concentric with the periphery of the carriage wheels, irrespective of oscillations of
the carriage body, or other disturbance of concentricity, and thereby to permit of
bringing the brake blocks extremely close to the wheels without danger of their
gripping accidentally at any point, we employ, in addition to the usual hanging
rod, a radius bar or bars to carry the brake blocks, such radius bar being firmly
secured therefor to the axle box, so as to have a hinged or spring action on a centre
coincident or nearly so with the axis of the wheel. This radius bar is knoed or
bent to clear the axle box, and such bending imparts to it the properties of a spring
which tends to keep the brake blocks off the wheel, but which is relatively so weak
as to be easily overcome by the great pressures employed in applying the brakes.
This shortening of the traverse of the blocks favours the use of short piston stroke
or of diaphragms for removing the blocks, even with the use of great block
pressures; also the use of more than one set of pistons or diaphragins, with diverse
areas and uses in applying and relieving block pressures (one set may apply the
car's weight to the blocks and the other remove that weight, in any of several
manners); also the use of one stroke of the piston in a given direction to apply the
brakes, and then repititions of the stroke in the same direction during the run to
relieve the brakes and hold them off till required for the stops, the piston con-
necting-rod being lengthened for these repitition strokes by the use of the stop
before mentioned along with toggle links, right and left hand screws, ratchet action
or other means, the return or reverse strokes being effected by spring action suitably
applied.
In this system the block pressures need not be on the "tread" of the wheels, as
they might be on the outer or on the inner sides or upon discs or other surfaces
placed concentric with the axles.

page_text: For operating "slipped" carriages and vans, after they have been slipped, several
devices are applicable by this system, both for applying and for relieving and for
re-applying their brakes to suit contingencies.
With fluid actuation, special reservoirs on the car or van are provided, in case of
air pressure or vacuum; whilst with water actuation, either reservoirs or a small
pump could be made to answer. With chain or other mechanical methods of
actuation, modes of operating the brakes by hand are sufficiently obvious.
By the use of the improved arrangements hereinbefore described we obtain, first,
a practicable unity of skidding points of all braked wheels in a train, the wheels
affecting the momentum governor or regulator being suitably set to a somewhat
lower or earlier skidding point than the rest, in order to utilise their initial skidding
in operating the regulator; second, practicable balance of adhesions and block
frictions of the several wheels or wheel pairs of a train at all speeds and with all
states of rails, utilising therein and thereby the aforesaid unity of skidding points,
by means of the aforesaid regulator of block pressures.
Any suitable high percentages of block pressures being practicable, safe, and
efficient, may, by this system, be utilised for emergencies by means of the aforesaid
unity of skidding points and balance of the adhesions and block frictions, avoiding
the danger and loss of skidding, and thus securing the fullest use of brakes under
all the disturbing forces that inevitably interfere in the process of braking, by
varying the amount of adhesion of the wheel pairs, and which forces include the
varying amount of distribution of load, momentum, vertical inertia, block friction,
and gradient.

page_text: We, THOMAS SLOAN of 49 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, Contractor, and
EDWARD HAWKS of 41 Queen Street Edinburgh, Commission Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES,"
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The main object of our invention is to secure the fullest use of the adhesion
between the rails, and every braked wheel of a railway train;—whilst obviating
"skidding" of the wheels. This object we attain by providing improved means or
appliances for operating the brakes, and for regulating automatically the degree of
pressure applied to the brake blocks.
The weight of each carriage as resting on its frame, on its axle bearings or on
any other possible points, but preferably as on its bearing springs in ordinary cars,
is applied through suitable levers to place the brakes on the wheels with an initial
degree of pressure due to any high percentage of such weights, and the entire or
partial removal of the brake-block pressure is effected by mechanical devices actuated
by compressed air, by vacuum, or by water, steam, or other fluid pressure, or by
chain, belt, or rope, or by rod in tension, thrust, or torsion or by electro motive
action, or by any other known means of transmitting force, under the control of
the engine driver or guard, the degree of pressure in proportion to the adhesion of
the wheels or wheel pairs being automatically controlled by means of a momentum
governor fitted in connection with anyone or more of the braked wheels or their
axles.
