Trains Working by Means of Compressed Air.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 8th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 20th Jan., 1888
Trains Working by Means of Compressed Air.
I ALBERT MATHEY of 78 Rue Henri IV. Bordeaux in the Republic of France
Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A new system of alarm communication between Passengers and Guard of a Railway
Train working by means of compressed air which is derived from the storage
necessary for compressed air break where used or from independent storage. In each
passengers compartment is placed a handle which on being pulled out admits com-
pressed air from a chamber fed from the storage into a cylinder containing a piston-
the piston is by this means driven forward which movement exposes a signal outside
the compartment from which the alarm proceeds and at the same time the same
movement of the piston discloses an aperture through which the released air rushes
along connecting pipes to the Guards Van and there sounds a whistle or by a simple
mechanical contrivance rings a bell. The signal can only be replaced by the Guard.
Dated this Eighth day of February 1887.
H. J. GORDON ROSS,
4, New Court, Carey Street,
Lincoln's Inn, London, W.C.,
Agent for the above named Albert Mathey.

page_text: Trains Working by Means of Compressed Air.
I ALBERT MATHEY, of 78 Rne Henri IV. Bordeaux, in the Republic of France,
Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of this invention, 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 alarm apparatus whereby communication may be established
between passengers and guard on a Railway Train. The Aların apparatus is worked
by means of compressed air which when the train is provided with brake apparatus
worked by compressed air may be derived from the store of compressed air provided
for working such brake apparatus; or an independent supply of compressed air may
be employed. In each passengers' compartment of a carriage is placed a handle
which on being pulled out admits compressed air from a chamber or reservoir or from
the air supply used for working brake apparatus, or from an air compressor into a
cylinder containing a piston which is driven forward by the compressed air and
exposes a signal outside the compartment or carriage from which the alarm is given.
The piston in its movement opens an aperture through which compressed air passes
along connecting pipes to the Guards Van and there sounds whistle or by a simple
mechanical contrivance rings a bell. The signal is so arranged that it can be replaced
only by a person outside the carriage.
Referring to the accompanying 2 sheets of drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a side elevation and a plan or top view both partly in
section of so much of a railway carriage as is necessary with alarm apparatus
according to this invention applied thereto.
Fig. 3 shews an end view of the carriage and part of the apparatus.
Figs. 4 to 12 are detail views drawn to larger scales and hereinafter referred to.
1. is a chamber or reservoir for compressed air which may be forced therein
through a pipe 2 by any suitable means such as an air compressor as employed for
brakes.
3 is a train pipe in communication at one end with the chamber or reservoir 1 and
at the other end through a suitable air tight coupling with a similar pipe of an
adjacent carriage, a series of such pipes preferably extending from end to end of the
train. 4 is a cylinder (shown in section in fig. 4) located at one end of the carriage;
it is formed with an opening or port 5 which is normally closed by a cylindrical
valve 6 on one end of a transverse shaft 7 and arranged within a casing 8.
9 is a piston able to slide within the cylinder 4; its rod 10 is provided at the outer
end with an indicator 11. 12 is a spring which tends to maintain the piston 9 and
indicator 11 in the positions shown in full lines in Figs. 3 and 4. 13 is a bent spring
plate arranged to enter a recess in the piston rod 10 when the piston has been forced
outward and to lock the piston rod and indicator 11 in the position shewn in dotted
lines in fig. 4.

page_text: 14 is a pipe in communication at one end with the train pipe 3 and at the other end
with the interior of the valve case 8. 15 is a groove or recess in the valve 6, whereby
compressed air may be admitted from the pipe 14 to the cylinder 4 by way of the
opening or port 5 when the valve 6 is partly rotated. 16. 16 are lever arms fixed to
the transverse shaft 7 and connected to wires or flexible connectors 17 extending
the length of the carriage. Each wire or flexible connector is provided with handles 18
as shown more clearly in figs. 5 and 6 one or more of such handles being arranged
in each compartment of the carriage. 19 is a pipe for conducting compressed air,
admitted to the cylinder 4 by the valve 6, to the guards compartment. where it is
caused to sound an audible signal such as a whistle or as in the arrangement shown
to impinge upon a series of vanes or blades 20 forming a wheel (figs. 7. 8. & 9) and
cause the same to rotate and operate a hammer 21 which sounds a bell 22.
23 is a ratchet wheel (figs. 10 and 11) fixed to the transverse shaft 7.
24 is a
spring pawl adapted to engage with the teeth of the said ratchet wheel; it is carried
by a spring arm secured to a fixed spring barrel 25. 26 is a coiled spring (fig. 12)
connected at one end to the spring barrel 25 and at the other end to the shaft 7.
When one of the handles 18 is pulled down as shown in fig. 6 the transverse shaft 7
and connected valve 6 will be partially rotated, compressed air will be admitted to the
cylinder 4, the piston 9 and with it the rod 10 and indicator 11 will be pushed
outward and be locked in their outward positions by the spring plate 13, and com-
pressed air will pass along the pipe 19 and operate alarm apparatus in the guards
compartiment. The partial rotation of the transverse shaft 7 and ratchet wheel 23
will wind up the spring 25. The spring pawl 24 engaging with the ratchet wheel 23
will serve to hold such wheel and the shaft 7 and valve 6 in the positions into which
they have been turned and thus allow air to pass to the pipe 19 and when escaping
therefrom to sound an alarm so long as the valve 6 and connected parts remain in
their turned positions. By moving the spring pawl 24 clear of the ratchet wheel 23,
this wheel the shaft 7 and the valve 6 will be returned to their normal positions
by the coiled spring, 26, the supply of compressed air cut off, and the alarm stopped.
By lifting the spring plate 13 away from the piston rod 10, such rod, and the
connected piston 9 and indicator 11 will be returned to their normal positions by the
spiral spring 12. The apparatus will then be again ready for use.
In order that the quantity of air used for sounding the alarm may not be such as
to affect the brake apparatus the outlet of the pipe 19 is so contracted that a very
small quantity of air is used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. Alarm apparatus for communication between passengers and guards of railway
trains, comprising an air compressor or reservoir, a whistle or other device whereby
an alarm can be given by air pressure and means whereby on operating a handle or
cord communication will be established between the said compressor or reservoir and
the whistle or other alarm giving device, and an indicator will be exposed substantially
in the manner herein above set forth.
2. My apparatus substantially as described for the purpose specified.