GB Patent 135999 - Improvements in Railway Train Systems, and the like.

Description

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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.~No.534, ~ A.D. 1919.

Improvements in Railway Train Systems, and the like.

I,WiMjiAMAJTKEN, 59,Windermere Road, MuswellHill, London,N. 10, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-

My invention relates to methods of working and controlling railway trains, and particularly to passenger carrying trains in very busy centres.

According to my' invention the trains are non-stop, at any rate between termini, with slip cars to set down passengers, and facilities for adding cars for picking up passengers whilst the train is in motion. All movements at stations and variations in speed, and the like, being automatically controlled : all automatic switching to be preceded by automatic warning signals, when gates would be closed, and the like.

A loop line is provided at each intermediate station, one for theup trafhc and another for the down traffic.

Similar provision may also be made at the termini.

A train may be made up of as many cars as can be conveniently handled, as there is no relationship between the main train and a platform.

The cars composing a train, at a terminus, are allotted to as many adjacent stations on the'line, starting from the terminus as there are cars, the first adjacent station car being at the rear and the others fo'llowing in order. The passengers would, as far as the cars provided allow, enter the car labelled for their destination. Those for stations beyond the labelled cars would take places near the front of the train and move to their proper cars when they are added.

On the loop line at each intermediate station a spare car or cars would always be waiting for passengers to any station to enter, in addition to the feeder car filled and readyto be added to the main line train, and the slip car due to arrive.

Each car should preferably be complete in itself and have its own motor or engine so that it can move independently.

The cars should all be provided with automatic couplings so that a slip car can be detached instantly, and preferably contro'lled byexternal means, so that the car is detached at the exact moment required for each station, the points of the track ahead also being moved automatically at the correct moment to allow the slip car to enter the loop,

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To allow a feeder car to be added to the front of the train the car should be started automatically at a predetermined moment 'by the main line train closing a controlling circuit, the speed of the feeder being so regulated thatthe . main train overtakes it. without serious impact..

To-allow.a. feeder car to be added in front of a train when the -cars. are not independent, the motor car, or motor controlled car, or the like, should also have automatically controlled couplings, so that at a predetermined point it can forge ahead of the train, which may previously have been reduced in speed, to allow a feeder car to come between the motor car and the train.

The feeder car should be started automatically by a switch, preferably con- trolled by the train at a particular spot as it enters the station, so that the feeder car, running at predetermined speed, would enter the main line at a point between the motor car and the train. The speed of the feeder carshould be either greater than the motor car so that it overtakes it without serious impact, or the motor car should be slowed down, preferably auto- matically, for the same purpose, and the speed again reduced to allow the train to reconnect.

The slip and feeder cars may be with or without attendants. In the 'latter case the attendant would bring in the slip car at one station and take out the next feeder car, take the slip car in at the next station, and so on round the circle.

The system would work as follows:-A train made up atFinsbury Park, on the Piccadilly Tube, with ten cars would have these labelled, from the rear respectively, Gillespie Road, Holloway Road, Caledonia Road, York Road,

King's Cross, Russell Square,Holborn, Oovent Garden,Leicester Square,

Piccadilly Circus, then the motor car when necessary.

AtGillespie Road the rear car would be slipped and a feeder car attached, the flatter now being labelled " Dover Street ". At Holloway Road the rear car would again be slipped and a feeder car added-which would be 'labelled, "hide Park Corner", and so on until Hammersmith is reached, when the train may be stopped for the first time, but preferably the train should con- tinue to run in a half circle to return on the other rail..

Long and short trains may be run alternately, the latter being used for adjacent station service.

It will be readily understood that more than one car may be slipped or added.

It will also be understood that modifications can be made to meet particular conditions, and the train may stop at intermediate stations to connect, up the- feeder car.

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.

No. 2018, A.D. 1919.

Improvements in Railway Train Systems, and the like.

I, 'WILLIAM:AITKEN, 59, Windermere Road, Muswell Hill, London; N. 10, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare, the nature of this invention to be as follows: -OBJECT.

The object is to separate the incoming from the outgoing traffic, to expedite the service by running non-stop trains, so that the time taken to complete a

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journey will be halved, enable twice as many trains to be run, and to increase the 'length of the trains. In this way the earning capacity of the plant will be greatly increased, and the service to .the public be greatly enhanced.

