IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Judge, of Bishop Auckland, in the County of
Durham, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALLING ON
RAILWAYS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Judge at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the Sth July 1876.
"IM-
JAMES JUDGE, of Bishop Auckland, in the County of Durham, Engineer.
PROVEMENTS IN SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN
CONNECTION THEREWITH."
This Invention consists in certain arrangements for signalling on railways
whereby the present system of semaphore signalling is rendered more certain and
secure, and the use of fog signals dispensed with.
"
According to this Invention a crank is attached to the ordinary distance signal
post, and one arm of which crank is connected by a rod or other suitable means to
the lever balance. To the other arm of the crank a wire is attached, the other
end of which wire is connected to a crank carried by a rod or bar which works in
suitable bearings between the two rails of the line. This bar carries a lever or
plate of metal, which is capable of being raised or lowered thereby, and which is
supported in its position when so raised by a chair" having a suitable bearing
thereon, and which is fixed to one of the sleepers. The bar or rod is placed in
advance of the ordinary distance signal, and the lever or plate attached thereto is
about midway between the two rails, and upon the signal being raised to danger
the lever or plate is also raised, so that should a train pass at the time it strikes
against and acts upon a trigger or lever carried by the engine and connected with
the whistle, which is thereupon blown.
In order to counteract the effects of the contraction and expansion of the wire
used for signalling purposes from atmospheric influences it is passed over a crank
formed on the end of a bar or rod which works in suitable bearings, and upon which
a small cog wheel is fixed, and which small cog wheel works into the teeth of a
larger cog wheel about twelve times the diameter of the smaller cog wheel, and
which larger cog wheel is mounted upon an axle working in suitable bearings, and
upon which also are placed two small drums of about one fourth the diameter of
the larger cog wheel, the whole being placed in a suitable case. To one of the
drums one end of a piece of wire one twelfth the length of the signal wire is
[Price 4d.]

page_text: fixed, the other end being fixed to a suitable place and stretched quite tight, the
other drum having a rope or chain with a balance weight attached to it. The
action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the wire attached to the drum con-
tracts or expands it causes the drum, and consequently the larger cog wheel, to
partially rotate, and the latter, acting upon the smaller cog wheel, causes the crank
and with it the signal wire to be raised or lowered, thus compensating for any ex-
pansion or contraction that may occur.
When it is desired to act upon the trigger or lever on the engine where there is
no signal, as in the case of a train breaking down or the permanent way being
under repair, a lever or plate, such as is herein-before described as in connection
with the rod or lever, but quite rigid, is fixed to the centre of a sleeper by means
of suitable clamps, so that when an engine passes the whistle is acted upon as
herein-before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said James Judge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th December 1876.
JAMES JUDGE, of Bishop Auckland, in the County of Durham, Engineer. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN
CONNECTION THEREWITH.”
This Invention consists in certain arrangements for signalling on railways
whereby the present system of semaphore signalling is rendered more certain and
secure, and the use of fog signals dispensed with.
According to this Invention a crank is attached to the ordinary distance signal
post, and one arm of which crank is connected by a rod or other suitable means to
the lever balance. To the other arm of the crank a wire is attached, the other end
of which wire is connected to a crank carried by a rod or bar which works in suit-
able bearings between the two rails of the line. This bar carries a lever or plate
of metal, which is capable of being raised or lowered thereby, and which is sup-
ported in its position when so raised by a "chair" having a suitable bearing thereon,
and which is fixed to one of the sleepers. The bar or rod is placed in advance of
the ordinary distance signal, and the lever or plate attached thereto is about mid-
way between the two rails, and upon the signal being raised to danger the lever or
plate is also raised, so that should a train pass at the time it strikes against and
acts upon a trigger or lever carried by the engine and connected with the whistle,
which is thereupon blown.
In order to counteract the effects of the contraction and expansion of the wire
used for signalling purposes from atmospheric influences it is passed over a crank
formed on the end of a bar or rod which works in suitable bearings, and upon
which a small cog wheel is fixed, and which small cog wheel works into the teeth
of a larger cog wheel about twelve times the diameter of the smaller cog wheel, and
which larger cog wheel is mounted upon an axle working in suitable bearings, and
upon which also are placed two small drums of about one fourth the diameter of
the larger cog wheel, the whole being placed in a suitable case. To one of the
druins one end of a piece of wire one twelfth the length of the signal wire is fixed,
the other end being fixed to a suitable place and stretched quite tight, the other
drum having a rope or chain with a balance weight attached to it. The action of
this apparatus is as follows:-
When the wire attached to the drum contracts or expands it causes the drums,
and consequently the larger cog wheel, to partially rotate, and the latter, acting
upon the smaller cog wheel, causes the crank and with it the signal wire to be
raised or lowered, thus compensating for any expansion or contraction that may
occur.
When it is desired to act upon the trigger or lever on the engine where there is
no signal, as in the case of a train breaking down or the permanent way being
under repair, a lever or plate, such as is herein-before described as in connection

page_text: with the rod or lever, but quite rigid, is fixed to the centre of a sleeper by means
of suitable clamps, so that when an engine passes the whistle is acted upon as
herein-before described.
What I claim as my Invention is the use of apparatus, substantially as described,
which may be operated at intervals as a signal apparatus, or which may be applied
as a fixed signal apparatus, in such manner as by the use of suitable appliances
carried by the engine to convey a signal to the driver by sounding his whistle or
in any other convenient way, and the method, substantially as described, of com-
pensating for the effect of variations of temperature in long lengths of signal wire.
And I would have it understood as regards the last part of my Invention that
although I have for the sake of clearness and brevity described the ratio of two
wheels as twelve to one, and of drums as one fourth the diameter of a wheel, and the
adjusting wire as one twelfth the length of the signal wire, I mean these or such
proportions relatively one to the other as shall compensate for variations of tem-
perature as the proportions stated would do. And as regards the first part of my
Invention, although I have for brevity and clearness described the apparatus as
attached to the ordinary distance signal post, I do not confine my Invention to that
position when circumstances render another position more convenient, and although
have for brevity and clearness described the tappet arrangement as placed about
midway between the rails and attached to a sleeper, I do not confine my Invention
to that position, as it may be placed towards either side or without either rail so
long as all the signals are uniformly placed in such position as to operate the trigger
upon all engines fitted for that purpose, and although it may ordinarily be used
from a signal box by means of a wire, as described, I intend that disconnected fixed
signals shall be used in case of break down, or where it may be desirable to place
a continuous signal at any point on the line, such disconnected fixed signals being
merely a rigid bar attached in the proper position by any convenient arrangement
to the sleepers or otherwise.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Judge, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
JAMES JUDGE. (L.S.)