IMPROVED SYSTEM OF TRANSPORTING OR SHUNTING RAILWAY VEHICLES AND WAGONS FROM ONE LINE OF RAILS TO ANOTHER, FOR MAKING UP TRAINS, AND FOR CLASSIFYING AND ARRANGING CARRIAGES,, TRUCKS, AND RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK IN GENERAL
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas James Smith, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman,
and Company, of 106, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, for
the Invention of "IMPROVED SYSTEM OF TRANSPORTING OR SHUNTING
RAILWAY VEHICLES AND WAGONS FROM ONE LINE OF RAILS TO ANOTHER,
FOR MAKING UP TRAINS, AND FOR CLASSIFYING AND ARRANGING CARRIAGES,,
TRUCKS, AND RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK IN GENERAL." A communication
from abroad by Pierre David, Engineer, residing at Bordeaux (Gironde).
France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas James Smith at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th June 1877.
THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166,
Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVED SYSTEM OF
TRANSPORTING OR SHUNTING RAILWAY VEHICLES AND WAGONS FROM ONE LINE
OF RAILS TO ANOTHER, FOR MAKING UP TRAINS, AND FOR CLASSIFYING AND
ARRANGING CARRIAGES, TRUCKS, AND RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK IN GENERAL."
(A communication from abroad by Pierre David, Engineer, residing at Bordeaux
(Gironde), France.)
This Invention has for object a system of classifying vehicles and wagons in
railway stations and depôts. It admits essentially of the arrangement of a space or
works in which the different arrangements of forming or making up and
transforming or changing trains takes place.
Upon an ordinary permanent way, called a central way, are arranged turn-tables
at a distance apart of about 30 metres, round which are arranged as rays a series of
rail end pieces. The uniform length of these are determined by the amount required
for the shunting of a single wagon, the turn-table remaining easy of access in every
direction when the rail ends are furnished with vehicles.
The diameter of the turn-tables being 6 metres, the number of radiating rails
rD... ll

page_text: "
capable of abutting without interfering with each other upon the periphery of the
circumference of the turn-table is twelve, which leaves ten rail ends unengaged to
receive a similar number of wagons.
A stop is fixed towards the extremity of each of these rail ends to retain the
wagon placed there. Upon a post near to the said stop is inscribed the number in
order of the corresponding rail end.
The arrangement, composed of a turn-table, and of, say, ten pieces of rail which
abut at its circumference has received, for the sake of brevity, the name of
classifying wheel." If the yard or space contains 6 "classifying wheels," the posts
which serve to distinguish the rail ends will be numbered 1 to 60.
The central way of the yard or space is connected by means of transverse rails
and plates with the service lines where the loaded wagons are before the operation
of classifying. It is also connected at its ends by means of points and switches to
the passenger traffic lines.
EMPLOYMENT OF THE CLASSIFYING SPACE IN A GOODS' STATION.
All the operations which constitute the service of trains in a goods' station takes
place in the interior of the classifying space.
The station, represented by Figure 1, has been furnished with two classifying
spaces, one of them destined to receive upon its central way A the trains of even
numbers and its rail ends the wagons or carriages to be given to these trains, the
second A¹ serving the same purpose for trains of uneven numbers. One space
however will, suffice.
The wagons or carriages which have just been loaded will be conducted by the
transverse rails B from the loading rails to the central rail of the classifying space,
according to the direction towards which they are to be sent. The chief of the
classifying space will have received from the chief of the quay notice to reserve so
many rail ends, b, for such a destination, so many for the following, and so on, and
he will have written upon a note book the numbers of the rail ends assigned, in
consequence, to the wagons charged for these destinations. These numbers are
inscribed in chalk upon the corresponding wagons, the men can conduct them
without hesitation to the rail end desiguated by the same numbers. There will be
employed for this work as many gangs of men as there are transverse rails B joined
to the central rail A of the classifying space, these gangs so regulating their work
that there is generally only one wagon at a time turning upon this central rail A.