THE MEANS TO ATTAIN THIS END.

THE LINE.

The present tube railways could be readily utilised. The present track would be practicallyunaltered, but preferably the ends should be looped so that the out and return journey is completed without stop. This is not essential however, and the train may run between termini without stop.

At all stations a loop-line must be provided on both the up and the down tracks. In the present tubes this may occupy the p'lace of the present platforms.

THE RUNNING PLANT.

The train may be made up of any suitable number of cars, each car, or plurality of cars, being allotted to different stations on the line, starting. from the terminus the rear car being allotted to the first station. In the case of the Piccadilly Tube, for example, the rear car would be labelledGil'lespie Road; then in order Holloway Road, CaledoniaRoad, York Road, King's Cross, etc. Passengers for these stations would take seats in the respective cars. Passengers going beyond the stations specified would occupy the front carriages and move to their destination cars as they are added.

A car, or cars, is added at .each station and one or more detached as required.

'1'he former is standing loaded in the loop-line and is automatically run outin front of the approachingtrain, and the latter " slipped " and run on to the loop as the train passes through the station. In this way the train may be made up of as many cars as can be conveniently handled, as the train has no relationship to the length of the platform.

In addition to the " feeder " car joining up, and the " slip " car arriving, there is a second feeder car being loaded at the departure platform. As the slip car arrives, or shortly thereafter, the second feeder car is moved forward to the starting position. The slip car comes to rest at the arrival platform, and after it has been unloaded, is moved forward to the departure platform and becomes the second feeder car

EQUIPMENT OF CAR.

Each car should preferably be self-contained, that is, it should have its own motors, controllers and brakes so that it can be run as a unit or linked with others as in a train.

To enable the cars when acting as feeders to be automatically controlled, branch connections would be carried to a point on the exterior of the cars from the switch electromagnets so that they can be momentarily energised by external agency.

The gangways of all cars must be kept clear and to allow for6vercrowding during busy hours, tip-up seats might be provided in certain parts, or"pens" formed for straphangers.

For the purpose of closing external circuits for signalling and controlling, each car is fitted with contact-making devices at each end, which, when the car is unattached, protrude in an operating manner, but when the car is attached, are withdrawn and inoperative. In this manner the leading car has certain devices operative to control the running-cut of the feeder car, and the rear car has other devices operative to control the slip car.

The coupling of car to car must be automatic both for joining up and disconnecting. In the latter case it shou'ld be electrically controlled, preferably.

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SIGNALLING AND CONTROLLING.

Theoretical arrangements only are described, and these usually with open electrical circuits. It is to be understood that closed circuits may be used and contact devices that have been proved in practice. A description of what takes place when a train approaches, and passes an intermediate station will best illustrate the arrangement.King's Cross Station on the Piccadilly Tube may be taken as an example.

The train passing York Road, the previous station, ~ would signal King's

Cross, when the feeder car would be moved from the departure platform to a point, nearer; the junction of the loop with the main 'line, and the previously slipped car would be moved from the arrival platform to the departureplat-% 'form to receive passengers. At a short distance from King's Cross Station a stand clear " signal would be given to the first feeder car.

Shortly thereafter the incoming train would cause the first feeder car to start, then increase speed, and again increase speed as required. This would he done by the incoming train closing circuits to three or more parallel con-ductors in turn, the contact projections on the feeder car making contact with these' so that the electromagnets before mentioned are energised. The train would then overtake the car without impact. As the rear of the train passed a certain point contact would be made to close a circuit to open. the automatic coupling to slip the car. The slip car wou'ld be slowed down and the rear car now would close a contact to move the points to shunt the slip car into the loop. The slip car may be under conductor control and brought to rest at the arrival platform.

This conductor should then proceed to the first feeder car in- readiness to pass -out with it under his control. The conductor on the feeder car should take care of the train until the main trainconductor , comes forward, when he should pass to the rear to go off withthJ next slip car. By further automatic control of a similar nature the slip car may be brought to rest and this conductor be unnecessary.

MODIFICATIONS.

On suitable arrangements being made one train could take on and drop off cars to say the first ten stations then run to far terminus: another take the second ten, and so on: or trains take alternate stations and the like.

