US440014A - Car-brake - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)' 3 SheetsSheet 1 J. P. CLANCY.

OAR BRAKE.

No. 440.014: Patented Nov 4. 1390.

Wilgcssc John 20mm (No Mbdel.) J P OLANGY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

OAR BRAKE. Nb 440,014. Patented Nov. 4. 1890.

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3 Y 0 N A L O R GAR BRAKE.

Patented Nov. 4 1890.

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JOHN P. CLANCY, OF SCOTTDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,014, datedtNovember 4,1890.

Application filed May 26, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. CLANCY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scottdale, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Car-Brake, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-brakes, and it has for its object to construct what might be termed a momentum brake, which shall be simple in construction and practically automatic in its operation, the construction being such that when the brakes are set upon one car of a train the brake mechanism of the following cars shall be automatically thrown into operation.

The invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts constituting the brake mechanism, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing in an inverted position a cartruck equipped with my improved brake mechanism. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, showing the brake mechanism set. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the brake mechanism released. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken'through one of the forked operatinglevers. Fig. 5 is an end View of a car equipped with my improved mechanism. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view showing the construction of my improved brake mechanism as applied to the locomotive-tender. Fig. 7

is a longitudinal sectional view showing the tender-brake mechanism set. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the tenderbrake mechanism released.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

1 designates the frame of a railway-car truck equipped with my improved brake mechanism. The said frame is constructed in the usual manner, with the center sills 2 2, the outer sills 3 3, and intermediate sills 4 4, all of which are suitably secured to and connected by the end sills 5 5. The ends of the car-frame are provided with draw-heads 6, which are of ordinary construction and which may be adapted for coupling the cars by means of pin and link or in any other Suit- Serial No. 353,189. (No model.)

able manner. Arranged to slide longitudinally at each end of the car under the drawhead 6 is a push-bar 7, provided at its outer end with downward-extending head 8, adapted to engage the push-bar of the next adjoining car. The outer ends of said push-bars are guided in slots or perforations 9 in the vertical end plates 10, which are secured uuder the ends of the center sills of the carframe. The lower ends of said plates 10 are connected with the center sills by means of inclined braces 11, the rear ends'of which form boxes or bearings 12, in which are fulcrumed the bifurcated levers 14, the lower ends of which are connected pivotally with the rear ends of the push-bars 7, so that the said levers 13 shall be actuated by the longitudinally-sliding movement of said push-bars. The upwardly-extending arms of the bifurcated levers 13 are each provided with two perforations, which are connected by chains 15 with the rods 16 and 17, the adjacent ends of which are connected adjustably by turnbuckles 17 The rods 16 and 17 are also provided with links 18 for convenient connection with the brake mechanism.

19 designates a lever, which is pivoted horizontally about centrally under the car-frame. Said lever is connected on opposite sides of its fulcrum with the link-sections 18 of the rods 17 by means of chains 20, having sections formed of strong coiled springs 21, which are for the purpose of permitting the movement of the connecting-rods to continue after the brakes have been set, thus avoiding danger of breakage to the operating mechanism. The ends of the lever 19 are connected by means of rods 22 with arms or levers 23, extending from the brake-bars 21, which are mounted in suit-able hangers 25, suspended from the car-truck, and which are provided at their ends with brake-shoes 26 of ordinary construction. The brakebars 24'are provided with downward-extending arms 27, which are connected by pivoted rods 28 with the brakebars 29, which are suspended by hangers 25, on the opposite sides of the trucks. Hence it will be seen that when the lever 19 is operated the brakes will be simultaneously set or released, as the case may be, according to the direction in which the lever 19 is moved. This, as will be seen, is the ordinary brake mechanism now usually employed, and no novelty is claimed for the same in the present application. One end of the lever 19 is connected with the frame of the car by means of a coiled spring 30, the function of which is to automatically release the brake mechanism, when not actuated, in the manner to be hereinafter described.

Secured to the under side of each of the end sills of the car, adjacent to the slotted or perforated plate 10, is one end of a chain 31,which passes around a pulley 32 at the rear end of the push-bar 7, thence under a pulley 33, mounted in suitable bearings upon the under side of the end sill, thence through a vertical perforation 34 in the said end sill, and to a lever 35, which is journaled or pivoted in suitable bearings upon the upper side of the end sill, transversely to the car, to which the opposite end of said chain 31 is made fast. The lever 35 at each end of the car is provided with a suitable spring-actuated catch 36, adapted to engage any one of a series of notches 37 inthe segmental plates 38, between which the said levers are pivotally mounted. It will be seen that by operating one of the said levers the push-bar 7, at either end of the car, may be thrown in'a forward direction and retained in the position to which it is adjusted by placing the spring-catch 36 in engagement with one of the notches 37.

