Improvements in Railway Signalling.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 18th Nov.,
1899
PROVISIONAL DICITIA
Improvements in Railway Signalling.
I, THOMAS GREGORY, of 21, Pemberton Street, Old Trafford, Manchester, Watch
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to railway signalling, and have for object to obviate
the present difficulties frequently experienced by engine drivers from fog or
other causes, or in cases where groups of signals are employed, such as near rail-
way stations, at junctions, and the like congested parts of a railway.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I employ, in lieu of or,
and preferably, in addition to the ordinary signalling posts, an apparatus here-
inafter to be described which shall be capable of actuating an indicator or
indicators upon the locomotive or tender of the moving train.
I mount two or more levers or catches either alongside or between the rails,
and by preference fulcrumed, below the level thereof, and so as to be capable of
motion in a plane parallel thereto, but horizontally mounted levers may be
employed.
These levers or catches are actuated from the signal box by rods, links or
other connections which may operate wheels or pulleys attached to the fulcrums
of the levers, and a clip spring or other device may be employed to retain each
lever in any desired position, but subject to operative displacement hereinafter
referred to.
I also mount upon a convenient part of the locomotive or tender, by preference
at the fore part thereof, two or more moveable projections, to correspond with the
levers or catches in the permanent way, before mentioned, and capable of coming
in contact with the latter when such are operated, for that purpose, from the
signal box.
The moveable projections on the engine are suitably connected by links, levers
or other means, to an indicator or indicators upon the locomotive or tender in
view of the driver.
When it is desired to signal "danger" to the driver of the locomotive, one of
the levers or catches is operated from the signal box to project within the path
Thus, when the engine
of the corresponding moveable projection on the engine.
passes the signalling point, contact takes place, and the projection thereby
operated moves-through its links or connections-the indicator, to the required
extent to register the aforesaid signal.
When the message "caution" is to be conveyed, the second lever or catch, in
lieu of the one last referred to, is placed in the operating position, and a second
indicator may in like manner be actuated, or it may be that the same indicator
is in connection with both moveable projections on the engine, a different leverage
or other like means effecting the desired difference in the registration.
If neither lever or catch is put into operation, the driver may be instructed
to proceed past the signal station; but, if preferred, the order and arrangement
of the above system may be reversed, whereby the non-actuation of the indicators

page_text: will be understood to mean "danger"; and "line clear" and "caution" will be
respectively registered.
A third lever or catch may be employed for registering another instruction if
requisite, and, where advisable, the reverse operation may be employed at an
earlier point or greater distance from the signal box, whereby the passage of the
train by means of a fixed or adjustable projection operates a signal in the signal
box.
Means may be provided for reducing the shock of impact between the locomo-
tive projections and the levers or catches, such as springs, air-buffers, or the like;
and to enable a train to pass along the line in a reverse direction without encoun-
tering any obstruction, the levers or catches are caused to offer operative
resistance in the forward direction only.
Variations in detail may be made, such as in the material and design of the
various parts of the apparatus, without departing from the peculiar character of
the invention.
Dated this 20th day of December 1898.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Railway Signalling,
I, THOMAS GREGORY, of 21, l'emberton Street, Old Trafford, Manchester, Watch
Maker, 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:-
The improvements relate to railway signalling, and have for object to obviate
the present difficulties frequently experienced by engine drivers from fog or
other causes, or in cases where groups of signals are employed, such as near rail-
way stations, at junctions, and the like congested parts of a railway.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I employ, in lieu of or,
and preferably, in addition to the ordinary signalling posts, an apparatus here-
inafter to be described which shall be capable of actuating an indicator or
indicators upon the locomotive or tender of the moving train.
I mount two or more levers or catches either alongside or between the rails,
and by preference fulcrumed, below the level thereof, and so as to be capable of
motion in a plane parallel thereto; but horizontally mounted levers may be
employed.
These levers or catches are actuated from the signal box by rods, links or
other connections which may operate wheels or pulleys attached to the fulcrums
of the levers, and a clip spring or other device may be employed to retain each
lever in any desired position, but subject to operative displacement hereinafter
referred to.
I also mount upon a convenient part of the locomotive or tender, by preference
at the fore part thereof, two or more moveable projections, to correspond with the
levers or catches in the permanent way, before mentioned, and capable of coming
in contact with the latter when such are operated, for that purpose, from the
signal box.
The moveable projections on the engine are suitably connected by links, levers
or other means, to an indicator or indicators upon the locomotive or tender in
view of the driver.

