IMPROVEMENTS IN WORKING RAILWAY POINTS, FACING POINT LOCKS AND SIGNALS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, EDWARD HANCOX, of Poplar Grove, New Malden, Surrey, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN WORKING
RAILWAY POINTS, FACING POINT LOCKS AND SIGNALS, to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a method of securing greater safety at Railway Junctions
where there are Facing Points, by preventing a signal being given for a train to
pass unless the points have been' set in the proper position, and also bolted in that
position by the Facing Point Lock; and also by preventing any signal conflicting
with the position of the points being given in the event of the rod working the
points, or the rod working the Facing Point Lock, or both of them, being broken;
or the interlocking in the lever frame between the levers working the points, the
Facing point Lock, and the Signals, being broken or disarranged. This I carry
out in the following manner, At a Junction where there are two home signals, one
for the main line, and one for the branch line, I fix a double point bolt with two
sliding blades, one blade with two holes or notches formed in it, being connected
direct to the points, the other blade with one hole or notch being connected by
means of a crank to the bolt of the facing point lock. The two sliding blades are
brought close together in a casting or shoe. The signals I work with rods, and
each signal rod is connected to a bolt, which, when the points are set in the proper
position, and bolted by the facing point lock, is free to pass through the two sliding
blades;
and the signal in connection with it can then be given.
The sliding
blades and double bolt are so arranged that the main line signal cannot be given
unless the points are set for the main line and bolted by the facing point lock, and
the branch line signal cannot be given unless the points are set for the branch line,
and bolted by the facing point lock.
I lay no claim to any part of the facing point lock, nor to the double point bolt
working in connection with signals, but I claim as my invention the combination
of two sliding blades working in connection with facing points and the facing
point locking bolt, substantially as, and for the purpose described.;
Deted this 97th day of March 1984.
EDWARD HANCOX.

page_text: I, EDWARD HANCOX of Poplar Grove New Malden in the County of Surrey
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
WORKING RAILWAY POINTS FACING POINT LOCKS AND SIGNALS and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
The purposes of my invention are
(1.) To ensure greater certainty and safety in the working of Facing Points
Facing Point Locks and Signals by interlocking them outside the Signal Cabin by
apparatus independent of the locking in the Lever Frame.
(2.) To detect any failure of the Facing Points and Facing Point Lock to work
properly, and also any defect or failure in the connections between them and the
Signal Cabin, and to prevent any Signal being given for a train to pass over the
Facing Points until such defect has been remedied or the Facing Points have been
set in the proper position and bolted in that position by the Facing Point Lock.
And I perform the same in the following manner,
Near to the Facing Points-by preference upon the sleeper which carries the
Facing Point Locking bolt-I fix a bearing or guide A (see the accompanying
drawing) suitably prepared to receive the blades or bars B. C. D and E.
To some part of the Facing Point Lock-by preference to the locking bolt-by
means of suitable joints and cranks I connect a blade or bar B. with two holes or
notches cut in it in such positions that the blades or bolts D and E can be moved
only when the Facing Points are properly bolted by the Facing Point Lock. To
the Slot-rod of the Facing Point Lock or to the Facing Points I connect a blade
or bar C with two holes or notches cut in it in such positions that the blade or
bolt D can be moved only when the Facing Points are set right for the main
line and the blade or bolt Ĕ can be moved only when the points are set right for
the branch line.
To the rod or wire which works the main line signal I connect the blade or
bolt D and when the main line signal is given the movement of D locks the Facing
Point Lock and the Facing points in the proper position for a main line train to
pass over them.
To the rod or wire which works the branch line signal I connect the blade or
bolt E and when the branch line signal is given the movement of E locks the
Facing Point Lock and the Facing Points in the proper position for a branch line
train to pass over them.
The above description of my invention and the accompanying drawing apply to
a junction where one line diverges into two, which I have called main line and
branch line, but where one line diverges into more than two then to every Facing
Point and Facing Point Lock over which a signal can be given for a train to pass
I connect a similar apparatus to that above described or if more convenient I
concentrate the required number of blades or bars into one bearing or guide by
means of suitable rod and crank connections, so that when a signal is given the
blades or bolts connected to the rod or wire working it by their movement lock all
the Facing Points and all the Facing Point Locks over which the signal is given
for a train to pass.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The combination of sliding blades or bars connected to and working with Facing
Point Locks Facing Points and Signals substantially as and for the purposes herein
described.