Automatic Apparatus for Adjusting the Wires of Distant and other Railway Signals.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1889-Accepted; 26th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Apparatus for Adjusting the Wires of Distant and other
Railway Signals.
JOHN LEDBROOK, 25 Golden Hillock Road Small Heath Birmingham Railway
Inspector do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An apparatus designed to keep the Wires of Railway Signals in a state of tension.
The wires in their normal state expand or contract in accordance with variations of
temperature and the object of the invention is to counteract these variations so that
the Signals may at all times work to the proper angle.
The wire of each Signal is attached to a cranked Lover (made of iron or other
metal) which is fixed under the floor of the Signal Cabin by the side of the Lever
controlling the Signal-The longest part of the cranked lever is run loosely through
a large weight (made of Iron or other metal) which moves along the crank on a roller
or otherwise.
The weight is connected with the Lever controlling the Signal, by means of one
or more Iron or other metal jointed rods, and is thus moved along the Cranked Lever
in either direction by the movement of the Lever controlling the Signal: the weight
on the Cranked Lover being the means of altering the position of the Signal Arin.
The Signal Wire is thus kept in tension whether the Signal is placed in the
"Danger" or "All-right" position.
Dated this Twenty-second day of January 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Apparatus for Adjusting the Wires of Distant and other
Railway Signals.
I, JOHN LEDBROOK, of 25 Golden Hillock Road, Small Heath, Birmingham, 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 has reference to apparatus for counteracting or compensating the
effect of the variations of temperature in railway signal wires.
It ensures that the wire or chain between the semaphore or other arm and the
signalman's lever by which the signal is operated, shall be kept "taut," so that the
semaphore and the lever are practically always in the same position relatively with
each.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates the application of my apparatus,
the rod B working direct off the lower part of the lever A.
A is the lever in the signal cabin, set apart for working the distant or other signal.
-B is a downright rod connecting the tail of the lever to a vertical crank C.-D is
a connecting rod from the crank c to a sliding weight E.-F is a vertical lever or
crank upon the longer arm of which the weight E slides.-lt is obvious this lever F
may be straight as well as cranked.-P is the centre pin, connecting the weight E
to the rod DG is the wire connecting the balance weight lever H on the signal
post to the short arm of the vertical lever or crank F.-J is the usual upright rod
working the signal arm L through the half crank K.
The action of my apparatus is as follows:-
When the wire G expands, the weight E deflects slightly the lever F,-the said
weight accomodating itself by sliding on the longer arm of the lever F.-The crank Ɑ

page_text: is held stationary by the lever A being normal should the wire contract, the longer
arm of the lever is raised, the weight E again accomodating itself by slightly
sliding on the said longer arın.
The action of my Invention is thus automatic, requiring no adjustment in its
action.
Should, however, more or less expansion or contraction require to be provided for,
it is obtained by moving the connections of B with the tail of the lever A., and with
the crank c, into the next holes on the said levers and moving the connecting rod D
into another hole in the crank c.-The method of actuating the Signal arm L is as
follows: When the signalman works his lever, the various connections assume the
dotted positions, as shown the arrows showing the direction of working.-The crank c
forces the weight E along the longer arm of the lever F thus deflecting the arm F,
drawing the wire G with it actuating the balance lever H, the upright rod J, the half
crank K, and deflecting the arm L.
In replacing the signal lever normal, the weight is forced back to the fullest extent
on the longer arm, the weight on the arm replacing it to "danger."
In the event of any fracture to the connections actuating the weight E, the said
weight either slides towards the centre R of lever F, or sliding on the longer arm
of F, falls off, aad allows the weight on the arm to force it (the arm) to the danger
altitude.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that
I claim :-
(1st.) For automatically compensating for expansion and contraction in railway
signal wires, the combination of apparatus substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawings.
(2nd.) In automatic railway signalling apparatus the application of a sliding
weight E, which moves along a lever F, according as the signal arm is worked or
replaced, the said lever F, when the signal arm is at rest, becoming the medium of
compensating for the expansion and contraction in the signal wire, substantially as
herein set forth.
Dated this 19th day of September 1889.
Dated this 19th day of September 1889
"
JOHN V. O'DONNELL,
. 2, Great George Street, Westminster, S.W., Agent for said Applicant.