US2760A - grout - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. 25, 1842.

NES P R0 CESSJ AM. PHOTO-LITHO. CO. N,C (OSBOR 2 Shets Shqet 2.

J1 R. GROUT.

Car Brake.

Patented Aug. 25, 1842.

JOHN R. GROUT, OF ALBION, NEW YORK.

MACHINERY FOR OPERATING THE BRAKES OF RAILROAD-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 2,760, dated August 25, 1842.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. GROUT, of Albion, in the county of Orleans and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Machinery for Controlling and Stopping: Railway-Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

The accompanying drawings represent the frame and running gear of the tender and car of a train, with the machinery attached Figures 1 and 2 present a horizontal section of the tender, car and machinery in a state of rest. Figs. 3 and 4 are a vertical section of the same, in the same state, with.

the improved parts in the front view. Figs. 5 and 6 are a vertical section of the same, but presenting the position of the machinery when the train is in motion, and the operation ofthe parts in the act of stopping.

The ordinary friction brake, applied to the tread of the wheel. is used, and. the parts are constructed of iron. or other material as the case requires.

Like parts in each figure are designated by like letters of reference.

A is a rod lying centrally and lengthwise under the hind end of the tender, the forward end of it being firmly attached to some point ofthe frame as at co. The other end vibrates vertically upon the point of attachment and projects sufliciently behind the frame to give action to the slide of the first car, for which purpose it is provided with a flanch or bumper head.

B B C is a jointed slide, lying one side from the center and extending, the full length of the frame, to which it is attached by supports The part B" C, which will hereafter be termed rod C, is movable vertically upon the joint B, andis made with a head or flanch to receive action from the fixture Q on the next car.

I) is a rod connecting the jointed slide with the brake, by means of a spiral spring and the rocking shaft 0 which lies transversely under the frame between the wheels.

E is a rocking shaft lying crosswise under the hind end of the tender. It has two arms 71 and '1', by means of which it is revolved, and two cams which support the rods A and U, and elevate or depress them as the shaft is revolved.

F is a regulator, differing from the common regulator in the use of the long tube a, and in the attachment of its arms to a fric tion wheel, which rests and revolves upon the shoulder or wheel (Z of the shaft.

G and H are bevel wheels, one of which is upon the hind axle of the tender, and the other upon the shaft of the regulator.

The lower end of the tube 6 is formed with a groove, into which enters the forked lever f. This lever revolves near its center upon a pin in the frame, and connects the regulator by means of the rod 9 to the arm h of the shaft E.

I is a rod attached to the arm 2' upon the shaft E, and connects it to the jointed slide B B C, the rod being bent at right angles and. an opening made through it for the passage of the slide. The rod moves on the slide the distance between the collars Z and k, which is equal to the movement of the slide from the center of motion in each direction.

H is a vertical lever, supported by a pin in the frame, and connected at the lower end with the jointed slide B B C, by means of the rod m and the collar n.

L L is. a rod placed centrally under, and sliding lengthwise of the frame of the car, to which it is attached by supports. Its forward end projects in front of the frame, and is formed with a head or fianch to receive action from the rod H of the tender. The other end terminates within the frame, and

is made in the form of a steep inclined plane.

to act upon the lever \4[. This lever issupported in a stand bolted to the frame. Its short arm is arched so as to permit the slide to enter between it and the frame. The

other end is formed with a head to act upon.

the slide of the next car. It moves up and down in the guides 00, in the lower part of which is a rocking shaft A. This shaft, or perhaps more properly bent lever, has two arms, one of which is connected. with the slide L L by the rod 0, and the other rises with the lever M, and supports it when elevated. The rod P connects the slide L L with the brake by means of a spiral spring and the rocking shaft Q which lies transversely under the frame between the wheels. The spiral springs upon the rods D P and O, and the slides B B C, and LL will be spoken of in another place.

