IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING UPON RAILWAYS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Large, of Melton Mowbray, in the
County of Leicester, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING UPON RAILWAYS."
i
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Large at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th October 1874.
I, THOMAS LARGE, of Melton Mowbray, in the County of Leicester,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Improvements
IN AP ARATUS FOR SIGNALLING UPON RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
My improvements are equally applicable to disc signals or semophore
signals. When applied to disc signals upon railways I attach at or near
the lower part of each disc rod a toothed bevel wheel above or below the
lower bearing, four or more pins project from the lower side of this
"

page_text: wheel and four or more radiating arms on the upper side. A similar
toothed wheel gears into the first wheel and is partly revolved by means
of one of a number of arms which are secured on the axle of the second
wheel, which is carried by suitable bearings. The axle is also provided
with a ratchet wheel stopped by a pawl, and has a suitable break
attached. Each disc rod is also provided with a loose plate above the
first bevel wheel, the plate carries a trigger lever. There is also a grooved
pulley above the plate; this pulley has one end of a weighted chain
attached to it, which passes over a second pulley. The arms on the axle
of the second bevel wheel are so arranged that the outer end of only one
projects above the line of rail, so that as an engine or break van
passes by the said arm is depressed by a rod, plate, or bracket carried
by such engine or break van. Such movement sets the disc against any
train following. Each signal is connected to the next in front and rear
by wires carried by pulleys.
When applied to semaphore signals the apparatus is similar, but the
toothed bevel wheel on the disc rod first named is dispensed with, and
the rod which operates the semaphore is provided with a link and lever
operated by one of a series of pins on one of two plates used instead of
the toothed wheels. In either case coloured lights are operated by the
same means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Large in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th April 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS 2
LARGE, of Melton Mowbray, in the County of Leicester, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty- 3
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Large, Her special licence,
that I, the said Thomas Large, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Large, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thercafter during the term
thercin expressed, should and lawfully might make, usc, excrcise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING UPON RAILWAYS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Large, 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 Great Scal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Large, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
forming a part of this Specification:-
My improvements are equally applicable to disc signals or semaphore
signals. When applied to disc signals upon railways I attach at or near
the lower part of cach disc rod a toothed bevel wheel above or below
the lower bearing, four or more pins project from the lower side of this
wheel, and four or more radiating arms on the upper side. A similar
toothed wheel gears into the first wheel and is partly revolved by means
of one of a number of arms which are secured on the axle of the second
wheel, which is carried by suitable bearings. The axle is also provided
with a ratchet wheel stopped by a pawl, and has a suitable break
attached. Each disc rod is also provided with a loose plate above the first
bevel wheel, the plate carries a trigger lever. There is also a grooved
pulley above the plate; this pulley has one end of a weighted chain
attached to it, which passes over a second pulley. The arms on the axle
of the second bevel whicel are so arranged that the outer end of only onc
projects above the line of rail, so that as-an engine or break van passes by
the said arm is depressed by a rod, plate, or bracket carried by such
engine or break van. Such movement sets the disc against any train.
following. Each signal is connected to the next in front and rear by
wires carried by pulleys.

page_text: When applied to semaphore signals the apparatus is similar, but the
toothed bevel wheel on the disc rod first named is dispensed with, and
the rod which operates the semaphore is provided with a link and lever
operated by one of a series of pins on one of two plates used instead of
the toothed wheels. In either case coloured lights are operated by the a
same means.

