US1420554A

US1420554A - Apparatus for manipulating railway-car brakes

Info

Publication number: US1420554A
Application number: US395061A
Authority: US
Inventors: Augustus F Klasing
Original assignee: KLASING CAR BRAKE Co
Current assignee: KLASING CAR BRAKE Co
Priority date: 1920-07-09
Filing date: 1920-07-09
Publication date: 1922-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 1939-06-20

Description

" A, F. KLASiNG; APPARATUS FOR mmrmmms RAH-WAY CA mamas; APPLICATJONI FILED j-uym, 1929.

1',4 2Q,554=; TatentedJune 20,

7 AF. KLASING. APPARATUS. FOR 'MANIPULATING RAILWAY CAR BRAKES. j

v MPLICATIQN Huzp JULY 9.19201 r 1,420,554. Patented June 20, 1922 '3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

r a z A. F. KLASING. APPARATUS FOR M'ANIPUILAUNGBAILWAY CAR BRAKES.

' 4 AYPAPLICATIONIFILEDJUL-Y 9,

" Patented June20,

3 SHEETS-SHEE T 3.

AUGUSTUS F. KLASING, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE KLASING CAR BRAKE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO. I

APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING RAILWAY-CAR BRAKES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 1922 Application filedJuly 9, 1920. Serial No. 395,061.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS F. KLAsINe, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus. for Manipulating Railway-Car Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway car brake mechanisms, and more particularly to a hand operated apparatus for applying and releasingrthe brakes of a railway car, for example, a freight car, in switching or on other occasions when the brakes are'controlled manually. A freight car is usually provided witha hand operated braking mechanism consisting of a brake staff on the lower end of which is wound a chain connected with a brake rigging on the under side of the car, the upper end of the staff being provided with a hand wheel and the brakes bein' held in set position by means of a dog anc. ratchet device which the brakeman operateswith' his foot when the brakes are .released. This common type of apparatus. is uncertain in its functioning, slow oi operation and requires very considerable effort in setting the brakes, the brakeman frequently using a club on the wheel to obtain increased leverage, besides necessitating great care when the brakes are released since the reaction of the hand wheel is very quick and violent. As a consequence accidents in switching and in making up trains, especially in hump yards, are not infrequent, resulting often in the loss of lifeor limb to the trainmen, injury to the cars through im-- pact, and damage to cargoes.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for manipulation of railway car-brakes whereby the brakes may beset and released v without danger to the trainme nand whereby the slack in the brakes may 'be quickly taken up and great power applied by the shoes at the time they are brought into contact with the wheels. I

A further object is to provide an apparatus which will be simple, strong and compact in structure with the working parts so arranged as not to project unduly from the body of the car or interfere with other mechanisms thereon.

A further object is to provide a detent device in'connection with the apparatus for when the release has taken place.

A further object is to provide certain arrangements for housing the movable parts of the apparatus -so as to prevent the same from being injured or from being clogged by dust, cinders, ice, snow, and the like.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a manually operated brake mechanism which will be positive and certain in its functioning and which will consist of parts so constructed and assembled that there is little or no danger of the appa ratus being disabled under any ordinary service conditions. I

A furtherobject of the invention is to improve upon the brake operating'mechanisms shown and described in my applications Se- "rial No. 220,467 filed March 5, 1918, and

Serial .No. 260,018 filed October 28, 1918.

The present application is a'continuation in part of my co-pending application. Serial No. 302,565 filed June 7, 1919.

The inventionis illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the end of a railway box car having installed thereon a brake manipulating apparatus constructed in accordance with my in 'vention.

Fig. 1 s a plan view of a modified arrangement showlng the power a plying device set at an angle to the car en Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View, in perspective, of the power applying device operated by the brakeman.

Figs. 3 and at are vertical sectional views pp lilnes 3-3 and -fl4, respectively, of

Fig. 5 is a detail view, in perspective, of i the upper end of the movable rack bar forming part of this apparatus.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the lower portion of the rack bar.

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan on'line 7-7 of F ig'. 3.

