IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinand Dancart, of 82, Boulevard Sébastopol,
Paris, in the Empire of France, Watchmaker, for the Invention of
D
'PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinand Dancart at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his- Petition, on
the 18th March 1864.
I, FERDINAND DANCART, of 82,. Boulevard Sébastopol, Paris, in the
Empire of France, Watchmaker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES," to be
as follows:--
The object of my Invention is an improved brake more especially appli-
cable to railway carriages, by. which a train may be stopped more rapidly
and with greater security than by the brakes at present used. For this
purpose I cause the bottom of the carriage to be fitted, on each side with
a strong beam, to each of which three slides of metal forming the brake
are so adapted as to be immediately above the rails, they are furnished
with flanges similar to those of the wheels. The wheels of the carriage
as well as the springs and grease boxes are borne on two movable frames,
the ends of which nearest the ends of the carriage are secured by screw
bolts acting as hinges; the other ends of the frames meet midway beneath
the carriage and fit one into the other, being held firm by an adjusting

page_text: screw which can be set in motion from above. On withdrawing the
adjusting screw the two frames rise and so draw up the wheels from the
rails; thus when the carriage is to be brought to a stop the adjusting
screw is sufficiently withdrawn to permit of the wheels rising from the
rails on which the metal slides gradually rest and so form a powerful
brake.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ferdinand Dancart in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FERDINAND
DANCART, of 82, Boulevard Sebastopol, Paris, in the Empire of France,
Watchmaker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Ferdinand Dancart, Her special licence that I, the said Ferdinand
Dancart, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Ferdinand Dancart, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES," upon
the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Ferdinand Dancart, 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 Ferdinand Dancart, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
The object of my Invention is an improved brake more especially

page_text: applicable to railway carriages, by the employment of which a train may
be stopped more rapidly and with greater security than by the brakes at
present used. For this purpose I cause the bottom of the carriage to which
my brake is to be adapted to be fitted on each side with a strong beam, to
each of which three slides of metal forming the brake are so adapted as
to be immediately above the rails, these slides are furnished with flanges
similar to those of the wheels. The wheels of the carriage as well as
the springs and grease boxes are borne on two movable frames, the ends
of which frames nearest the ends of the carriage are secured by screw bolts
acting as hinges; the other ends of the frames meet midway beneath the
carriage and fit freely one with the other; they are held in their position by
an adjusting screw shaft which is operated by means of a hand wheel set in
motion from above. On withdrawing this screw the two frames rise and so
draw up the wheels from the rails; thus when the carriage is to be brought
to a stop the adjusting screw shaft is sufficiently withdrawn to permit of the
wheels rising from the rails on which the metal slides gradually rest and so
form a powerful brake.
This description will be readily understood on reference being made to
the accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a horizontal plan of the lower part of the carriage A,
B, being the side beams to which the metal slides are secured ; and C, D,
two cross beams completing as it were a frame to which the various parts
employed in carrying ont my Invention are connected. Within the frame
just mentioned are two other movable frames secured by the bolts a, b, c, d,
in such a manner as to allow of the frames moving on them as on hinges,
the other ends of the frames meeting. midway beneath the carriage and
being free to rise on the adjusting screw shaft K being withdrawn. These
two interior and secondary frames carry the grease boxes, springs, and other
ordinary accessories, and also the bearings of the axles of the bearing wheels.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section, K being the adjusting screw shaft which is
brought to bear on the point a, Fig. 1, by a hand wheel M, Fig. 2, placed
in a convenient position for working. It will be observed that the ends
h, h, of the two inner frames v, vl, are so shaped as to allow of them fitting
freely one with the other. The dotted lines 8, 8, show the position of the
secondary inner wheel-bearing frames, when the adjusting screw shaft K
is withdrawn, sufficient space being left between the beams A, B, and the
planking or bottom of the carriage to allow the wheels to rise free of the
rails.
I have indicated an adjusting screw shaft as the means to be employed

page_text: for withdrawing or applying the wheels, but many other arrangements,
such as a system of levers, could be employed with equal effect.
The wheels may be raised entirely free of the rails, or they can be with-
drawn less, so that both they and the metal slides rest on the rails.
It must also be observed that the brakes at each end of the carriage are
capable of sufficient movement to permit of them adapting themselves to the
junctions and curves of the line.' .
In case of danger, by operating on the screw shaft in a withdrawing
direction the wheels gradually ascend and the slides e, f, g, rest on the
rails, the carriage for the time being travelling as a sledge; the friction of
the slides on the rails can be regulated, as the screw shaft can be worked
only sufficiently to allow of the slides barely touching the rails; so that a
portion of the weight of the carriage is on the bearing wheels.
Having thus described my Invention I wish it to be distinctly understood
I do not limit myself to the exact details above mentioned; as other means
may be employed to produce the same results; what I claim as my Invention
is, the system of brake above described, the wheels of the carriage being
almost or entirely withdrawn from the rails.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ferdinand Dancart, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, in the
year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.