Improvements in Safety Apparatus for use in connection with "Diamond Crossings" of Railway Permanent Way.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Apparatus for use in connection with
"Diamond Crossings" of Railway Permanent Way.
I, ROBERT CRICHTON of 1, Brook Street, Carr House Lane, Lancaster, in the
County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to "diamond crossings of railway permanent way and.
has for its object the providing of safety apparatus for use in connection therewith in
which suitably formed metal blocks are caused to be introduced within the
unoccupied spaces adjoining the diamond points in such manner that when a train
or vehicle is passing over the crossing in either direction or upon either of the two
sets of rails which form the crossing a practically continuous flange guard is
provided throughout its entire length. Thus the vehicle wheels are prevented from
taking the wrong side of the diamond points; jolting is obviated; and main
junctions may be "eased" as by the use of my invention any angle of crossing may
be adopted and so permit of curves .of greater radius in the lines of rails than
heretofore.
My improved safety apparatus is designed to be operated by hand as for instance
from a signal box in which case it would be desirable to work it in conjunction with
interlocking apparatus. But it may also be worked automatically that is to say by
the weight or pressure of a passing train or vehicle.
In carrying out my said invention the safety apparatus is arranged upon one side
of the crossing for trains or vehicles passing over one line of rails and at the other
side of the crossing for trains or vehicles passing over the other line of rails and
(except as hereinafter mentioned) the two sets of apparatus operate separately and
independently of each other.
If arranged to be worked automatically the improved safety apparatus may be
constructed and applied in the following manner :-
A metal T bar with the surface of its upper cross flange standing horizontally
near to the inner side of one of the running rails is mounted somewhat behind each
of the diamond points upon the upper ends of radius rods or links arranged in a
diagonal position in parallel planes the lower ends of the links being pivoted upon
studs or axes fixed to the web of the running rail. Near to each of their inner
ends the two T bars are jointed to the upper extremities of bell crank levers
(also pivoted upon studs or centres fixed to the web of the running rail) the lower
extremities of the bell crank levers being jointed to the two extremities of
a connecting rod or bar which upon the lowering or depression of the T bars
is caused (through the medium of the bell crank levers) to be moved in a
horizontal direction. At each side of the connecting rod or bar that is to say
within the space between the end of the diamond point and the running rail on the
one side and between the end of the other diamond point and the guard rail on the
other metal blocks suitably formed to fill up the said spaces are caused (by being
mounted on bell crank levers pivoted near the lower part of the running rail and of
the guard rail respectively) to be raised or lowered accordingly as the connecting
rod or bar is moved lengthwise in one direction or the other-the other ends of the
bell crank levers upon which the metal blocks are mounted being jointed to the
connecting rod or bar.
The action of my improved safety apparatus as above described is as follows:-
When the apparatus is in its normal position the T bars (which are bent down-
wardly at each end so as to receive the pressure of the wheel flanges of the passing
trains or vehicles more gradually) will be up and the blocks down. Upon being

page_text: depressed by the weight of a passing train or vehicle the T bars through the medium
of the bell crank levers will cause the connecting rod or bar to be moved horizon-
tally and thereby to raise the blocks to the same level as the top or head of the
adjoining rail in which position they will remain until the train or vehicle has
passed over the crossing and the pressure upon the T bars has been withdrawn
whereupon the blocks will drop of their own weight out of the way and the T bars
will be simultaneously raised to their former position. The T bars are made of
sufficient length to ensure their being held down whilst and until the entire train or
vehicle has passed over the crossing.
When my improved safety apparatus is to be worked by hand the T bars are
dispensed with and the horizontal rod or bar hereinbefore mentioned may be
connected by means of suitably arranged levers and attendant mechanism to be
worked with ordinary signal box appliances or in any other convenient manner.
The two sets of apparatus one at each side of the diamond crossing as above
mentioned may be additionally weighted so as to further ensure their intended
operation or they may be connected together by means of a lever or bar in such
manner that as one set of blocks is raised the set on the other side will be lowered.
Dated this 14th day of December 1891.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Apparatus for use in connection with
"Diamond Crossings" of Railway Permanent Way.
1, ROBERT CRICHTON, of 1 Brook Street, Carr House Lane, Lancaster, in the
County of Lancaster, Civil 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 :-
This invention relates to "diamond crossings" of railway permanent way and has
for its object the providing of safety apparatus for use in connection therewith in
which suitably formed metal blocks are caused to be introduced within the
unoccupied spaces adjoining the diamond points in such manner that when a train
or vehicle is passing over the crossing in either direction or upon either of the two
sets of rails which form the crossing the said metal blocks provide a practically
continuous flange guard throughout its entire length. Thus the vehicle wheels are
prevented from taking the wrong side of the diamond points; jolting is obviated;
and main junctions may be "cased as by the use of my invention any angle of
crossing may be adopted and so permit of curves of greater radius in the lines of
rails than heretofore.
23
My improved safety apparatus is designed to be operated by hand as for instance
from a signal box in which case it would be desirable to work it in conjunction with
interlocking apparatus. But it may also be worked automatically that is to say by
the weight or pressure of a train or vehicle passing over it.
In carrying out my said invention the safety apparatus is arranged upon one side
of the crossing for trains or vehicles passing over one line of rails and at the other
side of the crossing for trains or vehicles passing over the other line of rails and
(except as hereinafter mentioned) the two sets of apparatus operate separately and
independently of each other.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shews in plan view my improved safety apparatus arranged to be worked
automatically; and
Fig. 2 the arrangement of the said apparatus when worked from a signal box.
Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation and

