IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING TO THE DRIVER OF A RAILWAY TRAIN THE DISPLACING OF THE WHEELS OR THE SEPARATION OF ANY PART FROM ANOTHER PART OF THE TRAIN, OR FOR AUTO- MATICALLY STOPPING THE SAME
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Turner, of Chicago, Illinois, United
States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London,
Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING
TO THE DRIVER OF A RAILWAY TRAIN THE DISPLACING OF THE WHEELS OR THE
SEPARATION OF ANY PART FROM ANOTHER PART OF THE TRAIN, OR FOR AUTO-
MATICALLY STOPPING THE SAME.”
caled the 6th October 1875, and dated the 7th April 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Turner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th April 1875.
I, JAMES TURNER, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America,
now of No 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
INDICATING TO THE DRIVER OF A RAILWAY TRAIN THE DISPLACING OF THE WHEELS
OR THE SEPARATION OF ANY PART FROM ANOTHER PART OF THE TRAIN, OR FOR
AUTOMATICALLY STOPPING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improved apparatus to be arranged upon a
railway train to automatically indicate to the driver the displacement of

page_text: the wheels or the separation of the carriages, or of one part from another
part of the train, or to stop the train without the intervention of the
driver.
According to the said Invention I place near one or more of the
wheels of a carriage a lever, which is pivoted to a cross beam or rod or
other suitable part of the carriage in such a manner that if the wheel
should leave the rail the said lover will be caused to turn upon its pivot,
and by this movement will effect the desired indications through the
medium of the following appliances :-Extending from end to end of
the train is a tube, which is connected with an indicating dial and
sounder, or other suitable alarm or signal on the locomotive. This tube
is designed either to contain compressed air or to have a vacuum main-
tained therein, and is therefore connected with a suitable reservoir ōr
forcing or exhausting pump or engine, and provided with suitable
controlling cocks or valves, and with a gauge for showing the degree of
pressure or vacuum within the tube. The said tube may be a flexible or
a metal tube, but I prefer to use a metal tube, with flexible connections
between the carriages. From the main tube branch tubes extend laterally
to the wheels, cach of the said branches is provided with a cock, valve,
or faucet arranged in such a position that when the aforesaid lever is
actuated by the displacement of the wheel and the consequent dropping
of the carriage it will be opened and allow the air to escape from the
tube or enter the same according as the air in the said tube is com-
pressed or exhausted. In like manner if the rear part or carriages
should separate from the fore part of the train the air will be dis-
charged from or admitted into the said tube. This escape or admission
of the air actuates the signalling or alarm apparatus on the locomotive
and attracts the attention of the driver, who can immediately stop
the train and thus prevent the serious consequences which so often
follow the occurrence of these accidents through the lack of means;
for immediately apprising the driver of the same. But instead of
depending upon the driver for stopping the train I may effect the
stoppage automatically by means of a small rotary or other engine or
machine placed on the locomotive or tender, and which is connected
with the air reservoir or force or vacuum pump
This small engine
or machine is connected by rods or levers with the brakes or with
the regulator or the reversing apparatus of the locomotive When a
carriage wheel leaves the rail or the train separates and the air is

page_text: admitted into or discharged from the tube the said small engine will
operate and effect the stoppage of the train.
In case the train should be fitted with an air pressure or vacuum
brake it is obvious that the reservoirs, pumps, or ejectors thereof may
be utilized instead of providing special reservoir pumps or exhaustors for
my apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said James Turner in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 6th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
TURNER, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, now of No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, London, Merchant, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, tho said James Turner, Her special
licence, that I, the said James Turner, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Turner, my executors,
administrators, 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 APPARATUS FOR
INDICATING TO THE DRIVER OF A RAILWAY TRAIN THE DISPLACING OF THE WHEELS
OR THE SEPARATION OF ANY PART FROM ANOTHER PART OF THE TRAIN, OR FOR
AUTOMATICALLY STOPPING THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Turner, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under, or their, or one 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.

page_text: tube with flexible connections c' between the carriages. From the main
tube branch tubes extend laterally to the wheels A. Each of the
said branches o² is provided with a cock, valve, or faucet arranged as
at f. The handle or lever of this cock or valve is connected by tho
rod g, or by other suitable means, with the lever a, so that when the
said lever a is actuated by the displacement of the wheel B and the
consequent dropping of the carriage the said cock or valve will be
opened and allow the air to escape from the tube c or enter the same,
according as the air in the said tube is compressed or exhausted. In
O like manner if the rear part or carriages should separate from the fore
part of the train the air will be discharged from or admitted into the
said tube at the parts between the carriages, where they will be left
open by the severance of the flexible connections c¹. This escape or
admission of the air actuates the signalling or alarm apparatus & on
the locomotive and attracts the attention of the driver, who can imme-
diately stop the train, and thus prevent the serious consequences
which so often follow the occurrence of these accidents through the
lack of means for immediately apprising the driver of the same.
instead of depending upon the driver for stopping the train I may
effect the stoppage thereof automatically by means of a small rotary
or other engine or machine placed on the locomotive or tender, and
which is connected with the air reservoir or force or vacuum pump.
The small engine or machine is connected by rods or levers with tho
brakes or with the regulator or the reversing gear or apparatus of the
locomotive. When a carriage wheel B leaves the rail, or the train
separates and the air is admitted into or discharged from the tube c the
said small engine will operate and effect the stoppage of the train.
But
In case the train should be fitted with an air pressure brake or
vacuum brake it is obvious that the reservoirs, pumps, or ejectors
thereof may be utilized instead of providing special reservoirs, pumps,
or exhausters for my apparatus.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First The improved apparatus, consisting of the air pipe or tube
extending through the carriages or train and connected with a reservoir
or pump or other source of supply, and fitted with cocks, valves, or
faucets, which are connected to lovers arranged in combination with the

page_text: wheels, and operating by the displacement thereof or on the separation
of the carriages, as herein set forth and for the purpose specified.
Second. The combination with the said apparatus of a small engine
connected with the air reservoir or pump, and with the brakes or the
, regulator or the reversing gear of the locomotive for automatically
stopping the train, as herein set forth
In witness whereof, I, the said James Turner, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Second day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
H. J NOONE.
JAMES TURNER. (L.S.)