IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING RAILWAY OR OTHER SIMILAR SWITCHES AND SIGNALS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Montgomery Howarth, of Rotherham, in the
County of York, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING RAILWAY OR OTHER SIMILAR SWITCHES AND
SIGNALS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Montgomery Howarth
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st January 1880.
ALFRED MONTGOMERY HOWARTH, of Rotherham, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING RAILWAY OR OTHER
SIMILAR SWITCHES AND SIGNALS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO
OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus and appliances for actuating
and locking railway and other similar switches and signals, certain parts being also
applicable to the securing of gates, safes, and other similar purposes; and it has for
its objects simplicity of construction with strength of details and certainty of
action.
The first part of my Invention is a lever box, suitable for switching and signal
purposes. It is fitted with a lever, by preference weighted and connected with a
tumbler, both the lever and tumbler working on a pin, bolt, or cottar, which is
carried by two vertical cheeks of the box and forms the fulcrum.
The lower part of the tumbler may be shaped in the form of a helical bar, some-
what resembling a portion of the thread of a screw. The helical part of the tumbler
engages in a slot formed diagonally in a slide bar, to which the connecting rods
for working the switches or signal are attached. The partial rotation of the
tumbler by the working of the lever causes the slide bar to move backwards or
forwards as desired.
The lever, weight, and tumbler may be made in one piece or separately, as
preferred; when they are made separately a double recovery action can be effected.
In some cases I make the periphery of the tumbler broader on the face, and form in
its face a helical slot which engages with a fixed or loose stud on the top side of

page_text: the slide bar before mentioned. The ends of the slot being straight the slide bar
is securely locked when the stud is engaged in the ends of the slot.
As a modification of the above I use a lever provided with a long slotted hole
for the fulcrum pin to enable the short end of the lever which extends past the
fulcrum to be drawn out of or inserted into either of two pockets, cast or otherwise
formed in the tumbler. These arrangements secure a certainty of resumption of
the normal position of the lever and its connected parts. The second part of my
Invention has relation to the locking gear of switches and the means for attaching
or connecting the same. To adjust and retain the switches equidistant the one from
the other I use two short tie rods, one being secured to each switch rail, and the
inner ends near the centre, being screwed and provided with lock nuts, are secured
to a centre bar or connecting piece, to which is attached the lever rod.
A simple
arrangement of my improvements in locking gear may be described as follows:-
A strong bar is fixed to the side rail to maintain the gauge of the road, and for the
purpose of carrying the locking gear. A strong stud carries a triangular crank
which is formed with two cheeks united by a cam. Tie rods provided with
adjusting screws or couplings are secured to the switches and to two of the corners
of the crank. The pins forming this joint are secured to the crank and work in
elongated slots in the tie rods for the purpose of regulating and equalizing the
speed of the movement. One or both ends of the tie rods may abut upon the crank
when both open and closed, thus preventing any lateral movement till operated by
the person in charge. The amount of travel of the triangular crank is governed by
the operating bar or nut carried by same coming in contact with the flat cheeks of
the cam.
Various modifications of the above may be made to suit ordinary rods.
The actuating rod from the lever box is made with a spiral at its end which
works in a nut attached to the triangular crank for the purpose of working the
same. One or more levers or arms may be fixed on this rod for the purpose of
working either a signal, a safety bar, or for other similar purposes.
A simple modification of the spiral gear for working switches is obtained by
securing a nut to the inside of one of the switch rails (which are kept in position
by a tie rod) in which the spiral end of a rocking or oscillating shaft works. The
switches may be prevented from rising by tapered steady pins projecting from the
side rails and passing through corresponding holes in the switch rails. I construct
a combination lever box as follows:-The box is made with two upright sides or
cheeks, through the lower part of which suitable holes are formed for a slide bar to
work in; the bar has a diagonal groove on its upper side and near its centre. Across
the top of the cheeks is securely fixed a short spiral bar on which works a tumbler
moved by a handle or lever. The lower edge of the tumbler forms a helical bar
which slides freely in the diagonal groove above mentioned. It will thus be seen
that on turning the lever the tumbler travels along the spiral bar from cheek to
cheek of the box, at the same time the helical twist of the edge of the tumbler is
forcing the slide bar forward, the combined movements thus increasing the range of
the slide bar.
The tumbler motions described in the first part of my Invention can be used for
securing the bolts of entrance gates and for other similar purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Montgomery Howarth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th July 1880.