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.

No. 9414, A.D. 1919.

Improvements in Railway Train Systems,and the like.

I,WILLIAMAXTKjw, 59,Windermere Road, Muswell Hill, London, N. 10, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows : -

My invention relates to a new method of working railway trains and particulady to systems in which the trains are, preferably, kept continuously running, at least-between termini, as described in my co-pending Applications Nos. 534 of 1919 and 2018 of 1919, and particularly to modifications on the systems therein described.

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The main running track is, preferably, a continuous loop with short service loops at each station. ,'1he trains are made up of a number of cars semi-permanently connected, to which one or more slip cars may be added at each station as required. At each station one or .more slip cars are detached and run into the service loop, under automatic control or under the care of a conductor ; and as the train is leaving the station, one or more feeder cars are run out of the service loop to overtake and attach to the rear of the, preferably, running train, under automatic control, or under the care of a conductor. -

The rear semi-permanently attached car should, preferably, be reserved for passengers prepared to leave at the next station but one, those leaving at the next station having previously entered the slip car just attached. Passengers arriving by theslip car would immediately walk forward to find seats. The passengers then assembled in the rear semi-permanently car would then enter the slip car to be detached at the next station.

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.

Improvements in Railway Train Systems, and the like.

I,WILLIAM AITKEN, 59, Windermere Road, Muswell Hill, London, N. 10, Electrical 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:-

My invention relates to improvements in methods of working and controlling railway trains, and particularly to continuously running passenger-carrying trains with attachable and detachable cars to convey passengers to and from the continuously running main train.

It is known that trains may run continuously on a main track with loop sidings at a station into which cars detached from a train may enter to set down passengers, and out of which cars may be run to be attached -to the running train.

My invention relates to improvements in such systems and particularly to the arrangements in the loop :line at each station, in which incoming passengers are set down at an arrival platform, outgoing passengers taken on to empty cars at a loading platform, which latter cars are then passed on to a. departure platform, from which they are run on to the main line to be attached to a running train, preferably under the control of that train.

In present known- systems the arriving and departing passengers alight at and leave from one and the same platform. There is therefore confusion and delay, particularly at busy times. By my system loading and unloading can be carried on expeditiously.

The object of my invention is to provide a system that will meet the present day busy travelling conditions by providing trains that will serve not only adjacent stations, but in which a series of trains are provided to serve all stations, each train of a series serving .only a proportion of the total number of stations. The service thus will be greatly expedited and the movement of passengers from and to the feeder and slip cars is greatly reduced andsimplified.

According to my invention the running track should, preferably, complete a circle and it has at each station a loop-line from that track, a train on the main track ~ made up of a plurality of cars, a car attached to the train so

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arranged that it can be readily detached and run into a loop-line to allow passengers to alight at an arrival platform, and a car for passengers at a departure platform which, after being loaded, is moved to another section of the same platform to be run out of the sameloop-;line and attached to the train.

Other features of my invention will be disclosed in describing my system, with modifications, in connection with the drawing, in which Fig. 1 shows one form of my invention in which one or more cars are detached from the rear of the train to set down passengers, and one or-more cars attached to the front of the train for oncoming passengers.

Fig. 2 shows a modification in which an attached and detached car are added to or taken froin the rear of the train. '

In Fig. 1,1 is the main line track and 2 the siding, or loop line, having arrival and departure platforms m and k respectively. There is another main line track with loop-line (not shown) for traffic in the opposite direction. The main line train 3 consists of cars b, c, d, e., f, g, car a having just been detached in order to be run into the siding to take up the position a1 at the arrival platform.Car h has been run out ahead of the train from the posi- tion h1, to be connected to the main train. Car j is at the departure platform for loading, and will be moved to theposition hl and become the next feeder car, the car a then being advanced from position al to j for loading and so on. It will thus be seen that there is alwaysan additional car or cars at the departure platform besides the incoming and outgoing car or cars.

