IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES IN RAILWAY TRAINS." PROVISIONAL SPATION
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacob Heberlein, of Munich, in the Kingdom
of Bavaria, but at present of No. 20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Chief Engineer of
the Technical Department of the Royal Bavarian Railways, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES
IN RAILWAY TRAINS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jacob Heberlein at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 11th April 1872.
I, JACOB HEBERLEIN, of Munich, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, but
at present of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Chief Engineer of the Technical Department
of the Royal Bavarian Railways, do hereby declare the nature of the

page_text: said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES IN
RAILWAY TRAINS," to be as follows:-
My improvements have reference to that description of apparatus for
working brakes in railway trains wherein a drum is fixed upon the axle
of a carriage and a second drum is brought in contact therewith so that
by the frictional contact of the two drums the axle drum causes the
other, or brake drum, to rotate in such a manner as to wind up a chain
attached to the brake levers, the brakes being thus applied by the pull
exerted by the chain on the brake levers.
My present Invention consists in constructing, arranging, and operating
such brake apparatus in the following manner :-I fix on the axle of the
brake carriage a metal drum covered on its periphery with wood placed
endways of the grain. From the under framing of the carriage are sus-
pended short forked arms of a bent lever, the long arm of which is weighted
and projects beyond the end of the carriage. In the bend of the lever
within the fork is mounted a drum upon a spindle carrying on each side
of the drum a pulley, to the periphery of which is attached the one end of
a strong chain. The other ends of these chains are attached to the forked
lower ends of a lever, which at an intermediate point of its length is
connected to the rod which actuates the usual brake shaft and levers con-
nécted thereto, and at its upper end is attached to a rod connected by a
coupling to the brake gear of the next carriage. The outer end of the lever
which carries the drum is suspended by a vertical rod which has a notch
or projection. When the brakes are not in action a trigger or catch
engaged in the notch or on the projection of this vertical rod holds it up
and retains the bent lever in such a position that its drum is not in
contact with the axle drum. When the trigger or catch is withdrawn
by means hereafter described the vertical rod and weighted end of the
lever descend, and the brake drum is thus brought in contact with the
axle drum, and is caused to revolve by the friction of the peripheries.
The pullies on the brake drum spindle are thus made to wind up the
chains attached to them, and so to put on the brakes. The chains and
lever on which they act are so arranged that the greater the tension
on the chains the more forcibly are the two drums pressed together, and
the greater is the friction of their peripheries tending still farther to
tighten the chains and brakes. When the carriage to which this appa-
ratus is attached has no other brake carriage next it the rod before
mentioned for acting on the brakes of the next carriage instead of being

page_text: coupled to such brake gear is made fast to the end of its own carriage,
and then the brake lever operated on by the chains works on this rod
as on an immoveable fulcrum. A convenient and quick mode of securing
this rod in such a case is as follows:-On the rod a lever is mounted
with both ends free when the rod is coupled to the next carriage. When
the coupling is undone the hook or link by which it was connected to
the brake rod of the next carriage is folded back and hooked on to one
end of this free lever, which is thus turned into such a position that its
other end is made to butt against a stop at the end of the carriage.
For bringing the brake apparatus into action the trigger or catch which
holds up the vertical rod is connected to cords, chains, or rods guided
by suitable pullies or bell cranks, and coupled from carriage to carriage,.
provided with pulls in the several compartments and on the locomotive.
Thus any passenger in any compartment, as well as the guards and.
engine driver can, by pulling the cord, chain, or rod release the trigger
or catch, and so permit the vertical rod to descend and the brakes to he
put in action.
In order that the action of putting on the brakes in one carriage or
set of carriages may be extended to brake carriages in other parts of
the train, the communicating cord or chain instead of being connected
directly to the several triggers or catches is passed round pullies, the
centres of which are connected to the several triggers or catches. Thus
when the cord or chain is pulled each of those pullics is moved as far
as the stroke of the trigger or catch to which it is connected will
permit, the movement of the cord or chain being continued round each
pulley so as to act on the other triggers or catches. When rods are
employed for communicating along the train these rods are coupled by
pieces of chain or cord which are passed round the trigger pullies above
described. The guard on a brake carriage can operate his own brakes
by releasing the vertical rod; he can also operate the brakes on other
carriages by pulling down his own trigger pulley (round which the
communicating cord or chain is passed) and so withdrawing the triggers'
or catches of the other vertical rods. Farther in case of the train
becoming separated by the fracture of a coupling link, the communi.
cating cord, chain, or rod is pulled by the drag of the detached portion
of the train and releases the several triggers or catches, and thus causes
the brakes to be applied automatically. Also when the axle of a
carriage breaks so that the carriage drops down below its proper level,
I

