Improvements in Interlocking Railway Signals and Facing Points.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Interlocking Railway Signals and Facing
Points.
I, WILLIAM BUCK of Carisbrooke, Battenhall Worcester Civil Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In cases where the setting and bolting of facing points is effected by working two
levers, the first of which moves the points and the second the bolt and lock-bar
simultaneously, or, in cases where the points, bolt, and bar are worked by one lever,
it is usual to guard against a failure in any part of the mechanism or their connections
by providing a detector coupled to the signal wire and locked by one or more
slides worked by the points with or without the co-operation of the bolt and bar.
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My invention consists of apparatus for actuating a single slide by the points and
the bolt in such a manner that the movement imparted to the slide by working the
points either way is continued in the same direction by the action of the bolt so that
the detector cannot be unlocked when the points are partly set; as is the case when
the bolt moves the slide back in an opposite direction after the movement of the
points.
The
I will now briefly describe my apparatus. The detector slide is coupled at right
angles to one end of an arm or straight lever whose other end is pivotted to the
stretcher bar or cross rod of the points. This lever is fitted with a slot or slide in
which works a pin attached to the bolt or plunger or to an arm upon the same.
movement of the points inclines the lever one way or the other and the stud on the
plunger acting as a fulcrum causes the other end the lever to move the detector
slide through the first part of its travel. When the plunger
moved the inclination
of the lever is increased and a farther and final movement imparted to the slide, and
the detector unlocked. The reverse action takes place when the plunger is withdrawn
and the points moved back.
The plunger and lock-bar are worked in the ordinary way by a three-armed crank.
The arm which works the bar is lengthened and the end placed between the sides of a
clip or bracket on the bar. This clip locks the end of the crank if the bar breaks down
or does not move simultaneously with the crank and thus prevents the plunger from
moving.
Another method of preventing the plunger from moving when the lock-bar does
not, is to connect a bolt to the bar by a crank and jointed rod. The end of this bolt
stands in front of a stop on the plunger and obstructs its working when not drawn
back by the movement of the bar.
Dated this 20th day of V 100K
Improvements in Interlocking Railway Signals and Facing
Points.
I, WILLIAM BUCK of Carisbrooke, Battenhall, Worcester Civil Engineer do hereby
0 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 :-
In cases where the setting and bolting of facing points is effected by working two
| Price 8d

page_text: levers the first of which moves the points and the second the bolt and lock-bar
simultaneously, or in cases where the points, bolt and bar are worked by one lever
it is usual to guard against a failure in any part of the mechanism or their connections
by providing a "detector" coupled to the signal wire and locked by one or more
slides worked by the points with or without the co-operation of the bolt and bar.
My invention consists of apparatus for actuating a single slide by the points and
the bolt in such a manner that the movement imparted to the slide by working the
points either way is continued in the same direction by the action of the bolt so
that the detector cannot be unlocked when the points are partly set as is the case
when the bolt moves the slide back in an opposite direction after the movement of
the points.
The detector slide is coupled at right angles to one end of an arm or straight lever
whose other end is pivotted to the stretcher bar or cross rod of the points. This lever
is fitted with a slot or slide in which works a pin attached to the bolt or plunger or to
an arm upon the same. The movement of the points inclines the lever one way or
the other and the stud on the plunger acting as a fulcrum causes the other end of the
lever to move the detector slide through the first part of its travel. When the
plunger is moved the inclination of the lever is increased and a further and final·
movement imparted to the slide and the detector unlocked. The reversed action
takes place when the plunger is withdrawn and the points moved back.
The plunger and lock-bar are worked in the ordinary way by a three armed crank,
the arm which works the bar is lengthened and the end placed between the sides of a
clip or bracket on the bar. This clip locks the end of the crank if the bar breaks
down or does not move simultaneously with the crank and thus prevents the plunger
from moving.
Another method of preventing the plunger from moving when the lock-bar does
not is to connect a boit to the bar by a crank and jointed rod. The end of this bolt
stands in front of a stop on the plunger and obstructs its working when not drawn
back by the movement of the bar.
In order that my invention may be better understood and more readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures.
That part of my invention which is applicable to facing points and lock-bars worked
by separate levers is illustrated on Sheet No. 1 Figs 1 to 6. Fig. 1 is a plan of the
apparatus showing the various parts connected together as when at work.
A A are
the ends of the facing points worked by the rod B which is connected to the point
lever in the signal cabin. C is a stretcher bar divided at D into two blades, each
having one or two slots or openings as may be required.
Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged views of these blades one of which has a boss formed
upon it at E for carrying the lever H. Both blades are pierced for bolting both
ways. The plunger has an arm carrying a slide or sleeve which fits but works
freely along the lever H when the plunger moves. One end of lever H is pivotted
to the stretcher bar and is inclined one way or the other by the movement of the
points as shown in Fig. 4. When the plunger is moved from F¹ to F' and the points
properly bolted the end of the lever H is moved by the sleeve from H¹ to H2. The
detector lock I is attached to this lever by the rod L and when the above movement
is completed the notch J will be brought opposite the detector slide K thereby freeing
the proper signal. When the plunger is withdrawn and the points reversed the end
of the lever H will be at H³ and finally at H when the points are bolted.
notch J in the detector lock I will then have moved opposite the slide K₁ thereby
freeing the other signal. The plunger F and the lock bar M are worked by the
three-armed crank N. The long arm works the lock-bar by the connecting rod and
terminates in a square end O placed between the sides of a lock-plate or bracket P
fastened to the lock-bar for the purpose of arresting the movement of the crank N
should the bar fail to work. The lock-bar being mounted in the usual manner upon
small radius arms or tumblers every part of it including the lock plate moves in the
are of a circle while the end of the arm O moves horizontally in the same direction.
The

