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DESCRIPTION OF 
 
 tfe Ifestittflljou** ^ir Jpl^ 4$<r'$ 
 
 EXHIBITS 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
 
 U. S. A. 
 
 1876. 
 
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WESTIf HOUSE JUR B^AKE COMPANY, 
 
 PITTSBURGH, PA., U. S. A., 
 Exhibit at the International Exhibition the following : 
 
 1st. The Westinghouse Automatic Air Brake equip- 
 ment for a train of a locomotive, tender and nine cars. 
 
 2d. The Vacuum Brake equipment, (Westinghouse 
 and Smith's patents,) for a locomotive, tender and nine 
 cars. 
 
 3d. Serial Compressing Apparatus for elastic fluids 
 for producing high pressure with economy. 
 
 4th. Pneumatic Signaling Apparatus in connection 
 with the Automatic Brake for giving signals from a train 
 to the locomotive driver. 
 
 5th. A Speed Indicator, with apparatus for taking- 
 diagrams of work done by a brake. 
 
 The first two exhibits are arranged with the especial 
 purpose of showing their comparative action, these two 
 systems being very prominently before the railway people 
 of the world, to almost the exclusion of all other brakes. 
 
The Automatic Brake is in daily use upon the trains 
 of the West End Passenger Railway Co , running within 
 the exhibition grounds. Two cars exhibited by the 
 Jackson & Sharp Co., of Wilmington, Delaware, the cars 
 exhibited by the Penna. R. R. Co. and the Pullman Palace 
 Car Co., and one locomotive exhibited by the Baldwin 
 Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, are fitted with the 
 Automatic Brake. The brakes of this Company are also 
 in daily use upon all trains running into the Centennial 
 Depots of the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia & Reading- 
 Rail Roads. 
 
 The WestingJiouse Automatic Brake as applied to a 
 train of the above length, consists of one air compressing 
 engine, a main reservoir of about twelve cubic feet capac- 
 ity, in which an air pressure of eighty pounds per square 
 inch is maintained, a gauge to indicate the pressure and 
 a three-way cock connecting the main reservoir to the 
 brake pipe, all on the locomotive. On the tender is bolted 
 a ten inch brake cylinder, having a leather packed piston 
 of twelve inches stroke, an auxiliary reservoir twelve in- 
 ches in diameter by thirty inches in length, a triple valve, 
 a brake pipe of ordinary three-quarter inch gas pipe from 
 the three-way cock to the end of the tender, a three- 
 quarter inch stop cock in the brake pipe, and three half- 
 inch pipe connections from the triple valve, one to the 
 brake pipe, one to the auxiliary reservoir and the third 
 to the brake cylinder. Each of the nine cars is fitted in 
 the same manner as the tender, except that the brake 
 pipe has a three-quarter inch stop cock near each end, 
 
and is about fifty-live feet long. Between the engine, 
 tender and cars the brake pipes are joined by flexible hose, 
 making a pipe connection the whole length of the train. 
 In each hose connection is a malleable iron coupling, held 
 together and made air-tight by the internal pressure. 
 These couplings separate without injury when forcibly 
 drawn apart by the breaking in two of the train, permit- 
 ting the pressure within the pipes to escape. The piston 
 of each brake cylinder is connected to the ordinary brake 
 levers, and when moved forward by air pressure causes 
 the brake blocks to engage the wheels with any desired 
 force. 
 
 When compressed air is admitted through the three-way 
 cock to the brake pipe, it passes the entire length of the 
 train to the last three-quarter inch stop cock, which is 
 closed to prevent its escape. The air at the same time 
 passes into and through each triple valve to the auxiliary 
 reservoirs, charging all with a pressure equal to that in 
 the main reservoir; this pressure being constantly main- 
 tained when the brakes are off. To apply the brakes, the 
 driver by means of the three-way cock first closes the 
 communication between the main reservoir and brake 
 pipe and then opens a port to the atmosphere, discharg- 
 ing or reducing the pressure in the brake pipe, when, 
 owing to the construction of the triple valves, all ports 
 from them to the brake pipe are closed and other ports 
 opened which lead from the reservoirs to the brake cyl- 
 inders, causing the pistons to be instantly thrust forward 
 by the full pressure in the reservoirs less a small reduc- 
 
6 
 
 tion caused by the expansion. To release the brakes, air 
 is re-admitted from the main reservoir to the brake pipe 
 when the triple valves shift and close all ports leading to 
 the brake cylinders and open a port leading from each 
 brake cylinder to the atmosphere, while also the reser- 
 voirs are re-charged from the brake pipe. A valve ar- 
 ranged in the brake pipe on each car makes it possible to 
 apply the brakes to the whole train from any car. The 
 breaking in two of the train also discharges the air from 
 the brake pipe, setting the brakes on both portions of the 
 train. 
 
