IMPROVED ELECTRIC APPARATUS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Chaim Groubman, of Odessa, in the Empire of
Russia, and temporarily of Great Portland Street, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED ELECTRIC APPARATUS for
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Chaim Groubman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the
10th April 1874.
I, CHAIM GROUBMAN, of Odessa, in the Empire of Russia, and
temporarily of Great Portland Street, in the County of Middlesex, do.
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED ELECTRIC
APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE PROGRESS OF TRAINS ON RAILWAYS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to improved electric apparatus for signalling the
progress of trains on railways, whereby the position of a train on the line
is indicated, both at the last station which the train has left, and at,

page_text: that which it is next approaching, as well as to the engine driver; and
notice is given of its approach to the various pointsmen, gatekeepers,
and others in charge at intermediate points along the line. Besides
indicating the progress of the train a permanent record is obtained of
the variations of its speed and of the stoppages or other irregularities
occurring at various points of the journey, and warning given in the
event of a portion of the train breaking away. Morcover should an
accident occur notice thereof can be readily conveyed and its approxi-
mate locality indicated to the stations behind, as well as in advance of
the train.
According to this Invention electrical apparatus, constructed as here-
after described, is provided at each station in connection with a line
wire extending between one station and the next, and through which an
electric current is continuously passing from a battery or other suitable
source of electricity.
A somewhat similar electrical apparatus is also provided on the
engine, said apparatus being constructed as hereafter described, and
comprising an electro-magnet whose coils are connected by conducting
wires with two curved arms or conductors projecting beneath the
engine.
At certain intervals along the line, for example of one mile apart, aro
fixed apparatus, cach serving as a commutator as well as a circuit
interrupter according as it is acted on, said apparatus being placed in
the circuit of the line wire and between the rails so as to be acted on by
projections on the train. This apparatus may consist of two horizontal
levers pressed in contact with one another at one extremity and provided.
at their other extremities with studs standing up between the rails in
such position that the curved projecting arms beneath the engine. will
strike said studs and oscillate the levers, which are thus separated at the
same time that electrical contact is made between the said arins and the
studs, so that the circuit is not interrupted, but is extended in order
that the current may pass through the coils of the clectro-magnet
forming part of the apparatus on the engine, the levers again closing
together after the engine has passed.
It will be evident that instead of two levers other apparatus may be
used to accomplish the same result, for instance, two springs may be
employed placed in communication by a plate or otherwise, and pro-

page_text: vided with studs, against which curved arms on the engine abut so as to
break the contact of the springs with the plate and extend the circuit
through the apparatus on the engine, as in the former case.
A similar pair of arms projecting beneath the last carriage of the train
and insulated from one another serve to strike against the studs on
the springs and interrupt the current, whereby the apparatus at the last
and next stations is actuated or made to nodify the passage of the train,
as hereafter explained.
The indicating apparatus on the engine comprises a dial plate marked.
with two concentric circles of divisions, over which move two index
hands; the one to indicate time in minutes, and the other the distance
travelled, by which the engine driver is enabled to ascertain the speed
and position of the train. Or, two distnat dials, each having a single
hand, might be employed.
The minute hand is actuated by an ordinary clock movement, which
also serves to rotate continuously a cylinder covered with a paper tape
marked with divisions representing minutes or other divisions of time,
and corresponding to those on the dial. The other hand is rotated inter-
mittently, being moved over one division of the dial by mechanism
actuated by an electro-magnet only when by the passage of the loco-
motive over a commutator the current is passed through the coils of
the said magnet, whereupon its armature is attracted and the hand
rotated.
The same movement of the armaturo is caused to move a marker
against the tape cylinder, upon which a permanent record is thus
obtained of the precise interval of time which has clapsed between the
passage of the locomotive between any two commutators on the journey.
The circumference of the tape cylinder corresponds to one revolution of
the dial, the tape being drawn from a roll contained within the cylinder,
which is hollow, a fresh length of tape being drawn out and wrapped
round the cylinder for each revolution of the minute hand over the
dial.
The same apparatus may also be made to sound a bell to indicate to
the engine driver when he passes over a commutator.
The apparatus at the stations for indicating the progress of the train
and so controlling the working of the line comprises a dial marked
with divisions indicating miles or other distance corresponding to tho

