Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Signalling Apparatus.
1, RICHARD GASCOIGNE, of 84 Sandy Lane, Worksop, in the County of
Nottingham, Miner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as.
follows:-
This invention relates to railway signals, and has for its object to provide means.
whereby a train passing any chosen position is caused to explode a detonator,.
sound a gong, or operate any other audible signal which can be heard by the
engine-driver, and simultaneously move a visible signal and ring a bell situate in
a distant signal cabin, or other position.
The mechanism. by means of which these results are produced' is completely
under the control of the signalman in the cabin.
In the position chosen, I apply at the side of, or underneath one of the rails, a
pressure tip or treadle which normally projects a slight distance above the upper
surface of the rail in such manner that the wheel of a passing train depresses it.
Or the pressure tip or treadle may be arranged to be depressed by the flange of
the wheel. The depression of the pressure tip or treadle rocks a lever and moves
a connecting rod or rods which operate one or more weighted bent levers, these
latter being pivoted to any convenient support in such manner as to rock freely.
The connecting rod may have interposed a spring or springs which form part of
the system.
A rod or spindle which connects the various levers has a portion of its length
formed of a square or other angular section, and this part fits into the bosses of the
levers, so that the rocking of the rod or spindle operates the levers and "vice versa."
By moving the red or spindle longitudinally in the levers, or the levers longitudinally
on the spindle, either of the levers may be caused to cover a circular portion of the
spindle, and thus remain at rest when the spindle is rocked. A wheel or boss with
an extending tongue or tongues may be secured' to the spindle in such manner that
its tongue or tongues may enter a suitable recess or recesses in the boss of the lever
or levers.
Secured to the spindle is a bent lever so arranged that its attached weight acts
in opposition to the wire from the signal cabin which moves the rod or spindle
longitudinally; and by this means the signal-man is enabled to disconnect any
desired lever, and. thus pass a train "line clear." When the signalman releases
the wire the weighted lever pulls the shaft and causes the polygonal section to
enter the boss of the lever, thus holding the apparatus in the normal "danger"
position, or that in which a passing train operates the mechanism.
To the rod or shaft, moved by the signalman, a quadrantal boss, bosses, or plates
are secured in such a manner that in conjunction with a catch or catches operated.
by a spring or springs, it effectually prevents any second movement after having
once given any required signal, until the signalman has replaced the apparatus in
the position to give the normal "danger" signal.
Two distinct sound signals may be given where this is necessary.

page_text: being suitably shaped to receive a counter-weight el. The boss or sleeve e³ upon
which the lever E is fulcrumed, is fitted with a polygonal or other suitably shaped
bore so that a spindle H fitted with a correspondingly shaped portion is free to
move in a lateral direction, but not to rotate in it. Or a key and feather with a
corresponding groove may be employed. One end of this sleeve is turned on its
outer surface for a suitable distance to form a revoluble spindle, which is mounted
in a bearing F which may be situate in any convenient position near the rail.
Parallel to this bearing F and at a convenient distance is a corresponding
bearing F which serves as a pivot for a lever G, the spindle H passing through
the centre boss of each. These bearings are kept in their proper positions by
means of shoulders formed on the bosses of the two ievers which abut against the
inner face of the bearings, or by any other suitable means which will not interfere
with the movement of the levers, the two bearings being bolted together by
bolts. The boss of the lever G is formed with a male portion g which fits into
a female portion of the boss E thus permitting the one to rotate round the other.
The bore of the boss G is circular for about half its length while the other portion
is of similar section to that of E. Thus when the spindle H (which is formed for
about half its length of suitable section to slide longitudinally through the boss E,
the other half being circular to fit the bore of the boss of the lever G) is moved
in a lateral direction, the lever G is free to rotate upon it, though this will occur
only when the signal is at "danger," while the lever E must of necessity rock
when the spindle H makes part of a revolution.
Near the extremities of the spindle H are rigidly attached by pins two
similarly shaped right and left handed plates J and J having the form of
quadrants, so that when the spindle H has been caused by the signalman to slide
longitudinally and afterwards to rock by the depression of the treadle B, the under
side or edge of the quadrants rise, and a pin or catch K is forced underneath the
quadrant J and serves as a support for it.
