Improvements in and Apparatus for Railway Signalling.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Sept., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for Railway Signalling.
I, WILLIAM WYLIE MARLAND, of 12 Wall Street, Park Road, Oldham,
Brass Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for railway signalling and has for its object
to dispense with placing percussion caps or detonators on a line of rails over which
a train is passing in foggy weather with considerable risk to life and consists of
apparatus operated from the signal box whereby an audible signal may be given to
the driver of a passing train when it is impossible for him to see the ordinary
semaphore signal or coloured lights.
In carrying out my invention I employ a rod or shaft running transversely beneath
the rails of the permanent way which extends in close proximity to an upright post
outside the line of rails and is supported at either end by suitable bearings. This
rod or shaft is provided with a bell crank lever at the extremity nearest the post
and a lever arm between the line of rails which is weighted so as to always tend to
lie in a horizontal position. One arm of the bell crank lever is in communication
with the signal box or cabin by means of a chain or wire under the direct control
of the signal man whilst the free arm of the lever operates the striker of a gong or
bell affixed on the upright post.
This bell is provided with a suitable hammer or striker also affixed to the post
which is held away from the bell by a spring blade to prevent the sound of the
bell being deadened after the bell has been struck.
The lower extremity of the hammer or striker is hinged to the upper part by a
knuckle joint so that it shall fold when pressed in one direction but open out and
refuse to fold in the other direction in the ordinary manner.
The action of my improved apparatus is as follows: The wire communicating
with the signal box on being pulled over operates the transverse shaft aforesaid
causing it to turn in its bearings and so raise the free end of the bell crank lever
until it has passed the jointed extremity of the striker of the bell and has assumed
a vertical or almost vertical position, the lever arm in the permanent way being
similarly raised to the same position.
As soon as a train shall pass over the rails the projecting lever arm in the
permanent way will at once be pushed down by coming in contact with the under
part of the engine and the free end of the bell crank lever will be simultaneously
caused to push past the striker of the bell which when passed or released will
rebound and strike the bell or gong with considerable force and so give an audible
signal to the driver of the passing train.
Instead of the bell on the side of the permanent way I sometimes employ a lever
arrangement on the engine so arranged that on coming in contact with the lever
arm in the permanent way the same shall serve to sound a bell on the engine or
operate the steam whistle or give a visible signal.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1891.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for Railway Signalling.
I, WILLIAM WYLIE MARLAND, of 12 Wall Street, Park Road, Oldham,
Brass Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to apparatus for railway signalling and has for its object
to dispense with placing percussion caps or detonators on a line of rails over which
a train is passing in foggy weather with considerable risk to life and consists of
apparatus operated from the signal box whereby an audible signal may be given to
the driver of a passing train when it is impossible for him to see the ordinary
semaphore signal or coloured lights.
In carrying out my invention I employ a rod or shaft running transversely beneath
the rails of the permanent way which extends in close proximity to an upright post
outside the line of rails and is supported at either end by suitable bearings. This
rod or shaft is provided with a bell crank lever or its equivalent at the extremity
nearest the post and a lever arm between the line of rails which is weighted so as
to always tend to lie in a horizontal position. One arm of the bell crank lever
aforesaid is in communication with the signal box or cabin by means of a chain or
wire under the direct control of the signal man whilst the free arm of the lever
operates a gong or bell affixed on the upright post.
This bell is provided with a suitable hammer or striker also affixed to the post
which is held away from the bell by a spring blade to prevent the sound of the bell
being deadened after the bell has been struck.
The lower extremity of the hammer or striker is hinged to the upper part by a
knuckle joint so that it shall fold when pressed in one direction but open out and
refuse to fold in the other direction in the ordinary manner.
The action of my improved apparatus is as follows; The wire communicating
with the signal box on being pulled over operates the transverse shaft aforesaid
causing it to turn in its bearings and so raise the free end of the bell crank lever
until it has passed the jointed extremity of the striker of the bell and has assumed
a vertical or almost vertical position, the lever arm in the permanent way being
similarly raised to the same position.
