Improved Means for Operating Signals on and Stopping Railway Engines and Trains.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Operating Signals on and Stopping Railway
Engines and Trains.
I, EMIL HENDSCHEL, of Regensburg, J 156, Bavaria, in the Empire of Germany,
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 subject of this invention is an appliance which is intended more especially
for railways, and which has for its object, to render it possible to pass to the
locomotive, a signal from a distance, in the same manner in which points are
already worked, on the so-called "cential" system, at long distances; and at
the same time to bring in to operation mechanism on the locomotive, whereby
the customary brake appliances, and more especially, those working by means
of air pressure, are brought into action, and stop the train.
The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which, Figure 1
is a side view of the signalling appliance, with the locomotive indicated in
outline.
Figure 2 is a view in the direction indicated by arrow 1 in Figure 1, with the
back pair of wheels of the locomotive removed.
Figure 3 is a plan, from above, of a portion of the appliance, as indicated
by the arrow 2 in Figure 1.
12
In the centre of the track, upon which the train to which a signal is to be
given is running, and which it is desired to stop, there is a curved rail or plate
of T-shaped section, disposed in such a manner that it is supported by levers bb 1
attached to it, one of which levers is movable, about a pin e, and the other is
attached to a spindle d. The pin c and the spindle d are bedded, by means of
metal plates e and c, resting on the sleepers of the track, and suitable dogs f
aud fl
As shewn in Figure 2, one side of the spindle & protrudes, beyond the rail, and
is supported at its outer end by a bearing 9; and near the bearing g a lever his
loosely fitted on the spindle d, and provided with a weight in the usual manner.
At the side of the lever a sector is disposed, and firmly attached on the
spindle d, such sector being provided with two stops and 4, so that when the
lever is moved to one side or the other, it will af first move clear for a short
space, cqual to the distance between the stops, and then strike against one or
other of the stops, and so turn the spindle d through a certain angle, which
angle, usually will be about 45°. On turning the spindle & the lever (which
is firmly attached d) is moved through an equivalent angle, and so displaces
the plate a to a corresponding extent, and at the same time, raising or lowering
it, according to the direction in which the spindle d is turned.
The extent to which the plate a may be displaced is limited by the stops m
and m, in such a manner that the lever h cannot drop down entirely in one
direction or the other. Under normal conditions of working, the length of the
rail or plate a should be about 2 metres, and the vertical motion of same,
about 30 m/m, so that, if in the non-active position, it protrudes for about 50 m/m

page_text: "
above the upper edge of the rails, it will project above the said edge by 80 m/m
when in the position in which it is ready to act. The rail or plate a, and the
roller w of the signal actuating device may be disposed at a lower level, it desired
On the axle of one pair of wheels of the locomotive, as for instance on the
signalling mechanism proper is arranged in the following manner:-
On the said axle, which as a rule, is not planed between the wheels of the loco-
motive, a bush, in 2 parts is firmly bolted on in the usual way, and this bush,
between its ends, which are flanged, is planed smooth, in such a manner that this
part forms a bearing surface for the straps 7 of the carrier bars r, so that the
axle, together with the bush fastened on same may revolve freely in the
straps g. The carrier bars of the jaws 7 are kept at a suitable distance from each
other by means of two bolts sand t, and are firmly connected with the under-
carriage of the locomotive, by means of rods u, u, so as to maintain them con-
tinually in a vertical position, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.
1
A forked lever is loosely disposed upon the bolt between the carrier bars r
and this lever carries the roller c, which engages with the upper surface of the
plate a
In order that the roller may normally be pressed downwards, a spiral spring y
is disposed around a rod, which is supported by means of a hinge on the double
armed lever a' c', and at its upper end it is provided with a screw thread, so that
a nut and lock nut may be screwed on to it, which serve as a counter-stay for
au india-rubber buffer d. The tension of the spring y may be adjusted by means
of nuts and washers on the rod, or the like, and at the end which extends below
the lever a', the rod is provided with a screw thread, and a right and left hand
screwed coupling c', into the lower portion of which the forked rod y' enters.
