IMPROVED SIGNALLING APPARATUS FOR USE ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Richard Chidley at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th January 1883.
RICHARD CHIDLEY, of Wood Green, in the County of Middlesex "IMPROVED
SIGNALLING APPARATUS FOR USE ON RAILWAYS
"
My Invention relates to improved apparatus for signalling to drivers and guards
of trains so as to indicate the state of the line, both by audible and visible signals,
either at night or in the day time, such apparatus being particularly applicable
for use in fogs or dark weather when it is difficult to readily recognize the position
of the ordinary semaphore signals.
By my improved apparatus the use of the ordinary fog signals may be entirely
dispensed with, and the great expense, together with the loss of life which so
frequently occurs to the signalmen employed to place them on the rails, and
further the shock that their explosion occasions to passengers are entirely avoided.
The entire apparatus is under the control of the ordinary signalman, and requires
Do inore labour or trouble to work than the ordinary arrangement of signals, the
audible and visible signals being "put on
" and "taken off" simultaneously by
the simple action of the usual lever by which the ordinary somaphore signal is
worked.
The apparatus consists essentially of a lever pivotted near ono end, and sup-
ported at the other end by a roller running on a quadrant shaped track placed at a
suitable height on one side of the line of rails. This lever extends beyond its
pivot and is preferably cranked or bent out of line with the other part of the
lever, the wire or rod leading from the actuating lever in the signal box being
connected to the bent extension, and then passing to the usual semaphore signal
placed some distance beyond.
As the ordinary semaphore signal is actuated in the usual manner, the lever will
be caused to revolvo on its pivot, and occupy one of two positions. When the
semaphore is at "danger" the lever will be in such a position that its outer end
s in close proximity to one of the rails, while, when the semaphore is at lino
clear" the lever will then have turned on its pivot and occupy a position parallel
o the rails. The motion of the lever on its pivot is limited by means of stops or
butments placed at both extremities of the quadrant shaped track,
Paine 31

page_text: The outer end of this lover carries a second lever pivotted at about its centre,
and arranged so that in its normal position its outer end projects beyond the first
lever.
Upon the engine (or other suitable part of the train) is fixed an arm projecting
downwards, so that if the line is not clear, the arm in passing will come in contact
with the outer end of the second lever mentioned, and cause it to turn on its pivot,
whereby its inner end will be brought in contact with one end of a third pivotted
lever, the other end of which carries or forms the hammer of a bell or gong mounted
on the pivot of the first lever. The third lever will thus be caused to turn on its
pivot and so lift the hammer until the second lever has passed the third, when a
suitable spring acting on the latter will cause the hammer to descend and strike
the bell or gong.
The second lever (with which the arm on the train comes in contact) is also
caused to assume its normal position when the arm has passed it, by means of a
suitable spring, the end of the third lever (with which the second lever engages)
being jointed so as to allow the second lever to pass back again.
It will thus be seen that an audible signal will be sounded when a train passes
during the time that the signal is at "danger."
So as to provide further security in case of the difficulty of seeing the usual
semaphore (which as above stated is situated beyond this improved signal), a lamp
is connected to the first lever and is moved with it when actuated by the signal
wire or rod, so as to present one coloured light when the lever is in a position
to be acted upon by a passing train, and a different coloured light when in the
" line clear" position.
Above the lamp is fixed a disc of any suitable colour, which when the first lever
is in the "danger" position (or the position for allowing the bell or gong to be
sounded on the passage of a train) presents its full side towards the direction in
which the train is coming, but which when the first lever is in the "line clear"
position, presents only its edge in such direction, and is consequently invisible to
the driver of the train.
In case the driver should have passed my improved signal, and on hearing the
gong or bell sounded, or perceiving the semaphore signal beyond, should want to
return, it is necessary that he should do so without again operating the bell or
gong, or in any way altering the signals, in order to permit which the end of the
second lever with which the arm on the train comes in contact is also jointed, so as
to turn and allow the passage of the arm without turning the lever itself on its
pivot.
The arm on the train has preferably inclined sides so as to render its engagement
with and leaving the end of the second lever less violent, and if necessary the
contact surfaces may be made of a yielding or elastic nature so as to absorb the
shock of the two coming in contact.