IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES AND COMMUNICATING SIGNALS IN RAILWAY TRAINS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Westinghouse, junior, of Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania, United States of America, but at present of No. 20,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC APPARATUS
FOR WORKING BRAKES AND COMMUNICATING SIGNALS IN RAILWAY TRAINS."
Sealed the 24th May 1872, and dated the 28th March 1872..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Westinghouse
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th March 1872.
I, GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, junior; of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, but at present of No. 20, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of said the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC
APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES AND COMMUNICATING SIGNALS IN RAILWAY
TRAINS," to be as follows:-
In the Provisional Specifications filed by me on the 10th of October

page_text: 1871, No. 2684, and the 24th of February 1872, No. 595, I described
various arrangements and forms of apparatus for working brakes of
railway rolling stock by means of compressed air, and also for trans-
mitting audible and visible signals throughout a railway train by
pneumatic apparatus. One feature of some of the arrangements
described in those Provisional Specifications was the use of an auxiliary
reservoir for compressed air on each brake carriage in connection with a
brake cylinder and with a duplicate set of air pipes extending the whole
length of the train; and I described various modes by which the brakes
could be worked and signals could be given either by hand or auto-
matically in case of a carriage becoming detached from the rest of the
train or munning off the line

page_text: munication is closed between that chamber and the high-pressure pipe,
and also between the two pipes. The connected valves in the first and
second chambers described above are in construction and action similar.
to valves described in the Provisional Specifications above referred to, and
therefore it is to be understood that no claim to novelty is now made in
respect of these valves except for their use in combination with the other
parts of the apparatus, which I will now describe.
The third chamber of the valve box communicates by a branch pipe
with the auxiliary reservoir. The passage leading to it from the middle
of the first chamber is fitted with a valve which seats so as to close the
communication when the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir exceeds
that in the first chamber. The third chamber communicates also with
the fourth chamber by a passage fitted with a valve which seats likewise
when the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir exceeds that in the fourth
chamber. This valve has a stem which projects into the fourth
chamber, and the end of which when the valve is closed nearly touches
the smaller part of a conical boss attached to a piston. This piston is
fitted to work freely to and fro in the fourth chamber in a direction at
right angles to that in which the valve last described moves. The rod
of this piston passes through a hole in the end of the fourth chamber,
and outside the chamber. it is connected by a lever with a rod or cord
to the automatic tripping apparatus described in the Provisional Speci-
fications above referred to, also to the carriage in front or to the coupling
of the slack pipe between the carriages, and also if desired to a rod or
cord passing along the carriage, which can be operated by any of the
passengers. When the rod or cord connected to the piston is pulled either
by the automatic tripping apparatus, which acts when the carriage runs
off the line, or by the separation of the carriages, or by the hand of a
passenger, the piston is drawn along the fourth chamber and its conical
boss passing under the stem of the valve raises that valve so as to open
communication with the third chamber and let air under pressure flow
from the auxiliary reservoir into the fourth chamber. The pressure of
the air so admitted acting on the piston forces it farther onwards, and its
conical boss advancing still farther raises the valve. When the piston
reaches the end of the fourth chamber a raised annular rib on it bears
against a caoutchouc washer encircling the piston rod, and acts as a
valve to prevent escape of air round the piston rod. The valve in the
third chamber being thus raised by the movement of the piston air flows

page_text: from the auxiliary reservoir into the fourth chamber and thence into
the second chamber, whence it passes by either or both of the connected
valves in that chamber into either or both of the main pipes, from which
it passes by either or both of the connected valves in the first chamber
to the brake cylinder, where it acts on the piston so as to put on the
brakes. Also, either or both of the main air pipes having thus been
charged with air under pressure from one auxiliary reservoir, this
pressure acting on pistons in the fourth chambers of other valve boxes
such as I have described, situated on other carriages in the train, causes
communication to be opened from other auxiliary reservoirs connected
with these valve boxes, and so effects the farther charging of either or
both of the main air pipes, and supplies compressed air to the other
brake cylinders of the train.
In the Provisional Specifications above referred to I described audible
and visible signals connected to the main air pipes. I employ such
signals in connection with the apparatus which I have described above,
each signal being connected by branch pipes to both the
main air pipes,
& these branches communicating with the ends of a valve chamber
fitted with two connected valves similar to those which I have described
above as in the second chamber, the middle of such valve chamber
communicating with the signal. The action of these valves is such that
when the pressure in either of the air pipes exceeds that in the other the
signal is cut off from the high-pressure pipe but remains in communi-
cation with the low-pressure pipe. When either or both of the air pipes
are charged with compressed air, as above described, either by the action
of the automatic tripping apparatus when a carriage runs off the line; or
by the pull of the rod or cord when a carriage becomes detached from
the train, or by the action of a passenger on the rod or cord the audible
and visible signals are thus caused to give their indications at the same
time that the brakes are put on.
The main air pipes, which are connected from carriage to carriage by
couplings such as were described in the Specification of a Patent granted
to Charles Denton Abel on the 11th August 1870, No. 2235 (a com-
munication from me), and such as are described in improved forms and
arrangements in the Provisional Specifications above referred to, com-
municate with a main reservoir of compressed air situated on the
locomotive. Each pipe at its junction with the main reservoir has a
three-way cock which can be turned so as to close the pipe entirely,

