US467060A - Pneumatic railway brake - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. SOULERIN.

PNEUMATIC RAILWAY BRAKE.

No. 467,060. Patented Jan. 12, 1892.

Fig- 3-- WITNESSES ATTOHNEYJ' mums PEYEIS ca, HMO-Luna" hummer n c (No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 2.

L. SOULERIN.

PNEUMATIC RAILWAY BRAKE.

N0. 467,060. Patented Jan. 12, 1892.

Arm/mm TMK norms Finns 120., PNDTD-LIYHO., WASHINGYQN, n, (:4

(No Modl.) 4 SheetsSheet 3.

L. SOULERIN. PNEUMATIC RAILWAY BRAKE.

No. 467,060. Patented Jan. 12, 1892.

WITNESSES NVENTOR a @MM PQ'M 8mm w (11X Q NrTED STATES PATENT FFICE.

LEON SOULERIN, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

PNEUMATIC RAILWAY-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,060, dated January 12, 1892.

Application filed January 17, 1888- Serial No. 261,066. (No model.) Patented in Belgium March 31, 1886, No. 72,575, and May 20,1886,No.73,197; in France August 31,1886, No. 178,265; in Italy September 30, 1886,1lo.20,526; in Spain October 29, 1886, No, 9,720: in England October 29, 1886, No. 13,890, and in Germany May 18, 1887, No. 44,697.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEON SOULERIN, engineer, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at 4 Rue Marsollier, Paris, in the said Republic, have inven ted certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Railway Brakes, (for which patents have been obtained in Great Britain, dated October 29, 1886, No. 13,890; in France, dated August 31, 1886, No. 178,265; in Belgium, dated March 31, 1886, No. 72,575, and May 20, 1886, No. 73,197; in Germany, dated May 18, 1887, No.14,697; in Italy,

September 30, 1886, No. 20,525, and in Spain,

dated October 29, 1886, No. 9,720,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for operating railway-brakes either by means'of compressed air or by means of rarefied air or vacuum.

In carrying out this invention with reference to compressed-air brakes the locomotive 2 (or other convenient part ofthe train) is provided with an air-pump and a steam-pump operating the air-pump, a main compressedair reservoir, and an engineers valve. Each vehicle com posing thetrain carries apparatus illustrated in section in Figure 2, and consisting of a distributing-valve S, an auxiliary compressed-air reservoir B and a brake-cylinderF, containing one or more pistons or diaphragms operated by the compressed air, as

