All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

ii8 All About Inventions offered to explain and to demonstrate the system to him. This brake belonged to what is known as the chain type. From one end of the train to the other extended a long chain, passing beneath the carriages, and to which all the levers of the brakes upon each carriage were connected. But the system of applica- tion was novel, although in the light of contemporary knowledge we should describe it as being freakish. On the locomotive was mounted a windlass, to which one end of the train chain was attached. This wind- lass was provided with a grooved wheel. When the brake was to be applied this grooved wheel was moved until it came into contact with the flange of the driving-wheel of the locomotive. Through pressing against the latter a friction drive was obtained which rotated the windlass and thus wound in the chain. As the latter was drawn taut the brake levers were pulled forward and the brake-blocks were thus brought to bear upon the wheels of each carriage, and almost simultaneously. The inventor was intensely proud of his novel idea, and was thoroughly convinced of its efficiency and reliability. When he had concluded his explana- tion the young engineer diffidently explained that he too had been thinking out an idea for a railway brake—in fact, at that very moment was engaged in building a model. At this the inventor turned to the young man, and in a patronising air remarked : “ Mr. Westinghouse, I admire your intentions, but really you are wasting your time.” “ How so ? ” “ Well, you can see for yourself that I have con-