Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1889-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1889
semaphore arm by the same mechanism which unlocks the draw-bridge or opens the
switch, and also to provide for the expansion and contraction of the wire connecting
the mechanism at the drawbridge or switch with the semaphore arm.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved railway signaling apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.
Fig. 3 is an end view of the mechanism which is situated at the draw-bridge.
Fig. 4 is an end view of the mechanism at the semaphore-post and
Fig. 5 shows the pawl in engagement and released.
Referring to the drawings, A denotes the operating-lever fastened to the shaft a and
connected at its lower end to a bolt B by means of a pin. The bolt B slides in suitable
guides fastened to the floor.
Pivoted on the lever A is the dog d which is caught and held by the projection e on
the frame C, when the lever is moved to the position indicated by the dotted lines in
Fig. 2, thus preventing backward motion of the lever until the dog is raised by the
latch lever F, pivoted near the upper end of the lever and connected to the dog by a
suitable rod. A sprocket-wheel D is pivoted loosely on the same fulcrum as the
lever A. A ratchet g is formed on the side of the sprocket-wheel nearest to the lever
and adapted to be engaged by a pawl pivoted on the lever A which pawl has a
weighted end opposite to the end engaging with the ratchet.
When the draw bridge is locked and the lever is in the position shown in Fig. 2.
the weighted end of the pawl bears against the stop and is thus thrown out of
engagement with the ratchet, and the sprocket-wheel is then free to be turned by the
expansion or contraction of the chain, leading to the semaphore.
A bolt-lock E swings at right angles to and across the line of motion of the bolt on
a pin fastened beside the bolt and separate from it. This lock has an outwardly-
projecting end adapted to be engaged and lifted by a wedge-shaped rib, k on the
socket F, fastened to the draw-bridge, to receive the end of the bolt, and when the
bolt-lock is thus raised, the bolt may be moved outward by the operating-lever to lock
the draw-bridge. This chain passes partially round the wheel D, over a suitable guide
pulley, and is connected at the end to a weight G which keeps the chain taut at all
times when the pawl is not in engagement with the ratchet, thus taking up expansion
and allowing for contraction.
The chain extends from the wheel D along the side of the track over suitable guide-
pulleys, to the underside of a pulley at the foot of the semaphore-post.
It then passes vertically upward and over a pulley m which turns on a bearing
fastened to the post above the semaphore operating lever. The chain passes downward
from the pulley and is connected at its end to the lever H. The lever H turns at one
end on a fulcrum s which is secured to the post. This lever passes through a fork u
formed on the lower end of the rod I which is connected at its upper end to the
semaphore-arm K by means of a bolt passing through a slot o in the rod and into the
Price 871

page_text: arm.
The function of this slot is to relieve the rod and semaphore arm from the shock
due to the momentum of the parts when in motion.
On the rod I counter-weights p are placed to overbalance the weight of the blade of
the semaphore-arm so that the arm will be raised to the position shown by the dotted
lines in Fig. 4, when the lover H is permitted to descend by the chain becoming
slack.
A bearing L is secured near the outer side of one of the rails of the track, in which
is fulcrumed the lever M.
One end of this lever extends from the bearing nearly to the side of the rail with
its upper surface slightly above the top of the rail and the other end of the lever
extends from the bearing to the semaphore-post into a slot t which limits its downward
motion. Connected with it near the post is the rod which passes upward and has its
upper end bent at right angles to the length of the rod.
An ordinary gong N is fastened to the post in such a position as to be struck by
the hammer P. The hammer is pivoted on the post above the lever H at right
angles to and across the path of its travel.
The hammer-fulcrum is so located that when the lever is drawn up by the chain
the bell-hammer is lifted and held in contact with the side of the gong.
This bell-hammer has an end projecting on the opposite side of the fulcrum
from the end which strikes the gong and passing under the hooked end of the
rod g.
This rod is of such a length that when the hammer is lifted by the lever H,
the wheels of a train strike the end of the lever M. thereby producing vertical
motion of the opposite end of the lover and the rod q will not permit the bent upper
end to come into contact with the hammer before its motion is checked by the slot t
and yet allows it to act freely on the bell haminer when the lever is down.
