IMPROVE MENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNAL APPARATUS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNAL APPARATUS."-A communication from abroad
by Messrs. Leon Jucqueau and Auguste Desgoffe, Civil Engineers, of
29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
Sealed the 16th March 1860, and dated the 30th September 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of: Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th September 1859.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNAL APPARATUS," to be as follows:- .
This Invention relates of improvements in signals used on railways. The
object proposed is to render them as simple as possible, as well as to work
them in a much safer manner than the signals employed up to the present"
time, and so, if possible, to avoid accidents altogether.
The annexed Drawings, Sheets 1 and 2, represent the different apparatus
according to this Invention. Fig. 1 shows an elevation of a self-acting signal
post, actuated by the direct action of the train, also showing the cross section
of part of the line of railway; Fig. 2, a front view of a self-acting signal disc
and post; Fig. 3 shows a special self-acting apparatus for working the signal

page_text: discs and alarm bells, seen in red; Fig. 4 shows a regulating signal post of
any suitable height without additional wires, which is used when the principal
signal post is worked by two wires; Fig. 5 is a plan of Fig. 5; Fig. 6 shows
an elevation of the lever for working the apparatus; Fig. 7, plan of the same;
Fig. 8, detail of bearing. Fig. 9, Sheet 2, represents an elevation of a signal
post with its relieving or regulating post of suitable height, actuated by a
single wire; & Fig. 10 is a plan of the same.
The self-acting signal apparatus represented at Figs. 1 and 2 consists of a,
frame, fixed in the ground for supporting the apparatus; b, signal post, of
sufficient height according to position; c, counterbalance, at one extremity
of which is placed the signal disc b; d, knife edges supporting the counter-
balance; f, movable rail resting on one extremity of the counterbalance c,
and depressed by the passage of the train; g, fixed helical inclines or cams,
on which moves a roller h fixed to the post for the purpose of turning it;.
i, pulley mounted on the post b, on which is wound a chain j; k, pulley on
signal post 6; 1, second pulley mounted on the end of post b; m, chain wound
on pulleys and l; n, lantern fixed to one end of chain m, by which it is
raised or lowered; o, disc fixed to the signal post b. The whole being fitted
and arranged as described, it will be readily understood that the train in
passing over the movable rail f will rock the counterbalance c on its two
knife edges d, which counterbalance at its other extremity raises the rod of
the signal post b, which in its turn causes the roller h to act upon the helical
inclines g, causing the post to effect about one-fourth of a revolution. The
revolution of the disc thus effected indicates that the line is closed. When
the train has left a station, the signalman returns the signal by means of the
hand lever to its position for indicating an open line. To this apparatus is
also added a controlling or return signal post, which does not require
additional wires, being actuated by the wires of the signal post. This second
apparatus, which is represented at Fig. 4, may be placed in any suitable
position with regard to the principal signal post. p, signal post controller;
9, pivot on which the controller post p rests; r, stay rods; s, pulley fixed on
the signal post p; t, controlling disc, mounted on the post p; u, v, wires of the
principal signal post, to which are attached two small chains 1 & 2 turning on
pulleys s. It will be understood that when the signal post has made a
revolution, the connection established between the wires of the principal
post and the controlling post turns the latter at the same instant, which thus
repeats the action of the principal post, and indicates at the station that a
train has passed the principal post. In returning the disc it is sufficient to
use the hand lever represented at Figs. 6 & 7.

