IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARAtus for WORKING AND LOCKING OR SECURING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS." WORKING AND LOCKING OR SECURING RAILWAY POINTS AND SALS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jolm Saxby and John Stinson Farmer, both
of Canterbury Road, Kilburn, in the County of Middlesex, Railway
Signal Makers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARAtus for
WORKING AND LOCKING OR SECURING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS."
WORKING AND LOCKING OR SECURING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS."
Sealed the 3rd May 1870, and dated the 25th February 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jolin Saxby and John
Stinson Farmer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 25th February 1870..
We, JOHN SAXBY and JOHN STINSON FARMER, both of Canterbury
Road, Kilburn, in the County of Middlesex, Railway. Signal Makers,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING AND LOCKING OR SECURING RAILWAY POINTS AND
SIGNALS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention has for its object the prevention of certain accidents
that occur at the points or junction of one line of rails with another..
Sometimes owing to expansion or contraction of rods, looseness of joints,
or other causes the shifting points of the rails do not receive the necessary

page_text: amount of movement from the lever that works them, and thus when
that lever is pulled over to its full extent it happens that the points are
not brought home to the rails, and that the flangs of wheels which
have to pass the points catch on them or between them and the rails.
In such a case notwithstanding that the signals may be connected by
locking apparatus to the point levers a safety signal may be given even
when the points are in an unsafe condition. Again it may happen that
while a train is passing over the points. these points may be shifted by
inattention, and thus part of a train may be guided on to one line and
part on to another.
Now our apparatus is intended to close the points firmly against the
rails and to hold them there during the passage of a train, also to
prevent a signal from being given for either line unless when the points
are properly set for that line, and should a train approach the points
before they are brought home to their proper position to cause the
approach of that time to bring them home before it reaches them. For
this purpose we mount a reciprocating bar on radii by the side of one of
the lines of rail, and we connect this bar by suitable rods and cranks
either to a signal lever or to an independent lever connected by locking
apparatus with one or more of the signal levers, so that by means of this
lever the bar can be caused to reciprocate to and fro parallel to the line.
of rails. As it is mounted on radii which rock in a vertical plane the,
bar in making its stroke in either direction rises through a circular arc.
and sinks again. When we place the bar outside the rail its upper
edge is at either end of its stroke level with the surface of the rail, and
therefore in making its stroke it rises above that surface. When we place
the bar inside the rail we fix it lower down, so that when it is at
either end of its strake it is clear below the flanges of passing wheels,
but in making its stroke it rises so that the flanges of passing wheels
would bear upon it. To this bar we connect by a jointed rod or bolt
which is fitted to slide in guides by the side of the shifting rail point.
This sliding bolt is wedge-shaped or has an inclined face towards the
rail point. Thus when the reciprocating bar is drawn back the rail point
is free to be moved, but when the reciprocating bar is set forward the
inclined face of the bolt bearing against the point pushes it home against
the rail. By fitting a reciprocating bar with its bolt to each 'rail and
causing them to move in opposite directions the rail points can thus be
brought home and, secured in, either. position, that is, to guide a train
along either branch. As the lever which works the reciprocating bar

page_text: either works a signal or is connected by locking apparatus to the signals
of the two branches a signal for a train to proceed over the points
cannot be given until the points are brought home to the rails. Again
if the points be not fully home or the reciprocating bar has not made
its full stroke, the wheels of an approaching train bearing upon it cause
it to make its full stroke, and thus to bring the points home before the
wheels reach them. And by making the reciprocating bar somewhat
longer than the distance between any two wheels of a train, so that
before one wheel of a passing train has left it another wheel has come
upon it, the bar is kept down during the passage of the whole train, and
thus the points are kept firmly secured until the train has entirely
passed them.
:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Saxby and John Stinson Farmer in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th August 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE. PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
SAXBY and JOHN STINSON FARMER, both of Canterbury Road, Kilburn,
in the County of Middlesex, Railway Signal Makers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said John Saxby and John Stinson Farmer,
Her special licence that we, the said John Saxby and John Stinson
Farmer, our executors, administrators, and assigns,. or such others as we,
the said John Saxby and John Stinson. Farmer, our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR WORKING AND LOCKING OR SECURING RAILWAY POINTS AND.
SIGNALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,. the said John
Saxby and John Stinson Farmer, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our; or their, or one of their hands and.

