IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICATING THE POSITION OF RAILWAY POINTS, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Wood at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
February 1868.
I, JOHN WOOD, of Keswick, in the County of Cumberland, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN INDICATING THE POSITION OF RAILWAY POINTS, AND IN THE
APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR,". to be as follows, that is to
say:-
This Invention, which relates to certain new and improved means
for indicating the position of railway points, consists in using a bar
or rod which passes through suitable holes formed in the rails and
moveable points; the bar or rod is not fixed to either the rails or the
points, but at one end a head is formed or a nut is placed on it to
enable the point to pull back the bar or rod as the points return to
their fixed position; its opposite end is connected to one arm of a bell-
crank lever fixed upon the indicator post or in any other convenient
position, the other arm of the bell-crank lever being coupled to a rod
which is again attached to the lever which actuates the indicator
itself. When an engine or train is passing over the points the action

page_text: or blow of the wheels on opening them is not communicated directly
to the indicator, for the reason that the rod before referred to is not
rigidly. fixed to them; immediately however the points are free to
move a spring or weight attached to one of the levers before referred
to comes into action and draws the indicator into position, so that the
signalman at the semaphore signal box or engine driver may know
when the train has passed if the points are properly closed; in this way
no shock is directly communicated to the indicating mechanism by the
train on passing the points.
The preceding description refers to self-acting points for a train to go
on to the main .line, and in the case of points actuated by a switchman,
the same indicating mechanism shows the man at the semaphore signal
box or the engineman if the points are placed in proper position
for the next passing train. When the indicator is required to show the
points properly closed for a train to pass into a branch line or siding,
a short bar or rod is passed through a hole in the rail and nearest
point; on this bar a projection is formed, so that as the point is pushed
toward the rail it comes in contact with the projection and forces the
short bar or rod outwards, and its outer end being connected to one
end of a horizontal lever, the other end of the horizontal lever being
connected to the rod herein-before referred to as coupled to the bell-
crank lever of the indicating apparatus, in this manner a train or
engine passing on to the branch would actuate the indicator in a reverse
manner, and by its position would show if the points were properly
closed after the train had passed. The position of the stops or projections
is so arranged that a very slight movement of the points puts the
indicator at full danger.
In the case of working the coloured glasses for signalling in the
dark or at night they may be fixed to the same lever which actuates
the indicator, being operated by the same spring, but it is preferred to
fix these glasses on a separate lover, which is counterbalanced and
connected by a spring to the lever of the indicator, so that a very
short movement of the lever or an undue position of the lever in the
event of the points not being properly closed will bring the glass over
the light of the lamp, and the tension of the spring retains the glass
in the full danger position until the points are very nearly closed, so
that perfect safety indication is thus obtained even when the points
are only slightly removed from the proper position according to the

page_text: line of rails on to which the train about to pass is to be turned. Or
in lieu of cither of the foregoing arrangements a rod connected to the
indicator lever may be used, its upper end passing through an eye or
slot in a part of the lever carrying the glasses, so that any upward
movement of the indicator lever would frec the stop in the rod passing
through the eye or slot, and thus leave the glasses free to descend on
the face of the lamp by its own weight.