hereinafter described. The air compressed by the pump is conducted to the main reservoir, in which it is stored for use as required, its exit therefrom being governed by the engineeris valve, through which it must pass to the main pipe Z extending along the train. The compressed air from the main reservoir passing through the engineers valve enters trols the communication between the auxiliary air-reservoir and the brake-cylinder, while the other controls the communication between the brake-cylinder and the air. The diaphragms m n are connected by a rod upon which is mounted a valve a, and the diaphragms p q are'connected together by means of a hollow rod 19 in which is fitted a check-valve 5. To this hollow rod is also fixed another valve f. The upper side of the diaphragm p and the lower side of the diaphragm q are in free communication with the external atmosphere. When the full pressure is turned into the brake-pipe, the compressed air from the main reservoir is admitted through the opening 1) into a space between the diaphragms u and 1). It passes thence through the hollow connecting-rod 19*, and, lifting the valve 5 therein, enters'by a passage Z the auxiliary reservoir, and also fills the space between the valve a and diaphragm n, which diaphragm, thus submitted on both sides to very nearly equal pressures, will retain the valve a to its seat, and the diaphragm '1), being about equal in area to the diaphragm q of the valve f, will also rest on its seat, but withoutmuch pressure. Whenever the pressure is reduced in the brake-pipe, the valve '3 in the hollow connecting-rod will be pressed against its seat, and the compressed air contained in the auxiliary reservoir, acting on the outer surface of the diaphragm q, will 9 cause the valve f to rest heavily on its seat, while the pressure of the air on the under surface of the diaphragm n will cause the valve a to be lifted and allow the air to pass brake-cylinder, and the brakes will be applied. The introduction of pressure in the brake-pipe will cause the valve a to return to its seat and the valvef to be raised in such a manner as to let out into the atmosphere, through the exhaust-outlet d, the compressed air which had worked in the brake-cylinder, and thus the brakes will be removed.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a modified construction of distributing-valve when working with air-pressure brakes. It consists of two independent pairs of pistons m n and p q. The rod which connects the pair of pistons 19 and q is carried upward, and a valve f is fastened to it to close when required the exhaust-passage cl from the brakecyliuder to the atmosphere. The other rod, which connects the pair of pistons m and 12, carries avalve a, of such a diameter that with a small lift it will provide a sufficient opening for the passage of the air from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder. The pistons m, 71,13, and q are all provided with leather packings, the edges of which are turned, as shown in the drawings. The valve a is at least of equal area to that of the piston q, so that the closing of the valve f can always be insured before the valve or is lifted up. As long as the brakes are not to be applied the compressed air enters the distributing-valve through the opening I) and passes around the pistons 19 and n into the reservoir by the passage Z. At the same time the pressure, acting under the piston q, raises the 'valvef and keepst-he exhaust of the brakecylinder open. The air-pressure also acts upon the valve (1, therebykeeping the passage from the reservoir to the brake-cylinder closed. When the air-pressure is reduced in the main pipe, the air contained in the reservoir presses the leather packings of the pistons 19 and 92 against the valve-casing, causing the said pistons to move inward and the valve f to close the exhaust-passage of the brake-cylinder, and at the same time causing the valve a to be lifted up so as to allow the air contained in the reservoir to enter the brake-cylinder by the passage Y and apply the brakes. A lever Z, attached to the spindle of the valvef, may be acted upon by means of wires m and a to raise the valve f, so as to allow the brakes to be released from any suitable part of the train when they have been applied automatically.

In order to enable the engineer to release the pressure in the brake-cylinder by degrees smaller than the ratio-- area 0t 1) area of n.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a form of my distributingvalve as constructed for use with automatic vacuum brakes. This valve is similar in construction to the last described, except that the edges of all the piston leather packings are turned in the reverse directions and the valvesf and a are arranged to close when pressed upward instead of when pressed downward, as in Fig. 3. As long as a vacuum is maintained in the main pipe the brakes are off and the air is drawn from the reservoir, it passing around the edges of the leather packings of the pistons 19 and 11 while the valve (4- is pressed against its seat by the outer pressure of air acting upon the piston m, the outer face of which piston is larger than its inner face. To apply the brakes, a certain amount of air is allowed to enter the main pipe, whereupon the piston 91 will be forced downward by the pressure of the air upon the upper face thereof and the valve (1- opened, thereby admitting air from the brake-cylinder into the reservoir until the vacuum above the piston m has become such as to cause the valve a to be again seated. At the same time, by the pressure beneath the piston 13 the valve f is closed, so as to cut off the communication between the brakecylinder and the outside air. When the vacuum is restored again in the main pipe,.

the valve f is drawn downward and air enters the brake-cylinder past the valvef, so as to release the brakes.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modification of the distributing-valve for vacuum-brakes, in which, instead of the seat-valvef, a piston-valve f is fitted to slide in a cylinder and provided with leather packing, the edge of which is turned upward. Then this piston-valve f is at the lower end of its stroke, the brake-cylinder communicates through the passage (1 with the outer air and the brakes are applied. As the lower face of the pistonf is always submitted to the same vacuum-pressure as that existing in the brake-cylinder, the release of the brakes can be gradual, and in order to prevent the valve (L from being removed from its seat during the release of the brakes and the valveffrom opening during the setting of area of f the brakes the area of m area of n.

