IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF SELF-ACTING RAILWAY SIGNALS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Wootton, of Russell Terrace, Oakley Square,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF SELF-ACTING RAILWAY SIGNALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Wootton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd July 1866.
I, HENRY WOOTTON, of Russell Terrace, Oakley Square, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF SELF-ACTING RAILWAY SIGNALS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain arrangements of mechanism whereby
signals are automatically given to the persons in charge of railway engines
and trains without manual aid, and are equally available by night as well as
day, and also in the densest fogs. These objects are effected by means of
signals connected with the engine or any other desired portion of a train,
and which signals may be whistles blown by steam in the ordinary manner or
bells, or any other suitable contrivances which will afford signals clearly
audible to the engine driver or other person under whose controul the train
is placed. The sigual apparatus is actuated by means of levers attached or

page_text: secured to the engine or carriage upon which the apparatus is placed, the
same being operated upon by signal levers placed in juxtaposition to the rails,
as herein-after mentioned.
Various modes of arranging the apparatus for the purpose of setting the
signals in operation may be employed, and need not be here more particularly
described, inasmuch as they will be well understood by persons acquainted
with mechanical contrivances, and no special arrangement is claimed in
connection with this part of the present Invention. The signal levers before
mentioned consist of bent arms constructed of iron and centered in suitable
bearings in juxtaposition to the rails at any convenient and desired intervals
of distance, two of such arms being so placed at each signal point, one being
designed to actuate the "danger" signals, and the other, the "caution"
signals. The levers upon being raised as herein-after mentioned are retained
in position by means of weighted catches which are centered in suitable
bearings. At a short distance in advanco of each signal point a crank lever
is placed in such a position as to be acted upon by the wheels of any passing
engine or train, such crank levers being connected by means of wires or chains
with the "danger" and "caution" signal levers respectively as herein-after
mentioned. For the purposes of explanation the signal levers may be
supposed to be all down, indicating that the line is clear. Upon the engine
or train passing over a crank lever in connection with a "danger" signal
lever, the latter is raised by the tension of the wire or chain, and is retained
in position by the weighted catch which takes into a notch or angle formed
in the lever, and when the engine or train reaches the crank lever next in
advance, and which is in connection with the "caution" signal lever last
passed, as well as with the "danger" signal lever in its own vicinity, the
latter is raised, whilst the "caution" signal lever previously passed is acted
upon and raised by the connecting wire or chain, and in course of rising
presses by means of its short arm (which is bent at an angle to the long arm
of the lever) upon the weighted catch which had retained the "danger
signal levor in position, liberates the latter, which consequently falls, the
"caution" signal lever being held in an elevated position by the tension of
the wire or chain and by the catch which is underneath the short arm of tho
lever. The last-mentioned "caution" signal lever thus remains until the
'danger" signal lever in advance is lowered, when the "caution" signal
lever in proximity to the latter is in its turn raised, the like process being
continued along the line as far as the system extends. The "danger" and
"caution" signal levers are of different lengths or otherwise so arranged that
upon the engine or train passing they shall strike upon and actuate the

