Improvements in Means for Signalling on Railways.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1897-Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1897
Date of Applicat
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1897-Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Signalling on Railways.
We, GEORGE VERNON ALLEN, Commercial Traveller, and LEOPOLD MEYER,
Manufacturers' Agent, both of 215 Camden Road, in the County of London, do hereby
declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:
Our Invention relates to improvements in means for signalling on railways, and is
designed to provide an arrangement whereby the driver of an engine may be directly
informed by an apparatus on the engine itself as to what is the state of the signal
controlling the section of line he is approaching, even although such signal may be
concealed from view from any cause, such, for example, as foggy weather.
In carrying out our invention, we provide a movable stop, which is shifted by the
signal rods or wires into one position when the signal is clear, and into another
position when it is at danger. Upon the engine we provide depending arms so
arranged that when the said engine passes over the stop, one or other of these arms
will come into contact therewith and be operated thereby. These arms are connected
with the signal apparatus upon the engine in such a manner that when they engage
the stop, they cause the said apparatus to give the same signal that the main signal
is giving.
The signal apparatus on the engine may be a visual one, such as discs to be raised
into view by the operation of the depending arms, and the said arms may be caused
to operate a whistle or bell so as to give an audible signal at the same time as the
discs are operated.
The stop is placed at such a distance in advance of the main signal as will enable
the driver, if necessary, to pull up before reaching the latter, and at the place where
the engine will come to rest, we provide a rising and falling bar under the control
of the signalman, and adapted, when raised, to operate that one of the depending
arins which will cause the signal on the engine to give "line clear."
enables the signalman to notify the driver that he can proceed, even although
the main signal is still invisible from the place where the engine has come to
rest.
This
According to one arrangement, the stop consists of a short vertical projection
secured upon a sliding bar fitted transversely between the rails and connected with
the signal rods or wires so as to be operated in unison with the signal. The extent
of its movement is such that the stop comes into the middle of the track when the
signal is at "danger," while when the signal is at "line clear" it is moved a short
distance away from the centre. The depending arms on the engine are pivoted,
At their lower
and are acted on by springs which normally keep them vertical."
ends, they carry wheels or rollers to prevent friction, and their positions correspond
to those of the stop, that is to say the arm for putting the signal on the engine at
"danger" is arranged centrally, while that for putting it at "line clear" is
arranged to one side, but in order to enable the apparatus to serve equally well,
whether the engine, or the tender, be travelling first, we provide two arms, one on
each side of the central arm, for giving the "line clear" signal, and we arrange
the central arm so that it can be operated in either direction.

page_text: In connection with the signal apparatus on the engine, we may provide suitable
means for keeping a record of the signals as received. This may be kept locked up
so that it cannot be tampered with by the driver, and serves as evidence of the state
of the signals in case of accident or mistake. The record may conveniently be made
upon a strip or band of paper, moved forward step by step by the operation of
the depending arms, and marked or punched automatically by any suitable device.
By means of our invention, the engine driver is made practically independent of
the ordinary signals and can work as safely in foggy weather when they are hidden
or obscured, as he can in clear weather. Moreover, we obviate any necessity for the
use of the ordinary detonating fog signals, and consequently render the extremely
dangerous work of "fogging" unnecessary.
unnecessary. In addition to these advantages, our
improved means for signalling on railways provides a simple and reliable safeguard
against carelessness on the part of the driver..
ements m means
Signam
on Rainways.
We, GEORGE VERNON ALLEN, Commercial Traveller, and LEOPOLD MEYER,
Manufacturers' Agent, both of 215, Camden Road, in the County of London, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters
and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
Our Invention relates to improvements in means for signalling on railways, and is
designed to provide an arrangement whereby the driver of an engine may be directly
informed by an apparatus or device on the engine itself, as to what is the state of
the signal controlling the section of line he is approaching, even although such
signal may be obscured from view from any cause, such, for example, as foggy
weather.
In carrying out our Invention, we provide, between the rails and in advance of the
main signal, a movable stop which is adapted to be shifted by the signal rods or
wires into one position when the signal is at "clear," and into another position when
it is at "danger." Upon the engine we provide depending arms or levers so
arranged that when the stop is placed at "danger," and the engine passes over it,
one of these arms will come into contact therewith and be operated thereby. This
arm is connected with the signal apparatus upon the engine in such a manner that
on being operated by the stop, it causes the said apparatus to give the same signal
that the main signal is giving. The other arms or levers are operated by means such
as hereinafter described, and cause one of the signals on the engine to be hidden
from view, and the other to be presented to view.
The signal apparatus on the engine, may advantageously consist of discs or plates
adapted to be raised into view by the operation of the depending arms or levers, and
these latter may also be caused to operate a whistle, or hell, so as to give an audible
signal at the same time as the discs or plates are operated.
The stop on the line is placed at such a distance in advance of the main signal,
as will enable the driver, if necessary, to pull up before reaching the latter; and at