page_text: or when a carriage runs off the line to either side, the communicating
cord, chain, or rod is subjected to a lateral drag, by which it is pulled so
as to release the several triggers or catches and cause the brakes to be
put on automatically.
For the purpose of releasing the brakes a cord, chain, or rod is coupled
from carriage to carriage to a pull in the guard's van, or on the loco-
motive, or in both places. This cord, chain, or rod is attached to the
one arm of a bent lever, the other arm of which is connected to the
lever which carries the brake drum. On pulling this releasing cord,
chain, or rod the bent lever is caused to lift the brake drum lever, and
so to take that drum out of contact with the axle drum. The chains
are thus loosened and the brakes are withdrawn by a spring, or if suitably
hung by their own weight. This same action in lifting the lever also
raises the vertical rod till its notch or projection comes up to the trigger-
or catch, and a spring then causes the trigger or catch to engage in the
notch or on the projection, and so to hold the vertical rod up and keep
the drums out of contact.
For operating the brakes on the locomotive or the tender an axle drum
and brake drum are employed in the manner described above; but in
this case the lever which carries the brake drum is more conveniently
mounted in a vertical position, having its upper end connected to a
disengaging rod which is carried horizontally along the side of the
boiler to a point near the foot plate within reach of the engine driver.
Here the rod is held by a trigger or catch, which, like the other triggers
or catches, can be released by the pull of a cord, chain, or rod extending
along the train. It can also be released by the hand of the engine
driver; and when the rod is so released a weight acting on a horizontal
arm projecting from the brake drum lever causes this drum to bear
against the axle drum, and the brakes to be put on in this case as above
described with reference to the other brakes. For releasing the loco-
motive brakes the engine driver pulls the horizontal rod till it is again
engaged with the trigger or catch, the drums being thus taken out of
contact and the brakes being released by a spring, or by their own
weight, when they are hung in such a manner that their weight tends
to withdraw them from contact with the wheels.
The chains which are wound on the pullies of the brake drum on the
locomotive are made to operate the brakes of the tender as well as
those of the locomotive in the following manner:-These chains are
:

page_text: connected to the middle of an equal armed lever or sway beam, one end
of which is connected by a rod to the lover which works the brakes of
the locomotive, and the other end is connected by a rod to the lever
which works the brakes of the tender. Thus the tension of the chains
is divided equally over the two sets of brakes. Should it be desired
to apply more strain to the one set of brakes than to the other set,
the rods from the sway beam may in each case be connected to points
nearer to or farther from the fulcra of the brake levers on which they
act, so as to give less or greater leverage on the brakes.
The apparatus above described may be employed in combination with
the apparatus ordinarily used for working the brakes by hand. In this
case the screw by which the guard or engine driver acts on the brake
lever is made to operate in a hole in that lever, slotted to such length
as permits the brakes to be put on without moving the screw.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jacob Heberlein in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JACOB
HEBERLEIN, of Munich, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, but at present
of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Chief Engineer of the Technical Department of the Royal
Bavarian Railways, send greeting.
"
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Jacob Heberlein, Her special licence
that I, the said Jacob Heberlein, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Jacob Heberlein, 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, exercisc,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUSS FOR WORKING BRAKES IN RAILWAY TRAINS," upon the

page_text: condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jacob Heberlein, my exe-
cutors or administrators, 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 performed, 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 Jacob Heberlein, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say :-
My improvements have reference to that description of apparatus for
working brakes in railway trains wherein a drum is fixed upon the axle
of a carriage, and a second drum is brought in contact therewith, so that
by the frictional contact of the two drums the axle drum causes the
other or brake drum to rotate in such a manner as to wind up a chain
attached to the brake levers, the brakes being thus applied by the pull
exerted by the chain on the brake levors.
My present Invention consists in constructing, arranging, and operating
such brake apparatus in the following manner :-I fix on the axle of the
brake carriage a metal drum covered on its periphery with wood placed
endways of the grain. From the under framing of the carriage aro
suspended short forked arms of a bent lever, the long arm of which is
weighted and projects beyond the end of the carriage. In the bend of
the lever within the fork is mounted a drum upon a spindle carrying on
each side of the drum a pulley, to the periphery of which is attached the
one end of a strong chain. The other ends of these chains are attached
to the forked lower ends of a lever, which at an intermediate point of
its length is connected to the rod which actuates the usual brako shaft
and levers connected thereto, and at its upper end is attached to a rod
connected by a coupling to the brake gear of the next carriage. The
outer end of the lever which carries the drum is suspended by a vertical
rod, which has a notch or projection. When the brakes are not in
action a trigger or catch engaged in the notch or on the projection of
this vertical rod holds it up, and retains the bent lever in such a position
that its drum is not in contact with the axle drum. When the trigger

page_text: or catch is withdrawn by means hereafter described the vertical rod and
weighted end of the lever descend, and the brake drum is thus brought
in contact with the axle drum, and is caused to revolve by the friction
of the peripheries. The pullies on the brake drum spindle are thus
made to wind up the chains attached to them, and so to put on the
brakes. The chains and lever on which they act are so arranged that
the greater the tension on the chains the more forcibly are the two drums
pressed together, and the greater is the friction of their peripheries,
tending still farther to tighten the chains and brakes. When the
carriage to which this apparatus is attached has no other brake carriage
next it, the rod before mentioned for acting on the brakes of the next
carriage, instead of being coupled to such brake, gear is made fast to the
end of its own carriage, and then the brake lever operated on by the
chains works on this rod as on an immoveable fulcrum. A convenient
and quick mode of securing this rod in such a case is as follows:-On
the rod a lever is mounted with both ends free, when the rod is coupled
to the next carriage. When the coupling is undone the hook or link
by which it was connected to the brake rod of the next carriage is
folded back and hooked on to one end of this free lever, which is thus
turned into such a position that its other end is made to butt against a
stop at the end of the carriage. For bringing the brake apparatus into
action the trigger or catch which holds up the vertical rod is connected
to cords, chains, or rods guided by suitable pullies or bell cranks, and
coupled from carriage to carriage provided with pulls in the several
compartments and on the locomotive. Thus any passenger in any com-
partment as well as the guards and engine driver can by pulling the
cord, chain, or rod release the trigger or catch, and so permit the
vertical rod to descend and the brakes to be put in action.
In order that the action of putting on the brakes in one carriage
or set of carriages may be extended to brake carriages in other parts of
the train, the communicating cord or chain instead of being connected
directly to the several triggers or catches is passed round pullies, the
centres of which are connected to the several triggers or catches. Thus
when the cord or chain is pulled each of those pullies is moved as far as
the stroke of the trigger or catch to which it is connected will permit,
the movements of the cord or chain being continued round each pulley
so as to act on the other triggers or catches. When rods are employed
for communicating along the train these rods are coupled by pieces of

