Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Francis Knapp, of New York, in the
United States of America, but at present of 5, Southampton
Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
"
Sealed the 11th February 1876, and dated the 13th August 1875.

page_text: 6
Secondly. The compression and exhaustion of the air in the brake
cylinder is performed by means of a specially constructed rotary valve
and arrangement of pipes.
Thirdly. In the mode of automatically closing the cocks placed on the
leading pipe at each end of the car in case a train should part.
The manner by which I propose to accomplish the first part of my
said Invention is as follows:-On the top or side of the steam cylinder
of an ordinary pneumatic brake pump I place a valve to which is
connected the steam pipe from the boiler, also two steam pipes (one
communicating with the top, the other with the bottom of the cylinder)
and the exhaust pipe. The aforesaid valve is furnished with four
ways" so arranged that the two pipes which connect the valve to the
cylinder may be put in communication alternately with the steam pipe
from the boiler and the exhaust. The piston rod has a hole bored
through its centre, into which works a spindle extending out of the top
of the cylinder through a stuffing box; this spindle is furnished with a
cam and two coiled springs suitably held in position, and between which
is held a lever connected with the valve aforesaid, and which serves to
put it in motion. The object of the cam is to unlock a catch which
slides on the lever aforesaid, and works against a projection on the
casing of the valve furnished with two notches, into which the said catch
is locked by means of a spring.
The working of the steam piston of a pump constructed as above is as
follows: Supposing the valve to be opened in such a way that the
steam is admitted on the top of the piston to force it down the spindle
going through the rod of the said piston will follow the same course, and
the lever being held in position by the catch will compress the top
spindle spring until the cam aforesaid draws the catch out of the notch;
the spindle spring will thus be released and force the lever over to the
other notch, by which operation the valve will be reversed and admit
steam to the bottom of the cylinder, and the previous steam supply pipe
from the valve becomes the exhaust, and so on at each stroke of the
piston.
The second part of my said Invention consists in the construction of a
rotary valve working in conjunction with a steam air pump and
reservoir, for the purpose of putting on the brakes of a train by means
of compressed air, and taking the said brakes off by suction, each

page_text: operation is performed by one motion of the valve lever, and when
neither of these operations is being performed the valve is so arranged
that air may be pumped through it into the reservoir. The valve is in
direct communication with the main leading air pipe connecting all the
brake cylinders together, and also in communication with the air
reservoir which is itself connected with the eduction pipe of the pump.
The induction pipe of the pump is also connected with the valve through
which it receives all its air supply. The "ways" of the valve are so
arranged that air may be pumped into the brake cylinder through the
reservoir to put the brakes on, and also so that it may be exhausted and
sent back to the reservoir when the brakes are taken off; but if preferred
the air may be discharged through the valve into the atmosphere by
connecting the eduction pipe of the pump with the valve, by which
means the operation will be rendered quicker.
The third part of my said Invention consists in the mode of auto-
matically closing cocks placed on the leading pipe at each end of the
car in case the carriages should part.
I propose to accomplish the above object as follows:-The arms of the
cocks in the ends of the cars are connected together by a coupling
which has less slack than the flexible pipe connection, so that as the
carriages part the cocks will be closed before the pipe connection is torn
asunder. The ends of the air pipes underneath the cars are fitted with
male couplings, and the tubular connections with female couplings, so
that the connection may be made on whatever side the cars are brought
together.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Francis Knapp in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
0 FRANCIS KNAPP, of New York, in the United States of America, but
at present of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Francis Knapp, Her special
licence that I, the said Henry Francis Knapp, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Francis Knapp,
my 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, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC CAR BRAKES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Henry Francis Knapp, my executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 I, the said Henry Francis Knapp, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in pneumatic car
brakes, whereby,-
Firstly. The use of a fly wheel is dispensed with in the compression
pump, and the steam supply and exhaust port are always full opened in
any position in which the pump may find itself.
Secondly. The compression and exhaustion of the air in the brake
cylinder is performed by means of a specially constructed rotary valve
and arrangement of pipes.
Thirdly. In the mode of automatically closing the cocks placed
on the leading pipe at cach end of the car in case a train should
part.
The manner by which I propose to accomplish the first part of my
said Invention is as follows:-On the top or side of the steam cylinder
of an ordinary pneumatic brake pump I place a valve to which is

