IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR ACTUATING RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis William Webb, of Crewe, in the County
of Chester, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MECHANISM OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR ACTUATING RAILWAY POINTS AND
SIGNALS."
.
Sealed the 9th April 1874, and dated the 7th February 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis William Webb
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 7th February 1874.
I, FRANCIS WILLIAM WEBB, of Crewc, in the County of Chester,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR ACTUATING RAILWAY POINTS
AND SIGNALS," to be as follows:-
t
Firstly. My Invention relates to and consists in an improved combi-
nation, arrangement, and construction of mechanism for holding the
point and signal levers and locking the same in their correct positions
after they have been moved to actuate the points or signals.

page_text: Fig. I is a side elevation of one modification.
Fig. 2 is a similar view shewing another modification.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of another modification; and Fig. 4 is a front
elevation of the same.
In each modification a is the quadrant, having two notches in it; &
b, the lever handle for actuating the point or signal; and 6', its fulcrum.
The lever handle 6 is arranged to slide up and down in a socket 6°
forming the axis or fulcrum part of the lever, and in the side of the
lever handle 6 there is a fixed projection which enters the notches in the
quadrant. The lever handle 6 is slided up to lift its projection out of 1
the notches in the quadrant by a lever c which has its fulcrum at c¹ on
the framing; one end of this lever is slotted to fit a stud projecting
from the side of the lever handle b, and the other end of the lever (c)
is jointed with a vertical notched bar & which interlocks with projections
on the horizontal sliding bars e in the ordinary manner. The upper end 1
of the rod & forms a treadle for the foot of the signal and pointsman, and
by pressing upon it he releases the lever handle 6 from the notches in
the quadrant (a) and at the same time actuates the notched bar d.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the locking takes place when the treadle is depressed,
but some of the movement is lost when the lever handle 6 drops into the 2
notch in the quadrant after being "pulled over," but this is compensated
either by the inclined arrangement of the slot in the lever c, as in Fig. 1,
or by making the top of the quadrant (a) excentric, as in Fig. 2, or by
making one notch deeper than the other.
In Figs. 3 and 4 the treadle d' actuates the lever c and lifts the lever 2
handle (a), and a rod c² connects the lever handle and the notched
locking bar d.
Loss of movement for locking is prevented in the modification shown
in Figs. 3 and 4 by causing the projecting end of the connecting rod c²
that passes through a slot in the lever handle b to catch upon a ledge a¹, 3
on the side of the quadrant when the lever handle 6 is " pulled over,"
as the slot in the latter permits the lever handle to fall so that its pro-
jection or catch will enter the notch in the quadrant. By this arrange-
ment the first movement given to the treadle completely locks those
lever handles working in combination before movement can take place 3
in the lever handle which is about to be pulled over. The treadle

page_text: through a hand lever.
Secondly. My Invention relates to and consists in forming the hori-
zontal lock bars of the cross section shown in Fig. 5, and in securing the
› locking projections (x) as shown.
Thirdly. My Invention relates to and consists in the form, construc-
tion, and mode of guiding the rods that transmit motion from the point
levers to the points.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the improved rod for transmitting move-
ment to a "point," showing the pulley and pulley box for supporting
the rod or rods; Fig. 7 is a cross section of the same.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross section of the rod 9 and "fish plate" (g¹) for
connecting the rods; and Fig. 9 shows the mode of forming that part of
the rod where the adjusting coupling link is to be placed. The point
rods g as shown in the Drawings are made of U section, but they may
be of H section, the inside surface being supported and guided upon
pulleys h, as shown; the rods are kept in their places by an antifriction
bowl i, as shown. The rods are rolled or formed in lengths which are
held end by end by a "fish plate," secured as shown. Round pieces of
iron j are welded or otherwise secured by bolts or rivets to the end of
the rod g, as shown in Fig. 9, to form right and left-handed screw
adjusting couplings.
Fourthly. My Invention relates to and consists in the arrangement
and form of the lever handle for both actuating the catch and pulling
or pushing over signal or point levers. Fig. 9" is a side view, and Fig. 10
a front view. k is a partof the ordinary point or signal lever; l, the lever
handle.
Fifthly. In the present system of working points there has been no
satisfactory arrangement to indicate clearly whether the points have
been "pulled over," and cases have arisen in which the signalman has
supposed that the points have been pulled when in fact without his
being aware of it the connections have been broken. And this part of
my Invention relates to and consists in a system or mode of indicating
that the points have been properly "pulled over," and locking or
preventing the signals from being acted upon when the points are not in
their correct position. To carry out this part of my Invention I place a

page_text: shaft under the points which will be oscillated by connection with the
signal wire or rods, and this shaft has arms which will come against the
under side of the points and prevent the signal from being moved if
the points are in the wrong position. Two oscillating shafts may be
used, one for the main line and the other for the branch line. A hori-
zontal bar hinged like a parallel ruler to lift vertically and move in an
arc is placed alongside one of the rails and is connected with an arm
from the oscillating shaft so as to move with the signal, and as this
movement will be prevented by a passing train the signal cannot be
lifted, and this also keeps the shaft in such position as to prevent the
points from being changed while a train is passing as its arm or arms
are then in the way. When there are two or more oscillating shafts
there is an hinged horizontal bar for each shaft. In place of oscillating
shafts levers or other mechanical equivalents may be used. This part
of my Invention is illustrated by Fig. 11, a plan; and Fig. 12, a side
elevation. m, rails; n, point rails; p, oscillating shaft for main line;
p³, oscillating shaft for branch line; p³, arms on shafts; q, horizontal
bars which prevent the movement of the oscillating shafts pand p¹ while
a train is passing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francis William Webb in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th August 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
WILLIAM WEBB, of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Engincer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Francis William Webb,
Her special license that I, the said Francis William Webb, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Francis William Webb, my executors, 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,

