pastvy Apparatus for away Lines.
Year: 1897

page_text: pastvy Apparatus for away Lines.
I, JEAN MARIE LAFFAS, Engineer, of 49, Rue de Londres, Paris, in the Republic
of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
This invention refers to improvements which have been made in instruments
or apparatus designed to increase the safety of the running of trains on railway
lines of single or double track, of which apparatus or instruments several have
already formed the object of a Patent No. 15119 of the 22 August 1892.
These improvements consist: first, in arranging on the track at a suitable
point from the station platform or from any point in front of which a train has to
stop if the road is closed or blocked by any obstacle, a jointed stop piece the
inclined planes of which are formed by means of an elastic flexible plate specially
arranged to diminish the sharpness of the shock. Secondly, in manipulating
this stop or block by raising it, thus preventing the track being entered, or by
lowering it, thus opening an entrance to the said track, by means of general
transmitting arrangements, actuated by a head lever and combined with the move-
ment of the ordinary signal and the automatic pedals, as also with that of the
counter rail bars, indicated in the said Patent No. 15119/92, the said head lever being
controlled when a level crossing exists near the station or the point in question
by the latch of a special bolt requiring for its operation the use of two keys which
serve to manipulate the bolts which control the opening and closing of the gates
of the level crossing. Thirdly, in suspending at any suitable point of the general
brake conduit, underneath the locomotive or under a carriage, a jointed lever
acting on a stop piston, as indicated in the Patent No. 15119/92, in such manner
as to permit, when the lower end of this lever meets the inclined plane of the
block, of the escape of a certain quantity, of air so as to permit a depression in
the general compressed air conduit, and the application of the brakes, it being
understood that the said lever is provided at its lower end with a roller of elastic
material to diminish the shock and that it is constructed of laminated metal,
thin and firm so as to diminish as much as possible its bulk and make it suitable
to support the effects of the blows against the inclined plane of the block.
Fourthly, in controlling the opening and closing of the gates of all level cross-
ings existing near the place where a stop block is arranged, by means of two
bolts, one for each gate, each of the two bolts only being able to act by means
of a corresponding key, which cannot be used for the other bolt; the two different
keys, which can only be disengaged from their bolts when the gates of the level
crossing are closed and bolted, being both necessary to permit the liberation of
the manipulating head lever, which can then act, by means of the general trans-
mitting apparatus, on the block, on the signal and its pedal and on the counter

page_text: rail bars unless the latter are under the wheels of a train or vehicle standing
on them, and cannot then be manipulated.
Dated this 12th day of November 1897.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
I, JEAN MARIE LAFFAS, Engineer, of 49, Rue de Londres, Paris, in the Republio
of France, 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:-
This invention has reference to improvements made in apparatus designed to
increase the safety in the running of trains or vehicles on railway lines of single
or several tracks.
It consists firstly, in a stop block arranged at a suitable point in the track
and which may be lowered or raised by means of a system of transmission of move-
ment either direct or combined with the transmission of movement to the signal
and its pedal, or combined with these systems of transmission and that actuating
counter rail bars to be hereinafter, mentioned. Secondly in a hanging lever, of
novel shape and arrangement to secure its lightness and its resistance, combined
with a roller, of elastic material designed, after it has come into contact with the
block to effect the escape of a certain quantity of air from the general conduit of
the brakes, and to cause these brakes to act on the wheels. Thirdly, in the
application and in the combination among themselves and with the other working
parts, viz., the stop block, signal with pedal, and counter rail bars, when level
crossings exist close to the stations points or stopping places or any obstacle may
arrive or exist on the line or there may be a turn bridge; of special bolts with
keys of which mention will be hereinafter made, controlling the opening and
closing of the said barriers, whether they be sliding or swinging, at the same
time that the manipulating lever by means of which is actuated the transmission
system of the ordinary signal, the stop block, or more generally of the stop block
and of the counter rail bars when these parts are connected together by the same
general transmission system operated by the manipulating lever or by the auto-
matic pedal of the signal.
The entirety of the various means constituting the invention consists of the parts
fixed on the track and of others which are fixed to the rolling stock.
On the track, at a point sufficiently in front of the station point, or stopping
place, at about 250 or 300 metres is fixed the stop block.
