Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Signalling on Railways.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th June, 1896--Accepted, 25th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Signalling on
Railways.
We, THOMAS YATES, Pointsinan, 374 Oldham Road, Newton Heath, Manchester,
and ROBERT YATES, Mechanic 98 Lightbowne Road, Moston, Manchester, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
The object of our invention is to make a signalling apparatus for use in foggy or
other weather.
The invention consists of two essential combinations of parts, one being attached
to the engine and the other alongside the rails The latter can be brought into
operative position each time the signal is put on, and on an engine or the like passing
over it, warning given of its approach or passing.
In carrying out out invention we pivot to any suitable part of the side of the
engine a forked lever having two arms pointing upwards and (hereinafter called
the "
upper arms," and the other arm (hereinafter called the striking arm")
hanging downwards, the pivotting point being a little below the springing of the
" upper arms.
"
The
The lower end of the "stukung arm is furnished with a roller At a short
distance above the two "upper aims "of the fork we provide two short aims
bereinafter called the "gong stikers" the lower ends of which extend downwards
aud between the space comprised between the "
upper aims"
The upper end of the "
gong stikers"
are cu ved towards one another and
between them a gong or bell is bolted or otherwise attached to the engine
upper end of each of the " gong strikers" is kept slightly away from the gong by
a spiral sping acting from between the "gong suikers." Alongside the rails we
provide a levci (hereinafter called the "rail lever ") which is pivotted to a suitable
support situated at about one third of the length of the level The end of this
leve at the lesser distance from the pivot is furnished with a block on the like of
oval wedge on other suitable shape. The other end of it is suitably weighted and
provided with a hole on the like for attachment to the signal wire when required:
and when connected the block at the other end can be raised to be within striking
distance of the hanging or "stuking arm "of the fork attached to the engine,
whenever the signal is put on, but at other times remaining below striking distance.
We e purpose using three of these lovers one being say fifty yards from the distance
signal, one the same distance from the home signal and the other neater home still.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:
The signal we being attached to the end of the "rail lever," when the signal is
put on, the block at the opposite end is raised so that its upper surface is above the
lower part of the roller on the end of the "striking arm "of the engine part of my
invention.
When therefore the engine arrives at the block, the “striking arm
" will come
in contact with the block on the rail lever and will be moved on its pivot and
consequently out of its usual upright position. The result of this will be that one
of the "upper arms" of the fork will move one of the " gong stukers" away from
the gong and immediately the "striking arm has cleared the block, it will recover

page_text: its original position and the spiral spring will draw back the "gong striker” and
cause it to strike the gong and give the signal.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1895.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23 Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for Applicants.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Signalling on
Railways.
We, THOMAS YATES, Pointsman, 374, Oldham Road, Newton Heath, Manchester,
and ROBERT YATES, Mechanic, 98, Lightbourne Road, Moston, Manchester, 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
-
The object of our invention is the construction of a signalling apparatus for use
in foggy or other weather. The invention consists of two essential combinations of
parts, one being attached to the engine cab or tender and the other alongside the
rails. The latter can be brought into operative position each time the signal
put on and on an engine or the like passing over it, warning is given of its
approach.
In describing our invention, we make reference to the accompanying sheet
of drawings in which
"
Fig 1 is a side view of the two parts of the apparatus,
Fig. 2 an end view of the gong and levels.
Fig. 3 a plan of the part attached to the rail, and
Fig. 4. a section through A B Fig 1.
33
To any suitable part of the side of the engine, cab or tender, we pivot a forked
lever having two of its aims a and b pointing upwards, (and hereinafter called the
upper arms") and the other aim c (hereinafter called the "striking aims ") hanging
downwards the pivotting point being a little below the springing of the "upper
arms. The lower end of the striking an is furnished with a roller e, and a guide
may be provided if necessary to keep the lower am in line as it is moved to aud
fro At a short distance above the two "upper arms" of the fork we provide two
other bolts o pivots on which turn two short aims g (hereinafter called the
gong strikers"), the lower ends of which extend downwards and between the
space comprised between the "upper arms The upper ends of the gong
strikeis"
are cused towards one another and between them a gong or bell his
bolted or other wise attached to the engine.
66
"
"
The upper end of each of the gong strikers is kept slightly away from the gong
by a spiral spring acting from between the gong strikete The portion of the
apparatus attached to the engine on the like is fastened on a base plate or
equivalent. Alongside one of the rails we provide a lever (hereinafter called
the "rail lever") which is pivotted to a suitable support k (preferably attached to
the ail) situated at about one third of the length of the lever fiom one of
its ends.
The end of this lever is furnished with a block m or the like of oval, wedge, or
other suitable shape. The other end n of it is provided with a weight o, and with
a hole or the like for attachment to the signal wire; and when so connected the
block m can be raised within striking distance of the striking aim c, whenever the
Bignal is put on, but at other times remaining below stinking distance.
connecting the weighted end of the tail lever to the signal wie, we so arrange that
it shall be below the level of the signal wire. The end of the signal wire after
In

page_text: being attached to the end of the lever is carried vertically, and passed over a
pully q
To the signal wire is also attached another wire or chain running parallel to
the lever 1, and to the end of the piece of chain or the liker we attach the upper
end of a piece of metals having (preferably) a rounded end u This piece of
metal is pivotted to the side of the rail at u and has attached to its upper end, one
extremity of a spiral spring t, the other extremity of which is attached to the
support k, to which the rail lever is attached. When the striking block is raised
into its operative position, the rounded end of the piece of metals is brought into
contact with the upper edge of the rail lever and forms a stop or block to assist the
weight in keeping the striking block raised. vis a rail of the permanent way.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
"
Wire p and the extension being allowed to move in the direction of the arrows,
the weight o falls and raises the striking block m so that its upper surface is above
the lower end of the roller on the end of the "striking arm When therefore, the
engine arrives at the block the "striking arm" will come in contact with the block
on the rail lever and will be moved on its pivot and consequently out of its usual
upright position. The result of this will be that one of the "upper arms
" of the
fork will move one of the "goug strikers" away from the gong and immediately the
striking an has cleared the block, it will recover its original position and
the spiral sping will draw back the goog striker and cause it to strike the gong and
give the signal.
We do not confine ourselves to the precise configuration, relative proportions or
dispositions of parts as described in the above specification or exemplified in the
accompanying drawing, as various modifications are obviously possible without
departing from the spirit of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. Apparatus for signalling on railways and consisting essentially of a forked
lever pivotted to the engine, cab or tender, the upper arms of the fork being so
arranged and moved to and fro as to sound a gong or the hke, the said to and fro
movement being brought about by a pivotted lever attached to or near the rail and
having at one end a block against which stikes the lower arm of the above
mentioned fork as the engine, cab, carriage, or the like, passes over it, the said
block being brought into and retained at striking distance as and when required by
a counterpoised lever operated from the signal box or elsewhere, by a wire or the
like, the whole substantially as described in the above specification and exemplified
in the accompanying drawing.
2. The combination of parts together forming and operating as signalling
apparatus for use on railways, the whole carried into effect substantially as described
in the above specification and exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of June 1896.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicants.