IMPROVEMENTS IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY, TRAMWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: We THOMAS WILLIAM WARD, Corn Exchange Sheffield, Colliery Agent and
JAMES LEACH of Oxford Street, Rotherham, Commercial Traveller in the County
of York, do hereby declare, the nature of our said Invention, for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY, TRAMWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of an improved arrangement by which Brakes may be
applied simultaneously to two wheels on the same side or to four wheels (two on
each side) of a Railway, Tramway or other Vehicle.
The Brake Blocks or slippers are placed between the two wheels on the same.
side of the Vehicle upon which they are required to act. The Centre of one Block
beiug in line or about in line with the Centres of the Wheels, and the other block
being placed some distance higher, or lower, but preferably higher.-Both blocks
are provided with two brackets or lugs, one on each being used for suspension and
the other being used for attaching or connecting the two Brake blocks together by
means of a lever or rod.
The Block having its centre in line, or about in line, with the centres of the
Wheels, is suspended by a rod or lever attached to a bracket on the framework of
the Vehicle, and the Block which is placed higher than the centres of the wheels,
is attached to a lever or rod which may be raised or lowered as required, either by
a band lever, or by a series of levers, or by a worm or screw, or by any similar
appliance, to those at present in use on Railway, Tramway or other Vehicles, for
applying and multiplying the power applied to Brakes. This last named lever or
rod to which the higher brake block is attached, is provided with a longitudinal
hole or slot, through which the pin or bolt in the suspending bracket of the Brake
Block, is passed and in which it is free to move.
The action of the improved arrangement of Brakes is as follows:-
When the brake lever is pressed down the higher brake block is brought in
contact with the Wheel near to which it is suspended, on coming in contact with
the Wheel and the downward pressure being continued, this block following
the radius of the tyre or rim of the Wheel is forced in a horizontal or diagonal

page_text: direction, towards the other Wheel thereby communicating pressure to the other
brake block to which it is connected by the lever or rod as already described.
The slot in the Brake lever allowing the pin or bolt in the suspension Bracket
of the higher Block to accomodate itself to the changing positions of the blocks
as they are pressed down on to, or raised up from, the rims or tyres of the
wheels.
The material used in the construction of Brake blocks levers and other gear
such as is herein described may be the same as that employed for similar purposes
in the various classes of Vehicles to which brakes are, or may be applied.
We THOMAS WILLIAM WARD, Corn Exchange Sheffield, Colliery Agent, and
JAMES LEACH of Oxford Street, Rotherham, Commercial Traveller, in the County
of York, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BRAKES FOR RAILWAY, TRAMWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES," and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This Invention consists of an improved arrangement by which Brakes may be
applied simultaneously to two wheels on the same side, or to four wheels (two on
each side) of a Railway, Tramway or other vehicle.
The Brake blocks or slippers are placed between the two wheels on the same
side of the Vehicle upon which they are required to act. The centre of one block
being in line, or about in line with the centres of the wheels, and the other block
being placed some distance higher, or lower, but preferably higher. Both blocks
are provided with two brackets or lugs, one on each being used for suspension, and
the other being used for attaching or connecting the two brake blocks together, by
means of a lever, or rod.
The block having its centre in line, or about in line with the centres of the
wheels, is suspended by a rod or lever attached to a bracket on the frame work
of the Vehicle, and the block which is placed higher than the centres of the wheels,
is attached to a lever or rod which may be raised or lowered as required either by
a hand lever, or by a series of levers, or by a worm or screw, or by any similar
appliance to those at present in use on Railway, Tramway, or other Vehicles for
applying and multiplying the power applied to Brakes.

page_text: This last named lever or rod to which the higher. brake block is attached, is
provided with a longitudinal hole or slot, through which the pin or bolt in the
suspending bracket of the brake block is passed, and in which it is free to move.
The action of the improved arrangement of brakes is as follows:-
When the brake lever is pressed down, the higher brake block is brought in
contact with the wheel near to which it is suspended, on coming in contact with
the wheel, and the downward pressure. being continued, this block following the
radius of the tyre or rim of the wheel is forced in a horizontal or diagonal
direction, towards the other wheel thereby communicating pressure to the other
brake block to which it is connected by the lever or rod as already described.
The slot in the brake lever allowing the pin or bolt in the suspension bracket_
of the higher block to accommodate itself to the changing positions of the blocks
as they are pressed down on to, or raised up from, the rims or tyres of the
wheels.
As a modification of the arrangement by which the brake lever is provided with
a slot allowing the pin or bolt in the suspension bracket of the higher block to
accommodate itself to the changing positions of the blocks, the lever or rod which
connects the two brake blocks together may be constructed in two parts parallel to
each other with ferrules or distance pieces to keep them the necessary distance apart,
or it may be constructed in one piece with forked ends, in either case the end of
the connecting lever would be cranked or turned upwards above the pin by which
it is connected to the higher brake block and extended a sufficient distance to
admit of the short end of the brake lever passing through or between the space
between the two parts or forked ends of the connecting lever.
A pin which would be used for connecting the extremity of the cranked end
would also serve to lift the brake blocks from the wheels, and so bring them out
of action.
In applying the brake or brakes to the wheels by this modified arrangement
the end of the short break lever would act direct on to the lug of the brake block
which it would press down on to the periphery of the wheel, such pressure being
communicated to the companion block by the connecting rod or lever as already
described in the arrangement first set forth, the other arrangements as to suspension
of the blocks being likewise the same.
The material used in the construction of brake blocks, levers and other gear
such as is herein described may be the same as that employed for similar purposes
in the various classes of Vehicles to which brakes are, or may be applied.
The object of our Invention is to simplify the construction and action of brake
gear thereby lessening the number of parts, and secure more direct action of the
power employed in working the same.
Our Invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying
sheet of Drawings, and as the principle is the same whether applied to a brake
or brakes actuated by a hand lever or hand levers, or by any other mechanical
contrivance by which the actions of brakes may be regulated, an illustration
of our Invention as applied to a railway or Tramway vehicle with an ordinary
hand lever for actuating the brake may suffice, an illustration of such an
application is therefore given on the accompanying sheet of drawings in which
Fig. 1. Is the side elevation of the lower portion of a four wheeled railway or
tramway vehicle with the arrangement as herein firstly described.
Fig 2. Is the side elevation of a similar vehicle with the modified arrangement,
as herein secondly described.
Fig 3. Is a plan of the connecting rod or lever e, made in two parts.
Fig. 4. Is a plan of the same made with forked ends.
The same letters refer to similar parts, throughout the several views.
a, is the lower frame of the vehicle, b, b, represents the wheels or tyres of the
same, c, c, are the brake blocks, d, d, are the connecting lugs on the same, and e, ig
the lever or rod by which the brake blocks are connected together, f, f, are the

page_text: suspension lugs on the brake blocks, g, is a suspension lever, h, is a short brake
lever, i, is the long lever, j, is the brake shaft or pin; k, is the bracket or brackets
carrying the same.
Z is the slot in the short brake lever and m, is the pin passing through the same
and the lug of the brake block (Fig 1).
n, is the cranked end of the connecting rod or lever and, o, is the pin in the
extremity of the same by which the brake blocks are lifted off the wheels and
brought out of action by the short end of the brake lever (Fig 2).
PP, are the pins by which the connecting rod or lever e, is attached to the
Brake Blocks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is *.1
(1) An improved arrangement of brake or brakes and gear combined, applicable
for railway, tramway, or other vehicles to which brakes may be applied substan-
tially as herein firstly and secondly described and set forth.