IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOCKING RAILWAY SIGNALS AND SWITCHES, AND FOR LOCKING PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Elliott Cooper, of 37, Kensington Terrace,
Hyde Park, Leeds, in the County of York; Civil Engineer, and
Francis Campin, of 58, Fenton Street, Leeds, in the County of
York, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR LOCKING RAILWAY SIGNALS AND SWITCHES, AND FOR LOCKING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Elliott Cooper
and Francis Campin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 30th May 1874.
We, ROBERT ELLIOTT COOPER, of 37, Kensington Terrace, Hyde
Park, Leeds, in the County of York, Civil Engineer; and FRANCIS
CAMPIN, of 58, Fenton Street, Leeds, in the County of York, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOCKING RAILWAY SIGNALS AND SWITCHES, AND
FOR LOCKING RAILWAY SIGNALS AND GATES AT LEVEL CROSSINGS," to be as
follows:-
By this Invention we propose to arrange in a suitable frame the
switch and signal levers, each lever having attached to or made on it and
turned to the centre upon which it oscillates a notched screw or a notched
.
1

page_text: portion of a screw; and we also arrange in the aforesaid frame a bar or
bars with notches or teeth upon it or them. The bars and screws are so
disposed that any one bar may be caused to move in a direction parallel
to the axis upon which the levers oscillate by some one screw, according
to the position in which the switch and signal or gate and signal levers
stand.
In any given position of the switch and signal or gate and signal
levers the notches in the screws and bars are so arranged and disposed
that certain signals, as may be required, shall be locked at "danger,"
and others, as the case may be, shall be free to move; and the moving
of any free lever will by the action of the notched screw on its axis
actuate or travel the notched or toothed bar or bars in such manner as
to unlock certain lever or levers to suit the altered position of the
actuating lever, so that it shall be impossible to set any signal lever in-a
position antagonistic to its corresponding switch or gate lever.
We employ such number of locking bars as may be requisite to lock
the signal switch or gate levers in any particular case.
We also propose to apply, in some cases where it may be found
necessary, to the switch, gate, or signal rod or rods an intermittent
motion and safety lock as follows:-To the lower or outer extremity of
the lever is attached a pin or a toothed segment gearing during part of
the movement of the lever into a notch or rack on the switch, signal, or
gate rod or rods; and upon the axis of the said lever or levers we
propose to fix a rocking beam carrying a bolt at each extremity, such
bolt passing through a corresponding hole in the switch signal or gate
lever and into another hole in the plate beneath, locks it during such
time as the pin or toothed segment on the lever is not in gear with the
notch or rack on the switch, signal, or gate rod.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,"
filed by the said Robert Elliott Cooper and Francis Campin in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
ELLIOTT COOPER, of 37, Kensington Terrace, Hyde Park, Leeds, in the
County of York, Civil Engineer, and FRANCIS CAMPIN, of 58, Fenton
Street, Leeds, in the County of York, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in thè
year of Her reign, did; for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us; the said Robert Elliott Cooper and
Francis Campin, Her special licence that we, the said Robert Elliott
Cooper and Francis Campin, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Robert Elliott Cooper and Francis
Campin, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOCKING RAILWAY SIGNALS
AND SWITCHES, AND FOR LOCKING RAILWAY SIGNALS AND GATES AT LEVEL
CROSSINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Robert
Elliott Cooper and Francis Campin, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Robert Elliott Cooper and Francis
Campin, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying.
Drawing:-
By this Invention we propose to arrange in a suitable frame the
switch and signal levers, each lever having attached to or made on it, and
turned to the centre upon which it oscillates, a notched screw or a
notched portion of a screw; and we also arrange in the aforesaid frame
a bar or bars with notches or teeth upon it or them. The bars and.
screws are so disposed that any one bar may be caused to move in a
direction parallel to the axis upon which the levers oscillate by some
one screw, according to the position in which the switch and signal or
gate and signal levers stand.
In any given position of the switch and signal or gate and signal
levers the notches in the screws and bars are so arranged and disposed

