A NEW AND IMPROVED BAILWAY BRAKE
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henri Adrien Bonneville, of the British and Foreign
Patent Offices, 38, Porchester Terrace, Bayswater, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A NEW AND IMPROVED
BAILWAY BRAKE."-A communication from Eugène Hippolyte Duru,
residing at No. 72, Boulevard Sébastopol, in Paris, aforesaid.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 2nd April 1867, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRI
ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 38, Porchester
Terrace, Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "A NEW AND IMPROVED
RAILWAY BRAKE," a communication from Eugène Hippolyte Daru, a person
resident at No. 72, Boulevard Sébastopol, in Paris, aforesaid, and have peti-
tioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn
Declaration that it is a communication.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal,

page_text: fully describes and ascertains the nature of the Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention communicated to me relates to a mechanism composed of a
couple of moveable pincers to stop railway trains at will.
This mechanism is represented in the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 of
which is the rear end view in elevation of a waggon with this apparatus fixed
to it, and Figure 2 a partial side view of the same; in these Figures the same
letters of reference indicate similar parts.
A is the handle to set the roller or tension capstan into motion; B is a
capstan or tension roller on which wind the cords or chains which tighten the
jaws of the pincers. In the middle of this roller is fixed a rope or chain by
means of a hook, which rope or chain serves to raise up the pincers as
soon as slackened. C, C, are the pincers, the lower extremities of which
fit the rails; C, C³, are the jaws of the pincers; D, D, are boxes con-
taining the pincers; E, E, are slide blocks to maintain the pincers on a level
with the upper part of the rail, whatever may be the variations occasioned by
the loading of the waggons; F, F, are poulies serving to guide the chains or
ropes; G is the disengaging apparatus to maintain the whole tight, as may be
required; I, I, are springs to open the jaws. The pincers C consist, like
ordinary pincers, of two arms or branches which widen by means of springs
and close by means of ropes or chains working in an inverse direction, so as to
compel the machine to bite the swollen part of the rail, and may be so disposed
as to avoid the obstacles, resulting either from bearings or from junction metal
plates. In view of this the jaws C are scooped out so as to avoid every
impediment that might occasion a shock. The pincers C are. contained in the
iron box D fixed at the lower cross piece of the waggon and connected by its
lower part to the lateral cross piece, or at the bottom of the waggon and by
an iron bar to ensure solidity. The pincers C receive their movement from
the handle A placed at the upper part of the vertical cylinder or capstan B,
on which wind the chains or ropes of the pincers C by passing on the pulleys F,
as also a third chain fixed at the central point of the pincers C, which serves
to wind them up when the brake is slackened. This chain, less stretched than
the others, winds in an inverse direction to keep the pincers constantly on a
level with the edges of the rails, whatever movements or variations of level
may occur in the loading of the waggons. The slide block E held in position
by a fork fixed at the central point of the pincers is placed behind them,
which lifts and lowers with them as may be required through an opening made
in the box D of the pincers, as set forth in the accompanying Drawings. To

page_text: prevent the pincers from experiencing any side shocks in consequence of the
back lashing of the waggons when in motion it is merely necessary to give a
little freedom to the chains or ropes. Underneath the handle A is a dented
wheel with cogs in order to tighten the brake. From what has been said it
is easily understood how rapid is the means of tightening and its action, such
that a train launched full speed may be stopped without shock, and it follows,
any danger to travellers, within a comparatively short length of rail, so that
the meeting of trains may be avoided. This kind of brake possesses,
moreover, a great advantage over any other, that of preventing the train from
running off the rails; the jaws biting the edges of the rails maintain perforce
the rectitude of the train in motion. Two of these apparatus to each train
will fully replace the old brakes. This system being based upon the principle
of the lever it will be merely necessary to give to the pincers C a width
proportionate to the power required.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not intend to restrict myself
to the exact details above enumerated; but what I claim is, the use of pincers
to answer the purpose of brakes, disposed and arranged so as to bite on to the
rails, as herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
H. BONNEVILLE. (L.S.)