At one end of the car is arranged a vertical brake-rod 39, provided at its upper end with a hand-wheel 40, by means of which it may be operated. Suitably attached to the said brake-bar near its lower end is a chain 41, which is connected by means of a linkrod 42 with one end of the lever 19, so that by operating the said brake-rod to wind the chain 41 thereon thelever 19 may be operated to set the brakes. Pawl-andmatchet mechanism, as shown at 43 44, is to be employed, when desired, for the purpose of keeping the brakes set. This mechanism for setting the brakes by hand may, when desired, be duplicated at the other end of the car; but in the drawings hereto annexed I have shown it at one end only, this being sufficient to the operation of the device under ordinary circumstances.

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8 of the drawings I have shown my improved brake mechanism as applied to a locomotive-tender. In these figures 45 designates the rear sill of the tenderframe, which is provided with downward-extending plate 46, having the slot 47 for the passage of the push-bar. The latter, which is designated by 48, is provided on its under side with an extension-bar 49, the outer end of which is provided with a downward-extending head or contact-plate 50. It may here be stated that the reason why I extend the contact-plates downwardly from the pushbarsis in order to place them out of the way of the coupling-pins when pins of great or unusual length are used. The extension-bar 49 is connected with the push-bar 48 by means of stirrups 51, and a vertical pin 52 is arranged in aligned perforations 53 in the'pushbar and extension-rod to secure the latter at any desired adjustment. The extension-rod is used in connection with the push-bar upon the tender only for the reason that sometimes coupling-links of unusual length are employed, and it then becomes necessary to extend the push-bar in order to render the brake mechanism operative.

The rear or inner end of the push-bar 48 is extended upwardly, as shown at 54, and is connected with the downward-extending arm of a bifurcated lever 55, the upward-extending arms of which 56 are placed at an obtuse angle to the said downward-extending arms. The upper ends of the arms 56 are connected with the tender-frame by means of springs 57, the function of which is to automatically release the brakes. Ohains 58, which are likewise attached to the upper ends of the arms 56, are passed around pulleys 59 and attached to the ends of a cross-sill 60, which is secured at the projecting end of the piston-rod 61, the piston of which 62 is mounted in a cylinder 63, to which steam may be supplied through a pipe 64 from the boiler of the engine. The tender is provided with independent brake mechanism operated independently by the piston and piston-rod 65 66 in a cylinder 67, which is supplied with steam through a branch 68 of the pipe 64, which said branch is smaller than the main pipe 64. This, as will be seen, is the ordinary steam-brake now employed and no novelty is claimed for it per se in the present application.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: When it is desired to set the brakes upon a train of cars attached to the engine, the engineer admits steam into the cylinders 67 and 63, thus setting the brake mechanism of the tender and causing the piston and piston-rod in the cylinder 63 to be forced in an outward direction, thus transmitting motion through the chains 58 and lever 55 to the push-bar 48, which latter, with its extension 49, is forced in an outward direction. The brakes having been applied to the wheels of the tender, the speed of the latter becomes slackened and the push-bar, or, more properly, the extension of the latter, will come into contact with the adjacent push-bar of the next car in the train by the momentum of the car, which causes it to run forward while the speed of the tender is slackened. Said push-bar being forced in an inward direction will actuate the nearest lever 13, thus pulling upon the chain 15,which is connected at the outer end of said lever, the chain 15, connected to the perforation 14 nearer the fulcrum of said lever,beingmeanwhile slack. Motion will thus be communicated through the medium of the connectingrod 17 and chain 20, having the coiled spring 21, to the lever 19, which is thus actuated to set the brakes of the first car. At the same IIO . It will thus be seen that the lever 13 at the rear end of the car will swing to a greater extent than the lever 13 at the front end of said car, consequently causing the push-bar 7 at the rear endiof the car totbe moved outward from its normal position farther than the push-bar 7 at the front end of the car is moved inward from its normal position. This I consider a very important feature of my invention, for the reason that owing to imperfect connec tions there is always more or less lost 1no tion between the individual cars of a train as well as in the individual brake mechanisms. Oonsequentlyif it were not for theimproved arrangement herein described,whereby the rear push-bar has a greater range of movement than the front push-bar, the brakes might be set tightly upon the first car of a train, while little or no motion would be transmitted to the last cars of the train. It is obvious that the operation as here stated will take place from either end of the car, the mechanism being such that the car is reversibleend for end.

When it is desired to set the brakes by hand, the lever 85 at the rear end of the first car is first actuated to throw the push-bar in an outward direction. The brake mechanism is then set by hand by means of the brakerod 39, and the operation above described is practically repeated.