The improvements are applicable in connection with the brake actuating levers,
and mechanism commonly fitted on railway carriages which have automatic or
other brakes, the only alteration required in general, being to connect the brake-
blocks through suitable links, levers, pistons, &, to the carriage framing, so that
the weight of the carriage directly or otherwise applies the brake blocks to the
wheels; and, by one method, a push rod or draw rod connected to the piston of
a brake cylinder removes the blocks by raising and sustaining the weight. In one
arrangement for example, adapted to utilise in great measure the brake mechanism
in use in carriages fitted with the well known "Westinghouse" automatic air
pressure brake, the ends of the bearing springs are each connected by links at
feasible angles, to one arm of a bell crank lever secured to the carriage, and the
other arm of which is suitably connected to a lever on the back of the brake block.
Each brake block lever is suitably secured on a stay rod or other fixed point, and
its opposite end is connected by V rods to a lever directly attached to the con-
necting rod of the brake cylinder, which may be conveniently located as at present
in the longitudinal centre line of the carriage. A brake block is fitted as usual on
each side of each wheel, and the V rods connected to the brake-block levers of
each wheel pair may be attached to the lever operated by the brake cylinder. In
the case of a four wheeled vehicle, the brake cylinder may be conveniently placed
in the centre of the length of the carriage, and may be fitted with two pistons, or

page_text: two brake cylinders may be fitted end to end. The actuating fluid is conveyed to
the brake cylinder on each carriage by a train pipe fitted with the usual couplings
between the carriages, an auxiliary pipe being in some cases provided for the
purposes hereinafter mentioned. The admission of the actuating Quid to the brake
cylinder is preferably through a novel construction of valve consisting of a flexible
disc of rubber or other material which on one side bears near or at its outer edges
on an orifice through which the actuating fluid enters on its way to the brake
cylinder, the valve being arranged to open by the pressure of the in-flowing fluid.
The opposite face of the valve disc bears near or towards its centre on an outlet
orifice or orifices, which it closes so long as the pressure on the induction face is
greater than or equal to that in the brake cylinder. Whenever the pressure on the
induction face is sufficiently reduced by the engine driver or guard, or by the
breaking, of the train pipe, the back pressure on the valve disc closes tightly at its
outer edge on the inlet orifice, and raises the central part of the disc from its seat
on the outlet orifices, and permits of the escape of the actuating fluid. By this or
any other similar valve arrangement having a similar operation with an equivalent
result in action, the pressure within the brake cylinder is relieved, and the brakes
which were held off by the action of the brake cylinder are now applied. The
apparatus of the Westinghouse triple valve is readily applicable in simpler actuation
for use in this system. The dual valve as described above, or its equivalent
valvular appliances can be made to apply the engine steam brake simultaneously
with the application of the brakes on the rest of the train whether applied by the
driver or the guard or by automatic action. When water is the actuating fluid
used, it is preferred to employ the auxiliary train pipe as a means of conveying
the escaping water back to the engine in order to utilise it, and in cold weather, to
maintain its circulation, and prevent freezing, the pressure of the steam on the
water being in general applied direct mainly for simplicity and economy, but also
in order to heat the water in cold weather, by admitting the boiler steam to
reservoirs to which the train pipes are connected. To provide for rapid escape of
the water for the instantaneous application of the brakes, a connection is made
between the outlet from the valve or valves and the opposite end of the cylinder
into which the water escaping from the first end may pass. Any section of the
auxiliary pipe may also be employed in the event of disablement of the main
train pipe to transmit the actuating fluid to the portions uninjured.
