IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES ON RAILWAY TRAINS BY FLUID PRESSURE.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Westinghouse, junior, of No. 20, Southampton
Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES ON RAILWAY TRAINS BY FLUID
PRESSURE.'
Sealed the 4th January 1878, and dated the 6th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Westinghouse at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th November 1877.
GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, junior, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES ON RAILWAY
TRAINS BY FLUID PRESSURE."
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus of the kind described in the
Specifications of Patents, Nos. 2436 of 1871, 2484 of 1871, 595 of 1872, 933 of
1872, 1226 of 1872, 1691 of 1872, 2018 of 1872, 2235 of 1870, 1735 of 1873, 3840
of 1873, and 1540 of 1874; such apparatus being employed for the purpose of
working brakes on railway trains by means of compressed air or other fluid, or by
atmospheric pressure acting against rarified air, and my present improvements have
for their object to simplify the construction and render more effective the action of
portions of such apparatus.
In some of the Specifications above referred to I described a triple valve box,
which has the function of charging an auxiliary reservoir on each brake carriage,
with compressed air from a pipe communicating throughout the train, of admitting
a portion of this charge into a cylinder to act on a piston for the purpose of applying
the brakes when the pressure in the communicating pipe is relieved, and of relieving
the pressure in the cylinder for the purpose of taking off the brakes when the pres-
sure in the communicating pipe is again increased.
According to my present Invention I construct a valve box for this purpose in
the following manner:-I make the box in three pieces, the bottom part secured to
the top part by tie bolts, by which the middle part is clamped between them. The
bottom part is cup shaped, to collect moisture or impurities, and is connected. to

page_text: the communicating pipe by a branch which preferably has a stop-cock to close the
branch when it is required to remove or repair the valve box, or to disconnect the
brake gear of the one carriage. The middle part is cylindrical, and is fitted with a
piston, which seats as a valve on caoutchouc or other soft packing at the bottom of
the cylinder. To the steam of this piston is attached a D slide, which governs two
ports, one for discharge, opening to the outer air, and the other communicating by a
passage with a cavity in the top part, which is connected by a pipe with the brake
cylinder. Another cavity in the top part is connected by a pipe with the auxiliary
reservoir, and this cavity is in free communication with the interior of the valve box.
Under the piston is fitted a stem pressed upwards by a helical spring, a shoulder
on it bearing against the piston, and on the upper end of this stem is a pin of small
size entering a small hole, which passes through the piston. When the communicating
pipe is charged with compressed air the piston is pressed upwards, and the small
hole through it being thus opened air flows to the auxiliary reservoir and charges
it, the brake cylinder being at this time opened to the outer air by means of the D
slide. When the pressure in the communicating pipe is reduced, the piston descends,
closing the hole through it, and moving the D slide so as to close the discharge port,
and permit compressed air from the auxiliary reservoir to pass to the brake cylinder,
where it acts on the piston, causing the brakes to be applied. The spring stem
applied to the valve piston enables the brakes to be applied with moderate force by
a moderate reduction of the pressure in the pipe, by moving the piston valve suffi-
ciently far to make the D slide close one of its ports without opening the other.
A modified form of this valve box is applied when a brake cylinder having a
differential area of piston is employed, the modification consisting in an altered
position of the port leading to the one end of the brake cylinder.
For the purpose of charging the communicating pipe with compressed air from
the main reservoir, and discharging the air from the pipe, or reducing its pressure
for applying the brakes, I employ a valve box fitted with a spring piston valve, and
with a rotating disc slide, by turning which more or less round the required commu-
nications are effected through suitable ports. Thus in one position of the rotating
slide, air from the main reservoir pressing on the spring valve opens it, and passes
into the pipe to charge the auxiliary reservoirs.
In another position all ports are closed, except a small passage admitting sufficient
air to the pipe to maintain the pressure therein; in a third position the pipe is closed
against the main reservoir and opened to the atmosphere, allowing air to escape from
it for causing the brakes to be applied, and in a fourth position all ports are
closed.
