US276930A - torrey - Google Patents

Description

(No Modelr.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. ToRmzY.V

AYUTGMATIG CAR BRAKE.

No. 276,930. Patented May 14,1883..

(No Model.) A s sheets-sheet 2.

D. TORREY.

AUTOMATIC GAR BRAKE.

Patented May l., 1883.

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3 Sheets-fSheet 3 DTORREY.' AUTUMATIG GAR BRAKE. f No 276,930 Patented May 1,1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

DoLPHus TORREY, oF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION `forming part of' Letters Patent No. 276,930, dated May 1, 41883.

" Application tiled J'nne 29, 1882. Renewed April 13, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DoLPHUs TORREY, of

` the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and usefullmprovement in Automatic Car-Brakes, of which the following is aspeciication.

My invention relates to double-acting momentum-brakes, which are actuated by the draw-bar ot' the car, and have a reversible adjustment actuated by changes in the direction of wheel rotation. I also gage the intensity of brake application by the weight of the car and maintain a fixed proportion between the two. I also usean auxiliary mechanism, by means ot' which, should there be a breakage of the car-coupling,1 secure the instant application of the momentum-brakes upon all of the detached cars. It is my intention to embody this emergency-brake mechanism, in its application to brake apparatus generally and as a distinct invention, in aseparateapplication for Letters Patent, and the hereby reserve to myself.

The object of my invention is to secure by these means a more serviceable brake apparatus than has been heretofore used.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a bottom view of one end ot' the bed-frame of Y a car, showing the principal operating parts.

Fig.2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 2u is a partial vertical section on the line 2, Fig. 2, omitting the guide and support 46. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, showing `the adjusting devices Fig4 is a vertical section` in side elevation. transversely to the car on the lille 4 4, Fig. 3.

. Fig.5is a detail elevation, showing the suspension device for regulating the maximum force of the brakes by the weight of the car. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section ot' the same on the line 6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line 7, Fig. 5. Fig. S is a vertical section on the line 8 8, Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a plan view, illustrating amoditication of the device shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 10 is anV enlarged detailed View of the releasing device ot` the Aemergency-brake hereinafter described. Fig.

11 is a longitudinal sect-ion ofthe same ou-the line 1 17 Fig. 10.

The draw-bar 1 is connected by the pitman 2 to the motor-lever 3. The motor-lever' and right so'to do I` operating-lever 4 are upon a common center, and are superimposed one over the other. They swing in parallel horizontal planes and engage, when approaching, by the contact ot' projecting lugs 5 and 6 upon theirapproximate faces near their ends. actuated by the draw-bar. The operatinglever 4 is attached to the brake-chain 7, and pulls upon it when it is swung by the motorlever. The operating-lever is kept in its plane of rotation by a guide or adjusting bar,45. (Shown in Fig. 3.) y VThe reversal of adjustment is elt'ected by the depression ot' this adj listing-bar, which carries with it the operatinglever, thus permitting the motor-lever to pass it andtake a position in which the movement bythe draw-ban, which can bring the levers into engagement, is reversed. Fig. 1 shows the principal parts of the apparatus as they may be placed upon the car. 8 is a transmitting equalizer-lever, to which the brake-chain 7 is attached by two branches passing lin the form of a loop over a pulley, 9. By this device, in whichever Way the operating-leverpnlls, the brake-chain draws upon the y brakes. From the lever 8 a rod, 10, extends to the special brake-fittings which maybe used. For illustration, an arrangement is shown in which the car is supplied with brakes upon both trucks, and has the brake-shoes hun g between the wheels. The chain connecting the. two sets of brakes is carried through an equaliziug-lever, 11, suspended under the center of the car. 1t extends from one brake-lever over a she-ave in the top of the companionlever, and thence to the equalizer. The rod 10 is attached `to the equalizer, and when drawn will swing the equalizer and effect an application of both sets ot' brakes. At one end of the equalizer is attached a take-up rod, 14, which is provided with a slot, 16, in which the piu connecting them works, and with a spring for keeping' said take-up in its proper position.. The take-up rod is serrated upon its edge and rides over or" against a tooth, 15, having a sharp edge for catching in the serrated edge of the bar.