The arrangement of the brake mechanism is by preference such as to permit of
the employment in emergencies of a block pressure equal to that due to several
times the weight of the entire unloaded or loaded carriage. Such a high degree
of pressure would in general suffice to "skid" the wheels of a carriage at very
high if not the highest train speeds, and as it is unadvisable that "skidding
should take place, we fit in connection with one or more of the braked wheels or
their axles, a momentum governor which when "skidding" of the said wheels just
begins will overrun the axle speed and effect the opening of a valve permitting of
the action of the actuating fluid in the train pipe and brake cylinder or in a reservoir
fitted in connection with them. This regulating device may assume a variety of
forms, for example, a heavy disc. or pulley may be fitted loosely between stops on
one of the wheel axles, and kept in a normal position out of action by a spring or
springs. When the rotation of the wheel axle is suddenly but slightly retarded
by skidding being partially induced, the disc being loose will tend to continue its
full speed of rotation and will overcome the retaining spring, and by shifting itself
or an attachment in a lateral or other arranged direction, will thus act directly or
by a lever or equivalent device upon a valve on the train pipe. Or by another
plan, a momentum governor of similar simple construction, or of any well known
type, may be suitably adapted and fitted in the guard's van, or upon the tender,
engine, or other vehicle, and be driven from one or more of the wheel axles; and
it will thus serve in a similar way to effect the opening of the valve in the train
pipe and to partially but effectively relieve the brake block pressure whenever
there is any tendency to skid,

page_text: As all the braked wheels on the train, by this invention, have a brake-block
pressure applied proportionate to the load and the other pressures on them and
consequently to the adhesion of the wheels on the rails, the tendency to skid will;
all other things being equal, ocour on all the braked wheels practically at the same
5. time, and the degree of relief which serves to prevent any one wheel from skidding
will equally serve to prevent skidding of all the braked wheels of the train.
In order to provide means for relieving the brakes, for example, in the case of an
individual vehicle, or any number of vehicles, which may have been disconnected
from a train or engine while the brakes were applied, or on which the brakes have
been applied by leakage of the actuating fluid employed to keep off the brakes, or
applied purposely as with slipped carriages, mechanical or other simple devices of
various kinds, and operated by hand, are devised, and may be fitted in connection
with the brake mechanism to withdraw the brake blocks from the wheels. In one
convenient arrangement for this purpose we form a slot in the stay rods which
form the fulcra for the brake block levers, in order to permit of the traverse to a
suitable extent of the brake cylinder piston rod, and the brake cylinder lever
before the point is reached at which the brake blocks are fully applied by the
weight of the carriage, and so that a corresponding backward traverse of the piston
rod may be obtained to relieve the brake blocks when locked, as above mentioned.
In ordinary circumstances the brake cylinder piston or equivalent apparatus is
prevented from moving to the full extent of its said backward traverse by a stop
of any convenient kind placed in the path of movement of the connecting rod or
aforesaid brake lever and other parts, and this stop is withdrawn or removed by
hand where it is required to unlock the brake blocks in the circumstances before
specified. The same or equivalent action or result may otherwise be obtained by
providing for the shortening and lengthening of any of the rods of the brake
applying mechanism, as for example by the use of right and left hand screws or by
toggle joints or equivalent devices, such as the catch lever arrangement hereinafter
described.
In order to maintain the brake blocks with the curvature of their bearing faces
concentric with the periphery of the carriage wheels, irrespective of the oscillations
of the carriage body, or other disturbance of concentricity, and thereby to permit
of bringing the brake blocks extremely close to the wheels without danger of their
gripping accidentally at any point, we employ in addition to the usual hanging rod
or equivalent lever, a radius bar or bars to carry the brake blocks, such radius bar
being firmly secured therefor to the axle box, so as to have a hinged or spring
action on a centre coincident or nearly so with the axis of the wheel. This radius
bar is kneed or bent to clear the axle box, and such bending imparts to it the
properties of a spring which tends to keep the brake blocks off the wheel, but
which is relatively so weak as to be easily overcome by the great pressures employed
in applying the brakes. This shortening of the necessary traverse of the blocks
favours the use of short piston stroke or of diaphragms for removing the blocks,
even with the use of great block pressures, also the use of more than one set of
pistons or diaphragms with diverse areas for applying and relieving block pressures
(one set may apply the car's weight to the blocks and the other remove that weight
in any of several manners); also the use of one stroke of the piston in a given
direction to apply the brakes, and then repetitions or a continuance of the stroke
in the same direction during the run to relieve the brakes and hold them off till
required for the stops, the piston connecting-rod being lengthened for these
repetition or continued strokes by the use of the stop before mentioned with or
without toggle links, right and left hand screws, ratchet action or other means, the
return or reverse strokes being effected by spring action suitably applied.
In this system the block pressures need not be on the head of the wheels, as they
might be on the outer or on the inner sides or upon discs or other surfaces placed
concentric with the axles.