page_text: When it is desired to signal danger" to the driver of the locomotive, one of
the levers or catches is operated from the signal box to project within the path
of the corresponding moveable projection on the engine. Thus, when the engine
passes the signalling point, contact takes place, and the projection thereby
operated moves-through its links or connections--the indicator, to the required
extent to register the aforesaid signal.
When the message "caution is to be conveyed, the second lever or catch, in
lieu of the one last referred to, is placed in the operating position, and a second
indicator may in like manner be actuated, or it may be that the same indicator
is in connection with both moveable projections on the engine, a different leverage
or other like means effecting the desired difference in the registration.
If neither lever or catch is put into operation, the driver may be instructed
to proceed past the signal station; but, if preferred, the order and arrangement
of the above system may be reversed, whereby the non-actuation of the indicators
will be understood to mean "danger," and line clear" and "caution" will be
respectively registered.
་་
A third lever or catch may be employed for registering another instruction if
requisite, and, where advisable, the reverse operation may be employed at au
earlier point or greater distance from the signal box, whereby the passage of the
train by means of a fixed or adjustable projection operates a signal in the sigual
box.
Means may be provided for reducing the shock of impact between the locomo-
tive projections and the levers or catches, such as springs, air buffers, or the like:
and to enable a train to pass along the line in a reverse direction without encoun-
tering any obstruction, the levers or catches are caused to offer operative
resistance in the forward direction only.
But that the improvements may be better understood, I will, with the aid of
the accompanying drawings proceed more fully to describe means employed by
me.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
The figures show an application of one form of my invention to a locomotive,
part of the indicating apparatus being mounted within the cab thereof.
Fig. 1, is an end view, and Fig. 2, a side view of part of a locomotive and per-
manent way provided with apparatus in accordance with my improvements.
In Fig. 2, part of the cab side is broken away to enable certain of the parts to be
more clearly shown.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
a, is a lever or catch mounted between the rails, and fulcrumed below the level
thereof, and capable of being actuated from the signal box by connections b,
which operate the wheel or pulley c, attached to the catch a.
The catch, is shown held in its operative position by a clip spring, the
force of which may be overcome by actuation of the connections b, to turn the
said catch upon its fulcrum a', and thereby lower the obstructive surface of the
same out of the path of the indicating apparatus on the locomotive.
e, e, are moveable projections, mounted upon the locomotive, and fulcrumed
at f, f, respectively.
These projections, which carry arms g, gl, hang so as to come in contact with
the catches in the permanent way, as shown in the case of the projection e, and
catch a.
Sufficient obstruction is offered by this catch a, to cause the projection e, to
swing upon its fulcrum out of the vertical position to such a degree as will enable
the army, to effectively operate the link , which latter, in lifting, actuates the
fulcrumed lever j, and link k, and thus causes the indicator 1, to convey the
required signal.
In like manner the indicator 1, is caused to give an alternative signal, through
the connections g¹, h, j, k, whenever the projection e¹, is brought into contact

page_text: with its corresponding catch in the permanent way, which catch is not shown in
the drawings, and may be at any suitable distance, in the length of the track,
from the catch a.
e, e, are antifriction bowls mounted at the extremities of the projections e, e¹,
to reduce friction during contact with the catches.
n, o, are pawls or stops to prevent the automatic return of the indicator con-
nections to the normal position, when clear of the operating catches.
These pawls are loosely fulcrumed at their upper extremities, and are inclined
at their lower ends to enable the lugs n¹, o' on the links h, h', to be forced past
and lock above the same, as will be seen on reference to Fig. 1, where the link h,
is in the locked position, while h', is at its lowest extremity of motion.
The apparatus may be readily released from the action of the pawls by the
driver, and by this means attention to the signal is ensured. But in lieu of
these pawls, counterweighted levers or other devices for the same purpose may
be employed, or the means for retaining the indication of the signal may be dis-
pensed with altogether.
To enable the locomotive to proceed in a reverse direction without operating
the projections e, e¹, I may mount upon the catches counterweighted swinging
blocks, such as m, fulcrumed at m¹, and normally assuming a vertical position, or
thereabouts. This block m, when pressed by forward contact of the bowl 2, into
the operative position shown in Fig. 2, forms the upper tread or obstructive
surface of the catch a but when moved upon its fulcrum in the reverse direction,
such block is pushed below the path of the bowl e², without operating the pro-
jection e.
Variations in detail may be made, such as in the material and design of the
various parts of the apparatus, without departing from the peculiar character of
the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is―
In apparatus for signalling on railways, an indicator or indicators mounte:
upon the locomotive or tender in view of the driver, and operated by moveable
projections upon such locomotive or tender; in combination with catches
mounted upon the permanent way and actuated from the signal box or other
station, for the purpose and in manner substantially as herein shown and
described.
1011
1. 1000
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.