page_text: chain or cord, which are passed round the trigger pulleys above described.
The guard on a brake carriage can operate his own brakes by releasing
the vertical rod; he can also operate the brakes on other carriages by
pulling down his own trigger pulley (round which the communicating
cord or chain is passed) and so withdrawing the triggers or catches
of the other vertical rods. Farther, in cases of the train becoming
separated by the fracture of a coupling link the communicating cord,
chain, or rod is pulled by the drag of the detached portion of the train,
and relcases the several triggers or catches, and thus causes the brakes
to be applied automatically. Also when the axle of a carriage breakes,
so that the carriage drops down below its proper level, or when a
carriage runs off the line to either side, the communicating cord, chain,
or rod is subjected to a lateral drag, by which it is pulled, so as to
'release the several triggers or catches and cause the brakes to be put on
automatically.
a
For the purpose of releasing the brakes. a cord, chain, or rod is coupled
from carriage to carriage to a pull in the guard's van, or on the loco-
motive, or in both places. This, cord, chain, or rod is attached to the
one arm of a bent lever, the other arm of which is connected to the
lever which carries the brake drum. On pulling this releasing cord,
¿chain, or rod the bent lever is caused to lift the brake drum lever, and
so to take that drum out of contact with the axle drum. The chains are
thus-loosened, and the brakes are withdrawn by a spring, or if suitably
hung by their own weight. This same action in lifting the lever also:
raises the vertical rod till its notch or projection comes up to the trigger 2
or catch, and a spring then causes the trigger or catch to engage in the
notch or on the projection, and so to hold the vertical rod up and keep
a
the drums out of contact.
For operating the brakes on the locomotive or the tender an axle
drum and brake drum are employed in the manner described above, but 8
in this case the lever which carries the brake drum is more conveniently
mounted in a vertical position, having its upper end connected to a
disengaging rod, which is carried horizontally along the side of the
boiler to a point near the foot plate within reach of the engine driver.
Here the rod is held by a trigger or catch, which like the other triggers 3
or catches can be released by the pull of a cord, chain, or rod extending
along the train. It can also be released by the hand of the engine
'driver, and when the rod is so released a weight acting on a horizontal

page_text: "
arm projecting from the brake drum lever causes this drum to bear
against the axle drum and the brakes to be put on in this case, as above
described with reference to the other brakes.
For releasing the locomotive brakes the engine driver pulls the
horizontal rod till it is again engaged with the trigger or catch, the
drums being thus taken out of contact, and the brakes being released
by a spring, or by their own weight, when they are hung in such a
manner that their weight tends to withdraw them from contact with
the wheels.
The chains which are wound on the pullies of the brake drum on the
locomotive are made to operate the brakes of the tender as well as those
of the locomotive in the following manner :-These chains are connected
to the middle of an equal armed lever or sway beam, one end of which
is connected by a rod to the lever which works the brakes of the
locomotive, and the other end is connected by a rod to the lever which
works the brakes of the tender. Thus the tension of the chains is
divided equally over the two sets of brakes. Should it be desired to
apply more strain to the one set of brakes than to the other set the rods
from the sway beam may in each case be connected to points nearer to
or farther from the fulcrum of the brake levers on which they act, so as
to give less or greater leverages on the brakes.
The apparatus above described may be employed in combination with
the apparatus ordinarily used for working the brakes by hand. In this
case the screw by which the guard or engine driver acts on the brake
lever is made to operate in a hole in that lever slotted to such length as
permits the brake to be put on without moving the screw.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, Sheet I., represents a sectional side view of a locomotive and
tender, and Fig. 2, Sheet I., represents a sectional side view of a brake
carriage and part of another carriage of a train fitted with brake appa-
ratus constructed and arranged according to my Invention; Figs. 3, 4,
and 5, Sheet II., represent to an enlarged scale respectively.a plan, a
front, and a back view of the friction apparatus for working the brakes.
A is one of the running axles, on which is fixed a drum B, which I
call the axle drum. It consists of wooden segments placed with the
fibres of the wood radial, or nearly so, which segments are held by bolts

