AN IMPROVED PORTABLE APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Paul Ryder and Emile
Brémond at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 10th May 1873.
We, PAUL RYDER and EMIL BRÉMOND, of Boulevard de Strasbourg,
No. 123, at Paris, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED PORTABLE APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES
FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS ON RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention is based upon the idea of preventing railway collisions
by fitting portable switches to the locomotive engines so as to allow of
the train being run off the line in case of need.
Accidents caused by trains running off the line are as a rule not
nearly so disastrous as those caused by the collision of two trains, and for
this reason we fix to the engine a pair of switches of special construction
which can be readily brought into action, enabling the driver to run the
train off the line to the left or right as circumstances require, either to.
avoid collision or in case he should see other danger ahead such as a
broken bridge or viaduct.
"

page_text: Our apparatus consists of two main parts put into action and guided
by ordinary means of transmitting motion. These two parts are, first,
a pair of shoes or skids which fit upon the head of the rail so as at any
given moment to take under the wheels of the engine; and, second, a
pair of railway switches each jointed to one of the said shoes and capable
of being moved horizontally to the right or to the left, so as to allow the
driver to run the train off at either side. Stays or cross pieces connect
these parts so that they act together.
The manner in which we prefer to carry our Invention into effect is
as follows:-The shoes consist of a piece of iron formed at one end into
the shape of a wedge while the body at the lower part has the form of
the head of the rail fitting upon it, so that in falling it becomes as it
were hooked thereto, sufficient play being however left to allow of a
deviation. The upper part of this piece of iron has a longitudinal
groove in which the flange of the wheel readily engages, and a flat or
slightly convex part on which the periphery of the wheel is received.
Opposite the said groove is an cyc or aperture to receive a cross bar
which serves as a stay to maintain the two shoes at the proper distance
apart the same distance as that between the rails. A switch is jointed
to each shoe and is capable of oscillating horizontally, and has the form
of an ordinary rail at the upper part. The two switches are coupled
together by a tie rod jointed so as to be capable of a slight oscillation.
around the joints.
Movable rails forming a prolongation of the switches are jointed to
the switches and are capable of oscillating in a vertical plane. They are
tied together similarly to the switches. Any desired number of pairs
of these jointed rails may be employed, so as, if required, to run a train
from one line on to another which would be an advantage. The cross
bar which connects the two shoes is held up by hooks which form part
of a set of levers and counterweight. The rear end of one of these
levers has a socket formed with a vertical hole to receive a holding bar
which is fitted with a handle. On drawing up this bar the set of levers is
freed, and being then acted upon by the weight of the shoes and switches
causes them to fall upon the rails. The ends of the shoes instantaneously
engage under the wheels of the engine, and the body of the shoes fitting
upon the rails, the running of the train off the line is effected. The driver
who should lift the holding bar ought to turn a hand wheel in order to
deviate the switches in the required direction. This turning of the

page_text: wheel turns a longitudinal shaft and tho motion is transmitted therefrom
by gearing to an excentric which is fitted in a collar forming part of a
transverse bar. This bar. carries at its ends two vertical forks which
guide the switches. These forks take the place of the "fenders " now
used to clear the rails of stones or obstructions and are suitably
supported by struts. The switches being engaged in these forks follow.
the movement imparted to the right or left, according as the excentric
is turned in one direction or the other.
When the holding bar is at rest and in place the shoes and switches
being held up, it is necessary to support their opposite ends, this is
effected by supports in the form of a ring so that when the parts are
freed by the raising of the holding bar and the shoes and switches
consequently fall, the ends of the switches are readily disengaged. The
hooks which support the cross bar open when the shoes and switches
fall and free the cross bar, for otherwise they would drag the shoes and
cause them to slide on the rails. When the hooks have left the cross
bar they aro returned to their original position by the counterweight
before mentioned.