The foregoing described machinery is adapted to every form of cars, and every variety of couplings, as well to that with a link and a bumping and drawing spring The manner in which the machinery operates is as follows: The regulator being connected to the aXletree of the tender, op erates for any speed for which it is geared. The motion of the train being sufficient, the balls of the regulator rise, and carry up with them, the rods A and C to a horizontal position, where the regulator sustains them while it is in action. Fig. 5 represents the regulator, and the accompanying parts in this position. If now the engine is moving with a tractive force, or the steam is cut off, and the'train is coming up by its own gravity, no effect takes place; but if any resistance is produced at the engine, whether by any action of the engine itself, or the inter vention of any obstacle upon the track, the machinery takes instant effect. The tender is checked, and the following car rushing upon it, the permanent fixture Q strikes the jointed slide B B C, and driving it forward, operates the brake of the tender. At the same time the rod A meets the slide L L, and forcing it backward, operates the brake of the car, and elevates the lever M. And this lever meeting the slide of the next car as it comes up, forces it back, and thus is operated in succession the brake of each car in the train. Figs. 5 and 6 represent the operation of the parts in the act of stop ping; the tender having been checked, the car has closed upon it; the slides are partly forced in; the brakes are brought upon the wheels; and the lever M is firmly held in a horizontal position.

The principles of the machinery are equally applicable to the locomotive engine. The additional parts required in the engine in the application, are a slide, rocking shaft, and rods. The last are used in connecting the rocking shaft with the brake, and include a rod, or lever to be used by the engineer in controlling the parts. It is my intention to append a similar apparatus to the locomotive, so as to cause it to cooperate with those on the tender and on the cars in arresting the momentum of the train, and to secure the manner of doing this by Letters Patent, as soon as the arrangement for so, doing is definitely made.

WVith this system of brakes a small power exerted upon the engine, is sufficient, under ordinary circumstances, to bring up a train with all desirable expedition and safety. For, as each car is acted upon by a brake, its momentum is rapidly overcome'in its position, and the pressure at the head of the train correspondingly diminished. same time, the momentum of the train operates the brake of the engine, rapidly increasing its resistance, which resistance reactsrback upon the train. The principle is that of the meeting of two bodies, moving at high velocities in oppositie directions. The

force exerted in their collision is propor- At the t'ionate to the comparative momentum of the bodies, and it increases and reacts upon each, till the progress of one of them is overcome. The reaction upon the train, in this case, is equal to the increased resistance of the engine, consequent upon the action of its brake. And this increased resistance, by the arrangement of the slide in the engine, is

.under the instantcontrol of the engineer, to

be used or not, as the nature of the case may require. It is thence perceived, that this system of brakes secures to the engineer not only the power of the entire adhesive resistance of his engine, but the additional one of a brake upon each car, which operates with certainty the instant the resistance commences at the engine.

The hand lever K is connected with the jointed slide B B C, by means of the rod m and the collar n, and this slide is farther connected with the rocking shaft E, by

means of the rod I which plays upon itbetween the collars 7s and Z. The use of this lever and the parts thus connected, gives the fireman or man upon the tender, complete control over the machinery. He can set it in operation at any time when the regulator fails to do it, or, he can prevent both its action and that of the regulator. It is seen that'this lever, when the machinery is at rest, occupies a vertical position, fro-m which it is movable backward and forward. The effect of its motion is as follows: Moving it backward revolves the shaft E, which raises the rods A and C, giving to the machinery the same eiiiciency it receives from the regulator. On the other hand, moving the lever forward produces the reverse of this effect. It exerts a force upon the shaft which is opposed to that of the regulator, thus preventing the shaft revolving, and neutralizing the effect of the regulator, as well as rendering the machinery inoperative.

The shaft of the regulator passes up through a tube in the tank of the tender. The lower end of it is supported by a collar attached to the frame of the tender, and is connected by cog-wheels to the hind axletree. The upper end is held by a collar connecting it to the upper work of the tender. The shaft is made with a shoulder J in the form of a wheel, near the top, upon which is placed and revolves the wheel cl. To this wheel are attached the upper ends of the arms of the regulator, the lower ends being connected to the long tube 0, which plays upon the shaft, and communicates the action of the arms to the machinery beneath. These friction wheels constitute an important improvement in the regulator as regards this application of it. They permit the shaft to revolve without the arms, and vice versa. without which arrangement, the use of the regulator upon the tender would be entirely impracticable. For, the sudden stopping of area the wheels by a powerful brake, and otherwise jarring of the tender, would wrench the regulator in pieces, constructed with the arms attached to the shaft as it is for other purposes. hen springs intervenebetween the frame of the tender: and the axletrees, it is. necessary to use the crownwheel and pinion. in place of the.bevel-cogwheels.

