IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RETARDING AND STOPPING RAIL- WAY TRAINS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Archibald White, of Great Missenden, in the
County of Buckingham, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RETARDING AND STOPPING RAIL-
WAY TRAINS."
Sealed the 11th June 1853, and dated the 11th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Archibald White
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 11th December 1852.
I, ARCHIBALD WHITE, of Great Missenden, in the County of
Buckingham, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RETARDING AND STOP
PING RAILWAY TRAINS" to be as follows:-
The principal object is to prevent collisions; and the Invention
consists of an apparatus which will enable an engine driver, or other
person appointed to such duty, by moving a handle, to lock every
wheel of every carriage of a train, whatever be the length of the
train or the pace at which it may be travelling, commencing with
the wheels of the last carriage of the train, and proceeding almost.
simultaneously, or as rapidly as, and no more than, may be de-

page_text: sirable, with the wheels of every carriage up to the tender; or,
commencing with the wheels of the last carriage, and proceeding
with those of every other, or every third, carriage up to the tender,
and then with the wheels of the carriages between those already
ocked, commencing from the last unlocked carriage of the train.
Also, by its own self-action locking the wheels of any and every
carriage that may, on ascending an incline, become accidentally or
otherwise detached from a train, and also the wheels of the other
carriages forming such train, the instant such detachment took
place.
OUTLINE DESCRIPTION OF THE APPARATUS.
A wheel, attached to and worked by the engine power, to coil a
cord (and with spikes on the circumference of such wheel, to
prevent such cord unwinding, on the action of the wheel being
reversed during the process of winding,) passing from it (over
rollers and through pipes, to protect such cord) under and to the
other end of the train, and joined by a guarded hook and eye
between each carriage; and having between each carriage a slack of
about six inches, and at the back of the train joined to and acting
on another cord returning also under the train, through pipes and
over rollers, to the front end of the train, and being joined by a
guarded hook and eye between each carriage; and having between
each carriage a slack of about a yard, with a conical roller fixed by
the large end to the end of such carriage, on which to coil such
slack, and a spring at the end of such roller to hold such slack
thereon when not in use; and having also a slot in such cord, at
the part of it under the middle of the length of each carriage, to
which the apparatus is attached, through which to pass, and by
which to act on the arms after mentioned; such cords to pass
cither horizontally from under the end of one carriage to that of
the next, or, by means of rollers and protected by pipes, up one end
of a carriage across from its top to the end of the next carriage,
and then down that end of such next carriage. A pair of iron
arms, each working horizontally through an iron slot attached to

page_text: the under side of the carriage, with a spiral spring at each end of
such slot to hold such arm steady when not in use, and each
fixed by a pin joint to the under side of the framing of the
carriage, at a proper distance from, and so supporting, by a fan-
like end, one of the sliding tubes after mentioned, by a rim to such
sliding tube, and consequently the breaks between a pair of wheels
on one side of the carriage, and with a descending rim attached to
such arm at the part of it near the centre of the under side of the
carriage, on which to rest, and so support, when not in use, the lever
after mentioned, as that when such arm is acted on by the slotted
cord, it will release and let fall such sliding tube and lever, and
consequently cause the breaks to press against the wheels. A bar,
fixed to and descending vertically from the under side of the
framing of the side of the carriage, midway between each pair of
wheels, with a sliding tube thereon, to which to attach by joints the
arms of ordinary breaks, and with rims on which the said lever to
act; and having a spring catch to hold it in the lowest position it
may attain on the bar on which it slides, with a proper bar also
descending from the outside and opposite to the said sliding tube,
to form a fulcrum for the said lever; and having a bar fixed to and
hanging vertically from the under side of the framing of such car-
riage near to each break, with a slot in each for the arm of such
break to pass through to steady it, and with two bars so hanging
from the under side of such framing as that strong springs pressing
on them may cause them to press on and up the arm of the break;
and a spring catch (with spring bolt to hold it back when replacing
it after use) to hold the chops of such bars, by which such arm will
be embraced in a position as high up such arm as they can attain;
and with two other hanging bars, with spring and chops and
spring catch and bolt to each one, to act in a similar way on each
of the first-named hanging bars, and having a slot in each to allow
the spring of the first named hanging bar to work through it; and
with a hanging bar, with similar spring chops, spring catch, and bolt,
to act on the break itself. A loaded lever, having its fulcrum at
the point before named for it, and with slot to embrace the bar on

page_text: which the said slide acts, and passing thence, under and towards
or past, the centre of the carriage, and resting, when not in use,
in the support before named, for it to act, when released, on the
projecting rims on the top side of each sliding tube, and force it
down, and consequently force the breaks to the wheels; also a
slotted guide, to keep the other end of such lever from having a
lateral motion, formed of two pieces of iron descending from the
horizontal iron slot in which the horizontal bar works, and a
hanging bar, with spring and chops to embrace, and spring-catch
and bolt, to act on the end of such lever farthest from the slide,
and keep it in the lowest position it may attain when released.
Also a spiral spring, to act on the loaded end of, and aid in pressing
down, that end of each lever, and another to act on and aid in
driving down each slide, and sufficient hooks and eyes to hold the
hanging bars out of the way, while replacing the apparatus after use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Archibald White in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 11th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ARCHIBALD WHITE, of Great Missenden, in the County of Bucking-
ham, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two,
in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Archibald White,
Her special licence that I, the said Archibald White, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Archibald White, my 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

page_text: Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RE-
TARDING AND STOPPING RAILWAY TRAINS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Archibald White, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Archibald White, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
The principal object is to prevent collisions; and the Invention
consists of an apparatus which will enable an engine driver or other
person appointed to such duty, by moving a handle, to lock every
wheel of every carriage of a train, whatever be the length of the
train or the pace at which it may be travelling, commencing with
the wheels of the last carriage of the train, and proceeding almost
simultaneously, or as rapidly as, and no more than may be desirable,
with the wheels of every carriage up to the tender; or commencing
with the wheels of the last carriage, and proceeding with those
of every other or every third carriage up to the tender, and
then with the wheels of the carriages between those already
locked, commencing from the last unlocked carriage of the train.
Also, by its own self-action locking the wheels of any and every
carriage that may, on ascending an incline, become accidentally or
otherwise detached from a train, and also the wheels of the
other carriages forming such train the instant such detachment
took place.
OUTLINE DESCRIPTION OF THE APPARATUS.
A wheel, attached to and worked by the engine power, to coil a
cord (and with spikes on the circumference of such wheel, to pre-
vent such cord unwinding, on the action of the wheel being reversed

page_text: during the process of winding,) passing from it (over rollers and
through pipes to protect such cord) under and to the other end of
the train, and joined by a guarded hook and eye between each
carriage; and having between each carriage a slack of about six
inches, and at the back of the train joined to and acting on another
cord returning also under the train, through pipes and over rollers
to the front end of the train, and being joined by a guarded hook
and eye between each carriage; and having between each carriage
a slack of about a yard, with a conical roller fixed by the large end
to the end of such carriage, on which to coil such slack, and a spring
at the end of such roller to hold such slack thereon, when not in
use; and having also a slot in such cord, at the part of it under the
middle of the length of each carriage, to which the apparatus is
attached, through which to pass, and by which to act on the arms
aftermentioned; such cords to pass either horizontally from under
the end of one carriage to that of the next, or, by means of rollers and
protected by pipes, up one end of a carriage across from its top to the
end of the next carriage, and then down that end of such next carriage.
A pair of iron arms, each working horizontally through an iron slot
attached to the under side of the carriage, with a spiral spring at
each end of such slot to hold such arm steady when not in use; and
each end fixed by a pin joint to the under side of the framing of
the carriage, at a proper distance from, and so supporting, by a fan-
like end, one of the sliding tubes after mentioned, by a rim to such
sliding tube, and consequently the breaks between a pair of wheels
on one side of the carriage, and with a descending rim attached to
such arm at the part of it near the centre of the under side of the
carriage, on which to rest, and so support, when not in use, the lever
after mentioned, as that when such arm is acted on by the slotted
cord, it will release and let fall such sliding tube and lever, and
consequently cause the breaks to press against the wheels. A bar,
fixed to and descending vertically from the underside of the
framing of the side of the carriage, midway between each pair of
wheels, with a sliding tube thereon, to which to attach by joints the
arms of ordinary breaks, and with rims on which the said lever to

page_text: act; and having a spring catch to hold it in the lowest position it
may attain on the bar on which it slides, with a proper bar also
descending from the outside and opposite to the said sliding tube,
to form a fulcrum for the said lever; and having a bar fixed to and
hanging vertically from the underside of the. framing of such .car-
riage near to each break, with a slot in each for the arm of such
break to pass through to steady it, and with two bars so hanging
from the under side of such framing as that strong springs pressing
on them may cause them to press on and up the arm of the break;
and a spring catch (with spring bolt to hold it back when replacing it
after use) to hold the chops of such bars, by which such arm will
be embraced in a position as high up such arm as they can attain;
and with two other hanging bars, with spring and chops and
spring catch and bolt to each one, to act in a similar way on each
of the first-named hanging bars, and having a slot in each to allow
the spring of the first-named hanging bar to work through it; and
with a hanging bar, with similar spring chops, spring catch, and
bolt, to act on the break itself. A loaded lever, having its fulcrum
at the point before named for it, and with slot to embrace the bar
on which the said slide acts, and passing thence, under and towards
or past, the centre of the carriage, and resting, when not in use,
in the support before named, for it to act, when released, on the
projecting rims on the top side of each sliding tube, and force it
down, and consequently force the breaks to the wheels; also a slotted
guide, to keep the other end of such lever from having a lateral
motion, formed of two pieces of iron descending from the horizontal
iron slot in which the horizontal bar works, and a hanging bar,
with spring and chops to embrace, and spring catch and bolt, to act
on the end of such lever farthest from the slide, and keep it in the
lowest position it may attain when released. Also a spiral spring,
to act on the loaded end of and aid in pressing down that end of
each lever, and another to act on and aid in driving down each
slide, and sufficient hooks and eyes to hold the hanging bars out of
the way while replacing the apparatus after use..
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood.

page_text: Figure 1, shews a side elevation; Figure 2, a transverse section;
Figure 3, detached views, of the drum for winding up the releasing
cord; and Figure 4, is a separate view of the spring slot or box. y,
are ordinary breaks, slung in the usual way with their arms y'. a,
are bars, through a slot in which the arm of the break works to
steady it. b, is a bar to guide, and on which c, slides. c, is a
square tube, fitting and sliding on b, and which may have at its
lower end a spring catch working in notches cut in b, so as to hold
it in the lowest part of b, to which the lever may force it, and to
which sliding tube the arms of the breaks are jointed: there may be
rims or flanges, forming part of c, to form rests for, and on which
the lever may work in forcing down the sliding tube c, if the width
of the sides of such tube be not sufficient. 1, are bars hanging by
joints from the under side of the carriage, and each having jaws or
chops embracing the arm, and a strong spring to force it up the arm,
and by the aid of a spring catch in such jaws or chops, working in
notches cut in the arm, assist in keeping the arm in the lowest
position it may attain, when released for use, and driven down by
the lever. Also, if necessary, there may be two other hanging bars,
with spring and chops, and spring catch and bolt to each one, to act
in a similar way on each of the bars 7, and having a slot in each to
allow the spring of the bar 1, to work through it, and with a
hanging bar, with similar spring chops, spring catch and bolt, to act
on the break itself. An eye may be placed on each of the hanging
bars, and a hook attached to the carriage, and a small spring bolt
to each of the jaws or chops, to keep all from acting while the
apparatus is being replaced after use.
The foregoing will explain the apparatus as it is applied to each
pair of wheels.
Each of the sliding tubes c, is suspended by a flange or rim pro-
jecting from it upwards, and passing through the slot in the lever d,

page_text: towards the under side of the carriage, and rests on the fan-like end
of the bar e, which is fixed horizontally to, and moves horizontally
on, a pin joint f, to the under side of, and passes towards or past the
centre, and works on the under side of the carriage, and passes
through and is steadied in and prevented having any but horizontal
motion by a slotted pipe g, fixed horizontally to and near the centre,
and in the direction of the length of the carriage; such pipe having
at each end a spiral spring pressing on such bar, so as to hold it
steadily in the centre of such slot, and such horizontal bar having
descending from some part of it near the end next the middle of
the carriage, a rim or rest e¹, for the lever d, the part e¹, being hori-
zontally fan-like, and of such a width, in proportion to the width of
the fan-like end of the horizontal bar e, as that when such bar is
acted on by the slotted or looped cord h, after mentioned, the
sliding tube and the fulcrum of the lever may lose their support,
and descend before the part of the lever d, supported in e', loses
its support and is permitted to descend. A loaded lever d (one
to act on cach sliding tube c), with a slot embracing b, and
jointed to and having for its fulcrum a bar of iron descending
from the under side of the framing of the carriage immediately
outside the guide bar b; such fulcrum to be formed and made
to descend thus: -I fix a square tube i, on the outside of the
framing of the carriage, immediately opposite the guide bar b,
with a spiral spring in the top of it; the fulcrum of the lever
d, is a bar of iron k, to which the end of the lever d, is jointed, as
shewn; the spiral spring in the top of the square tube i, inclosing
such fulcrum, driving it and also the sliding tube c, down such tube
i, immediately it loses its support; and the spring m, inserted
between the piece or bar of iron forming such fulcrum, and the
piece jointed to it, by forcing such pieces apart immediately the
fulcrum is by such spiral spring forced sufficiently low to allow
the enlarged part of such piece so jointed on to pass the bottom of
the tube i, containing the fulcrum, preventing its return up such
square tube i, when, by the withdrawal of the support from the
other end of the lever d, such lever is permitted to act from its

