Improvements in or connected with Railway Point-actuating, Locking, and Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 31st July, 1895--Accepted, 31st Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Railway Point-actuating,
Locking, and Signalling Apparatus.
We, CHARLES WARREN, of 3 Mill Hill Cottages, Acton, and ROWLAND
HENRY ST. JOHN FOTHERGILL, of 29 Priory Park Road, Kilburn, both in the
County of London, Mechanical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
-
A prior application for Patent by Charles Warren, No. 2895 dated, 9 February
1894, described an invention wherein the point-connecting bar carries a roller, which
lies between, and is acted upon by, two oppositely moving plates having cam
shaped edges to act upon the roller of the point connecting bar, the opposite
movements of the two plates giving lateral movement to the roller and to the
points, and so that when in either position the points are locked and clearance is
allowed by the operating slides in order that expansion or contraction of the
rodding may not affect the position of the points.
Now our invention refers primarily to improvements or additions to such point-
operating devices as described by C. Warren aforesaid, although our invention or
parts thereof may be applied to apparatus of analogous character, and the objects
of our invention being to provide an improved or modified means for operating the
said oppositely moving plates, to provide improved means whereby the ordinary
locking or safety bar is operated simultaneously with the point shifting mechanism
and to provide means whereby the point shifting device becomes locked upon the
signal being pulled off or lowered, while at the same time, such signal cannot be
operated unless the point shifting devices and consequently the points are in a
proper and required position and locked.
;
According to our invention we provide at a suitable distance from the end of the
sliding plate or plates, a horizontal shaft carried in bearings and capable of
receiving a partial revolution, by a lever arm upon the shaft, being connected by
the usual means with the point-operating levers in the signal cabin. On this
rocking shaft we mount two radial arms or lugs at proper distance apart and
extending in opposite directions; from these arms jointed connecting rods extend to
the sliding plates, so that upon the shaft receiving a rocking motion from the signal
cabin, the sliding plates will be operated in contrary directions and the points shifted
as required.
In order that the safety locking bar, as ordinarily employed, may be operated
simultaneously and be in direct connection with the point shifting mechanism, we
extend the rocking shaft and provide same with a lug or arm which we pivotally
connect with the lock bar whereby the latter is operated in combination with the
apparatus and is in direct connection therewith.
We provide in connection with say for example a main and a branch line two
locking arms or levers each having a tooth which passes behind or into a space in its
respective sliding plate when the latter is in a required position, and in the example
aforesaid one such locking arm (both being pivotted on fixed centres at one end) is
in connection at its free end with No. 1 signal wire for the main line and the other
arm with No. 2 signal wire for the branch line, so that when the main line is
open, the points being properly set, the main line signal can be pulled off because
the tooth of the locking arm connected with No. 1 signal wire will enter behind

page_text: the shoulder of the sliding plate, whereas if the latter plate was not in proper
position, and the points not properly set, the locking arm would not enter its
seating, and the signal could not be pulled off.
We do not limit ourselves to the precise construction of the locking arms, as
in some cases the latter may be entirely carried on, or form part of, the signal
connections, or may be fitted on slides instead of pivots and the like, and moreover
such actuating and locking or signal checking devices may be applied to other
constructions of point mechanism operating by slides or a slide.
Dated this 1st day of November 1894.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicants.
Improvements in or connected with Railway Point-actuating,
Locking, and. Signalling Apparatus.
We, CHARLES WARREN, of 3, Mill Hill Cottages, Acton, and ROWLAND
HENRY ST. JOHN FOTHERGILL, of 29, Priory Park Road, Kilburn, both in the
County of London, Mechanical Engineers; 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 :-
A prior application for Patent by Charles Warren No. 2895, dated 9th Feb.
1894, described an invention, wherein the point-connecting bar carries a roller
which lies between and is acted upon by, two oppositely moving plates
having camshaped edges, to act upon the roller of the point connecting bar, the
opposite movements of the two plates giving lateral movement to the roller and to
the points, and so that when in either position, the points are locked and clearance
is allowed by the operating slides, in order that expansion or contraction of the
rodding, may not affect the position of the points.
"
Now our present invention refers primarily, to improvements or additions to such
point operating devices, as described by "Warren in his aforesaid Specification,
although our present invention or part thereof may be applied to apparatus of
analogous character, the objects of our invention being to provide an improved or
modified means for operating the said oppositely moving plates, to provide improved
means whereby the ordinary locking or safety bar is operated simultaneously
with the point shifting mechanism, and to provide means whereby the point
shifting device becomes locked, upon the signal being pulled off, or lowered, while
at the same time such signal cannot be operated unless the point shifting devices,
and consequently the points are in a proper and required position and locked.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1, shows diagramatically in plan view, one arrangement whereby our
invention may be carried into effect.
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line X'Y of Figure 1.
Figure 3, is a sectional elevation, showing the locking or safety bar.
Figure 4 is a diagraphic plan view of another arrangement, and Fig. 5, is a
sectional elevation of same.
Similar letters of reference mainly refer to like parts in all the figures.
A, A, are the oppositely movable plates with cam shaped edges, carried and
guided in a case or frame B, and acting upon the centrally located roller C,
carried upon or by the point connecting bar C¹; by the oppositely sliding motions
of the plates A, A, lateral motion is communicated to the roller C, and to the
points, and the points are locked in either position, clearance also being allowed for
expansion or contraction of the rodding without affecting the position of the points.
We provide at a suitable distance from the end of the sliding plates A, a