WVhenever desirable, the machinery may be used wihtout the regulator. In this case the lower end of the lever K must be connected by a. rod to an arm upon. the rocking shaft E. Thus connected the, use of the lever enables. the. fireman to revolve the shaft, and elevate and sustain the rods, A and C, as they are done by the regulator. This arrangement very much simplifies the. machinery, dispensing with the use of the regulator, its gearing, the lever f, rod 9, and! arm h; the

red I, collarsir and Z, and rod m. The value of the regulator lies in the self-acting prin ciple which it imparts to the machinery.

The car couplings which I have used are Alversons arrangement. The play given to them is 8-}. inches-3 inches for the com.- pression of each bumping spring, and: 2, inches for the movement of the link.v A greater or less play is equally admissible.

In communicating the power from. car to car,

it is necessary to. provide for: this play between. them. This. is done in. the peculiar arrangement of the slide LL and lever M. The rod. A on the tender, projects sufiiciently to force back the slideL L and elevate the lever M, before. the collision of the heads of the coupling. Each lever in the train proj ects in the same way and produces the same effect upon the succeeding slide. The lever is firmly attached to the body of the car, and forms with it and the coupling, the communication for the power, back through the train. On the other hand, the-slide is movable a distanceequal to the play of the coupling. Its first effect is to elevate the lever its further action: is expended: upon the erted upon that of each following car; so

plays beneath it.

causing it to. resist the progress of the next car, which operates its brake, and so. on.

The lever is acted upon by theslide. in two ways: by the inclined plane upon the slide, and by the rockingshaft or, bent lever which. Either way is competent to raise the lever, and, either may be used alone, or, both as combined. The combina tion is preferable in. view of strength. The

slide must be so much below the frame that its. head will not conflict with either branch of the coupling, and the lever must fall sufficiently to adanit the head of the slide be.- tween it and the coupling, without collision with: either. i

A rocking shaft lying transversely under the frame between the wheels, as shown in the drawing, may be used for communicating the power to the brake, or, any of the other means to which the existing car fixtures are adapted. The power of the brake, needs never be suflicient to quite stop the wheels, and the strength. of the fixtures need; be no greater than that of the ordinary brake. Any car may have a hand lever, with which to operate its slide when desirable, and the slide may be arranged to operate the brake by horse power whenever that is used.

The spiral springs upon the rodsD and P are used to prevent too sudden and powerful action upon the brake. They require to be sulficiently stiff to communicate the desired power, and of sufiicient length to produce the requisite movement without a too great increase of power. The spring upon the rod 0 is used for a similar purpose, and should be similarly qualified as to stiffness. The springs upon the slides B. B C and L L are used to restore the position of the slides after action. They require only the requisite elasticity for that purpose.

Upon roads, where it is the practice to turn the cars at the ends of the trip, the arrangement which has been described is all that is required; where such is not the case, but the opposite ends of the cars are alternately run forward, an additional slide and lever with the accompanying parts are required. They should be placed by the side of the other set, reversed in position in respect to them, as shown. in Fig. 7, both sets being as near the center line of the car as the necessary distance between them will permit.

In Fig. 8. 1s shown an arrangement for preventing the escape of the coupling bolt.

A side view of it is shown in the other figures. r 18 a latch and s a catch spring. A groove" is made in the back side of the up .per edge of the fianch of the coupling head,

- & 2,760

vents its escape. The spring is formed with a catch, which, when the latch is in place over the bolt, holds it there. The latch should be provided with a knob upon its movable end, for convenience in turning it; and

the groove be high enough and thespring count, as they are the best adapted to this machinery, it is here presented.

