IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY HAMDA AST DAZETA SHANTS AD DATTADO " PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Westinghouse, junior, of Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania, United States of America, but at present of No. 20,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY
HAMDA
AST
DAZETA SHANTS AD DATTADO "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Westinghouse
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th September 1871.
I, GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, junior, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United
States of America, but at present of No. 20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHI-
NERY FOR WORKING BRAKES ON THE ROLLING STOCK OF RAILWAYS," to be as
follows:-
My improvements have reference more particularly to the system of
operating railway brakes, wherein compressed air is caused to flow from
A

page_text: a reservoir through a line of pipes to cylinders having pistons connected
to the brake gear, so as to apply the brakes by the action of the com-
pressed air upon such pistons; the said improvements are however
equally applicable to all other systems for working brakes by steam
or fluids under pressure, wherein a continuous pipe connection or
continuous pipe connections may be used between two or more carriages,
tenders, or locomotives.
My improvements also relate to improved arrangements of the
brake shafts and their connections, whereby the brake blocks are
applied with equal or nearly equal force to each wheel of a carriage,
and whereby the force with which the brakes are applied to each
wheel may be made proportionate to the weight of the carriage or
part of the carriage upon such wheel throughout the train. In all
systems of atmospheric or other brakes requiring a pipe connection
between two or more carriages only, one single line of pipes has been
heretofore employed throughout the whole length of the train. In such
an arrangement, should any defect occur in the line of pipes that
would interfere with or prevent the proper flow of air through them to
the brake cylinders the brakes would become useless until the defect
had been repaired.
Now according to my present Invention I employ a double line of
pipes throughout the train or the part of the train in which the brakes
are to be operated. At each brake cylinder (that is, a cylinder having a
piston which is connected to the brake gear, and which is acted upon by
the compressed air) a pipe connection is formed between the two lines of
pipes, and this connection is made to communicate by a branch pipe
with the brake cylinder, so that the compressed air may flow from either
line of pipes into the cylinder. In connection with the double line of
pipes I furthermore arrange a series of automatic valves or cocks so
arranged that if compressed air should be admitted into one line of pipes
only, such valves or cocks will automatically close the communication
between the other line of pipes and the brake cylinders, while if air is
admitted into both lines of pipes both of these will communicate with
the brake cylinders. In the arrangement of such automatic valves which
I prefer to employ, I form on the connecting pipe between the two lines
of pipes a chamber containing two valves connected by a stem, each
valve serving to close one of the apertures of the connecting pipe into
the chamber, and between these two valves I arrange the branch pipe

page_text: leading from the chamber to the brake cylinder. The valves slide freely
in the chamber, so that if compressed air is admitted from the one line
of pipes only into one end of the connecting pipe, it will force over the
valves so as to close the communication between the other end of the
connecting pipe (and consequently also the second line of pipes) and the
chamber, and the air will then pass freely from and to the first-named
line of pipes to and from the brake cylinder. If on the other hand air
is, admitted through both lines of pipes both valves will be forced open,
and the air will consequently pass from both pipes into the brake

page_text: to move sufficiently in a lateral direction to accomodate themselves to
the wear of the brake blocks. The inner ends of the shafts are sup-
ported in fixed brackets, with just sufficient looseness to allow of the said
motion of the outer ends. To the inner ends are fixed arms or other
mechanical equivalents, which are connected by links, chains, or other
mechanical equivalents to the ends of a horizontal lever, and to the
centre of such lever is connected the piston rod of the before-mentioned
atmospheric broko ovlinder
.

page_text: be of sufficient force to overcome the frictional and other resistance of
the various moving parts after the brake power has been taken off.
In operating atmospheric brakes I furthermore arrange a pressure
gauge of any known construction on the compressed air reservoir in
combination with a cock or valve on the conducting pipes to act both as
a gauge and as a meter for measuring the quantity of compressed air
used in applying the brakes. In using the gauge as a meter the cock is
opened so as to allow a certain amount of air to flow from the reservoir
into the brake pipes until the pressure indicated by the gauge has
decreased to a certain extent, whereupon the cock is closed. By this
means, as the capacity of the reservoir is known, cach decrease of a
pound or part of a pound pressure indicated by the pressure gauge will
at the same time indicate so many cubic inches of air admitted from the
réservoir into the pipes. The pressure gauge may if desired be marked
5 with figures indicating the number of cubic inches of compressed air
1

