Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Working Railway Signals.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 11th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Working Railway
Signals.
We PAUL JANSSEN, of Hemixen, Engineer, and RAYMOND JANSSEN, of
Brussels, Engineer, both in the Kingdom of Belgium, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
Our invention relates to apparatus for working railway signals.
The automatic working of railway signals through the intervention of the loco-
motive engine or the train as heretofore practised is defective, because the manner
in which the action of the train has been caused to intervene is not rational either
as regards the operation or the wear, or more particularly as regards the safety.
These inconveniences result from the fact that the working of the signals has
been effected by the contact of the wheels with pedals, or by the contact of another
part of the locomotive engine or the carriages with levers or rods or by the flexion
of the rails acting upon the signals, these several intermediaries being very liable
to get out of order and subject to rapid wear, and the working being moreover not
always certain.
All these defects are remedied by the system which forms the subject of our
invention, and which is based upon the principle consisting in actuating the signals
directly through the intervention of the weight of the train whereby the sleepers
are caused to bend as the train passes. A sleeper suitably packed with ballast,
especially at its extremities will always bend in the middle, and this flexion of the
middle part of the sleeper which is nearly permanent during the whole time of the
passage of the train, we utilize for working any electric or mechanical signal,
the connection of the signal with the sleeper being effected in any suitable
manner.
One advantage resulting from the utilization of the flexion of the sleepers
carrying the apparatus for working the signals is the sure action of the said
apparatus, the flexion being always invariable and sure for a given weight, which
action is absolutely uncertain when the working takes place for instance through
the medium of the rails which bend when they are light but which do not undergo
any flexion or at least only an insignificant amount of flexion in the case of strong
rails. A second very considerable advantage consists in the apparatus acting in
a constant manner during the whole time of the passage of the train, because the
flexion of the sleeper is always maintained between two pairs of consecutive wheels,
whilst the rails, even if they bend sufficiently, actuate the signal intermittently,
because the rail rises longitudinally between two consecutive wheels.
It will be understood that, if for working the signal the apparatus controlled
by the flexion of the sleeper is operated so that suitable parts are caused to
approach each other, for example in order to close an electric circuit, this closing
will always take place with certainty and will be continuous during the entire
passage of the train. Of course any suitable arrangement may be employed for
effecting the closing of the electric circuit by the means referred to, but in practice
we prefer to employ the special apparatus hereinafter described.
On either side of a square sleeper of oak wood or of a sleeper of the ordinary
form, and the entire length of the same, we arrange a strong angle iron in such a
manner that one of the webs of this angle iron is placed horizontally about
one centimetre below the rails of the line, and the other branch vertically against
the side of the sleeper. Upon each extremity of the sleeper we provide, perpen-
dicularly to the longitudinal axis of the latter, an iron saddle the horizontal ends
of which extend beyond the sides of the sleeper a distance of about 12 centimetres.

page_text: The saddles are fixed to the sleeper with wood screws. Upon the ends of these
saddles are supported the extremities of the aforesaid angle irons, and these parts
are held together by thick bolts. Under these circumstances the angle irons,
which are very rigid, cannot undergo any appreciable flexion, whilst the middle
part of the sleeper, the heads of which are well packed with ballast, bends sensibly
under the weight of a train.
Upon the two angle irons in the middle of their length is fixed by means of bolts
a cast iron box having a cover of sheet iron. Between the bottom of this box and.
the said angle irons are arranged iron plates so as to leave a space of about
half a centimetre between the box and the sleeper. Through a rectangular
opening formed in the bottom of the box passes a piece of flat iron bent to a
-shaped form. The feet of this piece of iron extend beyond the box on either
side, and are fixed to the sleeper by means of wood screws. The said piece of iron
therefore takes part in all the movements of the middle part of the sleeper. In
the cast iron box is provided a rocking lever the two arms of which are of unequal
length, and which is adapted to swing upon a horizontal axis occupying an invariable
position relatively to the box. The small arm of the rocking lever engages with the
opening of the aforesaid piece of iron. Below the small arm of the rocking lever and
in the opening of the said piece we arrange a cast-iron block in which is provided a
steel piston which, under the action of a powerful spring, always tends to move the
rocking lever back to its normal position. This arrangement has the advantage of
preventing any trepidations of the rocking lever, and reducing therefore as much
as possible the wear of the mechanism.
