Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Collisions on Railways.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1854-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Collisions on Railways.
1, JOHN ORME 65 Barbican London, E.C. Scientific Apparatus Manufacturer,
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 manner in which I carry out my invention is as follows:-
I fix a series of metallic rods, tubes or equivalent electrical conductors upon
insulating supports in suitable positions by the side of the line of railway. Each
conductor upon the right hand side of the line being connected by means of an
insulated conducting strip or wire to the preceeding conductor on the left hand side
of the line.
Upon the engine or guards van, or other suitable part of each train I fix an
electric battery and a bell, one pole of the battery being connected to a metallic
brush, roller or equivalent device so placed upon the engine, van or other part of
the train, that upon its traversing a section protected by my apparatus the brush
will make contact with the metallic conductor fixed on the right hand side of the
railway. The other pole of the battery is connected to earth through the wheels.
One terminal of the bell is joined up to a second brush fixed upon the left hand
side of the engine or van, the other terminal going to earth.
The action of the apparatus is thus:-
Upon an engine or train fitted as described, which we will call A, traversing the
protected section of the railway, the right hand brush will make contact with the
conductor fixed there, and the current from the battery will traverse the conductor
and pass through the connecting wire to the conductor preceeding it on the left
hand side of the railway. If the line is clear, that is if no engine or train
similarly fitted is within the section, no effect will result, as the electric circuit will
not be completed through the earth, but if another engine or train which we will
call B, is on the preceeding section, the current will traverse the left hand brush of
engine B, passing through the bell carried by B, to earth, so returning to the
battery of engine A. Thus an alarm will be given to engine B, by the ringing of
the bell.
In order that the driver of engine A, may be made aware of the fact of
engine B, being upon the preceeding section, I place a relay in the circuit of the
main battery which each engine or van carries, this relay being employed to bring
into action a local battery which rings the bell carried by engine A, whenever the
circuit of the first battery is completed. This latter arrangement only acts when
the battery of engine A, is ringing the bell of engine B, but the apparatus upon
each engine being identical, the same action takes place, whether A is preceeding B,
or B is preceeding A.
As it is a common practice when tank engines are employed to attach the same
to the train with the tender first, I employ a special device whereby the direction
of the current is varied automatically.
To enable my invention to be more perfectly understood, I will now proceed to
describe the same by means of the drawing in which :-
Fig. 1. is an elevation.
Fig. 2. is a plan.
Fig. 3. is a diagramatic view of the apparatus employed, and the electrical

page_text: Fig. 4. is a diagramatic view of the conductors arranged in series on a long
distance line.
Fig. 5. is a diagramatic view of the automatic reversing arrangement.
Fig. 6. is a diagramatic view of alternative form of commutator.
In the drawing, a, is the metallic conducting rod, tube or equivalent which is
supported upon insulating supports b, secured preferably to the wooden sleepers c,
or in any like suitable manner. These conducting rods or tubes are laid down
upon any part of the line which it is considered desirable to protect more
particularly from any possibility of collision. Each insulated conductor upon the
right hand side of the line being connected by means of an insulated conducting
strip or wire d, to the preceeding insulated strip or wire a', on the left hand side of
the line.
Upon the engines (see diagramatic view Fig. 3) employed to haul the trains, in
any suitable position I affix or mount a main electric battery e, and an electric
bell, one pole of the battery is connected to an insulated metallic brush g, so
placed upon the engine as to make good electrical contact with the rod, tube or
other form of metallic conductor a, fixed on the right hand side of the railway,
looking in the direction of the arrow. The other pole of the battery is connected
to earth through the engine wheels w, and rails. One terminal of the bell f, is
joined up to another brush g', fixed upon the left hand side of the engine, the
other terminal being connected to the earth through the engine wheels and rails.
The action of the apparatus thus far described is as follows:-
Upon an engine which we will call A, traversing the section of a line of railway
protected by my invention, the right hand brush g, will make contact with the
conductor a, fixed as described. A current from the battery e, will traverse the
conductor a, and insulated connecting wire d, to the conductor a', preceeding it
upon the left hand side of the line. If the line be clear, that is if no other train
is upon the preceeding section, no effect will result, as there is no connection
between the insulated conductor a', and the earth, rails or other return circuit. If
however, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, another engine which we will call B, is on the
preceeding section, the current will traverse its left hand brush g', passing through
the bell, carried by it and to earth, by means of the wheels and rails, returning
thence to the battery upon A. Thus an alarm will be given upon B. In order
that the driver of A, may be made aware that another train is upon the section
preceeding him, I place a relay r, in the circuit of the main battery e, carried by
each engine, this relay being employed to close, when its armatures, is attracted
by the passage of a current round the coils of the electro-magnet m, the circuit of
a local battery e', in which is included the bell '; warning, is thus given to the
driver of A, whenever the circuit of battery e, is closed. The apparatus described
is the same upon both engines.
Although have only shewn two complete sets or series of rods for enabling
warning to be given to the engine driver of an approaching train that another is
upon the same section, I would wish it understood that, (as shewn in Fig. 4.) any
number of sets or series may be laid down for better security in working.
Morcover a metallic return may be substituted for the earth in particularly dry
soils or in other unsuitable positions, by electrically connecting the rails to a wire
insulated and suspended upon poles or otherwise by the side of the line.
In Fig. 5 is shewn a diagramatic view of the arrangements I prefer to use upon
lines in which for convenience the position of the engine with regard to the train is
liable to be reversed.
At A, I have shewn the arrangement of parts upon an engine running funnel
first in the direction of the arrow; at B, I have shewn the arrangement of parts
when the engine is running in the same direction, but tender first.
Upon the engine is mounted the battery, relay, the two brushes, bell and earth
connections as previously described, but in addition I employ a commutator, which
is automatically operated by the spring draw bars and hooks h, h', by means of
which the engine is attached to the train.

