Improvements in Signals to be Used on Railways.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept.,
1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Signals to be Used on Railways.
SAMUEL TOWNSEND 7 Stuart Street Luton Beds. Botanical Druggist ALBERT
ANDREWS 12 High Town Road Luton Beds. Engineer and FREDERICK ERNEST
TOWNSEND 7 Stuart Street Luton Beds. Shop Manager do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to signals to be used on railways. We proceed thus:-
A metal bed having a slot six inches more or less in length and one inch more or
less in width. On the said bed placed a sliding block or carriage this carrige or
block is of sufficent width to rest on the surface sides of the said bed. The said
carriage or sliding block is provided with a shank which passes through the slot of
the before mentioned bed and is secured thereto by a screw or pin. The top is
provided with a recess runing lengthways in a slanting direction.
At one end of the
above mentioned bed and near the slot in same a metal lever bar one foot more or less
in length is attached thereto by a joint or hinge motion. This said lever bar rests
lengthways in the reccess of the sliding block or carraige and is prevented from being
jerked out of same by a cap or plate. On each side of the said carraige a bar rod or
wire is secured thereto by a bolt or pin. These said rods or wires are termed con-
necting rods and are closed or brought togather at each end. The open space between
these said rods or wires is of sufficent length to allow the aforesaid metal lever bar to
rise and fall without coming in contact with the closed ends. Sufficent play is allowed
between the aforesaid carraige or sliding block and bed for the former to slide easily
along the latter. Any required number of the above described beds sliding blocks or
carraiges lever bars connecting rods or wires, are placed in or near the centre of the
engine track The same are placed at any suitable distance from each other and con-
nected togather by a rod chain or wire resting on wheels or rollers to cause as little
friction as possible. On or near the end of the bed farthest from the signal box is
placed a cross lever bar the fulcrum of the same being in the centre supported by a
stud or shouldered pin A chain or wire is attached to the connecting rods of the
carriage or sliding block and to one end of the cross lever bar, to the other end of
the said lever a chain or wire is attached which is brought down or alongside of the
aforesaid beds and is passed into the signal box being kept in position by wheels
rollers or angle levers. The end of the said chain or wire is connected to a hand lever.
To the connecting rods of the sliding carraige nearest to the signal box a chain or
wire is attached which is also passed into the signal box and is connected to another
hand lever being kept in position by wheels rollers or angle levers. The said hand
levers being moved cause the sliding blocks or carraiges to move along the above
described beds thereby raising or lowering the above mentioned levers attached to the
said sliding carraiges. To the locomotive railway engine is attached a whistle or a
gong bell having a rod connected to the lever handle in case a gong is used this said
rod is connected to the hammer of same. To the underneath or bottom part of the
engine an eccentric or lever motion is so placed as to come in contact with the afore-
said lever bars attached to the sliding carraiges when the same are raised. The bottom
end of the said rod is connected to the eccentric or lever. When the engine is running
over the raised lever bars the eccentric or lever motion strikes the top of same thus
causing the valve of the whistle to be opened or the hammer of the gong to strike the
bell If a gong is used the eccentric or lever motion may be attached to any suitable
part of the train. The above described invention can be used for up or down lines
and for distance caution and stop signals, and will dispense with the explosive fog
signals and will give direct comunication between the driver of the engine and the

page_text: signalman. In a pecuniary point of view a great saving to railway companys will be
the result when the above described invention is used.
SAMITT
TAUNOLINDY
ALBERT ANDREWS.
FREDERICK ERNEST TOWNSEND.
1
“COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Signals to be Used on Railways.
We, SAMUEL TOWNSEND, of 7 Stuart Street, Botanical Druggist, and ALBERT
ANDREWS, Engineer, of 12 High Town Road, and FREDERICK ERNEST TOWNSEND,
Shop Manager, of 7 Stuart Street, all of Luton, in the County of Bedfordshire, 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 signals to be used on railways, and
consists of a metal bed having a slot six inches more or less in length, and one inch
more or less in width, and on this said bed is placed a sliding block or carriage, the
said carriage being of sufficient width to rest on the surface sides of the said bed.