Also on the track but near the station, point, or stopping place is also fixed the
manipulating lever.
Again, on the track, but only when there exists, near the station, point, or
stopping place, a level crossing, or a turn bridge, is arranged the system of safety
bolts with keys above mentioned regulating and consolidating in a manner
suitably pre-arranged, the opening and closing of the parts of the turn bridge or
those of the level crossing barriers whether these barriers be sliding or swinging:
the manipulating lever of the signal, of the block, and of the bars, in such
manner that the section of track in advance by 250 or. 300 metres of the level
crossing is guarded from access by any train when the crossing barriers are or may
be open, or when one only of these barriers is or may be open.
On the locomotive or on more of the carriages of the train provided with

page_text: brakes, generally actuated by compressed air, a special hanging lever is arranged
and fixed in such manner and at such a point that if access to the track is for-
bidden by the raising of the block, the lower end of this lever, provided with a
roller made of an elastic material, meets the slope (also elastic, and of special
shape) of the said block, swings about its rotating axis and permits, by liberating
a piston acting as a plug, an escape of air from the general brake conduit, thus
effecting a stoppage of the train by the grip exerted by the brakes on the periphery
of the wheels.
Figs. 1 to 22 show of what my improvements consist. Fig. 1 is a side elevation
showing the stop block raised, Fig. 2 is an end elevation and Fig. 3 a plan thereof.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section, through the axis, of the movable oscillating hanging
lever fixed to the locomotive, or to a carriage of the train, and arranged in such
manner that when the train is running 'the lower part of this lever provided with
a roller of elastic material can strike the slope of the stop block when this block
is raised. Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof, Fig. 6 a plan, and Fig. 7 a transverse
section through the line 5--6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section
through the line 1-2 of Fig. 9 of a safety barrier bolt with key, free in its
seating, and Fig. 9 is a plan thereof showing from the side, and also free, a
sliding barrier bar of a level crossing. Fig. 10 is a vertical transverse section,
through the line 3-4 of Fig. 11 of the same bolt shown in Figs. 8 and 9 but
engaged in the barrier bar and fixed in its seating by the block which is suffi-
ciently rotated and has become engaged in the corresponding indentation in the
bolt. Fig. 12 is a plan of a safety bolt for controlling and operating the
manipulating lever of the signal and of the block and bolt, the safety bolt being
provided with two indentations each corresponding to a block and a key, and
necessitating in order that both the two blocks may be manipulated, the use of the
two keys of the bolts of the two barriers of the crossing. Figs. 13 and 14 are
the two keys in question differing from each other in the shape of the key-bits
or otherwise in such manner that the key of one bolt cannot be used to manipulate
the other bolt. Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic view in plan of a general installation
in a case when it is necessary to protect the platform K of a stopping place J,
having a level crossing and a track following three directions with respect to the
stopping place. Figs. 16, 17 and 18 represent transmission lines of the block
connected to the signal and to the general system of transmission to which is also
connected the transmission movement to the pedal and to the counter rails.
Figs. 19, 20, 21 and 22 refer to the arrangement and operation of the pedal
which is connected to the signal in the usual manner.
The "
pedal" and the "signal," generally connected together, are two well
known apparatus, in the arrangement and working of which nothing has been
altered. It is simply that two apparatus have been connected together, these
two apparatus being the special arrangements of the stop block and the counter
rail bars.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the novel arrangement of the stop block A, the body of
which is now formed of a shaped piece of iron connecting the two trunnion
pieces a a¹ which trunnions rotate in the bearings bbl.
A flexible plate B bent as shown in Fig. 1 is held by the two pin bolts cc¹ passing
through the ears of the trunnions a, the turned back ends of the sloping
surfaces rr of the plate B being simply hooked on to the bolts cc. The slope
thus formed is elastic and contributes by this elasticity to deaden the shock.
A connecting link d acting on the crank e serves either to put the stop block
out of action by lowering it, or to raise it again, according to the direction of
the movement given to the transmission rod d which may be manipulated directly
by a lever, when the block is manipulated directly, or may be connected to the
transmission rods by means of which are actuated the ordinary indicator signals
with automatic pedals and the counter rail bars.