For operating "slipped" carriages and vans, after they have been slipped, several
devices are applicable by this system, both for applying and for relieving and for

page_text: re-applying their brakes to suit contingencies. Thus with fluid actuation special
reservoirs and suitable ordinary cocks or valves on the car or van are provided in
case of air pressure or vacuum; whilst with water actuation, either reservoirs or a
small pump could be made to answer. With chain or other mechanical methods of
actuation, modes of operating the brakes by hand are sufficiently obvious, for use
with slip carriages or otherwise.
By the use of the improved arrangements herein before described, we obtain,
first, a practicable unity of skidding points of all braked wheels in the train, the
wheels affecting the momentum governor or regulator being suitably set to a
somewhat lower or earlier skidding point than the rest, in order to utilise their
initial or partial skidding in operating the regulator, and thus only the said set
wheels ever touch the point of incipient skidding; second, a prictical balance of
adhesions and block frictions of the several wheels or wheel pairs of a train at all
speeds and with all states of rails, utilising therein and thereby the aforesaid unity
of skidding points by means of the aforesaid regulator of block pressures.
Any suitably high percentage of block pressures being thus practicable, safe, and
efficient, may, by this system, be utilised for emergencies by means of the aforesaid
unity of skidding points and balance of the adhesions and block frictions, avoiding
the danger and loss of skidding and thus securing the fullest use of brakes under
all the disturbing forces that inevitably interfere in the process of braking, by
varying the amounts and the balances of adhesion and of block friction of the
wheel pairs, and which forces include the varying amount and distributions of
load, momentum, vertical inertia, block friction, and gradient, together with varying
speeds, varying states of the rails and of the element of time.
Referring again to water pressure actuation of the brake system :-The pressure
reservoirs are preferably two in number. They need not be large and may have
any feasible shape and position; and as the steam acts directly upon the water, no
pistons, discs, or diaphragms affect the simple formation of these vessels. Any
As the one
simple arrangement may check the impact of the steam on the water.
reservoir discharges into the main train pipe and cylinders in the process of
releasing the brakes, the other one should, normally, be receiving a similar amount
of water through the second or auxiliary train pipe from the same cylinders, and
will be prepared to take its turn in charging them. In applying the brakes the
driver or the guard by operating a two-way cock, or a valve, (or it may be the
severance of the coupling train pipe) lowers the pressure in the main train pipe and
that operates the dual valve (or an equivalent) and thus instantly opens a free
passage, through a short wide pipe, between the two ends of each brake cylinder in
the train, at once removing the force which raised the carriage and released the
brakes and maintained them off. The weight of the carriage will therefore force
the piston back and apply the brakes automatically, as its normal condition, when
not coerced, is that of "brakes on." Now as the dual valves, as stated above,
joined the two ends of the cylinders, the water must instantly obey the dual force
of the pistons, which at once push and draw it, and it will now occupy the self
same cylinder it had commanded, probably to be quickly sent back to the engine
when the second reservoir operates "brakes-off" and fills the first reservoir with
its former water.
These reservoirs are placed preferably for convenience of water supply and for
the piping arrangements, and so forth, under the tender or engine foot plate. They
may be of any convenient and strong form, being without pistons, discs, or
diaphragms, and as there need be no other separator between the steam and the
water, which may be freed from oxygen air by boiling, so as to effectively prevent
rust in the piping, cylinders, and so forth. And side steam piping is provided
therefor, as well as for heating the water in winter by either steam direct from the
boiler or the exhaust steam of the locomotive. Also each tank when exhausting
may be discharged through the water in the other and in part bring up the pressure
therein, and when, as by this invention, a small pumping engine is arranged to
keep up the circulation it may exhaust into the circulating water and that whether

page_text: it be merely an auxiliary to the two reservoirs, or be the sole means of generating
the actuating water pressure of the brakes. In case the water circulating in the
train brake pipes be utilised to heat the carriages as an advantage from the two
train pipes, in addition to the prevention of freezing of the brake pressure medium,
the exhaust steam can be, as an alternative or additional means of heating, be
brought into contact with piping &c used in the circulation. A feasible alternative
or additional means against freezing, the water may be made a saturated brine,
which also excludes oxygen gas; and as a full brine only freezes at a few degrees
above zero, the addition of glycerine thereto by increments more or less to suit
climates colder in general than Britain, the freezing can be prevented without much
cost even for American winters. In this alternative method we propose the use of
the circulating pump, and, especially where carriage heating may be desirable, the
combination of the methods and heating through piping, where advisable for saving
glycerine, salt, or other chemicals, such as chloride of calcium, commended for anti-
freezing. When water pressure is used and reliance is placed upon heating and
circulating alone against freezing in cold climates, provision is made in this
invention for freezing the train cylinders, pipes, &c, by suitable taps and valves,
for residuum water, and for working and blowing the bulk of it back to the tender
by steam before opening them and just before detraining the engine.
