US607303A - Johannes vermehren - Google Patents

Description

Patented July l2, I393. J. VERMEHREN.

AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS 0N BAILWAYS.

(Application filed Jay. 26, 1898.)

(No Model.)

'NTTE TATES JOHANNES VERMEHREN, OF HELLERUP,'DENMARK.

AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS 0N RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,303, dated July '12, 1898.

Application filed January 26,1898. Serial No. 668,013. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHANNES VERMEHREN, spare bank assistant, a subject of the King of Denmark, and a resident of Hellerup, near Copenhagen, Denmark, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Apparatus for Preventing Collisions on Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic apparatus for preventing collisions between railway-trains; and it consists of a mechanism placed between the rails and set in action by the train when this is drawn up at a station or stopping-place,which mechanism actuates, bya suitable connection, an appliance arranged at a suitable distance from the stopping-place in such manner that the said appliance works a brake apparatus on any train which may subsequently arrive at this point, and thus brings it to a standstill wholly independently of the engine-driver and irrespectively of any signal being at danger or at safety. In such apparatus of this kind as have been used heretofore it was an arrangement outside the stopping-place that worked the brake of a following train and brought the latter to rest. This arrangement consisted of a pivoted arm, plate, or the like always placed between the rails and 011 the same level with them and was turned up in such a position that it struck against an arm hanging from the locomotive of the following train and connected with the brake apparatus thereof. To this arrangement, however, there is the objection that it is easily put out of order and therefore fails to act, since the pivoted arm, plate, &c., is easily jammed and held tight by, for example, snow, ice, gravel, small stones, and the like, so that it cannot be turned by the mechanism at the station and consequently does not actuate the brake of a following-train. Again, the arm hanging from the locomotive is easily damaged or even put in action by any obstaclesuch as a stone or frozen lump of snow, &c.-which may happen to be between the rails. All these obj eotions are obviated by the present invention, which consists, like those at present known, of a mechanism placed between the rails of the stopping-place and set in action by the arriving train andof an arrangement situated at a suitable distance behind the stopping-place and designed to automatically workthe brake of a followingtrain, so as to bring this train to rest. The special novelty by which the apparatus differs from those heretofore known lies in the fact that the arrangement situated behind the stopping-place consists of a plate disposed obliquely with regard to the rails and at a suitable height above them. .This plate strikes against an arm projecting from the side of the locomotive and draws it outward, whereby the braking action is eltected.

The apparatus is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the mechanism provided at the stopping-place. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively a side View and a plan of the apparatus which is placed at a certain distance behind the stopping-place. Fig. 4. shows the mechanism on the locomotive for the automatic actuation of the brakes.

At the stopping-place there are situated between the rails two lever-bars E, turning on the axes or pivots c, Fig. 1. The free ends of these rods are pivoted together and are normally held in the raised position shown in the drawings by springs lying underneath them. One of these lever-bars terminates at its free end in a downward extension H,which engages with an upwardly-turned cam g, mounted on the axis N, situated beneath the lever-bars. The cam is connected with the arm G, to the end of which is fastened a chain or rope c, which passes around the pulley P and isconnected at its other end with the apparatus behind'the station, Figs. 2 and 3. This apparatus consists of a staging O,situated by the side of the line of rails and having at the top a bearing for an axis F, which carries a sprocket-wheel D and also two arms 13 B of unequal length. To these arms is fastened a plate or rail S of angular section. The rope c from the stopping-placepasses over the guide-pulleys M and is connected to the suspended weight L through the .intermediary of a pitch-chain O, which passes over the chain-wheel D. Normally-that is to say, when no train is stoppingat the stationthe arm G is in the opposite position to that shown in Fig. 1, whence it follows IOO that the arms B, with the plate S, as well as the weight L, are in the position shown in Fig. 2 by full lines. The plate S is turned over on that side of the staging O which is next to the rails, and in this position it prevents trains from unexpectedly arriving at the stopping-place, since they are checked by the application of the brakes by the plate S before they can arrive at the stopping-place.

\Vhen a train is to arrive, the apparatus is brought into the reverse position-the inoperative position(shown in Fig. 1, and in Fig. 2 by dotted lines) by turning a hand-lever 00, mounted on the axis T, which also earries a sprocket-wheel, so that by turning this a chain 1, passing over this wheel and over the sprocket-wheel T, mounted on the axis N, effects the turning of the latter. hen a train arrives at the stopping-place, a roller mounted on the locomotive presses the leverbars E level, whereupon the extension H presses the finger g and turns thereby the axis N far enough for the arm G to be depressed below the horizontal line. As soon as this happens the weight L, Fig. 2, can come into action and can turn the arm G, which is now over the dead-point, until it has passed through one hundred and eighty degrees, when it strikes against a stop and is arrested. The pull thus put upon the rope c, with its pitch-chain 0, turns the sprocketwheel I), and as a consequence the axis F, through one hundred and eighty degrees, so that the plate S is turned over onto the side of the staging O which is next the rails. (Shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3.) In this position the plate is horizontal, but is obliquely disposed with regard to the rails (represented by theline V, Fig. 3) on account of the unequal length of the arms B. The distance between the plate S and the rails increases in the direction of the stoppingplacethat is, in the direction in which the train is traveling.

Two transverse parallel horizontal guiderods A A are situated on the locomotive. Theyare connected together by means of pivoted guide-pieces a a, Fig. 4, and are supported in suitable bearings. The rods extend beyond the locomotive on each side, and each is provided at its outer end with a pivot for aroller R. The springs F keep the rods A normally in the position shown in Fig. 4, in which the rollers R are already far enough from the sides of the locomotive to engage with the plate S, situated at the side of the track, when the automatic braking is to be offected. The rods A are each of them provided with a cam K, so constructed that when the rods are drawn outward the cams engage with two pins on the brake-handle V and turn this to the left, so that the vacuum or other brake is put in action. \Vhen the rods A are drawn back again, the cams K do not actuate the brake-handle.