The second part of the operation consists in drawing out the wagons from off the
rail ends and leading them in the order desired upon the central way A.
There are two cases to distinguish,-
First. If it is a question of making up a train in the station itself, the wagons or
carriages will be drawn off the turn-table rail ends in numerical order. Wagon or
carriage No. 1, once disengaged from the turn-table, will be coupled to the engine,
No. 2 will be coupled to No. 1, No. 3 wagon to No. 2, and so on, the engine advancing
in proportion, so as to constantly disengage the turn-table off which the vehicles are
drawn.
Secondly. If it is a question of a goods train crossing into the station, this train
once admitted upon the central rail of the "space" will open successively at the
different points where it must receive wagons or carriages, the opening being made
each time at the level of the rail ends where are found the wagons to be introduced
into the said opening, as soon as the last vehicles to be taken shall have been intro-
duced; in the manner and in the order indicated by their numbers the train will be
rejoined and will again start.
In either case the isolated wagons, as well as the train, will be released from the
useless movements which the classification of a goods train now demands.
So far as arriving wagons and those for destination in the station are concerned,
they will be compelled, by reason of a service prescription, to be grouped together at
the tail of the train which leads them into the station.

page_text: When the train, without leaving the central rail A of the classifying space where
it has been received, shall have taken, as has been said above, the wagons which it
must lead away, it will start off to lead into the interior of the classifying space the
tail wagon to be left. These last will be detached from the train and uncoupled
from one another.
The wagons which a goods' train leaves in a station often include, in addition to
wagons loaded with merchandise of commerce, another class of vehicles, empty
wagons, wagons to be repaired, or wagons loaded with materials for the service of
the company. Wagons of this class will all be drawn, first, from the central way A
of the space, and momentarily shunted upon the rail ends b which shall be found
disengaged and the nearest at hand.
Wagons containing merchandise will next be treated; the gangs of workmen will
conduct them directly by transverse rails from the central rail of the space to the
rails appropriated to the operations of unloading.
The service wagons which have been lodged in the turn-table rail ends will each
receive a chalk mark; all the empty wagons will be marked with the letter A, for
example, wagons to be repaired with the letter B, and so on. The foreman will
afterwards draw from the rail ends all the wagons of the group corresponding
to the letter A ; then, in the second place, the wagons of the groups B, and so on, so
that the wagons placed in a line upon the central rail and attached to the engine
are led away grouped, as is necessary, in order that their re-division upon the
different shunting lines may require nothing more than separation in groups.
EMPLOYMENT OF THE SPACE OF CLASSIFICATION OF WAGONS AT THE POINT
OF JUNCTION OF SEVERAL LINES.
Figure 2 of the annexed Drawing represents the arrangement to be established
at one point where four directions of rails cross. To cach of these directions a
classifying space is appropriated, understanding by that that its central.rail only
receives trains travelling in this direction, and that its turn-table rail ends are
The central rails A, A1, A2,
occupied only by wagons to be given to these trains.
As of these four spaces, joined two-and-two, communicate with each other by several
transverse oblique rails B¹, and the ends of each central rail are united by points to
those of the principal traffic rails, which must follow the trains received upon this
same central rail.
It will be sufficient to explain the details of manipulation with reference to the
most complicated case which can be presented, that of a train of the principal line
having to take up wagons shunted and classified in the space appropriated to the
direction that the train is following, and to leave wagons in destination at two
branches.
The junction of the first wagons and the release of the others will give rise to
operations absolutely identical with those which have been pointed out in the
preceding chapter with reference to the crossing of a goods' train in a station.
The train will be opened successively at the different points where it must receive
wagons, each opening being made level with the rail ends upon which are the
wagons to be introduced into the said opening. As soon as the vehicles to be taken
up shall have been introduced in the desired order, the train will be rejoined and
commence travelling until the wagons to be deposited, which are at the tail end of
the train, are level with the classifying wheels. These wagons once separated from
the train, the said train will be ready to definitely start on its journey.
