A NEW OR IMPROVED SYSTEM OR MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR LOCKING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALE
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Edward Annett, of the London, Brighton,
and South Coast Railway, London Bridge, in the County of Surrey,
Signal Superintendent, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
SYSTEM OR MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR LOCKING RAILWAY POINTS AND
SIGNALE."
Sealed the 28th December 1875, and dated the 2nd October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Edward Annett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd October 1875.
I, JAMES EDWARD ANNETT, of the London, Brighton, and South
Coast Railway, London Bridge, in the County of Surrey, Signal
Superintendent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
'A NEW OR IMPROVED SYSTEM OR MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR LOCKING RAILWAY
POINTS AND SIGNALS," to be as follows:-
16

page_text: locking the shunting points and their relative signals, whereby the
points cannot be opened for the purpose of shunting until the relative
signal has been first unlocked and set to "danger," whilst on the other
hand the signal itself cannot be set to indicate line clear" until the
points have been restored to their normal position again.
66
Those improvements apply more particularly to shunting points
leading to sidings from the main line and to their relative signals, and
effectually prevent the operation of shunting being performed without
the "danger" signal being shown or the leaving of the points open with
the signal at line clear."
•
According to this Invention the points and the relative signals are
both locked or secured in their normal condition by separate locks
which are capable of being opened by a single key common to the two.
The signal lock serves to lock or secure the signal when set to "line
clear," and so long as the signal is thus set the key cannot be removed
from the lock. On turning the key however for the purpose of
unlocking the signal and enabling it to be set to "danger" the key can
be readily withdrawn. This key during the normal condition of the
main line always remains in the lock of the signal, and cannot be with-
drawn from the lock until it has been unlocked to enable the signal to
be set to "danger;" consequently as there exists only one key for the
two locks the points cannot be opened to the siding until the key has
been released by first unlocking the signal lock. The act of unlocking
. the points imprisons the key which cannot be withdrawn from the lock
of the points until the points have been returned to and locked in their
normal position. The guard or attendant of the train then restores the
key to the signal lock and unlocks the signal to enable it to be set to
"line clear," the act of unlocking, imprisoning the key, or preventing
its withdrawal until the signal has been set to "danger" again and
locked in that position.
These locks may consist according to one arrangement of a sliding
bolt and one or more tumblers, the bolt engaging into a notch in the
rod which actuates the signal or point as the case may be.
In addition to the said sliding bolt there is a sliding catch plate in the
lock, which plate is moved in the reverse direction to the bolt by a
special "bit" on the key, the said plate having a slot or opening made
therein, which when in one position allows the key to enter and be

page_text: withdrawn freely; but when locked prevents the withdrawal of the key
by projecting over the
"bit."
If desired a catch, lever, spring, or equivalent contrivance acted upon
simultaneously with the sliding of the bolt may be substituted for the
slotted sliding catch plate above referred to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent;
filed by the said James Edward Annett in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
EDWARD ANNETT, of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway,
London Bridge, in the County of Surrey, Signal Superintendent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Edward Annett, Her
special license, that I, the said James Edward Annett, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Edward Annett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully ·
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED SYSTEM OR MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR
LOCKING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Edward Annett, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or 'their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same, was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent;

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Edward Annett, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:-
-
My said Invention has for its object the ensuring of greater safety in
the working of railways by the adoption of a peculiar system or mode of
locking the shunting points and their relative signals, whereby the points
cannot be opened for the purpose of shunting until the relative signal has
been first unlocked and set to danger," whilst on the other hand the
signal itself cannot be set to indicate "line clear" until the points have
been restored to their normal position again.
"
These improvements apply more particularly to shunting points
leading to sidings, cross over roads, and branches from the main line,
and to their relative signals, and effectually prevent the operation of
shunting being performed without the "danger." signal being shown
or the leaving of the points open with the signal at "line clear."
"
"6
According to this Invention the points and their relative signals are
locked or secured (the points in their normal condition and the signal at
danger") by separate locks which are capable of being opened by a
single key common to the two. The signal lock serves to lock or secure
the signal after it has been set to danger, ," but so long as the signal
indicates "line clear" the key cannot be turned in or removed from the
lock. On turning the key however for the purpose of locking the
signal after it has been set to "danger" the key can be readily with-
drawn. Thus it will be seen that this key during the normal condition
of the main line always remains imprisoned in the lock of the signal,
and cannot be withdrawn from that lock until the signal has been set
to danger" and locked in that position, consequently as there exists
only one key for the two locks the points cannot be opened to the siding
or branch until the key has been released by first locking the signal
lock which can only be effected after the signal has been set to "danger
The act of unlocking the points imprisons the key which
turned in or withdrawn from the lock of the points until
have been returned to and locked in their normal position.
or attendant of the train then restores the key to the signal lock and
56
"
cannot be
the points
The guard