page_text: "Special self-acting disc indicators and alarm apparatus.”—The alarm
apparatus forms an accessory to the self-acting signal, and is mounted on it.
a', cast-iron frame supporting the different parts of the apparatus; b', iron
shaft furnished with rollers c'; d¹, pulley, independent of shaft b', connected to
the signal post by means of chains e¹; f', jointed levers for imparting motion to
the alarm bells; g', counterbalance weight placed under the shaft b¹; j', knife
edges supporting the counterbalance g; k¹, movable rail, which, by its deflection,
bears on one extremity of balance 9¹. It will be understood that the shaft
will take this ascending motion from the deflection of rail on counter-
balance g'. The shaft b' coming in contact with the jointed levers f¹, which
in turn move the disc and work the alarm bells of the signal post and station
to indicate the arrival of a train. When a train passes over this apparatus it
turns the disc and sounds the bell, or if another train is on the same line of
rails, the roller c' will be raised vertically, and the alarm bell sounded, but the
disc will not be changed in position, the turning of the disc only taking
place when the signalman shall have returned the disc to its position for
indicating an open line by means of the hand lever.
"Controlling signal post without additional wires for single wire signal
posts." The improved controlling or return signal post herein-after described
is adapted only for those posts having two wires.
The apparatus represented at Sheet 2 shows a method of applying the
signals to posts with single wires. a, return signal post; b, pivot, on which
rests the signal indicator; c, iron rods for strengthening the apparatus ;
d, excentric keyed on the signal post; e, small chain wound on the excentric,
and attached to the single wire which works the signal; f, alarm apparatus
hercin-before described; g, hand lever working the wires for turning the disc,
and returning it to its position for indicating an open line when a train has
passed; h, sector on which the hand lever works; i, wheel on which the wire
is wound;, principal signal post; k, helically grooved pulley mounted on the
signal post; 7, counterbalance weight placed at one end of the wire, and
returning the disc by its weight to a position for "open line" when acted
upon by the signalman. Thus, in this improved apparatus the train turns the
disc in a self-acting manner during its passage, and acts upon the two signal
and controlling dises; but when it is required to place the disc at "open line,"
it is necessary, in order to work the signal, to place the lever g in the position g¹
for the purpose of returning it to position g₁, which latter return movement
will move the controlling signal post, as desired.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th March 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Clark, my 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RAILWAY SIGNAL APPARATUS," a communication from Messrs. Leon
Jucqueau and Auguste Desgoffe, Civil Engineers, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin,
Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):―
This Invention relates to apparatus intended for insuring the safe passage of
trains on railways. These apparatus are caused to indicate that a line is
closed or occupied by the passage of the train. They are then moved to the
position indicating an open or clear line by an attendant.
These apparatus are three in number, and may be employed either separately
or in combination, viz.:-1st, the self-acting signal post; 2ndly, the self-acting
apparatus for the alarm bells; 3rdly, the controlling signal posts.

page_text: 1st, self-acting signal post.-Fig. 1 represents a side view of a self-acting
signal post; and Fig. 2, a front view of the same; in the latter Fig. the alarm
bell apparatus and controlling disc are shown; which will be herein-after
described. a, wood support or foundation of the shaft or pillar b; this shaft
carries a disc o, a part of which only is shown, it is further furnished with a
lantern n, chains m, and pullies 1 & k, for raising and lowering the lantern for
night service. 9, 9, stationary cam fixed to the post a, having two helicoidal
guides, in which is held a truck roller h, whose axis is fixed to the post 6; this
guide causes the post to turn a quarter of a revolution in order to produce the
desired indications; i, pulley mounted on the lower part of shaft b, on which
are wound the chains which serve for returning the post to the signal of "open
line;" c, strong iron lever resting on a fixed knife-edged fulcrum; f. movable
rail of particular form fixed to a chain, which rail lowers on the passage of a
train over it. Supposing the whole mounted, as illustrated in the Drawings,
it will easily understood, that if the rail f is depressed by the train it will rock
the lever c, which will tend to raise the post 6, but the truck roller h running
in the guide will cause the post to turn and indicate a "closed line;" this
movement may be transmitted to controlling signal posts. When the train
has passed the station, an attendant returns the disc the signal of "open
line" by means of a hand lever and chains gearing on pulley i. Instead of
the peculiar form of movable rail f, one of the usual form may be employed,
as at e', Fig. 3. The ordinary flexure of the rail between two chairs by this
arrangement is sufficient to cause the movement required. At stations where
there is no night attendance, the disc may be returned automatically to the
signal "open line" by means of a counterbalance, which is raised by the
passage of a train.
2ndly, special alarm bell apparatus.-For the purpose of insuring greater
security an alarm apparatus is employed, which automatically indicates to the
guard of the train if he is on a "closed line;" this forms an accessory to the
signal post herein-before described; it may, however, be applied to any other
kind of signal apparatus. It is represented in front view, Fig. 3, and side
view at Fig. 3 bis. In Fig. 2 the alarm bell and its details is shown as
applied to the improved self-acting signal post. x, fixed cam, similar to cam g
already described, having two spiral grooves, in which are held rollers similar
to the truck roller h above described. The rollers are fixed to uprights y, so
that they may be raised by the action of the lever c' on the passage of the
train on the rail e, shown in Fig. 3 bis in the manner above mentioned;
z, pulley, loose on shaft y'; it has at its upper part a crown corresponding, as

