Improvements in and relating to Railway Signalling.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Railway Signalling.
1, RICHARD STEPHEN WILES of 42 Addington Road Reading Berkshire
Telephone Manager 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 improvements in railway signalling in which the signals
are operated from the signal box and transmitted direct to the locomotive or
guard's van, the arrangement being especially adapted for fog signalling.
In carrying out my invention, I employ a rail or bar at the side of the line and
parallel to it, against which a lever on the engine or guard's van, carrying a friction
roller at its end, abuts when the train passes when the rail is in its ordinary
position, mechanism being attached which will give a signal and put on the brake,
the rail being withdrawn when the signal is not required. The rail is mounted on
a number of arms in such a manner that it is always moved parallel to itself, and
arranged so that its face is perpendicular, the device on the engine projecting
horizontally to meet it. A weight is provided which always brings the rail to the
signalling position when released, the signalman pulling the lever to withdraw it.
The wire, rod or chain from the signal box is attached to a lever on the rail or to
the end of the rail. The rail is preferably operated at the same time as the
ordinary signals, the wire or rod being also attached to the lever on the signal
post, but it may be employed in their place if desired.
The apparatus on the engine or van consists of a small lever projecting hori-
zontally from the side and furnished with a friction roller, and a spring which
always brings it back to a position at right angles to the side of the engine or van,
when released, the arrangement being such that the lever may be moved in either
direction. This lever need not project beyond the step on the engine. An arm
fixed to this lever is connected by a link to a bell crank lever at the centre of
the engine, which is again connected to another bell crank lever at right angles to
it. This second lever actuates a sliding rod, which, when moved, turns the brake
handle putting on the brake, puts on the whistle and if desired also operates a
lamp or disc signal, showing a coloured light by night and disc by day, differing in
colour according to the position the signal is in. The link connecting the arm of
the striking lever with the bell crank lever at the centre, is slotted at its outer
end, the arin having a pin taking into the slot so that should the lever be moved
in the wrong direction, as may happen if the train is shunted on to a wrong line,
it will be allowed to move freely without interfering with the other part of the
device. The sliding rod operating the brake and signals is furnished with a small
wheel or projection bearing against the brake arm so that the arm can be put on
independently of the rod when desired, but cannot be moved to take off the brake
while the rod is in its operative position, that is, while the striking lever is held
by the rail at the side of the line. A hinged arm is furnished on this rod which
moves the whistle arm, the arrangement being such that the whistle can be shut
off by the driver whenever he desires it, after it has been put on by the signalling
device, without interfering with any other part. A striking arm is furnished at
each side of the engine, both connected to the bell crank lever at opposite sides
of the centre, so that should the engine be travelling either end forward, the
signals will be operated and the brake put on.
The arrangement of the signals on the line is as follows:-At the distance
signal is placed a short rail constructed as before described, and actuated from
the signal post levers. If this is at danger, it will put on the brake and operate
the signals on the engine, releasing them immediately the engine or car has

page_text: passed, allowing the driver to turn them off when he desires. A warning is thus
given to the driver, who, as is the custom when the distance signal is at danger,
proceeds to slacken speed until he reaches the home signal. Should this also be
at danger when he arrives, the signals and brake are operated again and the rail
in this case being of greater length, the train is automatically brought to a
standstill before it passes the end of the rail. As the driver or guard cannot
take off the brake and allow the train to pass on while the striking lever is held
by the rail, there is no chance of him making a mistake in starting too soon, as he
will be prevented from doing so until the signal is clear.
The starting signal may be given by withdrawing the rail, allowing the striking
lever to return to its normal position and enabling the driver to take off the
brake.
