IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Kenyon, of Middleton, near Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS OF
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 21st July 1876, and dated the 24th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Kenyon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th January 1870.
WILLIAM KENYON, of Middleton, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON
RAILWAYS."
The object of this Invention is to enable signals to be given by the locomotive
itself when in motion, so that the signalling shall be self-acting, and thereby avoid
the danger and accidents that at times occur from the neglect of the signalman.
At one side of each line I employ horizontal rods, bars, or tubes supported on
antifriction rollers or pulleys, the said rods, bars, or tubes being divided into sections
or lengths according to the position of the stations, junctions, or other places where
the signals have to be given, and at or near the commencement of each section or at
any part of the line where the arms, levers, lamps, or other signals are placed I fix
to the bar toothed racks gearing into toothed wheels fixed to the pillars or upright
shafts carrying the semaphore arms or other signals for giving motion to the signals
when the horizontal bar is moved; or instead of the racks and wheels other well
known mechanical movements may be used.
In standards or bearings near the stations, crossings, junctions, or sidings there
are shafts carrying two levers called signal levers, one jointed to the horizontal rod,
bar, or tube, and the other to a two-armed lever having one arın curved or inclined
above the top of the rail, and on the locomotive there is a double lever carrying at
one end a bowl or pulley, and communicating at the other end with the steam whistlo
and at the ends of the sections of the horizontal rods, bars, or tubes, that is, near the
stations, junctions, crossings, or other places to and from which signals have to be
given 1 employ other two-armned levers called sectional levers, one arm of each
communicating with its corresponding sectional rod, bar, or tube, and its other arın
so placed that it can be acted upon by the locomotive.
Shortly after the engine and train have left the station or other place where a
signal has to be given the locomotive acts on the signal lever, which moves the

page_text: horizontal rod, bar, or tube, and works the signal to, shew that the line is not clear,
and must for the present be blocked, but when the engine and train have arrived
at the end of the section the locomotive acts on the corresponding sectional rod,
bar, or tube, and reverses the signal to shew that section of the line is clear, and
these operations of blocking and unblocking take place at all stations, junctions,
crossings, or other required places, and at various parts of the line there are levers
which open the whistle when the line is blocked, the whistle being kept open by a
catch, thereby giving warning to the engineman and others that there is a block,
and that the engine should be immediately stopped.
These horizontal bars, rods, or tubes are used in all the cross lines and sidings,
and are so arranged that when the signals shew open for the main line that the bar
on the other line or siding is locked, thereby giving notice that there should be no
attempt at crossing the lines, but when the train on the main line has passed the
crossing, and shifted the signal bar, rod, or tube on the cross line is free and gives
notice to the engineman that the train has passed; and in all cases where there is
a breakdown or other obstruction before the arrival of the train at a sectional
or unblocking lever the engineman or stoker locks the rod, bar, or tube by a key
or pin to maintain the signals in their locked positions, or the signals are worked
to and fro by means of a lever to signal the station-master or others that there is
an obstruction or breakdown.
•
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Kenyon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th July
1876.
WILLIAM KENYON, of Middleton, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON
RAILWAYS."
'
The object of this Invention is to enable signals to be given by the locomotive
itself when in motion, so that the signalling shall be self-acting, and thereby avoid
the danger and accidents that at times occur from the neglect of the signalman.
At one side of each line I employ. horizontal rods, bars, or tubes supported on
antifriction rollers or pulleys, 'the 'said rods, bars, or tubes being divided into sections.
or lengths according to the positions of the stations, junctions, or other places where
the signals have to be given; and at or near the commencement of cach section or at
any part of the line where the arms, levers, lamps, or other signals are placed I fix
to the bar toothed racks gearing into toothed wheels fixed to the pillars or upright
shafts carrying the semaphore arms or other signals for giving motion to the signals
when the horizontal bar is moved, or instead of the racks and wheels other well
known mechanical movements may be used.
In standards or bearings near the stations, crossings, junctions, or sidings there is
a shaft carrying a double lever, one arm being inclined above the top of the line,
the said shaft having also on it another lever connected to the horizontal rod, bar,
or tube; the other arın of the double lever is connected to a cam, to which cam is
connected a bar or rail near the place where the signal is desired to be given,
which cam and rail are lifted for the purpose of cutting off the steam and sounding
the whistle, and on the locomotive there is a double lever carrying at one end a
bowl or pulley, and communicating at the other end with the steam valve and
whistle, and at the ends of the sections of the horizontal rods, bars, or tubes, that is,
near the stations, junctions, crossings, or other places, to and from which signals
have to be given, I employ other two-armed levers called sectional levers, one arm
of each cominunicating with its corresponding sectional rod, bar, or tube, and its
other arm so placed that it can be acted upon by the locomotive.
Shortly after the engine and train have lelf the station or other place where a
signal has to be given the locomotivo acts on the signal lever, which moves the
horizontal rod, bar, or tube, and works the signal to shew that the line is blocked, but

