Improvements in Apparatus for Working Railway Signals and Switches.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 6th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Railway Signals and
Switches.
We, HURST, NELSON AND COMPANY, LIMITED, of 27 St. Vincent Place, in
the County of Glasgow, North Britain, Engineers and Contractors, aud GEORGE
THOMAS WHEATLEY, of Orbiston Street, Motherwell, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
This invention has for its object the construction and combination of apparatus
in an improved manner to enable the main operative levers for directly acting on
the mechanism of railway signals and switches, to be controlled and actuated from
a distance. For example, when the cabin in which the main levers are arranged
has to be in a confined situation because of local limitations and peculiarities, and
where the view of the line is limited, it is of advantage to provide what may be
termed an originating cabin in a position giving a complete view of the line and
otherwise more convenient. The improved apparatus is designed for connecting
such an originating cabin with a main-lever cabin, and comprises means for effecting
the movements of the main levers from the originating cabin, and for automatically
showing at the originating cabin the movements actually imparted to the main
levers.
For directly moving the main levers hydraulic cylinders are arranged in the main-
lever cabin, and are connected by small pipes with valve apparatus in the originating
cabin. The details of the apparatus may be varied to suit special requirements or
peculiarities in different cases, but an example of the improved apparatus is
delineated on three accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings and is hereinafter
particularly described.
Figure, 1, on Sheet, 1, of the drawings is a vertical section of an originating
cabin with the apparatus shown in elevation within it; and Figure, 2, on Sheet, 2,
is a similar view of a main-lever cabin. The figures on Sheet, 3, are enlarged
In these
views of details and are hereinafter more particularly referred to.
drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the same or
like parts wherever they are repeated.
In Figure, 2, the end lever, L, of a long rank of levers is shown as moved over,
the next, L 1, one being shown in normal position, and the others of the rank being
hid by it. Similarly in Figure, 1, the end valve lever, V, of a correspondingly
long rank is shown in the position into which it has been moved to cause the
movement of the lever, L (Figure, 2). The series of valve boxes, V 1, with their
levers, V, are arranged with the alternate ones displaced out of the line of the
others so as to show (in end view) two rows of levers, V. an arrangement
facilitating the selection of the levers.
Each main lever, L, is connected by a link, A, having gabs at its ends, one to
take hold of a stud on the side of the lever, and the other to take hold of a stud, B 1,
on the other part, to a ram bar, B, the euds of which are rams of different
diameters and work in hydraulic cylinders, C, D. The smaller cylinder has
constantly acting in it liquid of the full pressure employed in working the apparatus,
and the larger cylinder, D, has connected to it a pipe, E, which extends from it to
the corresponding valve box, V 1, in the originating cabin; and when the valve is
set to admit the full pressure through the pipe, E, to the larger cylinder, D, the

page_text: ram of that cylinder overcomes the pressure in the smaller cylinder, C, and causes
the ram bar, B, to move and to shift over the lever, L. On the valve being set to
exhaust, the pressure in the smaller cylinder, C, moves back the ram bar, B, and
draws back the lever, L. The two cylinders, C, D, are shown in longitudinal
vertical section in Figure, 3, on Sheet, 3, of the drawings. The cylinders, C, D,
are adjustable on the bed plate so that the ram may reach the end of the cylinder
without forcing the lever, L, too far over.
A set of the valve details in the originating cabin is shown in Figures, 4 to 7, on
Sheet, 3, Figure, 4, being a plan, Figure, 5, a longitudinal vertical section, and
Figures, 6, and 7, transverse vertical sections as at the dotted lines, a-a, and b-b,
respectively in Figures, 4, and 5. Each valve lever, V, is centered on a bracket
formed on its valve box, V 1, and is connected to a valve rod, V 2, working through
stuffing boxes at both ends of the valve box. The valve, V 3, is of a common
slide-valve type, and works on a port face forined on a separate casting, V 4, upon
which the valve box, V 1, is bolted, the port face having a middle port communi-
cating with the pipe, E, extending to the cylinder, D, in the main-lever cabin.
A second port admits the liquid under pressure from a branch supply pipe, F; and
the third port communicates with a branch exhaust pipe, G. In the ends of the
lower valve-box casting, V 4, screw stop valves, V 5, working through stuffing
boxes, are fitted to allow of the passages to the supply and exhaust pipes, F, G,
being closed, when for any reason the valve has to be rendered inoperative or the
valve box to be opened. The hand lever, V, works in a guide slot in the bracket
on which it is centered, and is provided with a weighted trigger catch, V 6
(Figure, 1) which engages in one or other of two notches in the sides of the
guide slot.
Whenever the ram bar, B, in the main-lever cabin is moved and reaches the end
of its stroke in either direction, a projection, B2, Figure 3, on it acts on one or
other of two sliders, W, fixed to the ends of a valve rod, W 1, which works through
stuffing boxes in a valve box, W 2, and moves a slide valve, W 3, on a face made
with three ports. These ports are in communication with three small pipes, X 1,
X2, X3, the two latter being supply and exhaust branch pipes respectively,
whilst the pipe, XI, extends to indicating apparatus in the originating cabin, and
shown at, Y, in Figure, 1. There the pipe, X 1, is connected to a curved Bourdon
tube, Z, which is arranged so as when acted on by internal pressure, to move over
a lever having an indicating plate, Z 1, at its upper end, and which strikes one or
other of two bells, Y 1, Y 2, having different sounds. With these arrangements
when the signal man in the originating cabin moves over a hand lever, the
indicating lever and plate, Z 1, being moved over automatically from the main-
lever cabin, shows him when the corresponding movement of the main lever, L, is
properly effected.
A constant supply of liquid under pressure is maintained by means of an
accumulator, or in any suitable manner. This supply is led to the apparatus by a
main pipe, S, Figures, 1, and 2, a branch, S 1, leading a port up to the floor of the
originating cabin, Figure, 1, and having there connected to it a long horizontal
pipe, S2, which extends under the ranks of valve boxes, V 1, and which has
connected to it the branch pipes, F, for the several valve boxes. An exhaust or
return pipe, R, leads the liquid back to the pressure producing apparatus, this
pipe, R, having connected to it a horizontal pipe, R1, which extends along under
the ranks of valve boxes, V 1, and which has connected to it the branch pipes, G,
communicating with the exhaust ports of the valve boxes.
In the main-lever cabin, Figure, 2, the pressure supply pipe, S, is connected to
a horizontal pipe, S3, which extends along under the rank of hydraulic
cylinders, C, D, and which has connected to it the branch pipes, S4, supplying
the cylinders, C; and from the end of the cylinder, C, a pipe, X3, leads pressure
liquid to the valve box, W 2, of the automatic return indicating apparatus.
screw stop valve, X 4, is provided at the end of the cylinder for shutting off the
supply of water under pressure when required.
A

page_text: A weighted plunger may be substituted for the Bourdon tube of the automatic
indicating apparatus; or the indicating parts may be moved by means of wires or
other mechanical connections from the main-lever cabin.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination of apparatus for working railway signals and switches in
which hydraulic cylinders are arranged to move the main levers, the said cylinders
being connected by pipes to, and controlled by, valve apparatus at a distance,
and the parts being constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. The combination of apparatus for working railway signals and switches in
which valve apparatus placed at a distance is connected by pipes to pairs of
hydraulic cylinders one of each pair having a constant pressure acting in it,
and the parts being constructed and arranged substantially as herein before
described.
3. The combination with apparatus such as claimed in Claims, 1, and 2, of
automatic return indicating apparatus substantially such as is hereinbefore
described.
Dated this Ninth day of April 1896
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.