Near the extremity of the long arm of the rocking lever is riveted laterally so
as to occupy its entire height, a nickel plate the visible lateral surface of which is
polished and moves in a vertical plane when the lever rocks. Opposite the nickel
plate is arranged vertically a brass spring a bent part of which extends a distance
of some millimetres into the vertical plane in which the polished surface of the
nickel plate moves.
When a train passes and the middle part of the sleeper bends, carrying away the
above mentioned piece of iron and consequently the small arm of the rocking
lever, the long arm of the rocking lever is raised and a nickel plate comes in
contact with the brass spring and pushes it to one side. This contact between. the
nickel plate and the brass spring closes the electric circuit. Moreover, as the.
polished surface of the nickel plate has a height of several centimetres and moves
in a vertical plane the result is that despite the small oscillations of the rocking
lever when a train passes, the brass spring continues to be pushed the same
distance, that is to say 'the contact between the nickel plate and the brass spring
is almost continuous during the whole time of the movement of a train past the.
apparatus. The brass spring is fixed at its upper part through the medium of a
steel plate to an insulating piece of wood. The latter may be adjusted to the
desired height by means of two adjusting screws. The rocking lever near the
extremity of its long arm is guided on the one hand by a rib cast on the said box
and on the other hand by an angle iron fixed to the side of the box by means of
two bolts. This arrangement enables the wear by friction to be compensated: for
if necessary.
كيم
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page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Working Railway
Signals.
We PAUL JANSSEN, of Hemixen near Antwerp, Engineer, and RAYMOND
JANSSEN, of 53 Rue Joseph II Brussels, Engineer, both in the Kingdom of
Belgium, 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 :-
Our invention relates to apparatus for working railway signals.
The automatic working of railway signals through the intervention of the
locomotive or the train as heretofore practised is defective inasmuch as the
manner in which the action of the engine or train has been caused to intervene
is not rational, either as regards the operation or the wear, or more particularly
as regards the safety.
The defects or inconveniences result from the fact that the working of the
signals has been effected by the contact of the wheels of the said engine or train
with pedals or levers, or by the contact of another part of the locomotive or
carriages with levers or rods, or by the flexion or depression of the rails acting
upon the signals, these several intermediaries being very liable to get out of order
and subject to rapid wear, and the working being moreover not always certain.
All these defects are remedied by the system which forms the subject of our
invention, and which is based upon the principle of actuating the signals directly
through the intervention of the weight of the train whereby the sleepers are
caused to bend as the train passes. A sleeper suitably packed with ballast,
especially at its extremities, will always bend in the middle, and this flexion of
the middle part of the sleeper, which is nearly permanent during the whole time
of the passage of the train, we utilize for working any electric or mechanical
signal, the connection of the signal with the sleeper being effected in any suitable
manner.
One advantage resulting from the utilization of the flexion of the sleepers
carrying the apparatus for working the signals is the certainty of the action of
the said apparatus the flexion being always invariable and sure for a given
weight, which action is absolutely uncertain when the working takes place for
instance through the medium of the rails which bend when they are light, but
which do not undergo any flexion or at least only an insignificant amount of
flexion when they are strong and heavy. A. second very considerable advantage
consists in the apparatus acting in a constant manner during the whole time of
the passage of the train, because the flexion of the sleeper is always maintained
between two pairs of consecutive wheels, whilst the rails, even if they bend
sufficiently, actuate the signal intermittently, because the rail rises longitudinally
between two consecutive wheels.
It will be understood that, if for working the signal the apparatus actuated by
the bending of the sleeper is operated so that suitable parts are caused to approach
each other, for example in order to close an electric circuit, this closing will
always take place with certainty, and will be continuous during the entire passage
of the train. Any suitable arrangement may be employed for effecting the closing
of the electric circuit by the means referred to but in practice we prefer to
employ the special apparatus hereinafter described with reference to the accom-
panying drawing.
Figure 1 represents a general plan of the device applied to the sleeper of a
railway.
scale.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, of the apparatus drawn to an enlarged
Figure 3 is a horizontal section.

page_text: Figures 4 and 5 are two transverse sections, and
Figure 6 shows in transverse section the means for fixing the apparatus to the
sleeper.
