Improvements in connection with Railway Signals and Switches.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Railway Signals and Switches.
I LEICESTER BRADNEY STEVENS of Darlington Works, Southwark Bridge
Road in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention for improvements in connection with railway signals and switches
has for its objects to dispense with the services of a special pointsman where
facing points leading from the main line to a siding between two stations are fixed;
to insure the effectual locking of the signal lever in a position to indicate "danger
on the signal at the starting station until the points are relocked and the section
containing the points between the two stations is clear, and to provide means for
actuating the sliding tappet lock bolt of lever apparatus from a distance.
In locking apparatus for outlying sidings constructed according to this invention
a case or reservoir is provided at the starting station containing tablets arranged
in a vertical tube or shoot underneath which works a sliding bar having a recess
into which a tablet falls from the shoot when the bar is pressed home, the with-
drawal of the said bar removing the tablet which is taken by the engine driver or
guard or other person about to operate the points. When the sliding tablet bar is
in its normal or closed position the main line signal lever is free to be operated;
but when the said bar is withdrawn the said lever is automatically locked by
means of a bolt or other projection connected to the lever engaging with a part of
the tablet bar. To the sliding tablet bar is hinged a tappet pawl engaging with a
locking bolt so that when the bar is withdrawn it is locked in that position until
the locking bolt is removed as hereinafter described.
The driver or other person in charge of the train being provided with a tablet
proceeds to the points to be operated, the main line signal being locked at "danger."
In the line of rods connecting the siding points lever with the points is a rod
having a circular notch with which a disc flattened at one part of its periphery
engages to lock the points when in its normal position, but which may be turned
by means of the tablet so that its flat part faces the notched rod, thus removing
the lock and allowing the points to be operated. The locking disc is provided with
a cover so formned that the tablet can only be removed from the disc when the
points are locked.
The points being duly closed and locked the tablet is removed and carried to the
forward station where it is deposited in a receptacle, the act of so depositing it
serving to close an electric circuit in which is also placed an electromagnet at
the starting station which, when excited by the current attracts and withdraws the
locking bolt from the tappet pawl and thus allows the sliding tablet bar. to be
replaced in its normal position ready for another operation, while the closing of the
said bar removes the lock on the main line signal lever.
The deposition of the tablet and the withdrawal of the tappet lock bolt is
indicated at the starting station by means of a bell in the electric circuit or by an
indicator attached directly to the tappet lock bolt or by any other suitable means.
It will be obvious that the electrical arrangement for operating the tappet locking
bolt may be made equally applicable for the tappet locking bolts of ordinary signal
or point levers and for other locking apparatus, the electric circuit being closed by
the passing train acting through treadle bars, or by other suitable means.
Dated this 14th day of November 1890.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Railway Signals and Switches.
I LEICESTER BRADNEY STEVENS of Darlington Works, Southwark Bridge
Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, 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:-
This invention for improvements in connection with railway signals and switches
has for its objects to dispense with the services of a special pointsman where facing
points leading from the main line to a siding between two stations are fixed; to
insure the effectual locking of the signal lever in a position to indicate "danger"
on the signal at the starting station until the points are relocked and the section
containing the points between the two stations is clear, and to provide means for
actuating the sliding tappet lock bolt of lever apparatus from a distance.
In locking apparatus for outlying sidings constructed according to this invention
a case or reservoir is provided at the starting station containing tablets arranged in
a vertical tube or shoot underneath which works a sliding bar having a recess into
which a tablet falls from the shoot when the bar is pressed home, the withdrawal of
the said bar removing the tablet which is taken by the engine-driver or guard or
other person about to operate the points. When the sliding tablet bar is in its
normal or closed position the main line signal lever is free to be operated; but
when the said bar is withdrawn the said lever is automatically locked by means of
a bolt or other projection connected to the lever engaging with a part of the tablet
bar. To the sliding tablet bar is hinged a tappet pawl engaging with a locking
bolt, so that, when the bar is withdrawn it is locked in that position until the
locking bolt is removed as hereinafter described.
The driver or other person in charge of the train being provided with a tablet
proceeds to the points to be operated, the main line signal being locked at "danger."
In the line of rods connecting the siding points lever with the points is a rod
having a circular notch with which a disc flattened at one part of its periphery
engages to lock the points when in its normal position, but which may be turned
by means of the tablet so that its flat part faces the notched rod, thus removing
the lock and allowing the points to be operated. The locking disc is provided
with a cover so formed that the tablet can only be removed from the disc when the
points are locked; or, an ordinary key attached to the tablet to unlock the siding
point lever may be employed.
The points being duly closed and locked, the tablet is removed and carried to
the forward station where it is deposited in a receptacle, the act of so depositing it
serving to close an electric circuit in which is also placed an electromagnet at the
starting station which, when excited by the current attracts and withdraws the
locking bolt from the tappet pawl and thus allows the sliding tablet bar to be
replaced in its normal position ready for another operation, while the closing of the
said bar removes the lock on the main line signal lever.
The deposition of the tablet and the withdrawal of the tappet lock bolt is
indicated at the starting station by means of a bell in the electric circuit, or by an
indicator attached directly to the tappet lock bolt, or by any other suitable means.
It will be obvious that the electrical arrangement for operating the tappet
locking bolt may be made equally applicable for the tappet locking bolts of
ordinary signal or point levers, and for other locking apparatus, the clectric
circuit being closed by the passing train acting through treadle bars, or by other
suitable means.
In the accompanying three sheets of illustrative drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan of the tablet reservoir and lever locking device.

page_text: Figs. 4 and 5 are plan and elevation respectively of one form of tablet for
actuating the locking device at outlying siding points.
Fig. 6 is a plan of another tablet provided with a key for locking up the point
lever or other moving part connected to the points.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of main line signal lever and tablet reservoir showing
the arrangement of the locking bar.
Figs. 8 and 9 are elevation and plan respectively of one form of point locking
device.
Fig. 10 is an elevation of part of a point lever showing an ordinary lock applied
to it to be operated by the key in the disc Fig. 6, and
Fig. 11 is a plan or diagram of a section of railway illustrating the electrical
connections for controlling the tablet slide.
The tablets a for operating the point locking device are contained at the starting
station in a vertical reservoir or shoot beneath which is the horizontal sliding
bar c formed with a recess d into which a tablet falls when the bar c is pressed
home, the withdrawal of the bar removing the said tablet, which is taken by the
person about to operate the siding points. Connected to the arm e of the main
line signal lever is a vertical rod or bolt g which, when the sliding tablet bar c
is closed passes freely through a hole in it, and so permits the main line signal
to be operated. When however the sliding tablet bar is withdrawn it is placed
foul of the said bolt g and so prevents the main signal lever being operated
until it is again returned to its normal position. To the sliding tablet bar is
hinged a back stroke lock tappet i whose tooth engages with a locking bolt m
so that, when the bar is withdrawn it is locked in that position until the bolt m is
removed as hereinafter described.
29
C
The driver or other person in charge being provided with a tablet a proceeds to
the points to be operated, the main line signal being locked at "danger
open bar c and bolt g.
by the
In the main line of rods connecting the siding points lever with the points is a
bar n sliding suitable guides and having a circular notch with which a disc o
flattened at one part engages to lock the points when closed. The upper end of
the disc spindle p is formed to fit the hole g in the tablet a by which it is turned
until the flat part of the disc faces the bar a thus removing the lock and permitting
the points to be operated. A. projection on the bracket s works in a corre-
sponding slot t in the tablet and serves to prevent the spindle being operated by
any tablet not formed to clear it. A cover vis formed with a notch or recess w
so that the tablet can only be attached to and withdrawn from the spindle p when
the bar n is locked.
Instead of the locking bar n being employed, an ordinary lock x (Fig. 10) may
be attached to the point lever and operated by a key y attached to the tablet
(Fig. 6), the said lock being provided with a stop so that the key can only be
removed when the lever is locked.
The siding points being duly closed and locked the tablet is removed and
carried to the forward station where it is deposited in a receptacle, the act of
so depositing it serving to close an electric circuit by any well known device, in
which circuit is also placed the electromagnet which when energized by the
current attracts and withdraws the locking bolt m from the tappet pawl 7 and
thus allows the sliding tablet bar to be replaced in its normal position ready for
another operation, the closing of the said bar removing the lock from the main
line signal lever f and the tappet i again setting the locking bolt m foul of the
pawl
In the plan or diagram (Fig. 11), A represents the tablet reservoir and electro-
magnetic lock, B the siding point lever and C the used tablet receptacle with
electrical connections and circuit closer. When the receptacle C is full its
contents are emptied and returned to the reservoir A, or, the tablet case may be
made interchangeable, that at A being replaced by that at C when full.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Actuating the locking bolts of back stroke lock tappets of signal or point
levers or other locking apparatus from a distance by means of an electromagnet
substantially as described.
"
2. In locking apparatus for outlying sidings on double lines of railway: locking
the main line signal lever to indicate " danger on the signal at the starting
station until the points are relocked and the section containing the points between
the stations is clear, the whole arranged constructed and operating substantially as
described.
3. In locking apparatus for outlying sidings on double lines of railway: locking
and unlocking the points of the siding by means of a disc engaging in a notched
sliding bar, the said disc being operated by a locking tablet, the whole arranged
and constructed substantially as described.
4. In locking apparatus for outlying sidings on double lines of railway: locking
the point lever by means of a key attached to the tablet, the whole substantially
as described.
5. In locking apparatus for outlying sidings on double lines of railway: locking
the sliding tablet bar after it has been withdrawn until the siding points have
been operated and the tablet has been deposited in a suitable receptacle at the
forward station by means of a locking tappet pawl substantially as described.
6. In locking apparatus outlying sidings on double lines of railway: with-
drawing the locking bolt from the sliding tablet bar tappet pawl by means of an
electro-maguet energized by an electric current controlled by the deposition of the
used tablet in its receptacle at the forward station, the whole arranged, constructed
and operating substantially as described.
7. The arrangement and construction of locking apparatus for outlying sidings
on double lines of railways substantially as described with reference to the
drawings.
Dated this 14th day of August 1891.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, Agents.