page_text: the place where the engine will come to rest, we provide a rising and falling bar
adapted to be operated by the signal rods or wires, and, when raised, to operate that
one of the depending arms or levers which will cause the signal on the engine to give
line clear." This enables the signalman to notify the driver that he can proceed
even although the main signal is still invisible from the place where the engine
has come to rest.
The invention will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a plan
Fig. 2 a side elevation, and
Fig. 3 an end view of a section of railway line illustrating the working of our
improved means for signalling.
Figs. 4 and 5 are front views, drawn to a larger scale, of a signalling apparatus
or device suitable for indicating on the engine the position of the signals.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical cross section of the same.
Fig. 7 shows, also to an enlarged scale, one of the depending arms or levers.
A represents the main signal, B the rails, and C the engine approaching the
signal.
a is the movable stop which consists of an incline, or cam, arranged between and
parallel with the rails B. It is secured upon a sliding bar, or plate, b which works,
transversely of the rails, in guides c. This bar, or plate, is connected by a bell-
crank lever d to the rods or wires e working the signal A. The arrangement is such,
for example, that when the said signal is at "danger," the movable stop will be
brought into the centre of the permanent way, but when it is at "line clear" said stop
will be away from the centre.
ff, are the downwardly depending arms or levers upon the engine, of which
there are advantageously three working in both directions, the centre one f giving
the "danger" signal, while each of the outer pair f is arranged to actuate the
"line clear" signal, thus providing for the engine travelling either in the ordinary
manner, or tender first. These levers are pivoted in brackets
carried by a
cross bar g on the engine end, at their lower ends, they are provided with
rollers.
are springs connected to any convenient part of the engine framing, by which
the depending levers are kept normally in a practically vertical position.
The signal apparatus h, on the engine, consists of an outer casing having in its
front a glazed opening A', and in which are arranged a pair of plates, or discs, i
having the necessary signals marked thereon, and working in guides . Each of
them is connected to springa k adapted to raise it up in front of the glazed opening
on the release of a spring bolt or catch l. This bolt or catch is connected to a bell-
crank lever m. The lever of the front plate i is connected by a wire n passing over
guide pulleys with the depending lever or centre arm f, as seen in Fig. 3. The
lever of the rear plate i' is connected, in a similar manner, by a wire n¹ with each of
the outer levers.
It will be seen that when either of the levers f, f, is turned on its pivot, its upper
end will, in moving to one side, exert a tension on the wire connected with it,
which tension will be transmitted to the corresponding bell-crank lever and will draw
oat the bolt connected with it, thus allowing one or other of the signal-plates to
be operated. The plate will remain raised, after the lever resumes its normal
position, until the driver moves it down, to facilitate which, the top of the case is
left open.
When the driver receives the danger signal from the stop a, he will bring the
train to rest at a point between the said stop and the main signal. It is necessary,
therefore, to provide means to notify him in this position when he can proceed. In
order to accomplish this, we arrange a series of rising and falling rails or or bars o (of
which one only is shewn in the drawings) at or near the place where the train will
be brought to rest. These bars o are carried by short arms or levers o¹ connected

page_text: with the wires e of the main signal in such a manner that they are raised when the
signal is at line clear," and are lowered when it is at "danger." The position of
these rails o corresponds to, or is in alignment with, one or other of the levers f
Suppose the train has been brought to rest over the rail o. When the main signal
is now put to "line clear," the rail o is raised and presses against the roller of that
one of the outer arins which happens to be above it, which depends on whether
the engine, or the tender, is leading. The rails o, and levers o¹, may be so arranged
that in rising they move at the same time in a horizontal direction, and consequently
when they meet the roller they cause the lever to turn more easily on its pivot in
one or other direction, so causing it to release the plate i¹, and give the "line clear"
signal to the driver, notwithstanding the main signal might still be invisible from the
position at which the train had come to rest.
Obviously, the wires n, n', might be arranged to operate a miniature signal-arm
on the engine, if desired; or instead of the plates i, ¹, differently coloured dises
could be employed. Moreover, instead of three depending levers on the engine,
only two might be used, but this would necessitate the employment of a pair of bars o
to allow for the engine travelling tender first.
By the use of our Invention the driver is enabled to ascertain the state of the line
entirely independent of the main signals, and can work as well in densely foggy
weather as in clear weather. Moreover, the audible alarm, where such is used in
conjunction with the former, provides a very efficient safeguard against inattention
on the driver's part to the signal that is being given.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same may be performed we declare that we claim.
1. In means for signalling on railways, the combination of a main signal, a stop
movable transversely to the permanent way, a vertically-movable rail or bar arranged
between said main signal and stop, means for operating said stop, rail, or bar and
signal in unison, a signal apparatus or device on the engine for indicating both
"danger" and "safety," and means for causing said stop and rail or bar to operate
such apparatus or device, substantially as described.
2. In means for signalling on railways, the combination of a main signal, a
transversely movable stop which is brought midway between the rails when the signal
is at "danger," and to one side when it is at "line clear," a rail or bar which is
raised when the signal is at "line clear," means for operating said signal, stop,
and rail or bar in unison, a series of depending arms or levers on the engine
adapted to be operated by said stop and rail or bar, and a signal apparatus or
device, also upon the engine, operated by said arms or levers and indicating the same
sigual as that given by the main signal, substantially as described.
3. In means for signalling on railways, the combination of a series of depending
arins or levers on the engine, means working in unison with the main signal for
operating one or other of said arms, a spring actuated signal apparatus on the engine,
and means for causing the arm or lever, which has been operated, to release the said
signal apparatus, substantially as described.
4. Iu means for signalling on railways, the combination of a series of three
depending arms or levers on the engine, a signal apparatus comprising a pair of
spring-actuated plates normally kept in their lowered position by spring-catches,
means for causing the centre arm to release the catch of one of the plates, and
either of the outer arms to release the catch of the other plate, a transversely-
movable stop and a rising-and-falling rail or bar for operating the arms according
to the signal which is being given, substantially as described.
5. In means for signalling on railways, a signal apparatus on the engine,
comprising an outer casing h having a glazed aperture h¹, a pair of discs or plates i, 2',
corresponding to the signals, a pair of springs for raising said plates, spring-bolts
or catches for holding them down, bell-crank levers in connected with said bolts or
catches, and wires n, n', leading to depending arms or levers on the engine,

page_text: said arms or levers serving, when operated, to release the catches, substantially as
described.
6. Our improvements in means for signalling on railways, substantially as
herein before described and shewn with reference to the annexed drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1897
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 5A Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.