IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKING AND SECURING RAILWAY FACING POINTS to be as follows:
Year: 1885

page_text: I SAMUEL TELFORD DUTTON of No 1 Saint George's Square in the City of
Worcester Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKING AND SECURING RAILWAY FACING POINTS
to be as
follows:-
"
My invention has for its object effectually to secure the facing points of railways
in either of the two positions which they take against the fixed or stock rails of the
railway to interlock and make the movement of the securing mechanism and the
lock bar actuated by it depend upon the motion and position of the points to inter-
lock the said mechanism with the signal in such a manner as to readily indicate
any irregularity in its working the proper operation of the several parts being
more dependent on the proper working of the combination than is the case with
respect to the mechanism ordinarily employed for like purposes.
The points are connected to the stock rails and worked in the ordinary manner.
The points are connected together near their ends by means of a cross connecting
bar jointed at its ends to the points respectively. On the upper face of the said
connecting bar and at its middle is a depression somewhat longer than the travel
or range of motion of the points. In this depression in the connecting bar a
bolting plate is situated and works having a sliding motion at right angles to the
connecting bar that is in a line parallel to the stock rails. This bolting plate has
a recess cut on each of its two longer sides one of the said recesses being near one
end of the said bolting plate and the other near the other end When the bolting
plate is in its middle position the connecting bar of the points is free to move and
the points can be moved in either direction. But when the bolting plate is near
one end of its stroke the points are locked on one side and when it is near the
other end of its stroke the points are locked on the other side.
Connected with the bolting plate is the lock bar which is capable of receiving
two motions both in the same direction and corresponding with the movements of
the bolting plate.
To effect these motions in the lock bar I support the centres on which the lock
bar turns either from the rail or from brackets by means of suspending rods or
inks capable of vibrating through an angle of about ninety degrees. These sus-
penders are connected together by means of a bar or rod and the said bar or rod
s connected by means of a connecting rod and cranked lever to the points so that
he centres of motion about which the supports of the lock bar turns are moved

page_text: longitudinally under the lock bar by the motion of the points only thus performing
one of the two motions herein before referred to. By this movement they are
prepared for the second throw or motion of the lock bar. Should the points not
move in response to the motion of the lever the lock bar would be inoperativo and
at the same time the bolting plate would indicate that some of the parts had failed
to perform their functions.
The bolting plate is secured in its extreme positions by its connections to the
signals in the following manner. The rear end of the bolting plate is connected by
connecting rods and a cranked lever to bolting gear fixed at the side of the railway
where the connections to the signals pass. These I connect with the locking
apparatus in such a way by means of jointed or hinged levers that the signals
would go back to the danger position irrespective of the unlocking of the gear but
the pull of the rods or wires would lock the bolting plate if it were in its correct
position relative to the proper signal.
To counterbalance the weight of the lock bar I fix one or moro counterbalanced
or. weighted levers having a roller at the end of their short arms which roller bears
against the underside of and supports the bar.
The connection between the working lever and the points is on the side of the
railway opposite to that at which the lock bar is situated.
41 100

page_text: :
:
Improvements in Locking and Securing Railway Facing Points.
I SAMUEL TELFORD DUTTON of No 1 Saint George's Square in the City of
Worcester, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKING AND SECURING RAILWAY FACING POINTS" and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object effectually to secure the facing points of railways
in either of the two positions which they take against the fixed or stock rails of the
railway; to interlock and make the movement of the securing mechanism and the
lock bar actuated by it depend upon the motion and position of the points; to
interlock the said mechanism with the signal in such a manner as to readily indicate
any irregularity in its working, the proper operation of the several parts being
more dependent on the proper working of the combination than is the case with
respect to the mechanisin ordinarily employed for like purposes.
The points are connected to the stock rails and worked in the ordinary manner.
The points are connected together near their ends by means of a cross connecting
bar jointed at its ends to the points respectively. On the upper face of the said
connecting bar and at its middle is a depression somewhat longer than the travel
or range of motion of the points. In this depression in the connecting bar, a
bolting plate is situated and works having a sliding motion at right angles to the
connecting bar; that is, in a line parallel to the stock rails. This bolting plate has
a recess cut on each of its two longer sides, one of the said recesses being near one
end of the bolting plate and the other near the other end. When the bolting
plate is in its middle position, the connecting bar of the points is free to move and
the points can be moved in either direction. But when the bolting plate is near
one end of its stroke the points are locked on one side and when it is near the
other end of its stroke the points are locked on the other side.
Connected with the bolting plate is the lock bar which is capable of receiving
two motions both in the same direction and corresponding with the movements of
the bolting plate.
To effect these motions in the lock bar I support the centres on which the lock
bar turns either from the rail or from brackets by means of suspending rods or
links capable of vibrating through an angle of about ninety degrees. These sus-
penders are connected together by means of a bar or rod and the said bar or rod
is connected by means of a connecting rod and cranked lever to the points so that
the centres of motion about which the supports of the lock bar turn are moved
longitudinally under the lock bar by the motion of the points only, thus performing
one of the two motions hereinbefore referred to. By this movement they are
prepared for the second throw or motion of the lock bar. Should the points not
move in response to the motion of the lever the lock bar would be inoperative and
at the same time the bolting plate would indicate that some of the parts had failed
to perform their functions.
:
The bolting plate is secured in its extreme positions by its connections to the
signals in the following manner. The rear end of the bolting plate is connected by
connecting rods and a cranked lever to bolting gear fixed at the side of the railway