page_text: the lower end of the disc rod B, and under a plate D³ secured to the
rod B. The plate carries bearings for the axle of a trigger D³ which has
its outer end inclined, the lower edge of the same end being pressed upward
by a spring secured to the top of the plate so as to keep the lower
cranked end of the trigger in the position shewn by dotted lines in
Figure 1, in which position it presses against one or other of four ribs
which form part of the forty-toothed wheel D*; this wheel as it is moved
one-quarter of a circle carries the disc rod with it and sets the disc at
danger against the next approaching train until reversed to all clear by
means herein-after described. The wheel D [makes one-quarter of a
revolution to each fifth of a revolution of the wheel D. Such movement is
effected by one of the arms of the boss c being moved by a striking pin
in an arm carried by a passing engine or brake van or last carriage of a
train. This arm E is capable of adjustment as to height in a socket
which firmly holds it attached to the carriage, the striking pin slidės at
cach end in slots in the arm, each slot peing provided with a suitable spring
to press on the ends of the pin, and thus lessen the shock when the pin
strikes one of tlic arms of the boss C. The striking pin and arm E is shewn
in side view and plan at Figures 10 and 11, and a back view at Figure 2,
and for the purpose of preventing the wheel D and arms O from being
turned backwards the axle is provided with a ten-toothed ratchet F
stopped by a pawl held to it by a spring secured to one of the bearings,
and to further ensure regularity of action the axle also carries a friction
pulley which revolves between pressing blocks in a frame G capable of
adjustment upon two pins secured in the foundation. Pressure is put
upon the friction pulley by a screw in the centre of the upper plate of
the frame, the ends of which ride in slots in the sides plates, the pulley
blocks and frame are shewn in side view at Figure 4, and the five-armed
boss, ratchet wheel, and spring in side view at Figure 5. The disc rod
has a pulley H secured upon it above the plate D, the
chain or wire rope secured to it and passed over a similar vertical pulley
on an axle secured to the post A, the chain or rope being attached to a
weighted lever secured to the post, such weight and chain or rope turns
the disc to all clear upon the trigger D³ being released from one of the
ribs of the wheel D' which is effected by the following means :—A vertical
axle I is stepped in a bearing secured to the foundation, and is securely
held near its upper end by a bearing attached to the post. Below the
wheel D'a one-armed boss is secured, which is acted upon by one or
pulley has a

page_text: other of four studs or pins which project from and are carried by the
lower side of the wheel D', above the plate D' the axle carries a second
but shorter armed boss inclined on the under side of its outer end, which
as it moves towards the post will slide upon and depress the outer end of
the trigger D³, and release the cranked end from either of the ribs on
the upper side of the wheel D', thus enabling the weighted cord above
named to turn the disc to all clear. The movement of the shorter armed
boss is effected as follows:-Immediately one of the four studs beneath
the wheel D' has released the longer armed boss the axle is free to be
revolved by a weighted chain and cord attached to a pulley at its upper
end. The axle also carries a second pulley K, round which a chain or
wire rope is passed, being secured at its other end to a wire attached to
the reverse side of a like pulley on the vertical axle at the previously
passed signal, which is set at all clear at the same time as the forward
signal is set at danger, each succeeding signal being operated in the
same manner. The vertical exle bosses and pulley is shown in the
position they occupy just before being released by one of the studs in the
wheel D' in plan at Figure 3. Figure 6 shews in plan the pulloy chain
and wire at the second signal for operating a similar apparatus for
setting the disc at all clear.
My second modification consists of apparatus applicable to semaphore
signals and a lantern signal, and is similar to the first described in
operation as to moving the signals to danger or all clear, but there being
no disc rod the forty-toothed. wheel is not required, and instead of the
fifty toothed wheel I employ two discs on the axle of the five-arm boss
and provide a friction pulley break and ratchet wheel. As above described
the disc on the axle next the post carries a trigger lever and an axle for
a lever to operate the semaphore rod, and the disc nearest the rails has
five arms for the trigger on its side nearest the post, and five pins on its
side nearest the metals for releasing the first signal to all clear, the
arrangement of levers and wires for that purpose being shewn at.
Figure 9, the five-armed boss being operated by a striking pin as described.
in the first modification. Either of the above described apparatuses I
employ upon both the up and down lines.

page_text: Б
combinations of apparatus above described and illustrated in the Drawings
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Large, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Nottingham.
THOMAS LARGE. (L.S.)