Westinghouse Air Brake Company Stock Certificate

Description

Product Details
Nicely engraved antique stock certificate from the Westinghouse Air Brake Company dating back to the 1940's and 1950's. This document, which carries the printed signatures of the company President or Vice President and Treasurer, was printed by the Security Bank Note Company, and measures approximately 12" (w) by 8" (h).
The vignette features a train steaming down the tracks.
Images
You will receive the exact certificate pictured.
Historical Context
In 1872, George Westinghouse invented the automatic air brake by inventing the triple valve and by equipping each car with its own air cylinder. Air pressure is maintained in the auxiliary reservoirs and in the train pipe at all times when the brakes are not applied. An equilibrium of air pressure is maintained in the train pipe and in the auxiliary air cylinders.
To apply the brakes to all of the cars at about the same time, pressure is released from the train pipe, causing the triple valve on each car to apply the brakes. To release the brakes on each car, pressure is increased in the train pipe until an excess pressure above that of the pressure in each auxiliary cylinder is reached, which throws the triple valve so as to close the inlet to the brake cylinder and open the inlet to the auxiliary reservoir from the train pipe, thus allowing the equilibrium of the two pressures to be reached.