Improvements in the Construction of Railway Rolling-stock, whereby Damage to Life and Property, in Cases of Collision, is Lessened or Avoided.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 12th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 12th Feb., 1892
Improvements in the Construction of Railway Rolling-stock, whereby
Damage to Life and Property, in Cases of Collision, is Lessened
or Avoided.
We, FREDERIC CHARLES IHLEE of 31 Aldermanbury in the City of London,
Gentleman, and EDWIN BAYNES ROCK of 56 Friday Street Cheapside in the City
of London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to minimise the destruction of life and property
in cases of collision on railways and the like. This object is achieved by
providing vehicles with devices whereby the energy of the moving train or trains,
or the individual vehicles thereof, is absorbed without injury when a collision
occurs.
We make the underframes of the carriages, or other vehicles to be constructed
on this principle, of a telescopic or collapsable form, but we nevertheless maintain
such underframes at their normal length under ordinary conditions by means of
suitably disposed rams working in cylinders filled with incompressible liquid. The
excessive strain or pressure caused by a collision, operates the valve or valves by
which the escape of such incompressible liquid is governed. Buffers of ordinary
or special construction are attached to the vehicles for the purpose of taking up
or absorbing the shocks due to shunting, or to the starting or stopping of the
train, or any other shocks which are not excessive. The underframework may
consist of any convenient number of portions. If three such portions be used,
they would consist of the main frame on which the body of the vehicle rests, and
a projecting portion at each end thereof. The principal longitudinal members of
these three portions are made to engage with and slide upon each other in such
a way as to allow of the shortening of the whole combination, and yet so that any
tendency to get out of line with each other will be successfully resisted under any
circumstances.
Generally speaking, a telescopic or sliding frame as above described, will project
beyond the body of the carriage at each end thereof. These projecting portions
of framework, and spaces thereby formed between the bodies of the vehicles of a
train, may be utilized as platforms, or as communications between such vehicles,
or in any other manner consistent with the carrying out of this invention. We
may attach the axle bearings and their appurtenances, either to the main frame,
or to the sliding frames, or to both; or we may support the sliding frames or the
main frames by bogies. We employ one or more rams working in cylinders filled
with oil or other suitable liquid, for the purpose of absorbing the shock due to a
collision; the said cylinders or combination of cylinders being fitted with one or
more exit valves which only allow the liquid to escape when a collision causes the
driving in of the projecting underframes, and consequently the advance of the ram
or rams into their respective cylinders thereby causing a very high pressure in the
cylinders. It is possible to apply these cylinders to the telescopic frame in a
variety of ways. We may, for instance, firmly attach a ram to one portion of the
framework at the end of the vehicle, and a cylinder to the corresponding portion
at the opposite end of the vehicle. Or, we may apply more than one cylinder and
ram in this manner. It may be found advantageous to apply one or more rams
and cylinders directly to those parts of the framework which slide in or upon each
other. Further, we may utilize the rams and cylinders themselves as guides to
the telescopic motion of the underframe.
It is advantageous to arrange the parts of the cylinders and rams in such a

page_text: way, that the exit passage is gradually closed as the ram is forced into the
cylinder, in order that the resisting pressure may gradually increase from the
moment of first impact until the vehicle, or train to which it may be attached, is
brought to rest. This end may be conveniently attained by discharging the fluid
through a parallel or tapered hole bored axially in the ram from its point towards
its supported end, and attaching to the end of the cylinder a tapered spur or pin
which projects internally along the axis of the cylinder, and gradually closes the.
In this case the
exit passage in the ram as it approaches the end of its stroke.
weighted exit valve is applied to the hollow ram near its supported end.
We may use any convenient form of exit valve, fitted with one or more weights,
springs, levers, or other convenient devices for fixing and regulating the pressure
at which the liquid will be discharged.
Vehicles constructed according to this invention may be placed in any position
in a train where their presence may be advantageous.
Dated this 19th day of January 1891
F. C. IHLEE.
E. BAYNES ROCK.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Railway Rolling-stock, whereby
Damage to Life and Property, in Cases of Collision, is Lessened
or Avoided.
We, FREDERIC CHARLES IHLEE of 31 Aldermanbury in the City of London,
Gentleman, and EDWIN BAYNES ROCK of 56 Friday Street, Cheapside, in the City
of London, Gentleman, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to minimise the destruction of life & property
in cases of collision ou railways and the like. This object is achieved by
providing vehicles with devices whereby the energy of the moving train or trains,
or the individual vehicles thereof is absorbed without injury when a collision
occurs.
We make the underframes of the carriages or other vehicles to be constructed
on this principle of a telescopic or collapsable form, but we nevertheless maintain
such underframes at their normal length under ordinary conditions by means of
suitably disposed rams working in cylinders filled with incompressible liquid. The
excessive strain or pressure caused by a collision operates the valve or valves by
which the escape of such incompressible liquid is governed. Buffers of ordinary
or special construction are attached to the vehicles for the purpose of taking up or
absorbing the shocks due to shunting, or to the starting or stopping of the train
or any other shocks which are not excessive. The underframework may consist
of any convenient number of portions. If three such portions be used, they would
consist of the main frame on which the body of the vehicle rests, and a projecting
portion at each end thereof. The principal longitudinal members of these three
portions are made to engage with and slide upon each other, or within each other,
in such a way as to allow of the shortening of the whole combination and yet so
that any tendency to get out of line with each other will be successfully resisted
under any circumstances.
Generally speaking a telescopic or sliding frame as above described will project
beyond the body of the carriage at each end thereof. These projecting portions
of framework and spaces formed thereby between the bodies of the vehicles of a
train, may be utilized as platforms, or as communications between such vehicles or
in any other manner consistent with the carrying out of this invention.
We may
attach the axle bearings and their appurtenances either to the main frame or to
the sliding frames, or to both; or we may support the sliding frames or the main

