US1704438A - Hand-brake-operating means - Google Patents

Description

Mire 5, 1929. A, F, LASING 1,704,438

HAND BRAKE OPERATING MEAN S Filed Nov. 23, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 5, 1929. 5hr. KLASING HAND BRAKE OPERATING MEANS Filed Nov. 23, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet Z March 5, 1929. A. F. KLASING 1,704,433

HAND BRAKE OPERATING MELNS I Filed Nov. 23, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS I. KLASING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE KLASING GAR BRAKE COMPANY, 01 DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

HAND-BBAKE-OPERATING MEANS.

Application filed November 23, 1925. Serial No. 70,757.

My invention relates to hand brake operating means of the type adapted by an upward pull on an operating part located at the end of a car to apply power to the perating parts movable longitudinally of the car for applying the brake shoes to the Wheels.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a new and improved form and arrangement of parts constituting the operating means at the end of the car whereby the requisite power may be obtained for tightening the shoes against the wheels at the end of the brake applying operation whether there is a very great amount or a very small amount of play in the connections, whereby there shall be a comparatively take-up of the play at the start of the operation, whereby the power means can be used to advantage for varying the speed of the car as may be desired by a more or less complete tightening of the brakes against the wheels in a gravity switch yard, and whereby the power means can be used to apply great power and then release quickly and readily without danger of injury to the operator. It is another object of my invention to provide a construction whichcan be produced readily and with comparatively low cost of manufacture by reason of the use of a small number of parts of simple arrangement which can be assembled quickly and easily and as easily taken down for substitution of new. parts in case of necessity.

It is another object ofmy invention .to improve devices ofthis type in sundry details hereinafter pointed out. The preferred.

means by which I have accomplished my several objects are illustrated in the draw-. ings and are hereinafter specifically dc scribed. That which I believe to be new and desireto cover byLetters Patent is set forth. in the claims. v v

In the drawings,-- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of one end of a box car from one side thereof showing my improved braking apparatus in position thereon, the parts being partly broken away 'forclearness of illustration; I V Fig. 2 is a view of the parts 'at'the top portion of the car as seen from the right in Fig. 1;.

- Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the parts 4 shown in Fig. 1; y Fig. 4 is a View similar toFig. 2 but with certain of the parts broken away for better showing the construction;

Fig. 5 is a view from substantially the same point as that in Fig. 4'but showing the position of certainparts in the course of' assembly of the apparatus before the operating lever and drum have been placed into position; r

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the winding drum in position; p 1

Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical cross-sectional views taken substantially on lines 7- 7 and 88 respectively of Fig. 2..

Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional viewtaken substantially at line 99 of Fig. 7, buti with certain parts in changed position; an

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of construction.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 9,' in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters,-15 indicates the body of a box car having mounted upon the end near the upper edge thereof a frame in the form of a housing 16 held in position by legs or brackets'l'l'. Within the housing '16 is mounted the operating mechanism by. which an upward pull is exerted upon a cable, which is shown in the form of a chain' 18, and a link19 pivotally connected at the bottom of the car body with an arm 20'which is swingingly mounted upon a bracket '21, the arm 20 having connected thereto a cable in the form of'a chain 22 for applying power to any suitable type of brake underneath the 9 car body. A platform 23 is secured uponthe end of the car body in suitableposition for supporting a trainman for manipulating" the operating mechanism within the housing 16 through the medium of a lever 24. This lever is provided at its upper or inner end, and above its pivot with a lateral extension- 24, carrying a pawl 25", adapted to engag a ratchet wheel 39, to be described.

As is clearly shownin Fig. 5, the housing 16 is provided at its ,upper endportion with two upward extensions. 25 and 26, within one of which there is mounted a pawl 27 and within the other of which is mounted a pinion 28. The pinion 28 is rovided with a square opening therethroug for receivinga square shaft 29 which is insertedi through suitable openings in the walls forming the faces of the housing 16 and the extension 26, such shaft 29 being inserted its 7 freely into position from the left in Fig. 7 when the pinion 28 has been placed in position for receiving the shaft, such shaft being held in position by' means of a pin 30 through an opening in the end of the shaft as is shown in said Fig. 7. .The pawl 27 is held in position by means of a heavy pin 31 supported by suitable bearings in the side faces of the extension 25 (see Fig. 8), the pin 31 being provided with a lug 32 which engages a groove in the pawl 27 so as to hold the pawl from swinging with respect to said pin 31. As is best shown in Fig. 6, one of the bearings for the pin 31 is provided with a groove 33 adapted to receive the lug 32 for permitting the insertion of the pin only when the pin and pawl are swung upwardly out of their normal posi-' tion into the position shown in Fig. 5. After the pin 31 has been inserted to operative position, the pawl 27 is swung downwardly into operative position as shown. in Fig. 6, whereupon the lug 32 prevents the withdrawal of the pin 31.