page_text: intervals between the apparatus fixed along the line. These divisions
are numbered in cither direction from zero to show the progress of an
approaching and departing train. Over the dial moves an index hand
actuated by a suitablo propelment in connection with the armaturo of
an electro-magnet, by which the movement of the hand is governed.
So long as the current is passing through the coils of the magnet the
armature is attracted and the needle held stationary, but immediately the
current is momentarily interrupted by the breaking of the circuit on the
passage of the last carriage of the train over any one of the circuit
interrupters the armature is drawn back by a spring and again attracted
on the re-establishment of the circuit, and the hand is moved one
division of the dial. The same movement also serves to strike a bell to
call the attention of the person in charge.
A tapo cylinder actuated by clockwork and a marker in connection
with the armature of the electro-magnet may also be provided in this
apparatus to record the progress of the train, as before described in
reference to the apparatus on the engine.
To warn gatekeepers and other persons in charge at intermediate
points bell sounding apparatus is provided in the circuit of the line wiro.
consisting of an electro-magnet on the poles of a permanent magnet, so
that so long as the current is passing the action of the permanent
magnet is neutralized, but immediately the current is interrupted by the
breaking of the circuit by the passage of a train over any one of the
circuit breakers the action of the electro-magnet ceases and its cores
become magnetized by the permanent magnet, thereby attracting tho
armature and causing the hammer attached thereto to strike the bell.
Two such apparatus may be provided if necessary to indicate in which
direction the train is approaching.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Chaim Groubman in the Great Seal Patent Office 30
on the 10th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHAIM
GROUBMAN, of Odessa, in the Empire of Russia, and temporarily of
Great Portland Street, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
on the 10th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHAIM
GROUBMAN, of Odessa, in the Empire of Russia, and temporarily of
Great Portland Street, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Chaim Groubman, Her special licence that I,
the said Chaim Groubman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Chaim Groubman, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully 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 "IMPROVED ELECTRIC APPARATUS FOR
INDICATING THE PROGRESS OF TRAINS ON RAILWAYS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Chaim Groubman, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or onc
of their hands and scals, 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 Chaim Groubman, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the three accompanying
Sheets of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say): —
My Invention relates to improved electric apparatus, whereby the
progress of trains on railways is indicated at the station or stations
which a train has left or passed, and at that which it is next approaching,
as well as to the engine driver himself; and notice is given of its approach
to the various pointsmen, gatekeepers, and others in charge at inter-
mediate points along the line. Besides indicating the progress of the train
a permanent record may be obtained of the variations in its speed and of
the stoppages and other irregularities occurring at various points of the
journey, and warning given in the event of the tail end breaking away.
Morcover should an accident occur notice thereof can be readily conveyed
and its approximate locality indicated to the stations next behind and in
advance of the train.

page_text: wire extending between one station and another, and through which an
electric current is continuously passing from a battery or other suitable
source of electricity.
A somewhat similar electrical apparatus is also provided on the
engine, the latter apparatus being constructed as hereafter descrbed, and
comprising an electro-magnet whose coils are connected by conducting
wires with two curved contact arms or conductors fixed beneath the
engine.
At certain intervals along the line (for example of one mile apart)
devices are fixed in the circuit of the line wire and between the rails so
as to be acted on by the said projections on the train, and so constructed
that when acted upon, as hereafter described, the instrument on the
engine would be momentarily thrown into the circuit of the line wire,
and operated as more fully explained hereafter. The said devices also
serve to interrupt the circuit when acted on by a projection on the tail
end of the train, whereby the instruments at the station are operated, as
hereafter described. These devices which thus serve both as "switches"
and "interrupters" may cach consist of two horizontal contact levers
pressed together at one extremity and provided at their other extremities
with studs standing up in such position that the curved arms or con-
ductors beneath the engine will strike said studs and oscillate the levers
which are thus separated at the same time that electrical contact is made
between the said arms and the studs, so that the circuit (without being
interrupted) is extended so as to include the electro-magnet of the
instrument on the engine, the levers again closing together after the
engine has passed.
It will be evident that instead of two levers other apparatus may be
used to accomplish the same result, for instance; 'two springs may be
employed placed in communication by a plate or otherwise, and pro-
vided with studs, against which curved contact arms on the engine abut
so as to break the contact of the springs with the plate and extend the
circuit through the apparatus on the engine, as in the former case.
A similar pair of arms projecting beneath the last carriage of the train
strike against the studs on the springs and interrupt the current, whereby