page_text: "
or screws between two rings C, C. These rings are made in halves, so
that the axle drum can be put on the axle without dismounting it or
removing the wheels. The wooden segments are made in double widths
arranged so as to break joint. D is a drum, which I call the friction
drum, and which by preference is made with a wrought-iron tyre D'.
This drum is fixed on a shaft, on the ends of which are fixed two
pullies D'. The shaft of the friction drum D is mounted in eyes on
bearings on a forked bent lever E, which may stand in an upright
position for the locomotive, as shewn in Fig. 1, or in a horizontal position
for a carriage, as shewn in Fig. 2. On the lever E when it is horizontal
as in Fig. 2, or on an arm E¹ projecting horizontally from it when it is
vertical, as in Fig. 1, is placed or acts a weight E³, which can be shifted
along the lever or arm, and fixed in any desired position thereon by a set
screw, so as to adjust the load thereon. Chains F, F, are attached at
one.end to the pulleys D³, D³, on the shaft of the friction drum, and at 1
the other end to a forked lever G which is connected by rods to the
several brake blocks. The lever E in Fig. 1 has at its upper extremity
a rod I, which extends along the boiler of the locomotive to a catch or
trigger I placed within reach of the driver. When a projection or tooth
on the rod I is held by this catch the friction drum D is held out of
contact with the axle drum B, and the brake apparatus is inoperative.
Also the lever E in Fig. 2 has at its extremity a vertical rod K which
extends upwards to a catch or trigger K' placed within reach of the
guard. When a projection or tooth on the rod K. is held by the catch Ķ¹
the friction drum D is held out of contact with the axle drum B, and in
this case also the brake apparatus is inoperative. When however in
either case the rod I or K is released from its catch I¹ or K¹ the lever E
is caused by its own weight and that of the weight E, with which it is
loaded, to take such a position as to bring the [drum D in contact with
the drum B, and the rotation of the latter imparts by frictional contact g
rotation to the former. The pullies D³ being thus caused to revolve
wind on them the chains F, and thereby pull the levers and rods, which
bring the brake blocks to bear on the wheels. The direction of the
chains F is such that when they are pulled by the rotation of D the strain
on them causes D to press more forcibly against B, and so to increase 3
the driving friction. I prefer to use chains of the kind known as pitch
chains, their thickness filling up the width of the pulleys, so that they do
Inot jam. It is sometimes advantageous to arrange a spring E³ (Fig. 2)
...to bear on the lever E, so as to diminish oscillation when the brako

page_text: apparatus is in action. The chains F on the locomotive (Fig. 1) are
attached to the middle of an equal armed beam or lever G³, from the
ends of which rods G and G³ are connected respectively to the levers G*
and G³, the one of which G* works the brakes of the locomotive, and the
other G' works those of the tender. The chains F on the brake carriage
(Fig. 2) are attached to the ends of a forked lever G, to which are
jointed two rods H and H; the rod H works the brakes of the brake
carriage, and the other rod H' is coupled to rods working the brakes of
the next carriage. Should this next carriage be detached the coupling
link is folded back and hooked on to one end of a lever h, which is
thereby turned so as to bring its other end to butt against a bracket h¹
(on the brake carriage,) which serves also as a guide for the rod H². The
coupling is shewn in this condition at Fig. 2, Sheet II. By this means
the rod H' being rendered immoveable the lever G works on the pin at
its end as on a fixed fulcrum, and then acts only on the rod H working
the brakes of the brake carriage. The catch or trigger I' on the loco-.
motive has attached to it a cord, chain, or rod i, which is carried by
suitable bell cranks or guide rollers, and coupled up along the train,
serving as a line of communication for putting on the brakes at different
parts of the train in the following manner:-The catch or trigger K³ of
any brake carriage is connected by a cord or chain k to a handle or
stock, whereon is mounted a pulley, round which passes the. chain
coupling the lines of communication i. From this arrangement it will be
seen that the engine driver can either by lifting the rod I off its catch I'
put on the brakes of the engine and tender only; or he can also by
pulling the line i withdraw the several catches K', and thereby bring the
several brakes throughout the train into operation. In this manner he
can by pulling the line i less or more regulate the amount of brake
power applied to the train, a moderate pull serving to disengage the
brake apparatus nearest to him, and a greater pull-extending the dis-
engaging action to those farther from him. Also the guard on any brake
carriage can equally release his rod K from its catch, and thereby put on
his own brakes, or he can also by pulling down the handle pull the
line i both ways, and thereby releases the catch I' on the locomotive and
other catches, such as K', on other brake carriages besides his own,
and so cause all the brakes throughout the train to be brought into
operation. Thus a guard at the extreme end of a train has it in his
power to put on the brakes of the engine and tender as well as others
throughout the train in case of danger that may have escaped the notice