With the pinion 28 and the pawl 27 in position as shown in Fig. 6, a gear 34 is adapted to be inserted into position within the housing from below, being adapted to mesh with the pinion 28, the pawl 27 being adapted in the operative position of the gear 34 to stand either in operative engagement with the gear as shown in Fig. 4 or to stand out of engagement with the gear as shown in solid lines in Fig. 6. The gear 34 and pinion 28 are preferably provided with shrouds 35 at their opposite faces for strengthening the teeth, the shroud of the gear being adapted to stand in contact with the shroud of the pinion, preferably, for rendering the action of. the gearing smooth and easy.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 7, the gear 34 is provided with a drum 36, such drum in the construction shown being formed integrally with the gear. The gear and drum are mounted revolubly in position within the'housing 16 by means of a heavy pin 37 which is held from removal by means of a cotter pin 38, as is clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8. i i

The means for rotating the gear 34 and drum 36 through the pinion28 and shaft 29 comprises a ratchet wheel 39 which in the construction shown is formed integrally with the shaft 29. As is best shown in Fig. 7, the ratchet .wheel 39 is enclosed within a two-part housing comprising members -40 and 41 which are rcvolubly mounted upon the shaft on opposite sides of the ratchet wheel being held together about the ratchet wheel by means of rivet-s 42 and 43, as is best shown in Fig. 4. This housing constitutes a pivoted link. As is I shown in Fig. 7, each of the members 40 and 41 is provided with a boss 44 on its the teeth of the ratchet wheel 39, as is shown in Fig. 4 in solid lines, the lever 24 being adapted to swing about the rivet 42 into the position shown in dotted lines' for freeing the lever from engagement with .the ratchet wheel.

As is best shown in said Fig. 4, the lever 24 is provided with a lug 45 extending across the face of the lever parallel with the axis about which the lever is rotatable, such lug 45 being located above the axis of the lever so that when the lug 45 comes in contact with a lug 46 carried by the housing 16, the lever 24 is swung toward the right in said Fig. 4 for freeing the lever from the ratchet wheel, this action taking place at the end of the swinging movement of the lever 24 and housing 40 and 41 about the axis of the shaft 29. The lug 45 is arranged upon the opposite side of the lever 24, with respect to the pawl 25, and hence when this lug 45 engages the stationary lug 46, which occurs when the lever 24 and link 40 gravitate to the lowered position, pawl 25 will be positively shifted out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 39.

For holding the pawl 27 alternatively in either its. operative position-or its inoperative position, I have provided a weighted arm 47 which is pivotally mounted upon the pin 31 outside of the housing 16 and the extension 25. At its outer end, the pin 31 is provided with a head 48 in the form of a segment, the weight arm 47 being provided with shoulders 49 and 50 which are adapted alternatively to engage the ends of the segment portion of the head for holding the bolt 31 either in the position as shown in solid lines in Fig. 4 with the pawl 27 engaging the gear 34, or for holdingthe pin and pawl in the position shown in said Fig. 6 in solid lines, the alternative positions of the arm 47 being such at the opposite sides of the pin 31 that the pawl 27 is held in its one position or the other by gravity acting upon the arm 47.

As is best shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the drum 36 is provided with a peripheral groove 51 extending about the drum, the

peripheral face of the drum being made inv the form of'angnlarly disposed portions of such a length as to cooperate with the chain 18 which is connected to the drum so as to be wound thereabout. As is best shown in Fig. 9, each alternate link of the chain 18 at its upper end portion is adapted to lie edgewise within the groove 51, While each other alternate link lies fiat upon one of the angularly disposed faces of the drum. As is best shown in Fig. 7, the groove 51 is provided with a slightly offset portion 52 at about the face of the drum without interference of the links with each other. As is clearly shown in said Fig. 7, the said end link 18 connected with the drum by means of a' rivet 53 secured in position across the peripheral groove 51. As is also best shown in Fig. 9, the face of the drum with which the second link of the chain comes into contact at the start of the rotation of the drum is located slightly farther away from the axis about which the drum is revoluble than are the remaining faces of the drum, whereby a quick take-up of the slack in the brake connect-ions is eilected.