For convenience in applying the brakes with moderate force I perforate the handle
of the rotating slide and fit within it a small safety valve pressed by a spring, and
worked by a screw attached to a button or subsidiary handle, at the end of the
main handle. By turning this button or subsidiary handle without actually moving
the main valve, an escape of air is permitted sufficient to apply the brakes slowly
and with moderate force.
It is sometimes preferred to work the brakes of the engine and tender by steam
direct from the boiler, instead of working them by the compressed air employed for
the other brakes of the train.
In such cases I employ a steam valve box, in which is fitted a valve for closing
the communication to the boiler. A helical spring is inserted between this valve
and a socket containing a rapidly threaded screw, the said socket being prevented
from turning by studs projecting from the sides of the valve box into notches on the
edge of the socket. A screwed stem is turned within this socket by an outer handle,
which at the same time turns a collar acting as a rotating slide, so as to close-or
open a passage for exhaust to the atmosphere. To the passage from the valve box
to the brake cylinder access for steam is provided by a small hole constantly open
so as to allow for condensation and leakage.
In lieu of a cylinder fitted with a piston for working the brakes, I sometimes
employ a flexible diaphragm apparatus constructed as follows:-A shallow cylindrical

page_text: box closed at one end and open at the other has secured to its lip by an exterior
clamping ring the one end of a piece of caoutchouc tubing somewhat coned, the other
end of which is in like manner clamped to the edge of a disc; and the stem of this
disc is connected to the brake gear as the piston rod for which it is substituted.
When this apparatus is applied to brakes worked by compressed air or by
atmospheric pressure acting against a partial vacuum, the disc may be exposed
to the atmosphere, but it is preferably cased in for protection, and when it is so
cased in, a boss on the disc acts as a valve which closes passage to the atmosphere in
case of the flexible tube giving way.
I employ such a cased-in disc for working brakes automatically by vacuum action
in the following manner:-I connect the casing of the disc to the vacuum pipe
communicating through the train through a valve box having fitted in it a piston.
The piston stem carries a valve seating on an aperture opening to the atmosphere,
and on the other side of the piston is a disc valve, covering apertures through the
piston. Through the diaphragm disc I make a hole fitted with a loaded valve which
opens when there is little difference of pressure on the two sides of the disc, but
which closes when a difference of pressure is suddenly made. While the air is
rarified in the communicating pipe, the valve piston is down, closing the passage to
the atmosphere, and there being passage through the valve piston, the air in the
diaphragm casing becomes rarified; also the air in the box on the other side of the
diaphragm disc becomes rarified in consequence of the communication by the loaded
valve. If now air be admitted to the communicating pipe so as to raise the pressure
therein, then the valve piston has its apertures closed by the disc valve, and itself
rising opens the valve, giving passage to the outer air, which entering presses on the
diaphragm disc on the one side, whilst the other side is subjected only to the pressure
of the rarified air. The diaphragın disc is thus moved and the brakes are put on.
On again rarifying the air in the pipe, the valve piston descends, closing the
air valve, and the air in the diaphragm casing being again rarified, the
diaphragm disc makes its back stroke, releasing the brakes. This diaphragm
apparatus may be worked without the valve box mentioned above, the supply of
air passing through the communicating pipe.
For coupling the vacuum communicating pipe from carriage to carriage, I employ
a coupling similar to that described by me in my previous Specifications, consisting
of two halves of equal and symmetrical form placed together face to face, and held
together by a partial angular turn, causing a rib on each half to engage within a
notch on the other half; I modify this for use when rarification instead of com-
pression of the air is employed to bring the brake power into action, by fitting the
înceting face of each half coupling with a caoutchouc lip pressed outwards by a
helical spring more than sufficient to resist the pressure of the atmosphere on the
lip. For the purpose of simultaneously working the brake blocks on the four wheels
of a carriage, I place the brake cylinder about midway in the length of the carriage
and provide it with two pistons having their rods extending in opposite directions,
the one working the brakes of the one pair of wheels, and the other working the
brakes of the other pair of wheels.
