Improvements in Combination Ejectors for Vacuum Brakes, and in Arrangements to be used with both Vacuum and Pressure Brakes by which Passengers and Guards may Signal on Railway Trains.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Combination Ejectors for Vacuum Brakes, and in
Arrangements to be used with both Vacuum and Pressure Brakes
by which Passengers and Guards may Signal on Railway Trains.
I, JAMES GRESHAM, Director of the Firm Gresham & Craven Limited, of
Craven Iron Works, Salford, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
Firstly. My invention relates to the combination ejector described in the
Complete Specification of Letters l'atent granted to myself No. 12091 of 1890,
which ejector is used on locomotives to form the vacuum in the train pipes of the
vehicles coupled with the engine forming the train to apply the brakes thereof
when required.
This part of my invention consists in modifying the said ejector apparatus
described in the aforesaid Complete Specification and combining a stop valve with
its casing for steam and forming passages therein in order that the casing may be
bolted by the flange to the front of the fire box so that a passage in it will come
opposite a hole in the shell of the boiler connected with a pipe leading to the steam
space in the boiler, this casing having a seating in connection with the said passage
in the casing, which can be closed by a cone valve on a screwed stem screwing
through a bush which screws sicam tight into the casing, the inner end of this
bush having also a seating formed upon it for a cone valve facing formed on the
inner head of the cone valve, and thus when the screwed stem of the valve is screwed
inwards against its seating by means of a square secured on its exterior ends, the
steam from the boiler which goes along the passages in the casing to the large and
small ejectors is shut off and when the valve is opened and screwed outwards to its
full extent the cone facing on its inner side comes against the seating formed upon
the inner end of the said bush through which it screws and the screwed stem is
thus made steam tight without packing.
Secondly. A combined large and small ejector as described in my aforesaid
Complete Specification, or the improved combination ejector above described is
used for forming the vacuum in the train pipe and signals can be given by
admitting air into the train pipe by arrangements described in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to me No. 13468 of 1889, the air thus admitted not being
enough to fully apply the brakes, but sufficient to immediately give notice to the
driver that something is wrong, and he can then or at such time as he sees fit
immediately apply the brakes or hold them off by using the large ejector to prevent
the vacuum from being destroyed sufficiently to apply the brakes until desired.
When trains are fitted with pressure brakes, signals can be given in like manner,
that is by allowing air to escape from the pressure train pipe to reduce the pressure
therein sufficient to give notice to the driver, so that he may apply the brakes or
not when he thinks proper.
Vehicles of trains are fitted in some cases with both vacuum and pressure brakes,

page_text: and sometimes the vacuum and sometimes the pressure brakes are coupled up to
operate the brakes when required.
The object of this part of my invention is to so modify and arrange valve or cock
mechanism that when a passenger or the guard of a train operates upon the handles
provided in the vehicle for the purpose the signal will be given to the driver of the
locomotive whether the brakes coupled to operate in the vehicles are actuated by
vacuum or pressure.
This is effected according to my invention by a modification of the valve arrange-
ments shown by Fig. 7 of the said Specification No. 13468 of 1889. That valve is
supposed to be used with vacuum actuated brakes.
By my present improvements a valve for the vacuum and one for the pressure are
combined together so that when one is actuated the other is simultaneously actuated
-thus when the lever is moved by connections described in my aforesaid Specifica-
tion No. 13468 of 1889 or by similar connections to open the valve and admit air to
the vacuum train pipe, the same lever and movement will also open the valve for
pressure to allow air to escape from the pressure train pipe. Or this may be done
by a two way cock or by other equivalent arrangements.
Though both valves are thus simultaneously opened, that valve only will operato
which is coupled up whether it be that for the vacuum or pressure actuated brakes.
Dated this Eighth day of July. 1897.
PETER J. LIVSEY
Agent.
Improvements in Combination Ejectors for Vacuum Brakes, and in
Arrangements to be used with both Vacuum and Pressure Brakes
by which Passengers and Guards may Signal on Railway Trains.