page_text: will be seen, to the guide of cam æ, so as to form a curvilinear triangle; the
wires for returning the apparatus to the signal for an "open line" turn round
this pulley b, which lever moves the alarm bell by means of wires when it
comes in contact with a block fixed to the uprights y. The whole being
mounted, as represented in the Drawing, a first train in passing turns a disc
to the signal "closed line," and brings the roller h, Fig. 3 of the apparatus,
into the angle at the left of the curvilinear triangle. If, however, notwith-
standing the signal, a second train attempts to pass on the same line, it causes
the roller to rise to the upper angle of the triangle, and in this ascensional
movement the levers 6¹ will strike the bell; by this means all the controlling
apparatus and those at the station will give the same indication; thus the
whole of the attendants are warned. When the train has passed, the roller h
falls again into the left angle, and it can never return to its initial position,
that is, to the right angle, unless the attendant has turned the signal disc so
as to indicate "open line."
3rdly, controlling or regulating signal post.-These posts are intended for
repeating the signals of the principal posts, and likewise for regulating their
indications. The signal posts are turned either by one or two wires actuated
by a lever. Ist, controller with two wires.-Fig. 4 represents a front view;
Fig. 5, plan of the motive pulley; and Fig. 6, a front view of the lever for
working the two wires. p is the post, properly so called, strengthened by an
arm r, r, and provided with a signal disc; t, alarm bell, the post turns on a
.socket or step g; s, lower pulley fixed to the controlling post, which the chains
1, 2, attached to the wires u & vencircle for working the disc. It will be
seen that by this arrangement the wire 1, for example, will act upon the
controller for indicating "open line," and wire 2 for indicating "closed line,"
in such manner that the controlling post will follow all the movements of the
principal post, of which it will be merely the repeater. 2ndly, controlling post
with single wire. Fig. 7 represents a portion of the apparatus in elevation,
provided with its controlling and alarm bell ; f¹, post or shaft, sustained by
means of struts h³, & turning in socket q¹; ¹, lower eccentric pulley fixed to
the post f¹,
on which is wound a chain j, attached by both ends to the wire of
disc n', wound on pulley o¹. In these posts the discs n¹ are returned to their
positions by a weight p¹; 1, motive lever, working and guided by a segment m¹.
In this arrangement when the train passes it "closes the line " by turning the
post, as also the controller post; at this time the lever of segment m¹ is at l¹.
For "open line," immediately the train has passed the attendant returns the
lever ¹ from in to the extreme point of the segment m', by which movement

page_text: the eccentric pulley i changes its position, and when the said lever is brought
back to 111, this pulley acts on the controlling post for returning it to the signal
of "open line."
Having described the nature of the nature of the Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention
to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent,-
First, the arrangement of self-acting signal post actuated by the flexure of
the rail, and causing it to rotate by means of a cam or slide g, & truck
roller h.
Secondly, the apparatus as particularly described for working the alarm
bells, represented at Figs. 3 and 3 bis of the Drawings annexed.
Thirdly, the mechanical arrangements for working the controlling posts
with one or two wires, as above described, and also the lever for effecting the
return of the said posts to their original positions.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
W. G. E. SWINNOCK,
53, Chancery Lane.
W. CLARK. (L.B.)