US696901A - Car-brake. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 696,90I. Patented Apr. I, I902.

' 0. B. FAIRCHILB.

UAR BRAKE.

(Applicatiori filed July 2, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITE STaTns ATnT WFFICE.

CHARLES B. FAIRCHILD, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO EDIVARD T. POSTLETHIVAITE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,901, dated April 1, 1902 Application filed July 2, 1901. Serial No. 66,854. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. FAIROHILD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, New York, have invented certain Improvements in Car-Brakes,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in devices for controlling the speed of cars, and more particularly to an improved IO form of mechanical brake for electric cars.

The object of my invention is to provide a braking device for a car which while being simple in construction shall be powerful in action and easily and quickly applied, a further object being to reduce the space necessarily occupied by the braking mechanism on the platform of a car. These objects I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side View of one end of a streetcar, showingthe application of my improved braking device thereto. Fig. 2 is a side View, partly in section, showing the detail construction of the brake mechanism. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of part of the cable-drum, showing one method of attaching the cable thereto; and Fig. 4 is a view of a modification of my device.

In the above drawings, A is a street-car of the ordinary construction mounted ona single truck, one end of which is shown at a. Brakegear, which may be of any desired type, is shown at B, this being operated by means of a brake-rod b. This rod is fastened at its forward end by means of an eyebolt b to a cylinder 0, closed at one end and provided at its other end with a threaded nut c. A projection o from the lower side of the nut c is constructed to be supported and guided on a horizontal bar (I, which forms part of a framework designed to support my improved device. The bar 01 is carried and braced at its rear end by two inclined pieces d, the forward end thereof being attached to a vertical member (:1 Journaled in this vertical piece is a shaft E, provided with a collar e, by which it is prevented from moving later ally, and it has keyed to its outboard end a cable-drum F. The greater portion of the shaft is threaded, as shown, being constructed to fit the threaded nut c and to operate therein. Several turns of a rope or cable II are placed on the drum F, and one end of the same is passed upwardly through an elongated opening in the platform A of the car, over a pulley 7t, just under the hood of the car, and down through a second similar opening in the platform to the drum, to which it is suitably fastened. 1 preferably attach the cable to the drum as shown in Fig. 3, in which F is a section of the drum through which a U-shaped staple f is passed, this staple being threaded at one end and having a nut f and washer-f I preferably inclose the operating mechanism of my device Within acasing I, preferablybolted to the under side of the car-platform. By this means dust or grit is kept from the bearing-surfaces of the device, thereby greatly increasing its life and usefulness. The connecting part between the brake-rod and the nut c is not necessarily made as a cylinder, although this is my preferred construction on account of the better protection of the screw from dust, 850.

In the operation of my device a motorman grasps one of the vertical lengths of rope and to set the brakes pulls downwardly on-the section h, thereby revolving the cable-drum with its threaded shaft, causing the nut c to travel thereon toward the drum and through the cylinder, putting a greater or less degree of tension on the brake-rod b, and thereby forcing the brake-shoes against the car-wheels in the well-known manner. When it is desired to release the brakes, the other vertical length of rope is pulled downwardly, thus running the nut 0 toward the end of the threaded shaft and allowing releasing-springs of any of the well-known forms to draw the brake-shoes away from the wheels. Should the operating-rope at any time become slack, the drum F may be revolved until one end of the rope is readily accessible, when the staple holding it is loosened. It isthen pulled through the staple until a sufficient tension has been obtained, after which the nut f is screwed up, securely retaining the said rope in position.

In designing the screw on the shaft E the threads are given a pitch which will be sufficient to prevent the shaft from being revolved by the tension on the brake-rod. When thus constructed, it will be seen that the use of skilled in the art.

ratchet mechanism will be unnecessary, the cable-drum having no tendency to turn when the brake is set and the whole mechanism remaining in any position without requiring to be held. It is obvious that the screw may be fixed to the brake-rod and the nut be made the movable member of the device without departing from my invention.