I, JAMES GRESHAM, Director of the Firm Gresham & Craven Limited, of
Craven Iron Works, Salford, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, 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:
Firstly. My invention relates to the combination ejector described in the
Complete Specification of Letters Patent granted to myself No. 12091 of 1890,
which ejector is used on locomotives to form the vacuum in the train pipes of the
vehicles coupled with the engine forming the train, to apply the brakes thereof
when required.
This part of my invention consists in modifying the said ejector apparatus
described in the aforesaid Complete Specification and combining a stop valve with
its casing for steam and forming passages therein in order that the casing may be
bolted by the flange to the front of the fire box so that a passage in it will come
opposite a hole in the shell of the boiler connected with a pipe leading to the steam
space in the boiler, this casing having a seating in connection with the said passage
in the casing, which can be closed by a cone valve on a screwed stem screwing
through a bush which screws steam tight into the casing, the inner end of this
bush having also a seating formed upon it for a cone valve facing formed on the
inner head of the cone valve, and thus when the screwed stem of the valve is screwed
inwards against its seating by means of a handle secured on a square formed on its
exterior end, the steam from the boiler which goes along the passages in the casing
to the large and small ejectors is shut off and when the valve is opened and screwed

page_text: outwards to its full extent, the cone facing on its inner side comes against the
seating formed upon the inner end of the said bush through which it screws and
the screwed stem is thus made steam tight without packing.
Secondly. A combined large and small ejector is described in my aforesaid
Complete Specification, or the improved combination ejector above described is
used for forming the vacuum in the train, pipe and signals can be given by
admitting air into the train pipe by arrangements described in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to me No. 13468 of 1889 the air thus admitted not being
enough to fully apply the brakes, but sufficient to immediately give notice to the
driver that something is wrong, and he can then or at such time as he sees fit
immediately apply the brakes or hold them off by using the large ejector to prevent
the vacuum from being destroyed sufficiently to apply the brakes until desired.
When trains are fitted with pressure brakes, signals can be given in like manner,
that is, by allowing air to escape from the pressure train pipe to reduce the pressure
therein sufficient to give notice to the driver, so that he may apply the brakes or
not when he thinks proper.
Vehicles of trains are fitted in some cases with both vacuum and pressure brakes,
and sometimes the vacuum and sometimes the pressure brakes are coupled up to
operate the brakes when required.
The object of this part of my invention is to so modify and arrange valve or cock
mechanism that when a passenger or the guard of a train operates upon the handles
provided in the vehicle for the purpose the signal will be given to the driver of the
locomotive whether the brakes coupled to operate in the vehicles are actuated by
vacuum or pressure.
This is effected according to my invention by a modification of the valve arrange-
ments shown by Fig. 7, of the said Specification No. 13468 of 1889. That valve is
supposed to be used with vacuum actuated brakes.
By my present improvements, a valve for the vacuum and one for the pressure are
combined together so that when one is actuated the other is simultaneously actuated
-thus when the lever is moved by connections described in my aforesaid Specifica-
tion No. 13468 of 1889 or by similar connections to open the valve and admit air to
the vacuum train pipe, the same lever and movement will also open the valve for
pressure to allow air to escape from the pressure train pipe. Or this may be done
by a two way cock or by other equivalent arrangements.
Though both valves are thus simultaneously opened, that valve only will operate
which is coupled up whether it be that for the vacuum or pressure actuated brakes.
Fig. 1, is an elevation partly in section, showing so much of the combination
ejector described in the aforesaid Complete Specification No. 12091 of 1890 as
will be necessary to explain the modification of it according to the present inven-
tion, and in order that the parts may be understood, some of them which are fully
described in the said Complete Specification will be herein referred to by the same
letters of reference as are used therein.
