essential:—(1.) The brakes must be kept "off" artificially. (2.) In case of the train parting accidentally, the brakes must be applied automatically, and quickly bring all the vehicles of the train to a standstill. (3.) It must be possible to apply the brakes with greater or less force, according to the needs of the case.
At the present day one or other of two systems is used on practically all automatically-braked cars and coaches. These are known as—(1) The vacuum automatic, using the pressure of the atmosphere on a piston from the other side of which air has been mechanically exhausted; and (2) the Westinghouse automatic, using compressed air. The action of these brakes will now be explained as simply as possible.
THE VACUUM AUTOMATIC BRAKE.
Under each carriage is a vacuum chamber (Fig. 85) riding on trunnions, E E, so that it may swing a little when the brakes are applied. Inside the chamber is a cylinder, the piston of which is rendered air-tight by a rubber ring rolling between it and the cylinder walls. The piston rod works through an air-tight stuffing-box in the bottom of the casing, and when it rises operates the brake rods. It is obvious that if air is exhausted from both sides of the piston at once, the piston will sink by reason of its own weight and that of its attachments. If air is now admitted below the piston, the latter will be pushed upwards with a maximum pressure of 15 lbs. to the square inch. The ball-valve ensures that while air can be sucked from both sides of the piston, it can be admitted to the lower side only.