The operation of my improved railway signaling apparatus is as follows: Supposing
the draw to be locked as shown in the drawings, the pawl will then be held out of
engagement with the ratchet g by the stop i. The weight G being heavier than the
parts operated by the chain 7 raises the lever H, and as the rod I rests on the lever it
is thereby also raised and the semaphore-arm permitted to drop to the position
indicating "safety" in consequence of the blade of the arm being heavier than that
part of the arm on the opposite side of its fulcrum.
The bell-hammer is also raised by the lever H, and thereby held out of contact
with the bent end of the rod g.
To unlock the draw, the operator pushes the lever A over, thereby throwing the
bolt B out of the socket F. The pawl being carried on the lever A moves with
it away from the stopi and as the end is heavier than the opposite end the pawl
is brought into engagement with the ratchet thereby connecting the sprocket
wheel D to the lever A and then the motion of the lever in withdrawing the bolt B,
lifts the weight G. When the weight G is lifted, the chain becomes slack, and the
lever H to which it is connected at the semaphore-post, being weighted at its outer
end, drops to the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. The rod I being
weighted, descends with the lever and thereby brings the semaphore-arm to the
position indicating "danger."
The heavier end of the bell hammer P resting upon the lover H descends with it,
thus bringing the lighter end into contact with the bent end of the rod q.
As one end of the lever M projects above the top of the rail, the wheels of a passing
train strike and depress it thereby raising the opposite end to which is connected the rod g
having a bent end in contact with the bell hammer. When the wheel has passed off
from the short end of the lever, the long end will fall, carrying with it the rod q and
thereby causing the hammer to strike the gong. This operation is repeated as each
wheel passes over the short end of the lever L. By ringing the gong, the attention
of the engineer is called to the fact that the semaphore-arm indicates "danger."
It is evident that should the chain break the semaphore-arm will rise to the
position indicating "danger."

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the saine is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In railway-signaling apparatus, the combination with the operating-lever and
the bolt operated thereby, of a bolt-lock pivoted beside the bolt and adapted to
drop across the end of the bolt at right angles to its line of motion when the
bolt is fully retracted and prevent forward motion of the bolt, substantially as
shown and described.
2. The combination of an operating lever with the bolt B operated thereby to
lock the draw-bridge or switch, the bolt lock E pivoted beside the bolt and adapted
to drop across the end of the bolt, the dog d pivoted to the lever on the side of
the lever fulcrum opposite to the pawl and adapted to be caught and held by the
projection e on the frame, a sprocket or chain wheel provided with a ratchet g
formed on its side, the pawl pivoted on the lever adapted to engage at one end
with the ratchet, and having its opposite end weighted and so shaped as to come in
contact with a stop, and thereby be thrown out of engagement with the ratchet when
the operating-lever is at one end of its travel, and a chain passing around the chain-
wheel connected at one end to a weight and at the other end to the mechanism
for operating the semaphore, substantially as described.
3. In combination, the weighted lever H pivoted at one end and adapted to be
lifted and held up by a chain the rod I having at its lower end a fork which
engages and rests upon the lever and provided at its upper end with a slot, and a
semaphore-arm connected to the rod I by a bolt passing through the slot in the
rod and into the arm near its fulcrum, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. In railway signaling apparatus the combination with a bell or gong and
suitable mechanism for operating it fixed beside the rails of the track, of the
lever H the rod I, provided with a forked end n and a slot o in the other
end, the semaphore arm K, the chain or wire the chain-wheel D with a ratchet g,
formed on the side of it, the pawl the lever A, the dog d pivoted on the lever and
the stops and e all combined as and for the purpose specified.
5. In combination, the operating lever A, the dog d, pivoted on the lever, the
sprocket or chain wheel D with a ratchet g formed on the side of it, the pawl h,
pivoted on the lever A and provided with a weighted end, the stop i on the frame,
the bolt B, the bolt-lock E, the socket F, carrying the rib, k, the weight G, the chain
or wire 1, the lever H, tho rod I provided with a forked end n and a slot o in the
other end, the semaphore-arm K the lever M, the rod q the bell-hammer P and the
bell or gong N, all combined substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 30th day of Jul. 1990
BERNHARD DUKES,
226, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.