IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKING OR RETARDING RAILWAY TRAINS, AND IN THE APPARATUS or Means EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Hogg Durie, of Elphinstone Colliery,
Trannent, in the County of Haddington, North Britain, for tho
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKING OR RETARDING RAILWAY
TRAINS, AND IN THE APPARATUS or Means EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Hogg Durie
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th January 1870.
I, ROBERT HOGG DURIE, of Elphinstone Colliery, Trannent, in the
County of Haddington, North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKING OR RETARDING RAILWAY
TRAINS, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOB," to be as follows,
that is to say :—
This Invention, which relates to the braking or stopping of railway
trains in a very rapid manner and when at high speed, consists in
providing the engine with one or more stean cylinders and pistons in
connection with powerful brake gear. The buffer rods of the soveral
buffers throughout the train are also connected to brake lovers connected

page_text: to brake blocks which are arranged to act upon all the wheels of the
carriages throughout the train.
The action of the brake is as follows:-When it is desired to stop the
train the engineman turns on the steam into the engine brake cylinders;
this has the effect of stopping the revolution of the engine wheels, and
the check thus put upon the motion of the train causes the several
carriages by means of their momentum to compress the buffers through-
the
out the train, this inward movement of the buffer rods acting upon
brake levers of the carriages and thereby causing the brake blocks to
be firmly pressed on the wheels, thus stopping their revolution and the
consequent movement of the train.
In order to prevent the apparatus from acting during the shunting or
backing of the train a series of blocks are provided, which may or may
not be attached to a rod and lever for lowering them between a fixed
point and the brake levers, thus preventing the brake blocks from
touching the wheels of the carriages during the time the engine is
hacking the carriages. These blocks however may be inserted when
required by the hands of an attendant.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Hogg Durie in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
HOGG DURIE, of Elphinstone Colliery, Trannent, in the County of
Haddington, North Britain, send greeting.
WHEREAS Пer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
33rd year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Hogg Durie, Her special license
that I, the said Robert Hogg Durie, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Hogg Durie, my executors,
administrators, or 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,
2

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood
I now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or
manner in or under which the same is or may be used or practically
carried into effect, that is to say :-
On Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a side cleva-
tion partly in section of a locomotive engine and tender; Figure 2, a half
plan of the same and half horizontal section on the line A, B, Figure-1;
and Figure 3 is a half end elevation and half transverse section on the
line C, D, Figure 1. On these different Figures one arrangement of that
part of the brake apparatus as applied to locomotive engines and tenders
is illustrated. On the several Figures corresponding parts are indicated
by the same letters of reference. For the sake of more completely
clucidating the action of the various brake blocks and lovers the outside
framing plate of the locomotive engine is removed, as shown at
Figure 1.
I
The brake gear on the engine and tender as constructed in accordance
with the first part of this present Invention consists in attaching steam
cylinders A to each side of the engine boiler B, and steam is conducted
.to these cylinders from the boiler by their respective pipes or passages O.
Inside each of the cylinders A pistons :D are placed, these being made
steam-tight by means of metallic or other suitable packing. In cach
piston D a piston rod E is fixed, as more particularly shown at
Figure 1. The piston rods E are caused to project through both ends of
the cylinders A, and their outer extremities are formed with eyes ; to
which one of the ends of each of the connecting rods or links Fare
coupled by means of pins or studs a, a;, the opposite extremities of these
connecting rods or links F are connected to the upper ends of the
levers G by means of pins or studs b, b. The levers G are centred on
rocking studs c, c, supported or carried by means of the brackets H, H,
as shown at Figure 1, which brackets are secured to the framing of the
locomotive engine by means of bolts or otherwise, and the levers G are
also connected to the various brake block levers I through the intervention
of the links J, as more particularly seen at Figure 1. The various brake
block lovers I are attached to pins d, d, as sliown in horizontal section at
Figure 2, and are arranged to move or vibrate thercon. The pins d, d,
aro hold in the inner and outer framing plates K and L respectively.
.
The general arrangement of the braking apparatus attached to the
tender M being substantially similar to that above set forth in reference
1
'

page_text: within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKING OR
RETARDING RAILWAY TRAINS, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THERE-
FOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Hogg
Durie, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Robert Hogg Durie, do hereby
declaro 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say :-
This Invention, which relates to the braking or stopping of railway
trains in a very rapid manner and when at high speed, consists in pro-
viding the engine with one or more steam cylinders and pistons in
connection with powerful brake gear. The buffer rods of the several
buffers throughout the train are also connected to brake levers connected
to brake blocks, which are arranged to act upon all the wheels of the
carriages throughout the train.
The action of the brake is as follows:-When it is desired to stop the
train the engineman turns on the steam into the engine brake cylinders;
this has the effect of stopping the revolution of the engine wheels, and
the check thus put upon the motion of the train causes the several
carriages by means of their momentum to compress the buffers through-
out the train. This inward movement of the buffer rods acts upon the
brake levers of the carriages and thereby causes the brake blocks to be
firmly pressed on the wheels, thus stopping their revolution and the
consequent movement of the train.
In order to prevent the apparatus from acting during the shunting or
hacking of the train a series of blocks are provided, which may or may
not be attached to a rod and lever for lowering them between a fixed
point and the brake levers, thus preventing the brake blocks from
touching the wheels of the carriages during the time the engine is
backing the carriagos. These blocks however may be inserted when
required by the hands of an attendant.

page_text: dotted lines in plan at Figure 2, until it is brought immediately under
the centre of the coupling pin of the tender. An expansion and pivot
joint is placed at this point of the pipe by turning the end of the
pipe or passage R upwards and placing a stuffing box thercon, as shown
at Figure 1. Into this stuffing box the end of the pipe or passage Y is
inserted and a steam-tight joint secured by means of a gland and packing:
By this arrangement on a reciprocating or sideward movement of the
engine and tender taking place, any undue strain is prevented from
being thrown on the pipes, the expansion joint pacting as a pivot, that
is to say, the end of the pipe Y will turn in the stuffing box or socket of
the pipo R. Each of the pipes R and Y are securely stayed by means
of the braces or straps r passed round the pipes and attached to the
under sides of the framing of the engine and tender.
'
On Sheet 2 of the Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a part
side elevation and part longitudinal section of a portion of a train of
passenger carriages, which carriages are carried on three pairs of wheels
and are furnished with an arrangement of the improved brake apparatus
as constructed in accordance with one part of my said Invention, that is
to say, the action of the brake blocks A upon the wheels of all the
carriages throughout the train is caused by the inward movement.or
compression of the buffers consequent upon the momentum of the train
being retarded by the action of the brake apparatus on the engine and
tender whenever these brakes are applied. The buffer rods B of the
carriages have each a pin or stud a secured to them in the position
shown on the Drawings. To this stud the upper end of a lever. O is
attached, the upper end of the lever being formed with an oblong slot, as
shown at Figure 1, in which the pin or stud z can move freely. The
lever O is secured to a shaft a passing across the under side of the
carriage and supported at each end by means of brackets D, which
brackets are secured to the framing of the carriage. At each side of the
carriage duplex levers E are secured to the shaft a, the ends of which
lovers are connected to the brake blocks A. by means of the links F, as
shown, thus on the inward movement or compression of the buffer
rods B taking place the shaft a is caused to turn round a certain
distance or through a given angle, and by means of the levers E and
links F the brake blocks A are by the pressure on the buffer rods B
brought to bear against the peripheries of the wheels of the carriage
and so stop or retard the train. When the pressure on the buffer rods B
.

page_text: to the engine, need not be herein further specified, excepting that in lieu
of placing steam cylinders on the sides of the tender one steam cylinder
is placed by preference at the under side thereof, as shown in dotted
lines at N, Figure 1, and the piston of which cylinder is connected to
the various brake blocks O through the intervention of the links and
levers P and Q respectively. On steam being admitted to the cylinders
A and N through their respective steam pipes or passages C and R,
the pistons in the cylinders are caused to move in a forward direction,
thereby also causing the various links, levers, and connecting rods F, I,
and J respectively to be correspondingly moved, as indicated by the
arrows on Figure 1; by this means the brake blocks S and O are suddenly
brought into contact with the wheels and the motion of the engine and
tender is thereby instantaneously stopped or retarded. When it is
desired to release the brake blocks S and O from contact with the
wheels of the engine and tender the steam is shut off from the cylinders
by the engineman, and in order that the brake blocks may be at once
thrown back the cylinders A and N are provided with spiral springs, as
shown at e on the cylinder A, Figure 1, the reaction of which spring,
due to its compression, pushes the pistons back to the end of the
cylinders or causes them to assume their normal position, and thereby
brings the braking apparatus into the position shown on the appended
Sheet of Drawings, and more particularly at Figure 1 thereof.
The steam for actuating the brake cylinders of the engine and tender
is drawn from the boiler through a valve box T attached thereto. The
box T is provided with a stop valve U and safety valve V. The stop
valve U is provided with a handle or lever (not shown on the Drawings),
in order that the engineman may actuate the brakes when required,
by admitting steam to the brake cylinders A, as herein-before set forth,
and in order to prevent the steam in the cylinders A from rising to a
pressure higher than the limit fixed (when the brakes are in action)
the safety valve V is provided, as shown, in order that the steam may
blow off through the opening shown closed by the valve if the said
limit of pressure is exceeded. The steam pipe or passage O is formed
with a branch W, as shown at Figure 1, through which steam is supplied
to the brake cylinder on the other side of the engine boiler B. The
pipe or passage R communicating with the brake cylinder N of the
tender is by preference led downwards and passed through the foot
plate of the engine; thence it is conducted inwards, as shown by the
.