 The Vacuum Brake apparatus on a train of the above 
 described length, consists on the locomotive of an air 
 ejector having a steam connection to the boiler, in which 
 is a starting valve for admitting steam. The ejector 
 consists of two tubular pieces, one within the other, the 
 inside tube extending only a short distance. This inside 
 tube is of such diameter that an annular space is formed 
 between it and the large one. At the bottom of this 
 inside tube, are connected a pair of one and one-half inch 
 brake pipes, (inside diameter,) a check valve being so 
 arranged that air may pass freely to the tube from the 
 brake pipes, but not into the brake pipes through the 
 tubes. The steam connection from the boiler is made to 
 the annular space between the two tubular portions of the 
 ejector, and when steam is admitted by opening the 
 starting valve, an annular jet of steam escapes around 
 the inner tube, inducing a powerful flow of air through 
 this tube and from the brake pipes. On the tender is 
 
arranged a cylinder, sometimes two, having metal heads 
 and flexible sides, one of these heads being bolted firmly 
 to the tender framing, while the other head is movable 
 and is connected to the ordinary brake lever. From the 
 stationary head a hose connection, having a coil of wire 
 inside, extends to one of the one and one-half inch brake 
 pipes which run the length of the tender. Each car has 
 two of these flexible collapsible cylinders, one connected 
 to the levers of each truck, and two lines of pipe one and 
 one-half inches in diameter, each about fifty-five feet long- 
 are used. A hose connection is made from one of these 
 pipes to one of the cylinders and another hose connection 
 unites the other pipe and cylinder. The pipes between 
 the engine and each car are united by rubber hose con- 
 nections, each connection having malleable iron couplings 
 held together by spring hooks. All hose connections are 
 provided with strong wire coils to prevent their collapsing 
 by external pressure. The pipes at the end of the train 
 are closed by connecting the hose and coupling together- 
 When steam is admitted to the ejector, air is exhausted 
 from the brake pipes and flexible cylinders on the tender 
 and each car, causing the head connected to the brake 
 levers to be forced by the atmospheric pressure toward 
 the stationary head, thus setting the brakes. A second 
 valve on the engine admits air to the brake pipe and 
 cylinders when desired to release the brakes. Should the 
 train break in two, the hose couplings would separate, 
 leaving the pipes open and thus preventing the application 
 of the brakes upon the rear portion of the train and upon 
 
the front portion, except to a very slight degree, owing 
 to the friction of the air in the pipes. 
 
 The cylinders of the Automatic and Vacuum Brake as 
 exhibited are arranged side by side, each working against 
 springs equal to the power required to operate the brakes 
 upon a car. The pipes of each system are arranged in a 
 rectangular coil for convenience, the cylinders and other 
 attachments being arranged in the same relative positions 
 that they would occupy on a train of nine cars and an 
 engine, with the same amount of pipe interposed. Careful 
 experiments have been made with this apparatus to de- 
 termine the time lost in each system in bringing the 
 brakes to act upon the cars. It was found with the au- 
 tomatic, that an average of .95 sec. was required to bring 
 the brake shoes against the wheels ready to act, and 1.91 
 sec. to set the brakes to their full force. With the Vacuum 
 Brake an average of 6.85 sec. was required to bring the 
 brake shoes against the wheels, and 15.45 sec. to set the 
 brakes to their full force. Trains running at thirty, forty, 
 fifty and sixty miles per hour pass over 44, 58|, 71^ and 
 88 feet per second respectively, hence the saving in time 
 by the more prompt application of the Automatic over 
 the Vacuum, will effect a saving in the distance required 
 to stop at the above speeds of 427, 570, 712 and 855 feet 
 respectively, both brakes being applied with the same 
 maximum force. We have chosen nine cars for these ex- 
 periments, as this is but a fair load for a locomotive ; with 
 shorter trains the saving caused by the Automatic would 
 be less, while with longer trains it would be much greater. 
 
Supposing that an obstruction were observed not more 
 than one hundred yards distant, then one could more fully 
 appreciate the advantage of instantaneous application- 
 With the Automatic the brakes would be on and the 
 speed greatly reduced, while with the other, the train 
 would be running at full speed when the obstacle was 
 struck. Practical tests that have been carefully made 
 with the two systems fully confirm the figures above 
 given. So fully has this important feature been impressed 
 upon the minds of several railway companies formerly 
 using the Vacuum Brake, that the Automatic has been 
 ordered to take its place on these lines. The great differ- 
 ence of time in the action of the two systems is accounted 
 for by the fact that the Automatic first has its power 
 transmitted to the reservoir adjoining each brake cylinder 
 and stored there while the brakes are not in use, and the 
 time required for the pressure to pass from these reser- 
 voirs to the brake cylinders is almost imperceptible ; in 
 addition a pressure of about eighty pounds per square 
 inch is used. The slowness of the Vacuum Brake is al- 
 together owing to the lower pressure obtainable, rarely 
 exceeding nine pounds per square inch, to the fact 
 that it is necessary to empty the pipes and all of the rubber 
 cylinders through one opening or apparatus on the engine, 
 the air of each cylinder having to travel through a length 
 of pipe proportionate to its distance from the engine, and 
 to the great friction of air at low pressures in pipes. In 
 the "Rail Road Gazette" of April 14th, 1876, will be 
 found a full description of the experiments above alluded 
 to. 
 