As soon as a train shall pass over the rails the projecting lever arm in the
permanent way will at once be pushed down by coming in contact with a suitable
part of the engine and the free end of the bell crank lever will be simultaneously
caused to push past the striker of the bell which when passed or released will
rebound and strike the bell or gong with considerable force and so give an audible
signal to the driver of the passing train.
Instead of the bell on the side of the permanent way I sometimes employ a lever
arrangement on the engine so arranged that on coming in contact with the lever arm
in the permanent way the same shall serve to sound a bell on the engine or operate
the steam whistle or give a visible signal or I may combine both the indicating
arrangements.
And in order that my said invention may be more readily understood and carried
into practical effect I have hereunto annexed two sheets of drawings shewing the
best method with which I am acquainted for carrying out my invention and will
now proceed to describe the same with the assistance of the various figures and
letters of reference marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of so much of a locomotive and
permanent way as is needful to shew the application of my improvements thereto.
Figs. 3 and 4 are details of Figs. 1 and 2.
In carrying out my invention I employ a rod or shaft A running transversely
beneath the rail B of the permanent way which rod extends toward a post or

page_text: standard C. outside the line of rails. The shaft is mounted in suitable bearings.
A bell crank lever or as I prefer to carry it out a lever D and pulley or sheave E
is mounted on the end of the shaft near the post and the lever D is so adjusted that
it operates a bell as hereinafter described. At the other end of the shaft A is a
lever arm F adjusted to lie near the rails and weighted with a weight G so as to
naturally assume a horizontal position. The sheave E is in communication with the
signal box or cabin by means of the chain or wire H so that the signal man in the
cabin by pulling up the wire H raises the arm and weights F-G into the position
shewn in the drawing and with it the lever D and so sets it for operating the
striker I as hereinafter described. This operation is effected by the lower extremity
of the hammer or striker I having a knuckle joint J so that it can fold and allow
the lever to pass on being raised but drives the hammer when moving in the
opposite direction.
Instead of or in conjunction with the herein before described arrangement I may
employ a lever arrangement on the locomotive to sound a bell or operate a whistle
on the same and I have shewn the double arrangement in the drawing although it
must be understood that either arrangemnt can be used separate. The device
consists of a lever 1 pivoted at 2 connecting rod 3 spring 4 pulley and chain 5
connected to a whistle 6. It will be apparent that if a projection is fixed on the
permanent way to strike the lever 1 it will operate the whistle 6 and if the
projection is the arm and weights F-G herein before described both the gong and
whistle will be operated simultaneously. A supplementary set of levers 7, 8, 9
rocking shaft 10 and lever 11 are provided to enable the same action to be
performed when the engine is turned round and running tender first as will be
readily understood by those conversant with railway work.
Description of the action. The parts shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 are in the position
they would occupy for signalling that is the lever and weight F-G have been
pulled up by the signalman and the lever D is "latched behind the knuckle
joint J. The advance of the engine in the direction of the arrow brings the lever 1
into contact with F-G and forces F-G down into the dotted position seen in
Figs. 1-5 so sounding the gong and operating the levers on the engine and
operating the steam whistle 6. In case the lever and weight F-G should be
pushed over in the direction of the arrow by the train running back they may be
raised by the supplementary wire H', an additional lever being provided in the
signal cabin for operating same. In operating the wires the levers in the cabin
after being "pulled over and the lever F raised beyond the knuckle joint are
allowed to go back to their normal positions shewn dotted.
"
If needful an indicator and gong K may be erected in the cabin to give a visible
and audible signal in unison with the main gong for the purpose a separate signal
wire L connected with the pull-on wire H is led up to the indicator K.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The improved apparatus for railway signalling mounted and operating
substantially as herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing.
Dated this 1st day of Sentember 1802
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.