AN IMPROVED SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Entwistle, of Blackburn, in the County of
Lancaster, Wheelwright, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SIGNAL
FOR RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 18th April 1873, and dated the 21st October 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Entwistle at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st October 1872.
I, JOHN ENTWISTLE, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster,
Wheelwright, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of a self-acting signal for
denoting that a train is between two given points, and so warn the
drivers of other trains not to pass within such space until such train
shall have cleared the space or distance between the points, such points
being fixed where most convenient, as for instance, near to the entrance
to a station, the other point being a distance beyond the station.

page_text: "
I employ an ordinary signal standard carrying two arms, which work
on a stud or pin, and to which arms are attached two disc signals. To
one end of one of the arms is secured a projecting finger, against which
an upright or finger carried or operated by the passing engine bears,
pushing aside the finger on the signal arms, and bringing the same
outwards where they are securely held by a catch, and thus the line is
"blocked or scaled against another train until the signal is lowered,
which is done by the said upright or finger acting on a pendant finger
(supported by a pillar, and having counterbalance weight attached
thereto) connected by wire or chain and pulleys with the catch on the
signal arms, the said catch being raised by the pull of the connecting
wire, and the signal being by weight and pulley, or spring brought
to its original position, and the line is signalled clear or unobstructed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said John Entwistle in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st April 1873.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ENTWISTLE, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Wheelwright,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Entwistle, Her special licence that I, the
said John Entwistle, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Entwistle, 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 "AN IMPROVED Signal for Railways,” upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Entwistle, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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

page_text: 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 John Entwistle, 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 (that is to say) :—
This Invention relates to the construction of a self-acting signal for
denoting that a train is between two given points and so warn the
drivers of other trains not to pass within such space until such train
shall have cleared the space or distance between the points, such
points being fixed where most convenient, as for instance near to the
entrance to a station, the other point being at a distance beyond the
station.
I employ an ordinary signal standard carrying two arms which work
on a stud or pin, and to which arms are attached two disc signals. To
one end of one of the arms is secured a projecting finger against which
an upright or finger carried by the passing engines bears, pushing
aside the finger on the signal arms, and bringing the same out-
wards where they are securely held by a catch, and thus the line is
blocked or scaled against another train until the signal is lowered,
which is done by the said upright or finger acting on a pendant finger
(supported by a pillar and having counterbalance weight attached
thereto) connected by wire or chain and pulleys with the catch on
the signal arms, the said catch being raised by the pull of the con-
necting wire, and the signal being by weight and pulley or spring
brought to its original position, and the line is signalled clear or
unobstructed.
Such being the nature and object of this my said Invention I will
now describe the same in detail, and in order that the Invention may be
clearly understood I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings and
have marked the same with figures and letters of reference, the same
letter referring to the same part in the various views or figures, in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a signal constructed according to this Inven-
tion; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is an elevation with the signals
"on" or turned against the succeeding train.
A is a signal standard carrying two arms B, B, which work on a pin
or stud C, and to which arms are attached two disc signals D, D. To

page_text: one end of the arms is secured a projecting finger E, against which
an upright or finger F carried or operated by the passing engine
bears pushing aside the finger E on the signal arms, and bringing
the signal discs outwards where they are securely held by a catch G,
and thus the line is "blocked " or scaled against another train
until the signal is lowered, which is done by the upright or finger F
acting on a pendant finger 1 (supported or carried by a pillar J,
and having counterbalance weight K attached thereto) connected
by a wire or chain L, and pulleys M and N, with the catch G, on
the signal arms, the said catch being raised by the pull of the connecting
wire, and the signal being by weight and pulley P (or by a spring)
brought to its original position and the line is signalled clear or un-
obstructed. R is a bell attached to the arms B for the purpose of indi-
cating during fog or darkness when the engine is passing and operating
the signal. The finger on the engine is provided with a hinged joint T,
admitting the said finger to pass under the finger E without operating
the disc arms when the engine is reversed or returning during "shunting"
or other such requirement.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this my
Invention, I would have it understood that I claim as the construction and
arrangement of apparatus as and for the purpose herein fully described
and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Entwistle, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Seventeenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
JOHN ENTWISTLE. (L.S.)
Witness,
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Tasker & Brierley,
Patent Agents,
Halifax, Bradford, & Blackburn.