Fig. 8 is-a sectional plan on line 8-8 of Fig. 4. a

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 9 9 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 10 and 11 are views, in perspective,

be applied to various types of railway cars.-

' operating connection extending I under the; car body and secured in any desired manner;

a lug'55 having an opening 56 therein. The

employed r for transmitting movement from the power applying device to the brake operating connection on the'under side of the car.

Fig. 13 is a frontelevati'on of the parts shown in Fig. 12, and

Fig. 14 is a sectional View, looking in the direction of the. arrows, on line 1414.of Fig.12.

The brake apparatus of my invention may The preferred form of the invention herein disclosed is illustrated as installed upon a /box car. In Fig. 1 25 designates the body of the car, a portion of the end wall being shown. at 26in Fig; 2. The brake appa ratus-consists essentially of a power applying device, which, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown fastened to the end wall of the car near the top thereof,- this device being operated by means of a hand lever; a horizontally disposed brake (not shown) to'the brake beams; a transmission element arranged under the carat the end thereof, to which the, brake operat-" ing connection is fastened, and a vertically,

or substantially vertically, extendin' con .nection between the transmission e ement and the power applying device. The brake operating connection is shown, as consisting of a rod 27 and a short piece of chain 28 connecting the rod to the transmission element 29. A longer chain might take the place of the chainand rod or the chain might'be omitted and the'rod connected directly to the transmission element. 3O indi cates a rod (here also a chain might be used but a rod is preferable) connecting the transmission element 29 with a vertically movable member f3l forming part of the.

power applying device. This latter is constructed as follows: 32 is a housing formed with lugs 33 by means of which it is fastened to theend Wall of the car. The lower part 34 of the housing is larger in cross section than the upper part and is formed on one of its inner walls 35 with teeth-constituting a rack 36. The vertically movable member 31 consists of a rack bar having teeth 37 on itsinner side. The rack bar isarranged to move vertically in the housing. 38 is a pinion adapted to travel upon the fixed rack 36 and to engage the teeth of the movable rack bar 31, the pinion being. formed with gudgeons39, 40 which are guided inslots 41, 42 formed in the sides of the housing. Fixed to a squared projection 43 on the gudgeon 40 is a ratchet 44 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 45 .which is pivoted on a stud 46 Within the forked end 47 of the brake oper-.

ating lever 48. The

extremities

49, 50 of the forked portion 47 of lever 48 are formed 40 and its square projection 43. The

ratchet, pawl and upper end of the operate ing lever arepartially enclosed by a hood 52, which is open in front and at the bottom and is preferably made integral with housing'32, 34. The pawl 45 has a weighted tail piece '53Qwhich tends to keep the pawl in engagement "with ratchet 44. The ratchet is rotated by raising operating jlever 48, pinion 38 rot-ating*with the ratchet and traveling up rack 35. A 'platfor 'n 54, (Fig. 1) is preferably provided on the-end of the car for the brakeman to stand upon when setting or releasing the brakes. Therac k bar 31 is given an upward travel which is double the upward tra: e1 of the pinion 38. This gives-f-a'rapid takeup of the slack in the brake operating mechanism, the rapidity withjiwhich the slack is taken up being increased by the construction of the transmission element as w-ill'hereafter appear.- The front side of the rack bar 31 is formed with upper end of the connecting rod 30 extends through this opening, the rod being formed with a head 57 to engage the lug. The back wall 58 of the hood within which ratchet 44 travels, is so arranged'thaton the return or down stroke of the operating lever 48 .the extremity of the .tail 53 of pawl 47- is brought to bear against it, the pawl being thereby forced from ,its engagement with ratchet 44. A recess 59 is provided at the lower edge of the hood which permits the pawl to remain in engagement with the ratchet when the lever is hanging in a vertical position and-the pinion and ratchet are in their lowermost positions.