With cars added to the front of a train and cars detached from the rear of a train as described it is necessary for the passengers in the front or feeder car to leave 'the feeder bar and pass to a car associated with the station of destination. Passengers for the next station at which a car is to be detached must pass through the whole length of the train to the rear car. The carsa, b, c, d, e f, g, are therefore-associated with stations which we will call A, B, C, D, E, F, G, (not shown), that is the car a, for example, will be detached at the station A, the car b at the station B and so on. The feeder car will be associated with the station H and thecar j, when it joins the train will be associated with the station J, if all trains are made up similarly.

When the intervals between stations are very short, which occurs particu- larly on what are known as " tube " railways, there may not be time for the passeng,ers to pass through all the cars to the rear, to the car which is to be detached at the next station, and means must therefore be provided to meet this condition. It may be sufficient to run a series of, say, three trains to serve all stations each serving different stations, or with overlapping to allow for local service. Such a train might run through three stations then serve two adjacent ones in which case the train might. run slowly to allow time to pass from front to rear for local service.

When my invention is to be applied to a system in which a locomotive is used to draw the train,, the locomotive, on entering a station, must be detached from the train and run ahead, so as to allow the feeder car to come in between the locomotive and the first passenger carrying car.

Preferably each car should be self-contained and complete in itself so as to perform its share in the hauling of the train and run independently as a detached or feeder car.

The operation of the system should be, preferably, as nearly wholly auto- matic as possible. Considerably in advance of a station a switch 4 would be dosed by a contact spring or boss on the car which would cause the gates between the car to be detached and the train to be closed either manually or automatically. The trainwould In a similar manner cause the switch S5 to be closed to give a " stand-clear " signal at thecar hl (relay R15 being energised in circuit 5, the signal R18 operated in circuit 16, until circuit-15 is opened by key 17) so that the gates may be closed and the carin readiness to be automatically started at a given time.. The switch 6 would then make

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contact' with a spring or boss on the rear car to release the automatic coupling, to detach the rear car a. Switch S7 might then be closed to start the feeder car at position h1, a circuit then being completed over 7 to a conductor 12 with which a spring or- brush on the car makes contact for,some time.

Switch S8 may then be closed to complete a circuit over 8 to another conductor13. with which another brush makes contact, to increase the speed of the car h.

The switch 89 may then be closed to complete the circuit 9 to initially energise the electromagnet R18 which moves the points so that the car a will enter the 'loop 2. A local circuit 18 is then completed to hold R18 energised until the detached cara., depressing the switch 10, opens the circuit 18 so that R18 deenergises and restores the points to normal. The train then closes the switch Sll to complete a-circuit.] 1 to a third conductor 14 with which a brush on the car h makes contact, to increase the speed to a pre-determined rate suitable for the train overtaking and connecting with the car h without serious impact. Alternatively a car- detached from a train may be sent ahead into a loop siding, and a feeder car turned out of a siding to overtake and attach to the rear of the train.

Itis'to be understood that while I have described my invention in connection with the main train running through a station, the train may be brought to rest whilst the cars are being detached and/or connected respectively.

With t.he system just described it will be noted that the incoming and outgoing traffic are absolutely separated, that passengers may pass from separate ingress corridors to the departure platform, join and pass through the train to the car associated with their destination station, leave by the arrival platform and a separate exit.

A modification of my invention is shown in Fig. 2, which has as its object the prevention of the necessity for .passing hurriedly through the train when a journey between two adjacent stations is taken, and also the necessity of changing from one car to another after a destination station car is attached after joining the train.

I attain this result by detaching one or more cars from the rear to set down passengers as before and provide for connecting the feeder car or cars to the rear in the place of the detachedcareer cars.

Fig. 2 is generally very similar to Fig. 1 and the references are also similar.

The switches S7, S8 and S11 are located at the departure end of the loop 2 so that thecar Izl follows the train at such a speed as to overtake the train without serious impact.

In such an arrangement the incoming and outgoing passengers must pass each other when the feeder car joins the train.

It is obvious that instead of the detachable and connecting cars ,being detached and connected at the near of a train, a detachable car may be sent ahead of the train into a siding and a feeder car be run out on to the main line and be overtaken and connected to, the main train.

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 a railway system, a main track, a loop-line from that track at a station, a train on the main track made up of a plurality of cars, a car attached to the train to be detached and run into the loop to an arrival platform, a loaded car at a departure platform to be run out on the same loop and attached to the train, and a loading car at another section of the departure platform.