page_text: 65
connected the steam pipe from the boiler, also two steam pipes, one
communicating with the top, the other with the bottom of the cylinder)
and the exhaust pipe. The aforesaid valve is furnished with four
ways," so arranged that the two pipes which connect the valve to the
cylinder may be put in communication alternately with the steam pipe
from the boiler and the exhaust. The piston rod has a hole bored
through its centre, into which works a spindle extending out of the top
of the cylinder through a stuffing box; (this spindle is furnished with a
cam and two coiled springs suitably held in position, and between which
is held a lever connected with the valve aforesaid, and which serves to
put it in motion. The object of the cam is to unlock a catch, which
slides on the lever aforesaid, and works against a projection on the casing
of the valve furnished with two notches, into which the said catch is
locked by means of a spring.
The working of the steam piston of a pump constructed as above is as
follows: Supposing the valve to be opened in such a way that the steam
is admitted on the top of the piston to force it down, the spindle going
through the rod of the said piston will follow the same course, and the
lever being held in position by the catch will compress the top spindle.
spring until the cam aforesaid draws the catch out of the notch. The
spindle spring will thus be released, and force the lever over to the other
notch, by which operation the valve will be reversed and admit steam to
the bottom of the cylinder, and the previous steam supply pipe from the
valve becomes the exhaust, and so on at cach stroke of the piston.
The second part of my said Invention consists in the construction of a
rotary valve working in conjunction with a steam air pump and reservoir
for the purpose of putting on the brakes of a train by means of com-
pressed air, and taking the said brakes off by suction. Each operation
is performed by one motion of the valve lever, and when neither of these
operations is being performed the valve is so arranged that air may be
pumped through it into the reservoir. The valve is in direct communi-
cation with the main leading air pipe connecting all the brake cylinders
together, and also in communication with the air reservoir, which is
itself connected with the eduction pipe of the pump. The induction
pipe of the pump is also connected with the valve, through which it
receives all its air supply. The " "of the valve are so arranged
that air may be pumped into the brake cylinder through the reservoir to
put the brakes on, and also so that it may be exhausted, and sent back
ways

page_text: Figure 11 is a detached view of the mode of connecting the car
brakes together.
In cach of the above Figures similar letters of reference are used to
denote corresponding parts.
As regards Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, A is a steam cylinder, in which
works a piston B, the rod of which, C, passes through a stuffing box D
and actuates the piston of the air pump placed underneath the cylinder A
shown at E, Figure 7. Inside the piston rod C, which is made hollow
at F, works a rod G, which extends through a stuffing box G¹ out of
the top of the cylinder. This rod is furnished with two stops g, g', to
give any required amount of motion. The rod G is furnished with a
cam H and two coiled springs J, J', suitably held in position by collars
jj. Between these springs is held a lever K connected with a four-way
valve L, the ways 1ª, 2ª, 3ª, and 4ª being shown in section in Figures 3
and 4. The object of the cam H is to unlock a catch M, which slides
on the lever K and works against a projection N furnished with two
notches n, n', into which the catch M is locked by means of a spring O.
P is the pipe which connects the valve L with the boiler P', the pipe
going from the valve to the top of the cylinder P, the pipe going from
the valve to the bottom of the said cylinder, and P³ the exhaust
pipe.
The working of the steam piston of a pump constructed as above is
as follows: Supposing the valve L to be opened in such a way that the
steam is admitted on the top of the piston B (as shown at Figure 3) to
force it down, the spindle G will follow the same course in accordance
with the knob g, and the lever K being held in position by the catch M
will compress the top spring J' until the cam H draws the catch M out
of the notch n. The spring J¹ will thus be released and force the lever K
over to the other notch n², by which operation the valve will be reversed
(as shown at Figure 4), and admit steam to the bottom of the cylinder,
and the previous steam supply pipe P¹ from the valve becomes the
exhaust and P the supply, and so on, at each stroke of the piston, by
which arrangement the pump valve is always open to both full supply
and exhaust.
As regards the Figures 5 and 6 representing the valve for working
the atmospheric brake, Q is the casing of the valve E, the said valve.
furnished with ways" 1, 2, 3, 4, and S, S², S³, S*, S are pipes leading

page_text: to different parts of the brake and pump. The pipe S is the induction
pipe leading from the valve to the compression pump E, Figure 7. The
pipe S¹ connects the valve to the air reservior T, Figures 5, 7, and 9.
The pipe S connects the valve to the brake cylinders U, Figures 5, 7,
and 8. The pipe S³ connects the air reservoir T to the pump E, Figure 1.
In pipe S³ is a check valve B³. The pipe S connects the valve with the
atmosphere. The pipe S5 connects the valve to the pipe S³, so that when
the passage through the pipe S is opened the pump will force the air
into the atmosphere instead of into the reservoir, so as to accelerate the
exhaust. One pipe S3 runs throughout the whole length of the train,
and the connection of this pipe between the cars, shown at Figure 10,
is so contrived that the female part of the joint marked V shall always
be at each end of the cars, whereas the male parts W shall belong to
the connection. The piston rod X of the brake cylinders U is connected
to the brakes Y by means of a series of rods Z and levers Z³ working on
pivots Z³, shown at Figures 7 and 8, and so arranged that when air is
introduced in the cylinders U the action will be simultaneous on all the
wheels of the cars, and when the air is sucked out the brakes will be
taken off clear of all the wheels uniformly.
By the above arrangement of pipes S, S¹, S², S³, S4, S5, and valve with
"ways" 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, which connect the brake cylinders, reservoir pump,
and atmosphere by a simple movement of the handle of the valve
(Figure 5), the reservoir T or pump E can be put in communication
with the brake cylinders U for introducing or exhausting the air there-
from, so as to put the brake on or take it off and to accelerate the
exhaustion of the air from the brake cylinders U; the pipe S is furnished
with valves W and W, Figure 5, which allows the compressed air to
pass into the atmosphere through the valve Ws which will close itself
when the exhaust produced by the pump will be below the atmospheric
pressure, and the remainder of the air will then be pumped through the
pipe S into the atmosphere, or if preferred the reservoir T.
A vacuum tank T¹, Figure 7, may be used in conjunction with the
reservoir T if required, and also worked by a valve E³.
In the case of cars being separated during the transit of the train or
otherwise valves A³, Figures 7 and 8, are provided at each end of the
pipe S. The levers of these valves are connected with the connection B³,
Figure 10, in such a way that in case the cars should part the tube

