Improved System of Protecting Railway Trains and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved System of Protecting Railway Trains and Apparatus
therefor.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by William Henry Rushforth, engineer, a
British subject, residing at Rutherford Park, in the County of Bergen and State of
New Jersey, whose business address is 57 Temple Court, in the City, County and
State of New York, United States of America) and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The invention relates to an improved system of protecting railway trains and
apparatus therefor, its main object being to prevent collisions and other accidents and
to so record the performance of duty by the employés as to place a reliable check
upon their neligence, and it consists in the peculiar system of signalling hereinafter
set forth and the peculiar apparatus employed.
At the present time it is almost impossible to know certainly whether a track walker
performs his duty or whether a flag man who, in case of stoppage of a train, is sent
to flag approaching trains, does in fact proceed promptly to the proper distance, and
this system has been devised to render this knowledge positive.
In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification
Figure 1, represents the instalment of the system on a short section of a
railway;
Figure 2, a general view of the signal box employed; and
Figures 3, 4 and 5, details of the switch used to cut in the instruments at any
box.
First an electrical circuit X is arranged along the line of the railway, grounded at
both ends and passing directly or indirectly through instruments at the train
despatcher's office, usually a register and battery and sometimes an ordinary key.
The conductor may be arranged on poles, or on the ground, or underground, as
desired.
At suitable intervals-say each half mile-the line is led through signal
boxes 2, 3, 4, 5 &c., which are all alike and keys to open which are furnished to
authorized persons.
Each box B, contains a make and break mechanism A similar to the wheel in a
fire alarm box, capable of producing a given box signal in the usual manner, (each
box having its special signal) also a sounder S or equivalent device, a telegraph key K
and a switch C used for cutting in the box instruments.
This switch is peculiar. It is composed of three fingers, a broad one f, secured to,
but insulated from, the lever 1, on the upper side and two others f¹, f², also secured
to 1, but insulated therefrom and from each other. To f¹, a wire is attached which
runs thence to the call box A, thence to the key K, thence to the sounder S and
thence to the other finger f². 1, is pivoted at p, and has a spring s, which tends to
keep its further end depressed. b, 61, are binding posts to which the main conductor
is connected and each is provided with a spring d, d¹. They are so placed that these
springs normally rest against f, when the circuit is of course from the main conductor
at b, by spring d, finger f, spring d¹, post b¹, to the main conductor again. (See
fig. 4.) This arrangement leaves the box instruments normally out of circuit and they
are therefore not liable to be burned out.
Pressing down the outer end of 1, throws f, f, f2, upward and the under ones
coming in contact with the curved springs d, d', press them back so as to break

page_text: contact between them and f, thus shunting the main circuit through the box instru-
ments, but without actually breaking it, as f¹, f, touch d, d', before the latter leave f
(See Fig. 5.)
When the operator releases 1, springs, returns it to its first position and cuts out
said instruments. Normally the inain circuit is closed from one end of the line to the
other.
reason,
"
Now if train 10 should stop because of a hot journal, a tire off, o any other
the conductor at once sends back the flagman and himself proceeds to the
box ahead (2). He presses down the lever of bringing A in circuit and operates
the latter, sending a signal to the train despatcher's office, announcing something has
happened at the point where 2 is located. By a code of signals such as train off
track "signal twice-" collision "-signal three times he is enabled to announce
what has happened and to what train &c. Meanwhile the flagman as directed, has
gone back to box 3 and at that point cuts in the instruments and gives the signal of
that box. It with the signals from 2 are recorded on the tape in the main office and
proof of his performance of duty is thus recorded, absence of the proof. would show
failure to perform. The conductor at 2 with its instruments in circuit, is also informed
that the flagman is at his post as the sounder at 2 will announce that fact. If such
signal fails to come, the conductor can take such steps as are required.
The track walker may be required to send from each box he passes some code signal
such as 66 box signal four times" thus providing a record of his performance or non-
performance of duty, as the tape shows the presence or absence of the required
marks. The key K is not absolutely required but is convenient for sending messages
not provided for by the code. The especial feature however is the signalling from
both the front and rear of the train.
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. The method of protecting railway trains by electrically signalling to a given
point the fact of a stoppage, from two other points; one adjacent to the front and
the other to the rear of the train, substantially as set forth.
2. The method of protecting railway trains by electrically signalling the fact of a
stoppage from two points, one adjacent to the front and the other to the rear of the
train to another given point and there recording such signals.
3. The combination with the main line circuit of an electrical system, of a set of
instruments consisting of a call box, a sounder and a switch, with an electrical
circuit from the latter through the call box and sounder and a spring, whereby the
switch is normally held in position to cut out the call box and sounder and complete
the main circuit, but when the spring is depressed will shunt the circuit through
said call box and sounder, substantially as specified.
Dated this 10th day of December 1889.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.