It will readily be seen that when the equalizer is swung for applying the brakes it will slide in the slot to its full length aud then` crowd the bar 14 over its catch 15. When the The motor-lever 3 is IOO vto the changed position of the equalizer.

brakes are released the equalizer swings back only as far as the length of the slot, and is then held. By this means a fixed limitis determined for the distance which the brakeshoes may hang from the wheels.

The rod 10 is continued through the equalizer and beyond to a spring, 18, and has a serrated edge, 17, which is set against catches 19 by the spring 2O in the end of the equalizer. When the rod 10 is drawn in applyingI the brakes it effects a compression of the spring 18, and when the brakes are let off, if the equalizer is withheld from returning to its firstl position by the action of thel take-up 14, the tension of the spring 18 will draw the bar 10 through the opening in the end of the equalizer and make its working length correspond the combined action of these take-ups the aetion of the whole apparatus is unaffected by the wear of brake-shoes, and the parts are always in position to work with uniform stresses and a definite extent ofmovement. brake shaft 21 is connected, by its chain 22, to the lever 8, as is also the chain 23 23L of the emergency-brake. This part of the mechanism is a length of chain which passes through an eye or ring, 24, firmly set in the under side ot' the end sill, and which has a ring or loop in its end 25, which may be thrown over a pin or hook upon the next car. In case that the coupling-link between the cars is broken while the train is running, the chain 23 23zu will be ,drawn out, and thereby effect an application of the brakes. in the line of the chain 23 23a is placed aconpling, 26, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, which, when drawn into the ring on the end sill, will hook the chain to it, and at the same time, by the contact of the inclined faces of the hooks 2oa with the interior of the ring 24, Will automatically sever the end 23a of the chain, so that it may be taken away upon the other car without breakage. The application of the brakes upon the head car of the detached part of the train aii'ords the resistance necessary to secure the instant application of the momentum-brakes upon all the cars so detached, and thus prevent the possibility of these cars running into the other part of' the train.

The lever 8 is fulcrumed in the head of a boltor rod, 30,which passes through the bolster to a connection with a bell-crank, 31. The horizontal arm of this crank has a pitman, 32, passing down to a connection with two levers, 33, which levers are extended down to a position over the springs 34, which support the weight of the car. The fulcrums of these levers 33 are between the springs and the pitman, and are so distanced as to secure that degree of multiplication of power which may be desired, as explained hereinafter. The arrangement and location of the levers 33 are not limited to those shown. They may be in the form of cranks, as given in Fig. 6, or they may run in a direct line, as shown in Fig. 7. Again, they may be At a suitable place put between the car and truck holsters, instead of between the truck-timbers, as illustrated in Fig. G.

Ordinarily the proportions set in the arrangement of the systemof levers will probably besuch as to make a braking stress of one-half the weight upon the wheels, and then any excess will Eind relief by raising the car upon the levers 33. If a higher rate of braking stress is desired, the connecting-point of the chain 7 with the lever 8 can be changed, and any desired rate of braking stress be thus established.

yIt will be seen readily that there is secured an arrangement which, without the use of relief-springs, gages at all times with any weight of load in the car a braking stress which is in a fixed proportion to the weight upon the wheels.

Fig. 4 shows the arrangement of struts 41, connecting the balanced brake-beams with the balancing-.levers 40, which are represented as being pivoted above the car-bolster at equal distances from the center. Fig. 3 shows a section of the same. At the center is placed a pitman, 42, which is to actuate the adjusting device. 40 arethe balancing-levers; 41, the struts or pitmen ofthe same; 42, the pitman for effecting the adjustment; 43, a shalt bearing two crank-arms,one, 44', for the pitman 42, and the other, 44, in the iine of the adjustingbar 45. 42lmay represent a slotted hanger.