page_text: The lock-plate has an opening to allow the lock bar to rise and fall without obstructing
the simultaneous movement of the arm O. Should a fracture or displacement of any
part of the rod R prevent the lock bar from working when the crank N moves, the
end of the arm 0 enters one or the other of the notches Q in the lock plate P where its
horizontal movement, conflicting with the curvilinear or upward movement of the
lock-bar causes a deadlock in the apparatus and arrests the movement of the plunger.
This prevents a wrong signal being given or the points from being unbolted and
moved if previously bolted.
Figs. 7 and 8 Sheet 2 show another method of locking plunger and detector
gear
similar to that shown in Fig. 1 by means of a bolt connected to the lock bar. A is a
projecting stop on the plunger, B is a bolt or lock working in a groove or channel
in the plunger casting. This bolt arrests the movement of the plunger unless it is
drawn back by the lever C so as to allow the stop A to pass.
The end of the long arm of the lever is carried in a slotted plate D fixed to the
lock-bar E. The rise or fall of the lock-bar when working properly gives the
necessary movement to the lever and bolt, but should the lock-bar not work, the bolt
is not drawn back and the plunger cannot move its full stroke either in or out and
the failure is detected by a dead lock on the apparatus.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 Sheet 2, show a modification of this invention applied to cases
A is a rod
where the points, lock-bar and a two way bolt are worked by one lever.
for working the apparatus from the signal cabin, connected to a three arm crank B.
One arm of this crank works an outside lock-bar C being coupled thereto by the
rod D. The lock-bar is mounted on tumblers or radius arms in the usual manner
and carries a lock-plate E for arresting the movement of the crank B in case the
lock-bar fails to work in the manner before described and shown in Figs. 1 and 6.
Another arm of crank B engages with an escapement crank F which is connected to
the points by the rod G. The third arm of crank B works the plunger bolt H by a
toggle joint and lever I whose fulcrum is at J. The first movement of crank B
partially raises the lock-bar C and draws the plunger bolt H clear of the blades K
without moving the points, the arm B then enters the recess L in the escapement
crank F and reverses the points after which it leaves the recess and locks the points
in their reversed position as shown by the dotted lines. The plunger bolt H has an
arm connected to a slide M working on the lever N one end of which is jointed to the
blades K the other end working the detector rod O as before described and shown
in Fig 4.
Instead of the lock plate E a bolt may be connected to the lock bar as shown in
Figs. 10 and 11 for the purpose of locking the plunger, should the bar fail to
work. This bolt is actuated by a slotted plate R on the lock bar S.
T is a projecting
stop on the plunger which is worked as shown in Fig. 9. U is a bolt or lock
working in a groove or channel in the plunger casting V. This bolt arrests the
movement of the plunger unless it is drawn back by the lever W so as to allow
the stop T to pass. The end of the horizontal arm of the lever W is carried in the
slotted plate R so that the rise or fall of the lock bar moves the bolt U.
Fig. 12 Sheet 3 shows the application of this invention to points that are bolted for
one way only. The points lock-bar & plunger bolt are worked by one lever. A is
the rod for working the apparatus from the signal cabin connected to a three arm
crank B. One arm of this crank moves the plunger bolt C and works an outside
lock-bar D being coupled thereto by the rod E. The lock bar is mounted on tumblers
or radius arms in the usual manner and carries a lock plate F for arresting the
movement of the crank B in case the lock bar fails to work in the manner before
described and shown in Figs. 1 and 6. Another arm of crank B engages with an
escapement crank G which is connected to the points by the rod H. The third arm
is worked by the rod A from the signal cabin. The first movement of the crank B
partially raises the lock-bar D and draws the plunger bolt C clear of the blades J
without moving the points, the arm then enters the recess K in the escapement
crank G and reverses the points and completes the stroke of the plunger and the
movement of the bar. The plunger bolt C has an arm connected to a slide L working

page_text: on the lever M one end of which is jointed to the blades the other end working the
detector rod N. The notch in this rod at O stands normally clear, the points being
bolted and the signal unlocked.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is―
1. The actuation of a signal and point detector by the lever H Figs. 1 and 4,
connected to the points and to the plunger bolt and transmitting their consecutive
movements to a single rod in such a manner that the motion imparted by moving
the points is continued in the same direction by the act of bolting them.
2. The locking device substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in
Figs. 1 and 6 for arresting the movement of the plunger when the lock-bar is
deranged.
3. The locking device for the same purpose substantially as herein before described
and shown in Figs. 7, 8, 10 and 11.
4. The combination of escapement cranks F. B and Joints I. P with the detector
gear substantially as herein before described and shown in Fig. 9 applicable where
one lever works the points, the bar and a two way bolt.
5. The combination of escapement cranks and detector gear substantially as
herein before described and shown in Fig. 12 applicable where one lever works the
points, the bar and a one way bolt.
Dated this 25th day of February 1896.
WILLIAM BUCK.