page_text: fulcrum. Such lever to rest on the edges or rims of the sliding
tube c, and pass towards, or past the middle of the under side of the
carriage, and rest, when not in use, as shewn at e¹. Such lever,
at or near the end near the centre of the carriage, passing
through slotted guide bars or a pipe n, fixed to and descending
from the under side of the before mentioned pipe g, to keep such
lever steady, and from having any but a vertical action, and
which slotted bars or pipe n, may contain a spiral spring on each
side of it, so fixed as that when the loaded end of the lever has
attained the lowest position to which its load will drive it, such
springs may be released on it, and act in forcing it yet lower. A
bar similar to the bar I, and its strong spring and jaws, or chops
and spring catch, may be so hung from the under side of the
carriage as that it may act on the loaded end of the lever when
released, and aid in pressing and keeping that end of it down.
A cord, passing under the centre and from front to back of the
carriage, and over rollers and through pipes to protect it, and
having a slot or loop in the middle, through which to pass, and by
which to act on the ends next the centre of the carriage of the hori-
zontal bars e, supporting the sliding tubes c, and the levers d, and
at one end a guarded hook, and at the other end an eye by which
to attach it to similar cords of other carriages next to it in a train;
is another cord, without slot or loop, but having a similar hook
at one end and eye at the other, to pass under the carriage and
through a pipe to protect it, parallel to the slotted or looped cord.
Both cords to have sufficient slack between the carriages to allow
for the action of the buffers; and the slotted or looped cord to
have in addition a slack of eighteen inches at each end, so that
such slotted or looped cords, when hooked to others of other car-
riages, may have a yard slack between each two carriages when
coupled in a train. O, is a conical roller, fixed by its large end
to each end of a carriage, on which to coil the slack of the slotted
cord, with a spring at the end of such roller, to keep such slack of
that cord on it when not in use.
P₁

page_text: The foregoing is a description of the apparatus as applicable to
one carriage.
To the engine I so fix a drum wheel (Figure 3), of a diameter of
about three feet, as that it can, by moving horizontally a handle or
lever, be readily placed into or out of gear with a toothed wheel
turned by the engine power; the toothing of such wheels to be so
arranged as that the drum wheel shall have three times the velocity
of the other wheel, or make three revolutions to one of the other
wheel;
the drum wheel to be formed in the cross section of its tire
or circumference, as shewn at q. The projecting spikes », of which
there should be one about every six inches of the circumference of
the wheel, are to prevent the cord uncoiling, if the action of the
wheel was reserved when such wheel was in the act of coiling up
the cord.
To prevent the continued action of the drum wheel injuring the
apparatus, in case of its not being withdrawn from gear with the
engine power, before or at the moment of its having caused the
cord to act on the horizontal bars e, of the first carriage of the train,
I provide a knife, to act like the knife of a common chaff box, with
a spring so attached to it as to prevent its acting until caused to act
by the cord that will be attached to it, to be always carried with
the engine; such knife to be so fixed by a joint at one end to an
iron frame having spring hooks to it, by which it may be readily
attached to the front end of the carriage, which may be the first
carriage of the train, as that the edge and side of such knife should
form an angle of about forty-five degrees with such frame, and such
knife to have at the end of it, which is not jointed to such frame, a
guarded hook. Staples or eyes to be so fixed at each end of each
carriage to receive such spring hooks, as that when the knife was
fixed in them by the hooks to its frame, its edge would be over and
very near the other cord p, there such edge presenting itself at the
angle of about forty-five degrees to such other cord p.
A pulley or roller also to be always carried with the engine, and
attached to an iron frame having spring hooks to it, by which it
may be readily attached to the back of the last carriage of a train;

