improved Method of and Means for Exchanging Train Staffs at Railway Stations.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 8th June, 1892-Accepted, 23rd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
improved Method of and Means for Exchanging Train Staffs at
Railway Stations.
I HENRY PURDON 11 St. James' Terrace Clonskeagh Co. Dublin Clerk in
raffic Manager's Office Great Southern and Western Ry. Co. Kingsbridge Dublin
o hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A delivery & receiving post at stations with a receiving, and delivery arm on
ailway engine or tender of trains running on single lines, for the purpose of
xchanging staffs while train is in motion thus avoiding stoppages.
Dated this 5th day of September 1891.
HENKI FURDON..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Exchanging Train Staffs at
Railway Stations.
I, HENRY PURDON, of 11 St James' Terrace, Clonskeagh, Co. Dublin, Clerk,-
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 has reference to an improved method of, and means for exchanging.
railway staffs on single lines while the train is in motion, thus avoiding stoppages.
The nature, arrangement, and-operation of my said. invention. will be readily
understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1, répresents.
an end view (looking in the direction in which the train moves) and Fig. 2, a side
view of the complete apparatus, showing portion of an engine to which the travelling.
part of the contrivance is attached. Fig. 3, is a plan view of the exchanging-
apparatus per se.
shall first describe the portion of the apparatus carried by the engine:-A, is.
a tubular pillar connected by brackets B, B, to cab of engine; D, is a drop arm
hinged on pivot C. Within the tube is a spiral spring, the lower end of which is
secured to the heel of the drop arm at C³, whereby the arm is raised to a vertical
position alongside the pillar when relieved of the staff pouch as hereinafter-
described.
The free end of the drop arm is provided with a socket F, in which is a pin F₁,.
on which is hung the staff pouch E, by means of the ring H, and loop H¹, which
latter may be acted upon by a suitable spring so as to prevent the pouch being
blown off by wind, or accident.
From the back of socket F, shoots a rod Y, at right angles (Fig. 2) for the
purpose presently described.
•
The station portion of the apparatus consists of a post I, carrying two
arms J and K. The arm J, is provided with a pin J, on which is hung the staff
pouch L; in the same manner as that described in reference to staff pouch E.
From arm K, shoots at right angles a rod X, (Fig. 2) which corresponds to rod Y
on the drop arm D.
The action of my invention may be described thus:-
When it is desired to exchange staffs the attendant on the engine hangs his.
pouch containing the staff on pin F, at end of drop arm D, which latter is thrown
into the horizontal position shown in Fig. 1.
The station staff L, is hung on the arm J, of station post in the manner already-
described.

page_text: Now as the engine approaches the station post, the right angle rod Y, will enter
the ring J, and carry off the staff pouch L, while simultaneously the right angle
rod X, will enter the ring H, and carry off staff pouch E. Thus an exchange of
staffs is effected automatically without stopping the train.
In order to prevent the staff pouches rebounding off the right angle rods, barbed
or expanding springs may be provided on their ends.
In practice it is found that the ring J³, carrying the station staff is ca
shock to swing round, and run down the drop arm D, thus allowing the
"
the
be automatically raised to its normal position by the spiral spring in the tubular
pillar.
A guard P, is bolted to engine to prevent the drop arm D, swinging backward,
when in its horizontal position.
-
S, is a lever handle for the purpose of throwing the station post out of gear
when required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The method and means of exchanging railway staffs while a train is in
motion in the manner substantially as herein described.
Second. The combination of parts, constructed, arranged, and operating for the
purpose of effecting the exchange of railway staffs while a train is in motion, in the
manner substantially as herein described and set forth.
Dated this 7th day of June 1909
J. K. FAHIE & SON,
9, Westland Row, Dublin, Agents for Applicant.