Figs. 4, 5 6 and 7 show the arrangement of the hanging lever C. It will be
seen that this lever is very light and to resist the shock without undergoing any
change of shape it is constructed of two thin forged steel plates riveted one to

page_text: the other; it is provided at its lower part with a roller D of rubber which con-
tributes to deaden the sudden shock against the block. The lever C in rising by
rotation liberates the piston E which under the influence of the pressure of the
air contained in the general conduit F descends and opens a passage to the com-
pressed air, which escapes into the atmosphere through the orifices made through
the length of the regulating screw G and produces in the general conduit Fa
depression from which results the clamping of the brakes.
Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 refer as already stated to the bolts with keys serving to
fix or to liberate each of the two gates of the level crossing. The bolts H of
each barrier are alike, except in so far as concerns the key which is arranged for
each of these bolts, in such manner that the key of the bolt of one barrier cannot
be used for the bolt of the other barrier.
The entirety of each bolt consists of a draw latch f, a rotating blocking
plate 9, held at the base by a spring ring h. acting as a brake and a key i. The
latch engages in a corresponding opening in a part I belonging to one gate of
a level crossing or to a part of a turn bridge. In the case of a bolt with two
blocking plates and two keys controlling the manipulating lever the draw latch Fl
has two indentations and can engage in an opening made in the lever itself or in
any point of the general system of transmission.
In the position shown by Figs. 8 and 9 corresponding to an open barrier the
latch of the bolt is free but the key is imprisoned and cannot be withdrawn for
use elsewhere.
In the contrary case as in Figs. 10 and 11 the latch of the bolt is engaged in
the bar of the barrier, which is then closed, and the key, being free, can be
disengaged to be used elsewhere.
The two barriers being thus closed the liberation of the manipulating lever
may be proceeded with, which lever acts through the transmission system on the
various parts mentioned, and which is manipulated in order to lower the block,
act on the signal and on its pedal and also on the counter rail bars unless these
are under the wheels of a train or a vehicle, in which case the said lever cannot
be actuated nor the block nor any of the other working parts.
Fig. 12 shows the latch F of the bolt of the manipulating lever, which latch
has two indentations and two plates and which, as has been mentioned, can only
be liberated by the freedom and use of the two keys K L (Figs. 12 to 14) of
the barrier bolts.
The barriers of the level crossing being closed and the manipulating lever
being freed, this lever cannot act on the block to lower it, if as has been mentioned,
a vehicle or a train is on the counter rail bars which prevents these bars, which'
are always lowered and which have only to oscillate, from passing from one
depressed position to the other, that is to say from right to left or vice versa, to
act on the block and on the signal and lower them; it is necessary therefore
to also act on the counter rail bars and for this it is necessary that the train or
the vehicle be started, the access of a train can then be permitted without danger
and the block is lowered and also the signal.
The pedal apparatus S combined with the signal (Figs. 19, 20, 21, 22) is well
known. The following is the manner of its operation in conjunction with the
signal, the block, and the counter rail bars.
When the pedal S mounted on the end of the spindle 1, yields to the action
of the first wheel of the train the counter weight bar 2 lifts the catch 3 above a
notch made in the projecting rib 7 in which notch the said catch engages.
As soon as the catch 3, mounted to oscillate about the pin 8 passing through the
spindle 5 on which the lever 6 is fixed, is raised, the lever 11 loose on the
spindle 5 is liberated, and is drawn by the counterweight of the signal through
the wire 10 and the said signal is brought to indicate "line closed," whilst by
the same movement the stop block is raised and the counter rail bars are displaced.
As soon as the train, after having acted on the pedal and having stopped a moment,
has started again, then by operating the manipulating lever; connected through

page_text: a wire 12 and lever 6 to the weighted lever 13, until the catch 3 is above the
notch made in the centre of the rib 7 of the lever plate 11 and this rib, which had
passed underneath and held this catch and the end of the lever 2 raised, passes
from underneath; then the catch 3 falls into the notch in the lever plate 11
the pedal S returns to its raised position, the signal is brought to its position of
line clear" the block is lowered and the counter rail bars return to their normal
positions.
