George Westinghouse patents the automatic railway air brake (1869)

George Westinghouse, an American inventor and engineer based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, developed a failsafe railway air brake. He received a United States patent for this invention in 1869. The design became the basis for modern train braking, and the Westinghouse Air Brake Company was subsequently organized to manufacture and sell it.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. George Westinghouse Jr. was a prolific American inventor and industrialist based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is best known for creating the railway air brake. His interest in this technology arose after witnessing a collision where trains could not stop due to inadequate existing brake systems. This experience motivated him to develop a more effective braking mechanism.

The Air Brake System. Westinghouse patented a fail-safe air brake system that uses compressed air as the operating medium. The design included a 'triple-valve device' with three component valvular parts: a diaphragm-operated poppet valve, a reservoir charging valve, and a brake cylinder release valve. This system controls the brake pipe for service and emergency braking.

Patent Receipt. Westinghouse received a United States patent for his air brake in 1869. The invention proved significant enough that the Westinghouse Air Brake Company was subsequently organized to manufacture and sell it. The supplied sources do not state the exact day or month of the patent grant, nor the specific location where it was issued.

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Sources

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