Improvements in Apparatus suitable for Catching and Discharging or Interchanging Articles such as Tablets, Staffs, Mail Bags, and other Objects on Railways.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 27th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 15th Jan., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Apparatus suitable for Catching and Discharging or
Interchanging Articles such as Tablets, Staffs, Mail Bags, and
other Objects on Railways.
We, WILLIAM YOUNG, of 30, Charles Street, Inverness, N.B., Railway Signal
Superintendent, and WILLIAM THOMAS PAGE, of Lynthorpe, Bromyard Road,
Worcester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
On single line railways worked on the staff or tablet systems, it has heretofore
been usual for the engine driver and signalman to exchange their staffs, tablets
or similar devices by hand, usually while the engine or train is running past the
signalman, for which purpose the speed of the engine or train is slackened. This
practice however involves considerable danger to the men.
Now this invention has reference to apparatus whereby the tablets, staffs, or
similar devices, can be interchanged mechanically while a train is travelling at
full speed, and which after the passage of the train, will automatically move into
such a position as to be at a clear and safe distance from passing trains. For this
purpose there is provided at the side of the track for use with a holding and
catching device mounted on the engine or forward portion of a train a holding
and catching apparatus comprising a stationary standard or support on which is
pivotted an arm or support adapted to be moved into position more or less at
right angles to the truck against the action of a weight or its equivalent and to be
held in that position until the staff, tablet or other article held thereby has been
removed by the catching device on the engine or train whereupon it is freed and
allowed to be automatically returned to its inoperative and safe position by the
action of the weight or equivalent.
Apparatus to act in this way can be constructed in various forms.
One arrangement of apparatus according to this invention is as follows:--
Upon the engine or the forward portion of a train so as to be under the control
of the engine driver is mounted a moveable arm or equivalent device the free end
of which is adapted to carry a detachable ring to which is attached the tablet or
train staff which has to be left by the driver of the train the said movable arm
also carrying on its forward side an arm arranged at right angles thereto and
adapted to take up or catch a ring carrying the tablet or staff which the driver has
to take on with him. The said movable arm may advantageously be pivotted to
the side of the engine so as to move in a vertical plane transverse thereto and is.
adapted to be held in a horizontal or approximately horizontal position for use,
as by a short arm thereon abutting against the side of the engine, and to be held
in its raised and inoperative position by a pivotted catch, a cord being provided
if desired for easily raising it. The arm is or may be provided with a spring for
holding the detachable ring in position and with an india rubber pad or cushion
to lessen or prevent shock or jar on the taking up of a staff or tablet.

page_text: On the side of the railway and outside or clear of the limit of the construction
gauge is fixed a standard for supporting an arm mounted to swing in a horizontal
plane and which is provided with a device for receiving the tablet or staff which
has to be left by the driver of the train in passing, and for holding in position the
tablet or staff which has to be taken on by the train.
The standard is preferably fixed on a cross-timber carried on the extended ends
of two sleepers of the permanent way so as to fix it relatively to the track in order
that no variation in the position of the parts carried thereby relatively to a passing
train can occur through shifting of the packing of the sleepers or other cause.
The swinging arm is carried by a vertical shaft mounted in bearings on the
standard and when set in position for the interchanging of the staffs or tablets,
stands at right angles to the track and with its free end within a short distance of
the side of the engine, in which position it is then held by the engagement of a
stud thereon with a catch rod. The outer end of the horizontal arm carries a fork
having its two prongs arranged in a vertical plane and at right angles to the arm,
the upper prong having a catch or trigger suspended therefrom in such a way as
to be able to move upward to allow of a detachable ring carried by a passing
engine entering the fork and then to fall back into engagement with the lower
prong. On the outer end of the horizontal arm is pivotted a spring box clutch
or holder the outer end of which is adapted to support a detachable ring carrying
a staff or tablet and the other end of which is arranged. to enter the forked
shaped end of a disengaging lever that is pivotted to the swinging
arm and the other end of which is adapted when moved in one direction
to disengage the catch rod from the stud carried by the swinging arm below the
lower prong of the fork thereon in an india rubber pad or cushion to arrest the
ring engaged by the fork. Connected to the swinging arm is one end of a flexible
connector that is led over a guide pulley to a weight by which the arm is moved
clear of a passing train when the detachable ring carried thereby has been removed
by the catch device on the engine. On the stand is a pawl or catch to hold the
swinging arm parallel to the track when the apparatus is not in position. A lanip
mounted on the vertical shaft serves to indicate to a driver at night the position or
state of the swinging arm and attached parts.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-Normally the movable arm on the
engine would be in its raised and inoperative position and the horizontal swinging
arm at the side of the track would be in its inoperative position parallel thereto.
