Patent GB-190504501-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Signalling on Railways
Inventor: ROWCLIFFE FRED
Filed: 1905-03-04
Granted: 1906-03-03
Abstract: 4501. Rowcliffe, F. March 4. Contacts, mechanical; whistle signals; miniature signals; stopping trains.-Pivoted bars laid parallel to the track rails are raised by connexion with the ordinary semaphore mechanism into the path of a vertically-moving rod on a locomotive to actuate whistles or special miniature signals thereon. The apparatus is duplicated for 'home' and distant' signal indications. The Provisional Specification also states that the vacuum brakes may be applied by such apparatus, and warning. given of the approach to sharp curves by locating such apparatus in advance of the curves. The track contact comprises two bars a, a', Fig. 1, pivoted together at their inner ends a<3>, and raised by levers d, d<1>, d' when a wire j from the semaphore signal actuates a weighted bell-crank lever d' on a horizontal pivot. The bar a' is pivoted at its outer end, and the bar a is supported at its outer end by a pivot g moving in a slot f. The bars lie normally just above the track-rail level, and are raisei to give a 'line clear' signal on the engine. Duplicate sets of engine apparatus are provided for 'home' and 'distant' signal indications, one on each side of the engine. Each set comprises a bracket x, Fig. 3, with a wheel x<2> engaging with the track contact so as to raise the bracket x against a spring x<3>, so actuating the engine whistle or miniature signals through a bellcrank levar w<3> and a sliding rod w<3>. A slide v<1>, Fig. 4, is moved against a spring by the rod w<3>, and through a pin v<3> aud a lever p and a rod q or q<1> actuates either a 'home' or 'distant' miniature semaphore u or u<1>. The lever p is connected with a dash-pot t, and also by means of a pin s' and a slotted rod s<3> with a weighted bell-crank lever u<4>. This lever u' is thereby raised when the slide v<1> is moved to the extreme right into the safety' position, and then restores the miniature semaphores to danger.' A pawl u<2> on eich lever u<4> catches into a notch v<2> in the slide v<1> to lock the miniature signals in the 'danger' position, the slide being released by withdrawal of the pawl u' by means of the handle u<7>. A lever k actuates a rod l leading to the whistle, and is actuated by an incline on the slide v<1>. The connecting-bar k<2> is hinged at k<3> and connected by a slot connexion k<1> to the lever k, so that the lever k may be withdrawn from the bar k<2> to stop the whistle. In a modified form, the rod w<3> may actuate through bell-crank levers a vertical slide, Fig. 9, which sounds steam whistles m, m<1> as notches 3, 2 are successively raised into contact with the whistle levers, to give danger' and 'safety' signals respectively. Fig. 7 shows a form employing pairs of wheels x<2> on each side of the engine to allow actuation of the apparatus when the engine runs backwards. The rod w on one side is connected by a rack, pinion, and a shaft z across to the rod of the outer wheel x' on the opposite side, and similarly for the rod w<1>. On the engine being run backwards, the rod w is actuated by the corresponding track contact through the opposite outer wheel x', its rod, and the shaft z, and similarly for the rod w<1>.