page_text: of the driver. Moreover a line of communication ; can be extended
from any part of i to a pull in any compartment of the train, so that a
passenger in that compartment can by acting on the pull cause all the
brakes to be brought into action.
Should the train accidentally separate, or should a carriage run off
the line, or should an axle break, so that one end of a carriage drops
below its proper level, a strain is immediately put on the line of com-
munication i, such as to cause the various catches to be released and to
bring the brakes into action.
Any one of the brake apparatus can be taken out of action by the 1
driver or guard moving his rod I or K till it becomes held on its catch.
Or the driver may be enabled also to take off the brakes behind the
locomotive by means of a pull m³ acting on a communicating line m.
This line m is attached to a bent lever m³ on the brake carriage, from
which lever a rod m³ is connected to the lever E. When the line m 1
is pulled the lever E is raised and the brake apparatus is taken out of
action.
In combining the apparatus above described with the ordinary screw
gear L for working the brakes by hand I arrange the connections of
such screw gear to work in slotted holes, as at L³, in such a manner that 2
the brakes may be put on either by means of the hand screw gear or by
the friction apparatus, as above described.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I
do not claim generally the use of friction apparatus whereby the revo- 2
lution of a drum on an axle of a train causes a drum brought in contact
with it to revolve, and thereby to wind up a chain and so put on brakes,
such apparatus being well known, and having been first described in
the Specification to Letters Patent dated the 17th September 1856,
No. 2180, granted to Georgo Davies for an Invention communicated to 3
him by me; but I claim,-
First. The use for the axle drum of such apparatus of a wooden
periphery, the fibres of the wood being placed radially or nearly so,
substantially as herein described.
Second. The mounting of the friction drum on a weighted lever held 3
17

page_text: into contact when the catch or trigger is released, substantially as herein
described.
Third. The arrangement substantially as herein described of the chains
wound by the revolution of the friction drum in such a manner that
the frictional pressure is made to increase with their tension.
Fourth. The arrangement substantially as shewn in Figs. 2 and 2
of the coupling of the brake rods from one carriage to another, so that
when they are uncoupled the friction brake apparatus can be made to
act on the wheels of the one carriage only.
Fifth. The connecting of the several triggers or catches whereby the
brake apparatus is held out of action to a line of communication
throughout the train, so that when this line is pulled by hand, or by
the detaching of a carriage, or its running off the line, or by the breaking
of an axle, the catches or triggers are withdrawn and the brakes are.
thereby put on, substantially as herein described.
Sixth. Combining the friction brake apparatus with the ordinary
brakes of railway carriages, substantially as herein described.
Seventh. The use of slotted holes in the connections from the hand
screws to the brakes, so that the brakes can be put on either by working
the hand screw gear or by the friction apparatus, substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jacob Heberlein, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.