page_text: or to make it communicate with the outer air or with the main
reservoir.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:- By turning one of the
three-w
-way cocks so as to make one of the air pipes communicate with
the main reservoir compressed air flows along that pipe, and from it into
the first chambers of the several valve boxes along the train. From
these chambers it passes into the several brake cylinders and operates
the brakes, and also into the several auxiliary reservoirs, and charges
them with compressed air. The brakes are taken off by turning the
cock so as to let the compressed air issue from the charged pipe to the
atmosphere, the auxiliary reservoirs still remaining charged. The cock is
then turned so as to close the pipe, and the other pipe being also closeḍ
the apparatus with the auxiliary reservoirs charged is in condition to
operate the brakes and communicate signals as above described, the
movement of any one of the pistons in any one of the fourth chambers
of the valve boxes throughout the train being sufficient to produce the
movement of the other pistons, and thereby to utilise the pressure in all
the auxiliary reservoirs.
In consequence of the arrangement of valves as above described either
pipe may be used for charging the reservoirs and applying the brakes,
and either pipe may serve for the communication of signals.
The rod or cord whereby passengers can work the brake and signal
apparatus as above described may have connected to it any known
means of indicating to the guard or other official the carriage or com-
partment in which it has been acted on. In the Provisional Specifi-
cation already referred to, filed by me on the 24th of February 1872,
No. 595, I have described an indicator for this purpose. Such an
'indicator is similarly applicable to the apparatus herein described.
30
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George, Westinghouse in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th July 1872.

page_text: America, but at present of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Westinghouse, junior, Her
special licence that I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, my executors,
dministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Westing-
house, junior, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein 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 "IM-
*PROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR WORKING BRAKES AND COMMUNICATING
SIGNALS IN RAILWAY TRAINS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said George Westinghouse, junior, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters
.Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, 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 and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say :-
'
.In the Specifications of Patents obtained by me on the 10th of
October 1871, No. 2684, and the 24th of February 1872, No. 595, I
described various arrangements and forms of apparatus for working
brakes of railway rolling stock by means of compressed air, and also for
transmitting audible and visible signals throughout a railway train by
pneumatic apparatus. One feature in some of the arrangements
described in those Specifications was the use of an auxiliary reservoir
for compressed air on each brake carriage in connection with a brake
cylinder and with a duplicate set of air pipes extending the whole

page_text: length of the train, and I described various modes by which the brakes
could be worked and signals could be given either by hand or auto-
matically is case of a carriage becoming detached from the rest of the
train or running off the line.
My present Invention relates to the arrangement, construction,
and working in a more simple, cheap, and compact way of the
valves, passages, and gear for effecting these objects. For this
purpose I arrange and construct the apparatus in the manner repre-
sented in the accompanying Drawings, of which Fig. 1 represents a
plan of the under part of a brake carriage with part of a locomotive. A
is the main reservoir of compressed air on the locomotive, from which
branches furnished with three-way cocks B and C lead to the two air
pipes D and E communicating throughout the train. Each of the cocks
B and C has an opening on one side to the atmosphere. When the cock
is turned as at B the pipe D to which it belongs is open to the atmo-
sphere, and the air within it is therefore at atmospheric pressure. When
the cock is turned as at C the pipe E to which it belongs is in com-
munication with the reservoir of compressed air A, and is therefore
supplied with compressed air. The cocks also may be turned partly
round so as to close all their passages. The pipes D and E are
connected with a valve box F, as I will presently describe, and this
valve box is connected by a pipe G¹ with the brake cylinder G, and by
a pipe R¹ with the auxiliary reservoir R.
Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the valve box F; Figure 3
represents a transverse section on the line Z, Z; and Figure 4 a trans-
verse section on the line Y, Y. The letters D', E, G, and R' on
Figs. 2, 3, and 4 indicate respectively the connections to the valve
box F of the branches and pipes marked by the same letters in
Fig. 1, that is to say, the branches D¹ and E¹ from the air pipes D
and E communicate respectively with opposite ends of the first
chamber H, and also with those of the second chamber K by passages D²
and E formed in the ends of the valve box F. The brake cylinder G
communicates by the pipe and passage G¹ with the middle of the first
chamber H, and the auxiliary reservoir R communicates by the pipe
and passage R' with the third chamber L. The first chamber H
contains two valves h and h¹, connected by a stem and capable of
seating on caoutchouc or leather seatings C provided at each end of the
chamber. The action of the valves h, h¹, is such that when the pressure

