IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY RETARDING OR STOPPING RAIL- WAY TRAINS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY RETARDING OR STOPPING RAIL-
WAY TRAINS." A communication from abroad by Edouard Delebécque and
David Jean Frédéric Sosthêne Banderali, both of Paris, France, Engineers.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th April 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY
RETARDING OR STOPPING RAILWAY TRAINS." A communication.
The object of this Invention is the automatic stopping of a railway train in
motion by the direct action of its brakes, and the automatic shutting off of the steam
from the cylinders of the engine without any action on the part of the officials in
charge of the train.
This result is obtained by means of suitable apparatus placed on the line of
railway in such a position as to be operated upon by the passing train itself, which
apparatus may work either in connexion with the danger signal, or independently
of it, and may be put into operation at any required distance from the point to
be protected from an approaching train. This intermediate apparatus which (as
will be seen farther on) may be either a tappet, a pedal, or a fixed electrical
contact point, acts either mechanically or by means of an electric current upon the
actuating mechanism of the brakes, whether the same be situated on the locomotive
or on a carriage. The apparatus also acts upon the parts controlling the entry of
steam into the cylinders.
One method of practically applying this principle consists in causing a pro-
jecting tappet or a pedal, worked automatically by the signal, or independently
thereof, to open a cock or valve placed on the locomotive and controlling either
the ejection of steam, that being the original means of applying continuous
vacuum brakes by steam ejection; the actuating of compressed air brakes, such
[Price 6d1

page_text: as the Westinghouse brake; the application of hydraulic brakes, or the operating
an electric commutator situated on the engine, which commutator works a con-
tinuous electric brake, such as Achard's brake; the operating of any other kind of
brake which is applied by a single initial and limited mechanical movement.
Secondly. Another method of carrying out the principle of this Invention
applicable in all cases, and more particularly where mechanical means might be
liable to failure owing to long distances, consists in producing on the locomotive
or carriage the mechanical inovement necessary for applying the brake power
or shutting off the steam from entering the cylinders by means of an electric
current.
.
A fixed point of contact, as used in Lartigue, Forest, and Digney's method, placed
on the line receives the current transmitted either by means of the danger signal
or direct from the spot to be protected, and communicates it to the electro-
automator apparatus of the above method situated on the engine, the working of
which apparatus opens a cock or operates upon the commutator which controls
the action of the brakes on the train.
In the case of the electric brake the current may be made to communicate directly
from the fixed contact point to the operating bobbins of the electric brake by
means of a rubbing brush, and without passing through the electro-automator
apparatus.
By this entirely new application which I make by certain known means to
produce a known result, namely, the automatic applying of the brakes and the
shutting off of the steam from entering the cylinders, a train in motion may be
automatically brought under the action of its brake power, the steam shut off
from the cylinders, and the train consequently slackened and stopped without
any operation on the part of the officials in charge of the train, as it were
without their knowledge, and this can be done at any distance from the point to
be protected.
I also reserve to myself the right of applying this principle to the automatic
working of the brakes of a train and to the suspension of the admission of
steam into the cylinders of its locomotive by means of an electric current, or
by any other means, the operating of which is effected by the passage of a train
in advance of the one operated upon in such a way that a train in motion
followed too closely by a second train, or standing at station, could automa-
tically apply the brakes of this following train, and so cause it to slacken speed
and stop.
The first train would send automatically the current to a fixed contact point
placed at a proper distance behind by actuating a pedal provided with a com-
inutator of some kind, particularly the commutator of Lartigue's method, acting
either instantaneously or with a calculated interval. The protection of the first
train may cease either after a delay determined by the working of the fixed interval
commutator or after the train having travelled forward a certain arranged distance
shall have automatically operated the last but one of the contact points, and thus
shewn the line clear.
By the application of the means provided by this Invention, a station or dan-
gerous part of the line, and even a train in motion, may be effectively and auto-
matically protected through applying directly the brake power of an approaching
train and shutting off the steam from the cylinders of its engine, and thus slackening
and stopping it without the officials in charge of the train operated upon having
any part in the operations, and, so to speak, without their knowledge, they having
only to put the train in motion at the proper time.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
October 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY
RETARDING OR, STOPPING RAILWAY TRAINS A communication from abroad by
Edouard Delebecque and David Jean Frédéric Sosthêne Banderali, both of Paris,
France, Engineers.
The object of this Invention is the automatic stopping of a railway train in
motion by the direct action of its brakes, and the automatic shutting off of the
steam from the cylinders of the engine, without any action on the part of the
officials in charge of the train.
This result is obtained by means of suitable apparatus placed on the line of
railway: in the way of the passing trains, which apparatus may work either in
connection with the stopping signal, or independently of it, and may be put into
operation at any required distance from the point to be protected from an ap-
proaching train.
This intermediate apparatus which (as will be seen farther on)
may be either a tappet, a pedal, or a fixed electrical contact point, acts either
mechanically or by means of an electric current upon the actuating mechanism
of the brakes, whether the same be situated on the locomotive or on a carriage.
The apparatus also acts upon the parts controlling the entry of steam into the
cylinders.
One method of practically applying this principle consists in causing a projecting
tappet or a pedal worked automatically by the signal, or independently thereof,
to open a cock or valve placed on the locomotive and controlling either of the
following operations:-
The ejection of steam, that being the original means of applying continuous
vacuum brakes by steam ejection; the actuating of compressed air brakes, such
as the Westinghouse brake; the application of hydraulic brakes, or the operating
an electric commutator situated on the engine, which commutator works a con-
tinuous electric brake, such as Achard's. Or the operating of any other kind of
brake which is applied by a single, initial and limited mechanical movement, such
as. Lechatelier's steam and water brake. The cock or valve may control the
direction of the steam, so that at one and the same time the locomotive may be
reversed and all the brakes be applied.
Another method of carrying out the principle of this Invention applicable in
all cases, and more particularly where mechanical means might be liable to failure
owing to long distances, consists in producing on the locomotive or carriage the
mechanical movement necessary for applying the brake power or shutting off the
steam from entering the cylinders by means of an electric current.
A fixed point of contact, as used in Lartigue, Forest, and Digney's method, placed
on the line receives the current transmitted either by means of the stopping signal
or direct from the spot to be protected, and communicates it to the electro-
automaton apparatus of the same inventors, situated on the engine, the working of
which apparatus opens a cock or operates upon the commutator, which controls the
action of the brakes on the train.

