IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPERATING, OR ADJUSTING, AND SECURING RAILWAY SWITCHES, CROSSINGS, AND SIGNALS, OR PARTS CONNECTED THEREWITH.
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Stokes Williams, of Riverton, New Jersey,
United States of America, now of 8, Southampton Buildings, London, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OPERATING, OR ADJUSTING,
AND SECURING RAILWAY SWITCHES, CROSSINGS, AND SIGNALS, OR PARTS
CONNECTED THEREWITH.'
"
Sealed the 12th March 1880, and dated the 24th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Stokes Williams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th December 1879.
JOSEPH STOKES WILLIAMS, of Riverton, New Jersey, United States of America,
now of 8, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
OPERATING, OR ADJUSTING, AND SECURING RAILWAY SWITCHES, CROSSINGS, AND
SIGNALS, OR PARTS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
apparatus for ensuring the proper working of railway switches, crossings, and
signals, and is designed to provide apparatus with which it will be impossible to
give conflicting signals, that is to say, the signals cannot be set to indicate positions
contrary to the actual position of the switches or crossings with which the said
signals are connected.
The said Invention consists partly in the novel construction and arrangement
of levers, as hereinafter described, and partly in the combination with such levers
of moving or adjusting parts, such as bolts, bars, rods, plates, cams, cranks, rocking
shafts, or similar devices arranged and operating in such a manner as to prevent
any improper or incorrect movement or adjustment of the said levers or other
moving parts of the signal or switch apparatus, that is to say, for instance, in a
set or low of levers for operating a series of signals connected with a series of
switches or crossings, each of which governs or is governed by the position of the
others of the series; the said levers and bolts or other locking devices are arranged
to operate in such a manner that any desired number of levers will be so interlocked
as to prevent the movement necessary to give conflicting signals or signals to
indicate falsely or incorrectly the position of any of the said switches or crossings.
The said Invention comprises a novel contrivance wherein I employ a lever
arranged to operate in a peculiar manner for locking and releasing the movable
Dine fd

page_text: parts with which it is connected. This lever is placed at the side of a plate or sector,
on which I form or fix a projection or projections forming a portion or portions of
a circle partially surrounding the centre from which the said projections are struck.
The upper surfaces of these projections are bevelled or inclined. The said lever
has pivotted to it two links or bars, one on each side; these links or bars are
pivotted to the said plate or sector at the centre of the aforesaid projections by a
pin or bolt secured in the said plate. The said links or bars extend below or at a
right angle to this centre or pivot, and their extremities serve for the attachment
of a chain or rod to be connected to a switch, signal, crossing rod, or other moving
part.
When there are two of the said projections the lower extremity of the aforesaid
lever terminates in a curved part somewhat forked shaped, and provided with two
laterally projecting studs or shoulders. These studs or shoulders when the said
lever is in its central position are about equidistant from the centre or pivot of
the said bars or links and near the inner side of the curved projections; but when
the said lever is moved to the full extent or limit of its travel on either side of its
central position, one of the said studs or shoulders will be raised above the pro-
jection and will rest on the upper inclined surface of the same. The said lever is
connected by a link or rod with the locking bar of the interlocking levers, and the
Intter may be so arranged in combination with the above described main lever and
other parts that when the said stud or shoulder of the lever is resting on the said
projection none of the said interlocking levers can be moved, and while in this
position any strain exerted upon the chain, rod, or other connection at the lower
end of the aforesaid links will be ineffectual. In combination with the above
described devices I may provide the said lever with the ordinary spring catch.
I may modify my improved locking mechanism and accomplish the same result as
follows, that is to say :-I dispense with the curved projection or projections on
the side of the plate or sector, and provide the main lever with a roller arranged
to run upon the curved upper or outer edge of the sector. This roller is preferably
mounted upon an arm projecting from the said lever, so that when the latter moves
on the pivot whereby it is connected to the said links the roller will be raised or
lowered. The latter is provided with one or more recesses, into which when the
said lever is moved to either side of its central position the said roller will drop
and effect the locking. The lower end of the said lever is preferably made hook
shaped, or is otherwise formed to engage with the pivot or bolt of the links
or bars at the time when the said roller is raised out of a recess or notch, and this
bolt or pivot then forms the fulcrum around which the said lever is moved.
My Invention also comprises a novel device for a compound lever, which is
especially applicable for the working of distant signals or movable parts that
require the exertion of great force to operate or adjust them, and also for operating
or adjusting movable parts, such as switches, at considerable distance from the said
lever, or a series of switches connected with the same lever. It may also be advan-
tageously used in combination with shifting pieces at crossings where the crossing
line extends on both sides of the line to be crossed, for instance, in a cross over road
or through crossing.
This part of my Invention consists in combining with the lever ordinarily used
for operating switches, signals, or other movable parts on a railway an auxiliary
lever thereby forming a compound lever as follows, that is to say:-I arrange the
fulcrum of the said auxiliary lever at the centre of the travel of the main lever,
and secure the pivot or pin which forms this fulcrum to the ordinary floor plate or
quadrant or to any other convenient support; I fix on the said main lever a segment
or curved piece with teeth or notches thereon. The said auxiliary lever is provided
with two pawls whereby it engages with the said segment, and when moved
in either direction effects the movement of the main lever without great
exertion by the operator. I also arrange in combination with the said levers and
pawls tripping mechanism consisting of two pivotted arms, one of which extends
upward and is provided with a T-piece or cross-bar arranged to act on the said

