The Locomotive Of Today

The Tender, Brakes, etc. : Brake Gear. 171 The rails are kept parallel with the surface of the bottom of the trough, so that should the scoop not be lifted at all while travelling'over the trough, it will be raised from the water as the shallow end of the trough is reached, and when raised completely out, the balance weight will lift it up to its running position. It is necessary that the troughs should be occasionally cleaned out, as passing engines taking water will wash stones and ballast into them; further, they must be fitted with automatic gear for refilling as the water is taken out by the engines. In order to retard the speed and assist in stopping, the wheels of both engine and tender are fitted with brake blocks which bear upon the periphery of the tyres. When pressure is applied to these the friction prevents the wheels from freely revolving and, if carried to excess, stops them completely. It is not always customary to brake the wheels of the engine, but when they are so treated the coupled wheels are chosen, and in the case of an engine having single drivers, the trailing carrying wheels in conjunction with the driving. On engines for heavy service it has become the custom to fit all the wheels of both engine and tender with brakes. Fig. 36 shows an arrangement of brake work suitable for <1 4-coupled engine having a trailing bogie. A stout shaft is carried across the engine in a suitable position and fitted with bearings in which it can revolve; arms are forged or fitted and keyed on this, one for the attachment of the pull rods (this in the figure is between the frames), another for the hånd brake gear, usually upon the fireman’s side, and a third for the con- nection of the cylinder operated by steam, air or vacuum, as the case may be. In front of each wheel, hangers are suspended from the frames carrying brake blocks, these are connected to the ends of beams below, which reach across the engine; to these a pull is applied by the operating power, this, being taken at the centre, an equal pressure is transmitted to each wheel, so that it takes an equal share in the stopping of the engine. The pull rods are attached to the centres of the beams, but to allow of freedom in wearing they are each coupled at their other ends to a smaller beam, which has another pull rod attached at its centre; this is then coupled to the arm on the brake shaft. Between this shaft and the small beam an adjusting nut having a right and left handecl screw thread at each end respectively is provided, so that as wear takes place the correct position of the arms of the shaft may be maintained. When the blocks are completely worn out ■iM