The general unhooking of the deposited wagons will then be proceeded with, and
each of them will be led by one of the transverse rails to the central rail of the
classifying space appropriated to the branch upon which it is to be led. It will be
afterwards shunted upon the turn-table rail end, which assigns to it its point of
destination.
It is to be remarked that the wagons just spoken of as "set down" or deposited upon

page_text: the central line of the first space may be re-united at a given instant, as mentioned
above, upon one of the loading lines, and afterwards directed by transverse rails
upon one or other of the classification spaces appropriated either to the up or down
trains.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Thomas James Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
December 1877.
"
THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166,
Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. IMPROVED SYSTEM OF
TRANSPORTING OR SHUNTING RAILWAY VEHICLES AND WAGONS FROM ONE LINE
OF RAILS TO ANOTHER, FOR MAKING UP TRAINS, AND FOR CLASSIFYING AND
ARRANGING CARRIAGES, TRUCKS, AND RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK IN GENERAL."
(A communication from abroad by Pierre David, Engineer, residing at Bordeaux
(Gironde), France.)
"
This Invention has for object a system of classifying vehicles and wagons in
railway stations and depôt. It admits essentially of the arrangement of a space or
works in which the different arrangements of forming or making up and transforming
or changing trains takes place.
Upon an ordinary permanent way called a central way see Figures 1 and 2 of
the annexed Drawings, turn-tables a are arranged at a distance apart of about 30
metres, round which are arranged as rays a series of rail end pieces b. The uniform
length of these is determined by the amount required for the shunting of a single
wagon, the turn-table remaining easy of access in every direction, when the rail ends
are furnished with vehicles.
The diameter of the turn-tables being 6 metres, the number of radiating rails
capable of abutting, without interfering with each other upon the periphery of
the circumference of the turn-table is twelve, which leaves ten rail ends unengaged
to receive a similar number of wagons.
A stop c is fixed towards the extremity of each of these rail ends to retain the
wagon placed there. Upon a post near to the said stop is inscribed the number in
order of the corresponding rail end.
The arrangement composed of a turn-table a, and of, say, ten pieces of rail b which
abut at its circumference, has received for the sake of brevity the name of "classi-
fying wheel." If the yard or space contains 6 "classifying wheels" the posts which
serve to distinguish the rail ends will be numbered 1 to 60.
The central way of the yard or space is connected by means of transverse rails B
and plates & with the service lines C, where the loaded wagons are, before the operation
of classifying. It is also connected at its ends by means of points and switches to
the passenger traffic lines V, see Figures 1 and 2.
EMPLOYMENT OF A CLASSIFYING SPACE IN A GOODS" STATION.
All the operations which constitute the service of trains in a goods' station take
place in the interior of the classifying space..
The station represented by Figure 1 has been furnished with two classifying
and of them dostined to was
ita contual we
A the twi

page_text: numbers, and upon its rail ends the wagons or carriages to be given to these
trains, the second A' serving the same purpose for trains of uneven numbers. One
space however will suffice.
The wagons or carriages which have just been loaded will be conducted by
the transverse rails B from the loading rails to the central rail of the classifying
space, according to the direction towards which they are to be sent. The chief of the
classifying space will have received from the chief of the quay notice to reserve so
many rail ends b for such a destination, so many for the following, and so on, and he
will have written upon a note book the numbers of the rail ends assigned in conse-
quence to the wagons charged for these destinations. These numbers once inscribed
in chalk upon the corresponding wagons, the men can conduct them without hesitation
to the rail end designated by the same numbers. There will be employed for this
work as many gangs of men as there are transverse rails B joined to the central
rail A of the classifying space, these gangs so regulating their work that there is
generally only one wagon at a time turning upon this central rail A. The second
part of the operation consists in drawing out the wagons from off the rail ends, and
leading them in the order desired upon the central way A.
