IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Thompson Glossop at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th September 1875.
I, JOSEPH THOMPSON 'GLOSSOP, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK," to be as follows:-
My-Invention relates to certain-improvements.in railway rolling stock,
having for 'their object greater efficiency in working the same and
increased safety in travelling.
One part of my Invention has reference to the brakes of railway
vehicles.
According to one modification I form on one of the axles of the
vehicle än endless screw or worm, opposite to which there is placed at
each side tliereof a toothed or serrated block capable when brouglit into
contact with the worm of engaging therewith. This block is supported
by pins or rods in side "plates, which are slotted so as to admit of. the
block sliding to and from the worm whilst preventing any vertical

page_text: motion, and behind the block there is fitted a stop plate, which is made
of an inclined or wedge shape on its inner side; and secured to the side
plates. Between this stop plate and the toothed block before mentioned
there is fitted a sliding wedge, which in the case of single brakes is
connected with the brakesman's or driver's actuating lever and screw,
and in the case of continuous brakes with connecting-rods-arranged-in-
the manner herein-after mentioned, so that by the act of depressing or
elevating the wedge the toothed block is caused to engage with or is
released from the worm, or vice versa. The toothed blocks are connected
by means of lever arms to a cross shaft having attached thereto the arms
carrying the brake blocks for the wheels, so that when the toothed
blocks are in gear with the worm they traverse along the same, acting
upon the connections of the brake blocks, and drawing or forcing the
same against the wheels with a pressure gradually increasing until they
are firmly gripped - thereby. The reversal of the motion of the wedges,
when it is required to take off the brakes, instantaneously releases the
toothed blocks, which are drawn back by means of helical springs fixed
in the side plates, and the wheels are then liberated from the brakes.
When the brakes are to be continuous I employ.coupling rods connected
from carriage to carriage by universal or swivelling joints, and fitted
with pins or catches which engage in slotted arms connected with the
wedges in such a manner that by the act of drawing the rods the slotted
arms will be moved, and the wedges depressed or elevated, as the caso
may be, helical springs being employed to bring back the rods to their
normal position when the traction is released.
According to another modification of brake, which is adapted for use
upon engines or tenders, I provide. at any convenient part, of, the engine
(for example) an auxiliary cylinder fitted with a piston which is con-
nccted by suitable rods with the crank pin of; the engine, the whole of
the wheels of the engine-being-by-preference.coupled together. During
the normal working of the engine the piston slides up and down its
cylinder under the action of the cranks, simply drawing air; but when it
is required to arrest or retard the.motion of the engine steam is admitted
to one side of the piston, so as to form a resistance.to the return of such
piston, whereby the crank is instantly. locked, and the motion of the
engine is retarded and ultimately arrested if required. .By discharging
the steam, or exhausting from the cylinder, the piston is free to move,
and the crank is released. %

page_text: Another part of my Invention, relates to the wheels of vehicles, and
has for its object preventing the displacement or flying of the tyre in
the event of a fracture occurring. In order to effect this object I form
an annular slot or groove on each side of the tyre of the wheel, against
which I fit a ring or disc having an annular projection or rim corres-
ponding to the annular slot or groove before mentioned. The two rings
or discs thus encasing the wheel are then bolted or rivetted together,
whereby the projections are caused to engage in the slots or grooves, and
maintain the tyre firmly in its place on the wheel.