Stoppage of Railway Trains, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1885

page_text: Stoppage of Railway Trains, and Apparatus therefor.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE USE OF ELECTRICITY FOR
THE AUTOMATIC STOPPAGE OF RAILWAY TRAINS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR to
be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to apparatus for effecting the automatic stoppage of
trains.
The said apparatus comprises a vertical shaft carrying at its upper part a
horizontal plate. The said shaft is supported in a cast-iron frame having suitable
bearings. A spring surrounds the shaft and has for its object to return the latter
to its normal position when it has been moved from the same by a rotary motion.
A ratchet-wheel keyed upon the vertical shaft has engaging with it a pawl
having the form of a small bent lever, one arm of which carries the armature of an
electromagnet. The said ratchet-wheel and pawl serve to maintain the shaft in
any desired position which is only altered under the action of the spring when the
pawl attracted by the electro-magnet disengages from the ratchet-wheel.
The said shaft carries a small cam designed to cause the oscillation of a vessel
containing mercury and forming part of an electric circuit.
The horizontal position of the bottle corresponds with the passage of the current.
The bottle returns to its norwal position by gravity, when it is no longer subjected
to the action of the cam.
The manner in which a train acts upon the apparatus and the apparatus reacts
upon the train is as follows.
Each locomotive carries two brushes of very flexible and very elastic steel strips.
The first brush placed in front of the engine has a thickness of from 5 to
10 centimetres and a width of from 25 to 30 centimetres. It can oscillate upon an

page_text: axis; its oscitation being produced by the contact with an obstacle and causes the
stoppage of the locomotive.
The second brush is placed behind the first brush. It is several metres in length
and from 25 to 30 centimetres in width.
The said brushes are placed, one on the right-hand side, and the other on the
left-hand side of the locomotive in such a manner that the first brush touches the
plate only when it occupies a position at right angles to the rails, whilst the second
brush encounters it when parallel to the rails, and has especially for its object to
place it at right angles to the rails.
For this purpose the strips of these brushes extend much lower down than the
said plate and in bending so as to pass above, they adhere and exert sufficient
pressure to cause the first brush to oscillate, and to impart to the plate a rotary
motion by the action of the second brush.
Accordingly, when a train encounters the said apparatus, the plate being parallel
to the rails the first brush passes without hindrance. But the second brush coming
immediately after places the plate at right angles to the rails in a position adapted
to cause the stoppage of a train which may follow.
At the same time that the rotation of the plate takes place, the small cam on the
shaft causes the mercury vessel to oscillate and thus closes the circuit which is
connected with the electro-magnet of the preceding apparatus. The pawl of this
apparatus is then disengaged from its ratchet-wheel, and the plate is carried back
to its normal position by the tension of the spring.
It will thus be observed that the passage over one section of the line is allowed
only when it is free, and when the train which occupied it has reached the following
section.
A single battery can suffice for several apparatuses; the conducting-wires being
supported by posts. Three wires running along the line suffice for the service of
all the apparatuses.
This apparatus does not present the inconveniences of those actuated directly by
the locomotives. Indeed when the latter are running at a great velocity, the
vis viva is so considerable that the most durably constructed devices are rapidly
destroyed. In the improved apparatus the motion is effected gradually by friction.
Thus supposing the second brush to be 4 metres in length, it acts upon a handle or
crank of 0.20 centimetres on the average and causes it to describe a quarter of a
revolution, say through a distance of 0.31 centimetres so that no shock can result
from it. The proportion between the pulling force of the second brush and the
moment of inertia and the resistances offered to the rotation of the plate and its
accessories can be calculated. In order to augment this pulling force by adherence,
each strip of the brush may be maguetized. The strips, in that case, may consist
of steel plates bent to the form of a horse-shoe.
A rotation of even less than a quarter of a revolution is sufficient for obtaining
the oscillation of the first brush. In fact, the position and the sensibility of this
latter brush can be determined in such a manner that it bears against the plate for
effecting a slight rotation of the latter.
•
The electricity acts only to permit the passage of a train into a section which
another train has just left. If the current does not act, the stoppage of the second
train without cause is the only result.
•
These apparatuses are at fixed points along the line between the rails and at
distances from each other according to the lengths of the sections. They are
placed in proximity to the switching stations, turn-tables, level-crossings etc, and
at all places where it may be necessary to cause the stoppage of trains.
In the latter cases, the apparatus is actuated from a distance by known means,
such as wire-pulls, levers etc, but it is then necessary that the same apparatus can
be actuated by hand, without interfering with the automatic action of the second
brush. To this end the wire-pull is attached to a small bent lever and is attached
to a counter-weight. The lever is pivoted upon a crank which can turn freely