page_text: where the connections to the signals pass. These I connect with the locking
apparatus in such a way, by means of jointed or hinged levers, that the signals
would go back to the danger position irrespective of the unlocking of the gear but
the pull of the rods or wires would lock the bolting plate if it were in its correct
position relative to the proper signal.
To counterbalance the weight of the lock bar I fix one or more counterbalanced
or weighted levers having a roller at the end of their short arm which roller bears
against the underside of and supports the bar.
The connection between the working lever and the points is on the side of the
railway opposite to that at which the lock bar is situated.
The accompanying Drawing illustrates my improvements in locking and securing
railway facing points.
Figure 1 represents an inside elevation-of a rail exhibiting part of the lock bar
and the connecting rod and suspendors of the same constructed according to my
invention; Figure 2 represents a plan of a portion of a railway showing the points,
lock bar, bolting plate and the locking gear in connection with the signals;
Figure 3 represents a transverse section of Figure 2 showing the points, bolting
plate and the cross connecting rod between the points; Figure 4 represents the
bolting plate in its middle position and Figure 5 represents the said plate at that
end of its stroke opposite to that represented in Figure 2; Figures 6 and 7 are
respectively an elevation and cross section on an enlarged scale of part of the lock
bar and suspender and connecting rod: Figure 8 represents the arrangement for
counterbalancing the lock bar drawn to the same scale as Figures 6 and 7%;
Figures 9 and 10 are respectively a side and end elevation of the locking arrango-
ment shown in the plan Figure 2 situated between the bolting plate and the
signals.
In Figures 1 and 3 part of the gear is removed for the sake of clearness.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the drawing.
a, a are the facing points b, b are the stock or fixed rails. Connected to the
points are the usual "dector rods" and shown in conjunction with my inven-
tion; c is the cross connecting bar between the points a, a, the ends of the said
bar c being jointed to the ends of the points as represented; d is the bolting plate
having a motion at right angles to the connecting bar c, the said bolting plate
The bolting plate d
working in the guides d', d¹ represented without the cover.
works in a depression cut or made in the top edge and near the middle of the cross
bar c and the said plate d has two recesses x, x² made in it. By means of the said
recesses x, x³ in conjunction with the depression in the cross bar.c the locking of
the said cross bar c and through it the facing points a, a is effected as herein after
explained. The depression in the middle of the cross connecting bar c is somewhat
longer than the travel or range of motion of the points a, a.
In Figure 4 the bolting plate d is represented in its middle position and as both
the inner ends of the recesses x, x³ are over the cross connecting bar c the depression
in the said bar c permits the latter to be moved in either direction upon the
locking plate d and the points can consequently be moved in either direction.
When the bolting plate d is in the position Figure 4 and the points have been
moved in one or other direction, the position of the recesses x, x in the bolting
plated with respect to the depression in the cross connecting bar c prevents the
said bolting plate d being moved excepting in one direction according to the
position of the bolting plate. In Figure 5 the cross connecting barc is represented
moved over from the position shown in Figure 4 and the bolting plate d moved to
its extreme position in one direction thereby locking the cross bar c and con-
sequently the points a, a. In Figure 2 the connecting bar c is represented. in the
same position as in Figure 4 but the bolting plate d is shown in its other extreme
position for locking the bar c and consequently the points in the position the
reverse of that in which they are locked when-the bolting plate has the position
represented in Figure 5.
"

