IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES OR APPARATUS ΤΟ BE USED STOPPING RAILWAY CARRIAGES, COACHES, AND OTHER VEHICLES IN MOTION
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Barlement Michel Siégris at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th December 1876.
BARLEMENT MICHEL SIÉGRIS, of 119, Salisbury Square, in the City of London,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES OR APPARATUS ΤΟ BE USED
STOPPING RAILWAY CARRIAGES, COACHES, AND OTHER VEHICLES IN MOTION."
""
FOR
This Invention consists in a brake or stopping apparatus of a novel description,
by which railway trains and carriages drawn by horses can be brought to a stand-
still in less time and at a shorter distance than by the other brakes hitherto tried
and proposed. This brake is constructed on what I should term the "rail cutting
or splitting," and the "road ploughing i or burrowing plan, in as much as the
retarding force is here obtained by means of two knives or blades (or more, as the
case may be) placed over the lines of rails or the ballast and common road, these
blades being so arranged that they may when required be made to descend on the
rails or the road, and gradually enter into the metal (or road), thereby producing a
longitudinal incision more or less deep, about a quarter of an inch, say. As a rulo
this brake is not to be used under ordinary circumstances when the usual appliances
will supply sufficient means for effecting a stoppage; it is intended chiefly for
extraordinary cases of an apprehended sudden collision, such as between fast and
very heavy goods or mineral trains, when the application of this brake will prevent
great loss of life and destruction of goods and rolling stock.
When applied to carriages, coaches, and other vehicles drawn by horses or other
cattle, the brake is likewise to be used chiefly in extreme cases, such as the running
away of the horses, the incision or bier made by the blades in the roadway absorbing
power sufficient to bring the horses to a halt, and thus prevent serious accidents to.
the occupants of the coach or vehicle.
""
The construction of my brake may be briefly described as follows, but can be
varied in different manners, according to the dictates of experience, the main
characteristic of this Invention being its "rail cutting" or "road ploughing
feature. The two or more blades made of the best steel are of a triangular or any
other suitable shape, so as to cut both ways, and when at rest they are suspended at
no great height above the rails or the ground. They are keyed on or welded to rods
capable of sliding vertically in tubular or other suitable guides which are firmly
fixed to a massive iron or steel frame or bed plate forming an integral portion of the
train of the brake van. In the moment of danger the brake guard presses the
Pavice 11

page_text: blades down by turning a screw of fine pitch, which actuates a strong carriage
spring operating on and connected with the blade rods. The blades are thus
gradually made to cut into the upper face of the rails or the road as the case may
be, until the train or vehicle is brought to a dead stand, which as before stated will
but take a few instants. It may be observed that by this incision the rails are by
no means rendered absolutely unfit for immediately subsequent traffic, and the
furrow or slit produced will in most cases be closed or obliterated by the passage of
the trains following, but even at the worst the sacrifice of a few lengths of rail
would be of no consideration, whilst a disastrous collision could be avoided at the
price of so small a loss.
Great power being required to force the sharp knives into the metal or road, it
may be found advisable to use independently of the manual appliance above
described, any other contrivance or combination of mechanical and physical power.
Thus the blade rods may be actuated by a worm of suitable and variable pitch on
one of the axles and levers acting upon the blade frame. One or more inclined
planes or wedge motions may also be used in connection with this arrangement.
As for physical power it may be employed by means of any suitable device for
acting on the knife rods by steam or pneumatic pressure.
When applied to ordinary coaches or vehicles of any kind, the blades may be
thrown into action by the usual screw and lever arrangements of common carriage
brakes which are at the command and under the control of the driver.