In the distributing-valves hereinbet'ore described, both in working with air-pressure and with vacuum power, conical or flat valves, such as are shown at a and f, Fig. 3, are used in preference to sliding valves, so as to reduce to the smallest possible amount the volumes swept or generated by the pistons in the said distributing-valves. The reduction of such volumes is of importance, as thereby an increased quickness in the distribution of the reduction or increase of the pressure along the brake apparatus contained in a train is obtained, and consequently stoppages may be eflected within a short distance and with less of a shock or jerk on the cars.

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An important feature'of this invention is that by the use of the differential pistons m Let Sn and Sm be the respective areas of the pistons n and m; Pp and Pr be the absolute pressures of the air in the main brake-pipe.

and the air in the reservoir, respectively, and Put the atmospheric pressure. Then the pressure Pf in the brake-cylinder will be approximately PfzSZJPw-Pgfld-Pa in both the air-pressure and the vacuum distributing-valves. Then if Sn and Sm are equal, or thereabout, the amount of pressure acting' upon the brakes will be nearly equal to the amount of reduction produced in the brake-pipe, either in the air-pressure or in the vacuum, as the case may be. The engineer will consequently be enabled to regu-- late, as needed, the brake-power when provided with either a vacuum automatic brake or with an air-pressure automatic brake. WVhen it is desirable to obtain a complete application of the brakes for a partial reduction either in the pressure or in the Sn vacuum in the main p1pe,I make 1.

the reservoir, then I makeuga 1. Practically this latter case is useful only when working with air-pressure. \Vhen it is required to reduce in the brake-cylinder the air-pressure below what it is in the reservoir and at the same time to obtain a full application of brakes for a partial reduction of pressure in the main pipe, an auxiliary apparatus S is provided, as shown in Fig. 7, between the distributing-valve S and the brake-cylinder. This auxiliary apparatus contains two pistons a and m and a valve a, like the pistons m and n and the valve (1 in the distributer; butwhile in the distrib uter I make S3 1 I make in the auxiliary apparatus I l 1, so as to agree with the sought-for exwhich the valve a in the auxiliary apparatus S remains closed, whatever may be the subsequent reduction of the pressure in the brakepipe. \Vhen brakes are to be released, pressure is reintroduced in the brake-pipe, which causes the valve a in the distributer S to be set against its seat and the valve f to be lifted up. Then the air which had gone into the brake-vessel to apply the brakes escapes into the atmosphere through the passage cl, the valve f being raised.

In the distributer S the space above the piston m does not communicate with the escape-passage d, as in the case of Fig. 3. In

the auxiliary apparatus 5* the spaces above the piston n and below the piston m communicate with the outside air.

Figs. 8 and 9 show how the improved distributing-valve can be modified in order to make it work, in combination with two main brake pipes, as a duplex brakethat is to say, as a plain brake or as an automatic brakethe plain brake pipe being connected with the distributing-valve at M in each construction. 'l wo valves a and b" are provided to close the outlet from the brake-cylinder, sothat when working with the plain brake alone the cylinder cannot communicate with the outer air through the passage d,'fitted with the valve f, hereinbefore referred to.

Fig. 8 shows the application of the plain brake pipe connection M to the construction of distributer shown in Fig. 3 for the automatic compressed-air system, and the connections of the distributers to the main pipe, brake-cylinder, and auxiliary reservoir being as described with reference to Fig. 3. In this case the valve ta is normally held to its seat by a spring to close the connection M to the pressure-pipe for the plain compressed-air system, While at the same time the valve b on the same stem as the valve a is normally drawn away from its seat. Hence under ordinary conditions the distri'buterS is adapted to operate on the automatic system; but when pressure is supplied at M from the plain system brake pipe the valve a will be pushed back from its seat by the pressure, while the valve b will close the connection to the atmosphere and the compressed air will find its way to the brake-cylinder to apply the brakes.

