Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Automatically Shutting Off Steam or other Motive Power from and Operating the Brakes of Locomotive Engines or other Vehicles Running on Rails, Tramlines, Rope Haulage Ways, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1891--Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Automatically Shutting
Off Steam or other Motive Power from and Operating the
Brakes of Locomotive Engines or other Vehicles Running on
Rails, Tramlines, Rope Haulage Ways, and the like.
We ROBERT DALGLISH of 178 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow in the County of
Lanark Architect and JOHN VICTOR BOYD-WILSOx of 2 Victoria Mansions
Westminster in the County of Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is the construction of automatic stopping gear for
use on railways, tramways and the like applied to locomotives or vehicles propelled
by steam electricity or other power and controlled by apparatus arranged between
the rails of a railway or tramway or otherwise conveniently and capable of being
thrown in or out of use by levers rods or equivalent devices worked from points or
stations such as a railway signal box in place of fog signals or so as to auto-
matically stop a train or the like in the event of signals or stopping places being
overrun.
The gearing and controlling apparatus may be so arranged as to be entirely
independent of the driver or person in charge of the train or vehicle and solely
dependent on the action of the signalman pointsman or official who is appointed as
responsible for its working, or the whole may be entirely automatic.
We will describe our invention as applied say to an ordinary railway track and
to the locomotives running thereon although many modifications may be made in
order to make our invention applicable to other purposes which will be more fully
set forth in our Complete Specification and drawings accompanying the same and
in carrying it into effect we provide an equilibrium or other suitable stop valve
which may be fitted to the tube plate of an engine boiler and contained in the
smoke box. This valve is so arranged that normally and when the engine is
running the steam from the boiler is free to pass through it, it being full open.
The actuating rod of the valve is continued downwards so as to pass through a
box or cylinder firmly fixed to the engine framing or as may be found desirable
according to the class of engine or vehicle. This box cylinder or case is truly
bored parallel from top to bottom and within it is provided a disc or piston
attached to the valve rod so as to work freely up and down the said case or
cylinder. Within the cylinder and embracing and accurately fitting the valve rod
or spindle is an inner cylinder jacket or sleeve and coiled round this is a spiral
spring compressed by the disc or piston resting upon it when the valve is in its
normally open condition.
The valve rod or spindle is continued downwardly beyond the disc or piston
and through the inner cylinder or jacket which is free to revolve in a bearing or
pillow block attached to the engine framing and within the outer case or cylinder
but is incapable of either upward or downward movement. Attached to this
revolving sleeve or cylinder and below the pillow block is an armed lever or cross-
tail with forked extremities carrying loose pulleys or wheels free to revolve on
spindles or studs within the said forks and preferably covered with indiarubber or
other suitable material so as to lessen the force of impact.
In one side of the inner sleeve or cylinder we cut or form a spiral or cam shaped
slot the length of this being proportional to the necessary travel of a stud working
in the same and secured to the valve rod or spindle required to close the said valve
by raising the disc or piston by the turning of the inner sleeve or cylinder, on the
cross tail end or ends coming in contact with the apparatus provided for the
purpose as hereafter described.

page_text: Between the rails of the permanent way or in other convenient position we fix
at suitable points or stations a tripping or switch rail which may be interlocked
with the ordinary signals and worked with them from the signal box so that when
signals are at danger or it is desired to stop a train the blade is moved inwards and
assumes a position that shall ensure its coming in contact with the pulley or
pulleys carried by the cross tails before described attached to the sleeve or cylinder
carried by the engine.
When this contact takes place the sleeve is turned, the stud on the valve rod
rides up the spiral slot, the rod and disc is forced upwards and the valve closed so
shutting off the steam. We may attach also to the spindle of the equilibrium
valve at a convenient point a crosshead connected by links to levers on a cross
shaft the ends of which is projected through the side of the smoke box and having
a lever fitted with a draw rod extending backwards to the drivers platform and
there connected with the handle of the air or vacuum brake apparatus so that on
the closing of the equilibrium valve this is at the same time also brought into
operation, or other devices may be employed for this purpose acting automatically
with the valve closing gear and without interfering with the ordinary action of the
brake. This draw rod may likewise be made available for putting back the auto-
matic gear into position for future use, but the apparatus may be otherwise returned
into position after use in a variety of ways. If found necessary steam may be
employed to assist the action of the valve closing apparatus.
In a modification of our invention the equilibrium valve may be opened and
closed by being turned round in its seat, the spindle being carried downwards and
terminating in a circular disc above which may be a case containing a coiled spring
one end of which is secured to the spindle and the other to the side of the case.
This arrangement may be operated as before described by the cross-tail pulleys and
switch, or these may be so contrived that the cords or tapes or wire will be attached
to it or them and so arranged that the slipping or even cutting of the cord or tape
or wire will release the cross tail or tails and cause the disc valve spindle and
valve &c. to operate or the cross tail pulleys and switch may be dispensed with
and a rope cord or wire wound round the circular disc terminating in an eye or
loop conveniently disposed in the framing and released by a device between the
rails acting in the same manner as the switch before described.
The apparatus may be fixed in any other convenient position according to the
type of engine or vehicle and many modifications may be designed so as to make
it applicable to a variety of purposes without departing from the spirit of our
invention.
Dated this 17th day of February 1891
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Automatically Shutting
Off Steam or other Motive Power from and Operating the
Brakes of Locomotive Engines or other Vehicles Running on
Rails, Tramlines, Rope Haulage Ways, and the like.
We, ROBERT DALGLISH of 178 St. Vincent Street Glasgow in the County of
Lanark Architect and JOHN VICTOR BOYD-WILSON of 2 Victoria Mansions
Westminster in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, 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 :—
The object of our invention is the construction of automatic stopping gear for
use on railways tramways and the like applied to locomotives or vehicles propelled
by steam and controlled by apparatus arranged between the rails of a railway or

