IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY RDARES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Julien Raux, Engineer, of Montmartre, in the
Empire of France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
RDARES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Julien Raux at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th September 1853.
FRANÇOIS JULIEN RAUX, Engineer, of Montmartre, in the Empire of France.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES."
My improvements, which are applicable to railway brakes to be actuated by air,
steam, or water, and employed on atmospheric or other railways, have reference to
a system of dragging or breaking simultaneously the wheels of every engine, tender,
and carriage in a train, of whatever length, and at whatever rapidity it may be
moving, and of stopping such a train more suddenly and securely than can be done
by any method at present in use. The apparatus consists of a pump or cylinder
placed under each carriage between the axles, and containing two pistons serving,
when they are divided, to press wooden break blocks against the periphery of the
running wheels for the purpose of checking their progress. Through the whole
train passes a longitudinal tube, closed at one end and open at the other, in com-
munication with the steam chest or dome of the locomotive, at which opening it
receives the steam and conducts it into the different pumps or cylinders. The
steam on being introduced between the pistons divides them, and immediately
stops the revolution of the wheels, which can then only slide along the rails. The
pistons are furnished with re-acting springs to force them back to their places when
the steam pressure is withdrawn,
This break may be actuated in certain cases by other fluids, such as air or water,
by means of certain modifications in the apparatus. To make this apparatus
applicable to atmospheric railways I cast with and underneath each pump a
small special pump containing a piston, which forces the air between the pistons
of the main pump, divides them, and drags the wheels. If water is to be employed
in place of air a reservoir is attached to each carriage, which is conducted by a
pipe to every pump, passes through it, and falls back into the reservoir; the
mechanism and its operation in other respects nearly as those above described.
I claim the construction and employment of apparatus for stopping or checking
the speed of railway trains by the application of steam, air, or water power, in the
manner described and set forth.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said François Julien Raux in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
March 1854.
FRANÇOIS JULIEN RAUX, of Montmartre, in the Empire of France.
MENTS IN RAILWAY BRAKES."
"IMPROVE
One of
My said improvements, which are applicable to railway brakes to be actuated by
steam, air, or water power, and employed on atmospheric or other railways, have
reference to a system of simultaneously dragging or checking the wheels of every
carriage, engine, and tender in a train, of whatever length, and at whatever rate
it may be travelling, more suddenly and securely than by any method at present
in use, by actuating the drags or brakes by a motive power, propelling the train,
or otherwise in such manner that the operation thereof may be placed under the
direct, single, and immediate control of the engine driver. And the mode in which
I propose to carry the said improvements into effect is as follows:-I secure to the
underneath side of every carriage, engine, and tender, between the axles, a pressure
cylinder, in which work two pistons or plungers serving, when they are forcibly
separated, to press the break-blocks against the peripheries of the wheels, and thus
check the motion of the carriage. The separation of the pistons may be effected
by air, steam, or water power, as judged most convenient. After the power has
ceased to be exerted the pistons are restored to their former positions by means of
re-acting springs. The pistons act upon the break blocks through the intervention
of metallic crossheads furnished with connecting rods which are wormed at the
extremity, by which they are fitted into the piston, so that their length may be
adjusted as the break blocks wear out. In cases where the pistons are to be
actuated by steam I cause to pass under the whole length of the train a steam pipe
or tube, closed at the back and opening in front under the steam chest, whence it
receives the steam to distribute into the pumps or cylinders. The whole apparatus
is supported by a framework placed above the grease boxes of the wheels.
the most difficult parts to construct in the said apparatus is the steam pipe, which
must have sufficient strength to resist the action of the steam, and sufficient
flexibility to prevent its breaking from the bends of the road and the shocks
encountered in the motion. I do not therefore employ a tube of a single piece,
but I furnish each carriage underneath with a longitudinal steam pipe perfectly
cylindrical, with the exception of one end, where it is wormed to receive a bell-
mouthed nut or gland. The cylindrical extremity of the tube of one carriage
passes into the funnel-shaped extremity of that of another carriage, the escape of
steam at the junctions being prevented by an elastic washer or stuffing which
receives the pressure of the said nut or gland. And whereas in uniting the
carriages to form a train it might happen that two similar ends of tubes should
be brought together, which would necessitate the turning round of a carriage, and
thereby occasion a great loss of time. To remedy the above inconvenience I
employ the following method:-I cause the steam pipe of each carriage to ter-
minate at each end in the same manner, & by no means to extend beyond the
buffers, but to fall short of them by the same length within which they can bo
contracted or driven inwards. The junction is then effected by a junction pipe,
which is made cylindrical, while those of the fixed pipe are rendered funnel-shaped
by the nut or gland aforesaid. The steam pipe should be closed at the back of the
train. I would not for this purpose apply a special carriage, to be placed always
