USRE11990E - Car-brake - Google Patents

Description

l H. suALL.

CAR BRAKE.

(Application ld In'. 21,4 1908.)

3 shui-snm l l l l l I l l l l l l i WIT [SSIS fwn animan lay I3, |902.

H. J. SHALL.

CAB BRAKE.

(Application Med lnx. 21, 1902.]

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. |l,990. Feissuedyllrafy` I 3, |902.

H. J. SMALL.

CAR BRAKE.

(Application led Knr. 21, 1902.;

3 Shasta-Sheet 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J. SMALL, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO Tlll WEST- INGIIOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF IITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Reissued Letters Patent No. 11,990, dated May 13, 1902.

Original No. 510,200, dated December 5, 1893.

To alllvwm. ir? nifty/.concern Beit known that I, HENRY J. SMALL,ot Saeramento, in the county of Sacramento and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railroad- CarBrakes,of which improvement the followingisaspeciication. f

My invention relates m-'Oreparticularly to car-brakes of the class or type ordinarily lo known as the Hodge system; and its ob-l ject is to facilitate and perfect their operation and afford increased security against accidents, especiallyin operating trains on long and heavy grades, by the provision of means whereby the brakes may be operated either by hand or by fluid-pressure, both acting in the same direction inapplication and also in release, so as to be supplemental one to the other and acting either independently or in zo unison, as desired.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In brake systems of the Hodge class, provided with both air and hand actuating ap- 2 5 pliances, as ordinarily heretofore employed oli-passenger-train cars such brake-levers are provided, and their combination with the hand-brake shafts and the pistons of the airbrake cylinders is such that the maximum 3b working power of both the air and hand brake mechanisms cannot be simultaneously utilized in the application of the brakes, and this for the reason that in brakesystems of the class referred to the pull of the hand-brake mechanism works against-that is, in a direction opposite to-the working movement or stroke of the air-brake piston, and in like manner the outward stroke of the air-brake works against the normal direction of pull of 4o the hand-brake apparatus. Hence as in this sense they work againsteach other or in what issonietimes known as contrary directons, the maximum Working power of both cannot be simultaneously utilized in such systems of apparatus, and in practical railroading it is sometimes important and exceedingly desirable to be able to utilize both the air and the hand brake mechanisms, one to supplement the other, especially in cases of the partial 5a failure of either, and ,particularly so with a train descending along grade. Sundry of the Application for reissue filed March 21, 1902. Serial No. 99,348.

structural features hereinafter described are also applicable to freightcar systems of brakes in which hand-operating power is applied at one end only of the car.

My improvementobviates danger of accidents from failure of air-brakes and delays in operating trains on heavy grades, resultant upon the conditions of operations above referred to, and its construction and opera- 6o tion as applied in regular service will now bo described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a brake apparatus for a passenger-car, illustrating an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2, a side viewin elevation ofthe same; Fig. 3, a plan view illustrating a modification as applied in connection with a ear having six-wheeled trucks; Fig. 4, a side view in elevation of the same; Fig. 5, a plan 7o view, on an enlarged scale, of the brake-cylinder and brake-cylinder-lever connections shown in'Figs. l and 2; Fig. 6, a similar vieurr of said members as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; and FigJ, a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the brake-cylinder cross-head and clevis.

In the practice of my invention as exempliiedin Figs. l, 2, 5, and 7 I provide a system of brake-levers and connection which accords 8o in its general features with the well-known Hodge system, which being familiar to those skilled in the art need not be herein at length described. Thestructur'aldifferencesbetween my improvement and prior constructions may be briey stated as consisting in the elimination of the two floating levers heretofore employed for transmitting power from the brakeshat'ts and brake-cylinder to the truck-levers, the substitution of a single pull-rod conneet- 9o ing the brake-levers of each truck with the adjacent brake-cylinder lever for the two pull-rods heretofore employed, and the provision of an independent hand-brake lever and a .slotted cross-head, clevis, and chain connection between the brake-cylinder pisvton-rod and the hand-brake appliances.

