Improved Alarm Signal for Use on Railways.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Alarm Signal for Use on Railways.
We, HENRI ERNEST ANDRÉ COUSIN and JULES HIPPOLYTE ROCHATTE, both of
No. 23, Rue Buffault, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
_
Our invention relates to an improved alarm signal applicable for use
railways.
on
The apparatus in question is designed to make use of percussion cartridges
which are detonated by the shock of a detonating mechanism, the release of which
takes place on the passage of a train over the part of the track protected.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Figure illustrates in elevation a general view of the signalling device.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the signalling apparatus, lever, and rail.
Figure 2 a plan view of the apparatus.
Figure 3 is a section of the detonating mechanism on a larger scale.
Our signalling device is operated directly and automatically from the signal A
upon which it is placed. In the position shewn in full lines in the drawing the
signal A indicates a clear line; the axle B upon which this signal is mounted,
and which is rotated by the ordinary means, has attached to its lower part a
double arm lever CD. The arm D is designed to prevent the fork F from moving
to the left, when the signal is set for the clear line. The arm is provided at
its end with a bolt E, which, when the arm B is rotated. engages in the fork F,
and forces the cam piece G to turn upon the axle H on which it is supported.
During this rotary motion, the projection J of the eccentric G turns from left to
right. A bent lever L can rotate freely with the shaft N during the position
for the line clear the said lever L is rigidly attached to the shaft N. and this
shaft has at its other end an eccentric lever M, the curve of which rises above
the level of the rail, and causes on the passage of the train an oscillation of the
levers M L. When the signal is arranged to stop the train (the position shewn
in dotted lines in the drawing) the piece G having revolved, its upper face pre-
vents the free descent of L and M: if a train passes the signal it lowers M and L;
this latter pressing upon G causes it to sink down together with the axle t on
which it is fixed by the sleeve H. The said axle passes through a tube T placed
in the box of the percussion device 0. A spring R tends constantly to raise
the said axle t. This axle possesses two flaps P at its upper part revolving
upon, which under the action of a spring r open in the form of a V at the
point of their emergence from the tube T, and maintain in their raised position
the blocks S, having the projections a, and which are provided with strikers U.
These are guided laterally by means of the bars c. Upon the lowering of t the
flaps P when they sink down, enter the tube T and liberate the heavy blocks S,
which fall violently. In place of weights, the strikers might be impelled by
springs. The strikers U pass through the holes in the base plate f of the
FL

page_text: box O, and cause the detonation of the cartridges K placed in the block m, which
can be revolved upon its axle t only when the door n of the box O is opened. The
simple closing of the said door therefore guarantees the signal against any
unauthorized interference, and against any negligence, because the block M cannot
then revolve, and consequently can neither be filled with nor emptied of its
cartridges, and further, the weight blocks S impelling the strikers cannot be
raised again and re-set unless the door n is opened again.
An electric contact p which is raised by the top of the block S when the signal
is set falls down with the same as soon as the strikers are released and makes
contact with a line wire which transmits an electric current and rings a bell or
signals to the station or signal box that the signal has operated. The replacing
of the cartridges can then be undertaken.
The detonating signal thus arranged is adapted to the mechanism of the
visible signal, and the detonation of the cartridges secures this latter against
any disregard by the driver of the train.
The eccentric lever M. is maintained against the rail X in a cast iron frame A¹
firmly attached to the track. This lever M is keyed upon the same axle as the
lever L which is lowered when the signal shews the line to be clear. The upper
part of the eccentric G forms an inclined plane, which, on the revolution of C,
raises the levers L and M, the lowering of which when the train passes, causes
the detonation of the cartridges.
Some of the apparatus and organs hereinbefore described as portions of the
signalling device may be varied in construction without departing from the
principle set forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: -
In a combined visible and audible railway signal mechanism :-
1. A double arm lever on the shaft of the visible signal, in combination with
means for releasing percussion strikers, substantially as described.
"
2. A casing containing weighted, or spring impelled strikers, upheld by a
movable rod provided with adjustable flaps, substantially as described.
3. A block or fog signal container, placed beneath the striking mechanism
and supported by a shaft upon which it is free to revolve when the striker-box
or casing is open, and fixed on the said shaft when the casing is closed, sub-
stantially as described.
4. In combination with the various mechanisms set forth in Claims 1, 2 and 3,
an electric bell signal for the purpose of indicating when the fog signal apparatus
has operated, substantially as described.
5. The combination of parts forming the visible and audible railway signalling
mechanism, constructed and operating substantially as described and shewn in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th dox of Tan
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.