Westinghouse brake

American  

noun

1. a railroad air brake operated by compressed air.

---

Westinghouse brake British  

/ ˈwɛstɪŋˌhaʊs /

noun

1. a braking system, invented by Westinghouse in 1872 and adopted by US railways, in which the brakes are held off by compressed air in the operating cylinder: controlled leakage of the air or a disruptive emergency causes the brakes to be applied. The system is used on most heavy vehicles and is replacing the vacuum system on many railways

---

Etymology

Origin of Westinghouse brake

Named after G. Westinghouse, its inventor

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Westinghouse brake

A modification of the device for obtaining accelerated action, described above in connexion with the Westinghouse brake, is also applicable.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various

A further improvement introduced in the Westinghouse brake in 1906 was designed to give quick action for service as well as emergency stops.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various

Below we illustrate the main parts of the Westinghouse brake as applied to a vehicle.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 392, July 7, 1883 by Various

Platforms movin' by the instantaneous action of the Westinghouse brake on a train of one hundred cars is a sight to see.

From Samantha at the World's Fair by Grimm, Baron C. de

In a second we were conscious—almost too conscious—of the application of the Westinghouse brake.

From The Beetle by Marsh, Richard