On approaching a station or junction where the tablets or staffs have to be inter-
changed the driver would lower the movable arm on his engine to the horizontal
position, and attach thereto the detachable ring carrying the staff or tablet that
has to be left, the forwardly projecting horizontal on the movable arm being then
in position to catch or receive the ring carrying the staff or tablet which has to
be picked up and taken on.
The signalman, having been in the usual manner, advised of the approach of
the train, would attach the tablet or staff for the next section to a detachable ring
and place the latter in the spring clutch box or holder on the said arm, he would
then after lifting the aforesaid catch or pawl revolve the swinging arm from its
inoperative to the operative position and temporarily retain it in that position by
passing the catch rod over the stud on the arm.
The appliance being thus set the train in passing would leave the detachable
ring carried by the movable arm (on the engine) on the lower arm of the vertical
fork on the swinging arm where it would be retained by the catch or trigger rod
and would pick up and take on the detachable ring carried by the spring clutch
box or holder.
The removal or pulling away of the latter ring out of the spring box or clutch
by the engine will move the tail end of the pivotted striker in a direction to dis-
engage the catch rod from the stud thereby releasing the swinging arm which
will then through and by the means of the weight return to its normal and
inoperative position in which position it will be secured to the pawl until again

page_text: required for use. The engine driver would then remove from the movable arm
the ring with staff or tablet that has been taken up and restore the arm to its
normal and inoperative position in which it is retained by the corresponding catch.
A horizontal swing arm and attached parts arranged and operating sub-
stantially as described can advantageously be used for catching or picking up mail
bags and other articles by passing trains.
Improvements in Apparatus suitable for Catching and Discharging or
Interchanging Articles such as Tablets, Staffs, Mail Bags, and
other Objects on Railways.
We, WILLIAM YOUNG, of 30, Charles Street, Inverness, N.B., Railway Signal
Superintendent, and WILLIAM THOMAS PAGE, of Lynthorpe, Bromyard Road,
Worcester, Engineer, 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:―
On single line railways worked on the staff or tablet system, it has heretofore
been usual for the engine driver and signalman to exchange their staffs, tablets,
or similar devices by hand, usually while the engine or train is running past the
signalman, for which purpose the speed of the engine or train is slackened. This
practice, however, involves considerable danger to the men.
Now this invention has reference to apparatus whereby the tablets, staffs, or
similar devices, can be interchanged mechanically while a train is travelling at
full speed, and which, after the passage of the train, will automatically move into
such a position as to be at a safe distance from passing trains. For this purpose
there is provided at one side of the track, for use with a holding and catching
device mounted on the engine or forward portion of a train, a holding and catching
apparatus comprising a stationary standard or support on which is pivoted an arm
or support adapted to be moved into a position more or less at right angles to the
track against the action of a weight or its equivalent and to be held in that
position until the staff, tablet, or other article held thereby has been removed by
the catching device on the engine or train, whereupon it is freed and allowed to be
automatically returned to its inoperative and safe position by the action of the
weight or equivalent.
Apparatus to act in this way can be constructed in various forms.
An example of one arrangement of apparatus according to this invention is
represented in the accompanying drawings, whereof
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively an elevation and a plan of the holding and
catching device mounted on the train,
Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively an elevation and a plan of the holding and
catching apparatus provided at one side of the track, and
Fig. 5 is a partial elevation of the latter taken at right angles to Fig. 3.