page_text: in the air reservoir, whereby the action of the pump will always be
regulated according to such pressure. When by the action of the pump
the pressure of the air in the reservoir has been raised to the maximum
degree this pressure in overbalancing the action of the spring will cause
the piston to close the valve in the steam pipe, and the action of the
pump will thus be stopped until the pressure of air has again sunk below
the maximum.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Westinghouse in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WESTINGHOUSE, junior, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of
America, but at present of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Westinghouse, junior, Her
special licence that I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, my
executors, administrators, and, assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Westinghouse, junior, 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 APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR
WORKING BRAKES ON THE ROLLING STOCK OF RAILWAYS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, my
executors 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, 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
accompanying Drawings and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say :-
My improvements have, reference more particularly to the system of
operating railway brakes, wherein compressed air is caused to flow from
a reservoir through a line of pipes to cylinders having pistons connected
to the brake gear so as to apply the brakes by the action of the com-
pressed air upon such pistons. The said improvements are however
equally applicable to all other systems for working brakes by steam or
fluids under pressure, wherein a continuous pipe connection or continuous
pipe connections may be used between two or more carriages, tenders,
or locomotives.
My improvements also relate to improved arrangements of the brake.
shafts and their connections, whereby the brake blocks are applied with
equal or nearly equal force to each wheel of a carriage, and whereby
the force with which the brakes are applied to each wheel may
be made proportionate to the weight of the carriage or part of the
carriage upon such wheel throughout the train. In all systems of
atmospheric or other brakes requiring a pipe connection between two
or more carriages only, one single line of pipes has been heretofore
employed throughout the whole length of the train. In such an
arrangement, should any defect occur in the line of pipes that would
interfere with or prevent the proper flow of air through them to the
brake cylinders the brakes would become useless until the defect had
been repaired.
•
Now according to my present Invention I employ a double line of
pipes throughout the train or the part of the train in which the brakes
are to be operated. At each brake cylinder (that is, a cylinder having a
piston which is connected to the brake gear and which is acted upon by
the compressed air) a pipe connection is formed between the two lines of
pipes, and this connection is made to communicate by a branch pipe
with the brake cylinder, so that the compressed air may flow from either
line of pipes into the cylinder. In connection with the double line of
pipes I furthermore arrange a series of automatic valves or cocks so
arranged that if compressed air should be admitted into one line of pipcs

page_text: only, such valves or cocks will automatically close the communication
between the other line of pipes and the brake cylinders, while if air is
admitted into both lines of pipes both of these will communicate with
the brake cylinders. In the arrangement of such automatic valves which
I prefer to employ, I form on the connecting pipe between the two lines
of pipes a chamber containing two valves connected by a stem, each
valve serving to close one of the apertures of the connecting pipe into
the chamber, and between these two valves I arrange the branch pipe
leading from the chamber to the brake cylinder. The valves slide freely
in the chamber, so that if compressed air is admitted from the one line
of pipes only into one end of the connecting pipe it will force over the
valves so as to close the communication between the other end of the
connecting pipe (and consequently also the second line of pipes) and the
chamber, and the air will then pass freely from and to the first-named
line of pipes to and from the brake cylinder. If on the other hand air
is admitted through both lines of pipes, both valves will be forced
open, and the air will consequently pass from both pipes into the brake
cylinder.
Instead of the automatic valves, valves or cocks turned by hand may
be used, but I prefer the automatic arrangement.
On the locomotive engine, or wherever the compressed air reservoirs
are situated from which the brakes are actuated, I arrange in each of the
lines of pipes a cock or valve whereby the communication between the
reservoir and either pipe may be closed, or instead of employing a
separate cock or valve for each pipe, I arrange an ordinary three-way
cock communicating with both lines of pipes so as to close either or both
of them.
In working the brakes .it is intended that both lines of pipes shall be
used unless one of them should become defective, when it will be seen
that by the before-described arrangement, if the communication between
the air reservoir and the defective pipe be closed by the aforesaid cock or
valve the brakes will still be efficiently operated by the passage of air
through the second line of pipes. It is however not essentially necessary
that both lines of pipes should be used at the same time, as the brakes
may, by the system of automatic valves or cocks before described, be
applied by means of the one line of pipes only, and the other line may
be reserved for use in case any defect arises in the first-named line. The
said double line of pipes is made to extend to each end of the locomotive