The working of the apparatus is therefore as follows: lVhen atrain arrives at the stopping-place, it presses down the lever-bars E and turns thereby the axis N so far that the arm G moves over the dead point. The sproeketwheel D will now be turned, and the plate S swings over to the operative position shown in full lines. If a train then comes toward the station, the roller R on the locomotive will engage with the plate S and will follow this throughout its length. In this way the corresponding guide-rod will be drawn outward and thebrake-handleV will be turned so as to put the vacuum-brake in action and to stop the train.

By the herein-described apparatus a complete and reliable protection against collisions is achieved, since the antomatically-acting arrangement effectually applies the brakes and stops a following train it the apparatus is in the normal operative position. Collisions are therefore impossible, even when an incorrect signal is set or the engine-driver from some cause or other has neglected his duty.

This device can be used to operate any kind of a signal desired, said signal being located at any convenient or desired point upon the train. In this manner the heedl'ulness of the engine-driver is sharpened.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- 1. In an automatic apparatus for preventing collisions of railway-trains, of the kind herein referred to, an appliance situated at a suitable distance from the stopping-place at the side of the track and at such a height above the same that it can engage with an arm extending from the side of the locomotive arriving at that point and thereby aeutate the brakes, such appliance being brought into the operative position by means of ameehanism at the stopping-place, which is actuated by an entering train, substantially as described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

2. An automatic train-protecting mechanism, comprising a releasing mechanism located at a station and adapted to be actuated by engagement of the train therewith, a movable arm upon the train projecting beyond the sides thereof, a shifting member mounted adjacent to the track and distant from the station, and adapted in one position to engage the movable arm upon the passing train, a local shiftin g means for said shifting member and connections from said means to the releasing mechanism for restraining the same.

An automatic train-protecting mechanism, comprising a releasing mechanism located at a station and adapted to be actuated by engagement of a train therewith, a movable arm upon the train projecting beyond the sides thereof, a shifting member mounted adjacent to thetrack and distant from the station and adapted in one position to engage the movable arm upon the passing train, a weight attached to said shifting member to shift it into operative position, and connections from said weight to the releasing mechanism, whereby the same may be controlled.

4. An automatic train-protecting mechanism, comprising a releasing mechanism located at a station and adapted to be actuated by engagement of the train therewith, a movable bar upon the train projecting beyond the sides thereof, a shifting bar mounted upon pivoted arms adjacent to the track and distant from the station, and adapted in one position to lie at an incline with the direction of the rails, and adapted to engage the movable bar upon the train,and connections from said shifting bar to the releasing mechanism whereby said shifting mechanism is controlled.

5. An automatic train-protecting mechanism, comprising areleasing mechanism located at a station and adapted to be actuated by engagement of the train therewith, a movable bar upon the train projecting beyond the sides thereof, a shifting member mounted adjacent to the track and distant from the sta tion, comprising a bar mounted upon arms of unequal length, whereby in one position said bar is held at an angle to the direction of the track and is adapted to engage the 'bar projecting from the passing train, a weight connected to said arms to swing the bar into operative position, and connections from said arms to the releasing mechanism.

6. An automatic train-protecting mechanism, comprising a releasing mechanism located at a station and adapted to be actuated by engagement of the train therewith, a reciprocable bar mounted upon the train and projecting beyond the sides thereof, a shifting member mounted adjacent to the track and distant from the station, comprising a support alongside the track, a shaft on said support parallel with the rails, arms of unequal length fixed to the'shaft, a bar fixed to the outer ends of the arms and adapted in one position to engage the reciprocable bar projectin g from the train, a sprocket-wheel upon the shaft, a chain upon said wheel, a Weight connected to said chain, and connections from said chain to the releasing mechanism.

7. An automatic train-protecting mechanism, comprising a reciprocable bar mounted upon a train and projecting beyond the sides thereof, a movable actuating member therefor located distant from the station, pivoted arm located at the station, connections from said arm to the actuating member, whereby the position of the latter may be controlled by the former, a movable bar adapted to normally restrain the pivoted arm and also adapted to be engaged by the moving train to release the bar, and a weight connected to the movable actuating member to throw it into operative position.

8. An automatic train-protecting mechanism, a reciprocable bar mounted upon a train and projecting beyond the sides thereof, a movable actuating member therefor located distant from the station, a shaft located at the station and extending along the track, a releasing-arm on said shaft capable of rotation with the shaft, a cam-arm upon said shaft, bars supported in an inclined position and adapted to be engaged and depressed by a passing train, one of said bars engaging the cam to hold the releasing-arm in a fixed position, a cable connecting the end of the rea signal upon a train, comprising a laterally-' projecting bar having a contact engagement in one direction with the ordinary signal-opcrating mechanism, and an inclined bar adjacent to the track and capable of engaging the projecting bar to operate the signal.

10. An automatic mechanism for operating a signal upon a train, comprising a laterallyprojecting bar having a contact engagement in one direction with the ordinary signal-operating mechanism, a spring acting to hold the bar back, from its operative position, an inclined bar adjacent to the track and capable of engaging the projecting bar to operate the signal, and means for moving the inclined bar into and out of its operative position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as the invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 8th day of January, 1898.

J OHANNES VERMEHREN.

Witnesses:

JULEs BLoM, TH. 00mm.

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