Upon the engine or the forward portion of a train, so as to be under the control
of the engine driver, is mounted a movable arm 1 (Fig. 1) the free end of which is
adapted to carry a detachable ring 2 to which is attached the train-staff 3 that has
to be left by the driver of the train, the movable arm 1 also carrying on its forward

page_text: side an arm 4 (Fig. 2) arranged at right angles thereto and adapted to take up
or catch a ring carrying the staff which the driver has to take on with him. The
movable arm 1 may advantageously be pivoted at 5, as shown, to the side of the
engine so as to move in a vertical plane transverse thereto and is adapted to be
held in a horizontal or approximately horizontal position for use, as by a short
arm G thereon abutting against the side of the engine, and to be held in its raised
and inoperative position by a catch 7 pivoted at 7", a cord 8 engaged on a hook 8"
and secured to an eye Sb on the arm being provided if desired for easily raising it.
The arm 1 is provided with a spring 9 for holding the detachable ring 2 in
position, the ring 2 having a projection 2" formed with a recess into which fits a
nose 1 on the arm 1. The arrangement is such that the ring 2 can be readily
removed from the arm 1 by the catching apparatus at the side of the track. 10
(Fig. 2) is an india rubber pad or cushion to lessen or prevent shock or jar on the
taking up of a staff. This pad or cushion is not shown in Fig. 1 for the sake of
clearness.
On the side of the track and outside or clear of the limit of the construction
gauge is fixed a standard 11 (Figs. 3 and 4) for supporting an arm 12 which is
mounted to swing in a horizontal plane and is provided with a device for receiving
the staff 3 that has to be left by the driver of the train in passing, and for holding
in position the staff that has to be taken on by the train.
The standard 11 is preferably fixed, as shown, on a cross timber 13 carried on
the extended ends of two sleepers 14 of the permanent way so as to fix it relatively
to the track in order that no variation in the position of the parts carried thereby,
relative to a passing train, can occur through shifting of the packing of the
sleepers or other cause.
The swinging arm 12 is carried by a vertical shaft 15 mounted in bearings 16
on the standard, and, when set in position for interchanging the staffs, stands, as
shown in full lines in Fig. 4, at right angles to the track and with its free end
arranged to be within a short distance of the side of a passing engine, in which
position it is then held by the engagement of an inclined stud 17 thereon with a
catch rod 18 secured to an eye 19 of the standard 11. The outer end of the hori-
zontal arm 12 carries a fork having its two prongs 20 and 21 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5)
arranged in a vertical plane and at right angles to the arm 12, the upper prong 20
having a catch shown in the form of a pivoted rod 22 suspended therefrom in such
a way as to be capable of moving upward to allow the detachable ring 2 carried by
a passing engine to enter the fork, and then falling back into engagement with the
lower prong 21, which has a slot 23 that normally contains the lower end of the
catch 22. On the outer end of the horizontal arm 12 is pivoted a spring box,
clutch, or holder 24 the outer end of which is adapted to support a detachable
ring 25 carrying a staff 26. The holder 24 comprises in the example shown, two
jaws 24" and 24b (see Fig. 5, in which the ring 25 is not shown) fitting one in the
other and connected together by a pin 24° (Fig. 4) and pressed towards each other
by springs 24. The other end of the holder 24 enters the fork shaped end 27 of
a disengaging lever 28 that is pivoted at 28" to the swinging arm 12 and the other
end of which is adapted to disengage the catch rod 18 from the inclined stud 17
when moved in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 4. Carried by the
swinging arm 12 below the lower prong 21 of the fork thereon is an india rubber
pad or cushion 29 to arrest the staff carried by the ring 2 engaged by the fork.