The brake-shoes 1 ar'e fixed to brake-beams 2, hung on the truck-frames, and are applied to the wheelsby live truck-levers 3 and dead lo: truck-levers 4, pivoted to the brake-beams and coupled at their lower ends, one to the other, by pull-rods (l. Power for effecting the application of the brakes, either by airpressnre or by hand, is transmitted to Vthe live truck-levers 3 through pull-rods 5, one for cach truck, which are conpled at their oppositc ends to brake-cylinder levers 7 and S, respectively, and are also connected with handbrake connecting-rods 11, to which -handpower is applied in the usual manner through either or both of the brake-shafts at the ends of the car. The brake-cylinder levers 7 8 are coupled by a connecting-rod 9. The connection of the hand-brake rods 11 with the truckbrake levers 3 t and brake-cylinder levers 7 8 is such that draft for applying the brakes will be exerted upon the truck-brake levers in the same direction by both the-hand-brake shafts and the brake-cylinder levers, and the release of draft by either will be in the same direction as required for release of draft bythe other. To this end an independent double-armed hand-brake lever 2 is pivoted lat or near its center by a pin 2l to a bracket or support 13, secured to the car-frame, and is coupled at its ends to the hand-brake connecting-rods 11. The brake-cylinder 10 is .connected in the usual manner with the other elements of an air or other duid-pressure brake apparatus, of any suitable and preferred construction, adapted to effect the application of the brakes by duid-pressure, which elements, not forming in and of themselves any partof my invention and being familiar to those skilled in the art, are not shown. The piston-rod 14 of the brake-cylinder 10 is provided with a cross-head 15, having longitudinally-slotted jaws in which a cross-head pin 16 is litted to slide freely. The brake-cylinder lever 7 is coupled by the pin 1G to the cross-hcad 15 and t0 a clevis 17, fitted to slide between the jaws of the crosshead and linked to one cnd of a exible connection 18, preferably a chain, the opposite end of which is coupled to the independent hand-brake lever 12 between its pivot 21 and one of its ends.

In making an application of the brakes by air-pressure under the above or a substantially similar construction the outwardmove'- ment of the brake-cylinder piston and its rod l 14.- upon the admission of air to the brakecylinder moves the cross-head 15 and its pin 16 in the same direction, and through the resultant movement of the coupled brake-cylinder levers 7 and 8 and their connections to the truck-brake levers and brake-shoes applies the brakes without the intervention (as in the ordinary Hodge system) of floating or other auxiliary levers. During this operation the independent hand-brake lever 12 remains stationary, the chain 18 having become slack. If it be then desired to apply the hand-brake, a few turns of either brakeshaft will, acting through the adjacent brakeshaft connecting-rod l -upon the independ-l ent hand-brake lever 12, takcup the slack of the chain 18 and hold the brakes upon both trucks of the ear in case the air should leak off or be released. In making ahand application of the brakes when the air-brake is released the piston 'and piston-rod 14 of the brake-cylinder remains .stationary in position to be vactuated for application of the brakes upon the admission of air to the brakecylinder, and the cross-head pin 16 moves, with the independent hand-brake lever 12, in the slots of the jaws of the cross-head in accordance with the movement of the lever 12 to apply the brakes due to draft upon either of the hand-brake connecting-rods 11. It will be seen that while the air and hand brakes act independently one of, the other both may be set at the same time, if desired, one assisting or supplementing-the other, needed, or acting in its stead in the event of its complete failure.

Figs. 3, 4, and G illustrate a modification of the above construction as applied to cars having six-wheeled trucks equipped with triple brakes, inwhich the brake-cylinder is located at a greater distance from the longitudinal centerline of the car than in the previous instance. To admit of ready application with such location of the brake-cylinder, an auxiliary brake-lever 20 is pivoted at oneof its ends by a pin 22 to a bracket or support 23 and is coupled at its opposite end to one of the hand brake connecting-rods 11. The other connecting-rod 11 is coupled, as in the prior instance, to one end of the independent hand-brake lever 12, andthe opposite end of said lever is coupled by a rod 19 to the auxiliary lever 2O between its pivot and its free end. It will be obvious that the operation is the same as in the instance first above described.

