IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE BLOCKING OR FORTIFICATION OF TUNNELS OR SUBWAYS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, RICHARD ROPER of Lewisham High Road in the County of Kent Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVED MEANS
AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE BLOCKING OR FORTIFICATION OF
TUNNELS OR SUBWAYS to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improved means and apparatus to be employed
in the blocking or fortification of tunnels or subways, and consists in the fixing
of a caissons or portcullis in the desired part or parts of the tunnel and mounted
on a vertical pivot or turntable. The turntable on each side of said portcullis is
or may be provided with the up and down rails so that by turning the table and
with it the portcullis or abutment the tunnel would be thereby securely blocked
transversely. The stop thereof may be determined or effected by suitable radial
openings in the side of the tunnel. When a train would be travelling towards the
abutment supposing it to be closed, it would not only leave the rails but in striking
the abutment or portcullis, the same would be more firmly secured and this would
occur on either side thereof by reason of the up and down line being on each side
of the pivot. This abutment and turntable can be actuated by screw or other
gearing and operated by hydraulics, steam or compressed air. A modification of
this consists in a transverse sliding abutment which is received in a chamber
formed in the side of the tunnel and at right angles thereto. The abutment
caissons or portcullis may advantageously be provided with friction rollers running
on a rail which is mounted so as to assume a slight angle. The said abutment is
retained in the normal position by a controllable stop but immediately on this
being released by electricity or other means from a distance the door would by
gravity descend as it were the incline and then completely close the tunnel
effectually blocking the same.
The abutment may be received in the upper part of the tunnel and may have
chains passing over suitable friction bearings and provided with counterweights.
The descent of this can obviously be controlled by the means herein before
described.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1884,
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: •
I, RICHARD ROPER, of Lewisham High Road, in the County of Kent, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVED MEANS
AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE BLOCKING OR FORTIFICATION OF
TUNNELS OR SUBWAYS," 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 for its object improved means and apparatus to be employed
in the blocking or fortification of tunnels or subways, and is peculiarly applicable
to those which, from the position of their mouths, would be of great value as
military routes, in time of war. It consists in the fixing of a caisson or portcullis,
at as many points therein, as it may be desired to effect a complete blocking or
fortification.
For, the strategical importance of such a tunnel as one under, or through, the
English Channel, would necessarily be in direct proportion to the control either
of the belligerents could, by any means, exert upon it as a controllable route.
I provide a vertical caisson, or portcullis, corresponding in height with that of
the tunnel or subway, but wider, and mounted, by preference, upon a turntable
which forms part of the permanent way. The portcullis joins the turntable at
one of its diameters. Its top is furnished by a projecting pin which enters a
suitable socket in the crown of the tunnel, thus serving as a pivot to the portcullis,
and facilitating its motion. So long as the portcullis is in a line parallel with the
direction of the traffic, the latter is unimpeded, but it is clear that, to revolve the
portcullis through an arc of 90°, will effectually block the tunnel. The portcullis is
revolved in a direction to follow the traffic, as it were, and not to face it.
I provide a suitable stop on each side of the tunnel, to prevent the portcullis
being revolved too far, and also to render the blocking more permanent. The
masonry of the tunnel is cut away on each side to receive the sides of the
portcullis, thus producing an efficient stop. If a train, for instance, were travelling
towards the portcullis, on either the up or down line, when the latter is in a
transverse position, the train would not only be derailed in consequence of the
position of the turntable, but in wrecking itself against the portcullis, the same
would be more firmly fixed in its transverse position, the continuance of traffic on
either line necessarily increasing and prolonging the blocking of the tunnel.
The portcullis and turntable can be actuated by screw or other gearing, worked
by any convenient type of motor.
Instead of blocking the tunnel by a portcullis revolved into a transverse position,
I may, according to my invention, mount the portcullis on a rail in a chamber
formed at one side of the tunnel, and at right angles thereto. The portcullis may
be provided with friction rollers to facilitate its descent across the tunnel, its
head entering a corresponding recess formed in the opposite side of the tunnel.
The rail upon which the portcullis travels, is inclined downwards towards the
tunnel, which it spans, and the portcullis is kept back in its chamber by a
controllable stop or catch. The latter is withdrawn when it is required to block
the tunnel, the gravity of the portcullis immediately causing it to run down the
inclined rail until its head enters the recess in the other side, when the tunnel
is effectually blocked. It is obvious that such an agent as electricity could be
easily and effectively adapted for the purpose of withdrawing the controllable
stop, and so releasing the portcullis. Any convenient device for withdrawing the
portcullis may be adopted.
When more convenient, the portcullis chamber may be constructed vertically
above the tunnel, the portcullis being carried by wire ropes or chains passing over

page_text: pulleys, and furnished with counterweights. The descent of the portcullis, and its
subsequent elevation, can, obviously, be controlled by the means hereinbefore
described.
In order that my invention, and the means whereby the same can be put into
successful operation, may be thoroughly understood, I will describe it in detail,
referring to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as part of this
specification and read therewith, and in which corresponding parts are marked
throughout the figures, in which they occur, with the-same reference letter.
Figure 1 illustrates, in plan, the first described modification of my invention, and
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same. The tunnel is shewn in either figure as
clear for traffic.
A is the tunnel, B the vertical portcullis, and C the turntable, across which the
up and down lines, D and E, are continued in the usual way. The arrows indicate
the direction of the traffic. F is the pivot on the top of the portcullis.-G. G. are
the stops, formed in the masonry in the sides of the tunnel, against which the
respective faces of the portcullis bear.
Figure 3 is a perspective view, and Figure 4 a plan, illustrating the second
modification of my invention. Figure 5 is a transverse elevation, partly in section,
and Figure 6, a section of the same, taken at the line A. B.
A is the tunnel, and D and E the up and down lines respectively. His the
portcullis chamber, and I the corresponding recess on the opposite side of the
tunnel, into which the head, j, of the portcullis enters. J is the portcullis, furnished
with anti-friction rollers, k, and carried on a single or double rail K.
Figure 7 is an elevation, and Figure 8 a plan, of the third modification of my
invention.
A is of the tunnel, and D and E the, up and down lines respectively, M is the
portcullis, and N its chamber constructed vertically above the tunnel. O are the
pulleys which carry the ropes P, and counterweights Q, working in side chambers R,
constructed for that purpose.
I may, according to my invention, reverse the last described modification and
construct the portcullis chamber below the tunnel, thus causing its ascent, instead
of its descent, to block the tunnel.
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 :-
First. The use of a portcullis capable of being revolved around its vertical axis,
in conjunction or not with a turntable forming part of the permanent way of a
tunnel, for the purpose of blocking such tunnel, as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Second. The use of a portcullis capable of being moved transversely across a
tunnel, for the purpose of blocking the same, as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The use of a portcullis capable of being either lowered from a chamber
above, or raised from one beneath, vertically across a tunnel, for the purpose of
blocking the same; as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.