Improved Electrical Railway Switch and Signal Apparatus.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct.. 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1890-Accepted, 20th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Electrical Railway Switch and Signal Apparatus.
I, FRANZ XAVER BACHMANN, of Wahring, near Vienna, Herrengasse 13, in the
Austrian Empire, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for electrically operating the
points of railways, and it includes a system of signals electrically operated in conjunction
with the points from the same station.
In carrying my invention into effect, I provide at the ground level a suitable box
with which is combined a signal post preferably hollow.
Within the box I fix an electro motor, the rotation of which is communicated to a
worm engaging with a toothed segment.
The connecting rod from the points is led into this box and connected to the segment
at a suitable point, there being inserted in the said rod, within the box, a device for
allowing the motor to run for a short time before its energy is brought to bear upon
the points. This device may consist of a cylinder fast to the connecting rod, and
a piston fast to the point of attachment to the segment and free to work within the
cylinder.
22
The segment is adapted to be moved in either direction through an angle of say 90°.
Its axis may be either vertical or horizontal, and any system of ground signal lamps
may be combined with it.
I apply my invention to post signalling as follows:
The post, preferably a hollow one, is erected upon the top of the box or near it.
The head of the post of a suitable size and shape to display the light signals; and
these may be of any suitable shape, such as circular, angular, sector-shaped or rectangular,
and be either single or duplex.
I arrange a pulley on an axis in the head, and this is mechanically connected with
the axis of the segment in such a way that the motion of the latter is communicated*
to the said pulley, whereby the signals in the post-head are moved accordingly.
A counterpoise is provided to effect the return motion.
The current for the motor is generated, preferably, at the main signal box, and its
flow is controlled by a suitable switch-board consisting of current reversers and contacts
or switches. The current reversers are worked to correspond with the signals.
reverser is first set as the signal is to be, and the current then switched on.
A
I fix a smaller segment on the axis of the one above described, and this is adapted
to keep an alarm bell circuit closed, while the operation of moving the points is in
progress, by pressing together two spring contacts. The pointsman is thus enabled to
tell if and how the apparatus works. Thus, if the closing of the contact on the
switch-board is not followed by the sound of the alarm, then the current is at fault.
This fault can be remedied by switching on a reserve battery. But if the points
themselves are in fault, the alarm bell will continue to ring; for the bell only ceases to
ring when the large segment is quite over, either one way or the other.
Dated this 4th day of October 1889.
PHILLIPS &.LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Electrical Railway Switch and Signal Apparatus.
I, FRANZ XAVER BACHMANN, of Währing, near Vienna, Herrengasse 13, Electrician,
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:-
My invention relates to improvements in electrically operated railway switch and
signal apparatus; and allows all the points at a railway station, either intermediate or
terminus, to be worked from one or several boxes by means of electricity, and the
signals likewise with the said points, whenever necessary.
I attain the objects of my invention by means of the mechanisms illustrated in the
accompanying figures in which,
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a signal post with its switch and signal apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation corresponding with a portion of Fig. 1 showing the
signal reversed.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the cylinder, piston, and their connections,
of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the electrical switch board provided with 4 switches.
Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the electrical connections between the switch-board of
Fig. 4 and 4 sets (I, II, III, IV) of points and signals.
Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the electrical connections of the indicator device.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the current reverser.
Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the head of a signal post provided with a duplex
dise signal standing at "danger."
"
Fig 6 illustrates the same signal shewing "line clear" from both sides.
Fig. 7 illustrates an arrow-headed signal standing at "danger."
Fig. 7 illustrates the same signal standing at
"line clear."
Fig. 8 illustrates an angular signal standing at "danger."
Fig. 8 illustrates the same signal standing at "line clear."
Fig. 9 is an elevation of a signal consisting of two parallel bars, and standing at
danger."
Fig. 9 illustrates the same signal standing at "line clear."
G is a suitable chamber in which is fixed an electro motor E M, the shaft of which
is adapted to drive an endless screws either directly or through intermediate gearing.
This endless screw gears into a toothed quadrant. S, and moves it from the position
illustrated by the full lines to that illustrated by the dotted lines, or vice versa, according
to the direction of its rotation.
Z is the connecting rod from the points and is pivotted to the quadrant at .
For the purpose of giving the electro motor time to acquire full power before the
strain of moving the points comes upon it, I provide for a given length of lazy motion
on the part of the quadrant, by the device L, Fig. 1, illustrated in detail in Fig. 3.