As above described, the device does not operate the lever or handle used for
admitting steam to and shutting it off from the cylinder, that being left to the
. judgment of the driver, but it is obvious that it can be also employed for this
purpose if desired. Should the train have passed the distance signal before it has
been put at danger, and it is desired to stop the train by the home signal in the
event of the train running at full speed up to the signal, it may not be stopped in
the length of the rail, and in case of fog the signal to start must then be given by
some separate arrangement, such as the means ordinarily employed.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had to
the accompanying drawings, in which
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a side elevation and a plan showing the general
arrangement of the signals.
Figs. 3 and 4 are plans of one of the signalling rails with diagrammatic views of
engine, showing the rail in on and off position.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation, Fig. 6 a plan and Figs. 7 and 8 are front elevations of
the mechanism on the engine, Figs. 5, 6 and 7 showing it in its normal position and
Fig. 8 in operative position.
Referring to Figs: 1 to 4, A. is the rail operating the device on the engine or
car, and placed at the side of the line with its face towards the line.
This rail is carried by a number of arms B of equal length pivotted to the
support B and arranged so that the rail will always move parallel to itself. A
weight a is attached to the rail which always brings it to signalling position when
released, so that should any accident occur to the arrangement, such as breaking of
the connecting wire, the signal will always stand at danger.
The wire or chain C with coupling for tightening purposes passes from the
signal box and is also connected to the lever on the signal post D, so that both signals
are operated at the same time.
The wire may be attached to the lever c to operate the rail or may pass
over the pulley c¹ and be connected to the end of the rail. Stops E are fur-
nished which prevent the rail moving beyond its extended position, thus preventing
any chance of its being pushed aside by the striking lever on the passage of the
train. Figs. 1 and 2 show the double arrangement of the signalling rails, one at
the distance signal and the other, preferably of greater length, at the home signal,
for the purposes before described. Referring to Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, F is the engine
carrying at its lower part, under the floor of the drivers' box at each side, the
striking lever with roller g. The spindle G¹ carrying the lever is furnished with
an arm G2 and a spring g which brings the lever back to its middle position
whenever released, allowing it to be moved in either direction.
The arm G is connected to the link H by means of a pin working in the slot h,
thus allowing the lever G to be moved in the wrong direction without pulling the
link. The links H, one for each side, are connected to opposite arms of the bell
crank lever J, which is connected to a second bell crank lever K at right angles to
it by the rod L. This second lever actuates, through the link k, the sliding rod M,
moving in guides m on the face of the engine, and furnished with the small
roller m'. A coupling is furnished by means of which the link k can be adjusted

page_text: in length, and a spring m which brings the rod M and connecting levers back to
normal position when the striking lever is released. The arm N by means of
which the brake is operated rests upon the roller m and is moved up by when
the rod is operated, thus allowing the brake to be put on without interfering with
the rod. To turn the whistle armi O a hinged arm P is provided on the rod M,
bearing against the whistle arm. The whistle can thus be taken off immediately
by turning the arm aside, while the brake is held on all the time that the rod M is
in the position shown in Fig. 8.
The lamp signal Q is also operated by the rod M, two different coloured
glasses being employed as in ordinary lamp signals, moved in front of the lamp, one
showing when the signal is clear as in Fig. 7 and the other, preferably red, when at
danger, as in Fig. 8.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) In a signalling device of the kind described, a striking arm on the engine
or guards' van, moved in a horizontal manner by a rail at the side of the line and
furnished with a spring g', which brings it back to central position whenever
released, connected to a rod operating signals and brake by suitable levers and
links, a slot being provided in the link H, which allows the arm to be moved in one
direction without operating the signals, substantially as described and for the
purposes specified.
(2.) In a sigalling device of the kind described, the combination with horizontal
striking lever, connections and signalling rod on the engine or guards' van, of
a rail A at the side of the lines mounted on arms B, and furnished with weight a,
withdrawn when desired from operative position by a wire or chain proceeding
from the signal box, substantially as described and shown..
(3.) The signalling arrangement in which two rails A are employed, one at the
distance signal and one at the home with signalling device on the engine, the whole
constructed and operating substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 25th day of November 1892.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chaucery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.