AN IMPROVED CONNECTION FOR TIGHTLY COUPLING OR UNITING THE ACTUATING CHAINS OR RODS OF THE BRAKES OF RAILWAY VEHICLES OR CARRIAGES, SO AS TO MAKE THE SAID ACTUATING CHAINS OR RODS CON- TINUOUS, WHICH IMPROVED CONNECTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Stevens, of Maycliffe, St. Luke's Road,
North Torquay, in the County of Devon, Gentleman, for the In-
vention of "AN IMPROVED CONNECTION FOR TIGHTLY COUPLING OR UNITING
THE ACTUATING CHAINS OR RODS OF THE BRAKES OF RAILWAY VEHICLES OR
CARRIAGES, SO AS TO MAKE THE SAID ACTUATING CHAINS OR RODS CON-
TINUOUS, WHICH IMPROVED CONNECTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 20th July 1875, and dated the 1st May 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Stevens at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st May 1875.
I, EDWARD STEVENS, of Maycliffe, St. Luke's Road, North Torquay,
5 in the County of Devon, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONNECTION FOR TIGHTLY COUPLING
OR UNITING THE ACTUATING CHAINS OR RODS OF THE BRAKES OF RAILWAY
VEHICLES OR CARRIAGES, SO AS TO MAKE THE SAID ACTUATING CHAINS OR RODS CON-

page_text: TINUOUS, WHICH IMPROVED CONNECTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to means for coupling together the
actuating chains or rods of the brakes of railway vehicles or carriages
so as to keep the said chains or rods continuous and tight, and yet allow
of the constantly varying distance of the vehicles between which the
apparatus is being used, and consists of a series of rods or bars jointed
somewhat in the shape of a V, at or near to each joint of which is
placed a pulley or roller, over which pulleys or rollers passes a chain or
rope; each end of this chain is furnished with a shackel hook, screw, or
other means of attaching it tightly to the actuating chain or rod of the
brake on the vehicle, and the bar or rod at each end of the jointed
apparatus is furnished with a swivel, hook, screw, or other means of
attaching the apparatus to the vehicles themselves.
The operation of this apparatus is as follows:-The joints of the
apparatus allow of and compensate for the varying distance of the
vehicles from each other, while the pullies at or near the joints of
the apparatus keep the chain distended and tight, and the swivels allow
for the motion of the vehicles when the train is passing round curves,
and also allow of and compensate for any lateral motion of the vehicles
while the train is travelling along the line.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Stevens in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
STEVENS, of Maycliffe, St. Luke's Road, North Torquay, in the County
of Devon, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Stevens, Her special licence
that I, the said Edward Stevens, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Stevens, my executors,

page_text: 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 "AN IMPROVED
CONNECTION FOR TIGHTLY COUPLING OR UNITING THE ACTUATING CHAINS OR RODS
OF THE BRAKES OF RAILWAY VEHICLES OR CARRIAGES, SO AS TO MAKE THE SAID
ACTUATING CHAINS OR RODS CONTINUOUS, WHICH IMPROVED. CONNECTION IS ALSO
APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Edward Stevens, 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.
t
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Stevens, 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 following statement thereof, reference being had to the several
Drawings hereunto annexed, and the figures and letters marked thereon
(that is to say) :—
This Invention has reference to means of coupling together the
actuating chains or rods of the brakes of railway vehicles or carriages so
as to keep the said chains or rods continuous and tight, and yet allow
of the constantly varying distance of the vehicles between which the
apparatus is being used, and consists of a series of rods or bars jointed
somewhat in the shape of a V, at or near to each point of which is
placed a pulley or roller, over which pulleys or rollers passes a chain,
rope, or band; each end of this chain, rope, or band is furnished with a
shackel, hook, screw, or other means of attaching it tightly to the
actuating chain or rod of the brake on the vehicle, and the bar or rod at
each end of the jointed apparatus is furnished with a swivel, hook, screw,
or other means of attaching the apparatus to the vehicles themselves.
The operation of this apparatus is as follows:-The joints of the appa-
ratus allow of and compensate for the varying distance of the vehicles
from each other, while the pulleys at or near the joints of the apparatus

page_text: represents nation, and figu
pian or my improvcur
connection; scale, 6 inches to one foot.
Figure 3 represents a sketch of the said connection applied to railway|
vehicles; scale, 1 inch to one foot.
Figure 4, scale, 3 inches to one foot, represents a plan of the said
connection with two pulleys side by side, by which two chains may
move to and fro on one connection, as shewn in Figure 5, which is an
elevation of two railway vehicles having the said double-chain arrange-
ment applied thereto.
To make the improved connection represented in Figures 1 and 2 I
take two pieces A, A, of iron or other suitable material, and shape them
somewhat as described, uniting them together by a joint, as shewn at B,
with a pulley C in the centre; the other ends of these arms are con-
nected by the joint D to the brackets E, F, of which the downward
arm F carries a pulley G, and the other arm E has a round hole H for
the swivel pin I to work in; the said swivel pin works in a socket J,
which socket is fixed to the carriage by bolts, as described.
To find the position of the pulley G place the arms of the said con-
nection in a horizontal position, as shewn in Figure 1. In this position
the chain must be parallel with the said connection, touching the
peripheries of pulleys C and G, then draw the perpendicular line K¹
through the centre of the joint D, and the distance from the periphery
of the pulley G to the centre of its pin; mark off on the line K from the

page_text: "
outside of the chain, which gives the point L, then the distance from
the centre of the joint D to the point L; mark off on a horizontal line M,
which gives the centre of the pin of the pulley G. From the centre of
the joint D to the point L, thence to the centre of pulley G, should
form a right angle.
Figure 3 represents a mode in which my improved connection may
be applied between two railway carriages; in this arrangement only one
connection is used which puts the brake on, and a weighted lever is
fixed on the brake axle, or it may be on some other suitable part of the
brake gearing to take off the brake.
When two connections are applied a double action or a to-and-fro
motion will be obtained, the said connection chains being fixed to double
or reverse levers, or other suitable actuating apparatus that may best
answer to the various brake gearings now in use on railways. One
chain will put the brake on and the other will take it off.
Figure 4 represents my improved connection with two pulleys, side by
side. In this arrangement a to-and-fro motion will be obtained, the
same as that produced from the use of two connections, as described in
the last paragraph, and in Figure 5 I have represented how the said
connection with two pulleys' may be applied to a double lever attached
to the actuating apparatus of the brake.
It will be obvious that this connection can be readily applied to and
used with the brakes now in use on railways.
The pulleys which I have hitherto used and found to work well are of
four inches in diameter, and they should be all of the same size.
The chain may be of any suitable size, according to strength required.
The chain which I have used and found to work well is 7/16" diameter
best tested short link chain, made from best SC iron, by
E. Baylie & Co., of Stourbridge.
The length of the two centre arms of the said connection should be
according to the distance of the extreme opening or play between the
vehicles.
Having now described my said Invention of "An Improved Con-
neation for Mightly Countian
Tuition the
•

page_text: of the Brakes of Railway Vehicles or Carriages, so as to make the said
Actuating Chains or Rods Continuous; which Improved Connection is
also Applicable to other similar Purposes," and the manner in which the
same may be performed or carried into effect, I declare that what I
claim and desire to have secured to me by the hercin-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the said improved connection herein-before
described and shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed, or any mere
modification thereof.
1 .
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Stevens, have hereunto set
and el thin Tinst dose of Novembou