USRE12158E - Air-brake - Google Patents

Description

REISSUED SEPT. 22, 1903'.

-T. J. QUIRK. AIR BRAKE MBGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED .TUNE 22, 1903.

2' SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 12,15s- REISSUED SEPT. 22, 1903v f T. J. QUIRK.

AIR BRAKE MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED .T UNE 22, 1903.

21SEEETS-SHBT 2.

all; i

Wwf: .TW/eys I UNITED STATES Reissued September 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

AIR-BRAK-EMCHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Reissued Letters Patent No. 12,158, dated September 22, 1,903. Original No. 726,459. dated April Z8, 1903. Application for reissue filed Tune 22, 1903. Serial No, 162,502.

. provements in Air-Brake Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention,

.such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it Aappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. v

My invention relates to improvements in automatic air-brakes, and more particularly to certain novel attachments which actin conjunction with the air-brakes proper to overcome certain'defects in the present system which area fruitful cause of accidents. As at present constructed and operated should obstructions in the brake-pipe occur from any cause whatever the service is necessarily (lev stroyed and the brakes cannot be set by the engi-neer. Again, should .the supply of -air under pressure in the brake-pipe be reduced below an effective point through failure of the pump to wonk or by accidental shutting olii of the air-supply through wrong position of either of the eng'ineers-brake-valve handle o r any of the angle-cocks the eectiveuess of the present brake system would again bede stroyed. li

The objedtpf the present invention is to provide for the"` contingencies above outlined by producing a practically perfect system which will be equal to any emergency which may arise. This object is.attained through the instrumentality, first, of an automatic device adapted for removable engagement with the 'brake and signal pipes at the rear of the train by meansof which the two pipes are so connected with each other that the pressure in the signal-pipe Iwill be Aautomatically utilized to set the brakes in the event of failure of the brake-pipe to properly perform its function and in case it is necessary toset` the brakes while the` trouble existsl in the brake-pipe to automatically bleed the brake-pipe tosjet they brakes after emptying the signal* pipe by hand; second, of an improved attlhnlent inf* operativeengagementwith the signalnine means of which the automatic operation of the device outlined above is preventedduring the ordinary braking" of thetrain by the engineer and without interference with the func'-l tions of the signal system; third, of certain otherimproved details of construction, all of which will be more fully hereinafter described, aud pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, cpnsisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a portion of an automatic air-brake system provided'with mechanism` embodying .the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view, in vertical section, of my improved automatic deviceV which connects the brake andI signal pipes at the rear of the train. Fig. 3 is a-detail View, in central vertical section, of animproved regulating-valve. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the connection with the engineers brake-valve. Fig. 5 isa central vertical section of the signal-valve. Fig. 6 is a similar section of a regulating-valve in the pipe connecting the lower chamber of the signal-valve with the signal-pipe. tional views, on an enlarged scale, showing the locking devices for the two automatic valves.

present automatic air-brake to which my im-` -provements are applied are shown in Fig. 1

in diagrammatic form, as follows: l is the engineers brake-valve, and 2 is the operatingf handle. zontal brake-pipes for holding air at pressure of seventy pounds and upward and leading frolnthe valve 1 to the rear of the train. 5 is the pipe leading from the' Valve 1 t0 the main reservoir.- (Not shown.) 6 is the signatpipe, leading from the cab to the rear of the train. 7 is the signaLval-ve, connected to the'r signal-pipe 6 by the piping 8. 9 is the whistle, connected to the signal valve 7 through piping 10. 1l is a pipe connecting the lower chamber of the signal-valve 7 with the pipe 8. The system of piping -12 c'onnects the signal-pipe 6 through` ,pipe 8 with. In'

-pipe 5, leading to the main reservoir. this pipe '19 is the reducing-valve 13 to re- Figs. 7 and 8 are sec-- 3 and 4 are the vertical and horil and the engineers-brake-valve handle by 8o Referring tothe drawings, the parts of the IOC duce. the pressure in the signal-pipes 6 and 8 'toforty-ve pounds.

-My improvedautomatic device, 'locatedat y such device when in use.