page_text: ; seals, 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 Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
.Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Saxby and John Stinson
Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, and on reference to the
accompanying Sheets of Drawings, that is to say:-
Our Invention-has-for-its-object the prevention of certain accidents
that occur at the points or junction of one line of rails with another.
Sometimes owing to expansion or contraction of rods, looseness of joints,
or other causes the shifting points of the rails do not receive the necessary
amount of movement from the lever that works them, and thus when
that lever is pulled over to its full extent it happens that the points are
not brought home to the rails and that the flanges of wheels which have
to pass the points catch on them or between them and the rails. In
such a case notwithstanding that the signals may be connected by
locking apparatus to the point levers a safety signal may be given even
when the points are in an unsafe condition. Again it may happen that
while a train is passing over the points, these points may be shifted
intentionally or inadvertently, and thus part of a train may be guided
on to one line and part on to another, tearing the train asunder and
throwing the carriages off the line.
Now our apparatus constructed in the modes herein-after respectively
described is intended to insure that the points are closed firmly against
the rails and to hold them there securely during the passage of a train,
also to prevent a signal from being given for either line unless when the
points are properly set for that line and properly secured. Should a train
approach the points before they are brought home to their proper
position the approach of that train is made (when the apparatus is
constructed as shewn in Sheet 1) to bring the points home and secure
them in position before the front wheels of the train reach the points.
When the apparatus is constructed as shewn in Sheets 2, 3, & 4,
the approach of the train before the points are in the proper position is
prevented so long as the signal is obeyed, because the signal permitting
the approach, cannot be given. For this purpose we mount a

page_text: stroke it rises so
To this bar we
reciprocating bar on radii by the side of one of the lines of rail, and we
connect this bar by suitable rods and cranks either to a signal lever or to
an independent lever connected by locking apparatus with one or more,
of the signal levers or point levers, so that by means of this lever the bar:
can be caused to reciprocate to and fro parallel to the line of rails. As it is,
mounted on radii which rock in a vertical plane the bar in making its stroke,
in either direction rises through a circular arc and sinks again. When we
place the bar outside the rail its upper edge is at either end of its stroke
level with the surface of the rail, and therefore in making its stroke it,
rises above that surface. When we place the bar inside the rail we fix
it lower down so that when it is at cither end of its stroke it is clear
below the flanges of passing wheels; but in making its
that the flanges of passing wheels would bear upon it.
connect by a jointed rod a bolt which is fitted to slide or move in guides.
by the side of the shifting rail point or in connection therewith. This.
sliding bolt is wedge-shaped or has an inclined face towards the rail point.
Thus when the reciprocating bar is drawn back the rail point is free to.
be moved; but when the reciprocating bar is set forward the inclined
face of the bolt or wedge piece bearing against the point pushes it home.
against the rail. By fitting a reciprocating bar with its sliding bolt or
wedge to each rail and causing the bolts or wedges to move in opposite.
directions the rail points can thus be brought home and secured in either.
position, that is, to guide a train along either branch, and would securely.
hold one point closed and the other open. As the lever which works the
reciprocating bar either works a signal or is connected by locking
apparatus to the signals of the two branches, a signal for à train to
proceed over the points cannot be given until the points are brought
home to the rails and the moving parts are in their proper positions"
respectively. Again if from any cause the points be not fully home or
the reciprocating bar has not made its full stroke the wheels of an
approaching train bearing upon it will when the apparatus is constructed'
as in Sheet 1 cause it to make its full stroke, and thus to bring the points
home before the wheels reach them. And by making the reciprocating'
bar somewhat longer than the distance between any two wheels of a train,
so that before one wheel of a passing train has left it another wheel has
come upon it, the bar is kept down during the passage of the whole train,'
and thus the points are kept firmly secured, and neither the points nor
the signals interlocked therewith can be moved or their positions be
changed until the train has entirely passed them.

