An Improved Gate, Barrier, or Railing for Railway Platforms and .Crossings.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
An Improved Gate, Barrier, or Railing for Railway Platforms and
.Crossings.
I, CARL EINTZ, of Blankenstein on the Ruhr, Empire of Germany, Railway
Inspector, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved railing, gate, or barrier for railway platforms
and crossings, which can be lowered or raised between posts or standards, the rapid
lowering of such barriers, being a special purpose of this invention. This barrier
which can be employed for all kinds of crossings, is most advantageously employed
for closing the entrances of platforms, running parallel to the railway track; it has
for its object, to prevent admission to arriving trains, and is only opened, or lowered,
when the train has come to a standstill, thus excluding all dangers arising from the
crowding of passengers etc.
I will now describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which :-
Fig. 1. is a sectional elevation of a barrier or gate, arranged according to this
invention, consisting of four sections or plates, each plate being shewn in a different
position.
Fig. 2. is a cross section through one of the posts.
Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of Fig. 1.
Figs. 4-9. show in elevation, plan and sectional side view, diagrams of the
barrier; Figs. 4-6 showing the raised, & Figs. 7-9 the lowered position of
same.
Figs. 10-12, are diagrammatic plan views of different plans of railway patforms,
provided with the improved gates.
Figs. 13 & 14, are cross sections of Figs. 10 & 12 respectively, with partly raised
& lowered gates.
As will be seen from the diagrams shown in Figs. 4-9. the characteristic feature
of this new barrier or gate, consists therein that full or reticulated barrier-sections
are arranged between posts, which may be placed at suitable distances apart, and
in such manner that the barrier sections can be raised and lowered. When the
plates or sections are in the raised position (Fig. 4-6), it is possible, by means of
a locking device in the posts, to simultaneously & suddenly let the sections drop
into counter sunk spaces or receptacles below the platform; the path or crossing is
then free, and only the posts remain above the ground (Figs. 7—9).
These posts may in some cases be substituted by the standards or posts for the
roof of the platform.
The separate sections (1. 2. 3. 4) (Fig. 1. 2. & 3) of the gate as shewn in the
accompanying drawings, consist of two sheet metal plates A bolted together &
having spaces between them, each section being guided in grooves L, of two posts 1.
In order that the plates can run freely in the guides, the plates A are provided
with pins or pegs G, which slide along the grooves or slots of the guides.
At the upper corners of the sections (1. 2. 3. 4). loose rollers C and pawls B are
arranged between the plates A. The pawls B, are pivoted to bolts D, and engage
with the locking devices in the hollow posts I, as will be afterwards described.
By means of a covering-rail F, at the upper edge of each section, the openings
or countersunk spaces, receiving the sections, are covered or closed, if such sections
are allowed to drop, in order to free the spaces between the posts I.
27

page_text: The underground receptacle, whose opening T, is formed by two side rails TT,
in the level of the platform, is somewhat deeper than the height of the sections.
In order that the latter may be free from heavy concussions etc., when reaching
their lowest position, india-rubber rings or rollers H', acting as buffers, and attached
to hangers H, may be arranged, such rings, when the sections are dropped, first
coming in contact with the india-rubber buffer-plates H³, secured at the bottom of
the underground space for each gate section.
The posts I, are more than double the length of the sections, their lower halves,
being built in the underground receptacle.
In the hollow space of each post, a roller or rope-pulley J, is provided, at the
head of the post, over which pulley a rope or chain N, secured at one end, is
conducted, in such manner, that it passes between the side plates A, and under a
pair of rollers C, of each gate section.
By means of a drum Z (Fig. 3), with movable hand lever Z', the rope can be
wound up from one end, whereupon almost a simultaneous raising of all sections
is effected. A stop on the arm H, prevents a section being drawn out too far.
Within the part of the post above the ground, and at a small distance from the
edge of the plate, a rectangular vertical rod or spindle U, pivotally attached at its
lower and upper end, is arranged, and provided at its upper end at U with teeth on
two opposite sides.
The lower part of the spindle U2, is round and tapering. When the gate sections
are in the lowered position (Fig. 2, Plate 2), pawls B, hereafter referred to, rest
on the part U2, a little play being allowed, so as to prevent jamming of the parts.
The spindles U are provided with segmental pinions, at their lower ends (Fig. 3),
which engage with the teeth V, of the rod V, supported by rollers, W. On
throwing over the switch or weighted lever Y, as indicated by dotted lines (Fig. 1),
the rod V, moves towards the side, & consequently all the spindles will be turned
through an angle of about 45°, & moved from their usual position, shewn with the
sections, 1. 2. & 3, into the second position as shewn with section 4.
If the plates are now raised, by turning the drum Z, while the spindles are in
the position shewn with section 4, viz., in engagement, the points of the pawis B,
first glide upward on the smooth sides of the spindles, their heavy tail parts being
meanwhile pressed upwards. As soon as the teeth of the spindles are reached, the
pawl is controlled by the stop pawls B', previously placed in the position shewn in
gate section 1, each of said stop pawls being provided with a stop hoop & pivotally
arranged on pin a below the pawl B.
From the position shewn, forming a stop for the descending end of the pawls B,
these stop pawls B', can be turned by hand into another position, as shewn on
section 3, whereby the points of the pawls B, are pressed inwards out of engagement
& retained in such position.
The pawls B, are to be regarded as being in proper engagement (Fig. 1, section 1),
when the sections will not ascend any further, because then the back part of the
pawl B, by resting on or bearing against the pawl B' is prevented from moving
further.
On account of the engagement with the teeth on the spindles U the raised section
cannot possibly fall until released. After the plates have been raised to their
fullest extent, the hinged handle Z' of the drum Z is turned out of way; further
the pawl Z usually serving for preventing the return of the drum Z is disengaged
in order that the rope-pulley can eventually run free on the axle when the rope
unwound.
is
In order to operate the gate as above described, that is to lower the gate
sections, it is only necessary to release the rotatable spindles U by correspondingly
throwing over the switch Y, whereupon the spindles U are made to partly turn, in
such manner, that the locking teeth are turned to the side, viz.-are disengaged
from the pawls B, the smooth untoothed sides of the spindles being then presented
to the pawls (section 4 Fig. 2). Consequently the plates have no hold on the posts

