IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH RAILWAY SIGNALS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INDICATING THE APPROACH OF TRAINS AND OF PRE- VENTING COLLISIONS." APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONTION
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederick Whitworth, of Brighton,
in the County of Sussex, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH RAILWAY SIGNALS FOR
THE PURPOSE OF INDICATING THE APPROACH OF TRAINS AND OF PRE-
VENTING COLLISIONS."
APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH RAILWAY SIGNALS FOR
THE PURPOSE OF INDICATING THE APPROACH OF TRAINS AND OF PRE-
VENTING COLLISIONS."
Sealed the 5th July 1858, and dated the 5th January 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederick
Whitworth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 5th January 1853.
I, CHARLES FREDERICK WHITWORTH, of Brighton, in the County
of Sussex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH RAILWAY
SIGNALS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INDICATING THE APPROACH OF TRAINS AND
OP PREVENTING COLLISIONS" to be as follows:-
One part of the Invention consists in the arrangement of apparatus
to be acted upon by one of the wheels of an approaching carriage or

page_text: train of carriages, by which the removal of a stop or catch will release
a weight in connection with the signal, and the signal will be caused
to indicate danger as a warning to any approaching train.
If the signal be distant from a station or other point guardod,
apparatus in connection therewith will act upon a bell or other alarum
to indicate to persons at such station or other point guarded the
approach of a train.
The signal apparatus used may also be acted upon, somewhat as at
present, by a man in charge of the signal, with the advantage of
greater precision and certainty.
Another part of the Invention has for its object the prevention of
collision by permitting no engine or carriage to be moved out of a
siding on to the main line, except when the signal guarding such points
indicates danger. It also prevents the crossing of locomotives and
other carriages from one pair of rails to the other, unless the signals
guarding such crossing be previously set to give due warning.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Frederick Whitworth in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 5th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES FREDERICK WHITWORTH, of Brighton, in the County of
Sussex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Charles Frederick Whitworth, Her special
licence that I, the said Charles Frederick Whitworth, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Frederick
Whitworth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might

page_text: make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH
RAILWAY SIGNALS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INDICATING THE APPROACH OF
TRAINS AND OF PREVENTING COLLISIONS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Frederick Whitworth, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Frederick Whitworth, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
My Invention relates, first, to the arrangement of apparatus to be
acted upon by one of the wheels of an approaching locomotive carriage
or train of carriages, by which the removal of a stop or catch will
release a weight in connection with the signal, when the signal will be
caused to indicate danger as a warning to a succeeding train. Also to
the application in connection therewith of means to act upon a bell or
other alarum at the station or other point guarded.
Secondly, my Invention relates to means for preventing collisions by
preventing the crossing of locomotive or other carriages from one pair
of rails to another, except when the signal guarding such crossing is set
to give due warning. Also to means for preventing collisions by
preventing any engine or carriage being moved out of a siding on to a
main line, except when the signal guarding such point indicates danger.
And that the Invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, shows a side view, and Figure 2, a plan of parts of one of
Figure 1, shows a side view, and Figure 2, a plan of parts of one of
the rails of a line of railway with apparatus arranged according to my
Invention. Figures 3, and 4, show some of the parts on a larger scale.

page_text: A, is a signal post with day and night signals applied thereto, which in
themselves form no part of my Invention. These signals are supported
upon the upper end of the rod a, by simply turning which a quarter of
a revolution the signals will make the necessary indications; b, and c,
are chains, the ends of which are affixed to the segment a' affixed to
the rod a. The chain b, is at one end affixed to the segment a', and
at the other to one end of a wire d, the other end of which is connected
to the weighted lever f, the tendency of which is at all times to draw
the rod a, round, and cause the signals to indicate danger. The chain
c, is attached to the wire e, the other end of which is connected to one
end of the sliding plate h, which forms part of the apparatus D, by
which the signals are held at "all right," and by the releasing of which
they are caused to indicate danger. The other end of the slide h, is
connected to one end of a wire e', which wire is at a distance connected
to apparatus B, for drawing on the wire, so as to set the signal to "all
right" when a proper time has clapsed since the passing of the last train,
or the line is clear, or by which also, when required, the signal at a
distance may be set to danger, as hereafter explained; i, is a bent arm
affixed to the axis ', and so placed by the side of one of the rails as
to be acted upon by the first wheel passing on that side. The axis,
turns in bearings, and at its other end has an arın ³, the outer end of
which is by a pin joint connected to the stop rod j, which is slotted in
order that when elevated the sliding rod h, may slide freely through it.
When the signals are set to "all right" the upper end of the slot in
the stop rod j, will rest upon the sliding rod h, and against the stop
formed thereon at ', but when by the passing of a wheel the arm i, is
depressed, the stop j', will be raised off the stop h', thereby releasing the
slide, and 'permitting the signals to turn to the position indicating
danger. When a sufficient time has elapsed after the passing of a
train the signals may again be set to "all right" by drawing on the
wire e', by the windlass B, or other means by which the slide h, can be
drawn, until the stop ', is again caught by the stop 7, formed by the
upper end of the slot in the bar j, which then holds the signals to "all
right", and y; are stops to the lever k.
"
In some cases it will be necessary to set the signals to danger by

