Improvements in Electric Signalling Apparatus for Railways.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
TRUVIDIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Signalling Apparatus for Railways.
I, EDWIN ROBINSON, 5 Glossop Buildings, Moston Lane, Failsworth, Man-
chester, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
The purpose of this invention is to electrically indicate to and at any place or
places the passage of the wheels of any vehicle or vehicles running upon rails over
any place or places where it may be fixed. It consists of a metal casting of suitable
size and shape to be fixed with screws or otherwise to the under side of any rail through
which a hole of suitable size has been vertically drilled. The casting contains a
piston of steel or other metal made to work watertight in the barrel of the casting
and having a steel rod projecting from one end through the hole in the rail and
held in that position by a spiral spring of steel or other metal. A shorter rod of
brass or other metal projecting from the lower end of the piston through a piece of
vulcanite or other insulating material, secured to the casting by screws, upon the
under side of which are fixed by screws or otherwise two pieces of spring metal in
such positions that the brass rod shall make contact with them only when pressed
down by the wheels of passing vehicles. The casting shall have a nipple upon which
may be screwed a pipe containing the wires.
Improvements in Electric Signalling Apparatus for Railways.
I, EDWIN ROBINSON of 5 Glossop Buildings, Moston Lane, Failsworth near
Manchester, Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to electric signalling apparatus for railways and has for
its object improved means for electrically indicating to and at any place or places
the passage of the wheels of any vehicle or vehicles running upon rails over any
place or places where the said apparatus may be fixed.
This improved apparatus comprises a spring-controlled rod arranged to project
upward through the rail and two separated electrical contact plates so arranged
that when the aforesaid rod is depressed by the wheels of a vehicle passing over it
the lower end of the rod touches both of the said contact plates and completes a
circuit which was previously broken and so effects an indication at a distant station
by means of any suitable signal.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

page_text: A is a metal casting intended to be fixed in any suitable manner beneath one of
the rails B over which the vehicle runs.
C is a rod capable of sliding vertically in the said casting.
D is a spring surrounding the rod C and arranged within a cylindrical part or
barrel A in the metal casting. The said spring is compressed between the lower
end of the barrel A' and a collar C¹ on the rod C and tends to press the rod
upward. The upper end of the rod C passes through a hole B' in the rail B aud
projects slightly above the upper face of the rail as indicated in Fig. 4.
E is a plate of vulcanite or other insulating material secured in the casting A
and having a central hole through which the lower end of the rod C works.
F, F are two separated curved metal contact plates secured to the insulating
plate E.
G, G are the line wires in contact one with one plate F and the other with the
other plate F the said wires pass out through an opening or nipple A² in the
casting A and are connected to the indicating instrument at the distant station and
to a battery or other source of electricity for supplying the necessary current to
effect the signalling.
The rod C is held by the spring D normally out of contact with the plates F, F
and the circuit is thus broken but when a vehicle passes over the apparatus and
depresses the rod C the lower end of the rod presses against and makes contact
with both plates F, F and so completes the circuit and causes an indication to be
effected at the distant station.
I prefer that the collar C' shall accurately fit the cylindrical part or barrel A'
and be watertight therein.
I also prefer that the nipple A2 in the casting A be made watertight by means
of a gland or pipe screwed thereon through which the line wires shall be conveyed
from the said contact plates F, F.
I also prefer that the lower part of the rod be brass or other good conductor of
electricity and the upper part be hardened steel so as not to wear rapidly.
K and L are removable metal plates secured respectively to the top and bottom
of the casting A and made watertight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The apparatus comprising a spring-controlled rod movable in a guide and
projecting through a hole in the rail and separated contact plates so arranged that
when the rod is depressed it makes contact with the said plates and completes an
electric circuit substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The apparatus constructed substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings and operating as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this Seventeenth day of February 1896.
EDWIN ROBINSON.