page_text: and immediately descend into the underground receptacles, at the same time
unwinding the rope from the drum (section 2).
In order that the entrances to the grooves or slots L of the posts I in which
the ends of the sections are guided may be covered, flexible-steel strips K attached
to the gate sections can be arranged in the upper parts of the posts, such steel
strips wound and unwounded from rollers corresponding to the movement of the
gate sections.
As will be seen, the arrangement of the rollers allows of the raising of the gate
sections with comparatively small power & no matter how many sections are
connected with the rope only the force necessary for raising one plate is required.
If it be required or considered necessary to only lower part of the gate sections,
each section to be kept stationary (section 3, Fig. 2) can be secured by pushing a
bolt b, under the under-edge of same, whereupon the movable pawl B (as afore-
described) must, from outwards, be so put in such position by means of a key, that
the pawl B remains out of engagement with or removed from the teeth U of the
spindle.
On the other hand, if a gate section shall remain in its underground space, this
can be effected by inserting the bolts 6 over same; in this case it is not necessary
to operate the pawls B and B because they are out of engagement.
It will be evident that a platform can be barred, as shown in Fig. 10 & 11 or in
Fig. 12, in which modification entrances are made bounded on two sides by the
raised gate sections, only interrupted by control entrances for ticket-collectors,
conductors etc.
The arrangement shown in Fig. 11 is different from that shown in Fig. 10 in
that the former, the platform stair cases or other ways for reaching the platform
are also railed in by means of the new barriers, only small entrances being left free.
It must be remarked that the gate or barrier arrangement above described can
also be used for all kinds of crossings. In cases where the attendant has to effect
the barring or opening of the crossing from a certain distance, a draw wire is
employed instead of the rod V, such wire being provided at one end of the crossing
with a counterweight, so that when the lever Y is released, the draw wire pushes
same in the opposite direction. In this manner the spindle U is turned from a
certain distance in the one or other direction & consequently effects the immediate
descending of the barrier.
By employing overlapping or telescoping plates the arrangement can be modified
in such manner that the depth of the underground spaces or receptacles may be
reduced. It is also possible to provide the whole gearing and posts, standards or
guides, underground, so that when the gate sections are lowered nothing remains to
be seen of the barrier above the ground.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An improved gate or railing for barring entrances to railway platforms or
crossings, characterized by plates A forming gate sections and inserted between
posts (1) said sections being raised out of underground spaces by means of ropes or
chains, led over rollers & retained in such raised position by the pawls (B) engaging
with teeth on rotatable spindles (N) within the posts, so that on releasing or
turning the locking spindle (U) by means of a rod (V) all the gate sections are
made to descend simultaneously, substantially as described and shown in the
drawings.
2. An improved gate or barrier as characterized by Claim 1 operated by a set
of fixed and movable rollers the fixed rollers being arranged on the head of the
posts and the movable rollers on the gate sections, a rope secured at one end being
conducted over or under said rollers respectively so that by winding up one end of
the rope by means of a drum all the gate sections can be raised simultaneously &

page_text: with little force without preventing single gate sections being rendered stationary
in the raised or lowered position by inserting suitable bolts, substantially as described
and shewn in the drawings.
Deted the 1st dow of October 1902
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.