IMPROVEMENTS IN. APPARATUS. FOR WORKING. RAILWAY SWITCHES, POINTS, CROSSINGS, AND SIGNALS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CROSSINGS.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James. Edwards Wilson, of Spring Gardens, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN. APPARATUS. FOR WORKING. RAILWAY SWITCHES, POINTS,
CROSSINGS, AND SIGNALS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CROSSINGS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Edwards Wilson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th January 1871.
I, JAMES EDWARDS WILSON, of Spring Gardens, in the County of
Middlesex, .Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS.IN APPARATUS FOR WORKING RAILWAY. SWITCHES,
POINTS, CROSSINGS, AND SIGNALS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY
CROSSINGS," to be as follows:-
With the arrangements at present in use for working railway switches,
points, crossings, and signals by. means of levers the employment of rods
in compression frequently renders. considerable power necessary.in. order

page_text: to produce the required movements, which are therefore not so promptly
effected as is desirable. There are, besides, no satisfactory means of
adjustment to compensate for expansion and contraction of the rods or
other parts according to-varying degrees of temperature.
Now the objects of the first part of my Invention are to entirely
dispense with rods in compression, and to use only rods, wires, or chains
in extension; to provide self-acting means of adjustment for expansion
and contraction, and to obtain such compactness and perfection of the
mechanism for working the levers that the labour of the attendant and
the strain upon his attention are considerably reduced, while greater
promptitude in the manipulation is ensured.
In carrying out my Invention I mount loosely on the axis of each
lever, and contiguous thereto, two pulleys having ratchet wheels attached
thereto, the teeth of which wheels respectively face in opposite directions,
and I attach to the lever two pauls to take respectively into the two
wheels, so that when one pulley is in gear the other is necessarily out of
gear. Round each of these pulleys is passed with one or more turns a
chain, to one end of which is attached a counterbalance weight, while
the other end is connected in any suitable way to the rods or wires
working the switches, points, crossings, or signals. To ensure a solid
connection between the levers and the switches, points, crossings, or
signals each chain is fastened to its corresponding pulley at such a point
as will allow the necessary travel to the pulley when free for any
variation of temperature. In the case of levers which are not frequently
worked the compensation for temperature can at any time be promptly
effected by a slight movement of the levers. The normal position of the
levers when their number is moderate is, by preference, horizontal or
nearly so; where there are many of them I place some horizontally,
some vertically, and some at convenient angles, and arrange them as
much as possible within the reach of the attendant, so that he may
operate them without being required to leave his place, and therefore
without his attention being distracted. In order to lock such other
levers as require to be locked when any particular lever is moved from
its normal position, each lever on being operated acts through the
intermediation of cranks to shoot bolts or slides into corresponding
When the
apertures in such other levers as require to be locked.
particular lever is being returned to its normal position the locking bolts

page_text: are withdrawn by the cranks. For the purpose of signalling intelligence
of passing trains or of altered points, switches, or crossings to the next
adjoining "up" and "down" signal boxes or stations, I lead the
telegraph wires from these boxes or stations into such positions that the
levers when moved out of or returned to their normal position shall
make or break contact with the wires, so that correct intelligence is
thus signalled as it were automatically.
My Invention further consists in working railway switches, points,
crossings, and signals by the aid of electricity or electro-magnetism in
such manner that the switches, points, crossings, or signals are operated
by the passing trains..
In carrying out this part of my Invention I employ in connection with
the switch, point, crossing, or signal a catch or other suitable appliance,
which is raised or acted upon as required by means of an electro-magnet
set into operation by the attendant making contact with the battery in'
any ordinary manner; and the position of this catch or other appliance
when so raised or acted upon is such that it is struck or moved by the
passing train, and the switch, point, crossing, or signal is thereby shifted
into the necessary position, while the electric contact being broken the
catch or other appliance returns to its normal position. In order that
the attendant may at all times know what is the position of the switch,
point, crossing, or signal a return wire is carried to the signal box or
attendant's station, so as to give an indication of such position by means
of a pointer or otherwise.
In constructing crossings to be worked by the apparatus herein-before
described or by other mechanism I make the "tip" of the tongue of the
crossing extend so far into the "throat” that when the crossing is moved
to one side or the other to complete the main or the secondary line of
rail, as the case may be, it shall leave no gap or opening at that side.
An under prolongation of the "tip" extends a short distance under the
rail, and the crossing must be made of the necessary angle to adjust
itself to the two lines of-rail. The crossing is worked in connection with
the corresponding points.
"

page_text: '
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patcut,
filed by the said James Edwards Wilson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th July 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
EDWARDS WILSON, of Spring Gardens, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most. Excellent Majesty. Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James Edwards Wilson, Her special licence
that. I, the said James Edwards Wilson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Edwards Wilson, my
.executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS · IN
APPARATUS FOR WORKING RAILWAY SWITCHES, POINTS, CROSSINGS, AND SIGNALS,
AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CROSSINGS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Edwards Wilson, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Edwards. Wilson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and. ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to. the: accompanying
Drawings, that is to say :--
With the arrangements at present in use for working railway switches,
points, crossings, and signals, by means of levers the employment of
rods in compression frequently renders considerable power necessary in
order to produce the required movements which are therefore not so