When each wheel is provided with brake blocks on both sides of it, I suspend a
lever from the carriage framing by links taking its fulcrum, I link the upper end
of this lever to the piston of the brake cylinder; I link the fulcrum to the brake block
on the one side of the wheel, and I link the lower end of the lever to the other
brake block, so that when the piston moves the upper arm of the lever, both brake
blocks are simultaneously applied. For a six-wheeled carriage I proportion these
levers so that the one which works the brake blocks of four of the wheels receives
double the power given by the other, which works the brake blocks of only two of
the wheels.
In linking the brake blocks to the working levers I use pivot pins, through which
I pass cross pins, passing these cross pins through holes so far slotted as to give the
blocks a limited play on their pivots in such manner that when the blocks are with-
drawn from the wheel tyres, they hang clear therefrom over their entire faces.

page_text: For causing the automatic application of the brakes when any portion of a train
runs off the rails, I employ the following arrangement:-At the end of each carriage
on the one side, say the right hand, I attach a flexible branch pipe to the main con-
municating pipe and connect this branch pipe to a closed socket attached to and
projecting from the buffer, the flexible pipe allowing for the to-and-fro movement
of the buffer. I also on the other buffer, say the left hand, fix a bracket projecting
sideways and obliquely at a level somewhat below that at which the above-
'mentioned socket is fixed. Now, when two carriages are coupled together end to
end, there is at each pair of the socket on the one of the pair somewhat above
the bracket on the other of the pair; if either carriage should run off the track,
either by getting off the rails on to the ballast, or by running on to branch
rails at a set of points, then one or other of the projecting sockets coming into
collision with the adjacent bracket or buffer is broken off, and thus the branch
pipe is opened to the atmosphere, so that the pressure in the communicating pipe
becomes equalised with that of the atmosphere, which has the effect of causing the
brakes to be applied.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Westinghouse in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
April 1878.
GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, junior, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES ON RAILWAY
TRAINS BY FLUID PRESSURE."
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus of the kind described in the
Specifications of Patents, No. 2235 of 1870, 2436 of 1871, 2484 of 1871, 595 of
1872, 933 of 1872, 1226 of 1872, 1691 of 1872, 2018 of 1872, 1735 of 1873, 3840
of 1873, and 1540 of 1874, such apparatus being employed for the purpose of
working brakes on railway trains by means of compressed air or other fluid, or by
atmospheric pressure acting against rarefied air, and my present improvements have
for their object to simplify the construction and render more effective the action of
ortions of such apparatus.
In some of the Specifications above referred to I described a triple valve box,
which has the function of charging an auxiliary reservoir on each brake carriage
with compressed air from a pipe communicating throughout the train, of admitting
a portion of this charge into a cylinder to act on a piston for the purpose of applying
the brakes when the pressure in the communicating pipe is relieved, and of relieving
the pressure in the cylinder for the purpose of taking off the brakes when the
pressure in the communicating pipe is again increased.
According to my present Invention I construct a valve box for this purpose in
the manner shewn by Fig. 1, which is a vertical section, and Fig. 2, which is a side
elevation. The valve box is made in three parts, a bottom part A, a top part B,
and a middle part C clamped between the top and bottom by the bolts a, caoutchouc

page_text: or other packing being inserted at a¹ and b¹ to tighten the junctions of the parts.
The bottom part A is formed as a cup to collect moisture or impurities, and it is
connected by a branch A¹ with the air supply pipe communicating throughout the
train. This branch is preferably provided with a stop-cock A2, which can be closed
when it is desired to cut off communication with the brake gear of the carriage on
which the valve box is fixed. The middle part C is of enlarged diameter at its
lower part, and is fitted with a piston C¹ suitably packed at the edge e, and having
an annular projection c on its under side, so that when it is in its lowest position, as
shewn in Fig. 1, it seats as a valve on the packing a'. Through the piston C¹ is
provided a small passage, into which enters a pin c¹ on the end of a stem C² made
with a collar c², against which presses a helical spring C³. The lower part of the
pin c fits the passage through the piston, but has a notch on one side, which, when
the piston is raised into the position shewn at Fig. 1a, allows the air pressure to
flow from below the piston through the passage into the chamber above. A stem C4
extends upwards from the piston C₁, and between collars on this stem is engaged a
D slide D, pressed against the face of the valve box by a spring d, and prevented
from turning by a stud d', which enters a longitudinal slot along the back of the
slide D. This slide commands two ports, the one d² opening to the outer air, and
the other d³ leading to a passago E in the upper part of the box, which is connected
by a branch pipe with the brake cylinder. Another passage F, connected by a
branch pipe with the auxiliary reservoir on the carriage, communicates with the
interior of the valve box.