page_text: In the accompanying four Sheets of Drawings we have illustrated our
present Invention, and therein and thereby shown its application under
different circumstances, and such modifications in the details thereof as
under ordinary circumstances render it applicable to ordinary junctions,
or at the crossings of or connection of one pair of rails with another pair
of rails.
In Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a plan view, and Figure 2 an elevation of
Figure 1, showing a main line and crossing to a branch line to which
our Invention is applied, and which is thereon shewn.
And for the purpose of making more clear the mechanical arrangements
and disposition of the parts of the apparatus we have shewn in Figure 3
a sectional view taken on the line A, B, of Figure 1, and by Figure 4 a
section taken on the line C, D, of Figure 1, and furthermore by Figure 5
in which a section taken on the line E, F, of Figure 1 is shewn, by which
together with the other Figures 1, 2, and 3 it will be seen that the
reciprocating bar or rail mounted on radii is placed outside one of the
rails, so that when it is in an elevated or raised position the treads of the
wheel tyres of the passing train would act upon it, and cause it to
operate upon and completely close and secure the points into one position
or the other, in accordance with the prearrangement and disposition
thereof. And until the last wheels of the train have passed over the
reciprocating bar it is prevented from rising and the position of the
points cannot be changed.
In Sheet 2, Figure 1 is a plan view, and Figure 2 a longitudinal
section taken on the line A, B, of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section taken
on the line C, D, of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a section taken on the line E, F,
of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a section taken on an enlarged scale (of 6
times that of Figure 1) on the line G, H.
It will be seen that in this Sheet the reciprocating bar is placed inside
of the rail, so that the flanges of the wheels of the passing train act
upon it, and (if not completely depressed) cause it to act upon and
completely and firmly secure the points in tlie position properly assigned
to them for the safe transit of the train, that is, after the point lever has
been moved over for the purpose of changing the position of the points
and directing the movement of the train, in manner before described.
In Sheet 3, Figure 1 is plan view, Figure 2 a longitudinal section of
Figure 1, taken on the line A, B, thereof; Figure 3 is a section taken on
the line C, D, of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a section taken on the line E, F,

page_text: of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the
line G, H, of Figure 1, in which as in Sheet 2, the reciprocating bar or
rail is placed inside of the main rail, and if it be not completely.
depressed it will be operated upon by the flanges of the wheels of the
trains, as herein-before described, and the points after they have been
moved over by the hand lever will be bolted or wedged firmly and
secured against the face of the permanent rail. Thus unless the
movement of the point lever has completely opened or closed the
points and completed the movement of the reciprocating bar, wedging
and locking the points firmly in their proper positions, the signal for the
passage of the train connected or interlocking therewith cannot possibly
be given.
In Sheet 4, Figure 1 is as before a plan view; Figure 2 a longitudinal
section of Figure 1 taken on the line A, B ; Figure 3 a section taken.
on the line C, D; Figure 4 a section on the line E, F; and Figure 5 a
sectional view to an enlarged scale taken on the line G, H; the
reciprocating bar being as in the Sheets 2 and 3 shown as fitted on the.
inside of the rail for the purpose of being acted upon and held down'or.
controlled by the flanges of the wheels instead of by the treads of the
wheel tyres as in Sheet 1.
In Sheets 1, 2, 3, and 4 the plan views (Figure 1 in each case) show
the points so adjusted as to leave them right for the train passing along
the main line, the upper surface of the reciprocating bar being in such
case shown below the horizontal level to which it could be depressed by
the passing train, and in which position the bolt or bolts, wedge or wedges
employed for securing in the opened or closed position (as the case may
be) the point or tongue of the switch are there shown as effecting that
object.
In Sheet 1, a, a, &c. are the rails of the main line, and b, b, &c. are
the rails of the branch line; c, c, &c. are the pieces of taper rails or switch
points hinged or jointed at their broad ends respectively or working on
pivots abutting upon the ends of the permanent rails in the usual
manner. These two taper pieces of rail are secured together at the
requisite guage or distance apart by means of a bar or stay piece d. The
switch points c, c, are caused to move back and forth upon bearing
chairs through or by means of a rod, bell crank, and lever, or any of
the well known mechanical contrivances in the ordinary way. The point
lever, which may be in the signal box or elsewhere, is connected to and