There are two cases to distinguish,-
1st. If it is a question of making up a train in the station itself, the wagons or
carriages will be drawn off the turn-table rail ends in numerical order. Wagon or
carriage No. 1 once disengaged from the turn-table will be coupled to the engine.
No. 2 will be coupled to No. 1, No. 3 wagon to No. 2, and so on, the engine
advancing in proportion so as to constantly disengage the turn-table off which the
vehicles are drawn.
2ndly. If it is a question of a goods' train crossing into the station, this train once
adinitted upon the central rail of the "space" will open successively at the different
points where it must receive wagons or carriages, the opening being made each time
at the level of the rail ends, where are found the wagons to be introduced into the
said opening; as soon as the last vehicles to be taken shall have been introduced in
this manner and in the order indicated by their numbers, the train will be rejoined
and will again start.
In either case the isolated wagons as well as the train will be released from the
useless movements which the classification of a goods' train now demands.
So far as arriving wagons and those for destination in the station are concerned,
they will be compelled by reason of a service prescription to be grouped together at
the tail of the train which leads them into the station.
When the train, without leaving the central rail A of the classifying space where
it has been received, shall have taken as has been said above, the wagons which it
must lead away, it will start off to lead into the interior of the classifying space the
tail wagons to be left. These last will be detached from the train and uncoupled
from one another.
The wagons which a goods' train leaves in a station often include in addition to
wagons loaded with merchandise of commerce, another class of vehicles, empty
wagons, wagons to be repaired, or wagons loaded with materials for the service of
the company. Wagons of this class will all be drawn first from the central way À
of the space, and momentarily shunted upon the rails ends b, which shall be found
disengaged and the nearest at hand.
Wagons containing merchandise will next be treated; the gangs of workmen
will conduct them directly by transverse rails from the centre rail of the space to
the rails appropriated to the operations of unloading.
The service wagons which have been lodged in the turn table rail ends will each
receive a chalk mark; all the empty wagons will be marked with the letter A, for
example; wagons to be repaired, with the letter B, and so on. The foreman will
afterwards draw from the rail ends all the wagons of the group corresponding to the
letter A, then in the second place the wagons of the group B, and so on, so that thic
wagons placed in a line upon the central rail and attached to the engine are led away

page_text: grouped as is necessary, in order that their re-division upon the different shunting
lines may require nothing more than separation in groups.
EMPLOYMENT OF the Space of CLASSIFICATION OF WAGONS AT THE POINT OF
JUNCTION OF SEVERAL LINES:
Figure 2 of the annexed Drawings represents the arrangement to be established
at one point where four directions of rails cross. To each of these directions a
classifying space is appropriated, understanding by that, that its central rail only
receives trains travelling in this direction, and that its turn-table rail ends are occupied
only by wagons.to be given to these trains. The central rails A, A1, A2, A3, of these
four spaces, joined two and two, communicate with each other by several transverse
oblique rails B¹, and the ends of each central rail are united by points to those of
the principal traffic rails which must follow the trains received upon this same central
rail.
It will be sufficient to explain the details of manipulation with reference to the
most complicated case which can be presented, that of a train of the principal line
having to take up wagons, shunted, and classified in the space appropriated to the
direction that the train is following, and to leave wagons in destination at two
branches.
The junction of the first wagons and the release of the others will give rise to
operations absolutely identical with those which have been pointed out in the pre-
ceding chapter with reference to the crossing of a goods' train in a station.
The train will be opened successively at the different points where it must receive
wagons, each opening being made level with the rail ends, upon which are the
wagons to be introduced into the said opening. As soon as the vehicles to be taken
up shall have been introduced in the desired order, the train will be rejoined and
commence travelling until the wagons to be deposited, which are at the tail end of
the train, are level with the classifying wheels. These wagons once separated from
the train the said train will be ready to definitely start on its journey.
The general unhooking of the deposited wagons will then be proceeded with, and
each of them will be led by one of the transverse rails to the central rail of the
It will be
classifying space appropriated to the branch upon which it is to be led.
afterwards shunted upon the turn-table rail end, which assigns to it its point of
destination.