page_text: and the spring E is thus allowed to operate, and (owing to the deformation of the
parallelogram L, L, L, L) opens the valve A. The valve is closed by bringing
back the lever G with the hand into the position shewn.
Figure 3 shews an electro-automatic valve for automatically throwing the air-
brake out of gear.
Figure 4-is a view illustrating the automatic working of a cock for changing the
direction of the steam. A is an antagonist electro-magnet; P is a weight; R is a
cock.
Figure 5 is a view shewing the application of the electric-brake; A is an electro-
motor whistle; B is a negative wire leading to the earth through the medium of
the wheels; C is a positive wire leading to the brush of the engine; D is an electric
commutator with a spring E, E, are conducting wires leading to the battery in
the front van.
Figure G is a view shewing the general arrangement of the automatic mechanism ;
A is an electro-motor whistle; D is an electric commutator; F is a brush; G is a
shield; H is a contact point; I is a conducting wire laid underground, and leading
to the controlling bell-mechanism J at the station; K is a signal; L is a commu-
tator; M is a battery.
In the case of the electric brake, the current may be made to communicate
directly from the fixed contact point to the operating bobbins of the electric brake
by means of a frictional brush, and without passing through the electro-automatic
apparatus.
By this entirely new application of certain known means to produce a known
result, viz., the automatic actuation of the brakes and the shutting off of the steain
from the cylinders by the new union and combination of known means, a train
in motion may be automatically brought under the action of its brake power, the
steam shut off from the cylinders, and the train consequently slackened and stopped
without any operation on the part of the officials in charge of the train, and as it
were without their knowledge, and this can be done at any distance from the point
to be protected.
I also apply this principle to the automatic working of the brakes of a train, and
to the suspension of the admission of steam into the cylinders of its locomotive, by
means of an electric current or by other means, the operation of which is effected
by the passage of a preceding train in advance of the one operated upon in such a
manner that a train in motion followed up too closely by a second train, or standing
at a station, could automatically apply the brakes of this following train, and so
cause it to slacken speed and stop.
The first train would send automatically the current to a fixed contact point
placed at a proper distance behind, by actuating a pedal provided with a suitable
commutator of some kind, preferably the commutator of Lartigue, acting either
instantaneously or with a calculated interval. The protection of the first train
may cease either after a delay determined by the working of the fixed interval
commutator, or after the train having travelled forward a certain arranged distance,
shall have automatically operated the last but one of the contact points, and thus
shewn the line clear.
By the application of the means above described, a station, a dangerous part of
the line, and even a train in motion may be effectively and automatically protected
by applying directly the brake power of an approaching train, and shutting off the
steam from the cylinders of its engine, and thus slackening and stopping it without
the officials in charge of the train operated upon having any part in the operations,
and, so to speak, without their knowledge, they having only to put the train in
motion again at the proper time.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the inanner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim an apparatus to be placed on the line in the way of a train, and
which is either connected or not connected with the stopping signal, and actuated at
any desired distance from the point to be protected, and controlled at this point, and

page_text: operating mechanically or electrically the brake apparatus either on the locomotive
or one of the carriages, and operating also the cock or valve for admitting steam
to the cylinders as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord, Onc
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)