IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Douglas Norton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th January 1877.
CHARLES DOUGLAS NORTON, of Stoke Newington, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON RAILWAYS."
My Invention has for its object the giving of audible sounds in conjunction with
the signals already in use.
According to one mode of carrying out my Invention in order to effect this object
I employ a double inclined plane having a parallel bottom bar, the projecting ends
of which I mount in bearings on the end of the sleepers and parallel with the per-
manent way. This inclined plane I move to or from the rails by the following
means I employ a rocking shaft mounted at right angles to the inclined plane
and having two cranks, one underneath the inclined plane and the other at the end
nearest the signal post, the latter of such cranks being intended for the attachment
of the signal rods or wires, and the other to be fixed to a connecting rod secured to
the inclined plane. The rocking shaft also carries a balance lever on which I fix a
weight and also the rod at present in use and attached to the simaphore.
The apparatus is operated in the following manner:- -The man in the signal box
by the act of pulling his lever draws down the simaphore and the inclined plane
simultaneously moves further away from the line, the two being thus worked auto-
matically, and when the lever is released the simaphore is changed to danger by
means of the balance weight and the inclined plane simultaneously returned to its
former position at danger.
The object of the inclined plane is to give audible sounds to a passing loco-
motive in all seasons, but more especially in misty or foggy weather, such sounds
being produced through the intervention of the following devices:-At the side or
any other convenient part of the engine I fix a bell or gong, and I mount on a
centre or fulcrum a lever having a long and a short arm, the latter of which I
attach with a connecting rod or wire to the bell or gong, whilst to the long arm is
fixed a wheel. The lever is placed by preference at an angle of, say, about 45°, but it
may be otherwise arranged as desired. The end of the long arm of the lever or the
wheel depends towards the ground sufficiently low to come in contact with the
inclined plane at the bottom end. It will be seen that the wheel will roll up
the inclined plane and will raise the long arm, and beyond the fulcrum the short
arm will descend, drawing the connecting rod or wire and so sound the bell or
I Driss 247

page_text: gongs. It is obvious that a whistle may be sounded in a similar manner. Or I
cause a sliding bar to slide up the side of the engine with the wheel at the bottom,
the said bar standing at right angles to the inclined plane. The bell, gong, or
whistle is arranged above the upper end of the sliding bar, so that by its ascent the
audible sound will be given. A lever or sliding bar may be arranged on each side
of the engine if desired.
It will be seen that when the distant signal is set to danger the inclined plane
will be at "danger" also, and so the two will constitute a double signal at all times
except in foggy weather, when if the red light or simaphore is not visible the
audible sound signal will inform the driver of his position or that he is at the
distant signal.
The inclined plane may be fixed nearer to the home signals and to the rods of
the latter and so work in conjunction. This latter arrangement is more adapted
for use in foggy weather, and can be brought into action at pleasure, this second
signal or audible sound being for the train to stop and not to pass the main or
home signal.
In order to notify to the driver that he is to proceed I fix a bell to the home
signal post, or a pneumatic whistle or horn, to be operated by the signalman, so
that when the signal is set for "road clear" the bell, whistle, or horn will be
sounded, the whole of the explosive detonators with the men required to fix them
being thus dispensed with.
If the distant signal is fixed on a bank or at an elevation in the cutting a con-
siderable distance from the line I fix the rocking shaft and inclined plane, as herein-
before described, weighting it just to balance or to run to danger. The wire or
rods can continue on to the distant signal, so that the same wire will work the
two, as herein-before described.
In case the distant signal is required at a greater distance than the wires or rods
will work directly, I employ an hydraulic accumulator capable of sustaining a
pressure of, say, 2 or 3 tons, and having pipes or one continuous pipe extending
therefrom to the desired distance. At the end of the pipe I form an hydraulic ram
capable of lifting to the required height. The accumulator is to be fixed in the
signal box, the lifting of the weight on the top of the accumulator having the effect
of depressing the ram at the other end and so change the signals to "road clear," the
release of the weight producing the opposite action, as is well understood.
The mechanism for operating the inclined plane is enclosed on all sides so as to
exclude snow, dirt, and other extraneous matters.