' tained within the casing 14 and fully shown 'pipe 6 by means of the hose 17 in Fig. 2 is as follows: Within the casing 14 and communicating with the hose 16 is the passage 18, leading to the two branch passages 19 and 20, which unite in the common passage 2`l, communicating with the signals at the opposite end of the casing 14. An auxiliary passage 22 opens into the branch passage 19 and com mnnicates with a passagein t-he hook l5, which is controlled by the stop-cock 23 in such passage. In the passage 19 is located an enlarged piston-chamber 24 for the operative reception of a piston 25, connected to a piston-rod 26, which extends through and beyond a-pcrforated wall 27 in the passage and carries at its extreme end a valve 28 for opening and closing an exhaust-port 29 in the passage 19. This valve isheld in tight sliding contact with the wall of the passage 19 by a spring 30. Upon the piston-rod 26, between the valve 2S and the piston-chamber 24, is rigidly secured 'an auxiliary piston 31. 39 indicates a'spring' coiled about the pistourod 26 between the piston 25 and wall 27 and which tends to hold the pistons and valve in the position shown in Fig. Extending downfrom the passage lilis a chamber 32,l in which operates a piston 33, between which and the lower end of the chamber 32 is a spring 34. Secured to the npper'side of the pistonv 33 isa locking-rod 35, the upper end ofwhich is beveled and extends into the passage 19 through a hole-in the wall thereof, as shown. This rod 35 is movablyseated in a socket in the upper side of the piston 33 and is held up by a spring36,which permits it to be depressed independently of its piston. The hole in the wall of the passage 19 through which the locking-rod 'passes is but slightly larger than said rod, so that only a restricted opening is left for the passage of air to andfrom the chamber 32, which causes a tardy movement of the piston 33. AIn the bottom of the chamber 32 and in the passage 19, between the piston 31 and the wall 27 of the piston-chamber 24, are exhaust-openings 37 and 38, which allow the escape of air and prevent the formation of air-cushions in said chamber and passage. In the passage 20 is located an enlarged piston-chamber 40 for the"A operativev reception ofthe piston 41, connected to a piston-rod 42. Upon the outer end of this piston-rod 42 is avalve 43 for opening and closing an exhaust-port 44 in the passage v ment with the brake-valve 20. This valve is held in tight sliding contact with the wall of the passage 20 by the spring 45. Upon the piston-rod 42, between the valve 43 and the piston-chamber 40, is lixed the auxiliary piston 46. 54 is a spring arra-ngedbetwee'n the piston 41 and righthand end of the to hold the pistons and valve in the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the exhaust-port 44 is closed. Extending chamber 40 is a chamber 48, in which operates a piston 49, between which and the lower end of the chamber 48 is the spring 50. The piston '49v carries a locking-rod 51, the upper end of which is beveled and extends into the passage 20 th`roiigha hole in the wall of said passage. This lockingrod 5l is movably seated in a socket in the piston 49 and is pressed upwardly by a spring 52, which permits of its automatic engagement and disengagement with the piston 41. In the bottom of the chamber 48 and in the passage 20, between the pistons 41 and 46, are escape-passages 53 and 47, which prevent the formation down from the piston-v piston-chamber and tending of air-cushions in said chamber and passage. v

My improved device, connecting the engineers-brake-valve handle and the signalpipe, is arranged as follows, (see Figs. 1, 3, and 4:) 55 is a pipo the lower endof which communicates W th the signal-pipe 8. Upon its upperend is mounted a casing 56, in which is arranged a pressure-reducer and a regulatng-valve. 'Ihe pressure-reducer consists of the cylindrical weight 57, adapted for vertical movement under pressure in the chamber 5S upon the guide-rod 59. This chamber .has at its lower end the exhaust-opening 60.