page_text: number of teeth on wheel e, and each representing a mile or other unit
of distance adopted as the interval between the devices shown in Figures 8
to 14, so that each time the armature C is attracted by the passage of
the current through the coils A (which takes place only when contact is
made by the arms. B on the engine with one of the said devices) the
needle will be moved one division of the dial and thus indicate to the
engine driver the distance travelled from which the speed can be
ascertained by reference to the timepiece usually provided on the engine.
D is a permanent magnet, on the poles of which are fixed the coils E, E,
of an electro-magnet, but this permanent magnet D has no influence
on the coils A, A, the wires only of the corresponding poles being con-
nected together. Thus arranged the armature F in its normal position is
attracted by the magnetism of the permanent magnet D and held against
the coils E, and its tail end which caries a stud drops into a notch in a
wheel forming part of the mechanism actuated by a spring barrel,
by which the hammer i is caused to strike the alarm bell G, but which
romains inactive so long as the train is on its proper line of rails.
in the event of the train getting on the wrong line the armature F will
on the passage of a current in the reverse direction through the coils be
drawn back by its spring k, thus releasing the alarm mechanism to warn
the driver. The whole of the mechanism is enclosed in a suitable
case.
But
Referring now to the apparatus illustrated in Figures 5, 6, and 7, for
indicating at the stations the progress of the train on the railway,
whereby to enable the working of the line to be controlled, H is an
electro-magnet, and I its armature fixed on one arm of a bell-crank
lever K pivoted at K¹, and to whose other end is loosely jointed a pawl
engaging with the teeth of a wheel P, which it rotates to the extent of one
tooth each time lever K is caused to oscillate; m is a detent to limit the
rotation of wheel P. The latter is keyed on the spindle M of a needle N
working over a dial O marked with divisions corresponding in number
to the teeth of the wheel P, and each representing the distance between
the circuit interrupters along the line, as in the case of the indicating
instrument on the engine. These divisions are numbered to the right
and left to show the progress of a train in. cither direction, which is
effected by simply throwing over the pawl 7 to the other side of lever K,
the said pawl being double and capable of rotating wheel P, and con-
sequently needle N in either direction.

page_text: A pair of arms precisely similar to the arms B on the engine, but
completely insulated from one another, are fixed beneath the last
carriage of the train and on the passage of the last carriage they act on
the lever R in the same way as the arms B, that is to say, the
extremities are separated and the circuit of the line wire L is broken,
thereby actuating the station indicating apparatus, as before described.
Should an undue time elapse after an indication has been given at a
station it will be seen either that a stoppage or accident has taken placo
or that the tail end of the train has broken away, the approximato
locality being likewise indicated.
In the modified arrangement shown in Figures 12, 13, and 14, the
same letters of reference indicate parts different in construction from the
last, but fulfilling the same purpose. In this case R, R, are springs
pressing upwards against a metallic plate or bridge piece t fixed beneath
the top of the frame T in which the springs are fitted. S, S, are studs
on the free ends of the springs as before, and B, B, are arms or conductors
fixed beneath the engine, and having curved extremities so disposed as
to strike the studs S and depress the springs R, as shown in dotted lines,
thus separating the springs from the bridge picce t, by which they were
in clectrical communication and extending the circuit through the arms
or conductors B and the indicating apparatus on the engine, as before
explained.
A similar pair of arms beneath the last carriage serve to interrupt the
circuit by depressing the springs, and so detaching them from plate t in
the same way to actuate the apparatus at the stations.
The apparatus for giving warning of the approach of a train, shown
in Figures 15 and 16, consists of a permanent horse-shoe magnet U,
upon the poles of which are fixed the coils V, V, of an electro-magnet,
whose armature W carries the hammer of a bell X. On the breaking of
the circuit by the passage of a train over a circuit interrupter, as before
described, the cores of the coils V become magnetized by magnet U and
attract the armature W, causing the hammer to strike the bell, the
armature being drawn back by its spring W' immediately the circuit is
re-established.
The mechanical apparatus shown in Figures 17, 18, and 19 is designed
to answer the same purpose as the bell upon the engine indicating
11
1
1

page_text: line. It consists of an upwardly projecting bar Y placed longitudinally
between the rails, and fitted to move in guides Z fixed to sleepers, said
bar being made to occupy one of two positions at and v, whero
recesses are provided, into which it drops. wo is a vertically sliding rod.
connected with the steam whistle and terminating in a friction roller,
which comes in contact with the bar Y when placed at v, thereby raising
rod w and sounding the whistle. When bar Y is placed at u it does not
act on the whistle.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The electrical apparatus on the engine, constructed substantially
as shown and described, in combination with a battery and line wire and
the devices, constructed substantially as specified, for extending the
circuit of the line wire through the engine. instrument to operate the
same, as and for the purpose set forth.
2udly. The electrical apparatus at the various stations and inter-
mediate points along the line, constructed substantially as shown and
described, in combination with a battery line wire and the devices or
circuit interrupters, constructed substantially as specified, and operated
by the train in its passage, as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whercof, I, the said Chaim Groubman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Luigjen
(L.S.)