IMPROVEMENTS IN BLOCK SIGNALLING AND LOCKING APPARATUS ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Swift of The Green West Drayton in the
County of Middlesex and Alfred James Medley Reade of St Leonard's Villa,
Slough in the County of Bucks for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Swift and Alfred
James Medley Reade at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
25th November 1882.
FREDERICK SWIFT of The Green, West Drayton in the County of Middlesex
and ALFRED JAMES MEDLEY READE of St Leonards Villa, Slough in the County
of Bucks "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLOCK SIGNALLING AND LOCKING APPARATUS ON
RAILWAYS"
The object of this Invention is to employ an extra lever in the signal box or
place in which the electrical appliances are fitted on railways said lever being so
arranged and used in connection with rods and catch hooks as to hold the sigual
box at "line clear" or at danger until a moving train has passed the second
signal box so as to ensure that the line between the two signal boxes is in a safe
condition in other words that no two trains can be upon the same section of line at
one time.
The lever can be used in connection with the present system of telegraph block
and when in one position which is registered electrically the distant semaphore
cannot be lowered from the next signal box until a return or reply signal has been
received, asking for such unlocking to be effected.
For the purposes of our invention we arrange the wires of a small battery so that
one of the terminals is within reach of nosepiece projecting from a disc when the
disc is moved over by the lever said nose piece being then brought into contact
with an armature to close the circuit, the other terminal being on the disc. This
closing of the circuit holds the indicator of the next signal box say at danger.
The lever which rotated the disc also at the same moment causes an armature to
come into contact with a coil which holds the armature firmly in that position the
FD... 031

page_text: circuit by this means being kept closed and the instruments belonging to that series
and also the semaphore at the next station or signal box locked.
So soon as the train is ready to pass into that section the attendant asks the
next station by signal through the present method for his signal to be unlocked
which is done this opening the circuit and the home semaphore can then be
lowered in the usual manner, but the semaphore at the next back station becomes
locked by similar appliances to prevent a second train coming on to the first section
until the first train has passed into the second section and so on throughout the
system.
At the side of the line next the metals we arrange a long spring plate which
can be pushed outwards or inwards by a passing train at a given point, this plate
in its movement makes contact and closes the circuit of another battery connected
with it. This current attracts another armature and causes its opposite end to
escape from a catch plate, which opens the first current and permits the recording
instrument which has been set at danger to indicate line clear.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Frederick Swift and Alfred
James Medley Reade in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th June 1883.
FREDERICK SWIFT of The Green West Drayton in the county of Middlesex
and ALFRED JAMES MEDLEY READE of St Leonards Villa Slough in the county
of Bucks IMPROVEMENTS IN BLOCK SIGNALLING AND LOCKING APPARATUS ON
RAILWAYS
The object of this invention is to employ an extra lever in the signal box or
place in which the electrical appliances are fitted on railways said lever being so
arranged and used in connection with rods and catch hooks as to hold the signal
at the next signal box at "line clear" or at danger until a moving train has passed
the second signal box so as to ensure that the line between the two signal boxes is
in a safe condition in other words that no two trains can be upon the same section
of line at one time.
The signal at station A in the rear is unlocked by the action of the additional
lover at station B. At station B there is a similar apparatus to that shown at
station A connected with station C
For the purposes of our invention we arrange the wires of a small battery so
that one of the terminals is within reach of a nosepiece projecting from a disc or
roller. When the disc is moved over by the extra lever said nose piece is then
brought into contact with a spring armature to close the circuit the other terminal
being on the disc or another spring. This closing of the circuit holds the indicator
of the next signal box at say danger,
The lever which rotated the disc also at the same movement causes an armature
to come into contact with a coil which holds the armature firmly in that position
the circuit by this means being kept closed and the instruments belonging to that
series and also the semaphore at the next station or signal box locked.
So soon as the train is ready to pass into that section the attendant asks the
next station by signal through the present method or by code of electric bells for
his signal to be unlocked which is done by the man at the locking station moving
the locking lever over opens the circuit and the starting semaphore can then be
lowered in the usual manner.
The semaphore at station B becomes locked by similar appliances to prevent a
second train coming on to that section until the first train has passed into the next
section and so on throughout the system.
At the side of the line next the metals we arrange a long spring plate which can
be pushed outwards or inwards by the flanges of the wheels of a passing train at a
given point, this plate in its movement makes contact and closes the circuit of
another battery connected with it and a recording instrument. This current
attracts another armature and causes its opposite end to escape from a catch plate
which opens the first current and permits the recording instrument which has been
set at danger to indicate "line clear
Our invention will be clearly understood by reference to the annexed drawings
in which A is a small semaphore, the rod at lower end is fixed to armature A* the
stud b under armature when coil B is in circuit comes in contact with stud b¹ and
completes another circuit from C, D, E, F and G which unlocks lever H by pulling
armature J with bolt K down below the locking bar L. J and K being caught and
held down by catch M. A is also caught and held by small catch N. Levers now
being free to move and when pulled over lowers signal S and releases J K by
plunging catch M. (K cannot yet rise to its place as locking bar L is still over top

page_text: of it) and also brings battery x into circuit by making contact with P, R, R¹,
through coil T and with armature at end of Ń releases armature A³ and small
semaphore A. As soon as the lever is again replaced in the position shown in
diagram it is locked and cannot be moved till man at station B unlocks its and this
he does by setting over lever U this brings battery al into circuit by turning
roller A³ round and putting it in circuit with earth and Y coil and to coil B at
station A and brings down armature Y¹ to be caught by catch Y' and rising
semaphore arm to "on." Levers U also carries Z from over top of Z which rises
up and locks it to prevent its being put back again and at same time leaves to
catch Q free. U cannot now be moved till train unlocks it as Z has got it firmly
locked. The flange of train wheel now passing through and opening long spring V
brings into contact V1, V2 and V³ and coil A. to battery d small coil t and releases
armature Y¹ by T attracting armature catch Y and also unlocks Z by bringing
down both Z and this is caught by Q till lever is put back as now shown when Q
releives its hold but Z cannot get up as locking bar is over top of it.
Having now described the nature of our said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed We declare that We claim
The combination of appliances shown in the annexed drawings and the means of
locking back signals by an additional or independent lever at signal station when
unblocking of line is necessary as described
Secondly We claim The extra lever at signal station by which, through electrical
means the back station signal becomes free to be acted upon in the ordinary
manner by the signalman as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Frederick Swift for myself and on behalf of
the said Alfred James Medley Reade have hereunto set my hand and seal
this twenty fourth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three