"
ALFRED MONTGOMERY HOWARTH, of Rotherham, in the County of York, Engineer.
* IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING RAILWAY OR OTHER
SIMILAR SWITCHES AND SIGNALS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO
OTHER PURPOSES."
The said Invention relates to improvements in apparatus and appliances for
actuating and locking railway and other similar switches and signals, certain parts
being also applicable to the securing of gates, safes, and for other similar purposes,
and it has for its objects simplicity of construction, strength of details, and certainty
of action. The first part of my Invention relates to a lever box suitable for
switching and signal purposes; it is fitted with a lever, by preference weighted
and connected with a tumbler, both the lever and tumbler working on a pin which
is carried by two vertical cheeks of the box and forms the fulcrum. The lower
part of the tumbler may be shaped in the form of a helical bar somewhat resembling
a portion of the thread of a screw. The helical part of the tumbler engages in a
slot formed diagonally in a slide bar, to which the connecting rods for working the
switches or signal are attached; the partial rotation of the tumbler causes the
slide bar to move backwards and forwards.
The lever, weight, and tumbler may either be made separately or in one piece;
when they are made separately a double recovery action may be effected. In some
cases I make the periphery of the tumbler broader on the face and having a helical
slot which engages with a fixed or loose stud on the top of the slide bar; the ends
of the slot being straight the slide bar is securely locked when the stud is moved
to the ends of the slot. As a modification of the above I use a lever with a long
slotted hole for the fulcrum pin, so that the short end of the lever extending past
the fulcrum may be drawn out of or inserted into either of two pockets formed in
the tumbler; these arrangements secure a certainty of resumption of the normal
position of the lever and its connected parts. The second part of my Invention
has relation to the locking gear of switches and to the means for connecting the
same. To adjust and retain the switches equidistant the one from the other I use
two short tierods, one being secured to each switch rail, and the inner ends near
the centre, being screwed and provided with locknuts, are secured to a centre bar or
connecting piece, to which the lever rod is attached. A simple arrangement of
locking gear may be described as follows:-A strong bar is fixed to the side rail to
maintain the gauge of the road and to carry the locking gear, and a strong stud
carries a triangular crank which is formed with two cheeks united by a cam.
rods provided with adjusting screws are secured to the switches and to two of the
corners of the crank; the pins forming this joint are secured to the crank and work
in elongated slots in the tie rods for the purpose of regulating and equalizing the
speed of the movement. One or both ends of the tie rods may abut upon the crank
when open or closed, thus preventing any lateral movement till operated by the
person in charge. The distance of travel of the triangular crank is governed by
the operating bar or nut carried by it coming in contact with the flat cheeks of
the cam. Various modifications may be made to suit ordinary rods. The actuating
rod from the lever box is made with a spiral at its end working in a nut attached
to the triangular crank; one or more levers may be fixed on this rod to work a
signal, a safety bar, or other apparatus. A modification of the spiral gear for
working switches is obtained by securing a nut to the inside of one of the switch-
rails in which the spiral end of a rocking shaft works, and the switches may be
prevented from rising by tapered steady pins projecting from the side rails and
engaging in corresponding holes in the switch rails.
Tie-

page_text: I construct a combination lever box as follows:-The box is made with two
upright sides or cheeks, through the lower part of which suitable holes are formed
for a slide bar to work in, a diagonal groove being formed near the centre of its
upper side. Across the top of the cheeks is fixed a short spiral bar on which a
tumbler is worked by a lever; the lower edge of the tumbler forms a helical bar
which slides in the diagonal groove above mentioned. On turning the. lever the
tumbler travels along the spiral bar from cheek to cheek of the box, at the same
time that the helical twist of the edge of the tumbler engaging in the diagonal
groove is forcing the slide bar forward, the combined movements greatly increasing
the range of the slide bar.
The tumbler motion described in the first part of my Invention can be used for
securing the bolts of entrance gates, and other similar purposes, and in order that
my said Invention may be fully understood I shall proceed to particularly describe
the same by reference to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 show in elevation and plan a lever box suitable for signal or
switching purposes. A is a strong casting securely fastened by means of holes at
each end. A tumbler 1) works upon a pin H passed through the vertical cheeks of A,
and has cast or otherwise carried upon its lower periphery a helical bar similar to
a portion of the thread of a screw; a lever B carries a weight E and is attached to
D by the knuckle C having H passed through it and A, D; F is a slide bolt with
diagonal groove to receive the helical bar upon D, and slides through the vertical
cheeks of A parallel to the axis of D whenever B is thrown over to either side of
box; G is the signal locking or switching rod; B and C, B, C, and D, or B, C, D,
and E can be made in one piece. I prefer to cast C and E upon B in the manner
shown where B passes through E. The jointed connection of C to D admits of a
double recovery action being effected as shown by dotted lines. It is obvious that
the switch box may be worked from a distance.
