IMPROVE- MENTS IN WORKING AND INCREASING THE SAPETY OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Walker, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WORKING AND INCREASING THE SAPETY OF RAILWAYS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Walker at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 24th March 1853.
I, ROBERT WALKER, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WORKING AND INCREASING THE SAFETY OF RAIL-
WAYS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to arrangements whereby effectual means may
at any time be taken to prevent collisions and accidents on railways.
Along the whole length of the line a species of double line of signal
wire or cord is laid down in suitable bearings in the manner of the
present signal cords. This line of cords is not duplex throughout, but

page_text: is in certain determined lengths, say of a mile each, one length being
laid down so as to run past or overlap its neighbouring length, thus
giving a continuous line of double cords throughout; or the lengths
may be made to terminate at the same spot, without any overlapping.
These lines of cords are fitted at certain distances with detent or stop
levers, so arranged that on pulling the cord the lever may be elevated
above the level of the railway, or depressed beneath it, at pleasure.
Then in case of its being necessary to stop a train, as, for example, to
prevent such train from running into another train in advance on the
same line, one of the cords is slightly drawn forward, when the detent
lever, which may be at a considerable distance in the rear, will be
raised so as to come in contact with a stop on the engine or the
advancing train such stop is connected with the regulator valve, so that
when moved it shuts off the steam, and the train ceases to advance ;
and, if necessary, the same movement may put down the breaks.
Further, the cords may have danger and other signals attached to
them at intervals, so that the drivers of engines may be duly cautioned
as to what is passing further on in their line.
And in cases where it is not deemed necessary to lay down this
system of connection along the entire line it may be adopted at or near
the stations only, and at these parts the existing signal apparatus may
be used or modified to suit the arrangement. Instead of laying down a
system of connections as a line or lines of cords along the line, the
same system may obviously be worked out by merely setting up an
adjustable catch on the line, at certain determined distances asunder,
when the engine man or guard can run to the nearest catch and set it
up as required. Or, without laying anything down on the line, each
train may carry a suitable catch-piece, which tho guard can lay down
on the line when required, so that a catch on the train coming behind
may come in contact with this stop, and effect the desired result.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Walker, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 24th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ROBERT WALKER, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of IIer reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Walker, Her special
licence that I, the said Robert Walker, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Walker, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WORKING AND INCREASING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAYS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Walker, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the saine was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Walker, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say.:
My said Invention relates to arrangements whereby effectual means
may at any time be taken to prevent collisions and accidents on
railways. Along the whole length of the line a species of double line
of signal wire or cord is laid down in suitable bearings, in the manner
of the present signal cords. This line of cords is not duplex throughout,

page_text: but is in certain determined lengths, say of a mile each, one length
being laid down so as to run past or overlap its neighbouring length,
thus giving a continuous line of double cords throughout; or the lengths
may be made to terminate at the same spot, without any overlapping.
These lines of cords are fitted at certain distances with detent or stop
levers or catches, so arranged that on pulling the cord the lever may
be elevated above the level of the railway, or depressed beneath it, at
pleasure. Then in case of its being necessary to stop a train, as, for
example, to prevent such train from running into another train in
advance on the same line, one of the cords is slightly drawn forward,
when the detent lever or stop, which may be at a considerable distance
in the rear, will be raised so as to come in contact with a stop on the
engine of the advancing train. Such stop is connected with the regu-
lator valve, so that when moved it shuts off the steam, and the train
ceases to advance; and, if necessary, the same movement may put down
the breaks. Further, the cords may have danger and other signals
attached to them at intervals, so that the drivers of engines may be
duly cautioned as to what is passing further on in their line. And
in cases where it is not deemed necessary to lay down this system of
connection along the entire line, it may be adopted at or near the
stations only, and at these parts the existing signal apparatus may be used
or modified to suit the arrangement. It is also obvious that this system
may be rendered self-acting, by fitting rods or projections on the under
side of the engine in such a position as to act upon the detent levers or
stops in advance, and by means of the connecting cords or wires cause
those in the rear to be elevated so as to prevent the too near advance
of a following train. Instead of laying down a system of connections as
a line or lines of cords along the line, the same system may obviously
be worked out by merely setting up an adjustable catch on the line at
cortain determined distances asunder, when the engine man or guard
can run to the nearest catch and set it up as required; or, without
laying anything down on the line, each train may carry a suitable catch
piece, which the guard can lay down on the line when required, so that
a catch on the train coming behind may come in contact with this stop,
and effect the desired result.

page_text: Figure 1, on my sheet of drawings is an elevation, and Figure 2, a
plan of a portion of a railway fitted with one modification of my safety
apparatus. This apparatus, which is in this instance self-acting, is
placed at suitable intervals of a quarter or half a mile, for example,
along the line, and the engine A, is represented as in the act of passing
over it. At B, is an upright catch-piece, working vertically between
friction pulleys in a cast-iron casing C, lying between and below the
surface of the rails D. The catch-piece B, is connected by the double-
armed lever E, and a short link to a disc or crank on the short transverse
spindle F. This spindle passes beneath a second catch-piece G, similar
to the catch-piece B, but in the rear of the latter a small cam H, is fast
on the spindle, and is so adjusted that when the catch-piece B. is
depressed it shall, by means of the connections described, be caused
to turn round and lift up the catch-piece G. The cam II, is of such a
shape that, when elevated, no downward pressure can cause it to turn,
and it therefore keeps the catch-piece G, up until acted upon by the
lever E. The first catch-piece B, is placed near the left-hand rail, for
example, whilst the other one G, is placed near the other or right-hand
rail. For the purpose of depressing the catch-piece B, a rod I, is fitted
to the under side of the engine; this rod has a gently curved shape, so
as to come upon and depress the catch-piece in a gradual manner.
A second rod K, is fitted to the engine in a position to come in contact
with the catch-piece G. This rod is connected by a joint L, to the fore
end of the engine, whilst at the other end it is jointed to the vertical
rod M, which cominunicates with the regulator valve, whistle, or break
gear, or with all these at the same time. The rods I, and K, are each
curved at both ends, so as to act equally well in whichever direction the
engine is proceeding. It will thus be seen that the engine A, in passing
over the apparatus, will by means of the fixed bar I, depress the catch-
piece B, and, as a consequence, raise the catch-piece G, in the rear, so
that if a second engine be following, the rod upon it corresponding
to K, will come in contact with the catch-piece G, and by means of the
rod M, the steam will be cut off so as to bring the engine to a stand.
The catch-piece G, will remain elevated until the engine A, reaches
the next safety apparatus; but in order that it may not remain elevated
longer than this, a third catch-piece N, is placed immediately behind the

page_text: next apparatus. This catch-piece N, is connected by a cord or wire O,
with the first catch-piece B, in such a manner that when the latter 13,
is depressed, the former N, will be elevated, and vice versa. Thus, the
engine passing over B, will have depressed it and elevated N; but on
reaching the latter this will in its turn be depressed, and the other
one B, consequently elevated. The elevation of the catch-piece B,
however, causes the depression of the catch-piece G, as already shewn,
so that on the arrival of the engine at N, the catch-piece G, will cease
to be elevated, and a succeeding engine will be able to pass it unim-
peded. At P, is a catch-piece of the second apparatus, and correspond-
ing to G; it is shewn elevated, this indicating that the engine in
advance of the one A, has not yet reached the third apparatus, so that
on reaching P, the engine A, would be stopped. When necessary, the
mechanism may be actuated by hand, by pulling the cord O, in either
direction.
When this means of stopping trains is employed near stations, and
at other places where great care is required, the spindle F, of the
cam 1, which serves to elevate the catch-piece G, has fixed upon it a
pulley Q, round which passes the cord or wire rope R. This cord passes
on one side over a small guide pulley S, and is attached to a counter
weight T, which stretches it and binds it tightly upon the pulley Q, and
also brings the pulley back to its normal position, when the other end
of the cord is released. This other end of the cord is attached to a
hand lever U, under the controul of the signal man, and is precisely
similar to the apparatus at present in use for actuating signals at a dis-
tance. When the signal man wishes to stop an advancing train he
draws the lever U, towards him; this action turns the spindle F, by
means of the cord, and with it the cam II, consequently elevating the
catch-piece G. This catch-piece acts on the stop rod upon the engine
in the manner already described, and causes the stoppage of the train.
Where this last described arrangement for use near stations is employed
the remainder of the self-acting mechanism may be dispensed with,
and the cords and other gear already fitted up for actuating signals
can at very slight expense be adapted to work the safety apparatus in
conjunction with the signals.
Ilaving now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my

page_text: said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of my
Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangements, apparatus, and means to be used in
working and increasing the safety of railways, as herein-before
described.
Second, the system or mode of working railways by means of con-
tinuous, but disconnected, lines of communication, by which the train
conductors are enabled to signal to or suspend the movement of other
trains on their line of rails, as herein-before described.
Third, the arrangement of the engines of railway trains in such
manner that their steam valves may be closed or the train breaks put
into action by adjustable or self-acting stops, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the application and use on lines of railway of continuous
sectional lengths of wire rope or other communicating mechanism,
whether self-acting or not, for the elevation of stopping catches, as
herein-before described.
Fifth, the application and use of stopping catches, as herein-before
described, in combination with signal apparatus as ordinarily constructed
and used.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Walker, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
ROBT WALKER. (L.S.)