Below this pressure-reducer is located a cylindrical valve 61, seated in a cylindrical socket 62 at right angles to the passage 63 in the pipe 55. Diametrically across this valve is arranged a passage '64, adapted to form a continuation of the pipe-.passage 63. One endv of this valve-passage 64 is widened, as at 65, to throw the pipe-passage 63 in communica.- tion with the exhaust-opening 6G. The valve Gl has an operating-lever 67 rigidly secured thereto, such lever '67 being connected to the engineers-bralie-valve handle 2 by a rod 68. The end 'of this rod U8 which is in engagehandle is p rovided with the elongated slot 69, adapted for the sliding reception of the pin 70 on the brakevalve handle. When the brake-valve handle is turned to lap position, the passage 640i the valve (il is in proper position to allow the air from the signal-pipe to pass up into the weight-valve 57 5S, which is set for 'a pressure of twenty pounds, the surplus pressure escaping through the exhaust-openin g 60. The noise of this escaping air will serve as Va warning to notify the engineer when he is not braking that his brake-valve handle isnot in its proper position'.

My improved connections between the signal-valve andthe signal-pipe are arranged as follows: The signal-valve 7, which is shown IOL TIO

. ing upon its valve-seat 78 in the pipe 11. The

in section in Fig. and is of well-known con- A struction, has the upper chamber 7l and the lower chamber 72, separated by the exible diaphragm 73. Under my improved arrangement I place the lower chamber 72 of the valve in communication with the signal-pipe S by means of the pipe 11, which is provided with the controlling-valve 74, (shown in sectionin Fig. 6,) in which 75 4is la chamber provided with the removable screw-threaded cap 76. Within this chamber is the cup-valve 77, restspiral spring 79, seated in the cup-valve 77 and having its upper end in bearing contact lwith the cap 79, serves to normally hold such valve in close contact with its seat.

2 represemts a valve located in the cab and controlling the signal-pipe 8"` and having an operating-handle 80, by Which`\the valve can be moved to open and close said pipe.

The operationl of my improved apparatus just described in detail is as follows: After the necessary pressure has been obtained in both the brake and signal pipes v4 andf6 to prepare the system for'eft'ective service should the pressure be reduced below an effective point, either through the failure of the pump to maintainthe proper pressure or from any vaccidental obstruction in the brake-pipe 4 without the lknowledge of the engineer, the apparatus in the passage 19 (see Fig. 2) operates automatically vas follows: Theproper -pressure for the -brake-pipe through pipe 16 and passage 18 is usuallyseventy pounds to the square inch, which is exerted againstthe auxiliary piston 31, which serves, with the aid of the spring 39, to hold .the piston 25 in the extreme right end of`the chamber- 24"against che pressure on the opposite side of the piston l 25 coming from the signal-pipe 6 through pipe 17and passage 2 1, usually forty-Ii ve poundsto the square inch, which acts on the opposite side ofthe larger piston 25, theeXhaust-port being closed bythe valve`28. Should the pressure in the brake-pipenow be reducedthrough accident, as before outlined, below the strength of the opposite pressure from the signal-pipe, the piston 25 will be forced to the opposite end of its chamber against the action.' of, the spring 3.9 and will carry the valve 28 to the leftand open the exhaust-port 29, thus leaving a .vent lfor the escape ofv the airin the brake-'pipe,which discharges into the casing 14-and from thence-through opening 81 into the outside atmosphere, which has the eiect o'finstan tly setting the brakes by quick action. The locking-rod 35 is designedto hold in the chamber 32, which communicates with the pistons and valve in the normal position Y shown prior to the establishment ofthe proper pressure 'in the brake and 'signal pipes. l In case the air-pressurel is admitted tothe signalppe before its admission to the brake-L pipe there will not be the requisite pressure passage 19 on the brake-pi pe side of the piston g 31, to depress the locking-rod 35, and the latvtion by its spring 36.