page_text: rod which is attached to the outer end of the lever O. This cord, chain,
or rod is attached to the automatic tripping apparatus described in the
Specifications above referred to, or to the carriage in front, or to the.
coupling of the slack pipe between the carriages, or if desired it may
be carried along the different compartments of the carriages or train
so that it can be pulled by any of the passengers. When such com-
municating cord, chain, or rod is pulled either by the automatic tripping
apparatus when the carriage runs off the line, or by the carriage
separating from that before it, or by the hand of a dassenger the
piston N is drawn along in the direction of the arrow, and its conical
boss N¹ passing under the valve stem raises the valve so as to
let compressed air flow from the auxiliary reservoir by the pipe R'
and past the raised valve into the chamber M behind the piston N.
The pressure of the air so admitted acting on the piston N forces it still
farther in the direction of the arrow, and its conical boss still further
raises the valve 7 so as to admit a greater supply to the chamber M.
From this chamber the air flows by the passage K' to the middle of the
chamber K, whence it passes cither or both of the connected valves k, k¹,
by either or both of the channels D², E³, and branches D', E', to either or
both of the pipes D and E, and past either or both of the valves h, h',
to the middle of the chamber H, whence it flows by the pipe G¹ to
the brake cylinder G, and there acts upon the piston so as to put on the
brakes. Moreover, either or both of the pipes D, E, being thus charged
with compressed air from any one of the auxiliary reservoirs the pressure
transmitted by them to the chambers K and M in the valve boxes of
other carriages acts on the pistons N of those valve boxes, and raises the
valves so as to admit to the pipes and the several brake cylinders of
the train a farther supply of compressed air.
In the Specifications above refered to I described audible and visible,
signals connected to the main air pipes. I employ such signals in con-
nection with the apparatus described above, cach signal being connected
by branch pipes to both the main air pipes D and E. These branches
communicate with the signal through a valve box containing a pair of
connected valves like those marked k, k¹, in the chamber K, the air.
pipes communicating with the ends of the chamber, and the signal
communicating as K' with the middle. The action of these valves is
such that when the pressure in either of the pipes D or E exceeds that
in the other the signal is cut off from communication. with the high-

page_text: pressure pipe, but remains in communication with the other. When
either or both of the pipes is charged with compressed air as above
described either by the action of the automatic tripping apparatus when.
a carriage runs off the line, or by the pull of the cord, chain, or rod
when the carriages become separated, or when a passenger pulls it, the
audible or visible signals are caused to give their indications at the same
time that the brakes are put on.
On now referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that when one of the
three-way cocks as C is turned so as to put one of the air pipes as E
in communication with the main reservoir of compressed air A, the
chambers H of the several valve boxes F throughout the train receive a
supply of compressed air, which passes by the pipes G₁ to the several
brake cylinders, and causes the brakes to be put on; and also by the
passages H¹ past the valves into the chambers L, and thence by the
pipes R¹ to the several auxiliary reservoirs R, which thus become
charged with compressed air. By turning the cock C to the position of
that shewn at B, so as to let air issue from the pipe to the atmosphere,
the air flows from the several brake cylinders, and the brakes are taken
off, but the air which when the brakes were put on had charged the
auxiliary reservoirs is retained there by the closing of the valves . The
brakes having been taken off the cocks B and C are both turned so as
to close all passages through them, and then the brakes can be put on
and signals given by the compressed air contained in the auxiliary
reservoirs, which is brought into action by the movement of any one of
the pistons N as above described, the movement of one of the pistons
serving to move the others and thus to utilize the pressure in all the
auxiliary reservoirs of the train.

page_text: this purpose.
Such an indicator or tell-tale may be applied to the
apparatus herein described.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim,-
First. The use in railway brake and signal apparatus worked by fluid
under pressure of a piston arranged so as to open a valve and thereby
to allow the fluid under pressure to act upon it for the farther opening
of the valve, and also to act upon other similar pistons similarly
arranged in valve boxes throughout the train communicating with each
other by pipes, substantially as herein described.
Second. The arrangement of valves in one box, substantially as
described in reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4.
Third. The arrangement of such valve box in combination with com-
municating pipes, reservoir, and brake cylinder, substantially in the
manner and for the purposes described in reference to Figure 1.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.