It will be observed that the rear end of the push-bar of the locomotive-tender is turned in an upward direction for connection with the downward-extending arm of the lever 55. The result is that when the said push-bar is thrown in an outward direction by the steamactuated mechanism herein described and the said push-bar or its extension receives the impact of the push-bar of the next car in the train the principal strain will be upon the fulcrum of the lever 55, which is best fitted to resist such strain.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

The general construction of my improved automatic brake mechanism is simple and of such a nature as to be capable of being easily applied to car-trucks already provided with hand-brake mechanism of ordinary construction. My improved brake mechanism, furthermore, is certain in operation and is not liable to get out of order.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In an automatic brake mechanism for railroadcars, the combination of the brakebars suspended bysuitable hangers, the levers extending from said brake-bars, a lever pivoted horizontally centrally under the can frame, rods connecting the ends of said lever with the levers extending from the brake-bars, and suitable connections between the ends of the horizontal lever and push-bars mounted to slide longitudinally under the draw-head at the ends of the car-frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car-brake, the combination of the car-frame, the vertical plates secured under the main sills of the same, the push -bars mounted to slide longitudinally in slots in the said plates, braces connecting the lower ends of the latter with the center sills of the car and having boxes or bearings at their upper ends, the bifurcated levers mounted in said boxes or bearings and connected pivotally at their lower ends with the said push-bars, and suitable connections between the upward-ex tending arms of said levers and the brake mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car-brake, the combination, with the car-frame, of the longitudinally-sliding pushbars at the ends of the frame, the brake mechanism, levers connected with and actuated by the push-bars, a lever connected with and actuating the brake mechanism, connectingrods connected directly with the brake-actuatirig lever, and chains connecting each connecting-rod with one of the levers actuated by the push-bars at different distances from the fulcrums of said levers, substantially as set forth.

4. In a car-brake, the combination of the push-bars, the bifurcated. levers connected with and actuated by said pushbars, the chains attached to the forked arms of said levers at different distances from their f ulcrums, the rods connected with said chains, the horizontal lever connected with said rods, and the brake mechanism connected with and actuated by said horizontal lever, substantially as set forth.

5. In a car-brake, the combination of the brake-bars mounted in suitable hangers, the link-rods connecting said brake-bars with a lever pivoted horizontally under the carframe, the longitudinally-sliding push-bars at the ends of the car-frame, and the rods and links forming connections between the bifurcated levers actuated by the said push-bars, and the horizontal brake-operating lever, substantially as set forth.

6. In a car-brake, the combination of the brake-bars, a lever mounted horizontally under the car-frame, linkrods connecting the ends of said lever with the brake-bars, the horizontal sliding push-bars arranged under the ends of the car, the bifurcated levers connected with said push-bars, the link-rods each having its ends connected by two separate chains with the upward-extending arms of the bifurcated levers at different distances from the fulcrums of said levers, and the chains having interposed springs connecting the said link-rods with the ends of the horizontal brake-operatin g lever, substantially as set forth.

7. In a car-brake, the combination, with the brake-actuating push-bars mounted to slide horizontally under the end sills of the carframe and provided with pulleys at their rear ends, of chains attached to the under sides of the end sills, passing over the pulleys at the rear ends of the push-bars, over suitable guide-p ulleys, upward through perforations in the end sills, and attached to operating-levers by means of which the said push-bars maybe thrown in an outward or forward direction, substantially as set forth.

8. In a car-brake, the combination of the brake-bars mounted in suitable hangers, linkrods connecting the said brake-bars with the ends of a lever mounted horizontally under the car-frame, the horizontally-sliding pushbars mounted under the ends of the car-frame, the bifurcated levers connected with said push-bars, link-rods and chains connecting the said levers, the chains having interposed springs connecting the link-rods with the horizontal brake-operating lever, and mechanism for throwing the said brake-actuating pushbars in an outward or forward direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a car-brake, the combination of the brake-bars suspended in suitable hangers under the car-frames, horizontal levers mounted under the car-frames, the link-rods connecting the ends of the said levers with the brakebars, the horizontally-sliding push-bars ar-' ranged under the ends of the car-frames, the bifurcated levers connected with said pushbars, the rods and chains connecting the said bifurcated levers, the chains having interposed springs connecting the connecting-rods with the brake-actuating levers, the springs the push-bar in an outward or forward direc tion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I v

11. In a car-brake, the combination, with a push-bar arranged to slide longitudinally under the tender, of a longitudinally-adjustable extension-bar mounted upon the said pushbar, and mechanism for throwing the latter in 'an outward and forward direction against the tension of a retracting-spring, substantially as set forth. v

12. In a car-brake, the combination of the brake mechanism arranged under the cars, the longitudinallysliding push bars connected with said brake mechanism to actuate thev latter, mechanism whereby the rear pushbar shall be moved outwardly a greater distance than the inward movement of the front push-bar, a push-bar mounted'under the engine-tender, and mechanism for throwing the latter push-bar in an outward or forward direction against the tension of a retractingspring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. v

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN P. CLANOY. Witnesses:

J. O. MORROW, EDWARD L. RUTHERFORD.

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