The adjusting-bar 45 is held in two hangers, 46, bolted to the stringer of the car. Slots 47, through which it passes, are longer than the width ofthe bar, so that the bar can be depressed. The bar has at the points of supports diagonal slots 48, through which the supporting-pins 49 pass. A long slot, 50, in the IOO bar receives the operating-lever 4. The bar the action of its cam-slots upon the pins 49 compel it to be depressed and take with it the operating-lever 4, thus permitting a reversal ot' position by the levers 3 and 4. The lever 3 is confined in its plane of rotation by the bar 53. lf it is desired to hold the apparatus in a position of disengagement, a brakeman turns. the lever 54, which may be at any place upon the car, and thereby pulls the cord or chain 55, and with it the adjusting-bar, into the position that holds the operating-lever permanently out of engagement.

The operation ofthe apparatus is as follows: When the train has been made up with the levers in a position of disengagement, (or preferabl y so,) the rela-ted positions of the balanced brake-beams and the levers 3 and 4 may or may not be such that they will have proper coincident movements and changes. lo se- IIS cure their correct adjustment, a brakeman will apply for an instant the hand-brake,which ei'ects the setting of the brake-beams in the directionof wheel rotation. Then, if it is not already done, he will turn the disengaging-lever and leave the operating-lever in Aposition for engagement. Thereafter, regardless of the direction in which the carmay be running, the transformations of the apparatus are purely automatic, and will continue as needed` until there may be an engine attached to theother end of the car, when the attention and service of a brakeman will be again required, as just described. Assuming that the car is running forward, the motor-lever is before the operating-lever, and the pulling out of the draw-bar does not affect the brakes. Slow the engine, and the momentum ofthe train will compel a compression of the draw-bar and the swinging inward of the motor-lever. This carries the operatinglever beforeit, and, by pulling upon the chain 7, swings lever 8 and pulls on the brakes. When the intensity ofthe brake application is equal to, say, one-half the weight ofthe car on the wheels, thefulcrum of the lever 8 becomes the more yielding of the two ends of it, and the rod is pulled out, relieving the brake stress. `The rod 30 pulls upon the levers 33 and raises the body of the carin a proportionate degree. The importance of this i'ulcruming ot' the braking stress against the weight ot' the car will be appreciated from the fact that the draw-bar movement is a detinite one, and is actuated by the momentum of the train behind the car rather than by the momentum of the car under consideration.-

'lhis car may be light, while the train may be very heavy, and so, without this system offulcruming, to avoid sliding the wheels it would be Anecessary to so set the brakeslas to never have a braking stress greater than that which anempty car could bear. This would sacrice'much of the power for operating brakes, which is represented by the great momentum of the train and the increased weight ofthe car when loaded. Thecompression ofthe drawbar being continued until the train is stopped, the engine, being backed, occasions a rotation of the wheels in a reversed direction.` This shifts the brakebeams, and they, in changing, depress the operating-lever, permittingthe mot tor-lever to pass it, and then work free while the backing is continued. While backing,

should the engine be slowed, the momentum of the cars will pull out their draw-bars. This brings the motor-lever into engagement with the operating-lever and applies the brakes, and the action of the mechanism continues, as before detailed.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and de-V weight, thereby relieving the braking stress,

substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The equalizer levers 33 and carryingsprings`34, said levers havingi'ulcrums or short arms between the said carrying-sprin gs and the truck-bolster, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the transmittingequalizer 8 with the chains 7, 22, and 23,eacl1 being connected with a separate motor element, for applying the brakes.

4. Thecom bin ation, with an equalizing brakelever, l1, of the take-up devices 14 and 17 18 `19 20, substantiallyv as set forth.

5. The combination ofthe emergency-brake 23 24 25 26 with a momentum-brake.

6. The adjusting-bar 45, controlling the operatinglever 4, having cam slots for raising or depressing it when moved endwise.

7. The combination, with the lever 4, ofthe adjusting-bar 45, engaging spring 5l, guides 48 49, and the disengaging cam-movement 44, as set forth.

S. The combination of the obliquely-slotted adjusting-bar 45, slotted hangers 46, and pin 49, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The combination, with the brake-beains, of the pitmen 41 42, shaft 43, crank -arm's 4 4 44', and adjusting-bar 45, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

DOLPHUS TORREY. Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. LARDNER, C. H. BEJMAN.

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