Improvements in Apparatus for Working Semaphore Signals.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 31st Oct., 1891-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by Messrs. SIEMENS & HALSKE, of Berlin, in the
German Empire.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Semaphore Signals.
We, SIEMENS BROTHERS & Co. LIMITED of 12, Queen Anne's Gate, West-
minster, in the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
position, is
This invention relates to improved semaphore signal apparatus whereby a
semaphore signal after having been brought to the "line clear
automatically brought to the danger position on the passing of a train.
We construct such apparatus as follows.
The semaphore signal is actuated by two wire pulls which are suitably led to the
periphery of a pulley to which the ends are attached, so that, by the partial
rotation of such pulley in one direction or the other the signal arm is brought
respectively to the "danger" and "line-clear" positions. Situated closely by the
side of this pulley is a second pulley to the periphery of which are attached two
other wire pulls leading from a third pulley at a distance which is actuated by the
sigual lever, so that, assuming the signal pulley and the second pulley to be coupled
together, the movement of the signal lever will be transmitted to the signal pulley
so as to actuate the signal arm.
Such coupling together of the signal and second pullies is controlled by a pedal
acted upon by a passing train in such manner, that when the signal arm has been
moved into the line-clear" position by the signal lever as described, and a train
then passes the signal, the latter in depressing the pedal, effects the uncoupling of
the two pullies, whereupon, the signal pulley being free to turn on its axis, the
signal arm will be moved by gravity or by spring action from the "line-clear
the.danger position.
" to
The mechanism employed by preference for coupling together the two pullies and
for uncoupling them by the pedal action is as follows: The second pulley carries
a transverse spindle near its periphery, on one end of which is an arin with a stud
that projects into a recess in the boss of the signal pulley, and is held therein by a
spring, so that the two pullies are by this means coupled together. The said spindle
carries at its other end a second arm, a roller on the end of which projects between
two curved levers working on fixed fulcra and which are connected by toggle links
both to each other end to a third lever on a spindle which also carries the before
mentioned pedal, these levers being so arranged relatively to the roller on the said
arm, that when the second pulley is turned by the signal lever so as to bring the
signal arm into the "line-clear" position, the said arm with the roller moves the
one or other of the levers so as to bring the pedal above the level of the rails.
now a train, after passing the signal, depresses the pedal, this moves the levers back
into their original position, and they in their turn move the arm with the roller and
consequently also the spindle on which it is fixed so as to bring the stud carried by
the first mentioned arin of the spindle out of the notch of the signal pulley, and
the two pullies being thus uncoupled, the signal lever is moved by gravity into the
danger position as described.
27
If
The signal pulley is locked in this position by a catch taking into a notch in a
curved projection on its periphery, but when the signal lever and with it the second
bulley are moved back from the "line-clear" into the "danger position," a pro-
ection on the second.pulley acts on the catch so as to cause it to unlock the signal
bulley, while at the same time the stud on the before mentioned coupling arm
rrives opposite the recess in the signal pulley again, and in being made to enter

page_text: it by the spring, effects the coupling together of the two pullies again, so that
the several parts are now in the first described position for giving the "line clear"
signal.
Instead of working the pullies and semaphore arm by means of two wire pulls as
described; tliese parts may also be worked by a single wire pull; for imparting the
movement in one direction;, tlie reverse" movements being effected by a counter
weight in the well known manner..
ABEL, &. IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
· Improvements in Apparatus for Working Semaphore Signals.
We, SIEMENS BROTHERS & Co., LIMITED of 12 Queen Anne's Gate,. West-
minster in the County of Middlesex, Electrical, Engineers, 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 improved semaphore signal apparatus whereby a
semaphore signal,, after having been brought to the "line clear" position;. is
automatically brought: to the "danger," position onthe passing of a train:
We construct such apparatus as follows:
The semaphore, signal is actuated by two.wire pulls which are suitably led to the:
periphery of a pulley. to, which, the ends are attached so that by the partial rotations
of such pulley in one direction or the other the signal arm is brought respectively
to the "danger" and."line clear." positions.. Situated closely, by the side of this
pulley, is a second. pulley to, the, periphery of which are attached. two other wire.
pulls leading, from.a.third pulley at a distance whichis actuated by the signal lever;
so that,, assuming the signal pulley and the second pulley to be coupled together,.
the movement of the signal lever will be transmitted to the signalt pulley so as to
actuate the signal.arm.,
Such coupling together of the signal and second pullies is controlled by a pedal
acted upon by a passing train-in. such manner, that when the signal arm has been
moved into the line clear." position by the signal lever as. described;,. and av train
then passes the signal, the latter. in depressing, the pedal,.effects the uncoupling of
the two pullics, whereupon, the signal. pulley being free to: turn on its axis, the.
signal arm will be moved. by gravity or by spring action from the" line-clear" to
the danger." position..
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews-a diagrammatic: view of the above
described arrangement, of apparatus; Figs.. 2 to. 5 shew by way of example one
construction, of, apparatus for. carrying the same into, practice.. Fig. 2: shews. a.
sectional,side view, and Fig.3.a sectional end, view, with the pedal depressed: for
effecting, the uncoupling of the pullies, so as to bring the signal. arm to the "danger."
position. Figs. 4. and. 5 shew similar views of the parts, being in: position for
holding the signal.arm.in. the." line clear" position..
The double. wire, pull, dd coming from, the signalt lever. Ha passes: round; the.
pulley, while the, wire. pull d³ d connected: to, the signal. arm. S passes; round:
pulley ..
Referring to the position, at Figures. 2. and 3,, thie, pedal, P, which is situated
against the line of rails, is assumed to have been depressed. by a passing train..
The shaft. A, of, this pedal. carries, a. lever, 2 the end of which is curved as shewn,.
and which is connected by. toggle. links. to two other levers pivotted to a
support at a a, the ends of which are also curved as shewn. The stud on the one
arm of an elbow. lever w; carried by the pulley. rl, enters a notch e. in the boss of.
the second. pulley, and thus couples.the two pullies-together.
The other arm of the elbow, lever carries,a roller g which lies in the path of the