1
a, is a pipe from and forming a part of the main casing of the ejector, and is
connected with the pipe (not shown) conveying the steam and air from the ejector
to the chimney of the locomotive.
d, is the branch pipe connected with the train pipe.
h, is the drip pipe for condensed steam.
a¹, is a screw cap for closing the end of the casing.
e3, is a valve in the end of a spindle e, which valve closes against a seating
in the casing, and is actuated by a handle e, secured on the outer end of the
spindle, and is used for the purpose described in the said Complete Specification
No. 12091 of 1890.
m, is a cock screwed into the casing for supplying lubricant for the purpose
described in the said Complete Specification.
k, is the disc valve; 4, the axis upon which it oscillates, 27, the screw nut securing

page_text: pon one axis, and, the handle by which it is oscillated; ³, one of the stop
limiting its oscillation.
All the parts herein before mentioned by letters of reference are the same or ar
similar to those described in the said Complete Specification No. 12091 of 1890
By the present improvements the casing of the apparatus is modified and i
formed with a flange v so that it may be conveniently secured by screws or bolt
to the fire box w, of the locomotive represented in peculiar dotted lines.
This flange v, has a hole in it coming opposite the end of a pipe *, which is
turned upwards so that its open end will be within the steam space of the boiler.
From the hole for steam in the flange v, a passage 1, is formed which leads to a
valve seating 2, formed in the casing and the steam after passing the valve seating
can enter a passage from which passage steam may pass through the seating
closed by the valve e³, and to the steam valve of the large ejector. In the casing
a bush 5, is screwed steam tight, the interior of which is screwed for a screwed
spindle, upon the inner end of which a double cone valve facing v³, is formed.
The spindle is rotated by the handle 26, fitting squares on the outer end of the
spindle.
As shown the end cone of the valve 3, is closed against the seating v³.
When the spindle +, is screwed outwards to open the valve, it is screwed until
the inner cone of the valve v³, comes tightly against the seating formed on the inner
end of the bush 5, thus making the spindle steam tight without packing. The
apparatus is secured to the end of the fire box with the axis of the valve spindle
in a vertical position.
Fig. 2, is a sectional elevation.
a, is a box of metal which may be cast in one piece, with a vertical tube b, the
lower end of which is screw threaded to be coupled by a pipe b², with the vacuum
train pipe.
The upper end of the tube b, within the box a, is faced to form a seating for a
disc valve c, formed by leather or other suitable elastic material secured to a
lever c, by a screw c².
This lever c¹, has its axis on a pin or shaft c³, passing through the sides of the
box a..
There is a shaft d, passing through one side of the box a, which has an arm d¹,
in which there is a projecting pin d, which when the shaft d, is oscillated by any
suitable connections as herein before described, comes against the underside of the
end of the lever c', and lifts it, and thus allows air to pass into the pipe b, and
consequently into the vacuum train pipe.
e, is another tube formed in the casting which is prepared at its lower end to be
connected by a pipe with the train pipe of pressure brakes.
This tube e, is formed at its upper part to come over the centre of the valve c, for
the vacuum brake.
It is prepared so as to have a bush screwed into it air tight in the axis of which
bush, there is a lifting valve e³, opening upwards. Access to this valve is given
by a cap e³, screwed air tight into the tube above the valve e³.
The pressure of air inside the tube e, keeps this valve e², tight, the valve c, on the
lever c, being kept tight by the exterior pressure of the atmosphere.
It will be seen that when the lever c¹, for the vacuum valve is lifted and opened,
it will also come against and lift and open the air pressure valve e², at the same
time, so that whichever is coupled up with the train pipe, will be operated. a¹, is a
lid to the box in and out of which air can pass freely. The valves for the vacuum
and pressure brakes may be combined and arranged differently so as to be actuated
by the same lever or movement according to my invention.
For example the pressure valve e³, may be inverted, and held up to its seating
when there is no pressure in the pipe e, by a spring and it may be depressed to
open it, when the lever c', is actuated to lift the vacuum valve c, by a projection
or arm from the lever c¹, on the opposite side of its fulcrum c³.

page_text: 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 combination of mechanism or apparatus substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described and illustrated by Fig. 1, of the drawings.
2. The combination and arrangement of two valves one for vacuum and one for
pressure brakes, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
illustrated by Fig. 2, of the drawings, and also when the pressure valve is inverted
as herein before explained to be actuated by the same lever or movement from the
signal connections.
Dtl.
TX J
1000