AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING ACCIDENTS TO RAILWAY TRAINS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th November 1878. A communication
from abroad by Amédée Quantin, of Paris, France.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS
FOR PREVENTING ACCIDENTS TO RAILWAY TRAINS." [A communication froin abroad
by Amédée Quantin, of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to a method of preventing accidents to railway trains, and
to apparatus whereby electricity is employed therefor.
Various forms of brakes have heretofore been devised for stopping railway trains
and preventing collisions and running off the rails, but none of them have been so
entirely satisfactory as to lead to their use generally.
The device generally employed by railway companies comprises a shoe arranged
to press upon the carriage or wagon wheels, and which bear thereon with more or
less force, according to the leverage exerted.
But this apparatus affords but very important means for preventing accidents.
Admitting that a train can be stopped by such a brake within a distance of about
60 yards an accident could not be avoided unless the danger were seen or foreseen
by the engine driver. But if, for example, the rails were disarranged or put out of
order maliciously or from any other cause between two stations about 15 or 20
minutes before the passage of a train the most perfect brake would not prevent the
danger at night as the danger could not be seen by the officials on the road or on
the train.
The companies have hitherto directed their entire attention to the improvement
of the permanent way and rolling stock; the locomotives have been greatly improved,
and the rails are now usually of steel; and great consideration is given to the
economization of the fuel and the wear of materials used on the road, and in parts
of the rolling stock. All of these improvements are very important, but are not
sufficient. It is also necessary to provide means for affording to the passengers,
whose lives are every day in danger, the security which they have the right to

page_text: expect and to prevent the accidents for which no compensation given to the families
of the sufferers can adequately compensate them. Moreover this question concerns
the public generally and should have the consideration of the Government as the
danger of accidents is shared equally by all who travel on railways.
By the Invention herein described all danger of accidents is avoided and railway
travellers may accomplish their journeys in absolute safety.
The said Invention is carried into practise as follows, that is to say:- Upon the
sleepers I place inside the gauge or between the rails chairs or blocks of cast-iron
or other suitable material within and under which is fitted an insulating substancé.
The chairs should have at the top a groove, in which are fitted iron bars united by
screw bolts and nuts so as to form a continuous horizontal bar. The holes in each
bar are oval to allow for expansion.
I may in some instances replace the said horizontal bar by rails arranged to
establish an electric circuit or conductor.
The aforesaid bars are to be placed in the grooves of the chairs with wedges of
any suitable insulating material.
It will be seen that this apparatus may be easily repaired; it will be only
necessary to unscrew the bolts to permit any of the parts or pieces to be changed.
All of these bars united form an electric circuit or conductor extending throughout
the entire distance from one station to another, and the same will be completely
insulated from all conducting bodies by being supported in chairs resting on insu-
lating material, as above described.
As near as possible to the locomotive, so that communication can be readily
effected with the engine driver, there is reserved a wagon or carriage in which is
placed an electrical instrument or machine similar to those used at the stations.
With each of them is connected a wire, one end of which is tied or bolted to a
wrought iron bar placed vertically and which passes through the floor of the waggon.
This bar carries at its lower extremity a roller or wheel which runs on the hori-
zontal bar fixed between the rails and forming the electric circuit or conductor, and
by its weight and. that of the said vertical bar is caused to bear with sufficient
pressure on the said conductor.
A window or aperture is provided in the said carriage or wagon in the part
facing the locomotive, so that the engine-driver and the operator at the
instrument can see and speak to each other as they will only be separated by the
tender.
When the said wagon is moving the aforesaid wheel or roller will be turned
continuously by the traction while resting in communication or contact with the
horizontal bar placed along the railway and will establish a connection between the
electrical instrument or machine, the vertical bar, and the electric conductor.
By operating the said electrical instrument or machine in a train electricity will
be produced and transmitted to trains running in front or behind as well as to the
two stations between which the said train is travelling, and a double current will'
be produced. The result will be that the correspondence of the two trains will be
known at both of the said stations. But, admitting that the current will not be
produced in duplicate, the said Invention will always be applicable for preventing
the collision of two trains or the running of a train from the rails by reason of any
displacement of the rails due to storms, inundations, want of proper supervision, or
to other causes.
Every five minutes the operator should work the signal instrument; if a reply
is not received from a train or from the stations it should be assumed that the road
is disarranged, and that the electric conductor has been severed, maliciously or other-
wise. If a reply is received it will indicate the distance between the two trains,
and if from a station the engine driver will be relieved of anxiety or will be fore-
warned of any danger that may have to be encountered; and the safe arrival of the
train will be ensured. And in case of a train running off or leaving the rails such
an accident can only be attributed to a bad condition of the rails or some part of

page_text: the permanent way of a rolling stock, due to want of care or supervision by the
railway officials. In this case the cause will be known.
Errors in signalling are the frequent cause of deplorable accidents. With this
Invention an accident from such causes will be impossible, for during the running
or arrival of a train the special operator thereon can ascertain whether the road is
clear or not; he will be warned of and can avoid any danger that may arise; and
it is natural that under all circumstances a person who is continually exposed to and
has to meet danger should be able to avoid any evil consequences thereof by having
at his disposal and in his hands the means for averting the same.