A NEW OR IMPROVED SYSTEM OF PRE- ALSO OF BRAKING OR VENTING TRAINS FROM RUNNING OFF THE RAILS, AND STOPPING RAILWAY TRAINS,
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Gedge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th December 1872.-A communication from abroad by Joseph
Insard, of No. 37, Boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle, Paris, France,
Locksmith.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED SYSTEM OF PRE-
ALSO OF BRAKING OR
VENTING TRAINS FROM RUNNING OFF THE RAILS, AND
STOPPING RAILWAY TRAINS," a communication to me from abroad by Joseph
Isnard, of No. 37, Boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle, Paris, France, Lock-
smith, to be as follows:-
. On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing the parts drawn in red are
those relating to this Invention, to carry out which an intermediate
rail must be laid in the axis of the way, that is to say, quite in the
middle, between the existing rails (see Figs. 2 and 3); this rail
which may be termed the safety rail is about 7 inches high and an
inch thick in the body or stem, from which the flanges of the head

page_text: project about 3 inches.
.
To enable the hooks or catches and blocks
of the brake to pass freely along the stem of this rail, the fish plates
are placed on the top, which is flattened in a breadth of about two
inches, and fixed by the aid of four bolts screwed into the head of the
rail (see Fig. 2). Thus constructed the safety rail is fixed on the
wooden or iron sleepers by two or more strong bolts to each sleeper,
the bolts being secured by nuts on the foot of the rail. The existing ways
undergo no alteration either in their form or position, but where lines
cross at a same level the intermediate rail may be suppressed, and to
facilitate the entrance of the catches or hooks, and blocks of the brake
wherever there is an interruption, the outer end of the said rail should
be chamfered (see Fig. 3). Further, in order that the safety catches and
the blocks of the brake may run freely over the ordinary rails at
crossings, and particularly in the stations, there should be placed
between the sleeper and the safety rail a wooden bearing of sufficient
thickness to leave a space of at least four inches from the level of the
ordinary rail heads to the under surface of the flanges of the safety
rail..
The safety catches are shown in section at Fig. 2. These catchics
cach carry a friction roller set on the catch and held by a pinned 2
washer so that it may turn freely; the catches are secured to the iron
frame by screw and nut bolts and are propped on the two opposite sides
by brackets also bolted to the frame.
The frames are of flat iron about 3 inches broad by 2 inches thick;
they are fixed beneath the axle bearings by bolted straps; in this 2
position the catches and the brake blocks preserve the same distance
from the safety rail along its entire length.
The brake, Fig. 3, is composed of two iron pieces ending at the top
with à cap forming hinge, and fixed to the cross piece of the frame by a
strong bolt, their lower ends terminating in a T piece, on each arm of 3
which is bolted the wooden brake block. Towards the middle of these
iron pieces is a second cap or joint formed by two links each attached
to a lever arm having its axis on the cross piece of the frame, and
working in a mortice formed by an iron plate fixed by two bolts to the
said cross piece. These lever arms extend beyond the axis and are 3
united to two other lever arms which form a hinge in the cap or socket
of the draw rod. This draw rod receives its motion by the aid of a

page_text: screw arrangment as used for carriages, or by the process in actual use on
railways. The putting on and taking off of the brakes may be operated
very promptly as the distance between the brake blocks and the stem of
the safety rail is less than an inch on either side.