page_text: in order to enable the brakes to be operated when carriages are attached
to either or both ends of the locomotive. By this arrangement also, if
a second locomotive having the necessary compressed air reservoir and
force pump. be attached, the driver of each engine will have equal power
to apply the brakes, and should it be found necessary both drivers could
apply the brakes at the same time, whereby the effectiveness of the
brakes would be increased somewhat.
I
1
The use of the two lines of pipes as aforesaid renders it necessary to
have two pipe couplings between each two carriages. I construct such
couplings in a similar manner to that described in C. D. Abel's Specifi-
cation, No. 2235 of 1870, each coupling consisting of a male and female
part. In order that the pipe couplings of the one carriage may always
fit those of the next carriage, no matter which ends of the carriages are
contiguous to each other, I provide each length of pipe to one carriage
with a male coupling at one end and a female coupling at the other end,
the male and female couplings of the one length of pipe being however
in reversed positions relative to the male and female couplings of the
other length.
By this arrangement of a pair of male and female couplings at each
end of a carriage, it will be seen that if the pipes are not connected
from carriage to carriage the couplings of the two lengths of pipe of a
carriage can be coupled together so as to protect the joints from injury.
Each line of pipes may be provided with a cock or valve at opposite ends
of the carriage, in order, by closing one or other of these cocks, to
prevent the air under pressure that is passing through the one line of
pipes only from entering the second line of pipes through the coupled
ends thereof. These cocks are however not required if the ends of
the two lines of pipes are not coupled together at the rear end of the
train.
The above-described arrangement of a double pipe connection with
male and female couplings at each end of a carriage may also be
employed with advantage in cases where only a single line of pipes is
used, in order that the pipes of two carriages may be coupled correctly
together, no matter which ends of the carriages are contiguous to each
other.
1

page_text: By the various above-described arrangements it will be seen that a
different amount of brake power may be applied to each pair of wheels
to each carriage or tender should it be found advisible.
For releasing the brake blocks promptly from the wheels I arrange a
spring or weight on each of the independent brake shafts, which should
be of sufficient force to overcome the frictional and other resistance of
the various moving parts after the brake power has been taken off.
In operating atmospheric brakes I furthermore arrange a pressure
gauge of any known construction on the compressed air reservoir in
combination with a cock or valve on the conducting pipes to act both as
a gauge and as a meter for measuring the quantity of compressed air.
used in applying the brakes. In using the gauge as a meter the cock is
opened so as to allow a certain amount of air to flow from the reservoir
into the brake pipes until the pressure indicated by the gauge has
decreased to a certain extent, whereupon the cock is closed. By this
means, as the capacity of the reservoir is known, each decrease of a
pound or part of a pound pressure indicated by the pressure gauge will
at the same time indicate so many cubic inches of air admitted from the
reservoir into the pipes. The pressure gauge may if desired be marked
with figures indicating the number of cubic inches of compressed air
corresponding to every pound pressure.
For indicating directly the pressure existing in the brake pipes I fix a
second pressure gauge in connection with these.
For charging the compressed air reservoir. I employ an independent
steam pump with steam from the locomotive boiler, and kept con-
stantly in motion while the train is running, in order to maintain
a nearly uniform pressure in the reservoir by continually supplying
sufficient air thereto to make good all leakages and to instantly restore
the pressure after using air for applying the brakes; and in order to
regulate the speed of the engine so that the pump shall at all times
supply only the exact quantity of air to the reservoir required for
maintaining such .pressure, I arrange
in combination with the air
reservoir a cylinder having a piston, one side of which is acted upon by
the pressure of the air in the reservoir, while the other side is acted upon
by a spring exerting a pressure corresponding to the maximum pressure
which the air in the reservoir is required to attain. This piston is
connected to a valve (which may be either an equilibrium or other

