Improved Means for the Protection of Trains and Road Traffic at Level Crossings
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 6th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 5th Oct., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for the Protection of Trains and Road Traffic at
Level Crossings.
I, JAMES JOHNS, of Regent Parade, Harrogate, in the County of York, Plumber,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to protect level-crossings so that in the event
of an engine or train approaching such a crossing whilst the gates thereof are
open and across the line, such engine or train shall, in an automatic manner and
independently of the action of the engine driver, be brought to rest before it
reaches the crossing and an alarm be sounded.
the
For this purpose I provide in connection with the gates and at a suitable
distance therefrom on the entering side of each up and down line, apparatus
comprising an abutment or stop adapted to be moved into the path of train-
stopping and alarm apparatus on an approaching engine or train,
arrangement being such that when the gates are closed to stop ordinary traffic over
the crossing, the abutment or stop on each line will be lowered or moved into its
inoperative position clear of the train-stopping and alarm-sounding apparatus
on an engine or train approaching the crossing, and when the gates are moved
into their open positions across the rails, the abutment or stop will be moved
into its operative position so that if an engine or a train then passes it, the train-
stopping and alarm apparatus on the engine will be operated to turn
off the steam from the engine cylinders and apply the brake so as to bring the
engine or train to rest before it reaches the gates and also to sound an alarm."
In carrying out my invention I prefer to use for each abutment or stop a device
of the kind described and shown in the Specification of my Patent No. 10673 of
1893, and which I call for distinction a non-depressible lever com-
prising two lever arms made concave on their upper sides and jointed together
and to suitable supports and so arranged that when raised it will be locked in the
raised position so that it will then operate train-stopping and alarm
apparatus, which may conveniently be of the kind described and shown in the
Specification of my Patent No. 13569 of 1894. The gates are connected together
so that one cannot be moved without the other and they are connected
to the non-depressible levers through suitable connections such as rods, chains,
wires and levers, in such a way that when the gates are closed, the non-depressible
lever is lowered, and when the gates are opened across the line the non-
depressible lever will be in its raised or operative position.
In some cases the approaching train may be caused to raise a semaphore or
sign (hereinafter referred to as a semaphore) displaying a notice such as "wait
for the train to pass," and after passing the crossing to lower such semaphore or
sign. For this purpose there is provided on each side of the gates and at a
suitable distance therefrom, a device such as a depressible lever of the kind
described and shown in my said former Specification No. 10673 of 1893 these
devices being connected together and to the semaphore. The arrangement is such

page_text: that normally the depressible lever on the entering side of the gates is in its raised
position and the other depressible lever is-in its lowered position, whilst the sema-
phore is in its down or line clear position, so that on an engine or train passing over
the first depressible lever it will depress such lever and raise the second one and
also raise the semaphore into the danger position and on the engine or train
passing the second depressible lever it will depress this lever and restore the first
one to its original raised position and the semaphore to its line clear position.
I prefer to provide on the semaphore post or in proximity thereto, an audible
signalling device which will be operated when the semaphore is raised to its
danger position. I also prefer to provide locking devices adapted to be operated
from the connection between the depressible levers and to lock or hold the gates
in their closed position when the depressible lever on the entering side of the
gate is forced down by the passage over it of an engine or train and to unlock
the gates when the engine or train passes over and depresses the second depressible
lever.
As will be obvious the depressible levers or equivalent device may be used
without the depressible levers and semaphore or vice versa but I consider it more
advantageous to use both sets of apparatus. The gates may be so mounted that
they will tend to automatically assume their closed positions when released. "To
this end springs or weights may be suitably combined with them.
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for the Protection of Trains and Road Traffic at
Level Crossings.
I, JAMES JOHNS, of Regent Parade, Harrogate, in the County of York, Plumber,
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:-
One object of this invention is to protect level-crossings so that in the event
of an engine or train approaching such a crossing whilst the gates thereof are
open and across the line, such engine or train shall, in an automatic manner and
independently of the action of the engine driver, be brought to rest before it
reaches the crossing and an alarm be simultaneously sounded on the engine..