The Automatic Brake, owing to the storing of its 
 power under each car, possesses many advantages, among 
 which are the following : the brakes are almost instantly 
 applied to the whole length of the train from the engine 
 or any portion of the train with any degree of force de- 
 sired, and can stop a train in less distance than any other 
 device whatever. The brakes are instantaneously applied 
 by the train breaking in two or the bursting of a hose. 
 The brakes are instantly released. Signals can be given 
 from any portion of the train through the brake pipes. 
 
 The Vacuum Brake is intended to be used only for 
 station purposes, where it is not desired to make quick 
 stops, is simple and reliable, and the apparatus on the 
 engine with the exception of the rubber parts is unusually 
 durable. 
 
 The Westinghouse Air Brakes are in use upon about 
 two hundred railways, on over three thousand locomotives 
 and about ten thousand cars, and the Vacuum Brake is 
 in use on fifteen railways, on about four hundred and 
 fifty engines and thirteen hundred cars. 
 
 Serial Compressing Apparatus. The third exhibit 
 consists of the arrangement of three steam pumping 
 engines, the first having an air piston ten inches in 
 diameter, the second six inches in diameter, and the third 
 four inches in diameter, the first two having a stroke of 
 thirteen inches, and the third a stroke of ten inches. 
 The air from the first pump is compressed into a 
 small reservoir while the second pump compresses 
 this air, already compressed to a slight degree, into a 
 
11 * 
 
 second reservoir, and the remaining pump still further 
 compresses it into the main reservoir. Each steam piston 
 is six inches in diameter, and with one hundred pounds 
 pressure in the boiler the first pump would maintain a 
 pressure of about twenty-five pounds per square inch in 
 its reservoir; the second would further compress it into 
 the second reservoir to about one hundred and fifteen 
 pounds, while the third one would force it into the main 
 reservoir under a pressure exceeding two hundred and 
 twenty pounds. By this serial compression, advantages 
 are obtained approaching those derived from the expansion 
 of steam in an engine. 
 
 Pneumatic Signaling Apparatus. The fourth exhibit, 
 the signaling apparatus used in connection with the auto- 
 matic brake, consists in arranging a signaling reservoir 
 on the tender in addition to the other reservoir, connected 
 to a diaphragm valve, this reservoir being charged with 
 air from the brake pipe through an opening in this 
 diaphragm. A slight reduction of pressure in the brake 
 pipe causes the valve to be acted upon by the excess of 
 pressure in the reservoir, discharging some of its air to a 
 small whistle located upon the three-way cock on the 
 engine. By discharging air in small quantities from any 
 of the valves in the brake pipe, signals will be given to 
 the locomotive driver as may be desired. As arranged 
 upon European rolling stock the valves on the carriages 
 for giving these signals are so constructed^ that, when 
 opened, they will remain open, sounding the whistle until 
 the driver desires to close them, and at the same time red 
 
balls attached to the cord of the signal valve indicate 
 from what carriage and compartment the signal is 
 given. 
 
 Speed Indicator. The fifth exhibit of this Company 
 is designed first to indicate the speed of a locomotive at 
 any particular moment, and second, an additional appar- 
 atus is provided by means of which a diagram of brake 
 stops may be taken, showing the distance run after the 
 brakes are applied and the decrease in speed until the 
 train is stopped, from which may be calculated the exact 
 effect produced by any brake upon any train to which this 
 apparatus is fitted. 
 
 In the introduction of the various systems of brakes 
 controlled by this Company it has been found that the 
 greatest difficulty to overcome has been to convince people 
 of the work performed. The speeds have usually been 
 taken in such a manner as to leave their accuracy quite 
 doubtful, and when it is considered that the distance run 
 by a train after the brakes are applied is in proportion 
 nearly to the squares of the velocities acquired by the 
 train, it will be seen that a mistake of five miles per 
 hour in the calculation of the speed would greatly affect 
 the apparent result. This device will show how soon the 
 brakes go on, at what time they reach their maximum 
 effect, and the effect produced from the instant of the 
 application until the train is at rest. 
 
 '*«* 
 
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 Deacidified using the Bookkeeper proces 
 Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
 Treatment Date: April 2004 
 
 PreservationTechnologie: 
 
 A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATIO 
 
 1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
 Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
 (724)779-2111 
 
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