A Method of Making Safety Joints for Air Brakes to Prevent the Consequences Resulting from Trains Leaving the Rails.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th se pt., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 23rd June, 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 23rd June, 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
A Method of Making Safety Joints for Air Brakes to Prevent the
Consequences Resulting from Trains Leaving the Rails.
I, ANDREW KHOLODKOWSKI, of 8, Kolodezny, Péréoulok, Kichiner, Russia,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My arrangement of safety joint for air brakes is illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus coupled up with an ordinary Westing-
house brake coupling.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, the Westinghouse brake coupling
being shown in view.
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the same.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the same showing the actuating lever and
its catch.
Figure 5 is a side elevation showing the general arrangement of the parts.
I attach to the edge a of the coupling of an ordinary air brake, by means of a
flange b, a box consisting of a tube C, provided with a plug r, and a chamber E,
in which I place the outlet (or inlet) air valve d, as in an ordinary air brake, such
as the Westinghouse. The lever of this valve d, passing through the lower wall
of the chamber E, is acted upon by a spring, which tends to open the valve, but
is prevented from doing so by a catch z (Figure 4) which keeps the said lever in
its place. The catch is fastened by a soft iron wire or by a light chain to the
other end of the flexible coupling tube (Figure 5). The length of this wire or
chain can be regulated as desired by means of an adjustable double screw coupling
sleeve (Figure 4) or by other suitable means.
The object of making the joint in this manner and its action are as follows:-
When the train is coupled up, the flexible jointed tubes hang downwards in a
curve. Now it is well known, that the joint of an air brake can only be opened
when this curve is turned upwards, that is to say, by turning the tube and the
joint upwards. When, by reason of a train leaving the rails, or other accident,
the carriages are forced against each other, that is, approach one another, and
the curvature of the coupling tubes becomes greater, and in the same direction, it
is evident that the uncoupling of the tubes cannot take place.
To insure that the air shall pass out of (or come into), the main pipe of the air
brake, when a train leaves the rails, or other damage is done to the trains or
carriages, I have invented very simple means of raising the lower point of the
curve of the coupling pipes mechanically, and of insuring in any case the
escape or admission of air.
It is useful to remember that under normal conditions, when the carriage
couplings are uncompressed, and the train is pulled by the engine, the distance
between the buffers of the neighbouring carriages is about 6.25 centimetres.
Therefore, if the wire attached to the catch in the mechanism described above.
is of such a length, that at the maximum distance between the buffers, the
catch = still remains in its place and retains the stem of the valve <, this catch

page_text: will go out of its notch, and will allow the valve to open directly the normal
distance between the buffers is exceeded. Similarly the catch remains in its
place when during any shock the raising of the lower point of the pipe coupling
does not exceed the normal distance (i.c. 7.5 centimetres under ordinary con-
ditions) this catch will open the valve each time that the said point is raised to
a height exceeding the maximum distance, for in this case as in the other the
shock will pull the wire. The double screw coupling sleeve allows this wire to.
be very accurately adjusted.
The condition essential to the working of the apparatus described is that the
valve stem should be actuated by means of a wire or chain or the like shorter
than the coupling pipe.
The wire of each carriage may be fastened to the catch on the coupling pipe
of the next carriage.
In this case any unusual shock will unfasten the valve even if the length of
each wire is considerable.
It is obvious that this wire could also be made to complete or break the
electric circuit of a warning bell.
Dated this 26th day of September 1898.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
.
A Method of Making Safety Joints for Air Brakes to Prevent the
Consequences Resulting from Trains Leaving the Rails.
I, ANDREW KHOLODKOWSKI, of S, Kolodezny, Péréoulok, Kichinev, Russia,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement: -
My arrangement of safety joint for air brakes is illustrated in the drawings
accompanying the Provisional Specification.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus coupled up with an ordinary Westing-
house brake coupling.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, the Westinghouse brake coupling
being shown in view.
Figure is an end elevation of the same.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the same showing the actuating lever and
⚫its catch.
Figure 5 is a side elevation showing the general arrangement of the parts.
I attach to the edge a of the coupling of an ordinary air brake, by means of a
flange b, a box consisting of a tube C, provided with a plug r, and a chamber E,
in which I place the outlet (or inlet) air valve d, as in an ordinary air brake, such
as the Westinghouse. The lever of this valve d, passing through the lower wall
of the chamber E, is acted upon by a spring, which tends to open the valve, but
is prevented from doing so by a catch z (Figure 4) which keeps the said lever in
its place. The catch is fastened by a soft iron wire or by a light. chain to the
other end of the flexible coupling tube (Figure 5). The length of this wire or
chain can be regulated as desired by means of an adjustable double screw coupling
sleeve (Figure 4) or by other suitable means.
The object of making the joint. in this manner and its action are as follows: :-
When the train is coupled up, the flexible jointed tubes hang downwards in a
curve. Now it is well known, that the joint of an air brake can only be opened

page_text: when this curve is turned upwards, that is to say, by turning the tube and the
joint upwards. When, by reason of a train leaving the rails, or other accident,
the carriages are forced against each other, that is, approach one another, and
the curvature of the coupling tubes becomes greater, and in the same direction, it
is evident that the uncoupling of the tubes cannot take place.
To insure that the air shall pass out of (or come into) the main pipe of the air
brake, when a train leaves the rails, or other damage is done to the trains or
carriages, I have invented very simple means of raising the lower point of the
curve of the coupling pipes mechanically, and of insuring in any case the
escape or admission of air.
It is useful to remember that under normal conditions, when the carriage
couplings are uncompressed, and the train is pulled by the engine, the distance
between the buffers of the neighbouring carriages is about 6.25 centimetres.
Therefore, if the wire attached to the catch z in the mechanism described above,
is of such a length, that at the maximum distance between the buffers, the
catch z still remains in its place and retains the stem of the valve d, this catch
will go out of its notch, and will allow the valve to open directly the normal
distance between the buffers is exceeded. Similarly the catch remains in its
place when during any shock the raising of the lower point of the pipe coupling
does not exceed the normal distance (i.e. 7.5 centimetres under ordinary con-
ditions) this catch will open the valve each time that the said point is raised to
a height exceeding the maximum distance, for in this case as in the other the
shock will pull the wire. The double screw coupling sleeve allows this wire to
be very accurately adjusted.
The condition essential to the working of the apparatus described is that the
valve stem should be actuated by means of a wire or chain or the like shorter
than the coupling pipe.
The wire of each carriage may be fastened to the catch on the coupling pipe
of the next carriage.
In this case any unusual shock will unfasten the valve even if the length of
each wire is considerable.
It is obvious that this wire could also be made to complete or break the
electric circuit of a warning bell.
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. Safety joints or connections for air brakes to prevent the consequences result-
ing from trains leaving the rails and other accidents, formed with a valve for
letting the air go out from (or come into) the pipe of an air brake, a wire or
chain attached to a catch, which keeps this valve in its place under normal con-
ditions and allows it to open when an accident occurs, the length of the said
wire or chain being shorter than the coupling pipe to which it is attached.
2. Safety joints or connections for air brakes constructed substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawing annexed.
Dated this 7th day of June 1899.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.