page_text: known form of valve) in the supply steam pipe to the steam pump, so
that as long as the air in the reservoir has not attained its maximum:
pressure, the spring in acting against the pressure of the air will cause
the piston to keep the valve open to an extent proportionate to the
degree of pressure existing in the air reservoir, whereby the action of the
pump will always be regulated according to such pressure. When by
the action of the pump the pressure of the air in the reservoir has been
raised to the maximum degree, this pressure in overbalancing the action
of the spring will cause the piston to close the valve in the steam pipe,
and the action of the pump will thus be stopped until the pressure of air
has again sunk below the maximum.
to
Fig. 1 represents, diagrammatically a plan of the under framing of a
railway carriage provided with two lines of air pipes arranged according
my Invention for working the brakes and part of a locomotive. A is
the reservoir of compressed air on the locomotive, from which a passage
fitted with two three-way cocks B.and. C communicates with the two air
pipes D and E when the couplings d and e are united. The first cock B
has on one side an opening B₁ to the atmosphere; it can be turned so
as to let compressed air pass from the reservoir A to the air pipes, as
represented in the Figure, or it can be turned so as to let air issue from
these pipes to the atmosphere. The second cock C can be turned so as
to make a communication with both the pipes D and E or with either
of them. Branches D¹, E', extend from the two air pipes D, E, to the
ends of a valve box F, from the side of which a passage leads to the
brake cylinder G.
:
'
Fig. 2 represents to an enlarged scale a section of the valve box F.
It contains two valves of equal size fand f¹ united by a stem. Each of.
the valves has an annular rib projecting from its face, and outside this
rib notches are cut in the periphery, as indicated in the face view Fig. 3,
or holes are made, as indicated in the face view Fig. 4, so as to afford
passage for air, the solid parts of the rim acting as guides for the valves,
which are fitted so as to slide freely to and fro in the valve box. Each
of the end covers of the valve box is screwed in with a ring of
caoutchouc, which makes the joint air-tight and also serves as a seat
for the valve: From this construction it will be seen that whenever
there is air at higher pressure in either of the branches D' or E' than in

page_text: the other, the valve will close the branch having the lower pressure and
open communication from the branch having the higher pressure to the
brake cylinder G. When the pressure in both branches is the same the
valves will take an indifferent position, so as to allow communication
between the brake cylinder and either or both of the branches D', E¹.
For operating the brakes when both the pipes D, E, are used, the
cocks B and C are turned into the positions shewn in Fig. 1. Com-
pressed air then passes from the reservoir A to both the pipes D and E,
and by the branches D¹ and E¹ and the valve box F to the brake
cylinder G, where it acts on the piston so as to put on the brakes. In
order to take off the brakes the cock B is turned so as to cut off com-
munication with the reservoir A and to open communication with the
atmosphere. The piston in G being thus relieved from pressure is
pushed back by the springs which take off the brakes, and the air issues
from the cylinder G by the branches D', E¹, and pipes D, E, through the
cock C and the cock B to the atmosphere. When it is desired to employ
only one of the pipes, for example D, the cock C is turned so as to make
a communication between B and D, but to cut off communication
with E. The operation of putting on and taking off the brakes is then
effected as above described, the pipe E being cut off by the cock C and
the valve in F.
There being two pipes D and E, their couplings from carriage to
carriage are made right and left handed, that is to say, each length of
pipe has a male member of the coupling, as D³, E³, at the one end, and
a female member, as D³, E³, at the other end, and these are arranged right
and left, so that whichever way any carriage may be turned there is
always for each pipe a member of the coupling suited to the member
presented by the adjoining carriage. This arrangement is so convenient
for facility of coupling that even when one air pipe only is used I
prefer to make it with branches at the ends so as to make the couplings
duplicate.
Fig. 5 represents diagrammatically a plan of an air pipe so arranged.
In this Figure the brake cylinder G communicates with a single pipe H,
which is made with branches K and L at each end, the couplings to
these branches and to the main pipe H being made right and left handed
as above described.
It is convenient to couple together the flexible lengths of pipe left
at the end of the last carriage, so as to prevent them from injury by,

