IMPROVEMENTS IN CO-ACTING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER SIGNALS
Year: 1886

page_text: I, EDWARD RUSSELL of 12 Culverland Road, Exeter in the County of Devon,
Signal Foreman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN CO-ACTING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER SIGNALS to be as follows:-
My invention consists in adapting the ordinary balance lever co-acting plate
(which has previously been used for arms that are not counterbalanced) to work
arms, discs and spectacles that are weighted or counterbalanced.
It consists of an iron plate which carries in position two or more large weighted
bars, and one end of each of the said bars is connected to a separate lever in two
or more signal cabins. Midway between, or outside these large weighted bars is
fixed one or more smaller bars, according to the number of counterbalanced or
other arms, discs and spectacles to be jointly controlled.
These said smaller bars are connected direct to, and work the arms, discs and
spectacles that are required to be co-acted upon slotted or jointly controlled.
The bosses of the larger weighted bars are bevelled or partly cut away on the
inside or outside as the case may be, and the bosses of the smaller bar or bars is
or are increased, the increase also taking the nature of a bevel.
The bars large and small are carried on a spindle or centre common to all.
In the normal position of the bars, there is a space between the bosses of the
outside large weighted bars, and the inside or middle smaller bar or bars.
Sometimes I also connect an upright rod, from each of the smaller bars, direct
to a loose weight, which is centred on the same spindle, as the arms, discs or
spectacles that are required to be jointly controlled, for the purpose of ensuring
that under no condition will any one signalman be compelled to raise the counter-
balance weight of the arm, disc or spectacle that is required to be jointly controlled,
as well as his own
For the better purposes of illustration I will describe my invention in its
application to a distant arm, where that arm is jointly controlled by its own lever
and by the action of the "Home or Starting" signal fixed upon the same or other
post. The outside larger weighted bar to be actuated by the distant signal lever
in the cabin to which the distant signal applies, say "A;" and the inside large

page_text: weighted bar to be actuated by the home or starting signal lever in the cabin to
which the home or starting signal applies say "B.”
The action of my apparatus is as follows-
When the signalman in cabin "A" works his lever, communicating a circular
motion, to the outside large weighted bar of any co-acting apparatus, he also
communicates side motion to the middle smaller bar, by means of the bevelled
bosses of the bars. This action fills up all space between the said bosses, but does
not communicate any motion to the distant arm, but in cases where I fix the
upright rod to the loose weight as before described it raises this weight to the
"clear"
position.
When the signalman in cabin B works ´his lever and communicates a circular
motion to the inside large weighted bar, he is bound also to communicate a similar
upward motion to the smaller bar, as the bevelled bosses of the bars have formed
connection, the space having previously been filled up, by the movement of
the outside large weighted bar. The result therefore is the deflection of the
distant arm.
=
The action of my apparatus is similar, and the result precisely the same, when
the order of action of the signalmen is reversed, that is when cabin B signalman
actuates his lever first.
Therefore no matter what the conditions may be in the order of action of the
two signalmen, my apparatus compels their joint action as hereinbefore described,
before the distant arm is given "all clear."
On the other hand, however either one of the signalmen, can set the distant
signal to "Danger" independent of the other.
The apparatus as herein described is a single co-acting apparatus, but I would
have it distinctly understood, that I have only described this said single co-acting
apparatus, as a simple example as applied to one of its uses, for it is obvious that
a signal may be controlled from any number of signal cabins, and again that any
number of signals may jointly control the action of any one or more other signals,
therefore my invention is applicable to effecting the joint control of any one or
more signals from any two or more signal cabins, and effecting the joint control of
any one or more signals, by any one or more other signals.

page_text: Improvements in Co-acting Apparatus for Railway and other
Signals.
I, EDWARD RUSSELL of 12 Culverland Road, Exeter in the County of Devon
Signal Foreman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN CO-ACTING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER SIGNALS and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention consists in adapting the ordinary balance lever co-acting plate
(which has previously been used for arms; discs and spectacles that are not
counterbalanced) to work arms, discs, and spectacles, that are weighted or counter-
balanced.
My object has been to produce an apparatus, which would depart as little as
possible from the standard forms of balance plates hitherto, fixed upon the signal
post, so that while conforming to the regulations of counterbalanced arms, discs, and
spectacles, would yet overcome, certain inherent and radical defects, now common
in machines that are applied for the purposes of slotting or controlling signals.
In many existing apparatuses which like my invention are fixed upon the signal
post and which effect the slotting or controlling action in the rods, between the
balance lever plates, and the counterbalanced arms, discs and spectacles; when the
last large weighted bar is actuated it has a tendency to and does depress the large
weighted bar or bars previously actuated; and further should the signalman in
the cabin to which the distant or controlled signal applies, work his lever first, as
he communicates no action to the distant or controlled signal; it becomes a
necessity, for the signalman in the cabin to which the stop or other controlling
signal or signals, applies or apply, in working his lever to raise the heavy counter-
balance weight. upon the distant or controlled signal as well as his own.
With my apparatus as hereinbefore mentioned, these defects are remedied, with
the result that the last large weighted bar that actuates, the smaller or terminating
bar of the controlled signal is detached from, and has no connection in its action,
with the large weighted bar or bars already actuated, and that under no conditions
has the signalman working the stop or other controlling signal to raise the counter-
balance weight of the distant or controlled signal as well as his own, as hereinafter
described.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

