IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND CONTROLLING RAILWAY SIGNALS AND SWITCHES, AND FOR WORKING RAILWAY TURNTABLES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Baines, of the Railway Plant Works,
Soho, Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Engineer, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND CONTROLLING
RAILWAY SIGNALS AND SWITCHES, AND FOR WORKING RAILWAY TURNTABLES,"
Sealed the 1st February 1870, and dated the 10th December 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Baines at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th December 1869.
I, WILLIAM BAINES, of the Railway Plant Works, Soho, Smethwick,
in the County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND
CONTROLLING RAILWAY SIGNALS AND SWITCHES, AND FOR WORKING RAILWAY
TURNTABLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for actuating
and controlling railway siguals and switches, and for working railway
turntables. In order to give an audible signal in connection with
distance or other signals I provide a bar at the side of the line of rail in
such a position that a train in passing along the line will depress it or
[Price 8d.]

page_text: tread it down, and in so doing it actuates a lever or levers which give
motion to a cylinder closed at the end and fitting another similar
cylinder. The cylinders between them enclose an air space, in connection
with which is a whistle or similar instrument. When one of the
cylinders is moved as above described air is expelled from between the
cylinders, and so the audible signal is given. The treadle bar is mounted
on an axis parallel to the rail, about which the pressure of the wheels
causes it partially to rotate. When the signal is not required to be
given the treadle bar is drawn down out of the way by a cord passing to
a distance. In order to prevent the point levers being shifted imme-
diately after the signals are altered, and possibly whilst the train is still
crossing, I connect with the signal levers an instrument in principle
resembling a sand glass. This instrument is turned or set going by the
action of the lever which lowers the signal from danger, and it is in
connection with a bolt which locks the switch levers until the time to
which the instrument is set has expired. I usually employ a liquid
in lieu of sand, but sand or other solid in a sufficiently divided form to
be able to flow through an orifice may be employed. In a similar manner
I combine time apparatus with the signal levers, so that when a signal is
lowered to pass a train the time apparatus may be set in action and prevent
the other signal arm being again lowered until after the lapse of the time
to which the apparatus is set. Pendulum time measures may be similarly
used.
In order to save the hand labor now requisite for turning engines and
carriages on turntables I connect with the turntable a heavy weight,
which in descending causes the table to rotate. The weight may be
controlled in its descent by a brake. The weight is raised by the engines
or carriages passing along the line of railway, it may be by a rope
attached thereto, or by treadle bars at the side of the line of rails.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 3
filed by the said William Baines in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th June 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WI! LIAM
BAINES, of the Railway Plant Works, Solo, Smethwick, in the County of
Stafford, Engineer, send greeting.
3

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Baines, Her special
licence that I, the said William Baines, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Baines, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise;
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING AND CONTROLLING RAILWAY SIGNALS AND SWITCHES,
WORKING RAILWAY TURNTABLES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Baines, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
AND FOR
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Baines, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :--
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
actuating and controlling railway signals and switches, and for working
railway turntables. In order to give an audible signal or connection with
distance or other signals I provide a treddle bar at the side of the line of
rail in such a position that a train in passing along the line will depress
it or tread it down, and in so doing act on a bellows-like apparatus and
cause air to be forced throug a whistle or other wind instrument. The
apparatus can be thrown out of use when not required by means of a
wire passing to the signalman at a distance.
Figure 1 is a side view (partly in section) of the apparatus arranged
in the manner which I prefer; Figure 2 is a plan of the treddle bar and
a portion of the rail.

page_text: a is the rail; b, b, are brackets fixed to it, and carrying the pins 6', b²,
which secure the treddle c to the brackets, but allow it to turn about
the pins as centres; d is a rod connecting an arm on the treddle bar
with the arc e turning on a pin at e'; f is a chain passing from the arc e
to a stem fixed to the cylinder g, which is supported by the spring h.
The spring h when free holds the treddle bar in the position indicated by
the dotted lines in Figure 1, with its inner edge standing above the level
of the rail; but when a train runs on to the treddle bar it depresses it and
draws down the cylinder g, compressing the spring h. Air then enters
by a suitable valve the space inclosed between the cylinders g and i.
The treddle is inclined on the surface so that its movement may be easy
as the wheel passos along it. As soon as all the wheels have passed the
treddle bar the spring h forces up the cylinder g and expells air by the
pipe through the whistles / mounted upon it, which are thus caused to
sound. The spring h also whilst causing the whistles to sound returns
the treddle bar to the position indicated by the dotted line. The
cylinders g and are made to fit each other accurately, but so that the
cylinder g may be able to move with but little friction; no packing is
required. In order to enable the signalman to throw the apparatus out of
action when desired the centre pin e¹ of the arc e is mounted on a pulley 1,
from which a chain and rod pass to the levers m worked by the signalman.
By means of these the pulley can be turned partly round (the weight n
being at the same time lifted) so as to carry the centre pin el into the
second position indicated for it in dotted lines. When the pulley is in
this position the treddle bar becomes inoperative. As soon as the
signalman sets the levers m free the weight n draws the parts back to their
working position.
Figure 3 shows apparatus similar to that represented in Figure 1, but
with an organ pipe substituted for the whistles. Figures 4, 5, and 6 are
sections of bellows-like instruments which may be substituted for the
double cylinder apparatus shown in Figure 1. Figure 7 shews in side
view and Figure 8 in plan a treddle bar moving about a centre at one
end, and which may be employed in plan of the treddle bar shown in
Figure 1.
In order to prevent the point levers being shifted immediately after
the signals are altered, and possibly whilst the train is still crossing, I
connect with the signal levers au instrument in principle resembling a
sand glass. This instrument is turned or set going by the action of the