page_text: L
connection being pulled taut before the rupture takes place will close
the valves A¹.
In order to put the brakes on the car which has been separated from
the train when the brakes are off as well as on the car, which is con-
tinuing its course sliding and flexible bars C connect by means of
chains D, the piston rod X of the brake cylinders U with the car in
front of it, and the levers Z with its next rear car. These sliding bars,
part of which is shown at Figure 11, are provided with indentations E²,
and pass through slides F, in front of which are pawls G². Shoulders
or collars H³ are also provided on the bars C³, so as to form a stop when
coming in contact with the slides F when the chains D³ will part, and
the pawls G will hold the bars C³ in position, and thus hold the
brakes on.
Some of the valuable features of this brake are that it gives such
complete control of the train to the engineer that a train running
into a station at the rate of 50 miles per hour can be hauled up in the
shortest space of time, and made to stop four times out of five so as to
take water in the tender without any backing up or taking a fresh start
ahead to get in the proper place for so doing; also the brake shoes are
always easily kept clear of the wheels, and are not hugging the wheels
closely, as is most frequently the case with brakes in general, which
causes a large amount of lost power, wear and tear to the stock, delay,
and so forth; the brakes also instantly cling to the wheels when the
air is turned on, as there is no counteracting spring or gravity power to
overcome before their application to the wheels, and as one second of
time to a train going 50 miles per hour is equal to several seconds of
time at the rate of 10 miles per hour, the great advantage of primary
quickness in getting the brake shoes on to the wheels to achieve a quick
stop is apparent to any engineer.
By the positive action of this apparatus and the avoidance of using au
ever varying spring power to take off the brakes, a lateral movement of
the brake shoes may be kept to an average maximum of one-quarter
inch play, a most valuable feature for ensuring quickness, surety, and
eveness of pressure in the application and operation of the brakes.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention
for "Improvements in Pneumatic Car Brakes," and the means by which
it may be effected, I hereby declare my Invention to consist in and I
claim as follows:-

page_text: First. The steam valve L of engine A having two diametrical
passages 1 and 2, and the diagonal passages 3 and 4, for the purpose
of connecting and disconnecting the various supply and exhaust pipes
alternately of steam engines.
Second. The valve L in combination with engine A, stem G, lever K,
and springs J, J.
Third. The cam H in combination with lock M, stops n and n¹, and
stem G.
Fourth. Escape valve W³ and check valve W in combination with
the induction pipe S of a pump.
Fifth. Valve E in combination with the parts mentioned in claim
fourth.
Sixth. The combination of the eduction pipes S3 and S³ of a pump
brake cylinders U and the valve Es for the purpose specified.
Seventh. The valve E having two direct diametrical passages and
diagonal passage opening alternately at the same ports or pipes S, S', S³,
S, and also having off-shoot or intersecting passages S³, 2, 3, and other
parts as described.
Eighth. The valve E5 in combination with its connecting pipes S, S¹,
S2, S', So, with pump reservoirs, brake cylinders, and other parts of a
train.
Ninth. The valve E in combination with reservoir T or vacuuni
tank T', or both together for the purpose specified.
Tenth. The pivoted brake levers Z of the car in combination with the
brake cylinder, piston X, and rigid brake rods Z.
Eleventh. The means herein described of causing the valves A¹ in the
ends of the car pipes to be closed by the tension or tightening up of the
flexible hose connection B after the cars of a train have separated.
Twelfth. The arrangement for having the male couplings W on both
ends of the flexible connecting hose B, and the female coupling V on
the ends of all the supply leading pipes of the cars.
Thirteenth. The combination of sliding bar C having indentations
and stops and pawl G³, and flexible chain D connected to the brake
lever of the car, so that if a train separates while the compressed air
is not holding the brakes on the two parting cars will have their brakes a

page_text: drawn on by the act of separation, and will be so held by pawl G³
after the chain car connection parts.
Fourteenth. The general arrangement of the apparatus for the
purpose set forth, substantially as above described and represented.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Francis Knapp, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Seventeenth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
Witness,
ALEX. BROWNE.
HENRY F. KNAPP. (L.S.)