US15038A - Railroad-cab - Google Patents

Description

M. S. FROST.

Car Brake.

No. 15,038. Patented June 3, 1856.

AM. PHOTB-LITKO. CO. RY. (GSBURNE'S PROCESS.)

UNITED STATES T OFFC.

MAHLON S. FROST, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RAILROAD-GAR BRAKE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MAHLON S. Fnosr, of the city of Detroit, county of WVayne, State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Self-Acting Cont-inuous or Through Brakes for Railway-Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation and Fig. 2 a ground plan as shown in-a tender and passenger car. i

The nature of my invention consists in an arrangement of transverse slide blocks on the end of the tender platform, operated by the engineer so as to engage as desired, a system of bumper rods simultaneously with a system of traction rods throughout a train, whereby the brake may be applied both by the crowding together of the cars, or by any tendency of same to separate; the engagement from car to car being effected by similar transverse sliding blocks at each end of the cars, operated by lever connection with the said bumper and traction rods; the said rods being used together or separately as desired.

The levers A A stand on the forward part of the tender to the right and left of it. The right lever connecting with the rod B is used in all ordinary application of the brakes. The left lever connecting with the rod B is used only for extraordinary emergencies or when the speed of the train is required to be diminished suddenly, and when the train is backing. The other lever when the train is going ahead. Its operation is as follows. The levers A and A on being thrown backward move the elbows C and C by means of the rods B and B. These el bows again connecting by rods with the sliding blocks D and D move these sliding blocks opposite to the ends of the rods E and E. These rods E and E connecting with the cross-bars F and F move the rods E and E on the other end of the car. The rods E and E are attached by toggle joints to the levers L L which apply the brakes in the ordinary mode, but the balance beams 0 0 0 0 0 0 are joined together, or drawn toward each other by the rods H H H H H H. The ends of these rods H pass through the balance-beams 0 and through the elliptical springs K K K K K K which regulate the pressure or power applied against the wheels. This is done by these springs being made so as to yield under a given power on the rods H. The sliding rods E and E also connect by toggle joints 3' and j with the lever M and M. These levers M and M are bent around the common center P P and by means of the levers M and M connect with the sliding block N and N.

The operation of this invention is as follows. When the levers A and A are vertical the sliding blocks D and D remaining in the position as shown in the draft, are not brought in contact with the rods E and E but allow these rods to pass forward and backward under the tender as the cars approach or recede from it and no action whatever is produced upon the brakes.

The engine driver on starting or leaving the station at the commencement of his trip, throws back the lever A and allows it to remain in that position during the remainder of the trip. This position of the lever A places the sliding blocks D opposite the end of the sliding rod E so that whenever the engine driver shuts off his steam the speed of the engine being reduced, the momentum of the cars brings them together, and the rod E coming in contact with the sliding block D, is moved back carrying with it the lever L and applies the brakes to the wheels, and by means of the levers M and M shifts the sliding block N, on the forward part of the car, opposite to the rod E in the tender, and the block N, on the back end of the car, opposite the rod E in the following car, and so on throughout the train, the spiral spring 7' bringing the rod E back to its place as soon as the power is off. This ap pliancc of the brakes is all that is required to reduce the speed on all ordinary occasions, where the train stops at regular stations, or has room to reduce its speed gradually. The position of the block D once made serves throughout the remainder of the trip, without further care or attention on the part of the engine driver. Should however an obstacle present itself upon the road, or any other emergency arise requiring the sudden and prompt action of the brakes that should reduce the speed of the train as rapidly as possible, the engine driver throws back the lever A. This moves the sliding block D sufliciently to permit the hooked end of the rod E to catch on the forward end of the said block.

The momentum of the cars bringing the I point u is nearest to the rodso that the end of the rod E against the sliding block D, the brakes are applied as before stated. The momentum of the cars being overcome by the action of the brakes sooner than that of the locomotive, they separate and the brakes would be relieved until the locomotive and cars could again be brought together, but the hooked end of the rod E by catching on the forward end of the block D holds the brakes to their work. The other end of the rod E attaching through an intermediate cross-bar F with the cross-bar F which connects with the brakes as before described. The cross-bar 1*" lies below the cross-bar F turning upon the same center G. The cross-bar F is provided with a pin R against which the cross-bar F strikes carrying with it the cross-bar 1* which operates the brakes. Also by means of the levers M and M the sliding blocks N is moved in position for the hooked end of the rod E on the following car to catch, and so on throughout the train, all the cars being provided in the same manner. Thus the steady application of the brakes is maintained, whether the cars are closing or separating and the speed promptly reduced.

In case the cars have not space enough between them to admit of the working of the rods E and E to a suflicient distance to apply the brakes efiiciently, I provide an intermediate leveras shown by the blue dotted line in the tender-T. This lever T is attached at one end to the rod E and at the other end to the lever L and turns upon the point u which is nearest to the rod E so that when the rod E is pushed back and with it the first end of the lever T the other end of the same moves the lever L forward to a greater distancein proportion as the sliding rods E are not required to move so far as in the other arrangement in order to operate the brakes. This arrangement would place the lever L at the other end of the trucks because it is moved in the opposite direction from what it is in the other mode of attachment. It is shown only in the tender of the draft and model but would operate in the same manner throughout the train.

I do not lay down any particular manner of putting on the sliding blocks, nor any definite distance between the rods E and E nor designate the strength of the machinery. These will be arranged as the construction and size of the cars upon which they are placed may make it most convenient or necessary, and can be judged of by any good mechanic. The brakes may also be worked in the usual manner by hand, the brake wheel and shaft to being attached by a rod to one end of the cross bar F or by any other convenient mode.

Having thus fully described my machinery and'the manner of using it, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is the following, viz:

The arrangement of the sliding blocks D D and N N at the ends of the car platform for engaging and operating simultaneously a set of through bumper and traction rods for applying the brakes, the said sliding blocks being under the control of the engineer, and capable of acting upon both sets of rods, or either separately as may be desired;

MAHLON S. FROST.

WVitnesses:

JOHN H. OULLEIN, D. BETH NE DUFFIELD.

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