page_text: unlocks the signal to enable it to be set to "line clear," the act of
unlocking imprisoning the key, or preventing its withdrawal until the
signal has been set to "danger" again and locked in that position.
"
These locks may consist according to one arrangement of a sliding
bolt and one or more tumblers," the bolt engaging into a notch in the
rod which actuates the signal or point as the case may be.
In addition to the said sliding bolt there is a sliding catch plate in the
lock, which plate is moved in the reverse direction to the bolt by a
special "bit" on the key, the said plate having a slot or opening made
therein, which when in one position allows the key to enter and be
withdrawn freely; but when unlocked, prevents the withdrawal of the
key by projecting over the "bit."
:
If desired a catch, lever, spring, or equivalent contrivance acted upon
simultaneously with the sliding of the bolt, may be substituted for the
slotted sliding catch plate above referred to.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding
parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a plan of a siding and catch
point showing the general arrangement for locking the points in
accordance with my said Invention.
Figure 2 is a detached view in elevation of the lower portion of a
signal post showing the general arrangement for locking the signal.
The rest of the Figures are details (drawn to a scale of one half the
full size) of the peculiar lock and key which I employ in carrying out
my said Invention. A, A, are the rails of a siding communicating with
the main line (not shown) by the rails at B, B; C, C, are the rails of
the "catch;" and D, D, the catch points which are here represented as
locked in their normal position by the point lock E, herein-after more
fully described. These points may be opened or closed by the usual or
any other convenient arrangement of point actuating mechanism.
precisely similar lock E' is also applied to the signal rod F, as shown at
Figure 2, for the purpose of locking the signal at "danger" when the
points are being used; a bar G, G', forming in the one case-part-of tho
A

page_text: connection between the point lever H and the points D, D, and in the
other case a portion of the connection between the signal lever I and
the semaphore passes through the said lock, and is provided with a
transverse notch or opening into which the end of the bolt of the lock
engages when locked, but from which the bolt is withdrawn when 5
unlocking.
Figure 3 is a detail plan (one half the full size) of my peculiar lock
detached with a portion of the sliding bar G therein. Figure 4 is a
similar view showing the lock unlocked with its key imprisoned therein,
the cover plate of the lock being removed in order to show the internal 1
arrangement. Figure 5 is a similar view of the same in its locked
condition showing the key in a condition ready for withdrawal.
actual lock mechanism, which separately forms no part of my Invention,
may be similar to that of the well known
"
tumbler lock.
The
Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of the lock when unlocked 1
and with the key imprisoned therein, the section being taken along the
line 1-2, in Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a detail plan and edge view of the sliding catch plate
detached; and Figures 8 and 9 represent respectively a side and end
elevation of the peculiar key which is used in conjunction with the said 2
locks. I prefer to make this key of such a pattern that it will fit no
other pair of point and signal locks on the same line so that it can only
be used with its own special locks. These locks may be variously
arranged or constructed, provided that they each contain a strong sliding
catch plate K or an equivalent contrivance for imprisoning or preventing 2
the withdrawal of the key from the lock so long as it remains unlocked.
This plate is situate above or in front of the lock bolt L, and is guided
and maintained in its proper position by the sides of the lock case M
and the projections or ribs a, a, on the under side of the cover plate N.
Notches b, b, are made in the said catch plate for the reception of the
"
tumbler
or tumblers c of the lock, similar notches d (Figure 5)
being of course provided in the bolt L, as is well understood. The
opening e in the bolt (shown in dotted lines in Figures 4 and 5) is for
the reception of the "bit "f of the key which actuates the bolt whilst
the "tumblers" are lifted by the "bit g. h is an additional "bit ***
which projects in an opposite direction to the "bits" fänd 9, or may be
disposed at any other convenient angle thereto. This additional "bit" h
"
"
"
"
8

page_text: enters and works within the opening i made in the catch plate, and
serves to move the said plate in the reverse direction to the bolt on
turning the key, so that on unlocking or withdrawing the bolt from the
notched bar the solid portion of the catch plate will be brought over
or in front of the "bit "f, thereby imprisoning the key, as is clearly
bit",
shown in Figures 4 and 6. The sliding bar G works in a slot or opening
formed across the lock, and when moved to the position for closing the
points or setting the signal to "danger," as the case may be, its notch is
brought opposite to the end of the bolt L of the lock so as to be capable
of being secured on turning the key. As this bar moreover completely
fills the slot within which it works it follows that so long as the solid
part of the bar is opposite the bolt the latter will be prevented from
moving, and consequently the imprisoned key cannot be turned in or
released from the lock until the notch in the bar G is brought opposite
to the bolt and the bolt has been shot into it so as to lock the said bar.
The same result, namely, the absolute impossibility of withdrawal of the
key until the bolt of the lock has locked or secured the bar G is obtained in
both locks, and consequently until the signal has been set to "danger" and
locked in that position by the lock E' the key cannot be released there-
from for the purpose of unlocking the points, whilst on the other hand
after the points have been unlocked the key cannot be removed from
the point lock E until the points have been restored to and locked in
their normal position.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The system or mode of locking railway points and their relative
signals by the aid of a single key common to two locks, the said key
and locks being so constructed as to prevent the withdrawal of the key
whilst the lock remains unlocked, and permits of its withdrawal only
after the signal has been set to "danger" and locked in that position, or
after the point has been restored to and locked in its normal condition,
substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The use in combination of a single key provided with an
additional "bit" and two locks provided each with a sliding catch plate
or its equivalent actuated by the said “bit" when constructed and

page_text: arranged to operate together, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Edward Annett, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.
JAMES EDWARD ANNETT. (L.B.)