This invention has in view the use of injectors to suit some cases, and par-
ticularly such as work by the exhaust steam, and in other cases the use of pulsometers.
And any one or more of these aforesaid means of water propulsion and of water
heating, &c, may be combined both in view of actuation of the brake mechanism
and in view of circulation, as well as in regard to antifreezing and possible carriage
warming. A regulating valve or cock in charge of guard can suitably piss the
water between the train pipes.
Our invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which figure 1
is an elevation and figure 2 is a plan showing the application to the carrying frame
of a railway carriage of a modification of our improved brake apparatus. Figure 3
is an end view, figure 4 is an elevation, figure 5 is an end view, figure 6 is a plan,
and figure 7 is an elevation showing modified arrangements of our invention.
Figures 8 and 9 are end and side views on a larger scale showing a mode of
connecting the rods of the brake mechanism to the carriage body through the
springs. Figures 10 and 11 are a vertical section and sectional plan of the dual
valve we employ for regulating the admission and exhaust of the air or other fluid
employed to actuate the brake cylinder. Figure 12 is an elevation of a device we
employ to keep the brakes off when the carriage to which it is applied is dis-
connected from the train or from the engine. Figures 13 and 14 are vertical and
horizontal sections of the automatic regulator we employ to prevent skidding when
the brakes are applied.
In the example illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the carriage frame a is connected
to the supporting springs b by means of bell cranks c, c', which are pivotted on
brackets or stays d, and whose horizontal arms c are connected to the ends of the
springs by links e. The vertical arms c¹ of the bell cranks are connected by pull
rods for as shown dotted in figure 1, by push rods f¹, to the brake blocks g, and
diagonal rods h from the lower extremities of the arms c¹ are connected to a
vertical lever i carried by a hanger j, and whose upper end is connected to a push
rod k jointed to and forming a continuation of the piston rod 1 of the actuating
brake cylinder m.
The weight of the carriage acting through the bell cranks c c² has a pulling
effect on the rods f tending to apply the brake blocks to the wheels, and that pull
is proportional to the weight of the carriage and the leverage due to the relative
position of the points of connection of the rods f and the links e from the centre
or pivot of the bell crank. The pull or pressure tending to apply the brake blocks
is resisted by the piston in the brake cylinder m acting through the push rod l,
vertical lever. i, and diagonal rods h. The piston within the brake cylinder m.is.

page_text: actuated by air, water or other fluid pressure, the actuating Buid being admitted
by a branch n' from a main train pipe n. The admission takes place through the
valve casing o, which is shown in section in figures 10 and 11. The actuating
fluid enters as indicated by the arrow, passes the edges of the flexible disc o' and
passes to the cylinder m by the branch n". It there acts on the piston and
pushes it outwards to release the brake blocks and support the weight of the
carriage. When the engine driver or guard relieves the pressure in the train pipe
by operating the usual valve apparatus under his control, the pressure of the fluid
in the brake cylinder raises the flexible disc and permits of the escape of the
fluid from the cylinders through the valve orifices o² (which are normally closed
by the disc) and thence by the discharge branch n³ until the pressure on both sides
of the disc is equalised. When water is the actuating fluid, the discharge branch
is connected as before mentioned to the other end of the cylinder and to an
auxiliary pipe leading back to the locomotive. The automatic regulator P is in
this example shown fitted under the carriage frame, but it may in general be more
conveniently fitted within the guards van or on the locomotive or tender. The
regulator which is better shown in figures 13 and 14, consists of a heavy disc or
fly wheel P fitted loosely on a spindle p which is driven by a pulley P¹ and belt
from a pulley on one of the wheel axles. Upon the fly wheel is fixed a sleeve p¹
baving curved notches formed in it, and into these notches studs q project through
slots in the spindle p. The studs q rest normally on the bottom of the notches and
are then retained by springs r. They impart motion to the fly wheel P when the
spindle p is rotated, but in doing so they rise within the curved notches of the
sleeve p¹. When also the spindle p is suddenly slowed as it would be by usual.