page_text: levers by which the signals themselves are respectively operated as before
mentioned, the same being worked in accordance with any code which may be
adopted and agreed upon. At those parts of a line at which junctions or
sidings occur, signal levers, however placed, can be worked in accordance with
this Invention by simply connecting the signal levers with the moving rails
or points by means of wires or chains and cranks or other analogous con-
trivances as well understood; ordinary semaphore signals by being connected
with the crank levers may also be worked in combination with the other
arrangements herein-before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Wootton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WOOTTON, of Russell Terrace, Oakley Square, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Ier reign,
did, for Merself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Henry Wootton, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Wootton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Wootton, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF SELF-ACTING RAILWAY SIGNALS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Wootton, my
executors or administrators, 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 Henry Wootton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My said Invention consists in certain arrangements of mechanism whereby
signals are automatically given to the persons in charge of railway engines
and trains without manual aid, and are equally available by night as well as
by day, and also in the densest fogs. These objects are effected by means of
signals connected with the engine or any other desired portion of a train, and
which signals may be whistles blown by steam in the ordinary manner or
bells, or any other suitable contrivances which will afford signals clearly
audible to the engine driver or other person under whose control the train is
placed. The signal apparatus is actuated by means of levers attached or
secured to the engine or carriage upon which the apparatus is placed, the
same being operated upon by signal levers placed in juxtaposition to the rails
as herein-after mentioned.
Various modes of arranging the apparatus for the purpose of setting the
signals in operation may be employed, and need not be here more particularly
described inasmuch as they will be well understood by persons acquainted
with mechanical contrivances, and no special arrangement or kind of signal
is claimed in connection with this part of my said Invention. The signal
levers before mentioned consist of bent arms constructed of iron, and centered
in suitable bearings in juxtaposition to the rails at any convenient and
desired intervals of space, two of such arms being so placed at each signal
point, one being designed to actuate the "danger" signals, and the other the
"caution" signals. The levers upon being raised as herein-after mentioned
are retained in position by means of weighted catches which are centered in
suitable bearings. At a short distance in advance of each signal point a
crank lever is placed in such a position as to be acted upon by the wheels of
any passing engine or train, such crank levers being connected by means of
wires or chains (the latter being supported by carrying or friction wheels or
pulleys) with the "danger" and "caution" signal levers respectively as
herein-after mentioned. For the purpose of explanation the signal levers
may be supposed to be all down, indicating that the line is clear, upon the
engine or train passing over a crank lever in connection with a "danger"
signal lever, the latter is raised by the tension of the wire or chain, and is
retained in position by means of the weighted catch which takes into a notch
or catch formed in the lever, and when the engine or train reaches the crank
lever next in advance, and which is in connection with the "caution" signal
lever last passed, as well as with the "danger" signal lever in its own vicinity,

page_text: the latter is raised, whilst the "caution" signal lever previously passed is
acted upon and raised by the connecting wire or chain, and in course of rising
presses by means of its short arm (which is bent at an angle to the long arm
of the lever) upon the weighted catch which had retained the "danger"
signal lever in position, liberates the latter, which consequently falls, the
"caution" signal lever being held in an elevated position by the tension of
the wire or chain and by the catch which is underneath the short arm of the
lever. The last mentioned "caution" signal lever thus remains until the
"danger" signal lever in advance is lowered, when the "caution "signal lever in
proximity to the latter is in its turn raised, the like process being continued
along the line as far as the system extends. The "danger" and "caution"
signal levers are of different lengths or otherwise so arranged that upon the
engine or train passing they shall strike upon and actuate the levers by which
the signals themselves are respectively operated as before mentioned, the
same being worked in accordance with any code which may be adopted and
agreed upon. At those parts of a line at which junctions or sidings occur,
signal levers however placed can be worked in accordance with this Invention
by simply connecting the signal levers with the moving rails or points by
means of wires or chains and cranks, and carrying or friction wheels or pullys,
or other analogous contrivances, as well understood. In order more fully to
secure the wires or chains by which the "caution" signal levers are actuated
they may be connected with the weighted catches as well as with the levers,
so that in the event of a wire or chain breaking at the point of attachment to
the lever it still will retain its efficiency; ordinary semaphore signals by being
placed in like manner in connection with the crank levers may also be
worked in combination with the other arrangements herein-before described.
My said Invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a line. A is the engine; a, a,
are the signal levers, and b, b, the crank levers by means of which they are
actuated; c, is a semaphore signal post at the side of the line. Figure 2
shews at A an end view of the engine with levers attached thereto for the
purpose of striking upon the crank levers. a is a semaphore signal post
supposed to be placed at the side of the line. Figure 3 is a plan of the line
with the signal levers at a, a, a, a, a, a, a, and the crank levers at b, b, b, b, b.
Figure 4 is an enlarged plan, and Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation; a, a, a, a,
being, the signal levers; b, the crank lever; and c, c, the weighted catches
herein-before mentioned.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention

page_text: I may observe in conclusion that what I claim as being the Invention secured
to me by the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the com-
bination and arrangement of parts and mechanism for actuating signals
connected with the engines or other parts of railway trains as substantially
herein-before set forth and described or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Wootton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
HENRY WOOTTON. (L.S.)