page_text: with the points through the rods and h, which are jointed or connected
together at i, the bell crank ġ being employed to change the direction of
motion or movement as shewn, and the rod fis connected at one end to
the bell crank and at the other end to the points. On the outside of the
rail the reciprocating bar m is shown with the radii or radial links.n, n,
&c. connected to the rail, these are shewn in the depressed position or
the position in which they are at rest or out of action.
The mode of mounting or fitting and applying the reciprocating bar
and the connecting links or radii to the side of the fixed rail is shewn to
an enlarged scale in Figure 5. Between the jointed ends of the rods k
and connecting the point lever-with-the points is shewn a short lever
arm or spanner fitted upon the end of a vibrating shaft p, p, which extends
across the road from the line of the rods k, h, où to the six foot space;
this vibrating shaft p is carried in bearings q, q, and it has keyed or
otherwise fixed upon it three other short vibrating arms or levers 7, 71, 7.11,
the arm being connected to the reciprocating bar m. When the arm 7ºª
operates by means of a rod the traversing wedge piece and is by
means of the rod s¹ connected with or to the traversing wedge t¹, thus
the wedge piece t is employed for firmly securing in position the points
for the main line traffic, and the wedge piece is employed for firmly.
securing the points in the proper position for turning the train off from
the main line on to the branch line; but though the two wedge pieces
are in this case moved by or through the movements of the same rod as
that by which the points are moved from one position to another, the
actual wedging up of the tongue of the switch against the inside of the
fixed or permanent rail does not take place until the points have been.
moved over as far as the lever action will carry them or until after the
points have been moved from one position into the other by means of the,
point lever, wherever it may be placed and worked from.
In Sheet 1 two wedges t, t, are shewn as being connected to and.
worked by means of reversed lever arms or spanners fitted upon the
shaft p, p, so that as the one wedge piece is moved forward the other
wedge picce is correspondingly withdrawn, and vice versa, and whilst the
wedging up of one tongue or point against the permanent rail is effected
by the one traversing wedge piece the opening between the point and
the side or face of the other wedge piece or block working against the
inner face of the other rail leaves sufficient space for the movement of.
the other tongue or point to be moved or opened to the full extent..
:

page_text: In Sheet 2 one wedge only is shewn, and it is formed on or securely
connected to one end of the reciprocating bar m, and this wedge piece t
alternately operates upon each side of one of the tongues or points c. It
is shewn on the plan view, Figure 1, clear of the points, and when it is
brought into action by the movement of the lever connected to it, it
wedges the points close home to the rail for the branch or main lines.
In this instance the reciprocating bar is fitted on the inner face of the
rail. The rods and connection for working the points and those for
operating the wedge piece may be worked from any convenient position,
and in this arrangement or modification, as in that shewn in Sheet 1, the
interlocking gear or apparatus may be applied thereto in any of the well
known methods heretofore employed for locking some and unlocking
other of the points and the signals corresponding therewith or relating
thereto, accordingly as they should be respectively locked or unlocked
to ensure the safe and proper working of the traffic over the main and
branch lines.
In Sheet 3 similar letters of reference to those employed in Sheets 1
and 2 are employed for like or corresponding parts. In this Sheet, as
will be seen more particularly by the plan view in Figure 1, two wedge
pieces are employed, one right hand and the other left hand, each being
intended to act alternately upon each side of the point or tongue with
which it is associated. One of the wedge pieces in this instance is
formed on the end of the longer reciprocating bar m, whilst the other
wedge is on the end of a shorter reciprocating bar, and these two
reciprocating bars are connected together and made to move simul-
taneously forward or backward to allow of the position of the points
being changed in the manner herein-before described, and when the
points have been so moved by the pointsman the wedging or securing
firmly is effected by means of the switch lock lever in the signalman's
box, or if by any chance the points have not been carried over sufficiently
far and firmly secured in their proper places the signal for a train to
pass cannot be given, and also whilst the train is passing over the points
the position of the points cannot be changed.
In Sheet 4 a reciprocating bar is fitted to the inside of the rail, but in
this case instead of fitting to or forming upon the one end of the
reciprocating bar (as before described and illustrated) a wedge. piece for
securing the point or points, the locking of the points is here effected
by means of a sliding tongue upon the one end of a horizontal rod