Figures 4 and 5 are a sectional elevation and plan of lever and tumbler that
may be used instead of B and D, Figures 1, 2, 3.. B is provided with a long slotted
hole where connected to D; D is provided with two or more pockets for the
reception of B, their dividing wall being rounded off on its upper part to allow of
the easy placing of B in either pocket; the remaining features of D are the same as
those in Figures 1, 2, 3. From the respective positions of B to B and B to B¹¹l
it is obvious that the arrangements of C and D secures perfect resumption of
normal position. This tumbler may be worked from a distance.
Figures 6 and 7 are a sectional elevation and plan of another tumbler and lever
that may be used with box-A, Figures 1, 2, 3. D, a tumbler consisting of a segment
of a cylinder, and on whose periphery a helical bar or groove is provided. The lever
B is extended beyond the pin hole. L', L", L, Li, are surfaces or projections
upon D to prevent any lateral play when placed between the cheeks of A. The play
of B in D is allowed so that a hammering action may be exercised for the more
effectual movement of the slide bolt, as suggested by B¹, B, B". In Figures 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, and 7, B may be rigidly fixed to D, and D or may be provided with stops
engaging with similar stops upon A to regulate the travel of F through A; the
working may be effected by wires or rods. Figures 8 and 9. F is a malleable slide
bolt with diagonal groove to receive the helical bar upon D when placed to work
in A, Figures 1, 2, and 3. Figures 10 and 11. F is a cast slide bolt with diagonal
groove; F¹, F1, are projections cast upon F to regulate lateral motion when F is
placed to work through A. C shows a mode of connecting the bolt to the signal or
switch rod.
Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. The slide bolt may be a prolongation of
switch or signal rod or a separate bar having duplicate ends for the simultaneous
operation of switch or signal. Figures 12 and 13 show another kind of slide bolt
made by attaching H, H', to F for the purpose of producing the diagonal groove;
H, H', may carry projections to regulate the travel of F through lever box; F is
either a separate slide bolt or a prolongation of switch or signal rod.

page_text: Figures 14 and 15 show J a separate slide bolt or a prolongation of switch or
signal rod having near its end a pin hole or stud, upon or in which a block K
oscillates, and is made to receive the helical bar or groove in or upon D, Figures
1 to 7..
÷
:
Figure 16 is a plane projection of the perimeter of an oscillating tumbler similar'
to (excepting the helical bar) and may be substituted for D, Figures 1 to 5, when
the lever box is required for locking purposes; L', L", L, L, are projections to
prevent any lateral play when the tumbler is placed between the cheeks of A,
Figures 1, 2, and 3. M is a double curved bar, the sides of which are struck from
the radii N¹, N", respectively.
Figure 17 is a block with central groove whose sides are made to the radii
N¹, N, N, N1, respectively, to receive the bar M, Figure 16, and slide upon it.
The block is free to pivot in the same manner as K, Figures 14 and 15.
Figure 19 is a plane projection of the perimeter of D, Figures 6 and 7, except
that the groove M is designed similar to the bar M, Figure 16, for locking purposes;
L', L, L, L, answer the same purposes as L, L, L, L, in Figure 16.
Figure 18 is a block made to slide in the groove M, Figure 19, and is similar in
other respects to the block shown in Figure 17.
Figure 20 shows a method of attaching the simple actuating or locking gear to
the switches; P, P, are tie rods having at their central ends a portion screwed and
passed through Z, and provided with locknuts for adjustment in case of wear.
Z is a bar with each end turned up and a hole to receive P', P¹, and connected
with lever box by the rod G; W, W, are side rails; X, X", the switches in mid
position.