The following means are employed for holding the rack bar in its raised position. The

housing

32, 34 is formed withv a hoodlike enlargement 60, the lower edge 61 of which is formed. with a groove 62 to profor the rounded lower edge through an opening 68 in the side of the hood 60 (-Fig. 8) soas to beengaged b a rocking member 69 (Fig' ll)v provi ed ,with a thickened portion 70 to give it 'weight, the rocking member being formed with per forated'ears 71, 72 by means of which it is pivoted between spaced webs 73,

74 formed

omthe housing

32, 34. The rocking member or pivoted weight is formed with a handle 75 and is adapted to bear against either side of the stud 67 to force the dog 64 against the teeth on the rack bar or to rock the dog so as to disengage it from the rack bar. Fig. 9 shows in the full lines the first mentioned position of the weight. The dotted lines indicate the other position in which it tends to disengage th dog from the teeth of the rack bar. 1

The detent device above described is pref' erably so Constructed that the weight is automatically re-set to its position holding the dog in engagement with the rack bar,

when the ra'c'k bar drops to release the brakes. vWith-this in View the dog is formed with a lug .76 which extends into the slot between the two series of teeth 66 on the back sideof the rack bar 31. This slot does not extend to the upper end of the r'ack ba'r, the bar being provided at its upper end in line with the slot with a lug 78 which, it will be seen, is adapted to strike against the lug 76 on the dog when the'rack bar falls to its lowermost position. This tilts the dog into engagement with the teeth'66 of the rack bar and the rack bar and connecting rod are heavy enough to causetheuimpact of lug 78 against lug 76 to throw the weighted element 69 into the position inwhich it tends to force the dog against the rack bar. The lug 78 has a cam face orbeveled ofi' corner 79 adapted to bear against the dog 64. v I

The transmission element 29, whereby the upward pull on rod 30 is changed to a horizontal outward pull on the

brake operating connection

27, 28, consists of a lever having a rolling fulcrum. That is, the device has translatory movement as well as angu;

lar movement. The translatory movement is preferably in a diagonally downwarddirection, having reference to the setting of the brakes, so that the transmission ele ment moves bodily away from the brakes and at the same time away from the 'ower applying mechanism. The rolling fu crum consists preferably of a sector gear; 80

engage a diagonally disposed rack81 formed along the upper inner surfaceof a channel= shaped casting, 82 secured by lag screws 83.

to the under side of the car body and pref erably provided with a flange 84 fastened screws 85 to the end wall of the car. sector gear is preferably formed with geons. 86 which move through guide. or;

nels 87 formed in the side walls of jfthfir channel-shaped casting 82. The uppere ndz" of thelever 29 is formed with a slot 88fto receive the 'chain 28, when the leversfis rocked, the chain being secured to the lever by pin 89 at the bottom of slot 88.

By the arrangement just described, the take-up resulting from the. angular movement of lever 29" is increased through the movement of the lever down rack 80. As a result it is practical to use this species of transmission device since the arms of the lever need not be as long as they would have) to be, to insure maximum take-up if an ordinary bell crank with a fixed ful- 'crum point were employed.- This is important because in many cars at least there; would not be space in vertical direction for rocking I movements of sufficient i amplitude to insure a maximum take-up by. means of a device having a fixed pivot.- Moreover, it would be in many cases objectionable to have'on the bottom of a car'a bell crank lever, the arms of which were of sufiicient length for taking up slack.

Smnmmy of 0pemti0n.-'The brakeman standing on platform 54 raises lever 48, r0 tating and raising ratchet 44 and pinion 38.

"The pinion climbing on fixed rack 35 imparts a movement of double amplitude to size of transmission element The bodily downward. movement of the lever on the rack away from the brakes and away from the powerapplying device increases the'take-up on the brakes giving a length of movement which could only be obtained, if the fulcrum of the lever were fixed, by employing a lever with much longer arms. The dog 64 by engaging teeth 66 on the back of the rack .bar 31 holds th rack bar in its elevated position. When the brakeman wishes tov re-. lease'the brakes the pivotedweight 69, 7 O is reversed so that it bears on the inner side of v stud 67 instead of upon the outer side there formed integrally'with the lever, adapted-$9 of. The weight does not immediately retrifle, which can be done by lifting a little on lever; 48, tofree the dog from the pressure of the rack-bar. The bar will then drop as, the ever1 is ;d1jopped, releasingthe brakes instantaneously; When this occurs there is no reaction on the lever which is entirely disengaged from ratchet 44 so that one serious cause of danger, inherent in the common type ofhand brake mechanism. is eliminated.