page_text: of use by levers rods or equivalent devices worked from points or stations such as
a railway signal box and in place of fog signals, or, so as to automatically stop a
train or the like in the event of signals or stopping places being overrun.
The gearing and controlling apparatus may be so arranged as to be entirely
independent of the driver or person in charge of the train or vehicle and solely
dependent on the action of the signalman pointsman or official who is appointed as
responsible for its working or the whole may be automatic.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings and to the figures and letters
of reference, we will proceed to describe our invention as applied to an ordinary
railway and to locomotive engines running thereon-and in said drawing,
Fig. 1 is an end view of the cab of an express locomotive engine of modern
type and
Fig. 2 is a side sectional clevation of a portion of said locomotive engine both
views shewing our apparatus fitted to said engine.
Fig. 3 is a plan between rails of permanent way showing tripper operated from
signal box.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of above shewn in position ready for operating the
slipping gear.
Fig. 5 is a plan of part of apparatus shewing the slipping gear.
We provide a cylindrical case or cylinder such as A firmly fixed to the engine
framing, or as may be found convenient and below the driver's platform in such
position with regard to the centre line of the engine or vehicle as may be most
desirable according to the type of engine or vehicle.
The case or cylinder A is parallel throughout its length and within it there is a
disc or piston B attached to the rod B' and working freely up and down through
the bottom and cover of the cylinder round the rod and above the disc or piston
there is a strong spiral spring C which is held upwards and in compression by the
paul D fixed on a snug cast on the cylinder or otherwise attached thereto, the
screw and nut on part of the rod B' is for the purpose of screwing up the rod disc
and spiral spring into the position shewn; when the rod &c. has been brought into
this position the paul D will, by reason of the spring E placed between its upper
tail and the case or cylinder cause the lower tail of the part to assume the position
shewn and so keep up the rod, disc, spiral spring &c.; the nut can then be
unscrewed upwards so as not to interfere with the action of the apparatus as
hereafter described.
At the bottom of the cylindrical case are two brackets on which two catches or
triggers D' are kept in position by a strong spring D2 at their forward ends
attached to pins or studs fixed on the forward side of the cylinder, these springs
are shewn in tension and are kept so by the cords F and F of hemp, wire, or the
like having loops at the outer ends which are intended to be slipped over the pins
or slightly curved hooks G, the pins or hooks in the present instance being attached
to the sides of the ash-pan, but may of course be otherwise fixed so as to suit the
type of engine &c. to which the apparatus may be fitted.
The rod B is continued up through the drivers platform and by means of the
bell-crank H and the quadrant I is connected to the lower part of the regulator or
throttle valve handle J; it will be noted the regulator as it is shown on the
drawing is set at open and that the curved slot in the quadrant I admits of the
regulator handle being shut and again opened as often as may be required in
the ordinary running of the engine without disarranging the apparatus which is
shewn on the drawing as ready for action.
The small curved loop or quadrant on the left hand side of the rod B¹ is for the
purpose of gearing into the handle of the steam or air break valve K and from its
shape it also admits of the valve being opened and shut as often as required and in
similar manner to the regulator handle above described.
It will be seen that the mechanism when set in motion as hereafter described
may control the regulator only or the regulator and air and steam brake together

page_text: .
or the whistle alone as may be thought desirable and in the latter case the levers
and quadrant could be dispensed with and the rod B connected to the ordinary
(or special) whistle.
Between the rails of the permanent way or in other convenient position we fix at
suitable points or stations a tripper or lever L, Figs. 3-4, interlocked with the
ordinary signals and worked with them from the signal box or otherwise, so that
when the signals are at danger, or when it is desired to arrest a train the tripper or
lever being attached to the signal rods by the wire chain, and pulley shewn (or by
any similar means more adapted to the particular situation) will be raised into an
upright position and on the engine approaching the cord F will come into contact
with it, and if the engine is running in backward gear the cord F will be operated
upon; in either case the cord will be slipped or stripped off the pin or slightly
curved hook and so allow the catch or trigger formed by end of rod B₁ to
disengage the paul D and thus allow the spiral spring within the cylinder to act,
and by pushing down the rod B' bring the quadrant above described into action
and shut off the steam and apply the brake, or either, or blow the whistle as the
case may be.
The pins or slightly curved hooks are turned in opposite directions, and the cord
intended to act when the engine is in forward gear is on the hook pointing
backwards so as to allow the loop to be slipped off while the other pin or hook
hooks forward and is adapted to slip the corresponding cord when the engine is
running backward.
If found necessary steam from the engine boiler may be applied to assist the
action of the valve closing apparatus thus. Although not shewn on the drawings,
the trippers spring catches and the paul may easily be made to move a small
steam slide or other valve, which will admit steam into the cylinder, in which form
of the apparatus the spiral spring within the cylinder would be dispensed with and
replaced by a steam tight piston and thus actuate the rod B₁ and its attachments
with great certainty.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is,
The means and apparatus (or any mere modification thereof) for stopping loco-
motive engines or like vehicles, or for signalling to the drivers thereof, substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of December 1891.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.