Figures 21, 22, are sectional elevation and plan of improvements in locking
gear; W1, W11, are the side rails; X, X", are the switches; T is a tie rod to insure
equal lateral motion of X, X"; L is a strong bar fixed to W, W, to maintain
the gauge of the road and carry the locking gear by means of the stud O. A
triangular crank M, free to oscillate upon O, is made with two cheeks united in
their centres by a cam R; P¹, P", p, p, are united by right and left hand
couplings Q¹, Q", in order to adjust wear. P¹, P¹¹, are connected to X', X", by
joints; P, pii, at their extreme ends abut upon can R when the switches are
shut right or left, and prevent all lateral play of X', X", or movement till M is
moved by the person in charge. A pin is passed through the cheeks of M and the
slots in P, più. The above named slots are provided for the purpose of obviating
the differences in speed that exist between the direct uniform motion of X1, X",
when connected by T and the increasing and decreasing circular motion of M; F
is an oscillating rod ending in a spiral S and working through a nut N which is
placed between the cheeks of M, and connected thereto by a pin, rivet, or bolt.
N is extended at each end to engage the cam R for the purpose of regulating the
travel of M; J is a crank fixed upon F; H is a rod fastened to J, and may be used
to move the switches, to work a signal or additional switches, or carried forward to
lift the safety bar or bars that are sometimes placed in advance of the switches to
prevent them being moved after a vehicle has reached a certain prescribed distance;
K is a bracket attached to W' to steady the shaft F when it is oscillated.
Figures 23 and 24 are plan and elevation of a rigid lever box, which I propose
to apply to work F in Figures 21 and 22; A is the box; B, the lever; C¹, the
tumbler; E, the weight; F is a continuation of F in Figures 21 and 22. B, C, E",
show the lever, tumbler, and weight thrown over to the other position; G is a
cotter to fasten C upon F.
Figure 25 shows a tumbler D and lever B designed to or substituted for C¹³,
Figure 23 and 24, when the box and spiral gear is required for recovery purposes.
B and D are connected together similarly to B and D, Figures 4 & 5; C is the cotter
to fasten D upon the rod F, Figure 21. The respective positions of E' to E' and
E to E shows that the resumption of normal position is secured when Eu
and E are released.
Figures 26, 27, are ordinary switches fitted with an adaptation of the spiral

page_text: gear. W¹, W1, are the side rails; X1, X", are the switches; T is the tierod; N is
a nut attached to the switch; S is a spiral bar working through N; F is the lever
rod; V, V, are longheaded chair bolts, the heads being elongated and tapered
and passed through corresponding holes near to ends of switches X¹, X", to
prevent them from rising when forced home against side rail; X', X", are in mid
position.
Figure 28 is a sectional plan of a locking tumbler similar to M, Figures 21 and 22,
that may be used with the common pushing or pulling rod, as shown; M is a
tumbier; R is the cam; G is the rod secured by a pin passed through it and M.
The flattened portion of G extended at each side of the pin hole is for the purpose
of engaging the cam R when thrown over to the right or left, as shown at G, M.
Figure 29 is a simple bell crank for locking purposes, and may be used with any
kind of pulling or pushing rod; X is the web of one of the switches, the other not
being shown; P, P¹, are rods similar in construction to P1, P1, P, P, Figures
21, 22. The tumbler M works upon a central pin; R is the cam; U, U³, are stops
to regulate the travel of M. When the switch is thrown over right or left U, U¹,
engage upon the sides and near the ends of P, P¹, which abut upon R at their
extreme ends, and are provided with slotholes to answer the same purposes as the
cam and rods in Figures 21, 22. M is moved by means of a rod attached to a crank
keyed upon its central pin or upon a pin carried by itself but not shown.
Figure 30 is a combination lever box for ordinary purposes; A is a box securely
fastened down; C¹, C¹¹, are cheeks carried by A, and have holes in their bases to
admit of F sliding freely through them; H is a short spiral bar fastened down
securely to C, C", by any usual means; D is a tumbler that freely moves upon the
bar H towards the cheeks C¹, C", when the handle B is alternately pulled or
pushed; D also carries upon its lower part a helical bar which slides freely in a
diagonal groove made in the bolt F. With the exception of the spiral centre hole
in D the features of B and D are the same as those of B and D in Figures 4 and 5.
F is the same as in Figures 8 to 15. It is obvious that the difference of direction of
twist of helical bar upon D and the twist of the spiral bar H in D gives an increased
range to F, and which range equals the lateral travel of D upon H plus the helical
twist of the bar upon D.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same may be used or carried into effect,
I observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is, the arrangement and construction of apparatus and appliances for
actuating and locking railway and other similar switches and signals, substantially
as described and illustrated in Figures number 1 to 30, and also the suggested
modifications, as described but not illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Montgomery Howarth, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ALFRED MONTGOMERY HOWARTH. (LS.)