New or Improved Apparatus for Automatically Stopping Trains.
Year: 1899

page_text: New or Improved Apparatus for Automatically Stopping Trains.
I, GEORGE DEWHIRST, of 11, Ashworth Road, Newchurch, near Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Mule Overlooker, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for automatically stopping trains, and con-
sists of new or improved devices by the use of which an engine running over
a determined portion of the line has its steam valve automatically closed and a
brake simultaneously applied.
For this purpose I attach to a convenient part of the engine a weighted rod
which normally hangs in a vertical position, its lower end being just above the
permanent way. This weighted rod is pivoted to the engine frame in such
manner that it is free to swing backwards and forwards in a plane parallel to
the path of the engine's progress; and it has in some cases a short arm pro-
jecting upwards from the pivoted part for a purpose to be hereinafter described.
Upon the permanent way immediately underneath the weighted rod, at any
determined and chosen point is fixed a tumbler which may occupy either of two
positions. When the signal shows "line clear" it falls to such a position that
the lower end of the weighted rod upon the engine can pass over without touch-
ing it. The tumbler is attached to the signal wire in such manner that when
the latter is pulled or loosened so that the signal assumes the "danger" position
the tumbler rises to such a height that the lower end of the weighted rod touches
it, and is caused to swing backwards on its pivot.
To the short arm of the weighted lever or to the lever itself are attached two
wires or rods, the other ends of which are attached, one to the stop valve and
the other to the operating lever of a vacuum or other brake in such manner
that when the weighted lever comes into contact with the tumbler and is swung
backwards thereby, the stop valve is closed and the brake put into operation,
thus bringing the engine rapidly to a standstill.
The tumbler may be affixed to the permanent way in any suitable and con-
venient manner, and the method of connecting this to the signal wire may be
varied to suit each particular case. In like manner the weighted lever may be
connected with the stop valve and the brake by rods, wires, cords, or any other
suitable device without departing from the scope of my invention.
Dotel this 1st day of August 1899
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
75, Chancery Lane, Agent for the Applicant.
New or Improved Apparatus for Automatically Stopping Trains.
I, GEORGE DEWHIRST, of 11, Ashworth Road, Newchurch, near Manchester, .
in the County of Lancaster, Mule Overlooker, do hereby declare the nature of,
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is thrust backwards on coming into contact with the inclined block C¹, the steam
supply to the cylinders is cut off and the brake simultaneously applied; by
this means the engine is brought automatically and quickly to a standstill.
By slacking the wire Y the signal semaphore is brought to the line clear
position and the tumbler operated so as to allow the inclined block C to drop
to such an extent that when the engine passes over it the lower end of the
weighted lever D passes clear over the tumbler C.
An
The tumbler C is shewn more clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the block C₁ being
mounted upon the ends of two arms C2, which are rigidly attached to a
spindle so as to rock with it in bearings affixed to the permanent way.
arm is attached to the end of this spindle to the lower end of which the
wire is attached, which operates the tumbler from the signal cabin. The tum-
bler C may be arranged as shewn in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, to drop normally to the
"line clear" position and be pulled by the wire to the "danger" position,
or it may be arranged (with a counterweight C, shewn in Fig. 4) to rise auto-
matically to the " danger" position. In such case the signal wires are con-
nected in such manner as to operate therewith. In some cases the arms C² are
made in two parts and pivoted together at the point C: the ends being kept
in their normal positions by springs (Then should the engine stop with the
lower end of the weighted lever 1 resting upon the inclined block the signal
could still be operated from the cabin, as the arms C² would bend, the inclined
block still remaining depressed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1 Apparatus for automatically stopping trains, which consists essentially of
a weighted lever pivoted to the frame of the engine in such manner that its
backward movement closes the steam-valve and puts the brake in operation and
a tumbler arranged upon the permanent way in such a position that when the
signal is brought to the "danger" position the lower end of the weighted lever
comes into contact therewith on the engine passing over it; by which means
the steam supply to the cylinders is cut off and the brake applied substantially
as described and shewn.
2 In apparatus for automatically stopping trains, the combination of a tum-
bler fixed to the permanent way and connected to the signal cabin by a wire
or other device, which enables the signalman to raise or lower the tumbler,
with a weighted rod attached to the engine in such manner that when the
tumbler occupies one position, the engine in passing over it brings the lower
end of the weighted rod into contact with the upper surface of the fumbler thus
producing a movement of the weighted rod which by means of wires rods or
the like shuts off the steam supply to the engine and simultaneously applies
the brakes, substantially as described and shewn.
3 In apparatus for automatically stopping trains, the combination of the tum-
bler C, a weight which serves to retain it in its normal position, wires or rods
which enable the tumbler to be.operated from a distance, the weighted rod D
and the wires e and el which operate the steam valve and bring the brake into
action, substantially as described and shewn.
4 In a tumbler as hereinbefore described, the use of flexible arms, the outer
ends of which are normally supported in position by means of springs (5, sub-
stantially as described and shewn.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
75, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for Applicant.