page_text: when the engine and train have arrived at the end of the section the locomotive
acts on the corresponding sectional rod, bar, or tube, and reverses the signal to shew
that that section of the line is clear, and these operations of blocking and unblocking
take place at all stations, junctions, crossings, or other required places. Should an
engine through accident or from any cause attempt to pass over one of the signal
levers which is set to danger the bowl on the double lever of the locomotive is
raised, and shuts off the steam and sounds the whistle, which is kept open by a
catch near the driver, thereby giving warning to the engineman that there is a
block, and that the engine must be immediately stopped.
These horizontal rods, bars, or tubes are used in all the cross lines and sidings,
and are so arranged that when the signals shew open for the main line that the bar
on the other line or siding is blocked, thereby giving notice that there should be
no attempt at crossing the lines, but when the train on the main line has passed
the crossing and shifted the signal bar, rod, or tube, the cross line is free, and gives
notice to the engineman that the train has passed; and in cases where there is a
breakdown or other obstruction before the arrival of the train at a sectional or
unblocking lever the engineman or stoker locks the rod, bar, or tube by a key or
pin to maintain the signals in their blocked positions, or the signals are worked to
and fro by means of a lever to signal the station-master or others that there is an
obstruction or breakdown.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 is a side view shewing a locomo-
tive fitted with my improved double lever and bowl for actuating the signals and
cutting off the steam and opening the whistle, the said engine being shewn as about
to enter a section or where a signal is required to be given.
Fig. 2, a side view shewing a locomotive in contact with my apparatus to cut off
the steam and open the whistle on approaching a blocked section of the line.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are detached views of some of the parts.
h
In the various views Figs. a represents the line of railway; b, the locomotive
carrying the double arm c', having at the bottom end a bowl c working on a stud d,
and having at the other end a rod e connected to the steam valve fand whistle g,
there being springs or weights to keep the said double arm in an upright position;
jis a shaft carrying a double lever k, l, the arm being inclined above the top of
the rail, having also on it another lever m connected to the horizontal rod, bar, or
tube n, supported on antifriction rollers p. The other arm of the double lever is
connected to a cam y, to which is connected a bar or rail v. On the horizontal rod,
bar, or tube n, near the place where the signal is desired to be given, is fixed a
toothed rack s, Figs. 1, 2, and 6, gearing into a toothed wheel t on the upright shaft
carrying the semaphore arms or other signals. u shews the sectional lever, or the
one at the far end of the section.
The mode of working the signals is as follows :--Shortly after the locomotive and
train have left the station or other place where a signal has to be given, as shewn
in Fig. 1, the engine acts on the double lever k, l, depressing it by means of the
bowl c on the double lever c', and thereby causing the arm me on the shaftj to movo
the horizontal rod, bar, or tube n, and work the semaphore arins or signals by
means of the racks s and toothed wheels t, and at the same time the other arm of
the double lever k, l, lifts the cam or eccentric q with the bar or rail above tho
level of the rail, in which position it is firmly held. The engine and train then
proceed on their way until they come to the next lever or signal u, when the bowl
on the double lever c' acts upon it, depressing it, as in the former case, turning the
signals, and at the same time moving back the horizontal rod, thereby reversing
the last past signals and lowering the cam g and bar or rail to permit the next
engine and train to pass.
Should another engine from any cause be about to enter upon a section of the
ine that is blocked the bowl c on the lever c¹ comes in contact and rides up the rail
or bar on the cam g, which was raised by the last passing train, thereby drawing
he rod e forward, shutting the valve f, and opening the whistle y, at the same time
drawing the spring lever a' into a notch or detent b¹ to keep the valve closed and

page_text: whistle open until released by the engineman; it being understood that when any
of the levers cannot be depressed by the bowl c on the lever c¹ the steam is cut off,
and the whistle sounded.
At sidings, junctions, and crossings the samo arrangements are adopted, except
that on one horizontal rod e¹, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, there is a recess f¹, or indentation,
which is put in and out of gear with a projection g' on another horizontal rod h¹ by
the engine passing over the signal lever, which locks the signals, and prevents any
other engine from passing or occupying the line until the first is out of danger.
In case of a breakdown between two signal posts, and the engine and train has
not got sufficiently far on its way in the section to be safe, the guard or engine-
driver would go back, and by means of a rod or key or other means again block the
section that he had just passed over and opened for traffic, thus giving warning that
thero was danger ahead.
Although I have only mentioned toothed racks working into toothed wheels
for actuating the horizontal rods, bars, or tubes, and semaphore arms or signals,
other well-known devices may be used, one modification of which is shewn in
Fig. 6.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, and tho
manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that I do
not confine myself to the exact details herein set forth, as such may be varied or
modified without departing from the principle thereof, but what I claim is, the
general arrangement and combination of parts of machinery or apparatus for signal-
ling on railways, substantially as hercin described and illustrated on the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Kenyon, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight bundred and voventy civ
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named William Kenyon, in the presence of
G. SEPTIMUS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
WILLIAM KENYON. (L.S.)