IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND MODE OF ACTUATING THE DIAMOND' AND 'COMMON' CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS."
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Burn, junior, of Epsom, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, and Joseph Howard, of Wimbledon, in the said
County, Permanent Way Inspector, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND MODE OF ACTUATING THE DIAMOND'
AND 'COMMON' CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Burn and
Joseph Howard at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 29th November 1872.
We, ROBERT BURN, junior, of Epsom, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, and JOSEPH HOWARD, of Wimbledon, in the said County,
Permanent Way Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND MODE OF ACTUATING
THE 'DIAMOND' AND 'COMMON' CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS," to be as follows: _
This Invention consists in the construction of and method of working
the points of "diamond" and "common" crossings of railways, whereby

page_text: "
trains running along one set of lines can cross another set of lines without
danger, and without the aid of guide or "check" rails. To accomplish
this object, the inner rails of the "diamond" crossing and the "angle"
rails of the "common" crossing are, according to this Invention, made
moveable, in lieu of being rigid, as hitherto, and are actuated by means
of rods attached to a T or other suitable crank, and which crank is
worked by means of rods or other suitable contrivances (such as will be
well understood) from the signal box or other desired point.
a
<<
""
""
This Invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the
accompanying Drawing, which represents a railway junction, comprising
diamond" and two "
common crossings, A, B, C, D, E, F, being
one set of rails and G, H, I, J, K, L, another set of rails crossing the
former in a diagonal direction. A, D, G, J, are the fixed rails and
B, E, H, and K, the inner or "moveable" rails, forming the "diamond ”
crossing C and L, and I and F are respectively the angle rails of the
"common" crossings. The ends of the two rails which form the point
end of the crossing and which are brought together in the usual manner,
instead of being bolted together in the ordinary way are connected by
means of a bolt fixed into the longer or " point" rail and working in a
longitudinal slot in the shorter or "splice" rail, so as to allow the latter
to slide thereon when the points are shifted. The "diamond” and
common" crossings are worked simultaneously from the signal box or
other desired point, by means of the rods M and N, N, N, N, which are
connected together by means of the cranks O, O, O.
«
In the accompanying Drawing, the line A, B, C, D, E, F, is shewn
open for traffic, but, when it is desired to open the other line, the rod M
is pushed forwards, thus actuating the rods N, N, N, N, and forcing the
rails B and E from, and the rails H and K to the fixed rails, and at the
same time moving the point of the angle rails I and F from the rail E to
the rail H, and the point of the angle rails C and L from the rail B to
the rail K, the line G, H, I, J, K, L, being then open, for, and the
line A, B, C, D, E, F, closed to traffic.
"
Although the "diamond" and " common crossings are here shewn
in conjunction with each other, it will be obvious that "common"
crossings which occur at points where there is no
"diamond" crossing
can be constructed in accordance with this Invention.

page_text: It will be readily understood by persons conversant with such subjects
that the points of crossings, constructed according to this Invention, can
be connected with any suitable locking gear for the purpose of keeping
them in position. The chairs and sleepers used in connection with this
Invention are of the usual description.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor by the said Robert Burn
and Joseph Howard, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th June
1873.
"
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
BURN, junior, of Epsom, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, and JOSEPH
HOWARD, of Wimbledon, in the said County, Permanent Way
Inspector, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in
the thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Robert Burn and Joseph
Howard, Her special licence that we, the said Robert Burn and
Joseph Howard, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Robert Burn and Joseph Howard, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND MODE OF ACTUATING THE 'DIAMOND' AND 'COMMON'
CROSSINGS OF RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Robert Burn and Joseph Howard, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Robert Burn and Joseph Howard,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that
is to say:-
$6
"
"
Our said Invention consists in the construction of and method of
working the points of "diamond and "common" crossings of railways,
whereby trains running along one set of lines can cross another set of
lines without danger, and without the aid of guide or "check" rails.
To accomplish this object, the inner rails of the "diamond" crossing and
the "angle" rails of the common crossing are, according to this In-
vention, made moveable, in lieu of being rigid, as hitherto, and are
actuated by means of rods attached to a T or other suitable crank, and
which crank is worked by means of rods or other suitable contrivances
(such as will be well understood) from the signal box or other desired
point.
a
<<
"
"
This Invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the
accompanying Drawing, which represents a railway junction, comprising
diamond" and two " common crossings, A, B, C, D, E, F, being
one set of rails and G, H, I, J, K, L, another set of rails crossing the
former in a diagonal direction. A, D, G, J, are the fixed rails and
B, E, H, and K, the inner or "moveable" rails, forming the "diamond"
crossing C and L, and I and F are respectively the angle rails of the
common crossings. The ends of the two rails which form the point
end of the crossing and which are brought together in the usual manner,
instead of being bolted together in the ordinary way, are connected by
means of a bolt, fixed into the longer or "point" rail and working in a
longitudinal slot in the shorter or splice" rail, so as to allow the latter
to slide thereon when the points are shifted. The diamond" and
"Common" crossings are worked simultaneously from the signal box or
other desired point, by means of the rods M and N, N, N, N, which are
connected together by means of the cranks 0, 0, O..
•
"
"
In the accompanying Drawing, the line A, B, C, D, E, F, is shewn
open for traffic, but, when it is desired to open the other line, the rod M
is pushed forwards, thus actuating the rods N, N, N, N, and forcing the
rails B and E from and the rails H and K to the fixed rails, and at the
same time moving the point of the angle rails I and F from the rail E to

page_text: the rail H, and the point of the angle rails C and L from the rail B to
the rail K, the line G, H, I, J, K, L, being then open for, and the
line A, B, C, D, E, F, closed to traffic.
"
"
Although the "diamond" and " common crossings are here shewn
in conjunction with each other, it will be obvious that "common
crossings which occur at points where there is no “diamond” crossing
can be constructed in accordance with this Invention.
It will be readily understood by persons conversant with such subjects
that the points of crossings, constructed according to this Invention, can
be connected with any suitable locking gear for the purpose of keeping
them in position. The chairs and sleepers used in connection with this
Invention are of the usual description.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would observe in
conclusion that what we consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to us by the said herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent, is, the combination and arrangement of
mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before set forth
and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Burn, junior, on behalf of
myself and the said Joseph Howard, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord