IMPROVEMENTS IN. MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING, CLOSING, AND SECURING RAILWAY LEVEL CROSSING AND OTHER GATES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Baker, of Kennington, in the County
of Surrey, Signal Fitter, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN.
MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING, CLOSING, AND SECURING RAILWAY
LEVEL CROSSING AND OTHER GATES."
Sealed the 7th January 1870, and dated the 9th July 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Baker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th July 1869.
I, FREDERICK BAKER, of Kennington, in the County of Surrey,
Signal Fitter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING, CLOSING, AND SECURING
RAILWAY LEVEL CROSSING AND OTHER GATES," to be as follows:-
This Invention may be worked in conjunction with or separate from
an Invention for which I obtained Provisional Protection, dated the 24th
day of March 1869, No. 900, for "Improvements in Means and Appa-
ratus for Locking and Unlocking Railway Point and Signal Levers,"
[Poise &

page_text: and my present Invention consists in opening, closing, and securing all
four gates of a railway level crossing by the single traverse of a lever,
so that when the said gates are open to the cart or foot road all points
are locked and all signals blocked, thus preventing the possibility of
accidents from trains passing over such crossings at the same time as
carts or other conveyances or foot passengers are crossing. In a suitable
frame I place the levers actuating the points, signals, and gates, and
across the said frame I pass one or more shafts or rods having projecting
pieces thereon, and on the same shaft I place a curved slide projecting
through an eye affixed to the gate lever, so that when this said lever
is in such position that the gates are across the line of rails the pro-
jections on the shaft or rod bear against pins or studs affixed to each
of the point and signal levers, thus preventing them from being pulled
over and opening the points or lowering the signals, and the line cannot
be unblocked in this manner until the gate lever is pulled over and the
projections on the rod lowered to allow the pins or studs on the point
and signal levers to slide over the said projecting pieces, when the
point and signal levers are free to be pulled over and unblock the line.
Neither can the gates be closed across the line until the point and signal
levers have reblocked the line for the before-mentioned projections, by
bearing under the said pins or studs as above described, prevent the
curved slide taking into the eye on the gate lever from being operated
thereby, the said eye being placed upon that part of the lever which is
raised by pressing a small auxiliary lever fitting on the handle of the
main lever, which small. lever cannot be so pressed and the catch
affixed thereto raised out of the notch in the quadrant until the said
curved slide is free to be so operated by the absence of the pins or studs
on the point and signal levers which bear against the projections on
the same shaft or rod on which is placed the curved slide. At points
above and below the fulcrum on which the gate lever works I place a
rod or chain, the top rod or chain serving to open the gate, and the
bottom rod or chain to shut them, or an auxiliary lever may be placed
on and at right angles to the main lever, the said rods or chains being
affixed to either end thereof and operating in the same manner. Around
the hanging stiles of the gates I place a pulley with two grooves, in one
of which the chain connected to the chain or rod for opening the gate is
secured, and in the other the chain connected to the chain or rod for
closing the same. The grooved pulleys on each of the hanging stiles
of the pairs of gates work on supporting wheels running on circular rails

page_text: to diminish the strain on the gate posts, and the said grooved pulleys
are connected together by suitable chains and rods placed diagonally, so
that by one actuation of the lever all the said chains and rods are set
in motion, thereby turning the said pulleys and therefore the gates a
quarter of a circle, and thus opening, closing, and securing them in a
most simple and efficient manner. The said chains and rods, where
required, pass over pulleys and guides to prevent them from getting
out of position, and all the said rods (when rods are used) are pro-
vided with right and left handed screws and unions to regulate their
length in case of derangement. In the centre of the "six foot way
is a stationary block or blocks acting as a stop for the gates where they
meet, but as this would be inconvenient and lead to accidents in the
centre of a cart road, I make the said block or blocks to rise and fall
automatically by cranking or bending one of the diagonal rods and
causing it to pass through the said block or blocks, or run in a grooved
pulley affixed thereto, so that as the gates open the cranked rods raise
the said blocks, thus forming a stop where the two gates meet, and
preventing them from going back too far, and when the gates are closed
across the line depressing the said block or blocks so that there shall be
no impediment to the traffic. The four gates may be opened by hand if
desired by employing pullies on the hanging stiles with four grooves
instead of two, and also having a corresponding number of diagonal rods
and chains.
This Invention is also applicable to opening and closing gates at park
entrances and other similar localities.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Baker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th January 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
BAKER, of Kennington, in the County of Surrey, Signal Fitter, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give

page_text: and grant unto me, the said Frederick Baker, Her special licence that
I, the said Frederick Baker, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Frederick Baker, my executors, adminis
trators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS
AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING, CLOSING AND SECURING RAILWAY LEVEL CROSSING
AND OTHER GATES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Frederick Baker, 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 Inven-
tion, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick Baker, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say:-
This Invention may be worked in conjunction with or separate from an
Invention for which I obtained Letters Patent dated the Twenty-fourth
day of March One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, No. 900, for
"Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Locking and Unlocking
Railway Point and Signal Levers," and my present Invention consists in
opening, closing, and securing all four gates of a railway level crossing by
the single traverse of a lever, so that when the said gates are open to the
cart or foot road all points are locked and all signals blocked, thus pre-
venting the possibility of accidents from trains passing over such crossings
at the same time as carts or other conveyances or foot passengers are
crossing.
In order that my Invention may be clearly understood, I will describe
the same with reference to the accompanying Drawings, where Fig. 1
represents the system of locking that I employ, which is similar to that
described in the Specification of the above-mentioned Fatent; Fig. 2, a
plan of the gates shewing the arrangement of chains and pullies for
opening and closing the same, and Fig. 3 an elevation of the same.

page_text: In a suitable frame a, Fig. 1, I place the levers b actuating the points
and signals, and the lever d actuating the gates, and across the said
frame I pass one or more shafts or ods having projecting pieces thereon,
and on the same shaft I place a curved slide c projecting through an
eye affixed to the gate lever d, so that when this said lever is in such
position that the gates e are across the line of rails the projections on
the shaft or rod bear against pins or studs affixed to each of the points
and signal levers, thus preventing them from being pulled over and
opening the points or lowering the signals, and the line cannot be
unblocked in this manner until the gate lever is pulled over and the
projections on the rod lowered to allow the pins or studs on the point
and signal levers to slide over the said projecting pieces, when the point
and signal levers are free to be pulled over and unblock the line.
Neither can the gates e be closed across the line until the point aud
signal levers have reblocked the line for the before-mentioned projections,
by bearing under the said pins or studs as described in my previous
Patent, prevent the curved slide taking into the eye on the gate lever
from being operated thereby, the said eye being placed upon that part
of the lever which is raised by pressing a small auxilliary lever fitting
on the handle of the main lever, which small lever cannot be so placed.
and the catch affixed thereto raised out of the notch in the quadrant
until the said curved slide is free to be so operated by the absence of the
pins or studs on the point and signal levers, which bear against the
projections on the same shaft or rod on which is placed the curved slide.
At points above and below the fulcrum on which the gate lever works
I place a rod or chain, the top rod or chain serving to open the gates,
and the bottom rod or chain to shut them, or an auxillary lever.f may be
placed on and at right angles to the main lever, the said rods or
chains g, h, being affixed to either end thereof and operating in the
same manner. Around the hanging stiles i, Fig. 3, of the gates I
place a pulley with two grooves, in one of which the chain con-
nected to the chain or rod for opening the gate is secured, and ou
the other the chain connected to the chain or rod for closing the
same. The grooved pulleys on each of the hanging stiles of the
pairs of gates may if desired work on supporting wheels running on
circular rails to diminish the strain on the gate posts, and the said
grooved pulleys are connected together by chains and rods l, m, placed
diagonally, so that by one actuation of the lever all the said chains
and rods are set in motion, thereby turning the said pulleys and

page_text: therefore the gates a quarter of a circle, and thus opening, closing, and
securing them in a most simple and efficient manner. The said chains
and rods, where required, pass over pullies and guides to prevent them
from getting out of position, and all the said rods (where rods are used)
are provided with right and left handed screws and unions to regulate
their length in case of disarrangement. To the centre of the "six foot
way
" is a stationary block or blocks n acting as a stop for the gates
where they meet, but as this would be inconvenient and lead to accidents
in the centre of a cart road, I make block or blocks o to rise and fall
automatically by cranking or bending one of the diagonal rods p, Fig. 3,
and causing it to pass through the said block or blocks, or
run in
grooved pullies affixed thereto, so that as the gates open the cranked
rods praise the said blocks o, thus forming a stop where the two gates
meet, and preventing them from going back too far, and when the gates
are closed across line depressing the said blocks so that there shall be
no impediment to the traffic, or stops a¹ affixed to the hanging stiles or
pullies of the gates may be used to effect the same purpose. The
four gates may be opened by hand if desired by using the pullies on
the hanging stiles with four grooves instead of two, and also having a
corresponding number of diagonal rods or chains. In case the gates e
should fall from their perpendicular position, I affix to the bearings
thereof bushes r fitting loosely in a metal rings through which these
four or any suitable number of set screws t pass, the points of which
bear against the bush, so that by screwing and unscrewing the proper
screws the gates may be brought to their original position, and over the
bush and ring I place a metallic cap or cover or other suitable
ornament. I also provide for the securing of the wicket gates u for foot
passengers by using an auxilliary lever worked either by the gate-
keeper or signalman, the securing being effected by a pulley or crank v
fixed on the hanging stiles of the gates, from which projects a pin
working in a slot in a rod w in communication with an auxilliary lever,
so that when the said lever is pulled over the end of the slot presses
against the pin to prevent the gates u from being opened, but when it is
unnecessary for the gates to be so secured the said pin is free to work in
the slot and the gates to be opened or shut as desired. This will be
found a most useful arrangement, for it frequently happens that the
attention of passengers is only drawn to one train when there may be
another coming in the opposite direction, which often leads to fatal
accidents both to the passengers themselves and also to the signalman

page_text: in endeavouring to prevent the passengers from crossing. In addition
to the grooved pulleys on the hanging stiles of the main gates, a crank
may be used projecting beyond the said pullies, so that greater power
may be brought to bear upon the action of opening and closing the
gates. In order that the before-mentioned stops o when lowered shall
not come in contact with the ground and thereby get clogged, I cause
the lower end to work over a vertical pin which effectually prevents any
soil from getting in the working parts. If desired stops q may be raised
and lowered by a separate rod y, Fig. 2, the said rod being in com-
munication with a weighted lever z, Fig 1, working in the catch rod of
the gate lever d, so that when the said gate lever is pulled over the
stops are automatically acted upon. When the gate lever is not in the
same series as the point and signal levers, but is separate and at a certain
distance there froin, a hook or hooks is or are placed in communication
with the several levers and locked thereby, thus having the same effect as
when the gate and signal levers are placed in the same series. This
Invention is also applicable to opening and closing gates at park entrances
and other similar localities.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of my said Invention
I claim, the improvements in means and apparatus for opening, closing,
and securing railway level crossing and other gates, as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Baker, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
F. BAKER.
(LS.)