Improvements in Brakes for Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 7th Jan.,
1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for Railway Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM SAMUEL LAYCOCK, of Victoria Street Works, City of Sheffield,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in hand worked brakes, but which may
also if desired be combined with the Westinghouse, and vacuum systems.
It is an improvement upon my prior patent No. 15194 of 1895, and upon one
known as Morton's," No. 14495, 1885.
66
A transverse rocking shaft is supported in bearings under the frame of the
vehicle, having short arms in opposite directions connected with horizontally
supported arms provided with brake blocks.
This rocking shaft is provided at its extreme ends with other short arms pin-
jointed to the ends of a hand lever on each side of the vehicle.
Near the position of the rocking shaft, on each side of the vehicle, I fix to the
framing a fulcrum-iron, having a curved edge with a number of waves and hollows
to receive a roller projecting from the side of the hand lever.
When the hand lever is pressed down to put on the brake, the roller climbs
over the next lower wave and enters the hollow, and this movement owing to the
forward curve of the fulcrum-iron, moves the hand lever horizontally and applies
pressure to the brakes.
The parts are so arranged that when the brakes are applied, one of the hand
levers is raised and the other lowered, but when the levers are horizontal the
brakes are off.
In order to permit the brakes to be applied or withdrawn from either side, I fix
a rocking lever, carried by a central pin or joint under the frame of the vehicle,
and reaching from side to side, and upon the ends of which the hand-levers rest,
so that when the hand lever on one side is pressed down to put on the brake the
other end of the rocking bar is raised and lifts up the hand lever, but does not
affect the brake.
To permit the brake to be operated by steam or vacuum brakes acting direct
upon the rocking shaft beforementioned without interfering with the hand levers,
I elongate the pin holes where the hand levers are connected with the short arms
which permits the required movement of the rocking shaft without affecting the
hand levers.
Tlated the 17th day of Wal1902

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
-
My invention relates to improvements in brakes usually worked by hand, but if
desired it can be combined with or be worked in combination with either the
Westinghouse
or the
vacuum systems.
"
"
It is an improvement upon my prior patent No. 15194 of 1895, and upon one
known as Morton's No. 14495 of 1885, and is illustrated in the annexed sheets of
drawings.
Fig. 1, is an elevation of the apparatus fixed in position upon a wagon frame.
Fig. 2, end view of same.
Fig. 3, plan of same.
According to my invention a rocking shaft A, passes transversely under the
vehicle frame B, and is supported in bearings C, at each end, and is provided with
short arms D, pinjointed adjustably to horizontally held arms E, attached to
suspended brake blocks F.
The rocking shaft A, has fixed upon its extreme ends outside the bearings C,
other short arms G, which are pinjointed between the double ends of the hand
levers H.
Upon the vehicle frame and near the position of the said rocking shaft, on each
side of the vehicle, I fix a fulcrum iron I, having a curved configuration, and
having a number of waves and hollows J, upon its concaved edge, to receive a
roller K, held between the divided end of the hand lever H, through which the
fulcrum iron also passes.
When the hand lever H is pressed down in order to apply the brake, the
roller K, as it is forced downwards climbs over the wave next to it and enters the
hollow below, and this movement draws forward the arms G, turns the shaft A,
and thus through the arms D, and E, forces the brake blocks F, against the wheels
on both sides of the vehicle.
In order to enable the brakes on both sides of a vehicle to be applied or with-
drawn by one person simultaneously, I fix a rocking lever L, under the frame-
work B, and carried by a central axis or fulcrum pin M, upon which it can freely
turn when pressed upon at either end.
This lever reaches from side to side of the vehicle, and upon its projecting ends the
hand levers H, rest but are not connected to it, it will therefore be evident that
when one of the hand levers is pressed down the other hand lever will be raised,
and vice versa.
On pressing down a hand lever as above described the brakes on both sides are
applied, and the lever on the opposite side is raised but without affecting the
brakes, but on the attendant raising the lever again, or on pressing down the
opposite lever, the brakes may be released.
To permit this brake system to be operated by steam or vacuum brake motors
acting direct upon the rocking shaft A, without moving the hand levers H, I
simply elongate the pin holes N, where the hand levers are connected with the
short arms G, thus permitting the movement of the rocking shaft and the brakes
without affecting the hand levers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In combination with a hand brake lever for railway vehicles, such as H, a
curved and waved fulcrum-iron I, for the lever to act against as hereinbefore
described and set forth.
2. In combination with mechanism for operating the brakes of railway vehicles,
side levers H, curved and waved fulcrum-irons I, and a transverse rocking
lever L, engaging with the said side levers, substantially as herein before described
and shown.

page_text: 3. In combination, the various parts which comprise the apparatus for applying
the brakes of railway vehicles, herein before described and set forth.
Dated the 31st day of October 1898.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Agent for the Applicant.