page_text: cally; and
Figs. 5 and 6 are cross sectional views to shew the relative positions of the blocks
when raised and lowered respectively as hereinbefore mentioned.
If arranged to be worked automatically the improved safety apparatus may be
constructed and applied in the following manner :-
A metal T bar a with the surface of its upper cross flange standing horizontally
near to the inner side of one of the running rails is mounted somewhat behind
each of the diamond points c c upon the upper ends of radius rods or links ff
arranged diagonally in parallel planes the lower ends of the links being pivoted
upon studs or axes e e fixed to the web of the running rail. Near to each of their
inner ends the two T bars a a are jointed to the upper extremities of bell crank
levers d d (also pivoted upon studs or centres fastened to the web of the running
rail) the lower extremities of the bell crank levers being jointed (at g) to the two
extremities of a connecting rod or bar which upon the lowering or depression of
the T barsa is caused (through the medium of the bell crank levers d d) to be
moved in a horizontal direction. At each side of the connecting rod or bar / that
is to say within the space between the end of the diamond point e and the running
rail on the one side and between the end of the diamond point and the guard
rail on the other metal blocks mm' suitably formed to fill up the said spaces are
caused (by being mounted on the bell crank levers nn pivoted near the lower part
of the running rail in the one case and of the guard rail in the other) to be
raised or lowered accordingly as the connecting rod is moved lengthwise in one
direction or the other the other ends of the bell crank levers upon which the
blocks m m are mounted being jointed to the connecting rod or bar h
The
pivoting of the bell crank levers n n may be conveniently effected as shown at
Figs. 3, 5, and 6 that is to say by means of a bracket or clamp which is fastened
to the lower part of the running rail or of the guard rail as the case may be by
screw bolts the inner half of the said bracket carrying the studs or axes k k
upon which the bell crank levers n n are pivoted. p is a plate fastened to the
rail auswering as a bearing piece against the side of which the block m slides up
and down.
The view shown in sectional side elevation at Fig. 3 is taken on the line A-B
at Fig. 6 each of the said views showing the apparatus in its normal position that is
to say when the blocks are down.
The action of my improved safety apparatus as above described is as follows:-
When the apparatus is in its normal position the T bars a a (which are bent or
curved downwardly at each end so as to receive the pressure of the wheel flanges of
the passing train or vehicle more gradually) will be up and the blocks m m' down
as shown at Figs. 3, 4, and 6. Upon being depressed by the weight of a passing
train or vehicle the T bars a a will be moved horizontally in the direction indicated
by the upper arrows (see Fig. 3) thus causing the connecting rod or bar to move in
the opposite direction and thereby to raise the blocks m m to the same level as the
top or head of the adjoining running rail b and guard rail in which position they
will remain until the train or vehicle has passed over the crossing and the
pressure upon the T bars a a has been withdrawn whereupon the blocks m m³ will
drop of their own weight out of the way to the position shewn at Figs. 3 and 6 and
the T bars a a will be simultaneously raised to their former position (see Fig. 4).
The T bars a a are made of sufficient length to ensure their being held down whilst
and until the entire train or vehicle has passed over the crossing.
When my improved safety apparatus is to be worked by hand the Ṭ bars a a are
dispensed with and one end of each of the horizontal bars or rods may be con-
nected to two bell crank levers o o one arm of which is jointed to the rods (see Fig. 2)
the said rod s communicating with the signal box mechanism in the usual manner.
It will be observed that the two bell crank levers oo are arranged in opposite
directions so that when the rods is operated one connecting rod will be moved in
one direction whilst the rod h on the other side of the crossing will be moved in

page_text: the other thus causing the two blocks m m³ on one side of the crossing to be
depressed simultaneously with the raising or lifting of the two blocks m m¹ on the
other side of the crossing.
At Fig. 1 the diamond crossing is shown at an angle of 1 in 7 and at Fig. 2 at
an angle of 1 in 12 the former being more adapted for sidings and shunting purposes
and the latter for main junctions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for use in connection with diamond crossings of railway permanent
way in which metal blocks introduced within the usually unoccupied spaces
adjoining the diamond points are caused to be raised and lowered automatically.
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the drawings for the purpose
or purposes set forth.
2. Apparatus for use in connection with diamond crossings of railway permanent
way in which metal blocks introduced within the usually unoccupied spaces
adjoining the diamond points are caused to be raised and lowered by hand substan-
tially as herein before described and shewn in the drawings for the purpose or
purposes set forth.
Dated this 14th day of September 1892.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.