IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS BY RAILWAY
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Claude Nicolas Leroy, Mechanician, of the City of Paris,
in the Republic of France, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS BY RAILWAY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Claude Nicolas Leroy at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th February 1882.
CLAUDE NICOLAS LEROY, Mechanician of the City of Paris in the Republic of
France. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS BY
RAILWAY."
This invention consists in a combination of parts which may be enumerated as
follows. 1st the apparatus properly so called for preventing accidents. 2nd Com-
pensator for equalizing the tension of the wires or rods employed. 3rd Movement
of the signals dependent on that of the points or switches.
1st. Apparatus for preventing accidents-This apparatus which is as simple as it
is ingenious and which is placed at the ends of the sleepers, consists of two inclined
planes formed of four levers or bars, these inclined planes for the sake of simplicity
may be designated the first by a. b, and the second c. d, they are placed at unequal
distances along the line of rail, and so arranged that when one is parallel with the
line, the other forms a triangle with it. A precisely similar apparatus is placed at a
distance of from: 1 to 2 kilometres so arranged that the third apparatus lowers
or slackens the first which it communicates with; the fourth lets down the second;
the fifth the third and so on in succession.
To the locomotive is fixed a slide which when the train is in motion comes in
contact with the inclined plane formed by the levers a. b. A movable bar is also
connected with the engine and can be raised or lowered so as to put the two poles
of an electric machine in contact for ringing a bell should the bar come in contact
with the inclined plane formed by the levers c. d.
Action of the apparatus-Supposing a train about to start: the inclined
plane a. b is raised, and that c. d, lowered; when the fixed slide encounters a, b, it
compels it to place itself parallel with the line of rail, and in this movement a lever

page_text: is lowered and will sink in a support, and the whole system will preserve this
position till the engine reaches the third inclined plane and which is precisely
similar to that described, with the exception of the contact plate. Then the fixed
slide passing on to the inclined plane a. b. makes it descend and ungears the lever
of the first inclined plane which by means of a contact pallet actuated by an
induction apparatus communicating with an electric pile or coil ungears the lever
from its support and then returns to its primitive position, and the system of
inclined planes which was completely reversed resumes its normal position. The
same action occurs with each apparatus with which it communicates.
In the event of accident-Supposing for some reason a train is stopped near
any one of these apparatus, near the third for example, and that it has not gone
beyond it; since it is the third which actuates the first, and that the engine has not
yet reached it, this first apparatus will be in the position of the second, that is to
say that the inclined plane a. b is lowered, and that c. d. raised, so that if a train
passes, the movable apparatus will be forced to follow the direction of the inclined
plane c. d. and will ring the bell placed near the driver which gives warning that
at a certain distance in front of it, the line is not clear. This distance cannot in
any case be less than 2000 metres and may be 4000 if in the case represented
the engine is stopped near one of the inclined planes. In each case the driver will
always be warned in sufficient time to slacken speed, or stop, as the bell continues
ringing till it is stopped.
2nd. Compensator for equalizing the tension of the wires-This apparatus
consists of a fixed support, bearing a barrel in which are several spiral springs kept
so as to have enough tension in case of dilation and sufficient flexibility in case of
contraction it is so composed that the endless or band chain once rolled round the
drum stretches out or contracts without diminishing tension. Applied in any
direction to the wire or rod, it winds from both ends in an inverse sense. Applied
for moving a disk the apparatus is similar, merely having the addition of an
actuating lever, and gear work for facilitating this movement.
4. Movement of the signals dependent on that of the switches or points
Generally the signals are placed near the switches, they are to protect, and as the
switchman has to work both the signals and switches, I make the movement serve
'for opening or closing the switches and working the signals simultaneously; by
this incans the pointsman is sure of protecting the line in front and rear.
As it often happens in thick fogs that the driver cannot see the signal; close to
each signal I place an inclined plane like that c. d. communicating with the signal,
so that when the latter is at "line clear" the inclined plane is parallel with the
rail, whilst when the signal is at "danger" or "line blocked" the inclined plane
will with the line form a triangle which forces the shaft previously described to
ring the bell.
In this manner without additional trouble the driver is always warned that
he is about to pass a signal to stop, as the line is not clear.
I should mention that the communication between the several inclined planes
is by electric wires. I reserve to myself also the option of using a compressed
steam, or air break capable of forming part of my system of prevention of accidents
as herein explained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Claude Nicolas Leroy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th August 1882.
CLAUDE NICOLAS LEROY Mechanician of the City of Paris in the Republic of
France. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS BY
RAILWAY.
This invention consists in a combination of parts which may be enumerated as
follows. 1st The apparatus properly so called preventing accidents. 2nd-Com-
pensator for equalizing the tension of the wires or rods employed. 3rd-Un-
coupling of the carriages and 4th-Movement of the signals dependent on that of
the points or switches, all which parts combine and are inseperable one from the
other in producing the desired results.
1st Apparatus for preventing accidents-This apparatus which is as simple as
it is ingenious and which is placed at the ends of the sleepers consists of two
inclined planes formed of four levers or bars, a b. c. d. These inclined planes
which for the sake of simplicity may be designated the first by a. b. and the
second c. d. are placed at unequal distances along the line of rail and so arranged
that when one is parallel with the line, the other forms a triangle with it. A
precisely similar apparatus is placed at a distance of from one to two kilomètres, so
arranged that the third apparatus lowers or slackens the first with which it
communicates, that the fourth lets down the second, the fifth the third and so on
in succession. See Figs. 1. 2. 2bs which is a plan of Fig 2. and Fig 4.
