IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Watson Webster of Littleborough, Joseph Hill of
Rochdale and Frederick Thomas Greenwood and Thomas Greenwood of
Smithy Bridge all in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Watson Webster
Joseph Hill and Frederick Thomas Greenwood and Thomas Greenwood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1882.
JOHN WATSON WEBSTER of Littleborough JOSEPH HILL of Rochdale and
FREDERICK THOMAS GREENWOOD and TпожAS GREENWOOD of Smithy Bridge all
in the County of Lancaster IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS APPLICABLE ALSO TO SOME OTHER PURPOSES
The Invention relates to improvements in apparatus to be employed for signalling
on railways and is also applicable for telephonic or electrical purposes. When
applying the Invention for railway signalling the apparatus can be connected to
the engine carriage or guards van. A longitudinal rod is arranged parallel with
the existing permanent way and for any suitable distance as for example from one
to four hundred yards. The said longitudinal rod is laid down at an inclination
by means of incline chairs or radius lever. By means of anti-friction bowls passing
over the said inclines motion is transmitted through connected levers to the lamp
or index on the engine carriage or van as the case may be. The said longitudinal rod
may be either inclined permanently or may be raised or lowered to work the said
lamp or index. The approaching train moves the longitudinal rod by a depressing
bar or spring thus warning the signal man who raises or lowers the rod as may be
required. The arrangement may also be employed for shutting off the steam and
applying the breaks and starting the engine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Watson Webster Joseph Hill and Frederick Thomas
Greenwood and Thomas Greenwood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th August 1882.
JOHN WATSON WEBSTER of Littleborough JOSEPH HILL of Rochdale and
FREDERICK THOMAS GREENWOOD and THOMAS GREENWOOD of Smithy Bridge all
in the County of Lancaster "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS APPLICABLE ALSO TO SOME OTHER PURPOSES'
The Invention relates to improvements in signalling apparatus whereby we are
enabled to dispenso with the present signal posts and semaphores, and consists in
the employment of a longitudinal pipe or rod of any suitable material laid parallel
with the permanent way and extending for a distance of about three quarters of a
mile from the cabin. The said pipe or rod is mounted in brackets carried by a
second rod fixed to stationary brackets in which the rod is permitted to slide so as
to allow for any contraction or expansion of the said rod or pipe. The end of the
said longitudinal pipe or rod is formed with an incline of about eight yards long.
The said pipe or rod is raised or lowered by the man in the cabin by means of the
same arrangement of levers as are at present employed. The raising or lowering
of the said pipe or rod actuates through a trail lever and vertical slotted rod a lamp
which displays the usual lights and which lamp may be mounted on the engine or
other part-of-the-train-so-as-to-be in view of the driver. When the pipe is raised
to one half its height it raises the lamp to display a green light and when raised to
its highest position raises the lamp to display a red light. The signal from the
train is communicated to the man in the cabin through the ringing of a bell caused
by the flange of the wheel coming in contact with the said depressing bar which
bar is coupled to the longitudinal rod or pipe. In case of frost or snowy wheather
hot air can be discharged through the rod or pipe to prevent it becoming fast. The
said moveable longitudinal pipe or rod may be laid down from the home signal to
the station so that the train when passing over the said pipo or rod will be
signalled according to the system now in use and the driver might then proceed at
the ordinary speed to the station. Within the rails is fixed the said depressing bar
which is actuated by the flange of the wheels of the engine or carriages to give
action to the said pipe or rod to which it is coupled and warns the signalman in
the cabin of the approaching train by ringing a bell so that the signalman by
raising the said pipe or rod can signal the driver by thus displaying any required
light of the lamp.
And in order that the Invention may be more fully understood we have caused
to be appended hereto a Sheet of Drawings to which reference will now be made.
Fig. 1. represents a side view of a portion of an engine and tender when passing
over the said longitudinal and moveable pipe or rod a carried by brackets e mounted
on the rod b carried by brackets c. The said rods a and b being arranged to move
laterally so as to allow for any contraction or expansion of the longitudinal pipe or
rod a. The pipe or rod a is laid down parallel with the rails and for a distance of
about three quarters of a mile having an incline a' of about eight yards long.
The signal lamp 9 carrying white green and red lights is mounted on the vertical
rod in which rod is made an inclined slot i in which slot works a stud of the
lever j the action of which causes the rod / to reciprocate or move up and down to
display to the driver of the train either a white green or red light according as it
may be required to signal the driver. When the approaching train enters on the
pipe a it moves the depressing bar and pipe a towards the cabin sufficient to ring
a bell to warn the signalman of the trains approach who then signals the driver by

page_text: raising the said rod or pipe a to a distance as will lift the trail lever k on the free
end of which an anti friction bowl Z is mounted to run on the rod or pipe a. The
raising or lowering of the trail lever k oscillates the lever and causes the stud j
to work or slide in the slot i and thereby raise the vertical rod and lamp g to a
height according as it may be required to display to the driver a white green or
red light. On each side of the tender is mounted a trail lever K. K' and anti
friction bowls the trail levers being carried by the cross shaft K³ which shaft may
also be employed for connecting breaks by the opening of taps or valves or lifting
of catches. The oscillating motion of the lever j can be transmitted through a
connecting rod r, bell crank lever ' and rod t to shut-off steam partially or entirely
according to the extent the pipe or rod a is raised.
Fig. 2 represents a back view of the said cross shaft K³ on the ends of which
are mounted the trail levers kk' and also represents the bracket b carrying the
radius arms to give a rising or falling action to the pipe a when actuated by the
man in the cabin.
Fig. 3 represents a portion of the said moveable longitudinal rod or pipe a
when moved by the links e e' into its lowest intermediate and highest positions.
Fig. 4 represents an adjusting screw-bolt u for the pipe or rod a.
Figs. 5 and 6 represents an elevation and plan of the arrangement for warning
the signalman of the trains approach. The depressing bar or lever vis acted
upon by the flango of the wheel w and imparts motion to ring a bell to warn the
signalman. The said depressing bar or lever being inside the rails and is coupled
by means of the chain to the rod or pipe a.
Fig. 7 represents a balance weight connected by means of a chain to a bracket
fixed to the pipe or rod a and riding over the pulley a¹ the object of which is to
assist in moving the pipe or rod a more readily.
Fig. 8 indicates an arrangement for coupling together the sections composing
the moveable longitudinal rod or pipe a by means of male and female screws
formed in the interior of the pipo a.
Figs 9 and 10 represents a sido and back view respectively of an arrangement
in which the stud of the radius arm a³ connected to the pipe or rod a moves in
the angular slot in the bracket a³ mounted on the bracket a
Having now described and indicated the nature of the said Invention and some
means for carrying the same into practical effect I would have it to be understood
that we claim :
First the employment for signalling purposes of the said moveable longitudinal
rod or pipe a arranged to be raised or lowered for working or actuating the lamp,
index or semaphore substantially as described and indicated in the Drawings.
And lastly the general arrangement and combinations of parts for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof I the said John Watson Webster for myself and on
behalf of the said Joseph Hill Frederick Thomas Greenwood and Thomas
Greenwood have hereunto set my hand and seal this Thirteenth day of