The valve box thus constructed operates in the following manner:-The commu-
nicating pipe being charged with compressed air, a portion of this air entering by
the branch A presses upwards the piston C', causing it to assume the position shewn
in Fig. 1a, the stem C, with its pin c', being at the same time raised by the spring
until stopped by the collar c² butting against the casing. In this position the pin
is sufficiently withdrawn from the passage in the piston to allow the air under
pressure to pass by the notch through the passage, so as to find its way in a gentle
stream by the branch F to the auxiliary reservoir, which it charges with compressed
air. The piston C¹ has at c³ a conical boss, which, when it is in the raised position,
seats as a valve on the conical seating in the casing, as shewn at Fig. 1a, and the
greater part of the upper surface of the piston being thus relieved of the air pressure
existing above and below it, it will be held in the raised position so long as the air
pressure below is maintained. Meanwhile, the slide D having been moved upwards
by the piston C, puts the ports ds and d² into communication with one another,
and air under pressure coming from the brake cylinder by the branch E escapes by
the aperture d², thus relieving the pressure in the brake cylinder, and taking off the
brakes.
When it is desired to put on the brakes the pressure in the communicating pipe
is relieved, thus relieving the pressure on the under side of the piston C', which is
immediately caused to descend by the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir acting on
its upper face, the passage through it at c¹ being closed firstly by the enlarged part
of the pin c' when the notch is covered by the partial descent of the piston ; and,
secondly, by the valve-shaped end of the spring stem C² seated against the under
side of the piston. By the descent of the piston the slide D is moved down so as to
open the port d³, as shewn in Fig. 1, whereupon air from the auxiliary reservoir
passes by the branch E to the brake cylinder, and causes the brakes to be applied.
The piston C, being pressed upwards by the spring stem C2, a little relief of the
pressure in the communicating pipe has the effect of allowing the piston to descend
only so far that the pressure of air on its under side, together with the pressure of
the spring C³, balances the pressure on its upper face, and thus the port d³ can be
more or less opened so as to cause the brakes to be applied with more or less force
and rapidity, according as the pressure in the communicating pipe is more or less
reduced.
In cases where a piston of differential area is employed in the brake cylinder, as
described in one of the Specifications above referred to, I employ a modified form of

page_text: valve box, such as is shewn in vertical section at Fig. 3, and in side view at Fig. 4,
the modification consisting in altering the position of the port d³, which communi-
cates with the branch E leading to the one end of the differential cylinder. In this
case the descent of the piston C¹, when the pressure in the communicating pipe is
relieved by moving down the slide D, puts the ports d², d³, in communication, and
thus air is allowed to escape from the one end of the brake cylinder, whereupon the
pressure existing in the other end moves the brake piston so as to cause the brakes
to be applied.
For the purpose of charging the communicating pipe with compressed air from the
main reservoir, and discharging the air from the pipe, or reducing its pressure for
applying the brakes, I employ a valve box, constructed as shewn by Fig. 5, which
is a longitudinal section, Fig. 6 a transverse section, Fig. 7 a plan, and Fig. 8 is a
plan of its rotating slide.
2
The valve box has two branches A, communicating with the main reservoir of
compressed air, and B communicating with the air pipe extending throughout the
train. The branch A leads to a cavity surrounding a valve C, which is fitted to
work as a plunger in the body of the valve box, and is pressed upwards by a spring
C. The branch B communicates with a cavity above the valve C, and in this cavity
is fitted a rotating slide D, forming the seat for C, and governing a passage d
opening to the cavity b above, which is covered by a valve E pressed downwards by
a spring e. From above this valve is a passage F to the outer air. The slide D is
turned by ribs of the valve E entering notches in D, and the valve E is in like
manner turned by ribs on it entering notches in a boss G attached to a handle g.
