Improvements in Danger Signals and Locks for Switches.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1894-Accepted, 4th Aug., 1894
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Danger Signals and Locks for Switches.
1, GEORGE EDWARD EDWARDS, of Brantford, County of Brant. Province of
Ontario, Canada, Carder, 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 relates to improvements in danger signals and locks for switches
and the object of the invention is-first-to design an automatic operating device
whereby the engineer of the train may be apprised of the fact as to whether the
switch is closed and locked or not before the train passes the semaphore and-
secondly to provide means whereby the switch is securely locked hefore the
semaphore is drawn down in order to allow the train to pass along the main line
and it consists essentially-first-of securing a storage battery preferably at the top
of the semaphore post and providing a spring plate which is designed to come in
contact with a plate on the semaphore when the board is raised to the horizontal
position, one of the wires being connected to the contact plate attached to the
semaphore and extending to one of the rails of the track and the other wire being
connected to the contact plate on the board of the semaphore and extending to a
contact strip located centrally and extending a considerable distance between the
rails on that side from which the train is approaching, a trolley wheel being
provided in the cab or tender of the engine through which the circuit is completed
by wires to an electric bell to and through the axle or frame of the wheels of the
tender to one rail thence to the storage battery as hereinafter more particularly
explained and secondly-in providing two levers on a platform in proximity to
the station, the levers being held in position and one lever being connected by a
wire or cord to a weighted lever on the semaphore, which is connected by a rod to
the crank of the semaphore board and the other being connected by cranks and
rods to a bolt, which is designed to be brought into one or other of two holes in a
bar connected to the moving portion of the switch rails, an arm being provided
which is designed to extend over the locking lever of the switch, so as to ensure of
its being thrown over before the semaphore lever is thrown, the various parts being
otherwise arranged and constructed in detail as hereinafter more particularly
explained.
The drawing represents a perspective view showing portion of a road-bed,
semaphore, locking device and levers, portion of tender or cab and other parts
involved in my invention.
A, are the rails, B, a central strip, which is supported on a raised bar, B', which
is secured to the sleepers centrally between the rails. C, is the semaphore post
and, D, is the board which is pivoted on the rod, d, at the top of the post, C., is
a crank arm attached to the end of the rod, d, e, is a rod connecting the crank, d¹,
with one end of the weighted lever, E.
F, is a wire cord which is connected at one end to the lever, E, and passes down
around a pulley, f, and along to the lever, G, pivoted on the platform H, on one
side of the quadrant, I.
It will be noticed that the road-bed is intermediately broken away between the
semaphore and the platform, which is supposed to be at the station in order to
indicate the distance between the semaphore and the platform. J, is a storage
battery preferably secured at the top of the semaphore post and i, j, are the
binding posts of the storage battery. The binding post, j, has extending from it a
spring contact plate,, which when the semaphore board is up as shown in the

page_text: drawing comes in contact with the contact plate, d, on the board, D. k, is a
wire leading from the binding post, j, of the storage battery, J, to one of the
rails, A., is a wire leading from the contact plate, d², on the board, D, to the
strip, B.
L, is a wheel of the cab or tender and, L', the axle. The axle, 1, is connected
by the wire, l, to one of the binding posts of the electric bell, M, which is situated
on side wall of the tender or cab. 1, is a wire leading from the bell to the
bearing, N, of the vertical post, O. The vertical post, O, has a handle, o, at its
upper end and a boss o¹, formed at its lower end. P, is a trolley arm pivoted at the
lower end of the post, O, and provided with a trolley wheel, p; The forward end
of the trolley arm, P, comes in contact with the boss or stop, ', so that the trolley
wheel may always be held at a desired distance above the sleepers. P₁, is a spring
attached to the post, O, and extending down over the top of the arm, P, so as to
maintain a downward pressure of the trolley wheel upon the strip, E, as it is
passing over it.
Q, is a bar connecting the ends of the moving rails of the switch together. R, is
the switch which is made of any desired form. The bar, Q, is provided with two
holes, 4, 7. S, is a socket secured in position on a sleeper to one side of the bar, Q,
opposite the bolt, T, which is secured in a suitable sleeve, T', at the opposite side
of the bar, Q. The bolt, T, is connected by the link , to the bell-crank, U, which
is connected by the rod, w, to the bell-crank, V, which in turn is connected by the
rod, v, to the lever, W. The levers, G, and, W, are both provided with spring
plungers designed to engage in notches in the quadrant, J. The lever, G, is also
provided at the lower end with a laterally extending bar, g, attached to or forming
part of the same, which extends over the lever, W, as shown.