The connecting rod is divided. The end of the portion, Z', from the points is fast to
the adjacent end-cover of the cylinder B, while the end of the portion Z pivotted on
the quadrant is fast to a piston K. At the moment when the endless screw begins
to move the quadrant, the piston K is at one end of the cylinder, so that it must
travel the full length of the latter before the resistance of the points is felt by the
motor, and during the said travel the motor has time to acquire its full energy. When
it has so acquired its full energy, then the piston is in touch with one end of the
cylinder, and the points begin to move.
The use of the endless screws prevents the points being moved by any agency other
than that of the electric current.
The currents necessary to work the electro motor emanate from the central signal
box or station, and pass through the switch board illustrated in Fig. 4. This switch
board constitutes in fact a small points-and-signal central station.
The current switches are placed near each shunt on the switch board.
The said shunts consist respectively of a current reverser W of
any known

page_text: construction and a contact (Figs. 4, 5 and 5º). The reversers are provided with
indicators corresponding with the exposed signals, so that the pointsman has always
under his eye a correct indication of the respective positions of all the points and
signals under his charge. To move a set of points, the respective reverser is first
turned into the position corresponding with that to which it is desired to change both
points and signal, and the current is then switched on.
For moving the points, the current takes the direction, battery B G, + pole, 1, A,
i, c, u, W, m, E M, n, W, v, and back to the negative pole of the battery. For reversing
the points, the direction will be battery B G, + pole, 1, A, i, c, u, W, n, E M, m,
W, and back to the pole again. In this way, the motor E M is rotated in either
direction according to that of the actuating current.
I provide the following indicator device for indicating the condition of the points-
and-signal apparatus.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 5ª, I fix a small quadrant Cupon the shaft of the quadrant S,
and when the latter is turned, the former closes a pair of spring contacts in the
circuit of the indicator alarm X, so that the latter rings all the time during which the
quadrant S is moving. So that if, after contact is closed, the alarm does not sound,
the fault will be in the current. This can be remedied by switching on a reservo
battery RG by means of the switch 1 A. But if the points are out of order, and
refuse to move as intended by the pointsman, the alarm will keep sounding, for it
cannot stop until the quadrant is at either end of its travel.
As a consequence of the operation of the above described alarm device, the points-
man is able to avoid accidents by turning his signal to danger.
The switch apparatus for working points above described may be used in combination
with any signal system. If ground signal lamps are used they are placed above the
shaft of the quadrant S, and in such a combination I prefer to have the said shaft
vertical.
My improved signalling apparatus consists of a fixed lamp provided with large
circular screens in such a position as to shew themselves to the driver of an approaching
train. These screens consist of coloured translucent discs of large diameter.
V is a hollow signal post standing upon the chamber G. It is provided at its top
with a head P in which the lamp is fixed in a sloping position. I have refrained from
illustrating this sloping position for the purpose of keeping the drawings clear. is a
pulley on an axis fixed near the top of the post, and to this pulley is fixed a disc lever
(Figs. 1 and 2), a pair of signal discs (Figs. 6, 7 and 8), or a bar aal (Fig. 9). In the
last mentioned device there is a second bar y y', the two bars being connected by a
fork and finger y2.
A second pulley is carried by the shaft of the quadrant S.
fast by one end to the pulley and led over the top pulley r.
provided to effect the return motion of the discs.
A cord D is made
Qis a counterpoise
As the quadrant is turned, so are the discs moved to correspond, and are thereby
caused to indicate the direction of the train.
In Figs. 1, 2, 6, and 8, the "green" field y indicates the direction of the train,
whereas the "green" above, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, stands at "danger."
In Figs. 7 and 9, the point of the internal angle indicates the direction of the
train, while the upward direction of the point in Fig. 7 and the parallel position in
Fig. 9 stand for "danger."
The danger signal is given by letting the current used for the working of the electro
motor pass for half the time that would be required for completely reversing the points,
so that the quadrant S, as well as the signals, stop half way.
This invention is not confined to any particular shape of transparent or other
signal.
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,

page_text: consisting of an endless screws, an electro motor for driving it, a toothed quadrant
meshing with said screw, the connecting rod attached to said quadrant, and a cylinder
and piston device located in said rod, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination with a railway switch, of an electro-motor for shifting it, the
switch board, the current reversers W and contact devices and c for closing the
circuit through the motor, as set forth.
3. The combination with a railway switch, the quadrant S connected thereto and
means for rotating said quadrant, of the small quadrant C mounted by the side of the
quadrant S, the circuit containing the alarm X, and the contact springs f, f¹ operated
by said quadrant C, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination with the apparatus for operating a railway switch, of a fixed
signal lantern, a rotary shaft therein, signal dises, and a pulley mounted on said shaft,
a second pulley mounted on the shaft of the switch-shifting apparatus and a cord
connecting the said pulleys and provided with a counterpoise, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
Dated this 1st day of Arroust 1800
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.