When the rack bar falls to its lowermost position lug 78 strikes againstthe lug 76 on-the dog, throwing the dog back into mesh with teeth 66 and tilting the weight 64 to its operative position in which it Holds the dog in engagement with the rack bar. Whenthe rack bar is raised the cam surface 7 9 on its upper extremity is brought to bear against the dog 64 so as to aid in forcing the dog out the apparatus is the same as that previously described.

Iclaim2- '1. The combination with a railway car'and' I its brakes, of a brake operating connection under the car, a vertically movable member on the end of the car, a transmission element mounted so that it is rocked and its fulcrum given translatory movement, and means comprising a lever adapted to be oscillated to impart step by step upward movement to the vertically movable member. j

2. The combination with a railway car and its brakes, of a brake operating connec 'tion under the car, a vertically movable member on the end of the car, a transmission element mounted so that it is rocked and its fulcrum given translatory movementjand means for raising said vertically movable member comprising a rolling member engaging the vertically movable member, and a lever oscillatable to revolve and raise said rolling member step by step.

3. The combination with a railway car and its brakes, of a brake operating connection under the car, a vertically movable member on the end of the car, a transmission element mounted so that it is rocked and its fulcrum given translatory movement, means for raising said vertically movable member comprising a rolling member engaging the vertically movable member, alever oscillatable to revolve and raise said rolling member step by step, and adetent to hold the verticallynnow able member in raised position which can be manually set in the raised position of the vertically movable member to permit the release of said vertically movable member therefrom.

4. The combination with a railway car and its brakes, of a brake operating connection under the car, a vertically movable member on the end of the car, a transmission element mounted so that it is rocked and its fulcrum given translatory movement, means for raising said vertically movable member comprising a rolling member engaging the vertically movable member, a lever oscillatable to revolve and raise said rolling member step by step, a detent to hold the vertically 'movable member in raised position which can be manually set in the raised position of 'nism associated with the pinion, for causterposedbetween .said racks, an operating the vertically movable member to permit the release of said vertically movable member therefrom, and means whereby on the downward movement of the vertically movable member the detent is automatically reset to car, a'vertically movable rack connected with the transmission element, a pinion interposed between said Tracks,and an operating lever and a ratchet and-pawl mecha ing it to roll up the fixed rack. I

- 6, In combination with a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a brake operating con- 'nection under the car, arolling transmis-.

sion element, a rack fixed on the end of the car, a vertically movable rack connected with the transmission element,.a pinion inlever and a ratchet -and pawl mechanism associated with the pinion for causinglit to roll up the fixed rack, and a detentj for holding the rack in raised position which can be set to effect the release of the rack.

7 In combination with a-railway'car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a brake operating connection under the car, a rolling transmission element, a rack fixed .on the 'end of the car, a vertically movable rack connected with the transmission element, a pinion interposed between said racks, an operating lever and m a ratchet and pawl mechanism associated with the pinion for causing it to roll up the fixed rack, and a detent for holding the rack in raised position which can be set to effect the release of the rack, and automatically reset to operative position when the rack moves downwardly.

8. In combination with a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a fixed rack, a movable rack, a pinion adapted to roll on said fixed rack and raise the movable rack, a ratchet 5 on the pinion, a lever pivoted on the pinion, and a pawl pivoted to the lever to engage the ratchet.

9. In combination with a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a fixed rack, a movable rack, a pinion adapted to roll on said fixed rack and raise the movable rack, a ratchet 10. In combination with a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the -brakes comprising. a fixed rack, a movable rack, a pinion adapted to roll on said fixedrack and raise the movable rack, a ratchet on the pinion, a lever pivoted on the pinion, a pawl pivoted to the lever to engage the ratchet, and a detent to hold the movable rack in fixed position.