page_text: system oft levers. ., The, levers h¹³ being in the position shown at Figure 2,.
it will be seen that if the pull.d d² of the signal lever H (Figure 1) be moved in.
the direction of the arrow, thereby rotating both pullies the roller in moving-
with lever w will push the lever h¹ outwards, and as this lever is connected by the
toggle link to the lever 42, which is fixed on the shaft A of the pedal P, the said
motion of h will cause the pedal to be raised from the position, shewn at Figure 2.
to that shewn at. Figs. 4 and 5; where it is raised to a certain extent above the level
of the rail. y. At the same time the toggle link. will also have caused the
lever. to. move outward, so as to leave the pullios free to be rotated, by the
signal lever sufficiently to bring the signal arm. S to the "line clear "position:. If
now the pedal P be depressed again by the passing of a train into the position at
Fig. 2, then the lever ',,, or 3 opposite which the roller g is, for the time being.
situated, will exert an inward pressure thereon, causing the elbow lever to be
moved so as to raise the stud & out of the notch e of the pulley ², and con-
sequently, the connection between. this-and-having ceased; the weight or spring
action of the signal arm will be free to act so as to cause this to assume
automatically the "danger" position, thereby turning the pulley round to a
corresponding extent.
The stud is acted upon by a spring tending to press it inwards, so that as soon
as the signal lever is moved over to the "danger" position, whereby it brings the
pulley back again into the position with the stud k of lever w opposite the notch e
of pulley, the former will be caused by spring to enter the notch again, and
the two pullies will be coupled together again, ready for the signal lever to actuate
the signal arm for bringing it into the "line clear" position.
Each of the pullies has a cam shaped projection u u³, of which the latter
has a notch e, into which takes a catch or pawl Z acted upon by a weight or
spring.
On rotating the pullies when coupled together, the hook of the catch, being held
up by the cam is prevented from entering the notch of u² as it passes under it.
When however the pullies have been uncoupled by the depression of the pedal P
as described, and the pulley has been rotated by the signal arm in assuming the
danger position, the notch will be thereby brought opposite the catch Z and this
will now enter the notch and will lock the signal arm in the danger position, until
the signal lever has been moved back into the normal or "danger" position, when
the cam u on pulley will again raise the catch out of notch e, while at the same
time the two pullies will become coupled together ready for giving the "line clear”
signal as before described.
By this arrangement therefore the signal lever must necessarily be moved back
to the "danger position before the signal arm can be unlocked ready for being
brought to "line clear" position.
Instead of working the pullies and semaphore arm by means of two wire pulls as
described, these parts may also be worked by a single wire pull for imparting the
movement in one direction, the reverse movement being effected by a counter
weight in the well known manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for automatically bringing a semaphore signal into danger position
by a passing train, consisting of two pullies arranged side by side and coupled
together by a catch, one of which pullies is actuated by the signal lever while the
other is connected to the signal arm, the said coupling catch being capable of being
thrown out of gear by the action of a pedal which is depressed by a passing train,
in order that the signal pulley, on being uncoupled shall allow the signal arm to be
moved into the danger position by a weight or spring, substantially as described.
2. In combination with the arrangement of apparatus referred to in the
preceding claim, the use of a catch, which is made to enter a notch in the signal

page_text: pulley when the signal arm is moved into the "danger" position so as to lock the
same, which catch is released by a cam on the lever pulley when this is rotated by
bringing the lever into the " danger" position, whereby the pullies are coupled
together again, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for working semaphore signals, the combination of a pulley
worked by the signal lever, a pulley connected to the signal arm and coupled to
pulley by a catch lever gwk and notch e, and a pedal at the side of the rails
connected to levers h¹³, which levers on the depression of the pedal on the
passing of a train act upon the catch lever gw k so as to effect the uncoupling of
the pullies, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this 30th day of October 1891.
ABEL & IMKAY,
Agents for the Applicants.