Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 20th July, 1892-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
1, THOMAS BASTIN of 100, Mayall Road, Herne Hill, in the County of Surrey,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to railway signalling apparatus whereby to operate a visible
signal on the engine in such manner as to cause the signal to occupy one or other
of two positions, respectively indicating safety and danger, an essential object of
this signalling apparatus, which is primarily intended for use in fog, in lieu of the
usual fog signals, being to denote by a positive signal when the line is clear as well
as when it is blocked.
The apparatus consists of two parts, one on the line and the other on the engine,
the former consisting of a bent or double inclined lever arm placed alongside the
rail and held normally in position to be depressed by the wheels, and of latch
mechanism set by the signalman from the signal box whereby, after being thus
depressed, the arm is permitted to rise either to its original height or to a less height
according to the character of the signal to be given.
To provide for running in both directions on the same pair of rails, the arm is
duplicated, one being placed alongside each rail and their horizontal shafts being
geared together by toothed sectors, or otherwise, so that the two arms work together
as one.
The signal apparatus on the engine is actuated directly by this double inclined
lever arm, the part which comes immediately in contact therewith being so mounted
as to be independent of the play of the carrying springs, so that its position
relatively to the rail level will be constant. For this purpose the pendent frame
on which it is mounted is placed between any two consecutive wheels and is
attached to the buckle of the carrying springs, or to the axle boxes or some part
independent of the engine frame. The toe or part acted on by the inclined lever is
pivoted on a horizontal axis, so that on striking the inclined lever, it will be
oscillated on its centre, the degree of oscillation depending on the height to which
the lever is set, as above mentioned. The oscillation of the toe lever is converted
into a partial rotation of a vertical spindle, by the upper arm of the toe lever acting.
on a curved helical arm on said spindle, the two last mentioned parts being duplicated
to provide for running of the engine in either direction. This spindle is also made
in two parts with a sliding connection to prevent the action of the apparatus being
affected by the play of the carrying springs. The spindle is connected by suitable
gearing with an oscillating arm carrying red and green glasses and mounted in
position to work in front of a small lamp carried on the engine in position to be.
readily observed by the driver, the one or the other glass being brought opposite
the lamp according to the height at which the lever in the roadway is set, as before
described, the arm carrying the colored glasses being also adapted to open the
whistle, or sound a gong, to draw the driver's attention to the signal.
Dated this 20th day of October 1901

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus:
I THOMAS BASTIN of 100 Mayall Road, Herne Hill in the County of Surrey,
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 :-
My invention relates to railway signalling apparatus whereby to operate a visible
signal on the engine in such manner as to cause the signal to occupy one or other
of two positions respectively indicating safety and danger, an essential object of
this signalling apparatus which is primarily intended for use in fog in lieu of the
usual fog signals, being to denote by a positive signal when the line is clear, as well
as when it is blocked.
The apparatus consists of two main parts, one on the line and the other on the
engine, the former consisting of inclined lever mechanism placed in the track and
controlled by the signalman from the signal box whereby the height of the
inclined lever is varied, according to the character of the signal to be given.
To provide for running in both directions on the same pair of rails, the inclined
lever is duplicated and the two are oppositely inclined and so connected that they
work together as one.
The signal apparatus on the engine is actuated directly by this inclined lever, the
part which comes inmediately in contact therewith being so mounted as to be
independent of the play of the carrying springs so that its position relatively to the
rail level will be constant. For this purpose the pendent frame in which it is
mounted is carried by the axle boxes. The toe or lever acted on by the inclined
lever is pivoted on a horizontal axis so that on meeting the inclined lever it will be
oscillated on its centre, the degree of oscillation depending on the height to which
the inclined lever is set. The oscillation of the toe lever is converted into a partial
rotation of a vertical spindle by the upper arm of the toe lever acting on a curved
helical arm on said spindle, the two last mentioned parts being duplicated to provide
for running of the engine in either direction. This spindle is also made in two
parts with a sliding connection to prevent the action of the apparatus being affected
by the play of the carrying springs. Upon the upper part of the spindle are
mounted white, red and green glasses in position to be illuminated by a small lamp
carried on the engine, the green or red glass being brought opposite the lamp,
according to the height at which the inclined lever in the roadway is set, as before
described, the arm carrying the colored glasses being also adapted to open the
whistle or sound a gong to draw the driver's attention to the signal.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation showing the apparatus complete as
applied to the engine and roadway.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the inclined lever mechanism.
Figure 3 is a side part sectional elevation of a portion of the inclined lever with
its locking mechanism.
Figure 4 is a cross section of same on line 1-1 Figure 3, both these figures being
drawn about full size.
Figure 5 is a side elevation, and Figure 6 a front elevation (partly in section)
of the mechanism for transmitting motion from the horizontal to the vertical
spindle and the telescopic coupling of the two members of the vertical spindle.
Figure 7 is an elevation, and Figure 8 a horizontal section of the lamp provided
with the colored glasses operated by said mechanism.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
A is the movable inclined lever arm preferably made of channelled section, pivoted
at a and conterweighted by a tail extension A' received within a fixed inclined

