IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF- ACTING REGULATORS FOR THE EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OF METALLIC WIRES USED FOR WORKING RAILWAY SIGNALS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edwards, of Cheltenham, in the County of
Gloucester, Signal Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-
ACTING REGULATORS FOR THE EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OF METALLIC
WIRES USED FOR WORKING RAILWAY SIGNALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edwards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th March 1880.
GEORGE EDWARDS, of Cheltenham, in the County of Gloucester, Signal Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF ACTING REGULATORS FOR THE EXPANSION AND CON-
TRACTION OF METALIC WIRES USED FOR WORKING RAILWAY SIGNALS."
.The Invention consists in the employment in the length of the working wire of
a signal of a revolving drum or wheel, over which the wire proceeding from the
lever in the cabin to a tumbler which is carried in a frame and held in position by
a detent lever. To this tumbler is suspended a weight which keeps the wire
leading from the lever in tension, and rises with the contraction or falls with the
expansion of the wire, and also when the lever in the cabin is pulled over and the
weight allowed to fall the weight pulls the signal off by a wire leading from the
drum to the signal.
To the wire leading from the lever in the cabin to the drum or wheel I attach
a second wire, which I carry over a second drum or wheel, and attach to it a second
weight directly over the detent lever, the object of this second weight being that
in the case of the main wire leading from the lever in the cabin to the regulator
breaking the second weight is liberated and allowed to fall, and in so doing
strikes the detent lever and liberates the tumbler, thus allowing the main weigh
to fall off and the signal go on to danger.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th June
1880.
GEORGE EDWARDS, of Cheltenham, in the County of Gloucester, Signal Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF ACTING REGULATORS FOR THE EXPANSION AND CON-
TRACTION OF METALLIC WIRES USED FOR WORKING RAILWAY SIGNALS."
My said Invention relates to regulators or apparatus employed in the length of
the working wires of railway signals between the actuating levers or other
actuating appliances and the signal arms for the purpose of automatically com-
pensating for the expansion and construction of the said wires; and the Invention
has for its object providing improved means whereby in the event of the rupture of
one of the wires leading from the levers or other actuating appliances to the signal
arms, the signal corresponding to such wire shall be automatically set to danger.
In carrying out my said Invention, I employ in the length of the working wire
of a signal a revolving drum or wheel, over which passes the wire (or a chain
connected thereto) proceeding from the lever in the cabin to a tumbler which is
carried in a frame and held in position by a detent lever. To this tumbler is
suspended a weight which maintains the wire leading from the lever in tension,
and rises with the contraction or descends with the expansion of the wire, and
also when the lever in the cabin is pulled over and the weight is allowed to
descend the weight pulls the signal off by a wire leading froin the drum to the
signal. To the wire leading from the lever in the cabin to the drum or wheel I
attach a second wire, which I carry over a second drum or wheel, and attach it to a
second weight directly over the detent lever, the object of this second weight being
that in the case of the main wire leading from the lever in the cabin to the
regulator breaking the second weight is liberated and allowed to fall, and in so
doing strikes the detent lever and liberates the tumbler, thus allowing the main
weight to fall off and the signal to go on to danger.
The apparatus may be modified whilst retaining the same principle, as fully
hereinafter described.
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 annexed two Sheets of Drawings, the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a front elevation
partly in section of a regulator constructed according to one mode of carrying out
my said Invention, and Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section corresponding to
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a sectional clevation drawn to a reduced scale illustrating the general
arrangement of the regulator, signal actuating lever, and their connections.
Figure 4 (on Sheet 2) represents a front elevation partly in section of a regulator
constructed according to another modification of my said Invention, and Figure 5
is a plan of the same also partly in section.
Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section corresponding to Figure 4.
Figure 7 (on Sheet 1) is a diagram side elevation illustrating a further modi-
fication.
Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11, Sheet 2, illustrate modifications of the detent
mechanism.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 (Sheet 1), the wire A is connected at one end to
the lever B in the cabin, and its other end (or a chain connected thereto) passes
over the drum or wheel C, and is attached to a frame D which carries a tumbler E
having suspended therefrom a weight F. To the frame D is pivotted at a a detent

page_text: lever G, the extremity b of which, when the lever is in its horizontal position as
shewn in the Drawings, is situate in front of the tumbler E, whereby the tumbler
E is held in position with the weight F suspended; the pressure of the tumbler E
caused by the weight F against the extremity b of the detent lever G maintaining
the latter in its horizontal position. The frame D has also attached thereto another
wire A' or a chain connected to such wire which passes back round the drum or
wheel C, and off on the underside to the signal, and is attached to the ordinary
balance levers c on the signal post d; a second wire or chain A is attached to the
wire A, and passes over a second wheel or drum C, and to it is attached a second
weight F¹.
It will be seen that the weights F, F, will rise with the contraction, and descend
with the expansion of the wire A, and so maintain the wire constantly in tension
when the lever B is in its normal position, and also that when the wire A is
slackened by the pulling over of the lever B, the-weights F, F, will descend to the
extent permitted by the slackening of the wire, and in so doing the weight F will
draw the wire A in the direction indicated by the arrow, and pull the signal
arm D to the "all right" position, the further descent of the weight F being
arrested by the balance lever c on the signal post d. In the event of the rupture
of the wire A the weight F will descend and pull off the signal D' until stopped by
the balance lever c, but the weight F will still be free to fall in consequence of the
breaking of the wire A, and in falling will depress the detent lever G and set the
tumbler E at liberty, the result being that the weight F will fall off to the ground,
and the balance lever will immediately pull the signal arm D¹ up again to
danger.
In the modification illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 6 (Sheet 2), the parts are
arranged generally in a similar manner to the arrangement hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the only difference being that in the modification
Figures 4, 5, and 6, the wire or chain A', after passing round the wheel or drum C,
is conducted over another wheel or drum C² to the signal, in lieu of such wire or
chain passing direct away from the wheel or drum C to the signal.
Figure 7 illustrates another modification in which a T lever is substituted for the
drum or wheel C herein before referred to.
C³ is the T lever, which is pivotted at H to a frame I so as to be capable of
turning upon its pivots, and is provided with a weight F. To the lever C is
connected the wire A leading from the actuating lever or other actuating appliance,
and the wire A' leading to the signal is connected to the lever C³ by means of a
detent lever G pivotted to the lever at 1. A is the second wire, which in this
case is connected to a lever L pivotted at 2 to the lever C³, and carrying a weight
F¹. On a rupture of the wire A taking place, when the weight F would operate to
move the signal arm to the "all right" position, the weight F¹ also descends, and
acting upon the detent lever G releases the wire A', when the balance weight c on
the signal post & pulls the signal arm up again to danger.
d
Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11, illustrate different modifications of tumblers and detent
levers. In the modification, Figure 8, the tumblers E consists of two pivotted jaws
e, e, which, when their upper ends f, f, are maintained apart by the extremity b of
the detent lever G, hold the weight F suspended, whilst the jaws e, e, open for the
release of the weight upon the removal of the extremity b of the detent lever.
Figure 9 shews a somewhat similar arrangement, but in this case the tumbler E
upon the removal of the extremity b of the detent lever G falls with the frame D
and detent lever bodily, the jaws e, e, becoming detached from the shackles g of
the chains. In the modification, Figure 10, the tumbler E is rigidly secured to the
detent lever G, and the two together are connected to the shackle or frame D by a
common pivot a¹ in such a manner that the weight F is disengaged from the hook
h when the opposite end of the detent.lever-G-is-depressed. Figure 11 represents
a similar arrangement, and only differs from Figure 10 in slight details which
require no special description.

page_text: It will be readily understood that other modifications of these and other parts
may be made without departing from the leading features of my said Invention.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and some modes in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that I lay no claim to the use separately of
the arrangement of the weight F and drum or wheel C for maintaining the wire A
in tension, so as to compensate for its expansion and contraction; neither do I lay
claim to the use separately of T levers for the same purpose, but what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The employment in combination with detent mechanism of the second
weight for the purpose, in the event of the rupture of a wire, of releasing the main
weight so as to allow the signal arm to go on to danger, substantially as herein-
before described.
Second. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting a
regulator, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described, and as
illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edwards, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
GEORGE EDWARDS. (L.S.)