Improvements in Railway Signalling.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 8th Dec., 1894
TRUVIDIONAL DICITICATION.
.Improvements in Railway Signalling.
CHARLES JAMES NICHOLSON, of 7 Northumberland Street Higher Broughton
Salford Lancashire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
An improved method of interlocking railway signal and point levers and block
telegraph instruments so that after a train has been set across from one line to
another or passed from a siding to the main line and the points have been restored
to their normal position the signals protecting the train remain locked and at the
same time the block telegraph instruments are so affected that "Train on line" or
its equivalent is indicated on them and the lever in the box in the rear working
the signal controlling the departure of trains in the direction of the obstruction is
electrically locked.
This object is attained by providing in connection with each lever required to be
locked a hooked catch centered on a pin conveniently fixed behind the lever.
These hooked catches are connected in groups to rods so that when a rod is moved
all the catches connected to it move also and lock or unlock the levers as required,
usually the catches to lock the levers working the points and signals on the side
up
are connected to one rod and those to lock the levers working the points and signals
on the down side are connected to another.
In connection with the lever working the cross-over road points a hooked catch
is provided which is centered on a pin fixed in a casting through which a spindle
passes with lever arms fixed on each end of it and these arms when the spindle is
turned engage the hooked catch so as to lock or unlock the lever and are so
arranged that whether the handle fixed on the spindle is turned from the vertical
position to the right hand or to the left the lever is unlocked.
Passing through the same casting and parallel to and at each side of the aforesaid
spindle are two other spindles with handles so fixed on one end of each of them
that when the handle of the middle spindle is moved from its normal (vertical)
position it pushes against one or other of the outer handles and causes it to move.
On the other end of each of these spindles is a short arm connected to one
of the rods working the catches locking the levers described above. The two
outer spindles are covered with an insulating material on which are fitted metal
contacts to which the line and battery wires of the block telegraph instruments are
attached thus forming commutators.
An electro-magnetic lock is fixed in the box in the rear which engages a notched
tappet attached to the lever of the home or starting or advanced starting signal as
the case may be.
The line and battery wires are connected to this magnet so that when "Line
clear" is given from the box in advance the lever is unlocked, the tappet is notched
so that if the signalman fails to put the lever back in its proper position he is
still prevented from lowering his signal again until it is released from the box in
advance although he can restore the lever to its normal position.
From the foregoing description it will readily be understood that before either
the cross-over road or siding points can be moved the levers must be unlocked
which causes the home signal levers to become and remain locked and also causes
"Train on line
or its equivalent to be shewn on the dials of the block instruments
and thus prevents "Line clear" being given to the box in rear and thereby renders

page_text: it impossible for the signalman in that box to lower the signal admitting a train
into the section in advance.
In the alternative the two outside spindles in the switch box may operate locking
known as tappet locking to lock the required levers instead of operating the hooked
catches described or the levers may be locked by electric locks connected to the
commutators before described so that when one of the spindles is turned all the
electric locks connected up to it are operated.
Dated this 27th day of January 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Signalling.
I, CHARLES JAMES NICHOLSON of 7 Northumberland Street Higher Broughton
Salford Lancashire Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying
drawings:-
My invention relates to railway signalling and has for its chief object increased
safety in working the outdoor signals on a railway both by themselves and also in
conjunction with the electric signals commonly known as Block Telegraph signals.
My invention is so designed that before a signalman can move the points of a
cross-over-road for a train or engine to cross from one line to another, or move the
points of a siding connection with the main line he must lock the home signals
protecting such cross-over-road or siding connection and these signals will
remain locked after the signalman has restored the point levers to their normal
position and until by a positive and determined action he operates the special locking
apparatus.
This apparatus may be connected to the block instruments so that when the
points of a cross-over-road or of a siding connection are moved the indicator of the
block instrument in the signal box in rear of that containing the point levers worked
will be placed at "Train on line" (or its equivalent) position and cannot be altered
by moving the commutator of the sending block instrument.
To ensure further safety and to prevent a signalman lowering his starting signal
to allow a train to go forward into a blocked section an electric lock is attached to
this sigual and it is locked in its normal "on" position except when the indicator
of the block instrument worked from the signal box in advance stands at "Line
clear" (or its equivalent) position.
The apparatus can also be used to protect a train standing at a starting or
advanced starting signal and liable to be forgotten.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will describe the
arrangement with reference to the attached drawings.
Sheet 1. Fig. 1. Front view of apparatus for locking cross-over-road point lever
& spindles connected to other locking catches.
Fig. 2. Plan of ditto (one half in horizontal section).
Fig. 3. Vertical section of ditto through middle.
Fig. 4. Front view of bottom clip fixed to support U from floor of signal box.
Fig. 5. End view of ditto.
Fig. 6. Front view of locking catch for signal or point lever (part in section).
Fig. 6. Section of carrier for connecting rod "P."
Fig. 7. Plan of locking catch for signal or point lever.
Fig. 8. Vertical section of ditto.
Fig. 9. Plan around commutator barrels.
Fig. 10. Cover plate shewing metal contacts H and terminals.