at the end of the train, as is now done when hand brakes are employed; but I
cause the steam pipe of each carriage to be furnished with a valve, which may be
opened or shut as is desired to admit or to exclude the steam. The last carriage
on each occasion has this valve closed. The steam pipe of each carriage is fixed
by the centre to the pressure cylinder, besides which, to combine the requirements

page_text: of strength and flexibility, it is fitted in a ring at each end, which is connected by
four re-acting springs, placed two and two at right angles to a circular frame
secured to the carriage. The elasticity of the above support effectually preserves
the steam pipe from being injured by tension. The above parts are employed in
order to dispense with universal joints, the construction of which requires an
inconvenient degree of nicety. The above pipe receives the steam from the steam
chest of the engine, and conducts it between the pistons by a tubular Ṭ piece
connected by flanges with the steam pipe. When the engine driver is desirous of
stopping the train, he opens the valve, which transmits the steam from the boiler
in a few seconds to the pressure cylinders in every carriage of the train. In time
of great cold it would be useful to envelope the steam pipe in a substance which
is not a conductor of heat. The closing of the feed valve, and the opening of an
escape valve, will terminate the action of the brakes. When it is desired to actuate
the brakes by air the apparatus undergoes the following modifications:-Beneath
the pressure cylinder of each carriage, I cast or secure a small pump, in which
works a piston attached by means of a connecting rod to an excentric secured on
one of the axles of each carriage. The progress of the train causing the excentric
to rotate communicates a traversing motion to the connecting rod & to the piston
by which the air is forced from the pump into the pressure cylinder. While the
train is in motion the air which passes between the brake pistons should have an
exit on the opposite side to that by which it enters, otherwise the dragging of the
train would be effected from the very first turns of the wheels; but, as it is, the
air merely passes in & out of the apparatus. If it is desired to compress it, & to
drag the train, it will be sufficient to stop instantaneously the openings by which
it escapes, & the condensed air between the pistons will then operate as the steam
did in the preceding case. A continuous connecting rod, formed by the junction
of rods of solid iron, with which each carriage will be furnished, enables the engine
driver to open or shut at pleasure simultaneously all these passages. This con-
necting rod acts by rotation by means of small cog-wheels, & transmits its motion
to all the valves. When it is proposed to actuate the brakes by water the
mechanism is nearly the same as for an air brake. Each carriage will be furnished
with a reservoir of water & a pump, as before. While the train is in motion the
water merely passes between the pistons, & falls back into the vessel it came out
from. The closing of the escape valve produces the compression of the liquid,
& the separation of the pistons, & effects the dragging of the carriages, as in the
previous systems.
But in order that these my said improvements may be more fully understood,
& readily carried into effect, I now proceed to describe them by the aid of the
annexed Drawings, reference being had to the letters & figures thereon marked;
that is to say, Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section of the under framing of a railway
carriage; Fig. 2, a horizontal section through the middle of the axles; Fig. 3, a
portion of the air brake apparatus; & Fig. 4, portion of the water brake apparatus.
In each Figure the same letters of reference denote similar corresponding parts. A, A,
frame supporting the body of the carriage; B, metallic steam pipe; B¹, cylindrical,
& B2 wormed extremity thereof; C, C, pressure cylinder; D, D, cylindrical
pistons or plungers in the body thereof; E, E, stuffing box & padding; & F, F,
connecting rods, transmitting motion to the crossheads G, G, by which it is con-
veyed to the brake blocks H, H, the said connecting rods being wormed & provided
with screw nuts F, F, for the purpose of bringing the crossheads closer to the
wheels in proportion as the brake blocks wear out; I, I, valve in the steam tube
to admit or exclude the steam; J, J, bell mouthed nut or gland into which the
extremity of the tube of another carriage is introduced; J, washer; K, K, circular
framing affixed to the carriage, in which a ring L, is held concentrically between
the four re-acting springs M, M; N, N, frame placed above the grease boxes, &
on which rest the principal parts of the brake apparatus; 0, 0, transverse stay
supporting the pressure cylinder; P, P, re-acting springs by which the break blocks
may be restored to their natural position when the drag is to be discontinued ;

page_text: P1, P1, rack for adjusting the length of the said springs; Q driving wheel shaft;
R, excentric fixed on the axle of a carriage fitted with the air brake; S, shieve of
the excentric; T, excentric arm or pump rod communicating motion to the small
piston U, which serves to condense the air in the pump V, and force it into the
pressure cylinder; W, feed valve; W', escape valve; X, connecting rod; Y, cog
wheels actuating the valves by which the air is liberated or intercepted; & Z,
reservoir of water for the water brakes.
Having now fully described the nature of these my said improvements, & the
manner in which I prefer to perform them, I would have it clearly understood that
I by no means confine myself to the precise details hereinbefore mentioned, which
may admit of various modifications without departing from the general principles
of my said improvements; but that which I do claim as new, & of my said
Invention, is the construction & employment of an apparatus for stopping or
checking railway trains by the application of steam, air, or water power in the
manner herein before described & set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Julien Raux, have hereunto set my
hand & seal, this 28th day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty four.
FRANCOIS JULIEN RAUX. (L.S.)