The quadrants J and J' are formed with oblique or sloping engaging faces, so
that when they come into contact with the catches K and K the springs of the
latter are not compressed too suddenly, thus avoiding all noise and vibration. The
catches K and K consist of two suitably shaped pins sliding longitudinally in
recesses formed in the bearings F and F, their inner ends & being connected to a
coil spring a disposed in the interior of two short lengths of tube N. The outer
ends of these tubes N fit into recesses n' while their inner ends are screwed, one
with a right and the other with a left handed thread, so that when the coupling n³
(which is also furnished with corresponding right and left handed threads) is
turned, the tubes N are forced into the recesses n³ and the rigidity of the whole is
ensured.
3
On the spindle H and outer face of the quadrant J'is a coupling loop L in which
the spindle H is free to rotate, but must slide with it when the spindle H is moved;
the boss of the coupling being held in position by a nut or other suitable
device h³. Situate near this end of the mechanism is a fixed bearing O which
forms a support for a rocking lever I which is fulcrumed upon the pivot ³. The
one arm of the lever 1 is passed through the loop l' of the coupling loop L, a
counter-weight I being attached to it. To the other arm of the lever is attached
at the signal-box wire. To the lower end of the lever G is attached at 9 a
wire which reaches and is connected with a bell in the signal box, while a rod or
wire is connected, just above the boss, which communicates with the firing
mechanism of a revolver M, or other suitable devices for producing audible sounds.
The rests for the levers E and G when in their normal positions are shewn at f¹,
a corresponding rest flimiting the angular movement of the levers.
In Figs. 5 and 6 a modified form of the invention is shewn, like letters indicating
similar parts. D represents the connecting rod connected to the lever Eas
hereinbefore described; this is prevented from moving longitudinally in its
support F by the two screws or pins e. The boss of E is of a square or other
suitable section as above .described, and on the spindle H is rigidly fixed a

page_text: counterweight e' will fall and cause the treadle to immediately rise, this movement.
causing the spindle to rock and assume the position requisite to enable it to slide
into the boss of the lever G. At the same time the quadrant plates J J¹ will
fall into their normal positions, and upon the signalman releasing the lever in his.
cabin, the counterweight 1 on the arm of the lever I falls, and causes the under-
side of the arm i to come into contact with the interior surface of the helix and
thereby draw the spindle H back again to its normal position and place the signal
again at "danger."
Instead of being arranged by the side of the rail the treadle may project.
upwards through a corresponding vertical slit in the rail, the apparatus being
otherwise similar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said.
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An improved railway signalling apparatus constructed and operating substan-
tially as shewn and described.
2. A railway signalling apparatus consisting essentially of a treadle arranged to.
work close by the side of, or through a slit in one of the rails, in such manner that.
upon its being depressed by the wheel of a passing train, a spindle and one or
more levers are rocked, and a detonator exploded, er other audible signal made,.
and in which the sliding of the spindle can be effected by the signalman from a
distant position in such manner that either one or more of the levers can be
connected to, or disconnected from each other at will, substantially in the mauner-
shewn and described.
3. In a railway signalling apparatus the combination of the treadle B, the
rocking lever C, the connecting rod D, the weighted levers E and G, the spindle H
passing through the same and having an angular part, the detonator M, the
coupling loop L, the weighted lever I which passes through the loop ', and the
quadrants J and J₁ having inclined faces which engage with the spring controlled
catches K and K', all constructed and operating substantially as described and.
shewn.
4. A railway signalling apparatus substantially as shewn and described with
reference to Figs. 1, 14, 2, 3 and 4.
5. A railway signalling apparatus substantially as shewn and described with.
reference to Figs. 5 and 6.
6. For use in a railway signalling apparatus the modified form of trendle and..
lever substantially as shewn and described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8.
Dated this 8th day of March 1897.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
Inventor's Assistant" Office, 75 Chancery Lane, W.C..,.
Agent for the Applicant.