The diagramatic Fig. 15 shows a general installation in plan and enables the
operation of the various parts to be clearly understood. Jis the shelter of the
stopping place, K the platform, froin K to M the principal direction of the line,
from K to M¹ the direction of a branch and from K to L the third direction.
N is a siding and O a level crossing of which P P are the two gates, Q being
the signal box. R is the ordinary signal placed 250 to 300 metres from the
platform and connected by levers and links (see Figs 16, 17 and 18) at the same
time as to the ordinary pedal S (see Figs. 19, 20, 21 and 22) which automatically
closes the signals by the passing of the trains, to the stop blocks u.
Each general
transmission T, T, T which acts on the signal and the block is also connected
to the gearing of each of the counter rail bars U UU". The transmission when
not actuated by the pedal of the signal is actuated by the manipulating lever X.
It will be seen that there should be and is a signal and a block with counter rail
bars on each side of the platform and in front thereof, in each direction of the
line.
If a train comes on the line at L following the direction of the arrow j and if
the road is free and the barriers PP closed, the block A will then be depressed
and the signal It also, and it will indicate that the line is clear, the train can thus
pass on the line freely and with safety. As soon as this has passed however the
pedal such as S rises automatically, the signal is put into the position of "line
blocked" and the block A is raised. Then as long as the train remains stand-
ing in front of the platform or near the platform the wheels of certain vehicles
being on the counter rail bars it is impossible to change the position of the two
working parts, the one, the indicator K, and the other, the protector A, because
the wheels of the carriages prevent the counter rail bars U U₁ from being dis-
placed and consequently they prevent any movement being imparted by the
manipulating lever to the general system of transmission T. As soon as the train
has started and has passed all the counter rail bars and if the barriers P P are
closed the bolt can then be disengaged which blocks the manipulating lever, the
lever liberated and used from the platform (or any other suitable point) to actuate
the signal R and the block A so that the line may be open and accessible to another
train:
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 :-
1. On a railway line at any point where a collision might occur between trains
or carriages, or between a train or a carriage and a movable obstacle placed across
the track and to avoid such collisions, the arrangement of a jointed block A of
which the slopes r r slightly curved, are formed by an elastic plate B against
which strikes, when this block is raised with a view to prevent access to the line,
the lower end of a lever suspended at a point in the general conduit of compressed
air, for the brakes, underneath the locomotive or underneath a carriage, which
lever then swings or rotates, liberating the piston or plug E and gives a passage
to the air from the general conduit of the brakes, so that these brakes act and
stop the train before it arrives at a station or against the obstacle with which.
it is not to be permitted to come into contact.
2. The attachment under the locomotive or under a carriage at a point in the
general conduit of compressed air for the brakes, and chosen in a suitable

page_text: manner, permitting it to strike the block A; of a lever C constructed, as described
and shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in order to be very light whilst being very strong, of
two thin forged metallic pieces, the said lever specified in Claim 1 being pro-
vided at its lower extremity with a roller D of elastic material.
3. The combination, by means of levers rods or links fitted in the usual manner,
of the block specified in Claim 1 and of the lever specified in Claim 2 with
(a) the ordinary signal R indicating to the driver when the road is open or
closed, (b) the pedal S of this signal, on which when the signal is in the position
of "line clear" the wheels of the passing train act to bring back automatically
the signal to the position of "line blocked' and at the same time to raise the
block and also with (c) the counter rail bars U U on which rests the wheels of
certain vehicles of the train stopped on the line, preventing them from oscillating
from right to left or inversely and also preventing the block from sinking and
the signal from returning to the position of "line clear."
"
4. The combination of the block A of the signal R of the pedal S, of the counter
rail bars U U and of the general system of transmission T which connects these
various working parts together in the usual manner, with the gates P P¹ of a
level crossing 0, which are controlled and held or released for opening by means
of key bolts permitting the opening (Fig. 9) and the closing (Fig. 10), the keys of
the bolts of each gate being different and being combined with the indentation
of the locking plates and the latch of the bolts in such manner that they cannot
be removed from their respective bolts to serve for the disengagement of the
manipulating lever X of the general transmission which requires for its release
the use of the two keys, thus necessitating that the said gates be closed and bolted.
Dated this 26th day of May 1898.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.