Connected by an eye 30 to the swinging arm 12 is one end of a flexible con-
nector 31 that is led over a guide pulley 32 to a weight 33 by which the arm 12
is moved clear of a passing train when the detachable ring 25 carried thereby has
been removed by the catch device on the engine and the arm 12 consequently dis-
engaged from the catch rod 18. On the standard 11 is a catch 34 having a
bevelled front end 34° so that it will be raised by the swinging arm 12 coming in
contact therewith and will then fall behind the said arm and hold it parallel to the
track when the apparatus is not in position. A lamp 35 fixed on the vertical
shaft 15 serves to indicate to a driver at night the position of the swinging arm 12

page_text: and attached parts, being provided with glasses of different colours so that one
colour is exhibited to the driver when the arm is at right angles to the track and
another when it is parallel thereto.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
Normally the movable arm 1 on the engine is in its raised and inoperative posi-
tion (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1) and the horizontal swinging arm 12 at
the side of the track is in its inoperative position parallel thereto (indicated by
dotted lines in Fig. 4).
On approaching a station or junction where the staffs have to be interchanged
the driver lowers the movable arm 1 on his engine to the horizontal position, shown
in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and attaches thereto the
detachable ring 2 carrying the staff 3 that has to be left, the forwardly projecting
horizontal arm 4 on the movable arm 1 being then in position to catch or receive,
from the stationary apparatus, the ring 25 carrying the staff 26 that has to be
picked up and taken on.
The signalman, having been, in the usual manner, advised of the approach of
the train, attaches the staff 26 for the next section to a detachable ring 25 and
places the latter in the spring clutch box or holder 24 on the arm 12, and then, after
lifting the catch 34 revolves the swinging arm 12 from its inoperative position
(shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4) into its operative position (shown in full lines in
Figs. 3 and 4) and temporarily retains it in that position by passing the catch
rod 18 over the inclined stud 17 on the arm 12 by hand.
The appliance being thus set, the train in passing leaves the detachable ring 2
carried by the movable arm 1 on the lower arm 21 of the vertical fork on the
swinging arm 12 (where it is retained by the catch 22) and picks up and takes on
the detachable ring 25 carried by the spring clutch, box, or holder 24.
The removal or pulling away of the ring 25 out of the spring box, clutch or
holder 24 by the engine, moves the tail end of the pivoted disengaging lever 28 in
the direction indicated by the arrow 6 in Fig. 4 and so disengages the catch rod 18
from the inclined stud 17, thereby releasing the swinging arm 12, which is then
returned by the weight 33 to its normal and inoperative position (shown in dotted
lines in Fig. 4) in which it will be secured by the catch 34 until again required for
use. The engine driver then removes from the movable arm 1 the ring 2 with
staff 3 that has been taken up, and restores the arm 1 to its normal and inoperative
position, in which it is retained by the catch 7.
Instead of raising the arm 1 by the chain 8, the said arm may be extended to
the other side of the pivot 5 as shewn in dotted lines at 1* in Fig. 1 and be con-
nected by a rod 35 to a weight 36, or spring 37, or both, so adjusted that when the
arm 1 is relieved of the weight of the ring 2 with staff or tablet, the weight or
spring or both will act to automatically raise the arm into the inoperative position
shown in dotted lines. Also, the arm 1 may be provided with a pivoted spring
clutch like that shown at 24, for holding the ring 2 with staff or tablet in place.
When tablets are to be interchanged instead of staffs, these may be attached to
rings as shown in Fig. 6 in which a ring 36 is shown as carrying a tablet 37
enclosed in a pocket 38 having a flap 39 that passes round the ring 36 and is
secured to the main portion of the pocket by a turnbuckle 40.
A horizontal swing arm and attached parts arranged and operating substantially
as described can advantageously be used for the catching or picking up of mail
bags and other articles by passing trains.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: ---
1. For delivering articles to passing railway trains, apparatus for use at one
side of the track comprising a stationary standard or support on which is mounted
an arm or support adapted to be moved into a position more or less at right angles
to the track against the action of a weight or its equivalent and to be held in that

page_text: position until an article held by it has been removed by a passing train, and to be
thereby liberated and immediately returned by the weight or equivalent into an
inoperative and safe position.
2. For use in conjunction with apparatus of the kind specified in the preceding
claim, holding and catching apparatus constructed arranged and operating sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 and 2
of the drawings annexed.
3. Apparatus for delivering articles to passing trains, constructed, arranged, and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings annexed.
4. Apparatus for interchanging articles between a train travelling at full speed
and a fixed place on a railway, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive
of the accompanying drawings.