page_text: that certain signals, as may be required, shall be locked at "danger," and
others, as the case may be, shall be free to move, and the moving of
any free lever will by the action of the notched screw on its axis actuate
or travel the notched or toothed bar or bars in such manner as to unlock
certain lever or levers to suit the altered position of the actuating
lever, so that it shall be impossible to set any signal lever in a position
antagonistic to its corresponding switch or gate lever.
We employ such number of locking bars as may be requisite to lock
the signal switch or gate levers in any particular case.
'
We also propose to apply, in some cases where it may be found
necessary to the switch, gate, or signal rod or rods, an intermittent
motion and safety lock as follows:-To the lower or outer extremity of
the lever is attached a pin or a toothed segment gearing during part of
the movement of the lever into a notch or rack on the switch, signal, or
gate rod or rods; and upon the axis of the said lever or levers we
propose to fix a rocking beam carrying a bolt at its extremity, such bolt
passing through a corresponding hole in the switch, signal, or gate lever,
and into another hole in the plate beneath locks it during such time as
the pin or toothed segment on the lever is not in gear with the notch or
rack on the switch, signal, or gate rod.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
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In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a
lever frame with the locking gear attached, and applicable to an ordinary
junction where there are up and "down" main and branch lines;
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same with part of the frame removed
to show the screw.
Figures 3 to 8 are enlarged views of screws and parts of notched bars,
illustrating the manner of locking.
Figures 9 and 10 exhibit an additional intermittent action lock.
The levers are numbered according to the signals and connections on
which they act thus,―
Lever No. 1 actuates the up main line signal.
Ditto
2 actuates the down
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3 actuates the “up" branch
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4 actuates the "down" branch
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5 actuates the "
up
"switch
6 actuates the "down" switch
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Figures
and iv exibit an additional intermittent action i
The levers are numbered according to the signals and conn
which they act thus,—
Lever No. 1 actuates the up main line signal.
Ditto
2 actuates the down
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3 actuates the "up" branch
4 actuates the "down" branch
5 actuates the "up" switch
6 actuates the "down" switch
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page_text: Figure 3 shows an elevation; and Figure 4, plan of screw and part of
notched bar when either of them is free to move the bar through the
notch of the screw, or the thread of the screw through the notch of
the bar.
14
Figure 5 is an elevation; and Figure 6, plan of screw and part of
notched bar when the screw 6 is locked to the bar d, which holds in the
notch of the screw,
the sliding of the bar having moved the 'notch o
beyond the thread of the screw.
Figure 7 is an elevation; and Figure 8, plan showing the bar d locked
to the screw b, the part revolution of which has carried the notch n in
the thread of the screw beyond the bar d. In the three clevations the
bar d is cut on sections indicated in each case by the dotted line x in
the corresponding plan.
In Figures 1 to 8 a, a, &c., are the levers; b, b, &c., the screws;
c, c, the centre or axis upon which the levers and screws oscillate; d, d,
and e, e, notched locking bars, the former called the "down line bar,"
and the latter the "up line bar; "f, f, are standards carrying the centres
and notched bars; g, g, g, &c., the ends of the signal and switch
rods; h, k, frame with guide rods; i, i, platform or flooring; k, k,
ground or flooring; 1, the catch rods to hold the levers steady; m, m, is
a dotted line showing the back position of the levers a.
Figure 11 shows plan of a main line and branch.
In the position shown, Figures 1 and 2, all the signals are at danger,
and the switches set open for the main line, and the bars are so notched
that the branch signals are locked at danger by the bars taking in the
notches of their screws, as shewn by Figures 5 and 6.. The switch
levers are however free to move. This we propose to call the first:
position. If we now move over to position m, m, the lever a 1 we shall
lower the "up" main line signal, and at the same time by the action,
of the screw 6 draw the bar e, e, so as to lock both the switch levers a 5.
and a 6, and still leaving both the branch signals locked at danger..
Thus the up switch cannot be put wrong, for it cannot be moved until
the lever a 1 is moved back to the first position, and the up main signal
to danger. By locking the down switch with the points open to the-
main line any down branch train or run-away waggons will be prevented
from cutting through an up main line train at the obtuse crossing.
?

page_text: Returning again to the first position, and moving the lever a 2 to the
position m, m, we shall lower the down main line signal, and draw (by the
action of the screw 6) the bar d, d, so as to lock the down switch lever
a 6, and of course leaving the down branch signal locked at danger.
Returning again to the first position, let it be required to pass a train
on the down branch line. The switch lever a 6 must be put over to set
the points right for the branch, and in doing this the bar d, d, is moved
(by the action of its screw), so as to unlock the down branch signal, and
lock the down main line signal at danger. We can then put down the
down branch signal by lever a 4, and in so doing we draw the
bar d, d, further on, and lock the switch lever a 6 and the up main
line signal lever a 1, locking the up main line signal at danger.
Returning again to the first position to let a train up the branch, we
must first set the up switch by putting over the lever a 5 to position m, m.
This will draw (by the action of its screw b) the bar e, e, so as to unlock
the up branch signal, and lock the up main line signal at danger;
then putting down the up branch signal by moving the lever a 3 to
position m, m, the bar e, e, will be drawn further on, and lock the switch
lever a 5. The screws on the switch levers always have two notches at
least to enable them to be locked in either position.
By providing additional levers, screws, and notch bars more compli-
cated junctions with sidings, &c., can be furnished with locking
apparatus, and in like manner the signal levers and those for actuating
gates at level crossings may be made to interlock..
We sometimes also apply a safety locking apparatus, shown in
Figures 9 and 10. " is the lower end of a signal or switch lever, of
which r, q, represents a part broken off at q; p is the centre upon
which the lever oscillates; & is a notch on a sliding bar t, t, which bar
is attached to the signal or switch rod. Figure 9 is a side and Figure 10
a front elevation. p, w, is an arm firmly fixed to the lever, and carrying
at its end wa link w, y, which at y is jointed to a bolting bar w, on
which are two wards v, v. This bar w is steadied in a socket shown
in section at z, z.
The bar t, t, has two notches cut in it corresponding
to the two. positions of
by the upper ward v.
the switch or signal, as shown;. the bar is locked
If the lever be now pulled over to the position
shown by the dotted line the bar w will first be released by the raising
of the top ward v, then the pin at taking into the notch s will move.
•

page_text: the barn to its other position, and after leaving it the lower ward v
rising into the second notch of the bar t, t, will lock it in this
position.
When this is applied to switch rods by making the wards with inclined
sides the points may be jammed tight over in either position, and when
it is used in combination with the apparatus described above. it ensues
that the necessary locking of signals is done before the points are moved,
and the unlocking of the other set of signals is not done until after the
the points are locked in their fresh position.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, what we claim is,―
Firstly. Locking by means of a combination of notched screws and
notched bars, as described, and illustrated in Figures 1 to 8.
Secondly. The arrangement of intermittent motion locking apparatus,
as described and illustrated in Figures 9 and 10.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Elliott Cooper and Francis
Campin, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-
eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-four.
ROBERT ELLIOTT COOPER.
FRANCIS CAMPIN.
Witness to the signatures of
Robert Elliott Cooper and
Francis Campin,
WILLIAM H. RAMSDEN,
Architect & Surveyor,
Cottage Road,
Headingley,
Leeds.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)