Improved Means and Appliances for Automatically Signalling on Railways for Level Crossings, and generally at other Places.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th July, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Appliances for Automatically Signalling on
Railways for Level Crossings, and generally at other Places.
J, DANIEL GRANT, of 5 Hereford Square, South Kensington, County of
London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improved means and appliances for automatically
signalling on railways for level crossings and generally at other places, the object
being to safeguard level crossings and make the public or pedestrians and others
cognizant of an approaching train, and so prevent them incurring injury or it may
be death.
My invention can be placed or arranged at any desired distance to ring a bell,
strike a gong, lower a lever, or move any device, in or across the path, or to lock
gates, stiles, steps, or the like for closeing the passage, certain means or appliances
of the same or of other kinds, or separate means can be utilized in connection with
any sound produced, and the subject of my invention; for the purpose of which
I employ a curved bar or hinged bars at the side of a rail for the flange of the
leading wheel of a train to push away to a given distance and this through the
intermediation of plain, coupled, bell cranks, or other levers angments the leverage
and makes contact between electrical appliances for effecting the objects I have in
view and as before referred to.
The bar or bars (curved or hinged) are shaped that the train can enter from
either end.
Dated:
100
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Daniel Grant.
Improved Means and Appliances for Automatically Signalling on
Railways for Level Crossings, and generally at other Places.
I, DANIEL GRANT, of 5 Hereford Square, South Kensington, County of
London, Gentleman, 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 means and appliances for automatically
signalling on railways for level crossings and generally at other places, the object
being to safeguard level crossings and make the public or pedestrians and others
cognizant of an approaching train, and so prevent them incurring injury or it may
be death.
My invention can be placed or arranged at any desired distance to ring a bell,
strike a gong, lower a lever, or move any device, in or across the path, or to lock
gates, stiles, steps, or the like for closing the passage, certain ¡means or appliances

page_text: of the same or of other kinds, or separate means can be utilized in connection with
any sound produced, and the subject of my invention; for the purpose of which
I employ a curved bar or hinged bars at the side of a rail for the flange of the
leading wheel of a train to push away to a given distance, and this through the
intermediation of plain coupled bell cranks, or other levers augments the leverage
and makes contact between electrical appliances for effecting the objects I have in
view and as before referred to.
The bar or bars (curved or hinged) are shaped that the train can enter from
either end.
My invention will be clearly understood by reference to the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 plan of permanent way.
Figure 2 end on elevation with cam or push lever closed and in contact
with the rail. Figure 3 similar end on view indicating a wheel having pushed
the cam or lever away from the rail and locked the swing gate at the level
crossing.
A is a curved bar or cam lever with curved wings B, B, to permit of a train or
an engine entering from either direction such as is usually the case when shunting,
or a free engine has motion over any section within which there is a level
crossing.
The cam A by its overbalancing action falls into contact with the rail C; it is
pivoted on the loose bolt D by a base E and lug F and has on the outer end of its
pivot a short arm G to which is secured one end of a rod H in connection through
an unequal armed bell crank J with a long rod K leading to the bolt L, for
engaging in the hasp M. The rod K can be of any length or of a series of lengths
coupled up in any convenient manner and be in number proportionate to the
distance between the cam A and the gate N.
P is a projection on the rod K to put electrical contact pieces Q, Q, in touch
for sounding an alarm gong R when the gate N is being locked, the electrical
sounder being in a box S next the fencing T. purpose arranging this box at an
elevation to be out of reach of an ordinary person, and also in order that the sound
shall be distinctly audible at a distance.
The drawings show the simplest method of arranging the improved_mechanism,
there being no springs or any appliance that can alter its efficiency under climatic
influence.
Other arrangements could be adopted with the use of my overbalancing double
curved arm or cain A, and any amount of throw to a locking bolt can be given by
increasing the lever J. Although I have described a system of locking a gate,
any obstacle could be equally well moved to close an opening and level crossing be
rendered secure against pedestrians while a train is in dangerous proximity to such
.crossing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The arrangement of apparatus shown on the annexed drawings, the special
feature being the double armed overbalancing cam A for operation by a wheel in
passing, whereby a sound signal can be produced and a level crossing be temporarily
-closed, as set forth.
H2O way on July 1895.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Daniel Grant.