The apparatus for stopping the train of cars may be governed by means of a hand lever upon the tender, or by horse power. In Figs. 9 and 10, such portion of the car as is necessary is shown by dotted lines; a,

is a hand lever movable on a fulcrum at the upper edge of the fore beam of the car, and connected at the lower end with the bar 1;, which is movable on a fulcrum at its other end on the lower edge of the fore beam on the opposite side from the center. This bar is joined with another w, which is connected with the slide L, L, the end of it being bent at right angles, and an opening made through it for the passage of the slide. The bar 10, just touches the collar on the slide when the lever is perpendicular, and when the lever is thrown forward it presses against the collar, and, forcing back the slide, operates the brake. This lever apparatus is adapted to this kind of' cars. On cars having a platform in front, the apparatus shown by Figs. 13, and 14, may be used. 1, is a rocking shaft attached to the fore beam, horizontally, beneath the platform. 2, is a short arm on it extending vertically downward and connected with bar 3, which is like it, and is used for the same purpose with, the bar w, in the other apparatus. 4, is another arm on the shaft extending horizontally forward, and con necting with 5, which is a rod rising up through the platform, and is the part handled by the brakeman. Both these arrange ments are in common use excepting the bar 4.0, which is the immediate connecting part with the slide. This is used for a similar purpose and operates in the same manner as the rod 1, in the tender. hen the slide is to be moved by any other power than the hand lever, it plays freely through the opening in this bar without disturbing the hand lever apparatus. This constitutes the peculiarity in my application of the hand lever. The application of horse power is shown in Figs. 11, and 12, which represent the draft shafts of the horse. or, is an arm of iron, attached to the shafts, with an ob long opening in it in which the pin plays which holds it to the coupling head of the car.

3 is a stirrup of iron, and z, a brace.

They are attached to the shaft and to each other by a folding joint and may be taken from the shafts and put on at pleasure. The stirrup is so adjusted that when the horse is standing in the shafts, it will nearly touch the head of the slide. The oblong opening is nearly equal in length to the movement of the slide, and permits the arm to play back till the head of the opening strikes the pin of the coupling. Now, when the horse is moving with a draft, or at a speed equal to the progress of the car, the

brake is free from action,but when his mo? tion is slower than the car, or he is exerting himself to stop it, the stirrup strikes the slide, drives it back and operates the brake. This application of horse power is, I believe, entirely new.

Some of the advantages of this machinery are, it is entirely self-acting, and saves the expense of brakemen; the brakes respond instantly to the resistance of the engine, and are operated with certainty and effect; a moderate resistance of the engine is suflicient to bring up a train as suddenly as the convenience of passengers admits; the speed of the train may be kept up to near stopping places, which will be an important saving in time; the train may be stopped with great suddenness without the disastrous conse quences of smashing or doubling up the forward cars; the power of the brake need never be sufficient to slide the wheels, which will save expense in the greater durability of both wheels and bi'akes; finally, the power which is required to brake up the first car, is adequate to control any number in train. In this respect, it will be of great utility upon steep grades and planes, especially where horse power is used, by which the slide and lever are as readily operated as by the power of steam, or of men.

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, are the following; that is to say, I do not claim any one of the parts of the engine, tender, or car, separately and independently of the arrangements and combinations herein set forth and claimed, nor any combination, or combinations, of parts not herein especially named and claimed as my invention and improvement; but

I do claim as my invention and improvement- 1. The manner in which the momentum of the cars operates the brake of the tender, by means of the fixture Q upon the first car, and the rocking shaft, o-inted slide, rod and springs in the tender, the same being combined and operated substantially as iereinbefore described.

2. The particular manner in which the slide and lever in the car are arranged and operated as described; including in said claim the manner in which the resistance of the tender operates the brake of the car, or cars, in train, by means of the rod in the tender; and the slide, lever, rods, springs and rocking shaft in the car, the Whole being combined and operating substantially as before described.

3. I claim the manner in which I combine and arrange the respective parts of the regulator; that is to say, I claim, in combination, the forked lever f, attached to the rocking shaft E, the sliding tube 6, which plays upon the shaft, to Which the lower ends of the arms of the regulator are attached; the Wheel (Z, to Which the upper ends of said arms are attached, which Wheel by its friction upon friction plate or Wheel (Z communicates the action of the arms of the regulator to the machinery beneath; by

any neW principle.

JQHN R. GROUT.

WVitnesses:

S. B. REED, H. I. GOODALE.

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