page_text: promptly effected as is desirable, there are besides no satisfactory means
of adjustment to compensate for expansion and contraction of the rods
or other parts according to varying degrees of temperature.
Now the objects of the first part of my Invention are to entirely
dispense with rods in compression and to use only rods, wires, or chains
in extension, to provide self-acting means of adjustment for expansion
and contraction, and to obtain such compactness and perfection of the
mechanism for working the levers that the labor of the attendant and
the strain upon his attention are considerably reduced, while greater
promptitude in the manipulation is ensured.
The manner in which I carry this part of my Invention into effect is
represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the annexed Drawings; Figure 1
being a side elevation partly in section; Figure 2 a front clevation
partly in section, and Figure 3 a plan. I mount loosely on the axis A
of each lever B and contiguous thereto two pulleys C, D, having ratchet
wheels E, F, attached thereto, the teeth of which wheels respectively
face in opposite directions, and I attach to the lever two pauls G, I, to
take respectively into the two wheels so that when one pulley is in gear
the other is necessarily out of gear. Round each of these pulleys is
passed with one or more turns a chain I to one end of which is
attached a counterbalance weight,, while the other end is connected in
any suitable way to the rods or wires working the switches, points,
crossings, or signals. To ensure a solid connection between the levers B
and the switches, points, crossings, or signals, each chain I is fastened to
its corresponding pulley at such a point as will allow the necessary
travel, to the pulley when free for any variation of temperature. In
the case of levers which are not frequently worked the compensation for
temperature can at any time be promptly effected by simply unlocking
the levers and. ungearing the pauls.. The normal position of the levers
when their number. is moderate is by preference horizontal or nearly so,
where there are many of them, I place some horizontally, some vertically,
and some at convenient angles and arrange them as much as possible
within the reach of the attendant so that he may operate them without
being required to leave his place and therefore, without his attention
being distracted..
.
In order to lock such other levers as require to be locked. when: any
particular lever is moved from its normal position each lever on: being
operated acts through the intermediation of cranks K. and M; and a

page_text: connecting rod N to shoot bolts or slides L, L, into corresponding
apertures in such other levers as require to be locked. When the par-
ticular lever is being returned to its normal position the locking bolts
are withdrawn by the cranks and connecting rod. For the purpose of
signalling intelligence of passing trains or of altered points, switches, or
crossings to the next adjoining "up" and "down" signal boxes or
stations, I lead the telegraph wires from these boxes or stations into
such positions that the levers when moved out of or returned to their
normal position shall make or break contact with the wires so that
correct intelligence is thus signalled as it were automatically.
In constructing crossings to be worked by the apparatus herein-before
described or by other mechanism I make the "tip" of the tongue of the
crossing extend so far into the "throat" that when the crossing is
moved to one side or the other to complete the main or the secondary
line of rail as the case may be it shall leave no gap or opening at
that side.
Figure 4 is a plan, and Figures 5 and 6 are cross sections of a crossing
constructed according to my Invention. A is the tongue, the tip B of
which extends into the throat to the extent and for the purpose before
explained. An under prolongation of the tip B laps a short distance
under the rail as is generally the case with a tongue rail, and the
crossing must be made of the necessary angle to adjust itself to the two
lines of rail. The crossing is worked in connection with the corresponding
points as clearly shown in the Figures.
My Invention further consists in working railway switchies, points,
crossings, and signals by the aid of electricity or electro-magnetism in
such manner that the switches, points, crossings, or signals, are operated
• by the passing trains.
In carrying out this part of my Invention, I employ in connection with
the switch, point, crossing, or signal, a catch or other suitable appliance
which is raised or acted upon as required by means of an electro-magnet
set into operation by the attendant making contact with the battery in
any ordinary manner, and the position of this catch or other appliance
when so raised or acted upon is such that, it is struck or moved by the
passing train and the switch, point, crossing, or signal, is thereby
shifted into the necessary position while the electric contact being
broken the catch or other appliance returns to its normal position. In
order that the attendant may at all times, know what is the position of

page_text: the switch, point, crossing, or signal a return wire is carried to the
signal box or attendant's station so as to give an indication of such
position by means of a pointer or otherwise.
This part of my Invention will be understood on reference to Figs. 7.
and S which show the apparatus as arranged for working the points and
crossings at a junction of a siding or branch line with the main line.
A is a spindle or shaft passing across and beyond, on each side the line
of rails carrying keyed on to it at each end outside of the rails a
drum B, B. Inside and close against each rail is a lever C, C, working
loose on the spindle but carrying a paul D, D, taking into the ratchet
wheel E, E, keyed on to the spindle. The levers lie in reverse positions
with respect to the shaft, and when in the position shown by the dotted
lines are operated on by the wheels of the passing vehicle, and of course
depressed by the amount of the rise above the rail of the lever, and the
depth of the flange of the wheels. This depression of the lever by
means of the paul and ratchet wheel causes the spindle to rotate, and
consequently the drums which are keyed thereon. On each of these
drums is fastened a chain which is attached to the rod working the
points and crossings, and the chain on one side passes on to the top of
the drum, and on the other side on to the bottom of the drum, so that
whichever lever is worked by the passing vehicle one chain is taken up
just as much as the other is let out. The manner in which the levers.
are raised to be operated on by the passing vehicles is by the action of
an electro-magnet F, F, which when put in action by the attendant
putting on the battery in the usual way for electric bells and signals
draws down the short end of the lever C, C, and of course raises the
long end into the position marked with the dotted lines. To lock the
points in either of the two positions any ordinary arrangement may be
used.
1
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,--
First. Constructing or arranging apparatus for working switches,
points, crossings, and signals, entirely in extension, substantially as
herein-before described.
Second. Constructing or arranging apparatus for working switches,
points, crossings, and signals, so that there shall be self or easy adjust-
ment for temperature, substantially as herein-before described.

page_text: Third. Constructing crossings so that the gap or opening in the rails
is closed up, substantially as herein-before described.
Fourth. Working crossings in connection with the corresponding
points, substantially as herein-before described.
Fifth. Working switches, points, crossings, and signals by the aid of
electricity or electro-magnetism, substantially as herein-before described,
so that the switches, points, crossings, or signals are operated by the
passing trains.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Edwards Wilson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of July One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
J. EDWARDS WILSON. (1.S.)