A NEW METHOD OF WORKING OR OPERATING SWITCHES AND SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS BY IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Browne, of No. 52, King William Street,
London Bridge, in the City of London, and County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A NEW METHOD OF
WORKING OR OPERATING SWITCHES AND SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS BY IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE."-A communication from abroad by Victor
Armond Prou of Rue de Sèvrés. Paris, in the Empire of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Browne at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd March 1859.
I, BENJAMIN BROWNE, of No. 52, King William Street, London Bridge, in
the City of London, and County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW
METHOD OF WORKING OR OPERATING SWITCHES AND SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS BY
MPROVED APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE," a communication from abroad by
Victor Armand Prou, of Rue de Sèvrés, Paris, in the Empire of France, to
be as follows:-
This Invention consists in working switches and disc signals on railways
principally by self-acting mechanical means, instead of entirely by manual
labour, as heretofore generally practised; or, in other words, causing the
flanges of the running wheels of the carriages and levers connected to the
Price 8d.]

page_text: pumps
engine to actuate mechanism fixed at certain parts of a line of railway for
effecting the above-named object. The mechanism consists of an apparatus
which I call a hydro-pneumatic swing table,connected with which are pumps
in which oil is placed; and an important feature in this Invention consists
in employing oils of a non-siccative character, or not capable of congealing
in cold weather. It is proposed to operate the pistons of these said
either by exhausting air therefrom, or, by compressing the oil therein, or
both. Two handles or levers are connected to the locomotive engine of a
train, which are operated upon by the switches, and sound the whistle on
the engine when the train arrives at or near a station. It is proposed to
connect the switches of the railway to or with the aforesaid pumps by means
of rods and chains, so as to raise the piston of one pump, thereby causing
the piston of the other pump to descend. The pistons of these pumps aro
operated upon by the wheels of the locomotive as they pass over chains
working on pullies placed in the line of railway, and said pumps are con-
nected by rods and chains to the disc signals and switches respectively, so
that according to the direction in which the locomotive and train are going,
in like manner the disc signals and switches will be properly operated upon
for the next or succeeding train.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Browne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME I, BENJAMIN
BROWNE, of 52, King William Street, London Bridge, in the City of London,
and County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Benjamin Browne, Her special licence that I, the said
Benjamin Browne, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Benjamin Browne, 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 Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for

page_text: A NEW METHOD OF WORKING OR OPERATING SWITCHES AND SIGNALS ON RAILWAYS
BY IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE," a communication from abroad by
Victor Armand Prou, of Rue de Sevres, Paris, in the Empire of France,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Browne, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, 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 Benjamin Browne, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in working switches and disc signals on railways
principally by self-acting mechanical means, instead of entirely by manual
labour,as heretofore generally practised; or, in other words, causing the flanges
of the running wheels of the carriages and levers connected to the engine to
actuate mechanism fixed at certain parts of a line of railway for effecting the
above-named object. The mechanism consists of an apparatus, which I call
a hydro-pneumatic swing table, connected with which are pumps in which oil
is placed; and an important feature in this Invention consists in employing
oils of a non-siccative character, or not capable of congealing in cold weather.
It is proposed to operate the pistons of these said pumps either by exhausting
air therefrom, or by compressing the oil therein, or both. Two handles or
levers are connected to the locomotive engine of a train, which are operated
upon by the switches, and sound the whistle on the engine when the train
arrives at or near a station. It is also proposed to connect the switches of
the railway to.or with the aforesaid pumps by means of rods and chains, so
as to raise the piston of one pump, thereby causing the piston of the other
pump to descend. The pistons of these pumps are operated upon by the
wheels of the locomotive as they pass over chains working on pullies placed in
the line of railway, and said pumps are connected by rods and chains to the
disc signals and switches respectively, so that according to the direction in
which the locomotive and train are going, in like manner the disc signals and
switches will be properly operated upon for the next or succeeding train.
In order to explain this Invention as completely as possible, I now pro-
ceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same
nto practical effect, roference being had to the illustrative Sheet of Drawings

page_text: "
thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a transverse and vertical section of a line of railway, showing
some of the improvements adapted thereto; Figure 2 is a top plan view of
Figure 1; Figure 3, a detached portion of Figure 2; Figures 4, 5; 6,7,8,
exhibit several views of parts herein-after particularly described and referred to,
drawn to an enlarged scale; Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, respectively exhibit end
elevations, a partial side elevation, and detached portions of a locomotive,
tender, carriage, and guard's carriage,showing other of the aforesaid improve-
ments adapted thereto; Figures 13 and 14 are top plau views of a portion of
a line of railway drawn to a small scale, showing the improvements adapted
thereto for working the switches and signals; Figures 15 to 28 inclusive,
exhibit detached portions herein-after particularly described and referred to.
At each of the foregoing Figures I employ similar letters of reference to
denote corresponding parts, in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at
each of such said Figures respectively. At Figures 1 and 2, A are the rails of
the permanent way of a line of railway; B,switches, to which are connected the
disc signal C and lever D, by means of rods a, a; the lever D is also connected
to a self-acting pump at E, the construction of which is exhibited at Figures
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and is as follows:-A¹ is a casting fitted with three pistons A,B,
C, C¹. I form these pistons hollow, as exhibited at Figures 6 and 7, and fit a
conical valve S, kept in its scat by a spring X, into the end of the casting in
which the piston C works, as at Figures 4 and 6, said valve having a hole
formed through the same as at O, and I introduce oil or other liquid into the
apparatus at the points +, so as partly to fill the same. The pistons C and C¹
are connected together, and to a counterbalance weight R, by a rod I, said
weights being employed for the purpose herein-afterstated. Ialso forina groove
or channel * between the pistons C and C¹, for establishing a communication
between the pistons A and B; all the pistons should work air-tight in their
respective barrels; any suitable packing substance or material may be employed
for that purpose. In connection with the aforesaid pump and parts attached
thereto, I employ two auxiliary wheels attached to the tender of a locomotive,
as exhibited at Figure 9, and marked G, G', and I connect such said wheels
by levers Hand rods I to pistons K, working steam-tight in cylinders at L,
into which steam may be admitted from the boiler of the locomotive by means
of handles M, M', operating toothed racks connected to the slide valves of the
said cylinders, as exhibited; the engine driver having entire control over the