The boss G has a rapid screw thread on it, fitting a corresponding thread in the
upper part of the valve box. The slide D, besides having through it a hole corre-
sponding with the port d, has also in its upper face a circular groove d³, which puts
in communication two small passages f, leading to the bottom of the valve box,
and fleading to the outer air.
When it is desired to charge the communicating pipe by the branch B, the handle
g is turned so as to compress the spring e, and so keep firmly closed the valve E.
By the same movement the slide D is turned, so as to bring the two parts f, f¹,
into communication, thus reducing the pressure under C. The pressure from A
thereupon forces C down, opening a free passage from A to B through the centre of
D, and so charging the pipe communicating throughout the train. The pipe having
been thus charged, the handle g is turned a little back, closing the communication
off and f', whereupon the pressure on both sides of the valve C becoming equalised
by leakage, the valve is closed by the spring. In this position of the slide D, the
passage d, still remaining open, admits air to the pipe B, sufficient to maintain the
pressure therein.
When it is desired to put on the brakes by relieving the pressure
in the pipe B, the handle g is turned so far as to relieve the pressure of the spring e;
allowing the valve E to open and the air to escape, the passage d being in this case
closed.
The handle g may be turned to intermediate positions, so as to more or less to relieve
the pressure of the spring e, and thereby to regulate, as desired, the pressure in the
communicating pipe. The handle g is provided with a stop spring g¹, which drops
into a shallow hollow at g2 when the slide D is in the position, keeping open the
passage d.
It is sometimes preferred to work the brakes of the engine and tender by steam
direct from the boiler, instead of working them by the compressed air employed for
the other brakes of the train.
In such cases I employ a steam valve box, constructed as shewn in vertical
section at Fig. 9; in plan, at Fig. 10; and sectional plan, at Fig. 11. In this
construction A is a passage for supply steam from the boiler; B is a side passage
leading to the brake cylinder; and C is an opening to the outer air. The passage A
is closed by a valve a, pressed down by a spring a¹, on which bears an internally
screwed socket a². This socket is ribbed externally, and prevented from turning by
studs as projecting inwardly from the sides of the valve box into the spaces between

page_text: the ribs of a. Within the socket works a screwed stem D, which can be turned by
a handle d. On this stem is a disc d', which works as a rotating slide, covering or
opening the outlet passage C. When it is desired to apply the brakes the handle d
is turned in the direction of the arrow, so that the screwed stem D raises the socket
a², relieving the spring a¹, and permitting the valve a to open, so that steam
passes from A to B, and thence to the brake cylinder, exerting a pressure depending
upon the extent to which the spring a' is relieved by turning the handle d. Mean-
while the slide d¹ is turned along with its stem, so as to close the outlet C. When
the brakes are to be taken off the handle d is turned backwards, causing the spring
a¹ to be compressed, so as to close the valve a; also, the aperture C is uncovered by
the disc d', and the steam from the brake cylinder is thus allowed to escape. The
socket a² is made with several ribs round it, so that it can be turned more or less
round before engaging it with the studs a³ for the purpose of adjusting the pressure
of the spring a¹. A small passage (a hole drilled in the shell of the valve box) is
provided from A to B, constantly open to admit sufficient steam to the brake cylinder
to make up for condensation and leakage.
In employing compressed air for working brakes or atmospheric pressure acting
against rarefied air, a flexible diaphragm apparatus may be employed instead of a
cylinder and piston.
Fig. 12 is a section, and Fig. 13 a plan of such an apparatus, according to my
Invention, applicable to a vacuum brake; that is to say, when the excess of the
atmospheric pressure over the pressure of rarefied air is used as the motive force for
working the brakes. This apparatus consists of a shallow cylindrical box A, closed
at one end. On the rim of its open end is clamped by a ring a the one end of a
short, somewhat tapered, tubular piece of caoutchouc B or of other suitable flexible
impervious material. The other end of this tubular piece is clamped round the edge
of a disc C, which operates as the piston of a brake cylinder; that is to say, when
the air in the box A is exhausted, the atmospheric pressure forces the disc C inwards,
the flexible tube B rolling itself inwards over the edge of A, as indicated by the
dotted lines.
It is advantageous to protect the flexible material B by an open casing D.