page_text: pawls, and raise above the surface of the said segment the pawl which is to be
disengaged therefrom while the other pawl falls into engagement with the said
T-piece. The lower arm of the said tripping mechanism is arranged to engage
with stops at or near the two extremities of the range of movement or travel of
the main lever, and these stops acting on the said lower arm effect the adjustment
of the upper arm or T-piece of the said tripping mechanism into the proper position
to offer resistance to the pawls, as above specified. This tripping mechanism may
be modified in any suitable manner, so as to offer obstruction to the said pawls at
the desired times.
And I may further modify this part of my Invention by substituting for the
above described auxiliary lever and its adjuncts a curved rack fixed on the main
lever and geared with a toothed pinion on the shaft of a hand wheel or windlass,
by turning which the said main lever will be operated or adjusted as required in
either direction.

page_text: trolled by all of the other levers. The levers Nos. 6, 7, and 8, connected with the down
starting signal, the down home signal, and the down distant signal respectively, are
controlled by the lever No. 5. This relative working of the said levers is effected in the
following manner, that is to say:-Each lever a is arranged to slide through a sector
or quadrant b, or at one side of the same, and the said lever terminates at its lower
extremity in a curved part a¹ somewhat fork-shaped, and provided with two
laterally projecting studs or shoulders a². This forked end of the said lever is
arranged in connection with pieces c rigidly attached to the cross bars d of the
framing, the curved inner faces of the pieces c forming portions of a circle partially
surrounding the centre from which such curved faces are struck. The upper surfaces
c of these projecting pieces c are bevelled or inclined as shewn. The lever a has
pivotted to it at e* two links or bars e, one on each side; these links or bars e are
pivotted at the centre of the aforesaid curved pieces c by a pin or bolt e² secured in
the framing of the apparatus, and the said links or bars extend below or at a right
angle to this centre or pivot, and their extremities serve for the attachment of a
chain or rod to be connected to a switch or a shifting piece at the crossing, or both,
or to the signal or other part to be adjusted. The studs or shoulders a³, when the
said lever is in its central position, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2, are
equidistant, or nearly so, from the centre or pivot e' of the bars or links e, and
adjacent to the inner curved faces of the pieces c; but when the said lever is moved
to the full extent or limit of its travel on either side of its central position one of
the said studs or shoulders a³ will be raised above one of the pieces c, and will rest
on the upper inclined surface c³ of the same.
To each of the levers of the series is attached through the link f¹ a sliding bar f
or rocking shaft, so that immediately one of the levers a is moved the sliding bar f
or rocking shaft in connection therewith is caused to change its position, and in
such change offer obstruction to the adjustment of the sliding bars g controlling the
movement of other levers of the series, and until the said lever is fully adjusted to
secure the locking or unlocking of other levers of the series or parts in connection
therewith. The said lever is connected by a rod with the locking bar of the
interlocking levers, and the latter may be so arranged in combination with the said
lever and other parts that when a stud or shoulder a² is resting on the piece c none
of the said interlocking levers can be moved, and while in this position any strain
exerted upon the chain, rod, or other connection at the lower end of the links e
will be ineffectual. In combination with the above described devices I may
provide the said lever with the ordinary spring catch, as shown. Instead of
forming the lower end of the lever as shewn I may in some cases form the same
with only one extension and one projection, arranged in connection with a single
curved piece c instead of two, and in some cases the lever may be provided with
lateral extensions or shoulders a² on both sides of the same instead of on one side
only as in Figure 2, and be arranged in connection with four curved pieces c, the main
portion of the lower extremity of the lever working through the space between
each pair of the said curved pieces.
In Figure 3 I have shewn mechanism whereby I can accomplish the same result
as follows, that is to say I dispense with the curved piece or pieces c, and provide
the lever a with rollers h arranged to run upon the curved upper or outer edge of
the sector i. These rollers are preferably mounted upon an arm h¹ projecting
from the said lever, so that when the latter moves on the pivot e*, whereby it is
connected to the links e, one of the rollers will be raised or lowered out of or into
one or the other of the two notches in the said quadrant. When the said lever
is moved to either side of its central position one of the said rollers will drop into
its recess and effect the locking. The lower end of the lever is preferably made
hook shaped, as shewn, or is otherwise formed to engage with the pivot or bolt e¹
of the links or bars e when one of the said rollers enters a recess or notch. The
sliding bars or rocking shafts are preferably connected with the said lever above
the aforesaid sector or quadrant.
My Invention also comprises a compound lever, which is especially applicable for

