An Improved Means for Controlling Traffic on Single Lines of Railway.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1887
Complete Left, 23rd Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 20th Apr., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Means for Controlling Traffic on Single Lines of
Railway.
JAMES FORSYTH, 18 Havelock Terrace Gateshead, Inspector Mineral Department
North Eastern Railway, JOSEPH FAIRLESS, Railway Street Percy Main, Inspector,
Mineral Department North Eastern Railway, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
That pneumatic tubes be established between the respective Sections, by which tubes
a key or other mechanical contrivance answering the purpose of a key can be
transmitted by compressed air or other contrivance. The aforesaid key or other
mechanical contrivance answering the purpose of a key locks the home signals at each
end of the sections making the lines so that they can only be opened at the end at
which the key or other mechanical contrivance answering the purpose of a key is at.
An arrangement between the Home Signals and the tube only admits of the key or
other mechanical contrivance answering the purpose of a key being transmitted when
the Signals are on and line clear.
JAMES FORSYTH.
JOSEPH FAIRLESS.

page_text: An Improved Means for Controlling Traffic on Single Lines of
Railway.
We, JAMES FORSYTH of 18 Havelock Terrace, Gateshead in the County of Durham
and JOSEPH FAIRLESS of Railway Street Percymain, Northumberland, Inspectors,
Mineral Department, North Eastern Railway 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 :-
To bring our invention into operation each Section must be connected by a tube
which will require to be connected with appliances to be attached to the locking
frames.
A ball (answering the purpose of a key) will be required to pass along the tube by
a vacuum arrangement, and by this ball only can the lever's working the signals or
other appliances be unlocked, the ball forming a connection between a catch (which
catch when in locked position is held by a weight) holding the contrivance for locking
the levers and a moveable part, which moveable part has a travel equal to the diameter
of the ball.
It is preferable for the lever to be locked which works the safety points but where
these (safety points) do not exist, it will apply to the lever working the signals, and
hereafter in referring to the lever we wish this to be understood.
The ball cannot be transmitted from the end of a staff or a block section until the
lever at the point at which the ball is at is first locked by a lid which covers the travel
of lever. This lid works on an Axle and is closed and secured by the Catch before
referred to. When the lid is open it locks a handle by means of a bolt, and thus
prevents a cock being turned to apply the vacuum arrangement, also while it (the
lid) is open a valve worked in connection with it is open rendering the tube useless
for the vacuum appliance.
While the ball is being sent along the tube.the lids at sending and receiving cabins
are necessarily closed, therefore during the time it (the ball) is in transit the signals
and other appliances at both ends are locked. When the vacuum arrangement is not
required the handles in connection with the same must be turned to sever the con-
nection with the tube.
The means for preventing the ball being transmitted during the time a train is
running a section are:-- When worked to admit a train the lever in its travel acts on
a trigger which pushes a bolt into the tube in front of the ball. This bolt remains in
that position until the wheels of the train passing out of the section act on a bar
required to be placed parallel with the rail which works an appliance to generate
sufficient compressed air into the tube (at a cock worked in connection with the lever
at the ends) to remove the bolt. When the vacuum appliance is in use this bolt is
locked clear of the tube by another bolt which is worked in connection with the
handle which is used to apply the vacuum arrangement.

page_text: Where intermediate cabins exist in a staff section provision is made for the ball to
be received and forwarded as follows:-The tube is cut by a bolt as shewn in Fig. 9 in
which bolt is a recess (communicating with airways) in which the ball can be received.
This bolt is locked and unlocked by the ball in its travel acting on a small lever
connecting with a catch. To forward the ball from an intermediate cabin this
bolt (D) requires to be moved by a lever attached to a journal to bring the recess
opposite the other end of the Tube. The bolt (D¹) is arranged to lock the levers in
the opposite direction to that which the ball may be at. The same means for applying
the vacuum, and of preventing the ball being forwarded during the time a train is in
a block section exist at intermediate cabins as at ends of staff sections.
The ordinary Bell signals can be used to denote when the ball is required to be
transmitted.
An indicator can be arranged to work in connection with the bolt placed in tube
by action of lever, to indicate when the bolt is in tube 'Line blocked' and when clear
of tube Line clear.'
In order that our said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect we will proceed to describe the drawings

page_text: N' is a Cock in connection with the compressed Air appliance (Fig. 1).
O is the Catch to lock bolt D¹ (Fig. 9).
P is a small lever working Catch Ö.
Qis the journal to which a handle must be attached to work bolt D¹ and turn cock M'
(Fig. 9).
R is the recess (in bolt D¹) for the ball.
S is a bolt worked in connection with lid A locking and unlocking handle H.
T is part of the tube shewn in connection with the appliances.
V is the valve which opens and closes in connection with lid A and must be closed
before the vacuum arrangement will act.
Vis the part where vacuum arrangement must be attached.
W¹ is the weight attached to hold Catch C in locked position.
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
For the passing of a Ball or similar device answering the purpose of a Key through
a Tube by which means Railway Signals, Safety Points, and other appliances can be
controlled, locked, and unlocked.
L
01
1000