The carriage or sliding block is, provided with a shank which passes through the slot
of the herein before mentioned bed, and is secured thereto by screws or pins or its
equivalent. The top of the block is provided with a recess running lengthways in a
slanting direction, and at one end of the above mentioned bed and near to the slot in
the bed we provide a metallic lever bar (herein termed the "semaphore"), of any
suitable length or shape attached to the bed between two ears, by a joint or hinge
motion; this said lever bar rests lengthways in the slanting recess of the sliding block
or carriage and is prevented from being jerked out of same by a cap or plate. Un
each side of the said carriage a bar rod frame (or wire), is secured thereto by screw
bolts or pins, these said rod or wire frames are termed connecting rods, and are closed
or brought together at each end; the open space between these said rods or wires is
of sufficient length to allow the aforesaid metal lever bar to rise and fall without
coming in contact with the closed ends of the frame. Sufficient play is allowed
between the aforesaid carriage or sliding block and bed for the former to slide easily
along the latter. Any required number of the above described appliances or
apparatuses may be connected together by rods or wires placed in or near the centre
of the engine track (or otherwise), at any suitable distances apart from each other,
the rods or chains working over pulleys attached to the sleepers so as to cause as little
friction as possible.
A chain or wire is attached to the connecting rods of the carriage or sliding blocks,
preferably run direct into the signal box and connected with the levers, now in
common use, or other such levers may be provided for the purpose. The said hand
levers being moved cause the sliding blocks or carriages to move along the beds,
thereby raising or lowering the above mentioned semaphores attached to the
said beds.
"To the locomotive railway engine is attached a whistle or gong having a connecting
rod to the lever handle of the whistle. In case a gong is used this said rod is con-
nected to the hammer of the same. Underneath the bottom of the engine we place
an eccentric wheel or block fixed on a shaft, the said shaft working loosely in two
bearings, the said eccentric being placed so as to ride over the lever bars (semaphore),
when the eccentric is raised thereby raising the rod which is loosely attached to the
eccentric. When the engine is running over either of the raised lever bars (sema-
phore), the eccentric strikes the top or highest point of same and thus opens the valve
of the whistle, or causing the hammer of the gong to strike, to give the desired signal
to the driver. If a gong or other indicator is used the apparatus may be placed in
any suitable part of the train.
We are aware that the foregoing mechanism attached

page_text: to a locomotive engine or any part of the train is not new and therefore we do not
claim the same as any part of our invention.
The object of our invention is that it can be used for either up or down lines, the
engine passing over the levers both ways, or used for distance, caution, and stop
signals and to obviate the necessity of placing explosive fog signals by hand which is
often fatal to the operator.
The advantages of our invention are that the signalman has direct communication
with the driver of the train he wishes to signal; also in a pecuniary point of view a
great saving to any railway company who adopts our system.
And in order that our invention may be thoroughly understood, we now proceed to
describe the accompanying drawing thereof, reference being had to letters and figures
marked thereon.
Figure 1 represents a plan of a portion of the railway track with the rails a con-
nected to the sleepers c in the usual way. On one or more of the sleepers we bolt the
bed with the slot k in which the carriage slides up or down to raise or lower the
semaphore, by the action of the frame e being pulled. from or away from the cabin
by the chain i around and over pulleys & placed in any position along the line in order
to bring the semaphore finto the raised position.
Figure 2 is a section of the track and sleepers, giving a view of the apparatus in
position for the eccentric v to strike on the semaphore as indicated by the dotted
circles describing the action. The dotted lines indicate the position of the semaphore
when it is placed out of action, which is so placed by the chain h being pulled towards
the signal box or home cabin. The shank with block plate and bolts is described in
this figure. The shank of the carriage is intended to slide in the slot, and the block
plate is bolted thereto to prevent the carriage jumping out of the slot.
Figure 3 is the back elevation of the engine 9 with the eccentric fixed to the
shaft t this shaft working in bearings u, u, with the lever rod p attached loosely at w
to the eccentric and passing up through an opening in the floor and connected to
the valve n of the whistle m by the lever arin o. The dotted lines in this figure
indicate the position of the eccentric on the top of the semaphore and the rod and
lever raised to open the valve.
Figure 4 is a side view of the eccentric and a part of the rod p broken off. The
dotted lines indicate the position of the eccentric when the signal is given.
Figure 5 is a side view of a semaphore to permit the eccentric to run up when the
engine is backing down the up line.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
1. The combination of the carriage j sliding in the slot k keyed by the shank and
bolts 1, to the bed b and the frame e to raise or lower the semaphore f, by the pull h
or i over and around pulleys, for the purpose of any eccentric or lever to strike the
semaphore to give any desired signal to the driver in a fog or otherwise, sub-
stantially as herein described and according to the accompanying drawing.
2. The combination of any number of the apparatuses consisting of the carriage;
bed, semaphore, and frame linked together by rods, chains, or wires running over and
around pulleys to connect the same to the signal box to give any number of signals,
substantially as herein described and according to the accompanying drawings.
3. We claim to modify the shapes, or positions of the various parts, or using any
number of the various parts or portions for the purpose of signalling during foggy
weather or otherwise, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 1st day of Act 1900
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, W., Agent for the Applicants.