Patent GB-190508827-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Railway Signalling Apparatus.
Inventor: WHEATLEY JESSE
Filed: 1905-04-26
Granted: 1905-12-30
Abstract: 8827. Wheatley, J. April 26. Detonator apparatus; contacts, mechanical; rods and wires for operating, slip connexions for.-A detonator apparatus is described in which a band of detonators unwound from a drum is passed beneath a hammer operated by a mechanical train treadle, the feeding being automatic as the treadle rises. Special disengaging - clutches are provided in the connecting - wires. A pivoted, weighted lever c, Fig. 1, is connected through a link d and a pivoted lever f to the verticallysliding treadle g, the verticallysliding hammer block e being also connected to the lever f. The anvil block 17, over which the detonator band 20 moves, is pivotally mounted on the end of a pivoted, weighted lever w. In the detonatorfeed apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 2<a>, the detonator band 20 is unwound from a storage roll 31 over two drums 24, 23 connected by two chains 25, 26, Fig. 4, in which recesses engage with teeth 27, 28 on the drums, while projections 29 on the chains engage in holes in the band 20. A pivoted pawl 35, Fig. 2, engages with a ratchet 38 on the drum 23, and is connected by a rod 34 to the hammer block e, so tnat positive feed of the drums and band 20 is secured when the hammer block rises after exploding a detonator. A plate 40 on the hammer block e presses upon the band 20 during a discharge to prevent the explosion from affecting the succeeding detonator. A pawl 57 is connected with the pawl 35, and engages a ratchet 42 on the drum 24 to limit the movement of the drum 24 in accordance with the movement of the drum 23. A rod 45 with a balance weight 9 is connected by a wire 47 to the semaphore wire 50<x>, so that when the signal is placed at 'safety' the movement of the rod 45 through the pivoted pawl 44 and ratchet 42 withdraws the detonators temporarily from beneath the hammer. A pin 52 on the rod 45 moves in a slot in the pawl 35, so that when the rod 45 is actuated the pawl 35 is disengaged from the ratchet 38, allowing the pawl 44 to rotate the drums 24, 23. The apparatus may be permanently placed out of action by actuation of a hand-lever A and a wire 56 to move a sliding pawl 54<x> into position to lock the ratchet 38, and by the same movement to actuate the rod 45. The pawl 44 then engages the ratchet 42 and withdraws the detonators. When the hand-lever A is restored, a weight restores the pawl 54<x> to its normal position, the pawl 54<x> simultaneously rotating the ratchet 38 to feed the detonators. The wire 56 may be directly connected to the lower part of the lever c, Fig. 1, to maintain it in its raised position upon actuation, so dispensing with the pawl 54<x>, Fig. 2. A scraper 53 removes the used detonators from the band 20. The pedal g and hammer block are maintained in their lowered position after actuation until the train has passed beyond a treadle rail l, Fig. 8, mounted on pivoted levers r, and connected by a wire o to a spring catch p, Fig. 1, engaging in recesses in the lever c, to hold it in its raised position. After the train has passed the rail l, Fig. 8, the weight r<x> restores the rail to its normal position, and the tightened wire o withdraws the catch p, Fig. 1, allowing the lever c to fall and raise the pedal g again. A special releasing-device 6 is inserted in this wire o, and a similar device 6<a>, Fig. 2<a>, is inserted in the wire 47. The device comprises a lower sliding rod 7, Fig. 6, moving in a groove in a block 6 and attached at one end through the rod 45, Fig. 2, to the weight 9. An upper sliding rod 10, Fig. 6, is connected at one end to a weight and at the other end to the hand-lever or semaphore wire. A pivoted pawl 14, Fig. 6, on this rod rests with its nose over the rod 7, the two rods 10, 7 being thus simultaneously withdrawn by the actuation of the hand-lever until the pawl 14 rides upwards on the sides 15 of the upper groove, releasing the rod 7, so that the weight 9 restores the rod 45 to its original position, whether the hand-lever is returned or not. In the similar device 6, Fig. 1, the spring 9 on the catch p and the weight 48 replace the other weights.