IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAKS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Williamson, of Bagthorpe, in the County of
Nottingham, Machine Builder, James Lindley, of Selstone, in the same
County, Wheelwright, and James Coleman, also of Selstone aforesaid,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Williamson, James
Lindley, and James Coleman at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 14th November 1865.
We, JOSEPH WILLIAMSON, of Bagthorpe, in the County of Nottingham,
Machine Builder, JAMES LINDLEY, of Selstone, in the same County, Wheel-
wright, and JAMES COLEMAN, also of Selstone aforesaid, Coal Miner, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAKS," to be
as follows:-
These improvements are applicable to breaks for carriages or other vehicles
working or running on railways, tramways, highways, or other roads, and
consist in the employment of a rod or rods placed in or beneath the framing
of each carriage or vehicle in bearings in which such rod or rods may partly
revolve. Each rod is provided with one or more arms to which is hinged or
attached one end of a lever, having its other end binged or otherwise attached
to one end of another lever, to the other end of which last lever are attached
the ends of two straps, whose opposite ends are hinged or attached together
and work upon a pin or axle lying in a bearing secured to or forming

page_text: the under framing of the carriage or vehicle. These straps have upon their
inner sides friction blocks so secured to them that when worn they may be
readily replaced by fresh blocks; the straps and friction blocks are placed
upon the circumference of a drum or pulley keyed or otherwise secured fast
upon one or all of the axles of each pair of wheels of the carriage or vehicle.
There may be one drum on the axle of each pair of wheels, or two on each
axle, in which case there would be two rods and levers; in either case, how-
ever, the rods are arranged to operate upon the straps and friction blocks in
such manner that when a band lever or equivalent contrivance is moved
slightly to the right or left, according to the way in which it is to act, such
blocks will embrace the drum and prevent the revolution of the wheels, so as
to stop the carriages or vehicles on a level or an incliue. A spring catch and
lever act in such manner that the rod which carries the first-named lever will
be held in either of the positions in which it is placed. Each of the partly
revolving rods is provided at either or both ends, in addition to usual coupling
chains and draw bar, with a reversible swivelled coupling, in order that a
carriage may be removed from a number of carriages and the remainder of
them connected together or attached to each other as safely as if it had not
been removed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Williamson, James Lindley, and James Coleman in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
WILLIAMSON, of Bagthorpe, in the County of Nottingham, Machine Builder,
JAMES LINDLEY, of Selstone, in the same County, Wheelwright, and JAMES
COLEMAN, also of Selstone aforesaid, Coal Miner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Iler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Joseph Williamson, James Lindley, and James Coleman, Her special
licence that we, the said Joseph Williamson, James Lindley, and James.
Coleman, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others' as we,
the said Joseph Williamson, James Lindley, and James Coleman, our
executors, 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

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAKS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph Williamson, James Lindley,
and James Coleman, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of our or 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Joseph Williamson, James Lindley,
and James Coleman, do hereby declare the nature of the 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 accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
These improvements are applicable to breaks for carriages or other vehicles
working or running on railways, tramways, highways, or other roads, and consist
in the employment of a rod or rods placed in or beneath the framing of each car-
riage or vehicle in bearings in which such rod or rods may partly revolve. Each
rod is provided with one or more arms to which is hinged one end of a lever,
having its other end hinged or otherwise attached to one end of another lever,
to the other end of which last-named lever are attached the ends of two straps,
whose opposite ends are binged or attached together and work upon a pin or
axle lying in a bearing secured to or forming part of the under framing of the
carriage or vehicle. These two straps have upon their inner sides friction
blocks so secured to them that when worn they may be readily replaced by
fresh blocks; the straps and friction blocks are placed upon the circumference
of a drum or pulley keyed or otherwise secured fast upon one or all of the axles
of each pair of wheels of the carriage or other vehicle. There may be one
drum on the axle of each pair of wheels, or two drums on each axle, in which
case there would be two rods and levers; in either case, however, the rods are
arranged to operate upon the straps and friction blocks in such manner that
when a hand lever or an equivalent contrivance is moved slightly to the right
or left (according to the way in which it is arranged to act), such blocks will
embrace the drum and prevent the revolution of the wheels, so as effectually
to stop the running of the carriages or vehicles either on the level or on an
incline. A spring catch and lever are conveniently placed to act in such
manner that the rod which carries the first-named lever will be held in either
of the positions in which it is placed. Each of the above-named partly