leased Withoutany movement of the auto- Ater will Vbe held up by its piston ands'pring 34 alud will block the movement of piston 31 and prevent the action of valve 28 nntilthe air under pressure in chamber 32, which is admitted slowly pastkthe locking-rod 35, depresses the piston 33 against the action of the spring 34,- which causes the attached lockingrod to be drawn out of the way of the piston 31. After such piston has .passed the locking-rod by. reason ofthe reduced pressure in the brake-pipe, as above explained, the locking-rod is againthrown to its highest position. So long as the pressurein the brake-pi pe and passage 19 is sufficient to hold the pistons 31 and 2,5 to the right, as shown, the locking-rod is held down out of the path of the piston 31 bythe air-pressure, andas the locking-rod can `only rise slowly, owingto the reduced escapepassage for the air from the chamber 32, sufficient time is allowed for vthe piston 31 to move past the locking-rod. When the brakes have been set by the automatic action of the apparatus just described andthe trouble located and adjusted, it is necessary to release the brakes and permit the automatic apparatus j ust described to be .returnedvto its normal position. This is accomplished'in the following manner: The brake-valve handle 2 is thrown over to what is knownasits emergencypo sition. The connecting-rod simultaneously pulls the lever 67 and tu'rnsits attached valve into such a position that the enlarged end 65 of the valve-passage 64 (see Fig. 3) connects the passage 63 in pipe 55 andthe exhaustopening adjacent thereto. This provides a vent through which the signal-pipe may be emptied to remove the pressure in passage 19 on the righthand side of the piston 25 and permit the spring 39 to force the pistons 25 and 31 and the valve 28 back to their normal locked positions, as shown in Fig. 2. When the piston 3l returns to its normal position, it strikes the beveled upper end of the locking-rod 35 and forces it down in its socket in the piston 33 against the action of'its spring" 36 and without depressing the piston 33 in its chamber 32. After the passage of the piston 3l the rod 35 is returned to its locking posi- The brakes may be rematic device just described by simply turning the brake-valve handle to release position, which simultaneously turns the valve 61 64 through connecting-rod 68 and closes pipe 55, thus permitting the restoration of the normal pressure in the signal-pipe.

` The described sliding connection of the rod 68 with the brake-valve handle2 permits the valve 61- 64 to remain open during servicebraking and while the valverhandle' is in lap position. l

The valve .23 inthe branch passage '22, which leads from the brake-pipe passage 19 to the .hollow handle 15, which is open at the lower free end of the hook, is employed to IOO IIO

bleed the brake-pipe l4` by handat the rear end of the train in order to set the brakes without the assistance of the engineer when necessary.

In case anything happens to render it impossible for the engineer to set the brakes by means of the brake-valve 1 inthe cab in the usual manner he can apply the brakes through the instrumentality of the handvalve 82 in the signal-pipe 8 in the following manner: The pistons` 41 and s, in the passage an'd the spring 54, acting therein, are so proportioned that with the normal brakepipe pressure (seventy pounds, more or less)v on the left from passage 1S and the signalpipe pressure (forty-five pounds, more or less) on the right from the passage 21 the pistons are held in the normal position shown in Fig. 2, with the valve 43 closing the exhaust-port 44.v 'When the occasion arises, as just explained, the engineer operates the lever 8O to open the attached valve 82 and discharge the air from the signal-pipe 8. This removes the pressure from the right-,hand side of the piston 41, and the pressure from the brake-pipe ,16 and passages 18 and 20 against the lefthand side of the smaller piston 46`forces pisv ton.41 to the right against the action of the spring 54. The valve 43, attached to the pistons, is carried to the right and beyond the exhaust-port 44, through which the air from the brake-pipe escapes, thus setting the brakes in quick action.

The locking-rod l'acts in a manner similar to the other locking-rod 35 and prevents the action of the pistons 46 41 and valve- 43 -by the pressure in the brake-pipe prior to supplying pressure to the signal-pipe. The locking-rod is normally held down out of the path of the piston 41 by the ordinary pressure in the passage 20 from the signal-pipe 8. After the pistons 41 46 have been operated by emptying the signal-pipe 8, as explained, the pressure is removed from the piston 49 of the locking-rod, and the latter rises to the position shown.

When it is necessary to release the brakes, the valve S2 is closed, which permits the normal pressure to be restored tothe signal-pipe 8, pipe 17, and passage21 2O against the righthand side of piston 41. This serves to force the piston 41 back to its normal position and v with it the valve 43 in closed position over the exhaust-port 44. In the absence of airpressure the spring 54 will'restore the piston 41 to its normal position. The pressure is then restored in the brake-pipe, which releases the brakes. The piston 41 in its travel to the left rides over thel beveled upper -end of the locking-rod 51, depressingit as it passes the same.