page_text: frames by bogies. We employ one or more rams working in cylinders filled with
oil or other suitable liquid for the purpose of absorbing the shock due to a collision;
the said cylinders or combination of cylinders being fitted with one or more exit
valves which only allow the liquid to escape when a collision causes the driving in
of the projecting underframes and consequently the advance of the ram or rams
into their respective cylinders thereby causing a very high pressure in the cylinders.
It is possible to apply these cylinders to the telescopic frame in a variety of ways.
We may for instance, firmly attach a ram to one portion of the framework at the
end of the vehicle, and a cylinder to the corresponding portion at the opposite end
of the vehicle. Or, we may apply more than one cylinder and one ram in this
manner. It may be found advantageous to apply one or more rams and cylinders
directly to those parts of the framework which slide in or upon each other.
Further, we may utilize the rams and cylinders themselves as guides to the
telescopic motion of the underframe. We may also employ a series of cylinders
& rams working one after the other or simultaneously, or small auxiliary cylinders
which only come into operation after the main cylinder or cylindres have completed
their stroke.
It is advantageous to arrange the parts of the cylinders and rams in such a
way that the exit passage or exit passages are gradually closed as the ram is
forced into the cylinder in order that the resisting pressure may gradually increase
from the moment of first impact until the vehicle or train, to which it may be
attached, is brought to rest. This end may be conveniently attained by discharging
the fluid through a parallel or tapered hole bored axially in the ram from its point
towards its supported end, and attaching to the end of the cylinder a tapered spur
or pin which projects internally along the axis of the cylinder and gradually closes
the exit passage in the ram as it approaches the end of its stroke.
In this case
the exit valve is applied to the hollow ram near its supported end.
We may use any convenient form of exit valve fitted with one or more weights,
springs, levers or other convenient devices for fixing and regulating the pressure
at which the liquid will be discharged.
Vehicles constructed according to this invention may be placed in any position
in a train where their presence may be advantageous, preferably between the
engine and train, and at the rear of the train.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
In Fig. 1., the parts B. and C. telescope into the underframe A. as shewn in
Fig. II., the main girder forming the latter being free to slide in the slot formed
by the girders K., of the two end parts B., and C. To the portion B., is fixed by
means of a heavy casting placed between the girders forming this part, one end
of the cylinder D., into the other end of which works a ram E., fixed to the
opposite portion of the frame C., by means of a casting similar to that attached
to B. Placed axially within the cylinder D., and fixed at its thicker extremity to
the butt-end of the same, is a tapered spur F., (Fig. II.) reaching one half the
entire length of the cylinder. The ram E., which enters the cylinder from the
opposite end of the same, is axially bored G., and is fitted with a valve H., at its
butt-end or head. The entire space within the cylinder and ram is filled with
incompressible liquid preferably glycerine. The valve H., shewn in Fig. II. is of
simple construction. Its head which lies between two lugs left on the head of the
ram is bored and held in position by the pin I. This pin is sufficiently strong to
withstand the shearing stress due to the force of compression from ordinary
shunting, starting or stopping. In cases of severe shocks however, such as caused
by collisions, the pin I. is sheared and the valve H. then gives free exit to the
liquid. The spur F. will, after the ram E. has travelled half its distance, commence
to advance into the bore G. of the ram, and thus gradually decrease the size of the
opening left for the escape of the liquid, and correspondingly cause increased
resistance to be given. Therefore supposing a train weighing, exclusive of engine

page_text: & tender, 300 tons, to be travelling at 60 miles pr. hr. or 88 ft. per second, it will
represent an energy of 26400 foot tons. At an average pressure of 15 tons
p. sq. in. and with a travel of 15 ft. allowed the ram, it will be seen that a ram of
about 12.2 inches in diameter will be required to absorb this energy not taking
into account minor forces, such as friction and the graduation of exit by the escape
valve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would have it understood
that we do not limit or confine ourselves to the exact construction of apparatus
herein shewn and described, nor to the details of any parts thereof, nor to any
peculiarities of design embodied therein, but we declare that what we claim is :-
I. The use and employment of a specially constructed vehicle, in accordance
with the principles described above, on railways or the like, for the mitigation of
damage to life & property, in cases of collision or other accidents where the
provision of such would be advantageous.
II. The telescopic construction of a vehicle the ends of which can be advanced
towards each other to any convenient extent under the contingencies provided for
above, & which is built up of any convenient number of sections.
III. The combination of one or more cylinders & rams, filled with a suitable
liquid, and acting on the principle of a hydraulic press, fitted to such a vehicle
for the purpose of absorbing the force or combination of forces tending to compress
or to collapse the said vehicle or the like.
IV. The construction of a vehicle of telescopic form permitting the use of a
carriage body of ordinary description over part of its length, the same to be
utilized either for goods or passenger accommodation.
V. The conversion of ordinary railway break-, luggage-, guards-vans and
carriages into vehicles such as described in this invention.
VI. The maintainance of such telescopic vehicles at their full length by means
of a ram or rams regulated by a valve or valves, or similar devices preventing the
escape of a liquid under normal stress.
VII. The use of any convenient number of axles or bogie-trucks for the support
of the frame or frames of the said vehicle. Also the attachment of the wheel
appurtenencies to any suitable part thereof.
London, 12th October 1891.
F. C. IHLEE.
E. BAYNES ROCK.