page_text: the working of distant signals or movable parts that require the exertion of great
force to operate or adjust them, and also for operating or adjusting movable parts,
such as switches, at considerable distance from the said lever, or a series of switches
connected with the same lever. It may also be advantageously used in combi-
nation with shifting pieces at crossings where the crossing line extends on both
sides of the line to be crossed, for instance, in a cross-over road or through
crossing.
This part of my Invention is illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the Drawings,
and consists in combining with the lever a, ordinarily used for operating switches,
signals, or other movable parts on a railway, an auxiliary lever j, thereby forming
a compound lever as follows, that is to say -I arrange the fulcrum j¹ of the said
auxiliary lever ) at or near the centre of the travel of the main lever, and secure
the pivot or pin which forms this fulcrum to the ordinary floor plate or to the
quadrant, as shewn, or to any other convenient support. I fix on the lever a a
segment or curved piece k, having projections ¹, or the said segment may have
ratchet teeth or notches thereon. The said auxiliary lever ; has to be pulled over
j
twice to effect the full movement or adjustment of the main lever. For this purpose
the said auxiliary lever is provided with two pawls 7, ³, whereby it engages with
the said segment, and when moved to its full distance in either direction effects one
half of the movement of the main lever a without great exertion by the operator.
In order to ensure the proper action of the pawls,³, on the segment to effect the
adjustment of the lever a in either direction I arrange in combination with the said
segment and pawls tripping mechanism consisting of two pivotted arms l,l. When
the levers are in the position shewn in Figure 4, and the lever a is to be moved
over to the other end of the quadrant, the operator pulls over the lever j to its full
distance, the pawl 22 engaging with the projection until the main lever comes to
its central position. He then returns the lever j to the position shewn. The arm 7,
which extends upward and is T-shaped, or provided with a T-piece or cross-bar,
allows the pawls to pass over it in this return movement of the lever j, but when
this lever is pulled forward the said T-piece offers obstruction to one of the pawls
to effect the second half of the movement of the lever a. The lower arm of the said
tripping mechanism is arranged to engage with stops b¹, b', at or near the two
extremitics of the range of movement or travel of the main lever a, and these stops
acting on the lower arm l' effect the adjustment of the upper arm or T-piece 7 of
the said tripping mechanism into the proper position to offer resistance to one or
the other of the pawls alternately, so that the lever a may be readily adjusted in
either direction as desired. This tripping mechanism may be modified in any
suitable manner so as to offer obstruction to one or the other of the said pawls at
the desired times.
And I may further modify this part of my Invention, as shewn in Figure 7, by
substituting for the above described auxiliary lever and its adjuncts a curved
rack m fixed on the lever a, and geared with a toothed pinion n on the shaft n¹ of
a hand wheel or windlass o. By turning the latter the said main lever will be
operated or adjusted as required in either direction. Furthermore, in some cases,
instead of arranging the said windlass or hand wheel upon the shaft n¹, upon
which the pinion n is fixed, I may arrange the same upon a separate shaft, and
impart movement to the said pinion n through any suitable train of gearing so as
to further facilitate the adjustment of the lever as desired.
Any or all of the parts of the mechanism hereinbefore described may be combined
and arranged to operate in connection with the switches, crossings, and signals,
shewn in Figure 1. In this Figure a°, a°, are the main line rails; 6º, 6º, are the
crossing rails; co do, are the switches; and e°, eo, are the shifting pieces at the
crossing where the crossing line extends on both sides of the line to be crossed;
fo represents a switch of the ordinary construction. The parts numbered from 1 to
8 indicate the parts which are operated by the correspondingly numbered levers in
Figure 4, as hereinbefore explained.
The compound lever or means for facilitating the adjustment of the parts in

page_text: connection with any desired lever or series of levers in a system of interlocking
apparatus may be advantageously employed in connection with a cross over road,
such as that shewn in Figure 1, for transferring vehicles from one main line to
another, in the construction of which road switches c, d, combined with the shifting
pieces e at the crossing are employed, or such compound levers may be employed
for facilitating the adjustment of the shifting pieces e at the crossing, combined
with switches of the ordinary construction, such as that shewn at fo, or for the
adjustment of the switches alone, or the movable parts employed in through
crossings or other forms of crossing lines. The parts operated by the said compound
lever are in all cases so combined with the series of levers and moving parts of the
system as to prevent any improper movement of the same.
the
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The apparatus comprising the lever, pronged or fork-shaped at its extremity,
which is provided with shoulders, studs, or projections arranged in combination
with fixed pieces, between which is placed the fulcrum of bars or links whereto the
said lever is pivotted in such a manner that the latter will be secured or locked
when one of the studs or projections is raised upon the fixed piece on either side of
the said lever, all substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
Drawings and for the purposes specified.
Second. The employment in railway interlocking apparatus of a fork ended lever
provided with a roller or rollers arranged to engage with a recess or recesses in a
sector or quadrant, and combined with links or bars, substantially as described
with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings and for the purposes
specified.
Third. The combination of mechanism for facilitating the adjustment of a lever
and its connections with railway interlocking apparatus, substantially as described
with reference to Figures 4 to 6 or to Figure 7 of the Drawings, and for the
purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Stokes Williams, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty third day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JO. S. WILLIAMS. (L.S)

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