Among vthe advantages due to my improvement may be stated generally-increased security n the operation of trains, particularly upon long and steep gradients, and specifically a decrease in the number of working parts required to operate the brakes, free and independent action of both air and Vhand brakes under all circumstances, the capa bility of setting both air and -hand brakes at the same time, so that in the event of the failure of one an eliicient application of the brake may be made by the other, and the capability of setting the brakes on both trucks from either end platform by the turning of one brake-wheel only.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, in a railroad-car brake, of a brake-cylinder, a brake-cylinder lever for actuating truck-brake levers at both ends of a car by duid-pressure in said cylinder, a hand-brake lever, and connections from the hand-brake lever to the brake-cylinder lever and to hand-brake devices at each end of the car,said connections adapting thebrake-cylinder lever tn be operated by the hand-brake IOO IIO

lever from either end of'the car, andin the same direction as by the fluid-pressure iu the brake-cylinder, substantially as set forth.v

the hand-brake lever,

. 2. l'lhe combination, in a railroad-car brake, of a hand-brake lever, hand-brake devices at both ends of a car connected to said handbrake lever,.a Huid-pressure cylinder fitted with a piston and rod, a lever adapted to be actuated in the same direction, independently by either of the end hand-brake devices or by the piston-rod of the fluid-pressure cylinder, and connections coupling said lever to substantially as set forth. y

3. The combination, in a railroad-car brake, of a' system of truck-brake levers for actuating connected brake-shoes, a fluid-pressure brake apparatus coupled thereto, an independent hand-brake apparatus operated from either end of the carpand a iiexibleconnection coupling thehand-brake apparatus with a member of the fluid-pressure brake apparatus lhaving the capacity of independent Amovement relatively to the actuating pistonrod thereof, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a railroad-car brake,

of a system ot' truck-brake levers for actuating connected brake-shoes, a huid-pressure cylinder having a piston and rod, an interconnection of the piston-rod and tru cli-brake lever, substantially as set forth. v

5. The combination, in a railroad-car brake, of two systems of ,truck-brake levers, adapted to'actuate connected brake-shoes on trucks at oppositeends of a car, a'fluid-pressu're cylinder having a piston androd, an inter-. mediate connection coupled positively to a lever of each of said systems, and coupled 'to the piston-rod Vwith the capacity of independent movement, 'two' hand brake connecting-rods coupled one to the other and adapted to beactuated by manual power app y plied at either end of the car, and a flexible connectionby which the hand-brake Yconnecting-rods are coupledv to the intermediate.

to,.a Huid-pressure cylinder fitted with -a piston land rod, a brake-cylinder lever coupled to said rod with thecapacity of independent ton and rod, a slotted cross-head fixed to vsaid rod, a brake-cylinder lever coupled to the lever of the brake-shoe, and traversing on the piston-rod cross-head, a hand-brake connect ing-rod, an independenthand-brake lever coupled thereto, and a flexible connection -coupling said independent hand-brake lever tothe brake-.cylinder lever, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, in a railroad-'car brake, -of two systems of truck-brake levers, adapted to actuate connected brake-shoes on trucks at .opposite ends of a car, a Huid-pressure cylinder'tted with a. piston and rod, a brake-cylinder lver having a fixed fulcrum, and coupledvto a' brake-lever ofone of the trucks, a brake-cylinder lever having a'fulcrum which is movable on an extension-of the piston-rod; and coupled to a brake-lever of the other truck, a rod coupling said brake-cylinderilevers one to the other, two lhand-brake connecting-rods coupled one. to the other and adaptedto be .actuated by manual power applied at 'either end of the car, and a flexible' connection by'which the hand-brake connecting-rods are coupled to one of the brake-cylinder levers, substantially as set forth.

'9. The combination,l in arailroad-carbrakc, of two systems of truck-brake levers, adapted 'to' actuate connected brake-shoes on-t'rucks at opposite ends of a car, a Huid-pressure cylin- -der fitted with a pistonand rod, an intermediate connection coupled positively'to a lever of each of said systems. and coupled to the piston-rod with the capacity of independent movement, two hand-brake connecting-rods each adapted to be actuated by manual-power applied at one end of the car, ann-independent' brake'connecting-rods, an auxiliary brakelever coupled to the other-hand-brake connecting-rod and tothe independent hand- IIO brake'lever, and a 'lexible'connection coup- A ling the independent hand-brake lever toi-they intermediate connection of the piston-rod and truck-brake levers, substantially as set forth.l

HENRY J. SMALL.

Witnesses: Y

L. T.' HATFIELD,

A. B. REYNOLDS.

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