11. In combination with a railway car .and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising 'a fixed rack, a movable ack, a pinion adapted to roll on said fixed rack and raise the movable rack, a ratchet on the pinion, a lever pivoted on the pinion, a pawl; pivoted to the lever to engage the ratchet, a detent to hold the movable rack in fixed position comprising a dog'to engage the movable rack, and a weight to hold the dog in engagement with the rack which may be set to force the dog out of engagement with the. rack.

12. In combination with, a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a fixed rack, a movable rack,.a. pinion adapted to roll on said fixed rack and raise the movable rack, a

ratchet on the pinion, a lever pivoted on the pinion, a pawl pivoted to the lever to engage the ratchet, a detent to hold the movable rack in fixed position comprislng a dog to engage the movable rack, a weight to hold the dog in engagementwith the rack which may be set to force the dog out'of engagement with the rack, and means operated by the downward movement of the rack for resetting the weight to its operative po' sition. 13. In combination with a railway ear and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising avertically movable member formed with a series of teeth, means connecting the same with thebrakes, a fixed support, a dog having a rocking bearing on saidsupport and adapted toengage said teeth, and a weight pivoted to the support and adapted in one position to bear against the dog to hold the same against the vertically movable member and in another position to bear against the dog so as to tend to force it from engagement with'the vertically movable member, said vertically movable member ancl dog formed with coengaging parts'which operate-at the end of the downward movement of the vertically movable member to throw the weight from its inoperative to its operative position.

14, In combination with a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a housing, a vertically movable member in said housing formed with a series of teeth, a dog in said housing having a rocking bearing thereon and formed with a tooth to engage the teeth of the vertically movable member, the housing having an openingin the side and the dog having a stud projectingtherethrough, and

a weight pivoted on the outside of the house, ing adapted to be moved to bear againstoneside or the other of said stud to force the dog into or out of engagement with the vertically movable member.

\15. In combination with a railway car and its brakes,.apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a housing on. the car having a rack formed on the inside thereof, a-

rack bar movable in the housing, a pinion between the rack bar and rack, a hood on the housing open at one side, a ratchet in the hood rigid with the pinion, a lever pivoted with respect to the ratchet, a pawl -on the leverto engage the ratchet, said housing formed with an enlargement having an openingin one side, a doghaving a rocking bearing. on said enlargement and formed .with a stud projecting through the opening in the side thereof, and a weight pivoted' outside of said enlargement and adapted to bear on either side of said stud. I

16. In combination with a railway car and it's brakes," apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a fixed rack, a movable rack, a pinion adapted to roll 0 the fixed rack and raise the movable rac z, a ratchet on the pinion, a leverpivoted on the pinion, a pawl pivoted to the lever to engage the ratchet, a detent to hold the movable rack .in raised position, and 'a housing enclosing the pinion,,ratchet and pawl having a surface against which the pawl is brought to bear on the back stroke of the lever to throw the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet.

17. In combination with a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a vertically movable member formed with two parallel series of teeth spaced apart and with a shoulder between them at the upper end of the member, means connecting said memberwith the brakes, a fixed support, a dog having a rocking bearing on said support adapted to its operative position.

18. In combination with a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the .brakes comprising a housing, a vertically movable member. in'said housing formed with two parallel series of teeth spaced apart, a dog in said housing having a rockout of en able member, and a shoulder on theupper movable member, the housing having an opening in the side and the ,dog having a stud projecting therethrough, a weight piv- H I .brakes of a railway car, a fixed rack, a floating gear coacting with said rack, a movable oted to the outside of the housing adapted to be moved to bear against one sideor the other of said stud to force the dog into or agement with the vertically movend of the vertically movable member adapted to strike against the tail piece of the dog,

when the brakes are released, to throw the weight from-its" inoperative to its operative position.