page_text: horizontal shaft D, carried in bearings and capable of receiving a partial revolu
tion, say as at Figure 1 by a lever arm D upon the shaft D, being connected by
the usual means with the point operating levers in the signal cabin.
On the rocking shaft we mount two radial arms or. lugs D2, D3, at proper distance
apart and extending in opposite directions; from these arms D, D³, jointed con-
necting rods D, D³, extend, to the sliding plates A, A, so that upon the shaft D,
receiving a rocking motion, say from the signal cabin, the sliding plates A, A, will
be operated in contrary directions and the points shifted as required.
In order that the safety locking bar E, as ordinarily employed, may be operated
simultaneously, and be in direct connection with, the point shifting mechanism, we
extend the rocking shaft D, and provide same with a lug or arm D, which we
pivotally connect with the lock bar, whereby the latter is operated in combination
with the apparatus, and is in direct connection therewith; and with this object we
preferably provide an arm E¹, as shown at Figure 3, and also at Figure 4, mounted
on a rock shaft F, and pivotally connected to the locking bar. E; the rock shaft F,
is operated by a lever arm D', connected with the usual point shifting levers in the
signal cabin or elsewhere. By this arrangement the locking or safety bar E, is
first operated and motion thereby communicated to the rock shaft D, and to the
point operating and locking plates A, A. The locking bar E, is provided with a
suitable number of cam parts, such as E2, E2, which ride over rollers E³, carried
by stationary brackets, and whereby when in either lateral position, the top of the
bar E, is clear of the vehicle wheel flanges, but could not be shifted while the
vehicle is over the bar, and consequently the points could not be unlocked or
shifted.
In order to lock the point shifting device simultaneously with the signal being
lowered, (to allow the train to pass) and to prevent the possibility of lowering such
signal unless the points are in a proper position, and locked, we provide the
following devices.
In connection with a main and a branch line, as shown at Figures 1 and 2, we
provide the plates A, A, with two locking arms or levers G, G', each having a
tooth H, capable of passing behind a shoulder of the sliding plate A, A when the
latter are in a required position, and in the example now given and shown at
Figures 1 and 2, one such locking arm G, (both being pivotted on fixed centres at
one end) is in connection at its free end with No. 1 signal wire for the main
line P, and the other arm G', with No. 2 signal wire for the branch line R, so that
when the main line P, is open as shown, the points being properly set, the main line
signal T, can be pulled off, because the tooth H, of the locking arm G, connected
with No. signal wire, will enter behind the shoulder of plate A, whereas if the
latter plate was not in proper position, and the points not properly set, the locking
arm would not enter its seating, and the signal could not be pulled off. It will be
obvious that with the points set for the main line P, it would be impossible to pull
off the branch line signal U, because the tooth H, of the locking arm G', would be
arrested by the projecting slide A.
We do not limit ourselves to the precise construction of the locking arms, as in
some cases the latter may be entirely carried on, or form part of, the signal
connections, or may be fitted on slides instead of pivots and the like.
At Figures 4 and 5, is shown an example where the locking devices composed of
projecting parts H, H, are formed or fitted on slides G, G', which latter form part
of the signal connections. When a signal is pulled off say the signal T, for the
main line, the points having been first placed in proper position, the projection H,
of the slide G, in connection with the main line is brought in front of the slide A,
so that the points and point locking bars cannot be again moved, until the signal T,
has been again placed at danger and the slide G thereby shifted. When employing
this arrangement of slides, we provide outside_stretcher bars J, J, one attached to
each of the tongues of the points; these bars J, J, pass through a fixed case J', in
which are fitted slides G2, G3, also forming parts of the signal connections, and
there is an aperture formed in each of the stretcher bars J, J, and these (through

page_text: which the slides G2, G³ pass), normally coincide; the coinciding apertures are so
placed that only one of such slides G2, G3, can enter the stretcher bars at one and
the same time and position of the said stretcher bars. By this arrangement an
additional check is obtained, because before the signal T, for main line P, can be
pulled off, both the tongues of the points must be in correct position, or the slide G*
will not enter the aperture in the bars J, J. It is also to be observed that in
whichever position the points are placed, only that signal can be pulled off which
accords with the position of the points.
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 we claim
as our improvements in or connected with railway point actuating, locking, and
signalling apparatus.
1. The oppositely movable slides A, A, with cam shaped edges, and the inter-
posed roller or bowl C, carried by the point connecting bar and acted upon by
the slides to shift and lock the points, iu combination with a rocking shaft D,
arms or cranks D2 D3, on the rocking shaft, and rods D', D, connecting the said
arms and slides A, A, and means for rocking the shaft D, whereby the slides A, A,
are operated in reverse directions, and the points are shifted and locked, substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The safety locking bar E, means for operating the said bar E, directly from
the usual point shifting lever, and connection from the safety locking bar to the
rock shaft D, forming part of and in combination with the point operating and
locking mechanism all as claimed by Claim 1, whereby the latter mechanism is
operated through or by means of the locking bar E, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before set forth.
3. The combination with the mechanism claimed by Claim 1, or by Claim 2, of
the locking or check device having teeth or projections, H, H, in connection with
or forming part of the signal connections, arranged and acting, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
4. The combination with the point shifting slides A, A, of the slides G, G¹,
having projections H, H, and forming part of signalling connections, together with
the divided stretcher har J J, each part being formed with a coinciding aperture,
a case J¹ through which the divided bar J, J, passes, and two plungers G2, G³ in
the case Jadapted to pass through the aperture in the bars J, J, and connected
to or forming part of signalling connections, all arranged and operating, substan-
tially as and for the purposes, herein before described and illustrated, with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 31st day of July 1895.