The bracket 21 at the bottom of the car body, through the medium of which the arm 20 is mounted in position, comprises a diagonally disposed rack bar 54 which is mounted between the side faces 55 of the bracket, the faces 55 and the bar 54 being formed integrally in the construction shown by casting, the outer faces of the walls 55 being provided with strengthening ribs 56. Between the walls 55, I have provided a grease chamber adapted to contain a supply of heavy grease which is adapted to have access to the face of the rack bar through an opening 57 at the lower end of the chamber whereby the rack bar and its cooperating parts are kept lubricated. The arm 20 is provided with teeth 58 meshing with the rack bar 54, the arm 20 being mounted in position so that as the arm is swung in counter-clockwise direction in Fig. 1 through the medium of the link 19, the arm as a whole is moved downwardly by the engagement of the teeth 58 with the rack bar 54. The arm 20 is also provided with a drum portion 59 about which the chain 22 is wound as the power is applied to the arm through .theoperating mechanism. Inasmuch as this feature forms no part of my present invention it is not believed to be necessary to describe it further herein.

When it is desired to set the brakes on the car, the weight 47 will be thrown into the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 4 for holding the pawl 27 in contact with the gear 34. In this position, the pawl is adapted to prevent'rotation of the drum in clockwise directionin said Fig. 4 but is adapted to permit rotation in counter-clockwise direction, the pawl 27 being adapted to yield against the force of gravity acting upon the weight 47.

When the operator grasps the lever 24 and starts to move it toward the left in said Fig; 4, the weight of the lever at the upper end thereof causes the lever to swing with respectto the housing an and 41 so as to bring the lever into engagement with the ratchet wheel 39; After such engagement, the continued upward movement of the lever 34 serves to rotate the ratchet wheel 39, the shaft 29 and the pinion 28 in clockwise direction in Fig. 4, causing the gear 34 to rotate in counter-clockwise direction in said figure for winding the chain 18 about the drum 36. As will be readily understood, the pawl 27 automatically holds the gear and drum from reverse rotation when the pressure upon the lever 24 is discontinued. If the power applied to the chain 18 is insuflicient at the end of a single upward stroke of the lever 24, the lever is again moved downwardly to approximately its lowermost position and is then given a second operative stroke serving to rotate the gear and drum additionally fortightening the brakes.

lVhen it is desired to place a car in position by the gravity switching system, the weight 47 can be placed in the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 4 so as to give the lever 24 the requisite number of strokes for taking up the slack of the brake connections and applying the desired force upon the brakes for controlling the car. The weight 47 can then be shifted to the position shown in dotted lines in said figure, whereupon the car is completely under the control of the trainnian through the use of the lever 24 alone, the operator being adapted to apply any desired degree of pressure upon the brake for slowing up the movement of a car at a crossing, being able very readily and quickly to release the pressure to the desired extent by a downward movement of the lever when it is desired that the car be permitted to run more rapidly. l/Vhen it is desired to stop the car in position where it is necessary to hold the car in position by the use of the brakes, the arm 47 would be thrown again to the position at the left in Fig. 4 and thc'brakes would be tightened to the desired extent.

\Vhen it is desired to release the brakes completely and quickly, this can be. accomplished by throwing the arm 47 to the position shown in dotted lines in said Fig. 4 and applying upward pressure on the lever 24 for relieving the pressure upon the pawl 27. As soon as the pressure is relieved from the pawl, the weight 47 serves to swing the pawl to inoperative position, whereupon the operator may release the lever 24 which drops into the position shown in dotted lines in said figure, the contact of the lug 45 with the lug 46 at the end of such downward movement serving to swing the lever with respect to the arm formed by the housing members 40 and 41 for carrying it out of contact with the ratchet wheel 39 as above described for completely releasing the gear and drum from the holding means.

