Improvements in Gate Locking Arrangements in connection with Semaphores for the Avoidance of Danger at Level Crossings on Railways.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th July, 1897-Accepted, 18th Sept., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gate Locking Arrangements in connection with
Semaphores for the Avoidance of Danger at Level Crossings on
Railways.
WILFRID JAMES LINEHAM, 2 Leyland Road, Lee, London S.E., Consulting
Engineer, and GEORGE SMELT, Signal Fitter, 78 Rolls Road, Bermondsey,
London, S.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is an improvement on that of Geo. Smelt for which Letters
l'atent were granted No. 5474 of 1895, and is intended to effect the same object
in a simpler manner. To this end it is arranged that the opening of either
crossing gate shall operate a near signal, the withdrawal of the gate bolt having
previously operated a distant signal, both signals being thus placed at "danger."
The distant signal may be placed at 800 yards (or even more) from the gate,
measured along the line. Only one pass key is required, corresponding to the
A key in Geo. Smelt's invention aforesaid, though one key for each gate may be
advisable in many cases, and the lock is fastened in or near the centre of the
crossing gate. The key being applied and turned, releases the gate bolts, which
may then be drawn back with suitable handles. This bolt being connected by
levers and rods to the distant signal, the latter is raised, by the withdrawal of
the bolt, and is thus set at "danger," but in order that the levers and connecting
rods shall not interfere with the opening of the gate, a joint is made in one of
them so placed that its pin comes vertically over the hinge pins after the with-
drawal of the gate bolt.
The near signal is connected directly to one of the gate hinges by means of
levers and rods, so that the actual opening of the gate will raise this signal and
set it at danger.
Sometimes the near signals are entirely dispensed with, and the distant signals
only used, thus simplifying the mechanism considerably.
As the gate cannot be opened till the bolt has been withdrawn and the signals
placed at "danger"; and as the key cannot be removed (by an arrangement
similar to that in G. Smelt's invention) until the gate is closed and the bolt
shot, thus placing the signals at "safe," it is evident that the adoption of our
invention is sure to remove the element of danger as far as carts and horses are
concerned, as also with many persons.
As both gates are connected to all the signals, the line cannot be signalled
clear till both are closed and the bolts shot.
In cases where advisable the gate bolt may be used without the lock and key,
so that any person could then pass through the gates, but not till the bolts had
been withdrawn and the signals placed at danger.
Dated this 17th day of October 1896.
WILFRID JAMES LINEHAM.
GEORGE SMELT.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gate Locking Arrangements in connection with
Semaphores for the Avoidance of Danger at Level Crossings on
Railways.
We, WILFRID JAMES LINEHAM Consulting Engineer of 2 Leyland Road Lee
London S.E. and GEORGE SMELT Signal Fitter, of 78 Rolls Road, Bermondsey,
London S.E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
Referring to the accompanying drawings: Each sheet shews a pair of level-
crossing gates supplied with our invention, in both of which the signals are worked
directly from the gate bolts and hinges the only difference between the sheets
being in matter of detail.
Figs. 1 and 2 will now be described, it being premised that the bolts of the
gates are shewn withdrawn, so that the distant signals a and b are raised, and
indicate "danger." Also the arrows shew the direction of motion of the various
rods, ropes, or chains when the signals are being raised. The distant signals are
connected to the bolt g, so that when this bolt (say for the gate f) is released
by a right handed movement, the rod t is also moved, through lever s and the
motion is transmitted through bell-crank levers as shewn, till a pull is given to
the rope or rod k, which, passing through m, raises the signal b. This motion is
transmitted to the semaphore rod through the lever p, and the connection
between chain and pulley being frictional, caused by weight n, any slight
rectification for expansion is automatically effected.
The movement of the bolt q, just described, will at the same time release or
slack back the rope or chain k, and this will allow weight y to fall. But the
lever carrying this weight will then catch a stop z connected to the semaphore
rod, and thus the signal at a will be raised.
