Improvements in or connected with Railway Signalling, with special reference to Thick or Foggy Weather.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
Improvements in or connected with Railway Signalling, with special
reference to Thick or Foggy Weather.
1, GEORGE CARRINGTON PURVIS of 3, Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh, Scotland,
Doctor of Medicine and Bachelor of Science do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The invention consists in placing (1) a movable (or swing) bar or lever on the
engine, and (2) another such bar or lever parallel to the track, arranged in such a
manner that the lower end of the lever (which hangs in a vertical position) on the
engine can strike the upper end of the lever placed parallel to the track when the
signal is at "danger" but not when the signal is at "line clear." The lever
which is parallel to the track (hereinafter called the track lever) is placed at a
suitable distance above the ground & can be rotated to a more or less horizontal
position when the signal is at "line clear" & in this position does not come in
contact with the lever on the engine, but when the signal is at danger the track
lever assumes the vertical position and is then in a position to be struck by the lever
on the engine.
The track lever is so loaded that it assumes the vertical or danger position
in the event of the wire-which connects the track lever with the signal box"
either directly or through the intermedium of the ordinary semaphore signal-
breaking.
The lever on the engine, when displaced from its vertical position by contact
with the track lever, is made to sound a steam whistle on the engine, or to strike a
gong or ring a bell on the engine, or to shew a danger signal to the driver, or if
necessary to shut off steam & apply the brake & thus automatically bring the train
to a stand still.
1
1000
Improvements in or connected with Railway Signalling, with special
reference to Thick or Foggy Weather.
I, GEORGE CARRINGTON PURVIS, M.D. etc. of 3, Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh,
in the County of Mid-Lothian, N.B. 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 relates to improvements in or connected with railway signalling
with special reference to thick or foggy weather and consists in placing (1) a
moveable or swing bar or lever on the engine. (2) Another such bar or lever

page_text: parallel to the track, which lever may be arranged in such a manner that the lower
end of the lever (which hangs in a vertical position) on the engine can strike the
upper end of the lever placed parallel to the track when the signal is at danger but
not when the signal is at line clear. The lever which is parallel to the track
(hereinafter called the track lever) is placed at a suitable distance above the ground
and can be rotated to a more or less horizontal position when the signal is at
"line clear" and in this position does not come in contact with the lever on the
engine but when the signal is at danger the track lever assumes the vertical position
and is then in a position to be struck by the lever on the engine. The track lever
is so loaded that it assumes the vertical or danger position in the event of the wire,
which connects the track lever with the signal box either directly or through the
intermedium of the ordinary semaphore signal, breaking.
The lever on the engine when displaced from its vertica! position by contact with
the track lever, is made by means of a lever or levers or by any other suitable means
to sound a steam whistle on the engine or to strike a goug or ring a bell on the
engine or to shew a danger signal to the driver, or if necessary to shut off
steam and apply the brake and thus automatically bring the train to a stand
still.
But in order that my said invention may be more readily understood and easily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which,
Fig. 1 is a side view and
Fig. 2 an end view shewing one method of carrying out my invention
Fig. 3 is an end view of a modification.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings I employ a cranked lever A pivotted
upon the engine at a so that the end al projects through a slot as at the side of the
engine. To the end as of the lever I attach a hammer B which when the lever is
released, as will be hereinafter explained, is caused to ring the bell C. A coloured
disc b may also be provided upon the arm a³ in such a manner that when the hammer
strikes the bell the disc falls over the sight hole or spectacle D and thus gives a
visual warning to the driver.
Upon the side of the engine is secured a bracket E to which is pivotted a lever F
having a projection at its upper end which works on a short horizontal bar f
formed upon the end a¹ of the lever A whereby the hammer is retained in its raised
position.
G is a stationary wooden or other post to which the track lever H is pivotted
and the arrangement is such that when the ordinary signal is at danger and
the lever H in a vertical position the projection h at the upper end of the lever
is caused to strike the lower end of the engine swing lever F and thus release the
bar from the projection f whereby the hammer is caused to descend and strike
the bell.
The crank lever A is then replaced to its uormal (safety) position by the engine
driver.
It will be seen therefore that if the signal is at "line clear" and the track
lever H in a more or less horizontal position, the engine can pass without the track
lever operating the engine lever.
Or I may as shewn in Fig. 3 arrange the track lever H so that its lower end may
strike the upper end of the engine swing lever F in which case the lever F would
be extended beyond the projection and would be provided with a second projection f
for engaging with the track lever H.
Although the drawings only shew a bell as the means for indicating to the driver
that the signal is at danger I may employ the crank lever A to sound a gong
or steam whistle or other similar appliance and the same mechanism may be
situated at the other side of the engine to allow the engine to run in either
direction.
To protect from snow the lower end of the track lever shewn in Fig. 1 and the
upper end of the track lever shewn in Fig. 2 may be enclosed in a box.

page_text: 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-
1. The improvements in or connected with railway signalling with special
reference to thick or foggy weather, substantially as hereinbefore described and
shewn in the accompanying drawings.
2. The swing lever F pivotted upon the side of the engine with the track lever H
pivotted to a stationary post at the side of the rails, so arranged that the one lever
is struck by the other lever when the engine passes the distant signal whilst it is at
danger, the said levers being free to pass each other when the signal is at "line-
clear" substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and shewn in.
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of February 1897.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents..