US173829A - Improvement in car-brakes - Google Patents

Description

T. E. THOMPSON.

v CAR-BRAKE. 1\Io.'173,8?.9.` Paten-ted Feb. zz, 1876.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THOMASv E. THOMPSON, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF PART INTEREST TO Gr. MORGAN ELDRIDGE, ORPHILADELPHIA, PA.

IMPRovEMEN-r IN CAR-BRAKES.

Specification -forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,829, dated February 22, 1876; application tiled June 14, 1875. i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAsE. THOMPSON,

lof thecity of Richmond, in the county of backward without interference by the brakes.

The draw-bar of acar as at present constructy ed has a movement of some inches when two cars are thrust together, but returns to its place by the action ot' its spring when pressure is relieved.' It is ot' this movement that I avail myself.

The draw-bar A, Fig. 1, is` extended by a prolongation, B, to the line of the brake-bar, or thereabout, and at its extremity it is connected with a lever, C, which is attached Vto the brake-bar D, and at its lower end to a rod, E, which extends to and connects with the other brake-bar. With brakes inside the wheels the extension of the draw-bar is carried beyond the center of the truck, and the lever is attached to the-farther brakebar, and .the connecting-rod is a pressure-rod; but with brakes outside the wheels the lever is attached to the brake-bar ot' the nearer wheels, and the connecting-rod becomes a draft-rod.

It will be readily seen that if while a train is in motion the locomotive is restrained the car next to it 'will thrust upon it, and that this thrust will be at once transmitted to the brake-shoes by means ofthe lever and connecting-rod, eectually braking the train and restraining the car until it ceases to press forward; when the brakes will be at once reare free; but it is clear that with this appliance, and without more it will be impossible to push the car back, because the thrust will come entirely upon the brakes, and will et'- fectually prevent the revolution of the wheels.

To obviate this I so adjust the length ofthe connecting rod that when the draw-bar is pressed in the brake-shoes are brought close to, but not pressing on, the wheels; and I attach an engaging and disengaging gear, by means of which the strain is put on and thrown off the brakes at the proper time, one form of the mechanism of which I shall now proceed to describe.

Upon the axle I attach a double scroll-worm, F,which acts upon theton gue I, hereafter mentioned. The `lever U, which is shown with its connections in detail in Fig. 2, is jointed at the point at which it connects with the brake-bar D, and to its lower part is attached a lug, G,

which rests upon a cam, H, by means of which the lever may be stgepgthen'ed', and the strain upon the connecting-rod tfgwhtened. Attached to this cam, and moving it, is a tongue, 1,

(shown also in' section in Fig. 3) which extends toward the axle, and lis of such length as to engage with theworm F, when the brakes are brought close to the wheels, but to be free when the brakes are loose., Connected with the cam, andinnnediately in therear ot it, is an eccentric, K, u'pon a rock-shaft, L,'which, being set in one position, adjusts the tongue so that it will engage with one of the Worms,

and in theother position so adjuststhe tongue.

that it will engage with the other worm. The tongue is provided with a spriu g, Mfby which it is held in its proper place ready for action. The car being ready to` go in a certain direction the eccentric is set in that position which will put the tongue in placa to engagewith i the worm which runs from the center to the i circumference. .The car may now be backed,

because the pressure upon the draw-bar will 4 cause the brake shoes to approach but not to press upon the wheels, and the worm near which the tongue lies does not engage with 1 it, and the car may also be drawn forward freely, but'it' While it is in mot-ion forward the locomotive is held back `the forward thrust ofthe car is received upon the drawbar, and by means of the lever and connecting-rod the brakes are brought close to the wheels, and at the same time the tongue engaging with the Worm brings the cam into actionnpon the lug, straightening the lever and bringing the thrust-oi' the` car to bear upon the brakes until the car is so checked that it ceases to thrust upon the one in front of it, when the spring of the draw-bar presses it ont, the tongue is relieved from the Worm, and the brakes from the Wheels. When the car is to be drawn in the other direction the eccentric is set the other Way, so that the tongue will engage with the other Worm.

The hand-brake may remain substantially vas it is now ordinarily attached, Whether with the inside or outside brakes.`

Thepurpose ot'myinvention is accomplished when, by the thrust of a car in combination with mechanism impelled by the forward n10- tion ot' its Wheels, the brakes are applied and are held in action so long as the thrust continues; but are not operated by the thrust of coniine myself to the precise form of apparatus described, for I have constructed sundry devices; and I am aware that many others can be constructed, differing in mechanicaldetail, but accomplishingthesame result.

I claim as my invention- The combination of the brake-lever directly attached to the draw-bar and mechanism, actuated by the Wheels,substantially as and for the purpose described.

THOS. E. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

S. P. HANsoN, F. K. HIPPLE.

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