Improvements in; Co-acting Apparatus in, Railway Signalling.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Jan., 1895:
Complete Specification Left, 21st Oct.,, 1895-Accented, 23rd Nov., 1895
LI
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in; Co-acting Apparatus in, Railway Signalling.
Kingston on
I CHARLES LAVINGTON FIELDER, of Rosendale, Gibbon Road, Ki
Thames, in the County of Surrey, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, to be as follows:—.
This invention has reference: to improved means for controlling the movement
of one or more balance levers actuating railway. signals by the movementiof; other
Jevers upon the same balance plate:..
It relates especially, to, the control of Distant signals, when present, with other
signals upon the same, post, in such instances, as it may be, desirable, that such
"Distant signal shall be inoperative unless or until the other signal or signals, are
worked and also that when one or more of these signals so, worked, is, returned
to the normal, Danger position, the Distant, signal should, replace...itself
automatically.
.
The special and exclusive object, of this, device is, that it may be directly
applicable to ordinary standard, patterns of balance levers, now.in use, so, that the
signals worked therefrom inay be easily slotted" when desired, and that, existing
'slotted signals worked on the,, Drop-off' principle, may without, alteration of
structure be converted to, the Push-off' system.
,
F
1 gain the further advantage, which is not, present. in any other slotting device
known to the writer, that, in the event of the fracture of either of the controlling
levers the operation of the controlled, lever cannot take place, and the Distant
signal worked by, it consequently. remains at the normal Danger position...
The description of what, I propose, to adopt is as follows.
,
On the centre or controlled lever attach a block carrying, at right angles, to
the said lever, a moveable, crass or piece, composed of, a. series of, rollers, and
their connecting frame,. These rollers, travel in a slot in the said block... Each of
the two end rollers, extends, slightly over a plate attached to each of the, outside
levers; the upper edges of these outer, plates are bevelled and their interior,sides
form; vertical surfaces or paths whereon in certain circumstances the outer..rollers
attached to the centre lever travel.,
lu operation whenever either one of the outer levers, is worked the bevelled top
edge of the, plate attached to it drives the series of, rollers, away from, the said
outer lever until; the latter clears it, and in its, movement, leaves; the centre one at
rest. The extreme opposite roller attached to the centre lever has now travelled
farther over,the, bevel on the other outer lever and when, the latter is moved it
lifts the said roller and consequently the centre lever with it.until all three levers
are in one line..
Now, when either of the outer levers is released; by the wire from the signal
cabin, the natural tendency of the rollers, supporting, the centre. lever to descend
when either one or the other of the supporting, bevels, is withdrawn allows, the said
centre lever also to descend, and consequently its signal is replaced as aforesaid to
the normal, Danger' position...
Briefly, adapt, the idea of the tee.. piece, now commonly, used, in Drop-off'
signalɛ, to, new„functions, making the tee piece of moveable form...to meet the
different conditions of control; while, at the same time. 1 may, or may not, retain, as
occasion may require, the present form of fixed tee piece or an equivalent extension
of one or more, of the parts above described as an additional security against the

page_text: movement of the first lever raising the centre one and on the other hand that the
descent of either of the outer levers after all have been raised shall assure
the similar movement of the said centre or controlled one...
Dated this 19th day of January 1895.
CHARLES LAVINGTON FIELDER.
Improvements in Co-acting Apparatus in Railway Signalling.
I CHARLES LAVINGTON FIELDER of Rosendale, Gibbon Road, Kingston on
Thames 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 has reference to improved means for controlling the movement of
one or more balance levers actuating railway signals by the movement of other
levers upon the same balance plate.
It relates especially to the control of distant signals when present with other
signals upon the same post in such instances as it may be desirable that such
distant signal shall be inoperative unless or until the other signal or signals is or
are worked, and also that when one or more of these signals so worked is returned
to the normal danger position, the said distant signal should replace itself
automatically.
$
The special and exclusive object of this device is that it may be directly
applicable to ordinary standard patterns of balance levers now used so that the
signals worked therefrom may be easily slotted' when desired, and that existing
'slotted signals worked on the 'Drop-off' principle may without alteration of
structure be converted to the 'Push-off' system.
I gain the further advantage, which is not present in any other slotting' device
known to the writer, that in the event of the fracture of either of the controlling
levers the operation of the controlled lever cannot take place, and the distant
signal worked by it consequently remains at the normal danger position.
The description of what I propose to adopt is as follows:-
'On the central, or controlled, lever (a) attach a block (b) carrying at right
angles to the said lever a moveable cross, or tee, piece (c) composed of a series of
rollers and their connecting frame. These rollers travel in a slot in the said block.
Each of the two end friction rollers (d, d') extends slightly over a plate (e, e¹)
attached to either of the outside levers (f,f¹); the upper edges of these outer
plates (e, e) are bevelled and their interior sides form vertical surfaces or paths
whereon in certain circumstances the outer rollers (d, d¹), attached to the centre
lever (a), travel.
In operation whenever either one of the outer levers, say. (f), is worked the
bevelled top edge of the plate (e) attached to it drives the series of rollers (c)
away from the said outer lever (✓) until the latter clears it and in its movement
leaves the central lever (a) at rest. The extreme opposite roller (d') attached to
the central lever (a) has now travelled farther over the bevel on the other outer
lever () and when the latter is raised it lifts the said roller (d) and consequently
the central lever (a) with it until all three levers are in one line.
Now when either of the outer levers is released by the wire from the signal
cabin the natural tendency of the rollers that support the central lever to descend
when either one or the other of the supporting bevels is withdrawn allows the
said centre lever also to, descend and consequently its signal is replaced to the
normal danger position.
Briefly adapt the idea of the tee piece now commonly used in 'Drop-off'
signals to new functions, making the tee piece of moveable form to meet the

page_text: different conditions of control; while at the same time I may or may not retain,
as occasion may require, the present form of fixed tee piece, or an equivalent
extension of one or more of the parts above described, as an additional security
against the movement of the first lever raising the central one and on the other
hand that the descent of either of the outer levers after all have been raised shall
assure the similar movement of the said central or controlled one.
I am aware that many special appliances have been designed to produce in part
the effect I aim at, but these have been mostly aimed at the direct control of the
In the rarer instances
signal rods themselves or the wires working the levers.
where the balance plate or levers have been treated the defect is still present that
the fracture of either of the outer levers presents an element of danger inasmuch
that after being worked its non-return enables both the other levers to be worked
and the element of control disappears.
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. In railway signalling the direct application to, and combination with, the
balance levers of the bevelled parts and the shifting tee piece composed of rollers.
substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 12th day of October 1895.
CHARLES LAVINGTON FIELDER.