IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Caswell at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th April 1880.
SAMUEL CASWELL, of Hendon, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RAILWAY BRAKES,"
My Invention relates to an improved self-acting railway break, which can be
instantaneously applied or released by the driver or guard of a railway train
running at any speed.
It consists in the application and use of an eccentric fixed on or forming part of
one of the axles of a railway carriage or other vehicle, and encircled by a band
having a sliding antifriction segment or block or its inner circumference.
This band is hinged at one end to a bearing fixed on the underside of the
carriage, and its other end connected with the short arm of a weighted double
lever having its fulcrum or pivot on the underside of the carriage, and its long arm
acted upon by a chain or cord under the control of the driver or guard in such a
manner that on pulling the long arm of the lever upwards its short arm is depressed,
and releases the band and its sliding segment or block from contact with the
eccentric on the axlo, whilst upon letting go the long arin of the lever it falls by
its own weight, and in so doing the short arm is raised and with it the band, the
sliding segment or block of which comes in contact with the eccentric, and being
carried by the latter some distance round the inside of the band comes against a
stop, thereby firmly and instantaneously gripping the eccentric and stopping the
revolution of the axle and wheels.
If desired the sliding block of the band may be dispensed with, and the friction
of the latter utilised direct for gripping the eccentric.
To prevent the long arm of the lever from rising, and so releasing the band from

page_text: the eccentric during the application of the break, the lever is provided on its top
edge with an adjustable ratchet bar commanded by one or more ratchets or pawls,
which as the long arm of the lever descends follow up its motion, and falling into
the teeth of the ratchet bar effectually lock or prevent the spontaneous rising of the
lever.
When it is desired to release the break the ratchet bar is depressed by suitable
mechanism out of the way of its ratchets or pawls, and the long arm of the lever is
thereby free to rise.
Each of these brakes is complete in itself, and can be worked independently of
the others, or simultaneously with them. In the event of any portion of the
train becoming detached, the driver or guard is immediately aware of it, and the
brake falls into action immediately upon the detached portion only.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Caswell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th October
1880.
SAMUEL CASWELL, of Hendon, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RAILWAY BRAKES."
My Invention relates to an improved self acting railway brake, which can be
instantaneously applied or released by the driver or guard of a railway train running
at any speed.
It consists in the application and use of an eccentric fixed or or forming part of
one of the axles of a railway carriage or other vehicle, and encircled by a band
having a sliding antifriction segment or block on its inner circumference or not as
hereinafter mentioned. This baud is hinged at one end to a bearing fixed on the
underside of the carriage, and its other end connected with the short arm of a
weighted double lever, having its fulcrum or pivot on the underside of the carriage,
and its long arm acted upon by a chain or cord under the control of the driver or
guard, in such a manner that on pulling the long arm of the lover upwards its short
arm is depressed, and releases the band and its sliding segment or block from
contact with the eccentric on the axle, whilst upon letting go the long arm of the
lever it falls by its own weight, and in so doing the short arm is raised and with it
the band, the sliding segment or block of which comes in contact with the eccentric,
and being carried by the latter somne distance round the inside of the band comes
against a stop, thereby firmly and instantaneously gripping the eccentric and
stopping the revolution of the axle and wheels. If desired the sliding block of the
band may be dispensed with, and the friction of the latter utilised direct for gripping
the eccentric.
And in order that my said Invention may be well understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, reference being made to the
accompanying Drawing.
Figure 1 represents a side elovation of a portion of a railway carriage (or other
vehicle) with my improved brake applied thereto.
A represents an eccentric made in halves and extended on each side by boxings
or sleeves a, the whole being fitted and secured together by the bolts I, 1, and to the
axle B of the carriage (or vehicle) by keys or otherwise; C is a steel or other metal
band made in one or more pieces jointed together and encircling the eccentric A
(the sliding antifriction segment or block before mentioned being in this caso
preferably dispensed with). This band C is hinged at one end to a bearing D fixed
to the underside of the carriage, and its other end is connected by links E (or
otherwise) to the end of the short arm F of a lever F, G, having its fulcrum or pivot H
carried by a bracket I secured to the underside of the carriage. The long arm G of
the lever F, G, is furnished on its top edge with a sliding weight J and at its end
with one or more fixed weights K. On the top edge of the lever F, G, immediately
above its fulcrum H is arranged horizontally an adjustable ratchet or toothed bar L
Linged at oue eud to the short arm F of the lever F, G, and capable of being raised
or lowered at its other end above or below the top edge of the said lever by a bar
or lever M connected by the rod N with the arm O of a bell crank lever O, P, to
the arm P of which is attached the chain, wire, or cord Q passing over suitably
arranged pullies K, and under the control of the guard or driver as hereafter more
particularly described. The bar or lever A is furnished with a pivot or pin S
working in an eccentric or cau shaped slot T, and is connected at its lower end
with a sliding rod U acted upon by a spring V; W, WI, W, are ratchets or pawls
of different lengths or pitches, and mounted in the bracket I above the adjustable
ratchet bar L, in such a manner that their ends or tips normally rest upon the top