page_text: upon the shaft. When the wire is pulled, the lever engages with a ratchet wheel
fixed upon the said shaft and causes the rotation of the latter. The wire being
liberated, the weight disengages the ratchet wheel and the plate assumes its
normal position by the action of its spring, the drawing-lever operating at the
same time an interruptor which sends a current through the electro-magnet.
An electric indicator placed near the lever actuated by the operator controls the
operation of the apparatus, two wires terminating at the indicator being attached
to the two poles of the mercury vessel.
When the plate is at right angles to the rail, a current is transmitted to the
controlling device.
"
The whole apparatus is enclosed in a sheet-metal box which has only an opening
for the end of the shaft carrying the plate.

page_text: Stoppage of Railway Trains, and Apparatus therefor.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE USE OF ELECTRICITY
FOR THE AUTOMATIC STOPPAGE OF RAILWAY TRAINS, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
">
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus for effecting the automatic .stoppage of
trains, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing the figures of which are
hereinafter referred to.
The said apparatus comprises a vertical shaft V carrying at its upper part
a horizontal plate P. The said shaft is supported in a cast-iron frame having the
bearing C and the foot bearing C¹. A spring R surrounds the shaft and has for
its object to return the latter to its normal position when it has been moved from
the same by a rotary motion.
A ratchet-wheel 6 keyed upon the vertical shaft V has engaging with it a
pawl d having the form of a small bent lever, one arm of which carries the
armature of an electro-magnet. The said ratchet-wheel and pawl serve to
maintain the shaft in any desired position which is only altered under the action
of the spring R when the pawl d, attracted by the electro-magnet, disengages from
the ratchet-wheel.
The said shaft V carries a small cam designed to cause the oscillation of a bottle
or vessel containing mercury and forming part of an electric circuit. This vessel,
which may consist of glass, porcelain, hard india-rubber or other non-conducting
material is shown in longitudinal section in Figure Sa, and is enclosed when in use
in a casing as shown in Figure 8. When the bottle is in a horizontal position the
circuit is closed for the passage of the current and when the bottle is in an
inclined position the circuit is interrupted. The bottle returns to the latter
position by gravity, when it is no longer subjected to the action of the cam
(figure 1).
The apparatus thus far described is adapted to be placed between the railway
rails and to be turned to one or other of the positions shown in Figure 3.1
The manner in which the train acts upon the apparatus and the apparatus
reacts upon the train is as follows.
Each locomotive carries two brushes of very flexible and very elastic steel strips
figure 2.
One brush B is placed in front of the engine and has a thickness of
from 5 to 10 centimetres and a width of from 25 to 30 centimetres. This brush
can oscillate upon an axis, its oscillation being produced by encountering an
obstacle which oscillation causes the stoppage of the locomotive by means of
suitable connections with a valve.
The second brush B₁ is placed behind the brush B. It is several metres in
length and from 25 to 30 centimetres in width.