19. In combination with a railway car and its brakes,apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a housing on the car having a rack formed on" the inside thereof, a rack bar movable in the housing, a pinion between the rack bar and rack, a hood on the housing open on one side, a ratchet in the hood rigid with the pinion, 'a lever pivoted with respect to the ratchet, a pawl on the lever to engage the ratchet, said housing formed with an enlargement having an opening'on one side, a dog having a rocking bearing on said enlargement and formed with astud projecting throughthe'opening in the side thereof, and a weight pivoted outside of saidenlargement and adapted to bear on either side of said stud, the housing formed with a surface against which the pawlis adapted to bear, in raised position of the'pinion and ratchet, and on the re 'turn stroke of the lever to effect disengagement of the pawl from the ratchet.

20. In combination with a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a housing on the car having, a rack formed on the inside thereof, a rack bar movable in the housing having two parallel series of holding teeth on one side thereof spaced apart and formed with a shoulder at its upper end between said series of teeth,'a pinion between the rack bar and rack, a hood on the housing open at one side,

a ratchet in the hood rigid with the pinion,-

a lever pivoted with respect to the pinion, a pawl on the lever to engage the ratchet,

said housing formed with an enlargement having an opening in one side, a dog hav ing a rocking bearing on.sa1d enlargement and formed with a stud projecting through brakes of a railway car, thecombination ofa spur gear mounted for rotation and the opening in the side thereof, and with a tailpiece extending into the space between the two series of holding teeth, in the path of said shoulder, and a weight pivoted:out-

side of said enlargement and adapted to with an interior rack, a rack bar, a pinion to travel on said rack and engage the rack member coacting With-said gear to which the brakes are connected, adapted to be given multiplied movement thereby, a housing adapted to enclose the moving parts, a I

step by step actuating means associated with the floatin gear, means for holding-the movable member in the raised position,

'means to automatically release the holding means and return the movable parts to ini-' tial position instantaneously, and means to automatically 'reset the holding means simultaneously with the return of the parts to initial position. I l

23. In apparatus for manipulating the brakes of a railwaycar, the combination of a fixed 'gear rack, a movable spur gear operable upon said rack, a movable rack coacting with saidmovable gear to which the brakes are connected, a bearing for said movable rack, means associated with said" movable rack to'hold the same in raised position, means associated with the holding means adapted to maintain the same in engagement and adapted to automatically re-" lease the holding means from engagement,

and step by step meansto actuate the spur gear and the movable rack. 24., In apparatus for manipulating the brakes of a railway car, a frame provided internally with a fixed rack, a sliding rack to which the.brakes-are connected, a spur gear coacting with the fixed rack and the sliding rack adapted to secure multipled lifting, step by step actuating meansassociated with the movable spur gear, means as sociated with the sliding rack and means '00,-

acting therewith associated with the fixed rack for providing a locking engagement of actuating means associated with the spur gear, automatic means to release the lock- .lIlg engagement for return of the sliding rack to initial position, and automatic means to reset the locking engagement means simultaneouslywith the return of the slidin rack to initial position.

Y 25in apparatus for manipulating the bodily movement, afixed rack and a movable rack engaged by said gear to which the brakes, are connected, an actuating mechathe sliding rack at varying elevations, an-

ing themovable rack in raised position,

means adapted to'be set to release the holding means for return of the movable rack to initial position through operation of the ac tuatin means.

26. n apparatus for manipulating the brakes of a railway car, the combination of a spur. gear mounted for rotation and bodily movement, a fixed rack engaged bysaid gear, a sliding rack coacting with said gear to which the brakes are connected, a power applying lever associated with said spur gear, a pawl and ratchet mechanism transmitting the movement of the lever to said gear, means associated with said lever to automatically release the pawl fromits ratchet enwith the fixed rack, means tolautomatically' gagement at any point of the movement of the spur gear along the line of the fixed rack, and locking means operably associated with the movablerack and with the fixed rack.

27. In an apparatus for' manipulating thebrakes of a railway car, the combination of a fixed rack, a floating spur gear and a movable rack meshing and coacting with the spur gear to which the brakes are connected, means for giving step by step rotary movements to the spur gear, a detent associated with the movable rack, retaining means engageable by the detent which is associated release the movable rack from looking engagement at any point ofelevation to allow the same to fall, and means to automatically reset the locking mechanism simultaneously with the return of the movable parts to initial position.

