IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THE METHOD AND MEANS OF EFFECTING INTERCOMMUNICATION IN, THE LIGHTING, AND THE WORKING OF THE BRAKE MECHANISM OF RAILWAY TRAINS BY ELECTRICITY
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Kift Winter at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1881.
GEORGE KIFT WINTER, Telegraph Engineer, of the Madras Railway Company,
at present residing at Norwood, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
APPLICABLE TO THE METHOD AND MEANS OF EFFECTING INTERCOMMUNICATION
IN, THE LIGHTING, AND THE WORKING OF THE BRAKE MECHANISM OF RAILWAY
TRAINS BY ELECTRICITY."
This Invention relates to further improvements on and developments or
applications of the Invention for which Letters Patent were granted to me on
the 28th day of July, A.D. 1874, No. 2637, for improvements in electrical
intercommunication in trains.
The further improvements relate more particularly to the making of the joint
between the cable and the hook at the end of each side or safety-chain (as described
in the Specification lodged in respect of the said Letters Patent) more secure
mechanically, and to the rendering of the contact between hook and hook of the
connected chains more perfect electrically.
The further devolpments or applications of the said Invention, as described in
the said Specifications, and as comprising the present improvements, relate to the
application of the system of electrical connection described in the said Specifications,
to the electric lighting of trains, and to the actuation or working of electric and
other brakes.
My improvements in relation to the joint between the cable and the hook
consist in making the connection more secure by strengthening the cable for (say)
about three inches from the end by lapping it round with binding wire, and passing
the end thus strengthened through an eye-bolt attached securely to the hook, the
conductors of the cable together with the ends of the binding wire being soldered
into a second eye-bolt, also securely fastened to the hook; this improved connection
obviates the ill effects of any sudden strain on the joint.
My improvements in relation to rendering the contact between hook and hook
of the connected chains more perfect electrically, consist, according to one
modification, in making the hooks wedged shaped, so that each hook touches the

page_text: other in at least two places; or according to another modification, in placing a
spring inside each alternate hook, so that the one hook of each pair may firmly
grip the other. In either case the inside of the hook may be coated with sheet
copper or other good conducting material, and a rib, say of gun metal, preferably
of half-round section, may be placed on one of the halves of each hook. I cover the
hooks and the lower links of the chains with an insulating material where metallic
contact is not required, so that porters while coupling and uncoupling shall not be
subjected to shocks.
In applying the clectrical system as thus connected to electric lighting in trains,
I place one or more generators on the engine or other part of, the train and
accumulators in the guard's van, the accumulators being placed between the two
wires connected with the chains and arranged in series in sufficient number to
generate or store sufficient electro motive force so keep the lights incandescent
while the train is at a standstill. Or the accumulators may be charged before the
starting of the train, and allowed to light the train throughout the journey without
any generator being placed on the engine or elsewhere. Lights on the incandescent
principle are placed between wire and wire, and are kept incandescent by the
generator or by the accumulators. If lights of low resistance be used they may be
placed in series throughout the train instead of in parallel arc between wire and wire,
and in this case the accumulators may be placed as a shunt on the generator; and
if a generator is not used the accumulators are placed in the main circuit.
I arrange the switches of the electrical mechanism in such a manner as will
prevent the current from the accumulators passing through the coils of the
generators while the train is standing still or going at a low rate of speed, and
also so that they will prevent any reverse action of the generator on the
accumulators should the engine be reversed; the switches may be acted on by
a frictional clutch, or by a revolving governor, or by a combination of the two,
or by other equivalent devices.
When I use the electrical system as connected according to my Invention for
intercommunication in trains in addition to electric lighting, I use the earth
through the wheels and rails, or the centre chains of the carriages, or both, as a
connection in addition to that afforded by the side chains. I place a third brush
near the neutral line of the commutator of the generator, and connect it through a
bell or other indicator (and if necessary use a battery) on the engine to earth, the
keys in the compartments of the train being made to complete the circuit between
one of the leading wires and earth when it is required to send a signal. A portion
of the current from the generator will thus be deflected through the bell and its
connections, or the battery will be brought-into-action-whenever a key-is-pressed
and the earth circuit completed..
When there is no generator on the engine, and the train is lighted by accumulators
charged before the starting of the train, if there is an accumulator on the engine,
a point near the middle of it may be connected to earth through the engine
indicator; or if there is no accumulator on the engine a considerable resistance may
be placed between the two main wires, and a point at the centre of the resistance
may be connected to earth through the bell.
In applying the said system to electric brakes, it is preferred to use a system by
which the brakes are kept off or rendered inactive during the continuance of a
current, but are put on or rendered active should the current be interrupted either
by the officials of the train or by the parting of the vehicles.
One method is to convert each axle into an armature of a dynamo-machine, and
to arrange that so long as a current is flowing through the main circuit of the
train, the circuits of the axle dynamos are kept from being completed; but when the
main current ceases, the circuit of the axle dynamos is completed, and almost
instantaneously their full power is developed in retarding the train.
Or the current from the dynamos may act on the brake block machinery, and
in this case they may be separate from the axles, but driven by them if
preferred.

page_text: Or the cessation of the current in the main circuit may cause the application of
air or other mechanical brakes by the intervention of any suitable details.
When it is required to use intercommunication in addition to the application of
brake power in trains, the means for dividing the circuit may also be placed in
the carriages as well as at the disposal of the guards and driver, so that the
passengers may also have the power of signalling to the driver, and for this purpose
I place on the engine a bell or other indicator which is caused to ring on the
cessation of the current, a switch or means having an equivalent action being
used to prevent the inconvenience of the bell ringing when the engine is
disconnected.
Or the bell may be wound differentially, and a resistance equivalent to that of
the train be placed on one side as an artificial line, and the train leading wires on
the other, so that so long as the train circuit is complete the bell would not be
acted upon whether the current is flowing or not; but as soon as any disconnection
is caused in the train the balance is destroyed, and the bell or other indicator is
caused to act.
The arrangements described in this Specification may be applied to other modes
of coupling electrically, besides that protected by my Patent, No. 2637, of 1874,
and improved in this so far as they are applicable to the same.