Improvements in Apparatus for Working Railway Distant Signal Levers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Railway Distant Signal
Levers.
I, MATILDA Macafee Glover, of Portna House, Kilrea, County Derry,
Ireland, Lady, (a communication from Ralph Stephen Glover, of Hansi, North
Western Province, India, C.E. M.E. Associate M.I.C.E.) do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in working railway distant signal
levers, and is especially designed as an improvement on what is known as "Blood's
distant signal lever," or any other lever worked on the same principle.
The objects of the invention are (1) to enable such a lever to bo worked as a
ratchet whereby any length of chain or wire may be pulled in; (2) to admit of the
sudden release of said chain or wire; and (3) while attaining these two objects to
admit of a balance weight intended to take up the expansion or slack of the chain
or wire acting freely.
In carrying out the said invention, in the first instance where the working is of
a simple or ordinary character, I attach in a pivotal manner to the frame of the
lever an additional pawl provided with a lug.
As the lever is being drawn forward the movable pawl which it carries, and the
additional or fixed pawl will act alternately so that the lever can be worked
backward and forward as a ratchet, and an indefinite length of chain or wire thus
pulled in. When the lever is thrown back to its normal position it comes into
contact with the lug provided on the fixed pawl knocking same over and thus
releasing the chain which is then left to be acted on by the ordinary balance
weight.
In special cases where the resistance is great, a rocker is introduced and is
pivoted on the lever frame. At the extremity of one arm of this rocker is carried
the additional pawl while the other arm is acted. on by the lever in such a manner
that when the latter is pressed down it carries with it the rocker and causes the
additional pawl to lift out of engagement with the chain.
A suitable clutch attached to the frame engages a trigger carried by the lever
and holds down same in such a manner that when it is slightly raised the pawl is
disengaged and the chain released. On further raising the lever the trigger
disengages the clutch when the lever may be thrown back to its normal position,
on arriving at which it knocks over the pawl on arm of rocker thereby preventing
same eugaging, and thus leaving the chain free to be acted on by the balance
weight.
Dated this 13th day of November 1895
J. K. FAHIE & SON,
9 Westland Row, Dublin, Agents for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for working away Distant Di
Levers.
I, MATILDA MACAFEE GLOVER of Portna House, Kilren, Co. Derry, Ireland,
Lady, 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 has reference to improvements in working railway distant signal
levers, and is especially designed as an improvement on what is known as "Blood's
distant signal lever," or any other lever worked on the same principle.
The objects of the invention are (1) to cuable such a lever to be worked as a
ratchet whereby any length of chain or wiro may be pulled in: (2) to admit of the
sudden release of said chain or wire: and (3) while attaining these two objects, to
admit of a balance weight intended to take up oxpansion, or slack in the chain or
wire acting freely.
In carrying out the said invention in the first or simpler arrangement which is
applicable when the force to be overcome is light, I attach in a pivotal manner to
the frame of the lever an additional pawl provided with a lug or lugs.
: As the lever is drawn forward the movable pawl which it carries, and the
additional or fixed pawl will act alternately so that the lever can be worked
backward and forward as a ratchet, and an indefinite length of chain or wire.tbus
pulled in.
When the lever is thrown back to its normal position it comes into contact with
the lug or lugs on the fixed pawl knocking same over and thus releasing the chain
which is then left to be acted on by the ordinary balance weight.
According to the second arrangement of my invention which is applicable where
the force to be overcome is heavy, further additions are necessary, namely a rocker,
clutch, catch, and trigger as hereinafter more fully, described.
The accompanying drawings which shew both arrangements will enable my said
invention to be more readily understood and carried into practice.
Similar letters indicate like parts in each of the views.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the first or simple arrangement.
°
A pawl P provided with lugs L is pivoted in the lever frame in such a way that,
from its own weight, or by a spring or other contrivance it will, when the lever
handle is pulled over, come into position to grip the chain.
As the lever handle is being drawn forward the movable pawl K grips and pulls
in the chain. Throwing back the lever handle releases said pawl K while meantime
the chain is gripped and held by the fixed pawl P until the lever handle is again
pulled forward when pawl K again grips and pulls in more of the chain.
This operation may be repeated until any required length of chain is pulled in.
To release the chain the lever handle is thrown back to its normal position-that
shewn in Fig. 1-in arriving at which it knocks over the lugs L, and in doing so
disengages pawl P, whereupon the chain is released and is free to be noted upon by
the balance weight, or other contrivance for taking up slack.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate the second arrangement of my invention where, in
addition to the pawl P, the rocker R, olutoh D, catch C, and trigger T, become
necessary.
In this arrangement the chain is pulled in, as in the former case, by working the
lever handle backward and forward, but its release is effected in a different
manner.
The pawl P instead of being pivoted to the lever frame as in the first instance
is carried at one end of a rocker R, which is so balanced or actuated by a spring or

page_text: other contrivance that, when left to itself the pawl end comes into position for the
pawl to engage.
At the opposite end of the rocker are projections S, which when pressed down
by the lever handle (S' Fig. 4 in dotted lines) lift the end carrying the pawl and
thus, with the help of the heel E prevent it (the pawl) engaging the chain.
To release the chain the lever handle is pulled over as far as it can go when the
clutch D engages with the catch C (C of the pulled over position shewn in dotted
lines) and thus holds down the lever handle which, by means of the movable pawl K
holds the chain in.
This operation also raises the pawl P into a position in which as explained, it
cannot engage. On raising the lever handle slightly the movable pawl is disengaged
and the chain suddenly released.
On further raising the lever handle the trigger T or T¹ pushes the clutch D out
of engagement with catch Cor C, when the lever handle may be thrown back to
its normal position, in arriving at which it permits the pawl to come into the
engaging position but, at the saine time by knocking over the lugs L the pawl is
prevented from engaging.
The chain is therefore left free to be acted on in the usual way by a balance
weight or other contrivance for taking in slack.
In the first arrangement where the pawl P, only is used a slight projection to
the lever frame, as at present constructed is needed to take the pin on which the
pawl pivots.
In the second arrangement another projection of the lever frame is necessary to
take the pivot on which the clutch turns.
Lever frames as at present in use may be fitted with these projections, where
necessary in order to adopt the improvements, and the stud bolts may be set in the
frames as they are now made.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same may be performed I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the specific arrangement of the additions described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings as these additions may be applied in
various ways without departing from the principle of my invention. What I
claim is:-
First. The use of the pawl combined with an arrangement for disengaging it, or
holding it disengaged as the case may be-the operation to be performed by the
handle operating the lever.
Secoud. The use of the rocker which when operating the lever puts the pawl ont
of the position which it engages.
Third. The use of the arrangement of the clutch and catch by means of which
the lever handle is beld over, and by means of which, by operating the lever handle,
the chain is held in or disengaged as the case may be.
Fourth. The use of the trigger by means of which the lever handle throws the
clutch out of engagement.
Dated this 12th day of August 1896.
J. K. FAHIE & SON,
9 Westland Row, Dublin, Agents for Applicant.