28. In an apparatusfor manipulating the brakes of a railway car, the combination of a housing, a fixed rack in said housing adapted to slide therein to which the brakes.

are connected, at bodily movable spur gear mounted to engage the fixed rack and the movable rack; power applying means asso-' ciated with'the spur gear, means for locking the movable rack at any point of its travel, means to instantaneously release the movable rack for return to initial position, and automatic means to reset the locking mechanism simultaneously with the return of the movable rack to initial position.

29. In apparatus for manipulating the brakes of a railway car, the combination of a rectangular housing, a fixed rack upon one of the internal sides of said housing, a spur gear engaging the said rack, a sliding rack engaging said gear to which the brakes are connected, a slot upon the face of said.

housing opposite the fixed rack adapted to permit the travel of the sliding rack, means for propelling the spur gear, means upon said housing to limit the travel of the spur gear in either direction of its propulsion,

means to automatically lock the sliding rack at'any position of its travel, means to release the locking means, a lug associated with the housing, and a pin associated with the locking mechanism adapted to cause an automatic return of the locking mechanism connected, a driving member provided with releasable means for engaging the driven element, a detent for holding the driven element in the position to which it is moved, means adapted to be set to render said detent inoperative as soon as stress on the {driven element is relieved by forward movement of the driving member, means actuated-upon reverse movement of the driving member for disengaging the driving member from the driven element, and means whereby the detent is automatically reset to its holding position at the completion of the \return movement of the driven element.

31. In apparatus for manipulating the brakes of a railway car, the combination of a driven element to which the brakes are connected provided, with. ratchet teeth, a driving member'having a pawl for engaging tion at the completion of the return movement of the driven element.

32. In apparatus for manipulating the brakes of a railway car, thecombina-tion of a movable rack to which the brakes are connected, a'pinion to engage said rack and impart movement thereto, an operating lever, a pawl and ratchet mechanism associated with the pinion and lever for giving step by step rotation to thepinion, a detent to hold the rack in the extended position, a trip member which may be set to render the detent inoperative as soon as the rack is relieved of stress by forward movement of the lever. and means whereby a reverse movement of the lever disengages the pawl; from said ratchet.

33. In apparatus for manipulating the brakes of a railway car, the combination of a movable rack to which the brakes are connected, a pinion to engage said rack and impart movement thereto, an voperating lever, a pawl and ratchet mechanism-asso- ,to hold the rack in the extended position, a

trip membenwhich may be set to render the .said teeth, a detent for holding the driven detent inoperative as soon as the rack is relleved of stress by forward'movement of the lever, and means whereby a reverse movement of the lever, at any working position thereof, immediately disengages the pawl from the ratchet.

34. In apparatus for manipulating the brakes of a railway car, the combination of a movable rack to which the brakes are connected, a pinion to engage said rack and impart movement thereto, an operating. lever, a pawl and ratchet mechanism associated with the pinion and lever for giving step by step rotation to the pinion, a detent to hold the rack in the extended position, a trip member which may-be set to render the detent inoperative as soon as the rack is relieved of-stress by forward movement of the lever, means whereby a reverse movement of the lever'disengages the pawl from said ratchet, and means for automatically resetting the trip and detent to their holding positions when the rack, on release, reaches the end of its travel.

35. In apparatus for manipulating the brakes of arailway car, the combination of a stationary rack, a'movable rack to which the brakes are connected, a pinion having interengagement with said racks and movable along the stationary" rack, a ratchet wheel fixed to said pinion, an operating lever provided with a pawltoengage said'ratchet wheel, a detent to hold the movable rack in the extended position, a trip member adapted .to be set to render the detent inoperative as soon as the movable rack is relieved of stress by forward movement of the lever, and

means whereby a reverse movement of the lever disengages the pawl from the ratchet.