On either side of a square sleeper A of oak or other wood, or of a sleeper of
the ordinary form, and along the entire length of the same, we arrange a strong
angle iron B in such a manner that one of the webs of this angle iron is placed
horizontally about one centimetre below the rails C of the line, and the other web
vertically against or in close proximity to the side of the sleeper. Upon each
extremity of the sleeper A, we provide perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of
the latter, an iron saddle D the horizontal ends E of which extend beyond the
sides of the sleeper a distance of about 12 centimetres. The saddles D are fixed
to the sleeper by means of wood screws F. Upon the ends E of these saddles
are supported the extremities of the aforesaid angle irons B, and these parts are
held together by thick bolts G. Under these circumstances the angle irons B,
which are very rigid, cannot undergo any appreciable flexion, whilst the middle
part of the sleeper A, the heads of which are well packed with ballast, bends
sensibly under the weight of a train.
Upon the two angle irons B in the middle of their length is fixed by means of
bolts cast iron box K having a cover L of sheet iron. Between the bottom of
this box and the angle irons B are arranged iron plates M so as to leave a space
of about half a centimetre between the box and the sleeper. Through a rectangular
opening formed in the bottom of the box K passes a piece N of flat iron bent to
a or channel shaped form. The feet of this channel-shaped piece of iron
extend beyond the box on either side, and are fixed to the sleeper by means of
wood screws O. The said piece N therefore takes part in all the movements of
the middle part of the sleeper A.
In the cast-iron box K is provided a rocking lever H the two arms of which
are of unequal length, and which is adapted to turn upon an horizontal axis P
occupying an invariable position relatively to the box. The small arm of the
rocking lever engages with the opening of the aforesaid channel shaped piece N.
Below the small arm of the rocking lever, and in the opening of the piece N we
arrange a cast iron block Q in which is provided a steel piston R which, under the
action of a powerful spring, always tends to move the rocking lever back to its
normal position. This arrangement has the advantage of preventing any trepida-
tions of the rocking lever, and reducing therefore as much as possible the wear of
the mechanism.
Near the extremity of the long arm of the rocking lever H is rivetted laterally
so as to cover its entire width, a nickel plate T the visible lateral surface of which
is polished and moves in a vertical plane when the lever rocks. Opposite the
nickel plate is arranged a vertical brass spring U a bent part of which extends a
distance of some millimetres into the vertical plane in which the polished surface
of the nickel plate T moves.
When a train passes and the middle part of the sleeper A. bends moving the
piece N and consequently the small arm of the rocking lever H, the long arm
of the rocking lever is raised, and the nickel plate T comes in contact with the
brass spring U and pushes it to one side. This contact between the nickel plate
and the brass spring closes the electric circuit. Moreover, as the polished surface
of the nickel plate has a height of several centimetres and moves in a vertical
plane, the result is that, despite the small oscillations of the rocking lever H when
a train passes, the brass spring U continues to be moved the same distance, that
is to say, the contact between the nickel plate and the brass spring is almost con-
tinuous during the whole time of the movement of a train past the apparatus.
The brass spring U is fixed at its upper part through the medium of a steel
plate to an insulating piece V of wood. The latter may be adjusted to the desired
height by means of two adjusting screws W. The rocking lever H near the
extremity of its long arm is guided on the one hand by a rib X cast on the said
box K and on the other hand by an angle-iron Y fixed to the side of the box by

page_text: means of two bolts Z. This arrangement enables the wear by friction to be
compensated for if necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
First. For automatically working railway signals through the intervention of the
weight of the train the utilization of the flexion of the sleeper during the passage
of the train over the same for operating the parts which serve to actuate the
signal either by electrical or mechanical means, or in any other suitable manner.
Second. For operating an electric contact device for railway signals as described
in the first claim the arrangement of a rocking lever H in a box K fixed upon
inflexible angle-irons B secured to the extremity of the sleeper, in such a manner
that the fulcrum P of the rocking lever remains fixed at the time of the passage
of the train, whilst a channel-shaped piece N fixed to the middle part of the
sleeper follows the flexion of said sleeper, and engaging with the short arm of
the said rocking lever, causes the latter to oscillate for establishing contact by
means of its long arm, provided for this purpose with a polished plate T adapted
to engage by friction with a spring U of special form and mounted so as to com-
pensate for the wear through numerous successive contacts.
Dated this 5th day of November 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.