Railroad Car Brake

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Mreasures for securing a patent for an improved Railroad Car Brake have been taken by L. B. Bateheller, of Arlington, Benning-ton Co., Vt This improvedbrake is intended to be operated either in the ordinary manner by a brakesman, or to be set in action by the buffer rods when the car strikes against another car or other obstacle. The great merit of this invention consists in its quick action, whereas, in the common brake, much tame is consumed in taking up the slack chain, and much of the power exerted is lost ino\er-coming the friction incident to the arrangement The contrivance- consists of two i I-bratory bars beneath the platform of the car, one at each extremity. These bars are allowed to move to and fro by means of a slot at each end, through which there passes the scren for holding them to the cross-pieces of the car. Vertical standards, with a hand wheel at the top, are attached to the vibratory rods. The two standards (one ateachrod) are connected by a chain, so that when the brakesman turns either standard, the two l-ftrating rods are made to approach, and, by a suitable arrangement of levers and cross-bars, the shoes or segments are brought to bear against the wheels. When the brakesman re-laxes his hold the rods are forced back by springs. This new brake can likewise be acted upon by the buffers in Hie following manner: Attached to either vibratory rod is a lever, which is connected to the opposite vibratory rod by a chain, so that when either is moved by the buffer rods, a corresponding opposite motion is given to the other rod. Other levers enable the buffer rods to act upon the vibratory rods ment the buffers can be made to operate quickly or slowly upon the brakes, as desired.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 8 Issue 9This article was published with the title “Railroad Car Brake” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 8 No. 9 (), p. 68
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican11131852-68c

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