page_text: e is the lock bar situated 'parallel to one of the: stock rails b (see Figure 2):
The said lock bar e is capable of receiving. two motions both in the same direction
and corresponding with the movements of the bolting plate d. The way in which
these motions are effected is herein after described. The lock bar e is connected to
the sliding bolting plate d by means of the T shaped crank f. and rods f¹; f¹ and
by means of the rods f³, f' and f³, fs and cranks represented, the lock bar e and
points a, a are respectively connected to the levers in the cabin. The manner in
which the lock bar e is supported will be best understood by referring to the
enlarged views Figures 6, 7 and 8: g is a rod connecting the links or suspenders h
(three of which are seen in Figure 1) turning on centres in the stock rail 6 in the
manner seen in Figure 7. The links or suspenders h carry the levers h¹ on which
the bar e vibrates, the said connecting bar g being connected to the points a, a.
by the crank g¹ and rods g², g² as seen in Figure 2. By the motion of the
points a, a the centres of motion of the links or suspenders h are moved longi-
tudinally under the lock bar é the said links or suspenders moving through a
quadrant as indicated in dotted lines. The lock bar e is thereby made to perform
one of the motions herein before described. When the links or suspenders h are
in the last described positions, they are ready for the second throw or motion of
the lock bar e in the same direction into the position indicated in dotted lines h
Figure 6. It will thus be seen that the links or suspenders moving on fixed
centres in the rail or in brackets fixed to the rail at their upper ends, their lower
ends form bearings for the vibrating levers h¹, the lower ends of the several
suspenders being connected by one continuous rod and connected to the points.
Should the points a, a not move in response to the motion of the lever, the lock
bar e would be inoperative and at the same time the bolting plate d would indicate
that some of the parts had failed to perform their functions.
To counterbalance the weight of the lock bar e I use one or more counter
balanced or weighted levers m of the kind represented in Figure 8. The short
cranked arm of each of these levers carries a roller n which bears against the
underside of the lock bar e and counter balances the said bar. By means of
the stops o the lock bar e is supported in its lowest position when at rest.
The bolting plate d is secured in its extreme positions by its connection to the
signals in the manner represented in Figures 2, 9 and 10. and, are the
crank and rods connecting the bolting plated to the bolting bar which is
locked by the engagement of the quadrants k, k³ (see Figures 9 and 10) in slots in
the bolting bar . In the example shown, two sets of slots are used one set for
securing the bolting plate in one of its extreme positions and the other set
for securing the bolting plate in its other extreme position. In some cases
where the bolting plate only secures the points on one side, one slot only would
be necessary. The quadrants k k¹ are furnished with weighted levers k³, k³ by
which the said quadrants when at liberty to move are so moved as to unlock the
bar . The quadrants are operated upon for locking the bar by the short arms
of the crank levers 7 and through the upper ends of the long arms of which the
wires or rods 1, 1 in connection with the signal pass. The levers and ¹ are free
to move back independently of the quadrants k, and levers k³, ³. By the
arrangement described the signals would go back to the danger position irrespective
of the unlocking of the gear but the pull of the wires or rods 1, 12 would lock the
bolting plate if it were in its correct position relative to the proper signal.
From the foregoing description reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, it will be understood that for the purpose of securing the points on
each side to the stock rail and indicating that each motion has been properly
performed by the next following, it will be easy to follow the consecutive
operations and see that the two throws of the lock bar e coincide with the motion
of the points from one side to the other and the bolting plate d is dependent for
its proper motion or position on the joint action of the points upon the links h and
the motion of the lock bar e regulated by the actual position of the points, this
combined operation is secured or detected if wrong by locking the bolting plate &

page_text: when it has (and not before) secured the points, by means of the signal rods or
wires operating through the levers 7 and quadrants k so that the general result is
that each movement indicates the correct operation of the preceding one and is
preparatory to the next up to giving the signal and if one movement is not
properly completed the next cannot be made thereby giving notice to the signal-
man that something is out of order, such for instance as the breaking of the rods
connecting the points or the rods between the points or the rods connecting the
lock bar.
>
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
as my invention of "Improvements in locking and securing railway facing points"
First. Making the lock bar e capable of two successive motions or vibrations
in the same direction, the position of the centres about which the said motions are
performed being dependent on the position or motion of the points, the several
parts being constructed combined and worked substantially as herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The combination of the bolting plate d with the lock bar e moved
and balanced in the manner described and illustrated and locking the bolting
plate d in. its extreme positions by its connections to the signals by the construction
and combination of the parts of the locking gear substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
Doted this Fourteenth day of January 1886