The gate rod t would interfere with the proper opening of the gate, but that
a joint or hinge is formed at v, and this joint has its centre in a vertical line
with the centre of the gate hinge, as soon as bolt q is withdrawn.
Supposing the bolt of gate e to be moved instead, the action is of the same
character, only that the bell-cranks are slightly changed so as to allow the ropes
to move in the proper direction. The arrangement is shewn at u. Rope is
connected to gate e, while k is worked from the gate f
The near signals are worked by a lever w fixed on one hinge of each gate. When
the gate is opened the lever w moves so as to cause a pull on a chain 4, which
through a bell crank, raises signal d. At the same time a rope h, attached to c,
is pulled, and this pull is felt on the bell-crank 6, to which is directly
connected, and signal c is raised. If gate e be opened, the chain 5 and the rope j
are similarly pulled, and the signals again raised; and as both attachments are
made by a tension element, the movement of one set of gate levers may take place
without interfering with that of the other gate.
The last-mentioned system for the near signals does not allow for the signals
rising to "danger" when anything breaks, and in addition the system is not
balanced, so we provide that an arrangement exactly like that shewn for the
distant signals, may be adopted for the near signals, namely, having the weight n
to signal d, and the weight y to signal c.. Also, as in the case of the distant
signals, the rope for d will be pulled, while that for c will be slacked back, as
already described, and it consequently follows that although the lever will be
required for gate f, to reverse direction of movement, that at 8 must either be

page_text: made of the "second order of levers" or must be dispensed with and guide pulleys
used instead, so as to preserve the direction of motion of the hinge lever.
Figs. 3 & 4 shew an alternative scheme which only requires one rope between
the signal and a point near each gate, a much simpler arrangement. To this end
the movable pulley s is centred on the swinging lever t. The rope f passes
round the pulley, while rope e is attached to t."
Taking gate E: when the gate bolt n is withdrawn the rod q is moved,
through lever P, and pulley f moves leftward due to the slacking back of f.
Then signal a is operated through e, exactly as on Sheet 1. At the same time the
rope g, attached to q, is pulled, and the lever l, swinging leftward, strikes a stop
on and pulls the latter with it. Thus rope h is drawn leftward and signal 6
is raised, as was described for Sheet 1. It is clear that when the gate bolt for F
is withdrawn the same movement of signals will occur, f being slacked back
by reason of the movement of lever j. At the same time j catches a stop on k
and swings the latter leftward, again pulling the rope h.
This arrangement may be applied to the near signals also, as an alternative
plan to those described. "
It is of course obvious that rods may be substituted for ropes where straight
pieces occur, chains where passing round pulleys, and bell-cranks instead of guide
pulleys: while sometimes the near signals may be dispensed with altogether.
The gate bolts cannot he withdrawn till the lock m has been opened by a
proper key. The levers of this lock are to be arranged as shewn on Sheet 2 of
the Specification No. 5474 of 1895, excepting that the projection m may be used
or not as desired.
Thus the keys cannot be withdrawn till the bolts are shot, and the gates cannot
be opened till the signals are set at "Danger."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we
do not claim the gear shewn on signal posts a and b Figs. 1 & 2, but that what
we claim is:
1. A lever apparatus for working signals at level-crossings from the gate bolts
and hinges, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.
2. In such an apparatus, the hinged joint v, Fig. 1, for permitting the gate to
open when the bolt is withdrawn.
3. The pulleys and lever t, and the set of levers j, k, and 1, Fig. 4, in connection
with gates and signals as described, and for the purposes set forth.
100%
190%
Dated this 17th day of July 1987.
WILFRID JAMES LINEHAM
2 Leyland Road, Lee, London, S.E.
GEORGE SMELT
78 Rolls Road, Bermondsey, London, S.E.
WILFRID JAMES LINEHAM
2 Leyland Road, Lee, London, S.E.
GEORGE SMELT
78 Rolls Road, Bermondsey, London, S.E.