page_text: right hand boss of the middle smaller or terminating bar and B³ is the bevel of
this boss.. C is the boss of the weighted bar A³, and B is the bevel of this boss.
Figure 3 is a side view of one of the large weighted bars shewing the extent
of the bevel, the line D representing a straight projection; terminating the raised
portion of the boss, and is provided for the better purposes of actuation in raising
the controlled signal to the "Danger" position, when either of the large weighted
bars A or A³ is replaced to its normal position.
Figure 4 is a side view of the smaller middle or terminating bar of the distant
or controlled signal shewing the extent of the bevel and straight projection as in
Figure 3 of large weighted bar A¹.
Figure 5 is a front view of a two arm signal of which K is, the stop signal and
L the distant signal. The signal K is actuated by large weighted bar A¹ and the
signal L which is the controlled signal, by the joint action of the large weighted
bars A¹ and A' (Figure 2).
O¹ is a counterbalanced weighted spectacle, serving as the necessary weight for
the signal K. O is an ordinary unweighted spectacle, M is the loose counter-
balance weight attached to the distant arm.
P is a slot in the rod working the signal K, thro' which a pin R from the
spectacle O' projecta.
J is the apparatus in Figure 1 in its fixed position upon the signal post. E is an
upright rod from the large weighted bar As (Figure 2) which is connected to, and
actuates the loose weight M.
The action of my apparatus is as follows-
When the signalman in cabin A works his lever, communicating a circular
motion to the large weighted bar A³ (Figure 2) he also communicates side motion
to the smaller middle or terminating bar As, by means of the bevel B' acting upon
the bevel B. This movement fills up all space between the bosses, C1, C2, C3, C4,
but does not communicate any action to the distant or controlled signal L (Fig. 5),
although it raises the weight M to the dotted position.
Upon the signalman in cabin B, working his lever, he communicates, a circular 3
motion to the large weighted bar A¹, and through that bar, to the smaller middle
or terminating bar A, as the bevels B¹ and B2 have formed connection.
The movement of the smaller middle or terminating bar A³, causes the distant
arm L. to deflect to the "all right" position, by means of its rod S pushing the
unweighted spectacle O' upwards, the spectacle itself being keyed to the same 3
spindle as the distant arm L,
The pin R projecting through the slot P (Fig. 5 and 6.) is provided to prevent
the distant arm L from deflecting to "all right" in.the event of of the connecting
rod S becoming broken or disconnected; after the large weighted bar A³ had been
actuated.
The action of my apparatus is similar and the result precisely the same, when
the order of action of the signalmen is reversed that is when cabin B signalman
works his lever first.
Therefore no matter what the conditions may be in the order of action of the
two signalmen, my apparatus compels their joint action as herein before described 4
before the distant or controlled signal is given "all right."
On the other hand either one of the signalmen can set the distant or controlled
signal to "danger" independent of the other.
The apparatus as herein described is a single co-acting apparatus, but I would
have it distinctly understood, that I have only described this said single co-acting
apparatus, as a simple example, as applied to one of its uses, for it is obvious that
a signal may be controlled from any number of signal cabins, and again that any
number of signals may jointly control the action of any one or more other signals,
therefore my invention is applicable to effecting the joint control of any one or
more signals from any two or more signal cabins, and effecting the joint control of
any one or more signāls, by any one or more other signals..

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 wish it to be
distinctly understood that I do not claim the general construction of the balance
plate Figure 1 which has previously been, and is now used for working signals,
but what I do claim is-
1st. The method of effecting the joint control or of slotting signals, whether
counterbalanced or not counterbalanced by means of the terminating bars A' of
these signals, being forced into gear by the movement of one (or more as the case
may be) of the larger weighted bars A³; with the larger weighted bars A¹ that are
worked last, so that upon the movement of these last larger weighted bars A¹ they
actuate the terminating bars A' of the controlled signals, substantially as herein
described.
2ndly. The combination and general arrangement of the improved apparatus
shewn in Figure 2, with the loose weight M on the controlled signal, its actuating
rod E, the slot P, and the pin R, substantially for the purposes; and in the manner
herein set forth, and as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Dated this 1st day of November 1836.
JOHN P. O'DONNELL,
Agent for the said Applicant,
Cambridge Villa, Cambridge Road,
New Malden, Surrey.