A modified construction, shewn in section at Fig. 14, and in part plan at Fig. 15,
is applicable for working either by compressed or by rarefied air. In this con-
struction the disc C is completely cased over by a box D, the edge of which serves
as the clamping ring to secure the flexible tube on the box A. The disc C is made
with a projecting boss at c, entering a recessed seating in the cover D, so that if the
flexible material should accidentally give way when subjected to internal pressure,
the boss c will act as a valve, preventing escape of air from the box.
This construction, somewhat modified, as shewn in section at Fig. 16, and in part
plan at Fig. 17, is applicable for working brakes by vacuum automatically, that is
to say, causing the brakes to be applied by an increase of pressure in the pipe
communicating throughout the train, the said pipe being usually kept at a pressure
below that of the atmosphere. E is a branch from the communicating pipe opening
into the outer casing D; on the disc C is fixed a valve box F, of the kind described
in one of the Specifications above referred to, that is to say, it contains a valve so
loaded that it remains open while there is little difference of pressure on both sides
of the disc C, but closes when a considerable difference of pressure is suddenly
made. The air in the pipe E, being rarefied, a like rarefaction exists within the
outer casing D, and also (owing to the open communication through the valve
box F) within the box A, the disc C being therefore in balance, and the brakes
being held off by the ordinary weights or springs applied to them. If now air is
admitted into the pipe E so as to increase the pressure therein, this increase of
pressure acting on the disc C forces it inwards to the position indicated by the dotted
lines C', causing the brakes to be applied. While considerable difference of pres-
sure subsists on both sides of C, the valve in F remains closed, and the brakes are
kept on. But when the air in the pipe E is again rarefied, the brakes are taken
off by the disc C making its outstroke, and the pressures on both sides of it being

page_text: again nearly equalised, the valve in F opens so that they become quite equal, and
the apparatus is ready to operate the brakes again. The valve F admits of fluc-.
tuation of pressure, such as would be caused by leakage, without setting the brakes.
The stem of the disc works through a cup leather or other suitable packing in the
cover D, and the boss of the disc seats itself as a valve on a washer of caoutchouc or
other soft material c¹, thus preventing any possible leakage of air into the case D
even should the packing of the gland be imperfect.
The arrangement of packing at c¹ and the valve F in combination with the piston C
may also be employed when the piston C works in a cylinder in the ordinary manner
for operating by vacuum.
Fig. 18 is a vertical section of a valve box applicable in conjunction with the
apparatus shewn in Figs. 16 and 17 for causing it to operate in the manner just
described. This valve box has three nozzles; G, connected to the rarefied air pipe
communicating throughout the train; E, connected to the pipe E of Fig. 16; and
H, opening to the outer air.. The lower part of the box is fitted with a piston K,
the stem of which k is extended upwards, and carries a valve L opening upwards.
Through the piston K are apertures covered by a valve M opening downwards.
When the air in G is rarefied the valve L is closed by atmospheric pressure, and
the valve M being open, the air communicating with E is also rarefied. When the
pressure in G is increased the valve M closes, and the piston K being pressed
upwards opens the valve L, admitting air at atmospheric pressure to E.
It will be evident that at the commencement of the upward movement of the
piston this might effect the opening of a valve, such as L, by establishing any
suitable connection between the piston and the stem of the valve, the essential
feature of this part of my Invention consisting in the direct and rapid admission of
air into the brake cylinders from the atmosphere, thereby avoiding the loss of time
consequent upon the transmission of the requisite air through long pipes.
Although I have described the operation of the valve arrangement shewn in
Fig. 18 in connection with apparatus of the kind shewn in Figs. 16 and 17, it is to
be understood that for such apparatus might be substituted a cylinder fitted with a
piston or any form of flexible diaphragm, or a collapsible vessel into two compart-
ments, or two such vessels communicating with one another with or without a
loaded valve, such as F, Fig. 16.
In one of the Specifications above referred to, I described a coupling for
connecting the communicating air pipe from carriage to carriage, applicable when
that pipe conveys compressed air to work the brakes. I modify this coupling so as
to render it suitable for connecting rarefied air pipes, as shewn by the section Fig. 19,
and plan Fig. 20.