page_text: The said brushes are placed one on the right-hand side and the other on the
left hand side of the locomotive, in such a manner that the brush B touches the
plate only when the latter occupies the position No 2 in Figure 3, whilst
the brush B¹ encounters it when in the position No 1, and has especially for its
object to place it in the position No 2.
For this purpose the strips of the brushes extend much lower down than the
plate P and in bending so as to pass above the latter they offer sufficient resistence
on the one hand to cause the brush B to oscillate, and sufficient friction or
adhesion on the other hand to impart to the plate P a rotary motion under the
action of the brush B¹.
.
Accordingly when a train encounters the said apparatus, the plate P being in
position No 1 the brush B passes without contact. But the brush B¹ coming
immediately after; places the plate in position No 2 to cause the stoppage of a
succeeding train..
At the same time that the rotation of the plate P takes place, the said small
cam causes the mercury vessel to oscillate and close the circuit which is con-
nected with the electromagnet of the preceding apparatus. The pawl of this
apparatus is then disengaged from its ratchet-wheel, and the plate P is carried
back to its normal position by the tension of the spring R.
It will thus be observed that the passage of a train over one section of the line
is allowed only when it is free and when the train which previously occupied it
has reached the following section. A single battery can be used for several
apparatuses as shown in Figure 4. The conducting-wires F F may be supported
by posts, and three wires running along the line suffice for the service of all the
apparatuses.
The apparatus described does not present the inconveniences of those actuated
directly by the locomotives where force is suddenly applied to a mass of metal or
the like. Indeed when the locomotives are running at a great velocity, the vis viva
is so considerable that the most durably constructed devices are rapidly destroyed.
In the improved apparatus the motion is effected by gratlually increasing friction
and force. Thus supposing the brush B' to be 4 metres in length, it acts upon a
crank of say 0.20 centimetres on the average, and causes it to describe a quarter of
a revolution say through a distance of 0.31 centimetres so that evidently no shock
can result from it. The proportion between the pulling force of the brush B' and
the moment of inertia and the resistances offered to the rotation of the plate and
its accessories can be calculated. In order to augment this pulling force each strip
of the brush may be magnetized to cause them to adhere to the plate The strips
in that case may consist of steel plates bent to the form of a horse shoe (Figure 5).
A rotation of even less than a quarter of a revolution is sufficient for obtaining
the oscillation of the brush B. In fact, the position and the sensibility of this
latter brush can be determined in such a manner that it bears against the plate for
effecting a slight rotation of the latter.
The electricity acts only to permit the passage of a train. If the current does
not act, the stoppage of the train without cause is the only result.
These apparatuses are at fixed points along the line between the rails and at
distances from each other according to the lengths of the sections. They are
placed in proximity to the switches, turn-tables, level-crossings etc, and at all
places where it may be necessary to cause the stoppage of trains."
In the latter cases the apparatus is actuated from a distance by known means
such as wires, pulls, levers etc, but it is then necessary that the apparatus should
be operated in such a mauner as not to interfere with the automatic action of the
brush B'. For this purpose the wire-pull ƒ Figure-6 is attached to a small lever L
and is provided with a counter weight Q. The lever L is pivotted at O upon a
crank M which can turn freely upon the shaft V. When the wire is pulled, the
lever L engages with a ratchet-wheel r fixed upon the said shaft and causes the
rotation of the latter. The wire f being liberated, the weight Q disengages
the ratchet-wheel, and the plate P assumes its normal position under the action

page_text: of its spring R, the drawing-lever operating at the same time an interrupter or
contact which sends a current through the electromagnet E.
An electric indicator placed near the lever actuated by the pointsman controls
the operation of the apparatus, two wires terminating at the indicator being
attached to the two poles of the mercury vessel.
When the plate is in position N° 2, a current is transmitted to the indicator.
The whole apparatus is enclosed in a sheet-metal box which has only an opening
for the end of the shaft carrying the plate P.
The employment of brushes permits the application of force to masses as
heretofore but enables a division or gradual application of. this force to be made
to any desired extent. This employment is based upon the fact that a body in
a state of rest can be set in motion by another body moving at a considerable
velocity without the production of shocks, this principle being applied to cause
the motion of the improved apparatus to take place as gradually as desired.
I do not confine myself to the arrangement of the plate and brushes herein
described as the brushes may be caused to act upon the plate, or the plate_upon
the brushes, according as a brush or a plate is attached to the locomotive. I may
also arrange one brush to act upon another brush by providing brushes upon the
described apparatus and also upon the locomotive.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. The employment of brushes arranged and operating substantially as
described for the purposes specified.
-
Second. The employment of a circuit interrupter consisting of a vessel containing
mercury, for ensuring the making and breaking of electrical contact, constructed
substantially as described, and operating as set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.