Improved Apparatus for Exchanging Train Staffs used in Regulating Traffic over Single Line Railways.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 19th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Exchanging Train Staffs used in Regulating
Traffic over Single Line Railways.
I, HENRY QUIGLEY, of 13 Northumberland Terrace, West Hoe, Plymouth,
in the County of Devon, Railway Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the train staff system of working traffic on single line
railways and consists in apparatus for exchange of the staff's mechanically and
without necessitating slackening of speed of trains for such purpose. According
to this invention a T-shaped crosshead is carried on a suitable support fixed at or
near each station and arranged to project towards the line of railway with which
line of railway the head is approximately parallel. In the stem of the crosshead
is pivotted a cranked lever which has a limited range of oscillation on its pivot.
This lever has an arm which after having been extended outwards in the stem of
the crosshead is turned at approximately a right angle. Before the approach of a
train the staff, which may be of any suitable construction except that it is fitted
with a double loop suspending ring, is suspended by the uppermost loop of such
ring to that limb of the longitudinal member of the crosshead which is furthest
from the approaching train. The cranked lever aforesaid is also so set on its pivot
that its inner arm projects upwards and outwards and its outer arm downwards.
Attached to the engine and capable of being readily shipped and unshipped is a
similar T-shaped crosshead and cranked lever but the staff then being carried on
the engine instead of being suspended on the leading limb of the crosshead is, on
approaching a station, hung on the rear limb of the crosshead and is suspended by
the lower eye of the suspending ring. The cranked lever is set similarly to that
of the stationary crosshead. The arrangement is such that the respective cross-
heads are in the same vertical plane. As the engine passes the stationary crosshead
the leading limb of the engine crosshead enters the upper eye or loop of the staff
suspended on the limb aforesaid of the stationary crosshead and the opposite limb
of the latter enters the upper loop or eye of the staff suspended on the rear limb
of the engine crosshead. Thus by coming into contact with the stems of the
respective crossheads the staff on the engine is transferred to the stationary cross-
head and the staff on the latter transferred to the engine crosshead. By contact
of the outer end of the cranked lever of the stationary crosshead with the stem of
the engine crosshead the lever of the former is turned on its pivot and engaging in
a slot or spring clip serves as a guard to prevent the staff received from the engine
from leaving the limb of the stationary crosshead after transfer. The cranked
lever of the engine crosshead serves the same purpose in relation to the transferred
station staff. The cranked lever is actuated by contact with a fixed arm provided
on the support of the stationary crosshead. The limbs of the crossheads upon
which the staffs are placed for transfer are preferably notched for better retention
of the staff's prior to transfer, and the engine staff may be steadied by a spindle
with crutch end extending outwards from the engine.
Dated this 18th day of January 1892
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol Bank Buildings, Bristol, Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Exchanging Train Staffs used in Regulating
Traffic over Single Line Railways.
1, HENRY QUIGLEY, of 13 Northumberland Terrace, West Hoc, Plymouth, in
the County of Devon, Railway Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the train staff' system of working traffic on single line
railways, and consists in apparatus for exchange of the staffs mechanically and
without slackening of speed of trains to the same degree as is necessary for
exchange by hand. According to this invention a T-shaped crosshead is carried
on a suitable support fixed at or near each station, the crosshead being arranged to
project towards the line of railway, with which line of railway the longitudinal
part of the crosshead is approximately parallel. In the stem of the crosshead is
pivotted a cranked lever which has a limited range of oscillation. This lever has
an arm which, after having been extended outwards in the stem of the crosshead,
is turned at approximately a right angle so as to form a tappet. Before the
approach of a train the staff, which may be of any suitable construction and is
fitted with a double-looped suspender, is suspended by the uppermost loop of such
suspender to that limb of the longitudinal member of the crosshead which is furthest
from the approaching train. The cranked lever aforesaid is also so. set on its pivot
that its inner arm projects upwards and outwards and its outer arm or tappet
downwards. Attached to the engine and capable of being readily shipped and
unshipped is a similar T-shaped crosshead and a cranked lever with tappet, and the
.staff carried on the engine is, on approaching a station, hung on the rear limb of
the crosshead and is suspended by the lower loop of the suspender. The cranked
lever is set similarly to that of the stationary crosshead. The arrangement is such
that the longitudinal part of the engine crosshead is directly below the corre-
sponding part of the stationary crosshead but in the same vertical plane. As the
engine passes the stationary crosshead the leading limb of the engine crosshead
enters the upper loop of the staff suspended on the limb aforesaid of the stationary
crosshead, and the opposite limb of the latter enters the upper loop of the staff
suspender suspended on the rear limb of the engine crosshead. Thus, by coming
into contact with the stems of the respective crossheads, the staff on the engine
is transferred to the stationary crosshead and the staff on the latter transferred to
the engine crosshead. By contact of the outer end or tappet of the cranked lever
of the stationary crosshead with the stem of the engine crosshead, the lever of
the former is turned on its pivot and, engaging in a slot or spring clip, serves as
a guard to prevent the staff received from the engine from leaving the limb. of
the stationary crosshead after transfer. The cranked lever and tappet of the
engine crosshead.serve the same purpose in relation to the transferred station, staff.