The coupling as formerly described consists of two equal and similar parts A, A,
each having a nozzle, to which is attached a piece of flexible pipe. The two
parts A, A, being brought together face to face in an angular position relatively
to one another are turned round to the straight position, as shewn in Fig. 20, a
rounded rib a on each being thus engaged in a corresponding groove formed in the
other.
In order to keep the coupling tight when the air in the pipe is rarefied, I provide
in each part a caoutchouc lip b, on which bears an open shell c pressed on by a
spring d, which is of sufficient strength to keep the parts A, A, engaged firmly
together notwithstanding the tendency of the atmospheric pressure to disengage the
ribs a from their seatings.
For the purpose of simultaneously working the brake blocks of wheels at both
ends of a carriage, I adopt arrangements of the brake gear, such as are shewn by
Figs. 21, 22, 23, and 24.
Fig. 21 represents a side view, and Fig. 22 a plan of the under framing of a
carriage with the said arrangement of brake gear applied thereto.
Fig. 23 is an end view, and Fig. 24 is a transverse section of the same to an
enlarged scale.
· A is the compressed air pipe extending throughout the train; B is the auxiliary

page_text: reservoir placed on each brake carriage; C is the valve box, such as I have described
above with reference to Figs. 1 and 2; D is the brake cylinder which is placed
near the middle of the carriage, and is fitted with two pistons, one working each
way,
the one acting on the brake blocks of the wheels at the one end of the carriage,
and the other acting on those at the other end with equal force. The brake blocks
thus worked may be single, as shewn at E, applied to the right-hand wheels, or they
may be double acting on both sides of each wheel, as shewn at F, G, applied to the
left-hand wheels. The blocks E are suspended by links e from the framing, and
are worked from the one piston rod d' as follows:-A rod e¹ jointed at the one end
to the piston rod d¹ is jointed at the other end to a cross head e2 which works two
inclined levers e³. The lower ends of these levers are tied by links e¹ to the axle
box frames, and at points near their lower ends they are jointed by pins into forked
recesses formed on the backs of the brake blocks E, or of the shoes which hold the
brake blocks. The double brakes F and G are suspended by links. f, g, which are
inclined so as to give steadiness, and the two brakes of each pair are connected
together by truss frames f', g¹. A lever H worked by a rod f jointed to the
piston rod d² is suspended by a pair of inclined links h. The one truss frame f¹ is
jointed to this lever at its point of suspension, and the other truss frame g' is jointed
some distance below, so that when the piston rod d² is pushed outwards by the
compressed air acting within the cylinder, the lever H is moved so as to strain both
sets of blocks F and G against the wheels on opposite sides thereof.
Fig. 24ª is a side view partly in section to an enlarged scale of one of the brake
blocks, shewing the mode in which it is connected to the truss bar according to my
Invention, so that while it is free to move on the bar to a sufficient extent to follow
the relative vertical motion of the wheel, it is prevented from tipping against the
wheel when the brakes are off. For this purpose the boss g² of the block through
which the end of the truss bar g passes has slotted holes g³, g³, at top and bottom,
through which and through a hole in the truss bar is passed a pin g, the head of
which rests on the top of the boss; thus when the brakes are on, the block is free to
oscillate on the truss bar to the extent of the play of the slots 93, but when the
brakes are off, the block is prevented from tipping either way to a greater extent
than is permitted by the slots g³, and is thus prevented from coming in contact with
the wheel.
For causing the automatic application of the brakes when any portion of a train
runs off the rails, I employ the arrangement shewn in Fig. 25, which is an end view
of the buffers of a carriage; Fig. 26, which is a side view; and Fig. 27, which is a
plan of the buffers of two contiguous carriages with apparatus according to my
Invention applied thereto for the purpose mentioned above.
A is the air pipe on each of the carriages with the flexible portions a, a, connected
by the coupling B. From the pipe A. I lead a branch C, which is connected by a
flexible tube c to a closed socket D fixed by a bracket d to one of the buffers, say,
that on the right hand. On the other buffer, say, the left hand, I fix a bracket E
projecting at some distance under the socket D which is made of cast iron or some
such brittle material.