page_text: 9. Spring catch on c.
Figs. 1 to 5 shew the apparatus fixed convenient to and bebind the lever "A"
working the cross-over-road points and suitably supported at the determined height
from the floor of the signal box; through the main casting "B" three
spindles "C" "D1" & "D2" pass, fixed on the front end of each is a handle or
lever and on the back of each a lever arm.
The lever arm at the back end of the centre spindle is connected to a
lever arm on the back of the hooked catch "E" which also passes through the
main casting "B" in the same vertical plane parallel to and below the spindle "C"
this hooked catch in its normal position engages the cross-over point lever "A" and
is turned clear of it by causing the spindle "C" to rotate either to the right or to
the left.
Convenient to each of the signal or point levers desired to be locked or unlocked
booked catches "FF" (Figs. VI to IX) with lever arms on the back end of
each "ff" are fixed, these lever arms are connected by rods "P1 P2" to each other.
and to the lever arms "d' d2" on the back ends of the spindles "D¹ D²," those
on the "Up" side being connected to the spindle on the "Up" side and those on
the "Down" side to the spindle on the "Down" side so that when either the
spindle "D' or D2" is rotated all the hooked catches connected to it are also rotated.
Whenever handle "c" fixed on the centre spindle "C" is moved to the right or
to the left it presses against either the handle "R¹ or R2" fixed on the spindle "D'
or D2" thus the action of unlocking the cross-over-road point lever locks the
"Home" signal levers on either the up or down side; the hooked catches in
connection with the siding connection point levers are set normally in the locking
position and those in connection with the home signals protecting the siding
connections are set in the opposite position so that unlocking the siding connection
point levers locks the home signal levers protecting them.

page_text: The spindles "D¹ D'" (Figs. I to III) are covered with insulating sleeves "G"
and fitted with metal strips Fig. IX to which by means of the contacts "H" are
connected the line and battery wires of the block instruments and so arranged
that when the spindle "D' or D2" is rotated contact is made with the line wire
and the needle of the block instrument in the signal box in rear is turned to
"Train on line" (or its equivalent) position and remains so until the signalman in
the operating box restores the spindle to its normal position.
Figs. XII to XIV shew the method of electrically locking the starting or advanced
starting signal lever in the signal box in the rear.
The notched tappet "I" is attached to some convenient part of the signal lever
and engages an armature "K" operated by an electro-magnet "L."
The line wire of the block instrument is connected to a polarized relay so when
that when "Line clear" is given on the block instrument a current passes through
the relay coils bringing into action a local battery which passes through the
electro-magnet and the armature is lifted thus leaving the tappet free to move when
the signal lever is pulled over. When the circuit is broken or a reverse current
sent through the relay the armature of the electro-magnet drops but the signal
lever owing to the tappet being notched as shewn can at any time be restored to
its normal position.
A modification of the above described method of interlocking the signal and
point levers would be for the lever arms on the back ends of the spindles "D' D²"
to be connected to and operate any system of point and signal interlocking as shewn
in Fig. XI where "M are rods connected to bell cranks "N" which operate
locking in the locking box; or an electro magnetic lock as described above might
Le fitted to each signal & point lever required to be locked and the line wire
connected to each so that when one of the spindles "D¹ or D'" is moved the
required levers are locked or unlocked as the case may be.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The arrangements of parts in connection with the locking and unlocking of
signal and point levers substantially as described and for the purpose set forth and
indicated.
2nd. The combination of the hooked catches "E F," the spindles "C, D¹, Da"
and lever arms fixed on them, the connecting rods "Pp2" and the ordinary signal
and point levers substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. The combination of parts consisting of the hooked catch "E" the
spindles "C, D' & D2" and lever arms attached thereto, the connecting rods "M"
and the usual interlocking fitted to the signal and point levers desired to be locked
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
4th. The arrangement of the several parts described so that when the cross-
over-road points or siding connection points are opened the levers of the home
signals protecting such points will become locked substantially as set forth and
specified.
5th. The arrangement of the several parts described so that after the cross-
over-road or siding connection points have been worked and the point lever has
been restored to its normal position the signalman before he can work one of the
locked signal levers must restore the apparatus to its normal position as described
and set forth.
6th. The arrangement for connecting the wires of the block telegraph, instru-
ments to the apparatus for interlocking the signal and point levers substantially as
described and set forth.
7th. The combination of parts forming the electro-magnetic lock (Figs. XII
to XIV) and consisting of the notched tappet "1" connected to a signal lever the
armature "K" and the electro-magnet "L" connected to the block telegraph
wires substantially as described and for the purpose set forth and specified.

page_text: 8th. In railway signalling apparatus the combination of lever interlocking
arranged as described, the ordinary signal & point levers, the wires of the block
telegraph instruments and the electro-magnetic lock substantially as set forth and
described and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 25th of October 1894
CHAS. J. NICHOLSON.