page_text: revolving rods is provided at either or both ends, in addition to the usual
coupling chains and draw bar, with a reversible swivelled coupling, in order
that a carriage or vehicle may be removed from a number of carriages or
vehicles and the remainder of them connected together or attached to each
other as safely as if it had not been so removed.
Having thus set forth the nature of our Invention, we now proceed more
particularly to describe the manner of performing the same with reference to
the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 represents a side view of a break apparatus constructed and
arranged according to our Invention, and applied to a railway carriage; the
full length of one carriage is shewn coupled to another carriage, with the
framing in section; part only of the length of the second carriage is seen:
Figure 2 is the same apparatus as that which is seen in plan, but shewing the
breaks applied to each pair of wheels.
Our improvements consist in the employment of a rod or rods A placed in
or beneath the framing of each carriage or vehicle in bearings B, in which
such rod or rods partly revolves or partly revolve; each rod is provided with
one or more arms C, to which is hinged one end of a lever or link D, having
its other end hinged or otherwise attached to one end of another lever E.
In the Drawings the arms C are shewn attached to the link D by a double
joint or hinge; to the other end of the last-named lever E are attached the
ends of two straps F and F, whose opposite ends are hinged or attached
together and work upon a pin or axle lying in a bearing G secured to or
forming part of the under framing of the carriage. These two straps have
upon their inner sides friction blocks H of wood or other substance secured to
them in such manner that the friction blocks may when somewhat worn be
readily replaced by new blocks; the friction blocks are shown attached to the
straps by four screws to each strap, such straps and friction blocks are placed
upon the circumference of a drum I keyed, screwed, or otherwise secured fast
upon one or all of the axles of the carriage or other vehicle. There may be one
such drum on the axle of each pair of wheels, or two drums on each axle, in
which case there would be two rods and levers; in either case, however, the
rod or rods operate upon the straps and friction blocks in such manner that
when a hand lever K, Figures 3, 4, 5, Sheet 2, (or an equivalent mechanical
contrivance) is moved slightly to the right or left (according to the manner in
which it is arranged to act), such blocks will embrace the drum and prevent
the wheels from revolving, so as to stop the carriage upon a level or an incline.
A spring L and lever M act in such manner that the rod which carries the
lever C will be held in either of the positions in which it is placed. Each

page_text: rod A is provided at either or both ends, in addition to the usual coupling
chains and draw bar, with a reversible swivelled coupling N, O, in order that
a carriage may be taken away from a number of such carriages and the
remainder connected together or attached to each other as safely as if such
carriage or carriages had not been taken away.
The apparatus above described applied to a railway truck coupled to a
colliery tank engine is shown in side view at Figure 3, Sheet 2, the ends of the
said truck are seen at Figures 4 and 5, the several relative parts of the appa-
ratus are distinguished by the same letters. There are two levers K at the
rear of the engine, whereby the driver or stoker is enabled to put on the
whole of the breaks attached to each carriage of which the train is made up.
Each truck is provided with a hand lever near each end of the rods A, by which
means when one or more trucks have been detached from the engine or un-
hooked from the rope or chain, when used for moving such carriages or trucks,
the attendant can stop such truck or trucks by pushing one of the levers K
upwards and pulling the other lever K downwards. In Figure 4 a truck is
seen with the levers in position when the break is closed; in Figure 5 the
levers are shewn in position when the break is open. The levers K are held in
the position in which they are placed by springs L secured to the framing or
other convenient part of the trucks; such springs may be used instead of or
in addition to the spring L and lever M. Besides the driver and stoker
having command of the breaks they are also under the controul of the guard in
the break van by means of the levers K, which pass through slits in the bottom
of the van, as seen at Figure 11, Sheet 4, which represents an end view of the
break and a portion of the van in section, the full length of the levers K, which
are furnished with a truck at the back to ease the friction on the spring L, are
shewn in front view, Figure 19; side view, Figure 20; and plan Figure 21.
Figure 22 is a side view of the lever M; this lever has a truck at its upper
end, and operates like the truck described as attached to the levers K. The
break and coupling apparatus are shewn in detail at Figures 6 to 10, Sheet 3.
At Figure 6 the break apparatus is seen in side view, one flange of the drum I
is broken away to shew it embraced by the blocks H. A side view of the
apparatus is also shown at Figure 12, where the break is shewn open and
the blocks clear of the drum. In this view is a spring P, which may be
attached to a hook or loop on the strap F and to a loop secured to the framing
of the vehicle; this spring is for the purpose of affording support to the strap
F when required; the straps, blocks, and drum are shown in section, Figure
13, Sheet 5; the strap bearing G is seen in front side view at Figure 14, and
in plan, Figure 15. The couplings N, O, are shown in detail in side view and

page_text: in plan at Figures 7 and 8; end view of N is shewn at Figure 9, and an end
view of O at Figure 10, the bar O sliding in the slot or channel of the box N
to the same extent as the throw of the buffer rods of the carriages to which
the couplings are attached. We sometimes employ a bar O having a forked
end turning upon pins or axles in or forming part of a boss keyed or otherwise
secured on the end of the rod A, as seen in side view and plan at Figures 16
and 17, Sheet 5, instead of having a forked ended boss as seen at Figures 7
and 8. When we secure the boss of the levers or other parts above referred
to on the rods by a key passing through such boss and rod, we employ a
tapered split key, as seen in side and edge view at Figure 18, whereby when such
key has worked loose it may be driven home and the end opened to prevent
its withdrawal. The bosses of the several levers on the rod or rods A, where
such bosses are not secured on the rods by split cotters as above described,
are held fast on the rods by capped and steel ended set screws, as shown at
Figures 19 and 20, Sheet 5.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, we declare that we claim the arrangement and
combination of parts constituting the improved break substantially as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Williamson, James Lindley,
and James Coleman, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Ninth
day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-six.
.Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
JOSEPH WILLIAMSON. (L.S.)
JAMES LINDLEY.
(L.S.)
JAMES COLEMAN.
(L.S.)