The Fell Brake.

Progress, Volume II, Issue 7, 1 May 1907, Page 263

The Fell Brake.

This brake for tramways is the result of the wide attention drawn to the insufficiency of brake power by recent accidents in Iyondon. Several brakes have been brought out by inventors accordingly, a circumstance which the public all the world over will find very satisfactory, in view of the growing suspicion of all existing tram brakes, and this is one of the best of them. The new brake is a combined mechanical and magnetic track brake. Having cnce overcome the inherent obstacles in the way of attaching a comparatively rigid system of levers to the almost freely floating magnetic shoes, the advantages of the new combination are obvious. It is said that the same leverage is obtained as with the ordinary mechanical slipper, so that the mechanical and magnetic effects when superimposed must be much more powerful. The two functions of the brake are independent of each other, so that the failure of one does not affect the other. The designers suggest that the magnetic function should be utilised for speed regulation and service stops on the level, and presumably on slight inclines, but that on more dangerous inclines the present practice of stopping the car on the brow, and applying the track brake mechanically, should continue in force. That is advisable, for two reasons, the chief being that, in case of a failure of the magnetic force in the middle of a steep hill, the car might gather such speed before the driver could bring the mechanical force into action, that no leverage at his command would serve to stay it ; and the other is that it is undesirable to alter radically the habits of the drivers. The objection to relying on a mechanically operated slipper brake for stopping or even for slowing up a car which has begun to run away — i.e., has reached a speed in excess of 8 to 10 miles per hour, on a really dangerous grade, of which there are plenty of instances on the tramways of this country, may not be well founded. In Britain and America there is in tramway circles the same feeling of uncertainty, and this will not be dispelled until a series of tests at high speeds on grades of 1 in 8 to 1 in 16 have brought out the track brake triumphant. All admit that the same remarks can be, and are, applied to the magnetic brake in a lesser degree, and by fewer competent critics, but there is a general hope that Mr. Fell will take care to make the tests sufficiently stringent and exhaustive so that they may throw much light on these matters.

Varnish on joints, ground or packed, is better than the average red lead. It dries hard and makes a good joint.