Improved Mode of and Apparatus for Automatically Transferring Small Articles to and from a. Train in Motion.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM MONTAGUE. HARLEY QUIRK, of
Goulburn, in the Colony of New South Wales, Mechanical Engineer..]
Improved Mode of and Apparatus for Automatically Transferring
Small Articles to and from a. Train in Motion.
I HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, 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 has been specially devised for the purpose of picking up or
delivering small articles to and from trains in motion, and is specially applicable to
picking up and delivering tablets, tickets, staves, or other apparatus for working
the block system on a single line of rails, without stopping the train, or even
slackening its speed as it approaches a station.
In carrying this invention into effect, there is fixed by the side of the line, a
post that is provided with an adjustable head or frame, having laterally extending
brackets that support a pair of horizontal rods or arms arranged in a direction
parallel with the rails. The engine or the guard's break van is similarly provided
with rods or arms placed at such an altitude that they shall pass in between the
stationary arms on the post. The article to be delivered or picked up is placed
either on an arm on the engine, or on one of the arms on the post, being hung
thereupon by a large ring to which it is attached, and which is the vehicle, that
carries it, so that as the train passes the post, the article that is suspended from
any of the arms. shall be transferred to the corresponding arms, and thus be either
carried away by the train or delivered at the station. But in order that the inven-
tion may be better understood, reference is made to the accompanying sheets of
drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a side view of the post with the attachment adapted thereto.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the attachment to the engine or break van.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the same.
.0
Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the hoop ring or frame that carries the ticket or
tablet pouch.
Fig. 6 is an illustration in which the whole apparatus is shewn in action.
Fig. 7 is a gauge or template to be kept in the station-master's office, and
intended to be used for the purpose of checking and regulating the distance at
which the stationary apparatus should be set from the rails.
The
ways.
to be delivered to
In Figs. 1 and 2, A is the post, which is preferably fixed in the ground in the
six-foot way. The post A.carries a head or frame of light metal work B, having
laterally extending brackets, and which is capable of being adjusted to its proper
position relative to the train by means of the slots and nuts shewn on the drawings.
The head or frame B is provided with horizontal arms C and D, placed in. the
same vertical line, and parallel to one another and to the rails. Each arm is
centrally supported on the frame, and. projects from, its centre both
upper arm is for the
of suspending the article. that
purpose
the passing train. In the drawings, the article is represented as a ticket or tablet.
pouch. The pouch e is attached to its vehicle, the ring or frame E, which should
be of a diameter of a, foot or more, and is, shewn in elevation at Fig. 5. The
upper part of the. ring or frame is bent so as to partially encircle the supporting.
rod, and thus prevent it from turning on the rod through the action of the wind, or
from. other causes, and ensure its hanging at right angles to the rod. The lower
arm D is intended to receive and retain a ring or frame similar to E, that is

page_text: delivered onto it from a passing train in a manner to be hereafter more fully
described.
The horizontal arms may be provided with weak springs, to prevent the rings
or frames E from being shaken or blown off from the arms, when suspended
thereon.
The attachment to the engine is a centrally supported rod F, that is carried on
the end of an arm G, which is capable of being folded up against the side of the
engine or break van, when not in use (see Fig. 4). The rod F is precisely similar
in construction to the rods C, D previously described. When it is about to
deliver a ring or frame from the train to a station, and receive one, its position
should be such that it should pass midway between the rods C and D, and be in
the same vertical plane with them, as shewn in Fig. 6.
Assuming now that the train is approaching a station. The engine driver or
guard will lower his apparatus to the position shewn in Fig. 4, and place the ring
or frame to be delivered upon the rear projecting portion of the rod F. In the
meantime, the station-master will have placed a similar ring or frame upon the
projecting forward portion of the upper arm C (see Fig. 6^). As the train passes
the station, the whole apparatus will assume the positions shewn in Figs. 6, 64,
and 6B. Fig. 6 shews the train approaching the observer, and the several parts of
the apparatus in the position they would occupy the moment before the transference
or exchange of the articles takes place. Fig. 6A is a side elevation of the same
relative positions of the several parts of the apparatus at the same moment, or at
the instant before the exchange is effected. Fig. 68 shews the relative positions of
the apparatus the instant after the exchange has been effected. On referring
particularly to Figs. 64 and 63, it will be seen that one ring or frame Ę is taken
or removed from the rear projecting arm of the rod F on the engine or break van,
and is received upon the rear projecting arm of the lower rod D of the station
apparatus, while the other ring or frame E is taken or removed from the forward
projecting arm of the upper rod C on the station apparatus, and is received on
the front projecting arm of the rod F on the engine or break van apparatus.
In order to prevent the rings from rebounding or being shaken off the arms after
they have been transferred, a stop device may be attached to the arms.
Such a
device is shewn in plan view in Fig. 8, and in longitudinal vertical section in Fig. 9,
in which views M is a spring lever pivotted near the point of the arm D, and
provided with a coil or other spring m. The lever M is folded down into a recess
in the arm D, and retained therein by a spring catch N, which is connected by an
extension N¹ to a tripping lever P, pivotted at p to the frame B. When the ring
is delivered onto the arm D, it will strike the tripping lever P, thus withdrawing
the spring catch N, and releasing the lever M, which will immediately fly up to
the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 9.
Instead of the impact of the vehicle or ring being caused to start the rebound
catch, any suitable special appliance, such as a fixed striking arm, may be adopted,
which will produce the same effect.
It may be here remarked that it is not intended to confine this stop or rebound
apparatus to the form and construction shown, as the same may be greatly varied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
from abroad, I declare that what 1 claim is :-
1. In apparatus for transferring light articles to or from a train in motion, two
centrally supported horizontal rods or arms fixed to a post in the same vertical
plane, and parallel to the rails, in combination with a similar centrally supported
horizontal rod or arms carried by the engine or break van, and fixed in such
position that as the train passes the stationary rods, the rod carried by the engine
shall pass midway between the stationary rods, and be in the same vertical plane
with them, as herein described and for the purposes set forth.
.:
2. In apparatus for transferring light articles to or from a train in motion, two

page_text: centrally supported horizontal rods or arms fixed to a post in the same vertical
plane, and parallel to the rails, in combination with a similar centrally supported
horizontal rod or arms carried by the engine or break van, and fixed in such a
position that as the train passes the stationary rods, the rod carried by the engine
shall pass midway between the stationary rods, and be in the same vertical plane
with them; and a light ring or frame to which the article to be transferred is
secured, as specified.
3. In apparatus for transferring light articles to or from a train in motion, a
frame or support for carrying the stationary horizontal rods or arms, and which
is capable of being adjusted on a post, so as to regulate the position of the
stationary rods relative to the position of the horizontal rod carried by the train,
as herein set forth.
4. In apparatus for transferring light articles to or from a train in motion,
providing the receiving arms of the apparatus herein described, with a rebound
stop, which, shall be operated by the impact of the vehicle (such as the ring E),
to which the article to be delivered is attached, or by other suitable and con-
venient method for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 5th day of November 1891.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.