page_text: The operation of this part of my invention will be readily understood by referring
to the diagramatic view shewn in Fig. 5. Upon the engine marked A, the current
flows from the battery e, through the coils m, of relay r, to the commutator bar l',
through contact plate p, to the brush g, passing along insulated conductors a, a', to
brush g, on engine B, and ringing bell f, thus giving warning to the driver of
engine B, that a train is on the rear section, the electric circuit is completed
through wheels w, and rails to earth, thus returning to battery e, on engine A.
Upon engine B, which is travelling tender first, a pull is exerted by the spring
draw bar and hook h, in a direction opposite to that shewn at A, and the com-
mutator bars 1, 1, it will be observed occupy an opposite position; but should the
engine or van upon which this apparatus is placed be disconnected from the other
part of the train, the spring ", will cause the draw bars to assume their normal
position.
The lever t, which actuates the commutator bars 1, 1, retains however the same
position until the draw bar and hook ', at the other end of the engine or van is
brought into action by the pull exerted upon it, which reverses the position of the
lever t, by means of the plate x, fastened to the hook.
I have arranged this actuating mechanism so that whether brush g, or brush g',
(either engaging with the insulated conductor a,) be on the right hand side of the
rails, it will always convey a current from the main battery e, whilst the brush 9,
or g', as the case may be, depending upon the position of the engine, whether it be
tender first or funnel first, engaging with insulated conductor a¹, fixed on the left
hand side of the line of rails, will always convey this current to the bell f, fixed on
the preceeding engine.
The action of the relays r, upon both engines is similar to that described under
Fig. 3.
It must be understood that since for the purpose of illustration I have shewn the
various parts which interact diagramatically, they are spread over a considerable
space, the commutator, relay, bell &c, may however be mounted upon a board in
some convenient space such as the cab, and connected by means of a cord, wire or
the like, replacing the lever t, but effecting the same purpose as shewn in Fig. 6,
which consists of the well known revolving commutator having a pulley v, attached
to its spindle over which is fastened the cord or wire, actuated by two separate
angle rods t', and the plates .r.
Although I have described the apparatus as being by preference fixed upon the
engine, I do not confine myself entirely to this arrangement. In cases for instance
"where made" up trains or permanently coupled carriages are employed, the main
battery, relay, bell, local battery and commutator arranged as described may be
placed in the guards van, the conducting brushes being secured to the same, or the
engine as may be most suitable.
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 :-
1. In apparatus for preventing collisions on railways, the use and employment of
a series of insulated metallic conductors fixed on either side of the line and
alternately electrically connected to each other, and the combination therewith of
the insulated brushes attached to the engine, van, or other part of the train for
closing the main battery circuit through the said conductors, the alarm bell upon
the preceeding or B engine, the earth or return and the relay operating bell
upon A, by local battery, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. In apparatus for preventing collisions on railways the employment and use
upon the engine or van, of a rod, wire, cord or the like which when pulled in either
direction by the draw hooks and plates in the manner described, actuates a
commutator controlling the circuit of the main battery as to direct the current,
irrespective of the position of the engine or van with regard to the train, so as

page_text: to pass through the bell upon B, to earth or return, and the relay closing
the local circuit upon A, substantially as shewn and for effecting the purpose set
forth.
FRANCIS M. ROGERS,
Agent.