Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Stopping Railway Trains in Motion.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 26th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 17th Dec., 1898
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Stopping Railway
Trains in Motion.
I, HONORÉ GRAMONT, of 15bie, Boulevard St. Denis, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
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This invention has for its object an improved apparatus for automatically
stopping railway trains when the ordinary signal is at "Danger."
In order to put the invention in operation, the rod by which the signal is
worked in the ordinary way from a handle or lever, is prolonged for a sufficient
distance in the direction from which the train is coming, and at the end of this
prolongation a sufficiently strong bar is pivotted, which bar turns upon a centre,
so that when the signal is at Danger" the bar stands upright, whilst when
the signal is off the bar is horizontal. Upon the buffer beam, or front of the
locomotive, is arranged transversely a pipe communicating with the ordinary
pipes by which the brakes are actuated. This pipe is carried at its outer end
in a guide fixed to the engine or buffer beam, and at its open end is fitted a glass
tube, closed at its outer end.
If the engine-driver, from any cause whatever, neglects or passes the danger
sigual, the glass tube will strike against the pivotted bar, which is in its upright
position, and will be broken by it, communication being thus made between the
brake tubes and the air, and the brakes will instantly operate automatically, and
the train be stopped. If the pivotted bar be horizontal, the glass tube will pass
above it without being broken, the bar in this case having been lowered by the
signal-man. A cock or valve is arranged in the pine which carries the glass
tube, so that the former may be closed when the glass is broken.
EDWARDS AND Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Stopping Railway
Trains in Motion.
I. HONORÉ GRAMONT, of 9, Boulevard Saint Germain, (late of 15, Boulevard
St. Denis, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer, 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, and
accompanying drawing, that is to say:-
This invention has for its obiect an improved annaratus for automatically

page_text: stopping railway trains when the ordinary signal is at "Danger," or when it is
desired for any reason to stop a train at any point.
In order to put the invention in operation, I arrange transversely upon the
buffer beam, or front of the locomotive, a pipe communicating with the ordinary
air pipes by which the brakes are actuated. This pipe is carried at its outer end
in a guide fixed to the engine or buffer beam, and at its open end is fitted a glass
tube, closed at its outer end.
If the engine-driver, from any cause whatever, neglects or passes the danger
signal, or if it is desired to stop the train at any particular point, the glass tube
will strike against an upright bar arranged in a proper position by the side of
the line of rails, and will be broken by it, communication being thus made
between the brake tubes and the air, and the brakes will instantly operate auto-
matically, and the train be stopped.
The bar may be a loose one fitted upright, when required, into or upon one or
other of a series of suitable sockets permanently arranged at intervals by the
side of the line, a signalman or other appointed person carrying the bar constantly
with him to be so used when required, and the bar itself may consist of the
ordinary spanner used for tightening the bolts on the line, and made of the
required length and shape.
Or, a bar may be permanently pivotted to a suitably arranged support, and
connected with the signal, so that when the signal is at "Danger" the bar
stands upright, whilst when the signal is off the bar is horizontal.
A cock or valve is arranged in the pipe which carries the glass tube, so that
the former may be closed when the glass is broken.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention.
Figure 1 shows the entire arrangement,
being the glass or other fragile
tube, and m the bar fitted upon a socket in the required position so as to break
the tube when the latter comes in contact with it.
Figure 2 shows on a larger scale a bar m fitted upon a support i, of which a
series are arranged at intervals by the side of the line.
e is a pipe fixed upon a support f on the front of the locomotive, and communi-
cating with the air pipes of the ordinary pneumatic brake.
g is the closed glass tube at the end of the pipe e, nearly approaching the
limiting gauger, y, z, of the line, and m is the bar.
When the line is clear the train can be re-started after closing the cock h,
close to the glass tube.
If the sockets or carriers i are arranged at intervals of, say 200 metres along
the line they serve to replace the fog signals or other more or less effective means
ordinarily employed to stop in time trains following after one which has broken
down.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
The apparatus for automatically stopping trains by the fracture of a fragile
body g communicating with the air tubes of the brake, and so setting the brake
automatically in operation, the fracture being effected by a moveable bar arranged
in such a position that the fragile body comes in contact with and is broken by
it, substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 25th dose of Ont 1000
Dated this 25th day of October 1998.
EDWARDS AND Co.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.