page_text: edge of the lever F, G, and when the ratchet bar L is raised to its full height above
the latter the said ends or tips of the pawls W, W, W, take into the corresponding
teeth of the ratchet bar L to different depths, that is to say, whilst the pawl W³
is in full gear the pawls W and W will be respectively at half and quarter gear,
or in any other desirable proportion. The chain or cord Q extends from the
lever O, P, to the arm X of a lever X, Y, (Figs. 1 and 2) arranged horizontally and
transversely under the carriage to which it is pivoted at b. The arm Y of this
lever is formed at its end with a slot c, and jointed thereat by a pin d to a rod or
bar Z (hereafter termed the break bar), which extends horizontally and longi-
tudinally for the entire length of the underside of the carriage, and is provided at
each end with a suitable coupling c (Figs. 1 and 3) for connecting it with the
similar brake bar of the succeeding carriage, and so on throughout the train. In
the guard's van or on the engine is mounted a bell crank lever f, g (wheel or
equivalent), the arm f of which is jointed to the brake bar Z, and to its arm g is
attached a chain or cord h passing over a wheel or pulley i, and terminating in an
operating lever or handle j under the control of the guard or driver. This handle j
when the break is off or not in action is locked or held in the position shown on
the Drawing by pressing against the underside of an arm K, which acts vertically
by its rod upon the spring of an indicator m, in such a manner that the pressure
necessary to sustain the weight of the brake bar Z (and its appendages) in its
raised or highest position or with the brake off will produce a proportionate tension
or compression in the spring of the indicator m, which will consequently register
an increased strain for cach carriage (fitted with the brake) of the train. By this
means if one or more carriages becomo accidently detached the guard or driver will
be at once apprised thereof by the sudden lowering of the pressure on the indicator m.
Or, if desired, the indicator m may be dispensed, and the operating handle j
locked or fixed by any other suitable mechanical device. To prevent breakage of
the bar Z by any undue strain brought upon it, I divide the bar and insert one or
more springs provided with stops, as shown. The action of my improved brake
is as follows: Assuming that the break is off or that the band C is clear of the
eccentric A, and the lever F, G, in the position shown on the Drawing where it is
held by the tension of the chain or cord Q. Also that the operating handle; is
locked in its lowest or that position into which it has been brought by pulling over
the lever f, g, break bar Z, and lever X, Y, whilst raising the lever F, G, or taking
the brake off. It being desired to apply the break, the guard or driver releases
the operating handloj by throwing back the arm k of the indicator m when the
strain being thereby taken off the apparatus, the spring V acting upon the sliding
rod U pulls back the bar or lever M (with rod N and bell crank lever O, P), and
its pin S travelling up the slot T causes the bar or lever M to rise and lift the
ratchet bar L into gear with the pawls W, WI, W. Simultaneously the weighted
or long arm G of the lever F, G, falls and raising the short arın F brings the band C
into contact with the eccentric A, and as the long arm G descends the ratchets or
pawls W, W, W, by their differential pitch fall gradually into the teeth of tho
ratchet bar L, and so following up the motion of the lever F, G, cause the band C
to tightly grip the eccentric A, and effectually lock or prevent the spontaneous
rising of the long arm G of the lever F, G; meanwhile as the latter falls the
lever X, Y, break bar Z, lever f, g, and operating handle are thrown over into the
position shown by the dotted lines. When it is desired to release the brake the
guard or driver pulls back the operating handle j lever f, g, break bar Z, and
lever X, Y, into their original positions, and the chain or cord Q pulling over the
bell crank lever O, P, causes the rod N to draw back the bar or lever M, and the
pivot S of the latter dropping in the slot T lowers the ratchet bar L, away from and
clear of the pawls W, W, W. The long arm G of the lever F, G, is then free to
rise, and is pulled up its short arm F, lowering and releasing the band C from the
eccentric A. If desired, the lever X, Y, may be dispensed with and the pull on the
chain or cord Q given by the brake bar Z. Each of these brakes is complote in
itself, and can be worked independently of the others or simultaneously with them

page_text: It can also be worked as easily when the train is running in one direction as the
other. In case of one or more carriages becoming accidently detached from the
train the brakes upon the detached portions will immediately drop in action. The
lever F, G, and other operating parts of this brake may be applied to the block
brakes in ordinary use.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original and
therefore claim as my Invention is,―
1. The application and use to railway carriages or other vehicles of a weighted
lever in combination with an eccentric and band, and with an adjustable ratchet
bar hinged to the weighted lever, and moved into or out of gear with a series of
pawls of different pitches, the whole being operated by mechanism under the
control of the guard or driver, substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawing.
2. The combination and use with the operating mechanism of a strain or pressure
indicator, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated
by the accompanying Drawing.
3. The application and use to the ordinary block brakes of railway carriages or
other vehicles of a weighted lever in combination with an adjustable ratchet bar
hinged thereto and moved into or out of gear with a series of pawls of different
pitches, the whole being operated by mechanism under the control of the guard or
driver, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Caswell, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
E. T. HUGHES,
123, Chancery Lane,
London.
SAMUEL CASWELL. (L.S.)