page_text: is relieved and the buffers allowed to assume their normal position the
shafts are allowed to return to their normal position through the
reaction of the buffer springs and the intervention of the levers O, and
the brake blocks are thereby drawn out of contact with the wheels. In
order to provent the brake blocks A from acting during the shunting or
backing of the train, or at other times when such action is not required,
a block II is firmly secured to the buffer beam at the end of one carriage,
opposite to which and on the buffer beam at the adjacent end of the
next carriago a somewhat similar block is placed, the block being
attached to the buffer beam by means of a hinge, so that it can be
lowered into a horizontal position when required, and during an endwise
pressure of the carriages together prevents the buffers from being com-
pressed, thereby also preventing the approach of the brake blocks A to
the wheels. Or the block H can be raised to a vertical position, as
shown in dotted lines by turning it on its hinge joint a' when it is
desired that the buffers may be allowed to come freely together and the
brakes applied. In lieu of a hinge being employed to connect the
moveable block to the carriage the same effect may be obtained by
employing a rod or lever to raise or lower the block in a horizontal
position. Figure 2 is a part side clevation and part longitudinal section
of a railway passenger carriage and illustrating the application of the
improved braking apparatus to a four-wheeled carriage. As the method
of actuating the brake blocks is identical with the modification last
above described it need not be herein further referred to, as the action is
rendered more particularly apparent from the direction of the arrows; on
the several parts of the brake apparatus. Figure 3 is a part, sido
elevation and part longitudinal section of a railway passenger carriage
showing another modification of my brake apparatus applied thereto:
In this instance the brake block A is attached to a bracket B, which
bracket is formed with an eye at its upper end through which the buffer.
rod is passed, and the bracket is thereafter firmly fixed thereto. By this
arrangement the brake blocks A on the inward movement or com-
pression of the buffers are brought to bear on the wheels directly, and
therefore without the intervention of any intermediate mechanism, as is
obvious to a practical engineer from the Drawing itself.
On Sheet 3 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, Figure 1 is a half side
elevation and half longitudinal section of a railway wagon; Figure 2 a

page_text: another wagon coupled thereto, whilst Figure 3 is a half end elevation and
half transverse section of the same. To the buffer rods A of the wagon
pins or studs are attached in the position indicated on the accompanying
Drawings, and to these pins or studs one of the ends of each of the levers
B are coupled; the levers are also connected to shafts C extending across
the under side of the wagon frame. The under or lower ends of the levers
B are formed with flat palms to which the brake blocks arc attached,
thus when the upper ends of the levers B are acted upon by the pins .
and moved inwards by the compression of the buffers, the lower ends of
the said levers together with the brake blocks attached thereto are
forced outwards, thus causing the brake blocks to be pressed against
the wheels of the wagon, thereby stopping or retarding the motion of
the train. The brakes are prevented from acting on the wheels when
shunting or backing the train by drop blocks G and projecting blocks
F, as herein-before described in reference to Figure 1, Sheet 2. F is a
block firmly secured to the buffer or breast beam of the wagon; G is a
moveable block which is moved in a vertical plane, and when lowered
into contact with the block F prevents the buffers from being pressed
against the wheels. By this arrangement the block G can be kept in a
raised position by means of the lever I being held by a catch plate J,
and in order that the block may be raised in a direct vertical plano
two or more T healed bolts K are inserted into the back of the block G,
which bolts move in a groove in a plate L bolted to the front of the
wagon, or the same object may be attained by fastening the moveable
block G to the front of the wagon with a hinge in the manner hiercin-
before described with reference to Figure 1, Sheet 2, or the moveable
block may be actuated in any other suitable manner, it being understood
that I do not confine myself to the particular arrangement and con-
struction of the various parts of mechanism constituting the improved
brake apparatus herein-before described and shown on the various Sheets
of Drawings hereunto appended, as such arrangements may be con-
siderably modified, and in lieu of arranging two brake cylinders on
the engine, that is, one on either side of the boiler as shown on Sheet 1, a
single brake cylinder placed on the top of the boiler may be employed,
in which case the first acting brake levers on both sides of the engino
are coupled to the same piston rod, the levers being so bent or curved as
to easily pass around the barrel of the boiler, or other brake apparatus of
a construction different from what is shown in the Drawings may be
applied for instantaneously stopping or retarding the engine.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used
or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that
what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―-
First. The general arrangement, and construction of mechanism for
applying brakes to all the wheels throughout a train of carriages or
wagons, as hercin-before described.
Second. The actuating of the brake blocks of railway wagons or
carriages by means of pressure on the buffer rods in the manner and by
the means herein-before described, or any merc.modification thereof.
Third. The means or apparatus for preventing the brakes coming
into action when backing or shunting.a train of carriages or wagons, as
herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I; the said Robert Hogg Duric, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of July One
thousand eight hundred and seventy.
ROB. HOGG DÙRIE (LS)