page_text: means of the windlass or other means at the point B. For this purpose
the wire e', is to be drawn upon until the projection h² comes in contact
with and presses against the lower end of the small lever k, by which
that lever will assume the position indicated by Figure 4. In this
notion the upper end of the lever k, will act upon to raise the end of
the lever 1, which turns upon an axis at ', and in rising this lever 1,
will act upon the stud, projecting through the upper end of the stop
rod j, by which that stop rod will be raised and held off the slide h.
Then as soon as the wire e', is so released at B, as to allow the weight
to draw the slide h, the slide h, will freely pass the stop 7, and the
signal will be set to danger. In this movement also the stop h¹, will
come in contact with the lower end of the small lever k, as shewn by.
red dotted lines, and cause that lever to be turned upon its axis k', thus
allowing the parts to fall into that position in which the stop j', will
be resting on the slide h, ready for ordinary working, as above ex-
plained. C, is a bell in connection with the above apparatus, and
which by being fixed at the station or other point guarded will indicate
to persons there that a carriage or train of carriages is approaching.
The bell C, is set in motion by the wire g, one end of which is affixed
to the wire e', and the other to the bell apparatus, so that when a
carriage or train of carriages depresses the arm i, and by the apparatus
above explained releases the slide h, and the wire e, is drawn in the
direction of the arrow, the wire g, will be drawn to set the bell in
motion. And I would state that I do not confine myself to the arrange-
ment of alarum shewn, or even to the use of a bell, as other arrange-
ments of alarum will answer the purpose. But that which I will now
explain is one which I have found to answer the purpose well.
m, is a
lever turning on the axis m', with a weight m³, at one end, tending to
keep that end downwards, the other end is connected to the wire g.
The lever m, has formed on or affixed to it an arm m², projecting there-
from, to which is connected by pin joint the driver m³, upon which is
formed the projection 4, and whose other end is supported so as to be
capable of sliding on the pin n. The bell o, is affixed to one end of
the spring o¹, the other end of which is affixed to the lower end of the
lever o, suspended upon the axis o³, and at its upper end this lever o²,
rests against the projection 5. When the wire e', is drawn upon in.

page_text: the direction of the arrow, as before explained, the wire g, will draw
down that end of the lever m, to which it is affixed, by which the pro-
jection 4, will move the lever 0%, to a certain extent until the upper end
of the lever o, will slip past the projection 4, causing the ringing of
the bell. When the apparatus is again set to "all right" the weight m
will bring the lever m, into position for the next action upon the lever o
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention.
Figure 5, shows a single main line of rails, and another pair of rails
opening out of it by means of suitable points, and such other pair of
rails may either be to a siding, or be the crossing to another line of
rails. a, a, are the ordinary connections from the points to a lever by
which the shifting of the points is effected, and b, is a sliding bar con-
nected to the parts a, by means of the rod 6. Upon the bar b, is
formed the stop b, and c, is a sliding bar crossing the bar b, and con-
nected with the wire for working the signal guarding such siding or
crossing. The bar c, slides against the stop , and prevents the points
being opened, except when by the signal being set to danger the open
parte, of the slide c, is drawn opposite the stop 6, to admit of the stop
b, passing the bar c, when the variation of the points may be effected:
d, is a rod affixed to the slide b, and to a weighted lever to draw the
parts back previous to the signal being again set to "all right."
I also in some cases apply a stop, such as above described in
connection with the siding stop, by which that stop cannot be turned off
the rail to admit of a carriage passing out from such siding, except
when the signal guarding the point is set to danger.
An arrangement for effecting this is shewn at Figure 6. d, is the
siding stop, which turns upon a centre at e, in the ordinary way, and
when lying across the rail rests against the stop f; g, is a lever (turning
upon a centre at g',) one end of which projects up against the siding
stop d, whilst the other end is attached to the rod b', connected with a
sliding bar b, such as already described in respect of Figure 5. These
parts are so arranged that the lever g, will prevent the stop d, being
turned off the rail, except when by the signal being set to danger the
stop on the slide c, is removed out of the way of the stop on the bar b,
as before explained, in respect of Figure 5, thus permitting the requi-
site motion of the lever g, to release the siding stop d.

page_text: I would, however, state that although the arrangements of parts I
have shewn for guarding crossings and sidings are those which I have
found to answer the purpose well, I do not confine myself thereto so
long as the parts are so arranged that the points cannot be opened
except when the signal guarding such points is set to danger.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would
have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise arrange-
ments shewn and described, so long as the peculiar character of any
part of the Invention be retained. But what I claim is,-
First, the arranging and combining apparatus in connection withi
railway signals, so that whilst such signals may be capable of being
operated with by the signal-man the passing of a carriage or train of
carriages will indicate danger to other trains which may immediately
succeed, and at the same time announce the approach of a carriage or
train of carriages to stations, junctions, opening bridges, tunnels, and
other points guarded.
Secondly, I claim the application of stops in connection with the
apparatus for working the points at crossings or sidings to prevent their
being opened, except when the signals guarding such points indicate
danger.
Also I claim the application of apparatus with stops in connection
with "siding stops" or "blocks" to prevent such "stops" or "blocks"
being turned off the rail, except when the signals guarding the
siding be duly set.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Frederick Whitworth,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of July,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
0 Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
73, Chancery Lanc.
C. F. WHITWORTH. (L.S.)