FIXED POINTS FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jonathan Edwin Billups, of Halswell Terrace, Cardiff,
in the County of Glamorgan, for the Invention of "FIXED POINTS FOR
RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jonathan Edwin Billups at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th October 1862.
J, JONATHAN EDWIN BILLUPS, of Halswell Terrace, Cardiff, in the County of
Glamorgan, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "FIXED
POINTS FOR RAILWAYS," to be as follows, and consists in dispensing with the
moveable tongues and switches, and substituting in place thereof fixed points
so arranged that they will always keep the carriages, engines, or otherwise,
within proper track.
The accompanying Drawing illustrates my Invention, in which Fig. I is a
plan shewing the manner to lay these fixed points, and Fig. 2 is a plan
shewing a single line of railway and an additional line at any station where
trains are required to pass each other, out of which sidings 3 and 4 are laid,
A, B, are the rails on the main line up, and C, D, the rails of passing line
down; E cheek rail fixed so as to prevent the engine or carriages surging
and from running hard against rail B, after having left point J; F, wing or
leading rail, so arranged to pass all up trains clear of point J, and rail D.
I will describe the manner in which a line of railway would have to be
worked. A train of carriages travelling from G to H, would keep on the
main up line, as indicated by arrows, being guided safely past point J (Fig. 1)
by wing rail F, (Fig. 1), but a train travelling down from H to G, would.

page_text: have to go on the passing line at K, and return to the main line at J, also
indicated by arrows, Fig. 2; but a train having to go on the passing line,
and travelling from G to H, must pass beyond the point K, and be shunted
on the same, and can there remain in safety during the time a train also
travelling from G to H would pass, it being as before stated impossible for it
to go on to the passing line at the point J. The same remarks apply to a
train travelling from H to G, but in this case the train would be shunted
at the point J on to the main line, and there remain until the train also
travelling in the same direction had passed as before described. The
impossibility of the train getting on the wrong line is clearly shewn on
referring to Fig. 1, where it will be seen the fixed point for the rail B is in
advance of the point for the rail A, & to insure the wheel of the carriage
going correctly the wing rail F, (also in advance of the check rail E,) prevents
the flange of the wheel departing to such an extent from the rail B, so that it
cannot pass from its rail, and if the wheel continues on the rail B after
passing its point, it is evident the opposite wheel must run on the parallel
line A. By this arrangement a carriage with flanged wheels may pass freely
from G to H, without going on the passing line at the point J, Fig. 2, also
may pass freely from H to G, by going on the passing line. The exact
position of the check rail to the point of the rail A, & the distance from the
point J at which the wing rail F, is to be bent depends upon the angle at
which the passing line leaves the main line.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jonathan Edwin Billups in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JONATHAN
EDWIN BILLUPS, of Halswell Terrace, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
- send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Jonathan Edwin Billups, Her special licence that I, the said
Jonathan Edwin Billups, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Jonathan Edwin Billups, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time

page_text: and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
awfully 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 "FIXED POINTS FOR RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Jonathan Edwin Billups, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Jonathan Edwin Billups, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists in dispensing with the moveable tongues and
switches, and substituting in place thereof fixed points so arranged that they
will always keep the carriages, engine, or otherwise, within a proper track.
The accompanying Drawing illustrates my Invention, in which Fig. 1 is a
plan shewing these points so arranged that the carriages, &c., must keep on
the main line. Fig. 2 is a plan shewing these points also so arranged that
the carriages, &c., must diverge from the main line to a passing line, and
Fig. 3 is a plan shewing a single line of railway, and an additional line,
called the passing line, so as to allow trains to pass each other, and out
of which sidings or branch lines may be laid, a siding or branch line being
also shewn on the main line.
A, B, are the rails on the main line, and C, D, the rails of passing line;
E, wing or leading rail of the main line so arranged as to pass all up or
shunted trains clear of point F (Fig. 1), and rail D, and continue on the
rails A, B; G (Fig 2), wing or leading rail of the passing line so arranged
as to pass all down or shunted trains clear of point H, and rail A, and to
run on rails C, D; J, check rails fixed so as to prevent the engine or other-
wise surging and running hard against the rails after leaving points F and H;
K and L (Fig. 8) are sidings or branch lines. A single line of railway and
an additional line where trains having to stop to allow another train to pass
in the same direction or for trains having to pass in opposite directions would
have to be worked as follows, reference being principally made to Fig. 3.
A train of carriages travelling from N to M would keep on the main line
as indicated by arrows being guided safely past point F (Fig. 1) by wing or

page_text: leading rail E, but a train travelling from N to M, would have to go on the
passing line & would be guided safely past point. H (Fig. 2) by the wing
or leading rail G, & return to the main line at the point F (Fig. 1), also
indicated by arrows, but a train having to go on the passing line, and travelling
from M to N must pass beyond the point H, and be shunted on the same,
and can there remain in safety during the time a train also travelling from
M to N would pass, it being as before stated impossible for it to go on the
passing line at the point F (Fig. 1). The same remarks apply to a train
travelling from N to M, but in this case the train would be shunted at the
point F on to the main line, and there remain until the train also travelling
in the same direction had passed it on the passing line. For trains travelling
in opposite directions, no shunting would be required as a train travelling
from M to N would remain between the 2 points F and H while the train
travelling from N to M would go on the passing line, & vice versa. It will
be observed that to keep the train on the main line where the same is straight
as shewn in Fig. 1, the point F belonging to the wing or leading rail E is in
advance of the point of the check rail, but where the train has to leave a
straight line as shewn in Fig. 2, the point H is in advance of the opposite
point of the wing or leading rail. By this arrangement a carriage with
flanged wheels may pass freely from M to N without going on the passing
line and also may pass freely from N to M, but it must go on the passing
line. The points, wing or leading rail, and check rail may be made wholly
or partially of steel.
Having fully described the particulars and nature of my said Invention,
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact position
or length of the fixed points, or of the length or exact position of the wing
or leading rail, or of the check rail, but what I claim as my Invention is,
fixed points for railways, the wing or leading rail, and the check rail so
arranged that they will always keep the carriages, engine, or otherwise in
their proper track, thereby dispensing with the moveable tongue or tongues,
and switch or switches at present in use.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jonathan Edwin Billups, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our
Lord 1863.