The cranked lever is actuated by contact of its tappet with a fixed arm provided
on the support.of the stationary crosshead. The limbs of the crossheads upon
.which the staff's are placed for transfer are notched for better retention of the
staff's prior to transfer.
At Fig. 1 of the accompanying sheet of drawings is illustrated my improved
apparatus for exchanging train staffs. Fitting into a socket in a pillar c situated
at one side of the railway is a standard a bent or shaped so that when the apparatus
is in use the standard projects towards the rails. A similar standard & fitting into
a socket provided in a tubular support d carried on the tender of the locomotive,
projects towards the standard a, as shown. The outer end of the standarda is
approximately T-shaped and in the stem, which is tubular, is contained an arm con-
nected at one end to a cranked lever y and fitted at the other end with a tappet i

page_text: Similarly, the outer end of the standard b is approximately T-shaped and carries an
arm, connected to a cranked lever h, and a tappet j.
Extending at right angles on either side of the standard a is an arm e having on
each side thereof an india-rubber buffert carried on the stem of the crosshead.
There is a similar arm situated between buffers t' on the stem of the crosshead of
the standard b.
For the purposes of this invention each train staff is fitted with a double-looped
suspender, shown at Fig. 2.
Prior to the approach of a train to a station, the engine driver or fireman suspends
the staff in his possession on the rear limb of the arm. The staff is suspended by
the lower loop of the suspender and is hung in a notch as at q, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and
is steadied by resting at bottom in an eye provided at the outer end of an arm m
fixed to the standard b. A plan of such arm m is shown at Fig. 6.
Similarly, the signalman or other attendant in charge of the station staff'
exchanger, suspends the staff in his possession on the notched limb of the arm e
which limb is furthest from the approaching train. The staff is suspended by the
upper loop of the suspender and is steadied by resting at bottom in an eye provided
at the outer end of the arm m. As the engine passes the stationary standard a
the un-notched limb of the arm fenters the upper loop of the staff suspended on
the notched limb of the arme of the stationary crosshead and carries that staff
away, and the un-notched limb of the arme of the stationary crosshead enters the
upper loop of the staff suspended on the notched limb of the arm of the engine
crosshead. The latter staff is thus transferred from the engine crosshead to the
stationary crosshead. Immediately prior to the exchange of the staff's the levers y
and h which were previously raised to the position seen at Fig. 1 are tilted down
so as to prevent the respective staffs from swinging off the un-notched limbs of the
arms e and after exchange. At Figs. 3 and 5 the lever is shown raised, and
at Fig. it is shown as tilted down and locked by a spring clip u. The lever h
is lowered by contact of the tappet ǹ with an arm (a plan of which is shown at
Fig. 7.) fixed on the standard a, and the lever g, which has a spring clip u', is
lowered by contact of the tappet with the stem of the crosshead of the
standard b.
In the arrangement illustrated in the drawings the standards a and bare
capable of being turned in their pillar sockets and swung to the position indicated
in dotted lines at Fig. 1. In this or in the reverse position they may be locked
by pawls engaging with notches in the heads of the pillars. A ladder vand
platform w are fitted to the pillar e to enable the attendant to suspend and remove
the staff as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of, my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. Apparatus for exchanging train staffs, consisting of standards such as a and b
(or equivalent supports) having arms such as e and f; one such standard being
located at each station and the other carried on the locomotive, constructed,
arranged and operating, substantially as described with reference to the accom-
panying sheet of drawings.
2. The train staff suspender having two loops or eyes one above the other;
the suspender being secured by screws or otherwise to the staff, substantially
as hereinabove described and as shown at Fig. 2 of the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
3. The mechanism for preventing the staff's after exchange from swinging free
of the exchanger arms by which they are picked up and set down respectively;
said mechanism consisting of the cranked levers 9 and connected to tappets i andj,
the latter of which is arranged to make contact with an arm such as fixed to the
stationary exchanger standard and the former to make contact with the stem of

page_text: the engine crosshead, all constructed, arranged and operating substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 17th day of October 1892.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Agent.