36. In apparatus for manipulating the brakes of a railway car, the combination of a stationary rack, a movable rack to which the brakes are connected, a pinionhaving interengagement with said racks and movable along the stationary rack, a ratchet wheel fixed to said pinion, an operating lever having a pawl pivoted thereto to engage said ratchet, a detent to hold the movable, rack in the extended position, a trip member which may be set to render the detent inoperative as soon as the rack isre-lieved of stress by forward movement of the lever,

- and means providing a surface extending parallel to'the travel of said pinion with f p the brakes are connected, a pinion having, in-. terengagement with said racks 'and movable which said pawl is engaged, on reverse movement of thelever, to disconnect it from the ratchet.

37. In apparatus for manipulating brakes ofa railway car, the combination of a stationary rack, a movable rack to which along the stationary rack, a ratchet Wheel fixed to said pinion, an operating lever hav ing a pawl pivoted thereto to engage said travel of said pinion with which said pawl is engaged, on reverse movement of the lever, to disconnect it from the ratchet, and means operative, when the movable rack on release reaches the end of its travel, toreset said detent and tripping member to their holding positions. v

38. In apparatus for manipulating the brakes of a railway car, the combination of a housing having an internal, vertically disposed rack, a rack bar movable upwardly through said housing to which the brakes are connected, a pinion interposed between said rack and rack bar andadapted to travel along the rack, a ratchet wheel fixed to said pinion, an operating lever provided wlth a pivot pawl for engagement with said ratchet wheel, a detent pivoted to said rack bar, a series of holding teeth on the housing engageable by said detent, a tripping device pivoted to the rack bar and adapted to be set either to maintain the detent in engagement with the holding teeth to' move the same away from the holding teeth, means on the housing providing a surface extending parallel to the travel of the pinion for disengaging the pawl from the ratchet on reverse movement of the lever, and a projection on the housing adapted to engage said tripping member and reset the same and said detent to their operative positions when the rack bar on release reaches'the lower limit of its travel.

39. In combination with a railway car and .its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a member under the car which rocks in a plane substantially lengthwise of the car, a power applying device on the end of the car having an operatof the rockingmember, and connectionsbetween said rocking member and the brakes and power applying device, respectively.

40. In combination with a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising amember under the car which rocks in a plane substantially lengthwise of the car, a power applying device, respectively.

41. In combination with a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a rocking member under the car, a power applying device on vice on the end of the car having an operating lever which oscillates in a substantially vertical plane oblique to the end of the car, 'andconnections between said rocking member and the brakes and power applying dethe brakes comprising a member under the' car having rolling movement in a planesubstantially lengthwise of the car, a power applying device on the end of the car having an operating lever which oscillates in a substantially vertical plane oblique to the plane of the rolling member, and connections between said rolling member and the. brakes and power applying device.

43. In combination with a railway car and'its brakes, apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a member under the car which rocks in a plane substantially lengthwise of the car, a power applying device on the end of the car having a vertically movable element,'and a lever which osscillates in a plane substantially vertical and oblique to the plane of the rocking member provided with means for giving step by step movement to the vertically movable element, and connections between the rocking member and the vertically movable 'element and the brakes, respectively.

44. In combination with a railway car and its brakes, of apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising a member under the car which rocks in a plane substantially lengthwise of the car, 'a vertically movable rack on the end of the car, a rod connecting the rocking member with said vertically movable element, a connection between said rocking member and the brakes, and a lever which oscillates in a plane at an angle-to the plane of the rocking member provided with means for giving step by step movement upwardly to said vertically movable element.

45. The combination with a railway car and its brakes, of apparatus for manipulating the brakes comprising an operating lever arranged on a wall of the carto oscillate in a substantially vertical plane oblique to the plane of said wall, the car being provided with means for supporting the person operating the brakes between the lever and said wall. a I

46. In combination with a railway car and its brakes, apparatus for settin the brakes comprising a rack bar movable 1n the direction of its length, means for operatively connecting said rack bar to the brakes, driving means to impart movement to-the rack bar comprising apinion to engage the rack reverse movement of the lever frees the'rack bar from the driving means to allow the same to return to the position. from which it was moved.

. AUGUSTUS F. KLASING.

bar and a lever to rotate the pinion, a detent- .65 ment of the lever, and means whereby av