It is to be remarked that the wagons just spoken of as "set down," or deposited
upon the central line of the first space may be re-united at a given instant, as
mentioned above, upon one of the loading lines, and afterwards directed by trans-
verse rails upon one or other of the classification spaces appropriated either to the
up or down trains.
In order to be able to classify in an analogous manner groups of several wagons
appropriated to the same destination, that is to say, before being sent to the same
station or upon the same branch, I add to the classifying wheels arranged upon
the central way of the depôt rail ends connected by "points" with this central
way, and of sufficient length to receive a group of wagons appropriated to the
same destination. In this manner by means of the classifying wheels the wagons
may be classified one by one upon the rail ends radiating from the central
plate of the classifying wheel, and the longer rails which are connected by
points' with the central way permit the classification of groups of wagons.
These last rails complete advantageously my system of classifying; they make of it a
true sorting depôt, permitting the operations to be effected briefly, surely, and in a
relatively limited space.
"
"
Figure 3 represents a classifying depôt, with rails for classifying the groups of
wagons in the case of a station from which there are departures in two different
directions. The central way A is made into two, lengthwise at A¹, and to each
side of the " way" rails of a suitable length to receive the groups of wagons for the
same destination are connected by "points." These wagons are led by the engine

page_text: to the projecting rail B, and the operations of classifying and of sorting are also
effected by the engine upon the rails A and A¹. The rail end B enables the train
being classified to be drawn sufficiently upon the central way A for the wagons to
be shunted on to the first rail a².
Figure 4 shows a single central way A. In this case the rails a, which serve for
the classification of the groups of wagons, are divergent from the two sides of the
central way. This Figure shows how the classifying wheels are put in relation
with a goods' station Q.
In the Provisional Specification mention was made of the rail ends which radiate
from the central plate of the classifying wheels being designated by numbers. The
rails connected by points intended for grouping the wagons will be designated by a
letter inscribed upon a post near at hand. In this manner a classifying depôt is
arranged, which may be reproduced and drawn, so to speak, upon the pages of a
classifying memorandum book.
In the divisions on the left-hand page of the memorandum book, and in the same
vertical column, are inscribed the letters of the series and the registered numbers of
the grouped wagons actually in the station, classified upon the rail ends, the indi-
cating letters of which are at the bottom or top of the column, according to the
direction of the "points."
The name of the station or of the branch for which the group of wagons are
destined will be inscribed under the line which carries at its extremity the inscrip-
tion "way" A, way B, way C, and so on. The right-hand page of the
same memorandum books refers to the rail ends forming the spokes of the classifying
wheels; the written numbers represent the numbers of the posts of these rails ends
in the order which they occupy upon the earth. In the divisions situated upon
each side of one number will be inscribed on the one hand the destination of the
wagon stationed upon the corresponding rail end, and on the other side the serial
letter and registered number of the wagon.
The different inscriptions of the memorandum book are struck out or erased in
proportion as the wagons are removed, so that by a glance at the memorandum
book the manager of the classifying depôt can tell at any moment what wagons
have been sent and what remain to be sent. He can further prescribe the compo-
sition of a train by the wagons he may point out.
By this Invention the sorting according to direction, and the classifying according
to destination, are rendered very easy at the ordinary goods' station and at the
branch station. Further, the overlooking of loaded wagons is facilitated, all
desirable order may be observed both in sending and receiving. Lastly, the wagons
and their contents are not subjected to violent shocks.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
Firstly. My system of classifying with depôts with central way and cross rails, as
described and shown.
Secondly. The arrangement of classifying depôts with rail ends connected by
points with the central way, which is single or double, to classify in groups the
wagons intended for the same destination.
Thirdly. The memorandum book appropriated to the service of the classifying
depôt.
Fourthly. The application of these depôts to goods' stations for classifying
departure and arrival wagons, and for branches for the classification of wagons
according to direction and destination.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas James Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of December, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.
.T. J. SMITH, (L.S.)