page_text: connected by means of a vibrating arm or lever and rod with the
reciprocating bar. The points are connected together by a bar on edge
close to their taper extremities or outer ends or points, and this bar on
edge has two holes or slots therein at a suitable distance apart, so that
the sliding tongue of the switch lock apparatus can only be moved
forward and projected thereinto after the points have been completely
moved from one position into another by means of the point lever, and
arc held firmly in their proper position, and cannot be moved therefrom
either intentionally or inadvertently whilst the train is passing over the
points by reason of the reciprocating bar. In this Sheet as in Sheet 2
there is but one reciprocating bar on the inner face of the fixed_rail,-but-
there may be two reciprocating bars and they may be either both on the
inside or inner faces of the rails, or one may be on the inner and the
other on the outer face or side of the rail. The points or switches may
be moved from one position into another by means of a hand lever by
the roadside connected to the end of the rod, or they may be worked as
will generally be the case by a lever handle within a "signal box," and be
either unconneeted with the movement of other points or signals, or
may, as in most cases we prefer that it should be, worked in connection
with point and signal interlocking apparatus in accordance with the
several Inventions previously patented by us and otherwise well known.

page_text: weight of the engine or carriage upon the bar and cause one of the
wedge pieces to move over the point and close it securely against the
rail.
In Sheet 2 two separate rods and sets of connections are shewn, the
one connected to and with the points to which they are solely dedicated,
and the other is for operating the reciprocating bar with the wedge piece
at the one end of it, by causing it either to enter between and separate
the moveable switch point and the fixed rail, or by wedging closely the
point against the side of the fixed rail in each case after the points have
been set. By this arrangement of apparatus and the square end of the
wedge piece employed, if the points should be only half opened or be
left half closed, the lever handle of the switch lock apparatus could not
be moved over to its proper position in either direction, and the signal
levers being interlocked therewith no signal could be given for a train to
pass.
In Sheet 3 two separate or independent rods are shewn for moving the
points and performing the locking or securing of the points respectively,
as before described, but the right and left hand wedge pieces are the one
upon a long reciprocating bar m, and the other upon a short reciprocating
bar, both of which are connected together and moved back and forward
by the vibrating or rocking shaft p, and here the square ended wedge
pieces secure the same results.
Having now described our Invention of "Improvements in Apparatus
for Working, and Locking or Securing Railway Points and Signals," we'
wish it to be understood that we are aware that a reciprocating bar such
as we have described has been applied for securing the points or moveable
switches of railways during the passage of a train, and such an apparatus
is described in the Specification of a Patent granted to James Livesey,
John Edwards, and William Jeffreys, bearing date the Twenty-seventh
day of February One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, No. 547,
We therefore make no claim to such a reciprocating bar or to its usc as
described in the said Specification, and we have herein described it only
as forming part of an apparatus, and not as in itself a novel Invention.
We are also aware that heretofore points have been moved over from
one position into another by means of an inclined plane or wedge, as also
by means of a cam fitted to the end of a switch or point lever so that the
end of a rod or bar connected to or with the points is kept in contact
with the face of such incline picce or cam in some cases by means of a

page_text: balance weight, but such apparatus is not intended for locking or securing
points firmly in their proper positions, i.c., holding them in their set
positions during the passage of the train, and preventing the signal for
a train to pass being given until the points have been completely and
securely set, as herein described..
We are also aware that an incline or wedge with a flat or parallel
portion at each end sliding in a suitable opening or slot made in the rod
has been used for the purpose of moving the points, and also for holding
them in position.
We are also aware that it has been proposed to secure switches by
fitting a cam at the point-of-the-tongue-of-the-switch, and that such cam
was proposed to be connected to the signal lever, so that unless the
switch is in its proper position for the passage of a train the cam would
come against the tongue of the switch and prevent the signal being given,
but such apparatus would not effect the objects attained by the prèsent
Invention and they all differ respectively therefrom.
We claim as our Invention, the combinations of parts forming
respectively the apparatus for working and locking or securing railway
points and signals constructed and arranged substantially as herein-before
respectively described, that is to say, the several modifications shown
respectively in Sheets 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Stinson Farmer, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
WILLIAM HENRY SMITH,
19, Salisbury Street,
Strand.
JNº. S. FARMER. (L.S.)