page_text: swinging free. As this coupling at the end makes the two pipes com-
municate, I provide cach carriage with a cock I in each of its pipes, so
that the communication of the two pipes may be cut off by turning the
cock I of the last carriage, and thus either line of pipes can be used.
independently for working the brakes as above described.
I
Fig. 6 represents a plan of the under part of a railway carriage having
four wheels fitted with apparatus constructed according to my Invention
for equalizing and regulating the strain of the brakes on the several
wheels; Fig. 7 represents a side view, and Fig. 8 a transverse section of
the same.
A is the brake cylinder fitted with a piston. The piston.
rod D is jointed to the middle of a lever of equal arms E, the ends of:
which are respectively connected to cranks G, G¹, fixed on two brake
shafts H, H¹. These shafts are mounted near their inner ends in
bearings K, K¹, attached to the framing of the carriage, and' near their
outer ends they are mounted in links or bearings L, L', free to swing,
or instead of such swinging bearings they might have bearings free to
slide a little horizontally. On the outer ends of the shafts H, H', are
fixed double cranks or arms M, M', which by means of rods 'N, N¹, are
connected to the brake blocks O, O'. These brake blocks are suspended
by rods P, P', from the framing of the carriage, each of the joints by
which these rods are connected to the blocks being made with a butt or
stop, so as to prevent the block from lying against and rubbing the
wheel when the brake is taken off. By thus communicating the force:
of the piston through the equal armed lever E, each of the shafts H, H', ·
has equal power applied to turn it. And again, by mounting the outer
ends of these shafts in bearings free to swing or slide, the strain conveyed
through the rods N, N¹, to the brake blocks O, O¹, is equalized. C is a
spring which takes off the brakes when the pressure in the cylinder A
is released. The same principles of construction and action may be
applied in cases where there are more than two wheels on each side of
the carriage.
1
.+
Fig. 9 illustrates diagrammatically their application to a carriage
having four wheels on each side. His the brake shaft for one side of
the carriage, mounted in swinging or sliding bearings L; as above
described, and having arms M., M', for working the brakes. The
rods N, N¹, from these arms are connected to the middles of equal
armed levers Q, Q', and from the ends of those levers rods as R, R', are
connected to the several brake blocks, all of which are thus pressed.
'
B

page_text: against their respective wheels with equal strain. When it is desired to
put more or less strain upon one wheel than on another, the arms of the
levers Q, Q', are made of unequal lengths, or the rods R, R', are jointed
to the arms P, P₁, by which the brake blocks hang at different distances
from their pivots.
Instead of employing an equalizing lever, such as E, in Fig. 6, with
rods F, F', a pulley and chain may be employed, as represented diagram-
matically in Fig. 10, where A is the brake cylinder and B the piston.
rod, having mounted on it a pulley S. Round this pulley is passed a
chain T, the ends of which are secured to the cranks G, G¹, on the brake
shafts, thus giving them an equal share of the strain imparted from the
piston rod B.
Fig. 11 represents a section of apparatus for governing the speed of
the engine, which works the air compressing pump. A is a valve box
on the pipe by which steam is supplied to the engine. B is a short tube
inserted into this valve box, with notches cut in it at top and bottom,
and holes through its middle for passage of steam. C is a piston fitted
so that it can slide freely in the tube B. The rod of this piston D is
connected to a piston E fitted to a cylinder, which communicates by a
passage F with the pipe or reservoir containing compressed air. Gis a
helical spring adjusted to the desired pressure of air. As the pressure of
air increases the piston E is forced down in opposition to the spring,
and the lower piston C partly or entirely closes the openings through
the tube B, so as to diminish or cut off the supply of steam to the engine
that works the air compressing pump. The piston E is preferably made
with a thin edge, so that the pressure of air acting on it tends to expand
this edge and so make the piston fit its cylinder without leakage.
L
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 working of brakes for the rolling stock of railways by
means of compressed air or other fluid under pressure, nor do I claim
generally the communication of fluid pressure for working brakes
through a line of pipes extending throughout a train, nor the con-
struction or use of couplings for such pipes; but what I do claim is,―
First. The arrangement and use of a duplicate line of pipes with the
cocks and valves, whereby either line or both can be employed for
working the brakes, substantially as herein described.

page_text: Second. The use for brake apparatus of valves constructed and
working substantially as described with reference to Figs. 2, 3, and 4,
whereby either of two pipes that may contain air at lower pressure than
the other is automatically closed.
Third. The arrangement of the couplings for either a double or a
single line of pipes, so as to afford facility for connecting them from
carriage to carriage, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 1
and Fig. 5.
Fourth. The use of separate brake shafts to which movement is
communicated through levers and rods or pullies and chains, for the
purpose of equalizing and regulating the strain of the brakes on the
several wheels of a railway carriage, substantially as herein described.
Fifth. The combination with separate or divided brake shafts of
hanging bearings or bearings free to move horizontally, whereby the
strain on the brakes is equalized, substantially as described with reference
to Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9.
'
Sixth. The use of apparatus for governing the speed of the engine
employed for compressing air to work the brakes, substantially as
described with reference to Fig. 11.
+
I
In witness whereof, I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE. (L.S.) JR.