For this purpose I provide in connection with the gates and at a suitable
distance therefrom on the entering portion of each line of rails, apparatus
comprising an abutment or stop adapted to be moved into the path of train-
stopping and alarm-sounding apparatus on an approaching engine or train, the
arrangement being such that when the gates are closed to stop ordinary traffic over
the crossing, the abutment or stop on each line will be lowered or moved into its
inoperative position clear of the train-stopping and alarm-sounding apparatus
on an engine or train approaching the crossing, and when the gates are moved
into their open positions across the rails, the abutment- or stop will be moved
into its operative position so that if an engine or a train. then passes it, the train-
stopping and alarm-sounding apparatus on the engine will be. operated to
turn off the steam from the engine-cylinders and apply the brake so as to bring the
engine or. train to rest before it reaches the gates and also to sound an alarm.
In carrying out my invention I prefer to use for, each abutment or stop a device

page_text: of the kind described and shown in the Specification of my Patent No. 10673 of
1893, which I call for distinction a non-depressible lever and which comprises
two lever-arms made concave on their upper sides and jointed together
and to suitable supports and so arranged that when raised it will be locked in the
raised position so that it will then, operate train-stopping and alarm-sounding
apparatus, which may conveniently be of the kind described and shown in the
Specification of my Patent No. 13569 of 1894. The gates are connected together
so that one cannot be moved without the other or others and they are connected
to the non-depressible levers through suitable connections such as rods, chains,
wires and levers, in such a way that when the gates are closed, each non-depressible
lever is lowered, and when the gates are opened across the line each non-
depressible lever will be in its raised or operative position.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a diagrammatic representation of an
example of apparatus according to this invention in which each abutment or stop
is formed by a non-depressible lever of the kind described in the Specification
of my said former Patent No. 10,673 of 1893. 3, 3° are the non-depressible levers,
4* their axles, and 7b arms carried by the latter, the parts named corresponding
to those to which the same reference-characters are assigned in Figs. 1, 2, and 3*
of the Specification just mentioned. One of these levers is provided on the.
entering portion of each of the lines I and II of the double line shown, at a
point A, which is about 500 yards away from the gates G', G3 of the crossing
2.e., at such a distance therefrom that a train whose stopping-apparatus is operated
by the lever 3,3 will be stopped before reaching the gates. The arm 7b of each
lever is connected to the corresponding gate G! by a rod 8, a pair of two-armed
levers 9 and 10 mounted on vertical axes and connected by a pair of wires
11 and 12, and a rod 13, which is jointed to a pin 14 secured to the gate G¹, the
arrangement being such that the opening and closing of the gates, which may be
effected in the manner and by the means usually adopted for this purpose, will
operate the abutments or stops in the manner hereinbefore explained.
In some cases the approaching train may be caused to raise a semaphore or
sign (hereinafter referred to as a semaphore) displaying a notice such as "wait
for the train to pass," and after passing the crossing to lower such semaphore or
sign. For this purpose there is provided on each side of the gates and at a
suitable distance therefrom, a device such as a depressible lever of the kind
described and shown in the Specification of my said former Patent No. 10673. of
1893 these devices being connected together and to the semaphore. The arrange-
ment is such that normally the depressible lever on the entering side of the gates
is in its raised position and the other depressible lever is in its lowered position,
whilst the semaphore is in its down or road-clear position, so that when an engine
or train passes over the first depressible lever it will depress such lever and raise
the second one and also raise the semaphore into the danger-position and when
the engine or train passes the second depressible lever it will depress this lever
and restore the first one to its original raised position and the semaphore to its
road-clear position.
In the example shown in the drawings there are employed depressible
levers 2, 2 having axles 4 and arms 7 and 7b of the kind referred to, the parts
named corresponding to those similarly marked in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the Specifi-
cation of my Patent No. 10673 of 1893. Each of the lines I and II is provided
with two of these levers, one of them being placed at B about 900 yards from the
gates G¹ and G2 and on the entering side thereof and the other at C on the other
side of the gates and about 50 yards therefrom-i.e., at such a distance that a
train will have passed the gates before its engine arrives at the depressible lever
in question. 15' is the semaphore; it is connected to the arm 7 of the lever, 2, 2ª
at B by a rod 16, a bell-crank lever 17, a rod 18 (see Fig. 2, which is an elevation
of the semaphore with operating mechanism and a portion of the corresponding
pair of gates), a pair of two-armed levers 19 and 20 mounted on vertical axes
and connected by a pair of wires 21 and 22, and a rod 23, which is jointed to the

page_text: arm 7. The arm 7b of the depressible lever 2, 2" at C is jointed to one end of
a rod 24 jointed at its other end to a two-armed lever 25 having a vertical axis
and connected by a pair of wires 26 and 27 to the two-armed lever 19.