To the engine is fixed a slide u which] when the train is in motion comes in
contact with the inclined plane formed by the levers or bars a, b, connected to it
also is a movable bar c, capable of being raised or lowered so as to put the poles of
an electric machine in contact for ringing a bell t, should the bar come in contact
with the inclined plane formed by the lever c. d.
Action of the Apparatus-Supposing a train about to start: the inclined plane
a. b. is raised, and that c. d lowered; when the fixed slide u, encounters a. b. it
compels it to place itself parallel with the line of rail, and in this movement the
lever j. c, is lowered and will sink or enclose itself in the support f. and the whole
system will preserve this position till the engine reaches the third inclined plane,
and which is precisely similar to that described, with the exception of the
contact plate r. Then the fixed slide u passing on to the inclined plane a. b. makes
it descend and ungears the lever j. e. of the first inclined plane which by means of
the contact pallet i, actuated by an induction apparatus v Figs. 1. 2. 3. com-
municating with an electric pile or coil ungears the lever je, from its support f.
and then returns to its primitive position and the system Fig. 1 which was com
pletely reversed resumes its normal position. The same action occurs with each
apparatus with which it is in communication. In the event of accident supposing
for some reason a train is stopped near any one of these apparatus, near the third
for example Fig, 3, and that it has not gone beyond it; since it is the third which
actuates the first and that the engine has not yet reached it, this first apparatus
will be in the position of the second. Fig. 2. that is to say that the inclined
plane a, b, is lowered, and that c, d is raised so that if a train passes the movable
apparatus a, will be forced to follow the direction of the inclined plane c. d. and
will ring the bell t placed near the driver, which gives warning that a certain
distance in front of it, the line is not clear. This distance cannot in any case be
less than 2000 mètres and may be 4000, if in the case we have taken, the engine
is stopped near one of the inclined planes. In each case the driver will always be
warned in sufficient time to slacken speed or stop because the bell continues
ringing till it is stopped.
2nd Compensator for equalizing the tension of the wires-This apparatus
consists of a fixed support bearing a barrel in which are several spiral springs kept

page_text: so as to have enough tension in case of dilation, and sufficient flexibility in case of
contraction, it is so composed that the endless or band chain once rolled round the
drum stretches out or contracts without diminishing tension.
Applied in any direction to the wire it winds from both ends in an inverse
sense as shewn Fig. 11. Applied for moving a disk the apparatus is similar
merely having the addition of an actuating lever, and gear work for facilitating
this movement see Figs. 9 and 10.
3rd Uncoupling the carriages and wedging the last. As it frequently happens
with a train of 20 or 25 carriages that one or more become detached by the
breakage of the coupling chains or other causes occasioning dangerous accidents, all
the carriages are connected together by means of iron wires B Figs 5 & 7.
terminating at the two ends by friction nippers c which perfectly resist the
ordinary draught, but which are sure to open by the unhooking of one or more
carriages. This mode of coupling communicates with the tender of the engine,
which itself bears one of the friction nippers communicating with a bell t, placed
near the driver. It will readily be understood that if one or more carriages
become detached the draught produced by the traction on the wires will produce a
shock which forces the bell t to ring and be heard by the driver, and by this same
movement the ungearing of the rod F Fig 6 takes place, and the shoes or wedges A,
fall under the wheels to lock them.
Wedging system. As an accident may occur in ascending an incline, and the
carriages may run back to the last carriage an apparatus is attached composed of
two wedges or shoes A, A, connected together by a flat iron band to make the
apparatus light see tigs. 5 and 6. These wedges are held above the rails and away
from the wheels as shown in the drawings at G By aid of the disengaging gear
the wedges drop on the rails and lock the wheels. This only occurs when the
couplings break and, at this juncture an electric alarm bell gives notice that a
coupling has given way. By this means it is impossible for carriages to become
detached or run into by another train in front or rear. By the same method of
alarm the guard and passengers can communicate with the driver.
4th Movement of the signals dependent on that of the switches. Generally the
signals are placed near one of the points or switches they are to protect, and as the
switchman has to work both the signals and switches or points the same movement
is made to serve for opening or closing the switches and working the signals
simultaneously, by this means the pointsman is sure of protecting the line in front
and rear.
As it often happens in thick fogs that the driver cannot see the signals; close to
each signal I place an inclined plane like that c. d. communicating with the signal,
so that when the latter is at "line clear" the inclined plane is parallel with the
rail; whilst when the signal is at "danger" or "line blocked" the inclined plane
will form with the line a triangle which forces the same shaft s, already described
to ring the bell t. In this manner without additional trouble, the driver is always
warned that he is about to pass a signal to stop as the line is not clear. See Fig 12.
It should be mentioned that the communication between the several inclined
planes is by electric wires v. v. A compressed air or steam brake may be used
with advantage Fig 8.
In witness whereof I the said Claude Nicolas Leroy have bereunto set my
hand and seal this first day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand
CLAUDE NICOLAS LEROY. (L.S.)