Having now described the principal parts involved in my invention 1 shall
briefly describe the utility and advantages arising from the danger signal and
locking device for my switch. The train is supposed to be travelling in the
direction indicated by arrow. The board, D. is shown up at danger. In case the
engineer should fail to see the board or lamp, D', through darkness, fog or the light
having gone out the semaphore being up and the contact plate, j, being in contact
with the plate, d, of the board it will be seen that immediately upon the trolley
wheel, coming upon the strip B, which it will be understood extends for a
considerable distance along the track before the semaphore that the circuit will be
completed and the current pass from the storage battery over the wire, k, to the
rail, through the rail, wheel, L, axle, L', wire, 1, bell, M, causing it to ring, wire, l,
bearing, N, post, O, arm, P, trolley wheel, p, and wire k', plates, d', and, , back to
the storage battery. Consequently the engineer or conductor or other person
having charge of the train will be immediately apprised of the fact that the main
line is open and that there is danger in proceeding any farther. Should, however,
the lever, C, be thrown to the opposite side so as to throw the board, D, down and
the contact plate, ², out of contact with the plate,, the circuit will not be
completed and the bell will not ring and consequently the engineer or conductor can
with perfect safety proceed.
It will be seen that before the semaphore can be moved down in order to let
the train pass, the switch operating lever, W, must be thrown so as to securely
lock the switch by means of the bolt, T, which passes through one of the holes, 1,
in the bar, Q, into the socket, S.
When it is desired to use the engine for shunting about the yard the trolley arm
and wheel, 1, p, may be raised up and the pin, n, shown to extend through the
upper hole, o, in the post, O, may be inserted into the lower hole, o², so as to
keep the trolley wheel from coming in contact with any obstructions in the yard.
From this description it will be seen that I provide a very effective and simply
operated device from which not only will the engineer or conductor of the train be
warned with certainty of any danger but also whereby the switch will always be
securely locked in position so that there will be no danger of the train being
derailed alter it has passed the semaphore.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is ;-
;-
1. The combination with the semaphore and board and a storage battery and
spring contact plate on the post of the semaphore and a spring contact plate on the
board and means for raising and lowering the board, of an electric bell situated in
the tender of the engine and means whereby the circuit is completed through the
rails to and through the contact plates on the board and post when the board is up
as the train passes along the track as and for the purpose specified.
2. The combination with the semaphore and board and a storage battery and
spring contact plate on the post of the semaphore and a spring contact plate on the
board and means for raising and lowering the board, of a wire leading from the
storage battery to one rail and a wire leading to the central strip between the rails,
so as to complete the circuit through a trolley wheel and arm secured underneath
the tender, electric bell in the tender, axle and wheel as shown and for the purpose
specified.
3. The combination with the post, C, board, D, pivoted on the rod, d, crank, d',
rod, e, weighted lever, E, cord, F, and lever, G, and quadrant, I, of the spring
contact plate, ³, wire, k, rail, A, wheel, L, axle, L', wire, l, bell, M, wire, 1,
bearing, N, post, O, armi, P, trolley wheel, p, strip, B, wire, k', and plate, d, all
arranged as shown and for the purpose specified.
4. The combination with the post, C, board, D, contact plates, 7, and, ³, and
storage battery and circuit wires all arranged to complete the circuit through the
bell in the tender of the engine when the board is up as specified, of the crank, d',
on the pivot rod of the board, rod, e, weighted lever E, wire, F, lever, G, having a
lateral extension, g, quadrant, I, and lever, W, and means for locking the switch by
the operation of such lever as and for the purpose specified.
5. The combination with the post, C, board, D, contact plates, 2, and, d², and
storage battery and circuit wires all arranged to complete the circuit through the
bell in the tender of the engine when the board is up as specified, of the crank, d',
on the pivot rod of the board, rod, e, weighted lever, E, wire, F, lever, G, having
a lateral extension, quadrant, I, and lever, W, rod, v, bell-crank, V, rod, u, bell
crank, U, link, t, bolt, T, sleeve, T', cross bar, Q, with holes, 7, q', and socket, S,
all arranged as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1894.
•
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.