Under ordinary circumstances whilst the fiexible pipes c permit the to-and-fro
oscillations of the buffers, there is sufficient space between the socket D of the one
buffer and the other buffer and its bracket E to permit the lateral and vertical
oscillations of the buffers relatively to one another. But should one of the carriages
run off the track on to another at a set of points shifted during passage of the train,
or should it run off the rails on to the ballast, then one of the sockets D must
come in collision with the buffer facing it, or with the bracket E of that buffer so as
to be broken by the blow. The branch C being thus opened compressed air escapes
from the communicating pipe A, reducing the pressure therein, and so causing the
brakes to be applied. Or if the brakes be worked by vacuum, the fracture of the
socket D allows air to enter the pipe A, increasing the pressure therein, and so
causing the brakes to be put on.
It will be seen that by fixing the sockets D always to the buffers of the same

page_text: hand in each carriage, and the brackets E to those of the other hand at each
end of the carriage, whichever way a carriage may be turned there is always a
socket D facing a bracket E at each side of an adjacent pair of carriages.
It is obvious that instead of a socket D. to be broken in case of accident, a handle
of a cock or valve on the branch of the air pipe may be arranged in the same position
as the said socket, so that under similar circumstances it shall be moved to open
the cock or valve, and vary, the pressure in the communicating pipe so as to apply
the brakes.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, and in what manner. the
same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I make no general claim
to the working of brakes on railway trains by fluid pressure, nor to any apparatus
for that purpose, or improvements in such apparatus except such as are specified in
the following claiming clauses, that is to say, I claim,-
First. The use of a governing valve constructed and operating substantially
as herein described with reference to Figs. 1, 1ª, and 2 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. The use of the modified form of governing valve applicable in connection
with a differential piston subjected to pressure on both sides or its equivalent,
substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4.
Third. The use of a charging and discharging valve constructed and operating
substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The use of a steam valve for controlling the operation of steam-worked
brakes, such valve being constructed substantially as herein described with reference
to Figs. 9 and 10.
Fifth. The use in lieu of a cylinder and piston for working brakes, of a disc
having a flexible tubular and somewhat tapered connection to a casing, the said
tubular connection being secured by a clamp ring at the one end to the casing, and
by a clamp ring at the other end to the disc, so that when the disc advances into
the casing, the flexible material folds over itself with a double curvature, substantially
as herein described with reference to Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Sixth. The modified construction of apparatus of the kind referred to in the
preceding claim, substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 14 to 17,
wherein the disc is cased over externally, and is made with a boss to operate as a
valve, in the manner herein set forth.
Seventh. The combination with the apparatus referred to in the preceding claim of
a loaded equalising valve, so as to render the apparatus applicable to the working of
brakes by vacuum action, substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 16
and 17.
Eighth. The use in connection with the apparatus referred to in the preceding
claim or its equivalent of a governing valve, constructed and operating substantially
as herein described with reference to Fig. 18.
Ninth. The use, in combination with vacuum brake apparatus, of valve
apparatus, so arranged that the admission of air to the communicating pipes causes
a direct communication between the atmosphere and the brake cylinder, so that
the air can pass into the latter without having first to pass through a considerable
length of pipe, substantially as herein described.
Tenth. Connecting a brake block to its bar by means of a pin passing through
the bar and through slotted holes in the boss of the brake block, so that while
the block has sufficient play on the bar to follow the vertical motion of the wheels,
it is prevented by the pin from tipping against the wheel when the brakes are
taken off, substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 24% of the
Drawings.
Eleventh. The combination of trussed bars g', f', their suspending links g and f;
lever H, and its suspension links h or their equivalent, arranged and operating
substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 21 and 22 of the Drawings.

page_text: Twelfth. Effecting the automatic application of brakes worked by fluid pressure
by the use of a socket pipe, or its equivalent, and a bracket fixed on facing buffers
in such manner that when the carriage leaves the rails, the motion of one of the
buffers relatively to the other causes the socket to break or a cock or valve to move
so as to open the air pipe, substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 25,
26, and 27 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
GEO. WESTINGHOUSE, JR. (L.S.)