skidding of the selected train wheels and slowing of the driving pulley on the
carriage axle, the fly wheel P overruns the spindle p and the studs q again rise in
the curved notches and move in a lateral direction in their slots against the power
of the springs r, 71. The lateral movement of the studs causes a central spindle on
which they are fitted, to press upon the spindles of a valvo t, which is fitted in
connection with the train pipe and is opened by the action of the spindle 8,
thereby admitting the fluid under pressure to the train pipe and relieving the
block pressure which slowed the axle, or brought the wheels to near the skidding
point. The pressure upon the valve t may also serve as a part of the spring
re-acting against the lateral pressure or movement of the stud spindle. The
regulator is brought into action by the slowing of the spindle and acts to relieve
the block pressure before actual skidding takes place, the nearest possible approxi-
mation to but short of the skidding point being maintained if desired, the re-acting
spring being for that purpose made capable of regulation by screws or similar
devices. The automatic regulator need be applied only to a single axle' or pair
of wheels as the block pressure on the wheels of each carriage is proportional to
the weight of the carriage, and a common skidding point is therefore practically
attained.
In the example illustrated in figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the brake blocks g are
shown applied by levers g¹ on the back of the blocks, these levers being connected
by diagonal pull rods f to the vertical lever i to which the diagonal rods h and the
push rods k are connected. The operation of the brake apparatus is however the
same as has been described in the various modifications of which our invention is
Busceptible. In these views, as also in figure 12, is shown one of many different
devices which may be employed for releasing the brake block pressure by hand in
slip carriages and generally when the carriage is detached from the locomotive.
This device consists of a lever u which is jointed at u³ near the lower end of the
vertical lever i, and whose upper end engages a notch vi in a catch lever v.
When the brake blocks are to be relieved by hand, the end of the lever v, or a
wire w attached to it, is pulled so that the projection slips over the end of the
lever and releases it. The brake pull rods are attached to the lever u on
opposite sides of its joint u¹, and while the catch lever v engages the lever u the

page_text: latter lever acts as a fixed part of the vertical lever i in applying the brake block
pressure, but when the lever u is released the pull on the rods fand on the brake
blocks is relieved.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we do
not claim generally the employment of the weight of carriages as a means of
applying the brakes in railway trains, but what we do claim is
1. The arrangement or combination of parts constituting the improved automatic
brake apparatus herein described and illustrated.
2. The combination with the bell-crank c c connected to the carriage supporting
springs, of the pull rods f connected to the brake blocks and the diagonal rods h
and vertical lever i connected to the push rod or other device employed for
relieving the brake blocks, substantially as herein set forth.
3. The combination with the bell-cranks (c c¹) or their equivalents, of the pull
rods (f) for applying the brake blocks substantially as herein set forth.
4. The combination of the diagonal rods (h) connected to the bell cranks (c c¹)
with the lever (i) and push rod (k) substantially as herein set forth.
5. The employment in combination with automatic brake mechanism of the
kind herein described, of an automatic regulator arranged to relieve the brake
block pressure and prevent skidding, substantially as herein set forth.
6. As means for controlling the degree of brake block pressure of railway brakes,
the automatic regulating apparatus herein described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
7. The improved valve for controlling the admission and discharge of the
actuating fluid, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
8. The improved device herein described and illustrated in Figure 12, for
relieving the brake block pressure by hand.
9. The arrangement in combination with automatic brake mechanism of the
kind described, of one, two, or more pressure reservoirs connected to the main
train pipes and adapted respectively to apply and to relieve the pressure in the
brake cylinders, substantially as set forth.
10. The combination with the brake cylinder of the dual valve or equivalent
valvular appliance connecting the cylinder and the train pipes, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.