page_text: lever which lowers the signal from danger, and it is in connection with
a bolt which locks the switch levers until the time to which the instru-
ment is set has expired. I usually employ a liquid in lieu of sand, but
sand or other solid in a sufficiently divided form to be able to flow
through an orifice may be employed. In a similar manner I combine
time apparatus with the signal levers, so that when a signal is lowered
to pass a train the time apparatus may be set in action and prevent this
or other signal arm being again lowered until after the lapse of the
time to which the apparatus is set.
Pendulum time measures may be
similarly used.
Figure 9 shews a side view of a pair of levers so combined that the
one cannot be moved for a certain pre-arranged time after the other has
been moved. a is a switch lever, and a¹ is its locking bolt; it has on it
at ax a projection standing immediately beneath a notched disc b¹on
au axis 6 in such manner that the locking bolt cannot be raised except
when the disc is so turned that the notch in it is immediately over the
projection ax. The parts are so arranged that the projection escaping
free from the notch in the disc as the lever is moved on its axis. c is
a signal lever, and d is a chain attached to it, and also passing around a
drun on the axis b. When the lover c is moved to the right hand,
or into the position in which the Drawing shews it, so as to lower the
sigual arm for the passage of the train the axis b is turned through nearly
a complete circle. The lever a is then locked in position, the disc b
acting as a stop to retain the projection a¹*. When the signal lever c is
replaced to the left hand side to raise the signal arm as the train passes
the switch lever a still remains locked, but the axis b after a suitable and
pre-arranged interval of time returns and sets the switches free. Ap-
paratus suitable for controlling the axis is shewn in side view at
Figure 10, in end view at Figure 11, and in plan at Figure 12. a is an
axis mounted on fixed bearings a, a; it carries a rocking frame b which
supports another axis c, and on this axis are two water vessels d and e.
The axis c is connected by a cord f to the signal lever c in Figure 9, or
with a part in connection therewith, so that when the signal arm is
lowered the axis is rotated, and the vessel d is in this way raised above
the axis, and simultaneously the frame b is caused to tip through a small
arc, together with its axis a. When the vessel d is raised the water
flows at once out of it by the large passage g into the vessel e, and the
rotation of the axis c by means of the cord f also winds upon the pulley /

page_text: When
at the end of the axis ca cord to which a weight is attached.
the signal arm is again raised the cord f becomes slack, and the weight
connected with the pulley h at once turns the axis c back to its first
position, and then the water commences to flow back by the small
passage i into the vessel d. i is a screw valve to adjust the size of the
passage. As the water passes from the vessel e into the vessel d it goes
from one side to the other of the axis a, and presently when a sufficient
quantity has passed its weight causes the apparatus to tip, and the axis a
is thus partly rotated. The axis b in Figure 9 is connected with the
axis a in Figure 10 in such manner that the movement of the axis a
causes the rotation of the axis b, Figure 9.
same.
Another arrangement working with a pendulum is shewn in side view
at Figure 13 Figure 14 is an end view, and Figure 15 a plan of the
A spring e is attached at one end to the axis b, Figure 9, and at
the other end to an escapement wheel f on the axis b, and connected
with it by means of a ratchet and pawl so that the axis can turn without
the escapement wheel in one direction, but not in the other. The
escapement lever 9, which engages with the wheel f is suspended from
a pin g¹ and jointed to the pendulum h which is hung on a pin at h¹;
2 is a small weight fixed on the pendulum, and 3 a heavier weight
suspended from it by the pin x. This arrangement of the weights on
the pendulum insures its starting as soon as the axis is set free. When
the signal lever c is moved to the left hand and the signal arm raised the
axis commence to revolve as fast as the pendulum will permit, and it
'continues to rotate until the slack of the chain d is taken up. This
brings the notch in the disc b¹again over the projection a* on the bolt
of the lever a, and the switches may then be reset by means of the
lever. The interval during which the time apparatus retards the use of
the lever a should be amply sufficient to admit of a train which may be
entering on the points at the time the signal arm is raised being clear
of them by the time the switches can be reset. In a similar manner a
suitable interval may be ensured between two successive lowerings of
the same signal. The pendulum apparatus is that which I prefer, but a
water or liquid or sand apparatus may be used. In some cases (as
when there are a number of sidings) it is requisite that either of a
number of switch levers should lock a number of signal levers.
Figure 16 is a diagram of a double line of railway with a number of
sidings on either side of it. Figure 17 is a. back view of a set of levers

page_text: suited to work the switches and signals requisite in connection with such
an arrangement. In Figure 16 there are switches at the poinst a, b, c, d,
e, f, and g, d and e belonging to a cross-over road. The levers working
these switches are marked with corresponding letters in Figure 17.
The remaining levers work the distance and main signals. 1, 12, 13, are
axes corresponding with the axis b, Figure 9. They are rotated by means
of the switch levers opposite to them in the manner already described.
The levers a, b, and c, which work sliding switches in connection with
the down line lock simultaneously the distance and main signal levers
of the down line by means of notched discs on the axis ', and when the
levers are replaced a time apparatus, such as already described, on the
end of the axis still prevents the signals being lowered until a
suitable time has elapsed sufficient at least to allow the train which has
been shunted to get well clear of the points. The levers fand which
work siding switches in connection with the up-line by means of the
axis hand a time apparatus in connection with it similarly control the
up-main and distance signal levers. One lever works the swiches & and e
of the cross-over road, and this lever is connected with the axis h².
When the switches are set for the cross-over road the axis 2 is
rotated, and it carries with it both the axis and the axis h³ by
means of suitable projections with which the axes are provided, as the
Drawing shows.
i, i, Figure 18, shows in plan locking plates such as are fully described
in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, and which serve
to prevent the several signals and switches being set at variance the one
with the other. A convenient way of combining time apparatus with
signals and switches is shown in plan at Figure 19, and Figures 20 and
21 are side views of parts of the same. a is a sliding bar connected with
the switches it is shown in full lines in the position it occupies when the
switches are accurately set for the main line, and it is there locked, its
end abutting against a disc b. This disc is in connection with the main
line signal lever by the wire chain or cord b¹, and when the main line
signal arm was dropped this disc was turned partly round so as to
remove the hole in the disc from the position indicated in dotted lines
to the position in which it is shewn in full lines. There is a time
apparatus on the axis of the disc b, and when the signal is raised to
danger this is set going by the weight c and gradually brings back the
disc. After a suitable interval the hole is again opposite the end of

page_text: the sliding bar a and the switches are free to be moved. When the
switch is set for the branch line the end of the bar a enters the hole b
as the dotted lines indicate, and then it is locked in this position by a
turning bolt d in connection with the branch signal; this bolt when the
There is a
signal arm is lowered enters behind a wing a' on the bar a.
time apparatus on the axis of the bolt d which retards the action of the
weight in causing the return of the bolt when the branch signal arm
is again raised. It will be observed that should the bar a and the
switches in connection with it from any cause stand in an intermediate
position with the switches foul both the signal arms will be locked at
danger.
Figures 22 indicate a slight modification of the arrangement just
described. A notched quadrant with time apparatus on its axis and
actuated in one direction by the signal lever and in the other by a
weight works in connection with a notched bar coupled with the
switches.
Figures 23 show another modification of the apparatus shown at
Figures 19, 20, and 21. In place of the disc b another sliding bar is
substituted; it has pin upon it which passes through a hole in the bar a
when the signal arm is lowered, and is gradually withdrawn by a time.
apparatus when the signal arm is raised. The bar b may be worked by a
weight connected with it by a chain passing over a chain pulley, on the
axis of which is the time apparatus.
Figures 24, 25, 26, and 27 also show other slight modifications in the
apparatus, which will be understood without further description.
In order to save the hand labour now requisite for turning engines and
carriages on turntables I connect with the turntable a heavy weight,
which in descending causes the table to rotate. The weight may be
controlled in its descent by a break. The weight is raised by the engines
or carriages passing along the line of railway. It may be by a rope
attached thereto, or by treddle bars at the side of the line of rails. This
arrangement is shown in plan at Figure 28; and Figure 29 is a side view
of a portion of the same. a is the turntable with a ring of bevilled teeth
upon it with which the pinion 6 gears. On the same axis is another
pinion c working with the pinion e, and on the axis of this pinion are two
barrels and g. As the engine passes on to the turntable a rope wound
on the barrel is attached to it, and by drawing the rope off the barrel
it rotates the axis; at the same time another rope is wound up on the

page_text: drum g, and a weight is lifted by it. The pinion e is connected with
the axis by a ratchet and pawl, so that it does not turn during these
operations. When the engine is on the table the rope is detached by a
suitable slip, and the restraining brake on the table is slackened, and then
the weight which the engine has raised descends, and in doing so rotates
the table.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what
I claim is,
-
First. The arranging apparatus by which passing trains may be made to
produce audible signals by causing air to pass through a whistle or such
like instrument, substantially as described.
Second. I claim the arranging apparatus in connection with signal and
switch levers, so as ensure a sufficient interval of time between the move-
ments of the levers, substantially as described.
Third. I claim the arranging apparatus for working turntables by the
power of the locomotive engines, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Baines, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy.
W. BAINES.
(L.B.)