On the semaphore-post, or in proximity thereto, there may be provided an
audible signalling-device which will be operated when the semaphore is raised
to its danger position; this device may consist of a fixed gong or bell and a
hammer carried by the semaphore or a moving part connected therewith.
I also prefer to provide locking devices adapted to be operated from the
connection between the depressible levers and to lock or hold the gates in their
closed position when the depressible lever on the entering side of the gates is
forced down by the passage over it of an engine or train and to unlock the gates
when the engine or train passes over and depresses the second depressible lever.
Figs. 2 and 3 show an example of such a locking device in elevation and
sectional plan respectively; Fig. 4 shows a section on the line y of Fig. 3 as
seen when looking in the direction of the arrows. It comprises a catch 28
pivotted at 29 and provided with a slot 30 in which engages one arm 31 of a
bell-crank lever whose other arm 32 is connected by a rod 33 with the lever 17.
The lower end of each of the corresponding gates G¹ and G2 is provided with a
socket 34 containing a shoe 35 which is free to slide up and down within the
socket 34 but is connected therewith by a pin 36 that passes through a slot 37 in
the shoe. It will be seen that the arrangement is such that when the semaphore 15
is in the danger-position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the catch 28 locks the
two gates G and G2 when they are closed by engaging with the shoes 35, which
are bevelled as shown in Fig. 4, so that if the gates be open when the catch 28
is raised they can easily slide over it in closing, after which, however, they will
drop down with the result of locking the gates.
As will be obvious the non-depressible levers or equivalent devices may be used
without the depressible levers and their semaphore or locking device of both, or
vice versa, but I consider it more advantageous to use the entire apparatus. The
gates should be so mounted that they will tend to assume their closed positions
automatically when released. This is specially important when the train-stopping
apparatus is not used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. Providing in connection with the gates of a level-crossing and at a suitable
distance therefrom on the entering-portion of each line of rails, apparatus com-
prising an abutment or stop adapted to be moved into the path of train-stopping
and alarm-sounding apparatus on an approaching engine, or train, the arrange-
ment being such that when the gates are closed to stop ordinary road-traffic over
the crossing, the abutment or stop on each line will be lowered or moved into its
inoperative position clear of the train-stopping and alarm-sounding apparatus
on an approaching engine or train, and when the gates are moved into their open
positions across the rails each abutment or stop will be moved into its operative
position so that if an engine or train then passes it the train-stopping and alarm-
sounding apparatus on the engine will be operated to turn off steam from the
engine-cylinders and apply the brake so as to bring the engine or train to rest
before it reaches the gates and also to sound an alarm, substantially as herein-
before described.
2. Means for operating train-stopping and alarm-sounding apparatus at level-
crossings, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as herein before
described with reference to and shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1 of the
accompanying drawings.
3. For the protection of trains and road-traffic at a level-crossing, the com-
bination with a semaphore, or a gate-locking apparatus, or both, of two devices
placed on opposite sides of the crossing and at suitable distances therefrom and

page_text: adapted to be operated by a passing engine or train, the arrangement being such
that normally the device on the entering side of the crossing is in its operative
position and the other device is in its inoperative position, whilst the
semaphore is in its down or road-clear position, or the gate-locking
apparatus is inoperative, or both, so that when an engine or train passes
over the first device it will operate it, bring the second one into its operative
position, and also raise the semaphore into its danger-position, or lock the gates,
or both, and that when the engine or train passes the second device it will operate
it, restore the first device to its original operative position, and lower the sema-
phore to its road-clear position, or unlock the gates, or both, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the semaphore-
operating and gate locking and unlocking apparatus hereinbefore described with
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of August 1897
JAMES JOHNS.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.