page_text: rail A of channelled section, of which the movable part A is a continuation, both
being arranged longitudinally and centrally of the track. The part A is not quite
counterbalanced, so that when released it will fall by its own weight. The
mechanism by which it is raised and maintained in operative position, consists of a
lever B pivoted on a horizontal shaft C and terminating in a friction roller which
when the lever is raised to the vertical position acts on an incline a' formed on a
central web within the movable lever A and raises the latter to the position shown.
in full lines in Figure 3, the part of the incline from a² to a which rests upon the
lever B when in its vertical position being curved concentrically to the shaft C, so
that pressure upon the lever A will not tend to depress the lever B. This lever B
is weighted by a weight D sufficient to overcome the unbalanced weight of the
lever A and to actuate the connections between this mechanism and the signal box
from which such mechanism is controlled, so that the mechanism will have a constant
tendency to assume the position shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 3 which is
such as to cause the signal on the engine to assume the position of danger, this
tendency being overcome by the pull of the rope or other connection E actuated
by the handing lever in the signal cabin, whereby the lever A is permitted to
assume the position shown in broken lines. The fixed inclined rail A³ is at such a
height as to act on the engine signal mechanism to a certain extent, the movable
part A when in its lowered position being horizontal and at a level with the
summit of the fixed inclined portion A2, and when in its raised position shown in
full lines in Figure 3, forming a continuation of the said incline A². It is preferred
that the fixed part A2 should have a rise of about 1 inch in 11 feet, and that the
movable part A when in the raised position, should have a rise of 2 inches in the
same length. These fixed and movable parts are duplicated, the two movable
parts A and A being end to end and coupled together by slotted plates a fixed to
the cheeks of the one movable part A and engaging a cross pin a fixed in the other
movable part A, the two levers thus moving together as one, and when raised
being oppositely inclined so as to act on the signal mechanism on the engine in
whichever direction the engine may be travelling. The gap between the adjacent
ends of the two movable parts A A* is covered by a steel plate as fixed to the one
part and resting on the other, so as to guard against the entry of snow and dirt,
and similar covering plates might be applied if necessary at the sides for the same
purpose.
1
Referring to Figures 5 and 6, F is a pendent lever arm or toe fixed to a
transverse horizontal shaft f mounted on a bracket G supported by the axle boxes
of a pair of wheels, the pendent lever F being in the centre line of the engine so as
to come in contact with the inclines A A above described. Upon this shaft fare
fixed two upwardly projecting arms which respectively act on the oppositely
curved limbs of a fork fixed on the lower end of a vertical spindle H mounted
in a bearing in the same bracket G. By the duplication of the arms, as
described, the mechanism is effective in whichever direction the lever F may be
oscillated. The spindle H terminates at its upper end in a crosshead y which is
free to play up and down in the vertical slotted members of a fork ii fixed on the
lower end of a vertical spindle I mounted on the engine towards one side thereof
and forming a continuation of the spindle H so that the two necessarily turn
together whilst admitting of the independent vertical motion consequent on the
play of the carrying springs. This spindle I extends upwards through the foot
plate, and in its upper tubular end is received a stem k to which the inner casing K
surrounding a lamp separately represented in Figures 7 and 8, is fixed, this stem
turning in a fixed bracket L fixed to the front of the engine cab, or in any other
suitable position. An arm is fixed to the upper end of the spindle I and engages
with a lug on the bottom of lamp casing K so that the latter is turned with the
spindle when the latter is operated by the inclined lever before described, the
extent to which the casing K is turned depending on the height of the treadle.
spring at the lower end of the spindle H and another spring at the upper end
of spindle I, turn the said spindles in the reverse direction after being so operated,
A

page_text: and another spring ³ ceiled about the bracket L and attached thereto and to the
casing K returns the latter to its normal position when a detent n which is pivoted
to the casing K and engages with a series of teeth n' in an outer casing P. 1s
released. In the front of the casing K are fitted side by side, three glasses Ps!
colored white, green and red respectively, in position to be brought opposite a lens
or aperture in the outer casing P which encloses the casing K. In the normal
position shown, the white glass coincides with the lens aperture, but by the action
of the fixed inclined part A²; the casing K is turned so as to show the green light,
and if the movable lever A be raised, it will be turned still farther so as to show
the red light. Thus, a positive signal indicating the state of the road, is in any
case given and to whichever position the casing K may be turned, it is there
retained by the detent a falling into a corresponding tooth until allowed to be
returned by the spring by the disengagement of the detent. A gong M
may be
provided which is struck by a spring hammer m fixed to the spindle H when the
latter is returned by its spring, to call the attention of the driver. N is a pointer
to indicate the position of the signal glasses should the lamp be extinguished.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what
I claim is.
1st. The herein described combination of mechanism substantially as described
with reference to Figures 3 and 4 mounted on the engine and adapted to be
operated by an inclined lever on the road and to transmit motion from a horizontal
to a vertical spindle whilst admitting of the play of the carrying springs, substan-
tially as and for the purpose specified.
2nd. The combination with the mechanism constructed and operating as specified
in Claim 1, of the colored glass carrier operated thereby and the lamp, substan-
tially as specified.
3rd. The combination with the signal mechanism mounted on the engine, as
specified in Claims 1 and 2, of mechanism for operating the same, comprising fixed
inclined and movable members and mechanism controlled from the signal box for
raising the movable part or lever to operative position, substantially as specified.
Dated this 20th day of July 1892.
T. BASTIN,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
T. BASTIN,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.