page_text: and staples or eyes to be fixed at each end of each carriage to receive
such spring hooks, in such a position, that the back ends of the two
cords under that carriage, when united, may work over such roller or
pulley.
The apparatus must be thus used:-In preparing a train to start
couple both cords of each carriage with the corresponding cords of
the carriage before and that behind it. At the back. of the last
carriage of the train fix the before mentioned roller or pulley, and
couple together both cords of that carriage, so as to work over or
round such roller or pulley. Attach the knife to the front of the
first carriage of the train, and to the hook attached to such knife
attach the end there of the slotted or looped cord h, of that
carriage; and by a cord of sufficient length to reach to the drum
wheel on the engine, and to be properly protected by rollers and
pipes, attach the end nearest the engine of the other cord p, of
such first carriage of the train to the drum wheel on the engine..
Place the sliding tubes c, and the levers d, on their respective
supports on the horizontal bars e; place the ends of such bars next
the centre of the carriage, through the slot or loop in the cord h,
there, and coil the slack of that cord sufficiently on the conical
rollers o. The apparatus will then be ready for use.
The whole of this preparation will be necessary only when the
carriages are first fitted with the apparatus and after it has been
used.
The only preparation ordinarily necessary will be placing the
knife at the front, and the moveable roller or pulley at the back, of
the train, coupling the cords of each carriage together, and attaching
the end of the slotted cord h, to the knife, and of the other cord p,
to the cord attached to the drum wheel.
The apparatus would act thus:-On a collision becoming immi-
nent, the engine driver would reverse his engine, and place the drum
wheel into gear with the engine power (he might do the latter
first), by which the horizontal bars e, of the last carriage of the
train would be instantly drawn back and slip through and clear of
the slot or loop in the cord h; the instant these bars were drawn

page_text: back, the sliding tubes c, and the breaks y, and the fulcra k, of the
levers d, would lose their supports and descend, the spiral springs
acting on the fulcra of the levers and also on the sliding tubes f,
insuring the rapid descent of them; and the action of the springs m,
in such fulcra, preventing their again ascending; and in an instant
after the loaded ends of the levers d, would lose their supports, and
descend and drive the breaks y, hard against the wheels, and the
action of the spring catches would keep them so; and this would
proceed with great rapidity through every carriage of the train, thus
bringing the whole almost simultaneously to a dead slide on the
rails. The yard slack is introduced in the slotted or looped cord h, to
prevent the action of the drum wheel being quite simultaneous on
the whole train, and to give the engine driver the opportunity to
lock the wheels of a few of the carriages, and then, by withdrawing
the drum wheel from its gear with the engine power, prevent the
locking of any more; and this he would do, unless the danger was
very great indeed. Locking all the wheels simultaneously would
not occasion a shock, as the impetus of the train would be expended.
in the dead slide to which the train would be brought on the rails.
On any part of the train being separated from the remainder,
cither by the breaking of the couplings or by the guard being fur-
nished with and using the means of separating the train, the whole
train would be almost instantly brought to a dead slide on the
rails.
On all the wheels of the train being locked, and the drum wheel
not being withdrawn from its gear with the engine power, the strain
on the slotted or looped cord h, would bring down the knife on the
cord P, which was not slotted or looped, and cut it through, and
thus prevent the continued action of the drum wheel injuring the
apparatus.
As the apparatus is not intended for ordinary use, or to interfere
with the usual working of a train, the break vans should not be
furnished with it, but only with plain cords and pipes to protect
them, to continue the connection of the apparatus.
After use; the apparatus must be replaced by hand, and a cord, in

page_text: lieu of that cut, supplied, which would be of little consequence, as
the apparatus would be so seldom used.
If it were found desirable to first lock the wheels of every other
or every third carriage, commencing with those of the last carriage
of the train, and then to lock the wheels of those between those
already locked, this must be effected by doubling the lines of cords
and pipes under the carriages.
Claims: The combination of apparatus herein described, for the
purpose of operating on the breaks by withdrawing the supports
from them and driving and holding them against the wheels.
In witness whereof, I, the said Archibald White, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
JAMES G. JONES.
ARCHIBALD WHITE. (L.S.)