Year: 1888

page_text: I HEINRICH JOSEPH METZGER Station Master of Coesfeld Westphalia in the
Kingdom of Prussia and German Empire 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 :-
23
The hereinafter described invention is designed to guard against the distance
stop to "clear
signal at railway stations or junctions being changed from
when the so called switch points in the sidings are occupied by carriages thus
preventing or obviating a fruitful source of accidents on railways at stations and
junctions.
a large scale and in
In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 to 8 show on
the most important details the arrangement and placing of the new signal lowering
appliance for an English switch where the "clear" signal is given by raising the
signal arm or semaphore above the horizontal "stop" position. Figure 9 shows
a plan for a simple switch.
Figure 1 shows the whole arrangement of the new appliance for such an English
switch, and Figure 1 shows the arrangement of parts when the press rail is placed
on the other side of the signal lever.
Figures 2 to 8 show the chief features of the arrangement in detail viz. —
Figures 2 and 3 show the arrangement of a front and back "
English switch in longitudinal view.
Figure 4 shows a section thereof-raised.
Figure 5 shows a section thereof-lowered.
press rail
for an
Figure 6 shows the adjusting lever for the distance signal in its connection with the
lever gear in longitudinal view.
Figure 7 shows specially a detail of the adjusting lever Figure 6 viz. the bell
crank F by which the lever is raised and disconnected.
Figure 8 shows a special signal disc which is interposed between the distance
signal and the switch points and is to serve as a danger signal to the engine
driver when the switch points are occupied in the event of the latter only being
occupied after the approaching engine has already passed the distance signal.

page_text: :
The lowering of the distance signal to "stop" in the event of the points of the
sidings being occupied by carriages or other. vehicles is effected by means of a
press rail which works by lever connection on the adjusting. lever of the distance
signal in such a way that the latter is lifted out of its rest and thus the arm of the
distance signal falls to "stop" in consequence of its weight and reverses the adjusting
lever.
The press rail a (Figures 1 and 9) is arranged in the rails at the place where the
posts (which latter mark the point of safety where vehicles may pass one another)
between the main line c and the siding d and is so fastened to the rails as to be able to
swing about freely as hereinafter, explained. The press rails a lie in the sidings.at
such a height to the upper edge of the rails that they cannot be touched by the flange
of the carriage wheels if the distance signals is at "stop" but if the distance signal is
at "clear" they are struck by the flanges of the wheels of any passing vehicles (sec
also Figures 4 and 5). These press rails are held at both ends by levers E the shafts D
of which rest in trestles or hearings which are screwed to the feet of the rails. These
bearings may also (as shown in the dotted lines Figures 4 and 5) be screwed side-
ways to the rails instead of to the foot of the rail. Other levers E on the shafts Dare
connected with a rod G which again is connected with the bell crank which latter is
worked by the adjusting lever A. When the distance signal is not raised the signal
lever A lies against the left side of the signal block and takes up the position of line A¹
(see Figures 1 and 6). In this position the signal arm B shows along the line "stop'
and the press rails a lie so low in the sidings under the upper edge of the rails that
they cannot be touched by the flanges of the wheels of the carriages passing over them so
that in that case they can run unchecked from the siding onto the main line.
If on
the other hand the signal lever is brought from the position A' to the position A² and
is fixed by means of the drop catch B in the groove C the signal arm B¹ which
is worked from the signal lever A by means of the rod or connection H shows
" clear."
33
On raising the signal arm B-through the movement of the bell crank F from the
signal lever A the press rails a are brought to about the same height as the upper
edge of the vehicle rails. The whole of the signal lowering apparatus is now ready to
work and no points on the sidings can be occupied by shunting carriages without
actuating the signal lever on the line. If after the raising of the distance signal B'
for a train vehicles on the sidings (either by stoppages of trains shunting or other
cause) are pushed so far forward that some of them project beyond the "safety" posts
the signal arm B¹ already raised to "clear" for the train to come on is thereby put
back to the signal "stop" in the following manner.
h
By putting over the signal lever A from the position A to the position A² the
press rails a have been brought to about the same height as the upper edge of the
vehicle rails as shown in Figure 4, now if the vehicles are pushed so far forward that
they have reached the place where the safety posts are to be found the flange of the
first wheel of the vehicle so pushed forward presses against the press rail a the latter is
then forced back by the weight of the train when it turns the levers E E¹ and the
shaft D and acts through the rod G on the bell crank F which latter is provided with
a specially designed slot F. The slot F' forms a slot eccentric to the fulcrum of the
bell crank F by thus turning the bell crank F and the slot the lever A is raised so
high that the lock bolt B of the lever A is lifted out of the groove C of the side plate J
of the signal lever frame. In order to render this raising of the signal lever A possible
the guiding groove k in the said frame in which the guide pin on the signal lever A
runs is widened at £¹ and in addition the lever A is provided at its fulcrum A³ with a
longitudinal slot. The signal lever A thus set free is in consequence of the weight
itself of the falling signal arm B₁ put over from the position A2 to the position A¹ and
consequently the distance signal B on the line again shows "stop."
Figure 1 shows the whole arrangement of the signal lever the appliance for working
the signal with the signal arm B' and the press rail.
When the signal
arm falls back to "stop" a danger disc H' placed just before the
switch at the same time appears it is interposed or inserted in the connection H of the

page_text: signal and shows a red or other danger disc by day and a red or danger light by night.
The principal object of this disc is to warn the engine driver of the fall of the signal
lever and to prevent him going on in the event of the points being occupied after
he has already with his train passed under the distance signal thus not seeing the fall
of the arm.
As the distance signals are generally 400 or 500 metres from the points
there will usually remain between the signal B' and the warning disc H room to put
on the breaks and bring the train to a standstill in good time. So long as the points
are occupied the signal lever cannot be turned because the weight of the carriage
prevents it and the press rail cannot be raised in consequence of the flanges of the
wheels. The points must therefore be quite clear again before the signal to go on can
be given by the signal lever. The signal apparatus therefore prevents the "clear ***
signal being given so long as the points are occupied and further automatically blocks
the line if the points are occupied after the signal has been raised.
The apparatus can also be used for starting signals and intermediate signals at large
stations or junctions as it affords this security to the employe's on duty that-on sidings
which are connected by press rails with the signalling apparatus-at the spot where the
safety posts are no vehicles can be pushed too far without preventing the raising of the
starting and through signals. The switch regulating gear can be connected with
the signal lever in the usual way.
22
It will be obvious that this invention can be adapted for raising the signal arm to
" stop" (instead of lowering the same to "stop as previously described) where the
"clear" signal is given by dropping the signal arm from its horizontal "stop" position
-instead of raising it above the said "stop" position..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. A signal lowering apparatus consisting of the bell crank F-connected with the
press rails a at the safety posts with the raisable lever A having a fine fulcrum in
order that railway vehicles rolling on to the press rail will raise the signal lever A
thus bringing the lock bolt B out of the slot C of the lever frame J and causing the
raised signal arm B' to fall back to its horizonial "stop" position substantially in the
manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
2. The combination of the signal lowering apparatus as described in claim 1 with the
danger disc H which is inserted in the connection of the signal for the purpose of
giving a signal between the distance signal B' and the points substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein before set forth.
15
1
Ր
1000
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.