The height of the roller may thus be adjusted, so that it will bear well on the
plate, and surmount any resistance that may be formed by any obstacle, such
as snowdrifts, etcetera.
The lever at its outer end carries a projection k¹, against which, when the
plate is in the position represented in the drawing (Fig. 1)--the pawl will
press, this pawl forming the lower end of a lever mo, which is movable about a
ixed fulcrum n', as illustrated in the drawings, by means of suitable bearing
rings on the straps of the carrier bars r.
To the upper end of lever m° a connecting rod q' is linked, the other end of
which is hinged to a double-armed levers, fulcrumed at t, and firmly con-
nected with a weighted lever nº. The upper end of the levers is connected, by
means of a long connecting rod el, with a hand lever ', moving about a pin.
which is fastened to the engine. The arm c possesses an angular arm y¹. which
latter carries two pins, a3 and 21, of which the latter (2) carries the connecting
roda, slotted at its lower end, and the former («³) a small connecting rod e³.
The rod is connected with a lever by means of a hinge, and the fulcrum
of is firmly supported on the engine. The lever d³, at its centre, is hinged to
the rod which governs the steam whistle actuating lever . The steam whistle
is designated f. The rod may also be worked by hand, independently of the
automatic signalling appliance, if desired.
The short connecting rod c connects the angular levers te y with the lever ³,
which actuates the valve, and so brings into action the brakes.
The rod governing the steam whistle, is, in due course, brought back into
its normal position automatically, by means of spiral spring 1³.
The mode of operation of the mechanism will now be described.
"
Either by hand, or by means of connecting rods or other media, worked from a
signal box, or other place, the lever his actuated, and the plate a is raised to its
on position, when it will strike against the stopper m² at one end. When the
train to which the sigual is to be transmitted, approaches, the roller c on the
engine runs along the curved upper surface of the plate a and, in that way is
raised to an extent corresponding to the projection of the highest point of the
plate ; and the double-armed lever a¹ c' is turned round its fulcrum s, so as to

page_text: release the pawl, which is normally held in position by the projection ¹ on
the levor arin el. In consequence of the release of pawl 70 motion is imparted to
the parts y,³, s', e', to', y', in the direction of arrow 4, the spring and the
weighted lever supplying the motive power. The angular levery which
thus is turned in the direction of arrows 4, pulls down the rod in the direction
of the arrow 5, and thus, by means of the lever d, moves the rod, so as to
actuate the steam whistle through lever g, the spring being compressed.
When the lever we y is moved in the direction of arrow 4, the lever h³ of the
valve is turned in the direction of the arrow 6, which operation, as is well
known is sufficient to actuate the so-called air brakes, whether same be started
by pressure or by vacuum.
The sounding of the steam whistle, and the pressure of the brake upon the
wheels, not only of the engine, but also of all the carriages drawn by it, will
continue until the engine driver turns back the augular lever 'y' in the direc-
tion contrary to that indicated by arrow 4, this action stretches the spiral
spring, causing the pawl of lever mo to engage with the projection of the
lover e, so that the whole mechanism is again ready for being put into operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention aud in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
-
1. In automatic railway signalling and brake appliances, a rail or plate 4,
movabld vertically up and down between the rails, and in its active position pres-
sing upwards a roller to disposed on the locomotive, and running onto said rail or
plate said roller being carried in oscillating bearings underneath the engine,
and held under tension by springs and weights, and thereby releasing a system
of levers and connecting rods on the locomotive, whereby the steam whistle is
sounded and the brakes are applied; substantially as described.
2. In automatic railway signalling and brake appliances, the apparatus com-
prising in combination the several main mechanisms, as set forth with reference
to and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 8th day of November 1899.
EMIL HENDSCHEL,
By Cheesbrough & Royston,
Agents for the Applicant, 15, Water Street, Liverpool.