184 



CONTINUOUS RAILWAY BRAKES. 



The " Westinghouse " simple air brake is iised on tlio 

 Metropolitan Railway. 



Wo now come to the second division, containing the 

 Automatic Brakes of Class III. 



B. AUTOMATIC CONTINUOUS BEAKBS. 



Clarke's brake belongs to Class I. 



In this brake long tension rods, — one running on each side 

 of the centre line of the train its whole length, — are con- 

 nected with the principal levers of the brake-rigging, which 

 they actuate. Between the ends of the principal levers 

 and brackets bolted to the tie-beams of the carriage under- 

 frames, these tension rods are enveloped by long spiral 

 springs, the function of which will bo seen directly. 



The tension rods are pulled by moans of screw gearing in 

 the guard's van, worked by the guard with a hand wliool. 



When the train is about to start, the guard, by moans of 

 the screw-gear, pulls the tension rods, and compresses the 

 spiral springs, the brakes being at the same time released. 



It will be seen that all these springs, in compression, 

 constitute a store of powei", which can bo used for applying 

 the brakes when the tension rods are released by the guard, 

 or which will automatically apply the brakes on both 

 portions of the train, should it become parted. A device is 

 also often added for instantaneously releasing all the springs 

 by disconnecting the screw-gearing and the tension rods ; 

 when, of course, the brakes are applied throughout the 

 train. 



This brake complies with the Board of Trade require- 

 ments, as regards conditions a and h. 



Its chief drawback is the use of powerful screw-gearing, 

 which must be employed to enable the guard to store a 

 serviceable amount of power in the springs. The mcchani- 