The valve 82,- the operation of which has Ajust been described, can also be used to determine whether all angle or stopocks in the brake and signal pipes are open after all connections are made in the brake system before starting the train.

vThe signal-pipe can be emptied and the brakes set by putting the brake-valve handle 2 to the emergency position, which will cause valve Gl 64 to open and empty signalpipe 8, and thus set the brakes in the same manner as has just been described in connection with valve S2 and tachments.

In setting the brakes'in the usual manner through brake-valve 1 it is essential not to interfere with the effective working of the signal system and at the same time prevent the operation of the piston 2 5 and its attached piston 41and its atlvalve 28,*as has been before outlined. This is accomplished in the following manner, (see Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 6:) In the movement of the brake-valve handle 2 to, set the brakes the pressure is reduced on the signal-pipe 8, say, to twenty pounds by the valve 61 G4 being opened so that the air under pressure is' permitted to pass through the same to the weight-valve 57 58, which holds the pressure at twenty pounds, as desired. When this pressure is reducedin the main signal-pipe 8, the pressure in the lower ychamber 72 of`v the signal-valve 7 is reduced simultaneously through the connecting-pipe 11 and valve 74, which communicates with the signal-pipe 8, in order that the whistle will not be blown while the pressure is being reduced. This 1. In an air-brake mechanism involving separate brake and signal pipes, the combination with the brake andsignal pipes, of a mechanism in .communication with such pipes at the rear end only of the brake system, by means of which the braking impulse is antomaticallyshifted from the brake-pipe to the vsignal-pipe, as and for the purpose stated.

2. In an air-brake mechanism involving separate brake and signal pipes, the combination with the brake and signal pipes, of a mechanism in communication with saidpipes, and under the control ofA the engineer, by means of which the brakingimpulse is automaticallyshifted from the brake-pipe to the llO signal-pipe, and can also he shifted at will, f

substantially as set forth.

3. In an air-brake mechanism involving separate brake and signal pipes, the combination with the brake and signal pipes, of a mechanism in communication with said pipes and under the control of the engineer, by

means of which the brakes can be applidat will by change of pressure in the signal-pipe, substantially as set forth.

4. In au air-brake mechanism involving separate brake and signal pipes, the combination with the brake and signal pipes, of a mechanism under the con-trol of the engineer, by means of which the signal-pipe is automatically placed in communication with the brake-pipe to apply the brakes, upon a reduction of pressure in the brake-pipe, and whereby the brakes can be applied at will by a reduction of pressure in the signal-pipe, substantially as set forth.

5. In an airebrake mechanism involving separate brake and signal pipes, the combin'ation with the brake and signal pipes, of a mechanism bylmeans of which the pressure in the signal-pipe operates automatically upon a reduction of pressure in the brakepipe to establish communication between the brakepipe and the external atmosphere at the rear end only oi the brake system, substantially as set forth.

6. In an air-brake mechanism involving separate brake and signal pipes, a mechanism in communication with such pipes, by means of which the braking i mpulse is automatically shifted from the brakepipe to the signal-pipe, and means connected with the engineers brake-valve and the signal-pipe for controlling the automat-ic shifting mechanism in setting the brakes from the brake-pipe, as and for thc purpose stated.

7. In an air-brake mechanism involving-r separate brake and signal pipes, a mechanism in connection with such pipes, by means of which the braking impulse is automatically shifted from the brake-pipe to the signal-pipe, and means connected with the engineers brake-valve and signal-pipe for releasing the brakes aft-er they have been automatically set, as and for the purpose stated.

8. In an air-brake mechanism involving separate brake andl signal pipes, a mechanism in communication with such pipes, by means of which the braking impulse is automatically shifted from the brake-pi pe to the signal-pipe, and means connected with the engineers brake-valve and the signal-pipe for controlling the automatic shifting mechanism in setting the brakes from the brake-pipe and fox" l0. In an air-brake mechanism involving separate brake and signal pipes, a mechanism in communication with such pipes, by means of` which the braking impulse is automatically shifted from the brake-pipe to the signal-pipe, an engineer-s brake-valve for operating the brakes, a signal device, preventing the operation of the signal device in setting the brakes by means of the brakevalve, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 29th day of May, 1903.

THOMAS J. QUIRK. Witnesses:

JN0. J. BONNER, C. M. BENTLEY.

and mechanism for-

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