IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM CROSS of the firm of R. and W. Hawthorn of Forth Banks and
St. Peters, Newcastle-on-Tyne in the County of Northumberland Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES " and in what
manner 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," and is chiefly applicable to
railway engines, though it may be applied with equal facility to all types of
engines requiring brake power. My Invention consists in a novel construction
and combination of parts whereby an engine or vehicle may be much more readily
and speedily retarded or stopped; and for this purpose I combine with the ordinary.
hand wheel or other mechanisin or medium communicating with the brakes the
application of steam, hydraulic pneumatic or other power.
The brake may be applied as a hand brake only, if no other power is available,
or the hand motion or other mechanism may be used to actuate the piston only.
and not as a source of power; or the hand power may be utilized to increase the
power produced by steam hydraulic or other motive power. In carrying my
Invention into practise I arrange in any convenient position, a cylinder fitted with
piston steam chest slide or other valve steam and exhaust ports etc.
The hand brake screw or other inechanism is capable of rotating freely on the
top of this piston. Upon the hand wheel screw or other mechanism, above the
foot plate, at or near the foot of the brake pillar or in any convenient situation,
I arrange a shifting crosshead, working in a slot, through the pillar connected
with nuts or in any convenient manner to the spindle actuating the slide valve.
The piston rod is connected in any convenient way, to the brake shaft, which is
attached to the brake rigging in the ordinary inanner.
I will now proceed to more particularly describe my Invention as applied to
railway vehicles by aid of the Drawings attached in which Figure 1 represents
the mechanism I employ in the case of railway vehicles, though it is obvious
that with slight modification the same system is applicable to all types of engines
requiring brake power, such as, tram engines, winding. engines, hydraulic engines,
steering and other engines. Figure 2 is a section on line X. X. Figure 3 is a
plan of the bottom of the cylinder looking upwards. Figure 4 is a sectional
elevation on line Y. Y. Figure 5 is a plan on line W W. Figure 6 is a sectional
elevation on line Z. Z.

page_text: To apply the brake the rotation of the hand wheel screw C. causes the
crosshead D. valve rod L. and valve M. to descend and open the steam port N.
cominunicating with the lower side of the piston E. The piston then commences
to rise carrying with it the piston rod G. and applying the brakes through the
medium of the rack and segment H. K. shown on Drawing or other suitable
coupling.
In rising the piston E. carries the crosshead D up with it, shuts the port N. and
stops itself. To apply the brake further it is therefore necessary to continue
rotating the brake wheel C. in the ordinary manner as if the cylinder was absent.
To take the brake off it is only necessary to reverse the direction of rotation of
the brake rod C; this makes communication between N. and O. and allows the
steam to escape, until the passage is again closed by the descent of of the piston E.
By my Invention it is impossible for the brakes to apply themselves as is often
the case in steam, hydraulic, pneumatic or other similar power brakes.-This is
obviated automatically as, if the valve M leaks so that the piston E. commences
to rise, the communication between N. and O. is opened and the piston consequently
stops. Failure of action is, also impossible, for if from any cause, the steam or
other motive power fails to act, then the crosshead D. will descend and rest on the
bottom of the slot S. and act as a fixed nut; the brake screw C. will then ascend
through it, carrying with it the piston E. and piston rod G; thus acting exactly
the same as an ordinary hand brake, and as if the piston and power combination
were absent.
•
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:
First. The combination of ordinary hand brake power with steam hydraulic or
other motive power, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
2nd In a combined steam and hund brake the employment of a screwed spindle,
upon which a shifting crosshead works, which operates a slide valve, for the
purpose of admitting steam, or other fluid pressure to the back of a piston as
herein setforth.
3rd The combination with steam and hand gear of a piston the rod of which by
any suitable mechanical medium actuates the brake or brakes, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
DLA ALL. Ticklesnik din of Bauch 190.1