page_text: said handles, so as to raise or lower the wheels G, G', as he may wish, and
thus a bell may be sounded so as to call the attention of the engine. driver
when he approaches near to a station, or it may be caused to sound a whistle
on the engine or tender.
The Figures 15, 16, 17, 18, exhibit the details of construction (drawn
enlarged) of the parts lastly described and exhibited at Figure 9.
The parts exhibited drawn enlarged at Figures 19, 2), 21, are details of
the switches hereafter described and referred to.
Figures 11 and 12 exhibit a modification of Figure 9, and differ therefrom
by substituting a train of toothed wheels, and also levers for operating the
wheels G, G1, by hand instead of by steam, said mechanism being attached
to the guard's carriage, and by which the guard may have control over such
said wheels as well as the engine driver.
The details exhibited at Figures 23, 24, 25, 26, drawn enlarged, shew
detached portions of an arrangement of a bell in connection with the switch
and disc signal mechanism herein-before described. The intention of this
part of my said Invention being to enable the engine driver or guard of a
train to give a signal in foggy weather or otherwise, as before stated.
I now proceed to describe the general operations of the above-mentioned
mechanical arrangements for working the switches and disc signal according
to the said Invention as follows:-Suppose the several parts of the mechanism
to be in the position exhibited at Figure 14, the effect thereon by a train of
carriages will be as follows:-The flanges of the running wheels coming into
contact with the side of the lever L, will cause said lever to move on its
fulcrum at a, thereby pulling the rod 6 connected thereto, and also the lever c,
to which said rod is likewise connected. The lever c has its fulcrum upon a
pin fixed at 1,and the other end of the said lever is connected by a rod to the
piston A, which is now pulled outwards by the rod b; the effect of this move-
ment of the piston A is to form a partial vacuum behind it, and by aspiring
the oil or other liquid in the pump to cause the pressure of the atmosphere on
the outer end of the piston B to force such said piston inwards, thereby
changing the position of the disc signal, so as to present the entire surface
thereof to view, and also either pulling or pushing the switches into proper
position; during this time, the oil in front of the piston C will be slowly
aspired, so as to leave the passage at b, e, Fig. 4, free for the oil to pass from
the piston B, after which the piston C¹ closes the opening b, e, and in so
doing raises the weight R connected therewith; and suppose the flanges of
all the wheels of the carriages to have passed the lever L, the pressure of
the atmospheric air upon the end of the piston A will now forco such said

page_text: piston inwards, and in so doing force the oil through the opening o against
the piston C, which, aided by the weight R, will move outwards and uncover
the opening b,e, thus allowing the oil to enter and force the piston B out-
wards, this piston being also aided in that movement by the descent of the
weight P, shewn at Figure 1. Instead of employing solid pistons as before
described, they may be made as exhibited at Figures 5 and 27, using
diaphragms of leather d, or other suitable material, by which friction will be
considerably reduced. The lever L, at Figure 13, is acted upon by one or
other of the wheels G, G', at Figure 9, and the lever L' is operated upon by
the running wheels of the train. As regards the wheels G, G', employed
for operating the bell mechanism, only one of such said wheels is in action
at one time, according to which of the line of rails the engine is working
whether on an up lino of rails or a down line; in all cases that wheel only which
is on the same side as the bell mechanism is moved down on to the rail, as at
Figure 9, the other wheel being kept up, as there exhibited.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of the
said Invention of "A New Method of Working or Operating Switches and
Signals on Railways by Improved Apparatus for that Purpose," together
with the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into
practical effect, I hereby declare this Invention to consist in, and I claim
the mechanical arrangements above particularly described, set forth, and
represented at the several Figures of the Drawing hereunto annexed, and
especially I claim the use of oil in an apparatus of the construction
exhibited at Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 27, reserving to myself the right to use
water or other liquid or air therein instead of oil, if desirable, for operating
the switches and disc signals, as above stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Browne, have hereunto set
iny hand and seal, this 'Twenty-third day of September, in the year.
of our Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
BENJAMIN BROWNE. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM NASHI,
Clerk to Messrs. B. Browne & Co.,
Patent Agents,
52, King William Street, E.C.