Improvements in Brakes for Railway and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brakes for Railway and similar Vehicles.
I, JOSEPH FOSTER, of Moat Farm, Hanbury, Burton-on-Trent, in the County
of Derby, Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object certain improvements in brakes applicable
more especially for railway wagons, though not exclusively therefor. The great
defect in coal and mineral wagon brakes at the present time is that the men
in applying the brakes, jam them down as hard as they can, the effect of which
is to skid the wheels. This skidding is undesirable, as it not only causes unequal
wear on the tread of the tyre, but the retarding or braking effect is not so great,
as if friction between the brake block and the tyre in revolving is relied on, to
secure the braking effect. By my invention the defect mentioned is entirely
obviated, my arrangement ensuring that the wheel is not skidded when the
brake is applied.
.
In carrying my invention into effect, I provide a brake block suspended in any
suitable manner by a hanger, and adapted to be pressed against the tyre surface
by means of a spring of sufficient power to provide the necessary frictional
resistance between the two surfaces but not powerful enough to skid the 'wheel.
A hand lever acting upon a crank and connecting rod coupled to the block or
hanger is adapted to forcibly withdraw the brake block from the rims of the
wheels, and when withdrawn the lever can be made to engage an abutment or
catch on the lever guard which holds the block clear of the wheel so long as it
is not required to be applied. By disengaging the lever from the abutment
however, the block will be at once applied to the wheel with a force depending
upon the strength of the spring. The spring which forces the block against the
wheel may be of any suitable kind such as a laminated spring or a flat spring, or
a spiral or rubber spring etc. The brake block may be mounted in a
frame secured to the hanger, adjusting screws being provided which enable the
brake block to be moved nearer the wheel, so as to take up wear due to the
constant friction between the wheel and the block. I generally prefer to so
arrange the parts that the downward pressure on the hand lever shall remove the
brake block from contact with the tyre, while when the hand lever is released
from the catch, it will fly upward by the pressure of the brake block spring and
the brake be applied. This however is optional.
It is obvious that a brake block may be applied to each wheel and the blocks
on each side operated by a separate lever, or by the same lever or a block may
be applied to one wheel only in each vehicle whichever is preferred, and furthermore
that instead of using a hand lever, a handle and screw acting on a system of

page_text: levers may be employed for applying the brake. The brake blocks may be of
wood or metal whichever is preferred.
Dated this 4th day of February 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Brakes for Railway and similar Vehicles.
I, JOSEPH FOSTER, of Moat Farm, Hanbury, Burton-on-Trent, in the County
of Derby, Foreman, 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:-.
This invention has for its object certain improvements in brakes applicable
more especially for railway wagons, though not exclusively therefor. The great
defect in coal and mineral wagon brakes at the present time is that the men
in applying the brakes, jam them down as hard as they can, the effect of which
is to skid the wheels. This skidding is undesirable, as it not only causes unequal
wear on the tread of the tyre, but the retarding or braking effect is not so great,
as if friction between the brake block and the tyre in revolving is relied on, to
secure the braking effect. By my invention the defect mentioned is entirely
obviated, my arrangement ensuring that the wheel is not skidded when the
brake is applied.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my brake block applied to a railway wagon;...
Figure 2, a plan.
Referring to these figures, I provide a brake block A suspended in any
suitable manner by a hanger B and adapted to be pressed against the tyre, surface
by means of a spring C with sufficient power to provide the necessary frictional
resistance between the two surfaces, but not powerful enough to skid the wheel.
A hand lever D, acting upon a crank E and connecting rod F coupled to the block
or hanger, is adapted to forcibly withdraw the brake block from the tyres of
the wheels and when withdrawn the lever D can be made to engage an abutment
or catch J on the lever guard G which holds the block A clear of the wheel so long
as it is not required to be applied. By disengaging the lever I from the abut-
ment, however, the block will be at once applied to the wheel with a force
depending upon the strength of the spring C. The spring C which forces the
block against the wheel may be of any suitable kind, such as a laminated spring
as shown, or a flat spring or spiral or rubber spring etcetera. The brake block A
may be mounted in a frame H secured to the hanger B, adjusting screws I being
provided which enable the brake block A to be moved nearer the wheel so as to
take up wear due to the constant friction between the wheel and the block. I
generally prefer to so arrange the parts that when the hand lever is released
from the catch it will fly downward by the pressure of the brake block spring and
the brake be applied, while the upward movement of the hand lever will remove
the brake block from contact with the tyre. This however is optional.
It is obvious that a brake block may be applied to each wheel and the blocks
on each side operated by a separate lever, or by the same lever or a block may
be applied to one wheel only in each vehicle whichever is preferred, and furthermore
that instead of using a hand lever, a handle and screw acting on a system of

page_text: levers may be employed for applying the brake. The brake blocks may be of
wood or metal whichever is preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The improvement in brakes for railway and similar vehicles, which consists
in providing in combination with the brake block, a spring of sufficient power so
arranged as to press the brake block against the tyre surface to provide the
necessary frictional resistance, and yet not be powerful enough to skid the wheel,
and means for forcibly withdrawing the brake block clear of the wheel when it
is not required to be applied, substantially as described.
2. In brake apparatus, mounting the brake block in a frame hinged to the
hanger, in combination with adjusting screws so arranged as to press the brake
block nearer to the wheel when it is required to take up wear substantially as
described.
3. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved brake apparatus for railway and similar vehicles.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London.