In providing a rope to be used on my improved device I preferably employ what is known as tiller-cable, this particular variety of rope being exceedingly strong and flexible-and easily running over even very small pulleys.

It will be seen that the cable-operating part of my invention is not confined to the specific combination with a screw and threaded nut, as, if desired, it may be constructed as shown in Fig. at, in which the ropes or cables are passed around pulleys j under the car-platform and taken to a horizontally-placed cable-drum. This drum is supported on a vertical shaft suitably held in bearings 7c and the brake-chain e at the end of the brakerod being held thereto by means of an eyebolt 6 in the manner well known to those By manipulating the sections h and IL2 of the rope as above set forth the chain is wound or unwound from the shaft and the brakes set or released accordingly.

It will be understood that when it is desired to apply my improved braking mechanism to a double-truck car the cable-drum, with its attached parts, is placed under the center of the car between the trucks. The operating rope or cable then passes from the drum to one end of the car, up through'the platform, as shown in the figures, then down and under the whole length of the car to the other platform, over pulleys similar to those on the first platform, and then back to the drum, there being guiding-pulleys provided where necessary.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that my improved mechanism permits of the most efficient use of his power by the motorman or other person operating the same. In action the entire weight of the operator is available to pull downwardly on the rope and set the brake, while very much less force can ordinarily be used where the strength of the operator can only be exerted in a horizontal direction when pulling or pushing on a brakehandle, and that only at a great disadvantage at certain points. Itis, moreover, to be noted that the position necessary in applying my brake is a perfectly natural one to the opera tor, requiring no unusual or uncomfortable action on his part.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination in a device for operatin g the brake-gear of a car, of a shaft, a drum thereon, a rope partly wound on the drum, and a pulley over which a loop of said rope extends, with means for operatively connecting the brake-gear of the car to the said shaft,

the said loop of rope extending within the reach of an operator substantially as described.

2. The combination of a car, brake-gear thereon, a threaded shaft on the car, a nut on said threaded shaft, the brake-gear being connected to said nut, a drum fixed to the shaft, a pulley on the platform of the car and a rope partially wound on the drum and extending over the pulley on the platform within reach of an operator thereon substantially as described.

3. The combination with a car and the braking mechanism thereof, of a nut and a threaded shaft, thesame comprising members of which one is revoluble, a drum fixed to the revoluble member, a connection between the brake-gear and the second member and arope extending around the drum whereby the device may be operated substantially as described.

4. The combination with a car having brake-gear, of a threaded shaft supported in bearing from said car, a drum keyed to said shaft, a rope wound on saiddrum for turning the same, a nut constructed to fit the threaded shaft and a casing attached to the said not and extending around the end of said shaft, said casing being connected to the brake-gear, substantially as described.

5. In a device for operating the brake-gear of a car, the combination of a member fixed to prevent longitudinal motion; and a second member fixed to prevent rotary motion, a drum fixed to the first member, means wound on said drum whereby it may be made to revolve and a connection between the second member and the brake-gear, with means constructed to guide and support said second member as it is moved longitudinally, substantially as described.

6. The combination in a device of the character described, of a frame hung from the bottom of a-car, a threaded shaft journaled in one of the members thereof, a threaded nut operative on the shaft and connected to the brake-gear of the car, said not being guided on said frame,.a drum on the shaft and a rope whereby said drum is made to revolve, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a car, brake-gear therefor, athreaded shaft supported from said car, a drum thereon, a threaded nut operative on the shaft, a casing surrounding the shaft and its cooperative parts, and a rod connected to the brake-gear of the car extending through an opening in said casing and connected to said threaded nut, with means wound upon the drum for turning the same, substantially as described.

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

CHARLES B. FAIROHILD.

Witnesses:

-WILLIAM E. BRADLEY,

FLORENCE HILLMAN.

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