Fig. 9 shows the application of the plain vacuum brake pipe connection to the construction of distributer shown in Fig. 5 for the automatic vacuum system, and the connections are as described with reference to Fig. 5. In this construction the valves a and b are on the same stem and are normally in the positions shown-that is, the former closed and the latter openedand this continues so long as the device works on the an I brake the valve b is closed against its seat, while when working as an automatic brake alone the valve a" is applied against its seat, so as to prevent any communication between the brake-cylinder and the plain brake pipe.

Fig. 10 is a section of another form of distributing-valve, in which n m are two pisin position to establish a communication between the brake-cylinder and the outside air.

\Vhen full pressure is maintained in the brake-pipe, the compressed air enters the reservoir by passing round the paokings of the pistons 01 and 1), while the valvef, under the action of the spring 7t, will be in the position to establish a communication between the brakecylinder and the outside air through X, and the pressure of the leather packing of the pisten 1) against the cylinder in 'which it works will be practically nothing so long as full pressure is maintained in the brake-pipe. \Vhen a reduction of the pressure in the brake-pipe takes place, the leather packings of the pistons n and p will be forced against the sides of their cylinders by the pressure of the air in the reservoir, and the valve a will be raised from its seat, while at the same time the pressure, acting on the piston 19, will move the valve f against the pressure of the spring it, so as to close the communication between the brake-cylinder and the outside air, and consequently the brakes will be applied.

According to another modification of the distributer (shown in Fig. 11) the chamber a communicates with the brake-pipe at u, and the auxiliary reservoir is charged directly from the pipe and is provided with a retaining valve 7c. The brake-cylindercommunicates at o with the upper side of the diaphragm or piston 19, the rod of which carries the valve f, which, when the brakes are on, is pressed against its seat by the action of the pressure in the brake-cylinder and of a properlyadjusted spring f. The brake-cylinder also communicates at o with the space above the diaphragm m. Upon the reintroduction of pressure in the brake-pipe such pressure by acting on the under side of the diaphragm will lift the valve f from its seat and cause the brakes to be released. Two other diaphragms or pistons n m are arranged to work in separate chambers beneath the diaphragm p, but connected together by a rod which is provided with a valve 6!, to act in the same manner and for the like purpose, as described with reference to the previous con structions.

I wish it to be understood that in the claims hereinafter set forth I have used the term piston in a sufficiently comprehensive sense to include a flexible diaphragm, except in those claims in which the other elements of the combinations defined do not admit of this wide meaning, and I further wish it to be understood that I use the term brake-cylinder as applicable to any well-known form of such cylinder or vessel, whether having a piston or diaphragm and whether operatingby pressure or vacuum.

I claim as my invention- 1. A distributer for pneumatic brake systems, having two separate valves, one controlling t-he communication between the auxiliary reservoir and the brake-cylinder, and the other controlling the communication between the brake-cylinder and the atmosphere, with independent pistons to operate said valves independently, substantially as described.

2. A distributer for pneumatic brake systems, having two separate and independent valves, one controlling the communication between the auxiliary reservoir and the brakecylinder and the other controlling the communication between the brake-cylinder and the atmosphere, with a pair of differential pistons to operate the first-named valve, all substantially as described.

3. A distributer for pneumatic brake sys tems, having a valve controlling the communication between the brake-cylinder and the atmosphere, in combination with an inde pendent valve controlling the communication between the auxiliary reservoir and the brakecylinder, and two pairs of pistons, each pair operating one of the valves, and each pair of pistons being connected to each other, but in dependent of the other pair, all substantially as described.

4. A distributer for pneumatic air-brake systems, having two independent valves, one controlling the communication between the auxiliary reservoir and the brake-cylinder, while the other controls the communication between the brake-cylinder and the atmosphere, in combination with independent pistons carrying the independent valves, the pistons which are open to the main brake pipe, having cup-leather packing to allow the air to pass around the pistons in one direction, but not in the other, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEON SOULERIN.

\Vitnesses:

R0131. M. Hoorna, J. B. BOURNE,

Both of Paris, France.

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