If is preferred, the brakes can be released by successive up and down movements of the lever 24 without the throw-out action of the lugs and 46. For this method of releasing the brakes, the lever 24 is moved to substantially its uppermost position before the lever is thrown into engagement with the ratchet wheel 39, the operator being able to manipulate the lever for effecting this result when desired. Upward pressure would then be applied upon the lever for releasing the pawl 27 from the gear, the arm 47 having been previously moved toward the right in said Fig. 4 for efiecting this result. As soon as the pawl 27 is thus released, the operator moves the lever 24 downwardly, and at the end of the downward stroke throws the pawl 27 into operative position by shifting the arm 47 toward the left for holding the ratchet from rotation until the lever can again be brought into operative engagement at the upper portion of its stroke. By a succession of such movements of the lever and pawl, the brakes would be released gradually and easily.

In Fig. 10 which shows a modified form of construction, a housing is provided corresponding to the housing 16 of the construction first described. In this construction a weighted arm 61 is provided for rotating a shaft 62 corresponding to the shaft 29 of the other construction. There is a gear 63 comprising a drum to which a chain 64 is connected for swmgmg the arm 20 at the bottom of the car, the gear 63 being mounted upon a pin 65 corresponding to the pin 37. In lieu of the lever 24 operating ,7

upon the ratchet wheel 39, I have provided a hand wheel 66 which is fixed upon the square end of a shaft 67, the shaft 67 being connected with the gear 63 by means of a pinion' (not shown) corresponding with the pinion 28. In operation, the shaft 67 is rotated by power applied directly to the hand wheel 66 instead of through the lever 24 and its cooperating parts, the operation of the device as a whole being otherwise similar to that above described in connection with the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 9.

By my inventionI have provided-a very simple construction which is capable of applyingvery great power to the brakes of a car, the arrangement being such that very complete control of thevbrakes may be had at all times. The construction is so simple and the parts are so few in number and so capable of being reinforced and strength- While I prefer to employ the construction as shown in my drawings and as above described, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the use of the construction as shown except as the same may be hereinafter specifically claimed, inasmuch as it is evident that changes may well be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A shaft, a ratchet wheel formed integrally with said shaft, a two-part housing revolubly mounted on said shaft on opposite faces of said ratchet wheel and substantially enclosing the same, rivets securing said two housing members together, a lever extending into said housing and pivotally mounted on one of said rivets in position to swing thereabout into operative engagement with the ratchet wheel for turning it, means for releasably securing in position the unit made up of the housing, shaft, ratchet wheel, and lever, and releasable means for holding the ratchet wheel from rotation in the reverse direction.

2. In hand brake operating means, a support having an opening, a shaft rotatable within the opening and adapted to be removed therefrom by longitudinal movement in one direction, a driven member mounted upon the shaft to rotate therewith and to be separated from the shaft by longitudinal movement of the shaft, releasable means normally preventing the longitudinal move- 0 ment of the shaft in one direction, a ratchet wheel permanently mounted upon the shaft and arranged exteriorly of the support, a two-part housing having openings for pivotally receiving the shaft with its parts arranged upon opposite sides of the ratchet wheel, a lever extending into said housing and pivotally mounted therein and having a part adapted to directly engage with said ratchet wheel, the lever, housing and shaft being removable as an assembled unit from the support upon the release of said shaft so that it may be shifted longitudinally with relation to said support.

3. In hand brake operating means, a support, a shaft carried thereby, a member operated by the shaft, a ratchet wheel mounted upon the shaft, a link pivotally mounted upon the shaft and extending radially therebeyond, a lever pivotally mounted upon the outer portion of the link and having a laterally extending portion provided with a pawl to engage with the ratchet wheel, said-lever also having a shifting part arranged near the opposite side of the lever with respect to said pawl and also arranged inwardly" of the pivot of the lever, and a relatively stationary part arranged upon the opposite side of the lever with respect to the pawl and disposed in the path of travel of said shifting part to positively shift the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel when the shifting lever moves to the return position.

4. In hand brake operating means, a support, a shaft carried thereby, a member'operated by said shaft, a ratchet wheel mounted upon the shaft, a link pivotally mounted upon the shaft, a lever pivoted upon the outer portion of the link and provided at its upper end with a laterally extending portion having a pawl to engage the ratchet wheel, a lug carried by the lever above its pivot and arranged near the opposite side of the lever with respect to said pawl, and a stationary lug carried by the sup ort and arranged upon the opposite side 0 the lever with respect to the pawl and disposed in the path of travel of the first named lug, the arrangement being such that when the lever is released, such lever and link will gravitate to the lower position and the lug of the lever will engage the lug of the support and the pawl will be positively shifted out of engagement with the ratchet wheel.

AUGUSTUS F. KLASING.

Images