page_text: and at the same time actuates the notched bar d. The weight of the
sliding lever handle when the treadle is released is arranged to be
sufficient to lift the bar d and cause the projection upon the lever handle
to enter the notches when the lever is in its two extreme positions.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the locking takes place when the treadle is depressed,
but some of the movement is lost when the lever handle d drops into
the notch in the quadrant after being "pulled over," but this is com-
pensated for either by the incline arrangements in the slot in the lever c,
as in Fig. 1, or by making the top of the quadrant a eccentric, as in
Fig. 2, or by making one notch deeper than the other.
In Figs. 3 and 4 the treadle d' actuates the lever c and lifts the lever
handle b, and a rod c² connects the lever handle and the vertical notched
locking bar. d.
Loss of movement for locking is prevented in the modification shewn
in Figs. 3 and 4 by causing the projecting end of the connecting rod c³
that passes through a slot in the lever handle 6 to catch upon a ledge a¹
on the side of the quadrant when the lever handle 6 is "pulled over,"
as the slot in the latter permits the lever handle to fall so that its pro-
jection or catch will enter the notch in the quadrant. By this arrange-
ment the first movement given to the treadle completely locks those
lever handles, working in combination before movement can take place
in the lever handle about to be "pulled over." The bar d or d may be
extended upwards to be acted upon by hand directly or through a
lever.
Secondly. My Invention relates to locking bars for signal levers, and
consists in forming them of the cross sections shewn in Fig. 5, and in
securing the locking studs or projections (x) as shewn.
Thirdly. My Invention relates to and consists in the form and con-
struction and mode of guiding the rods that transmit motion from the
point or signal levers to the points or signals.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the improved rod for transmitting move-
ment to a point or signal, showing the pulleys or pulley box for
supporting and guiding the rod or rods, and Fig. 7 is a cross section of
the same.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross section of the rod. g and fish-plate (9¹) for
connecting the rods, and Fig. 9 and Fig. 9ª show the mode of forming that

page_text: part of the rod where the adjusting coupling link is placed. The rods g
as shewn in the Drawings are made of U section, but they may be made
of H section (in which case I prefer to use two fish plates at each joint),
the inside surface being supported and guided by pulleys h as shewn.
The rods are kept in their places by an antifriction bowl i in each
guide box as shown. The rods are rolled or formed in lengths, which
are held by a fish plate (9) secured as shown. The right and left-handed
screw couplings j are welded or otherwise secured by bolts or rivets to
the end of the rod 9, as shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 9ª.
Fourthly. My Invention relates to the form of the lever handle for
actuating the sliding weights, as described in the Specification of my
Patent No. 442, A.D. 1874, and for pulling or pushing over signal or point
levers, and consists in forming such handles as shown by Fig. 10 a side
view, and Fig. 11 a front view. k is part of an ordinary point or signal
lever; 7, the lever handle formed with a loop for the hand; ;. fulcrum
of lever;
part of rod to connect lever and sliding weight.
Fifthly. My Invention relates to the combination and arrangement of
mechanism with points and signals, the object of which is to prevent the
signals for the advance of a train from being given except the points are
in their right position, and to prevent the signals from being changed
from the "all-right position while a train is passing over the points.
This part of my Invention is illustrated by Fig. 12 a plan, and Fig. 13
a side elevation. m are the rails; n and n³, the points; n², n³, are
connecting rods between the two points; p, a slide plate having a cam
slot in it which acts upon a bowl in the cross rod n', which transmits
motion to the points, substantially as used on the North Eastern Railway
in connection with the "Harrison wedge" for securing the points..
The cam slot is at each end in the line of the motion of the slide, so
that the cam completes the movement of the "points" when they are
to be changed before the slide completes its movement, thereby ensuring
the points being moved and held firmly in their correct position inde-
pendently of any variation or irregularity in the action of the rod p¹
from expansion or contraction or other cause. q is a shaft having
bearings in brackets secured to the rails m. This shaft has two arms q¹
forged or keyed upon it which come under the points in the position
in which they are shown in Fig. 12, (in which position they are right
for the main line) and consequently prevent the shaft from being
oscillated by the branch line signal wire or rod o̟³, which is connected.

page_text: with an arm q³ keyed upon the end of the shaft, which is oscillated
when the signal is moved, as the same movement which gives motion to
the shaft is transmitted forward to the signal. q' is a shaft arranged and
actuated similar to shaft q. This shaft has two arms q5 forged or keyed
upon it in such a position that one is forced to come inside the point n,
and the other is forced to come within the point n¹ and the rail m
when the shaft is oscillated by the main line signal wire or rod q²*,
which is connected with an arm q³× keyed upon the end of the shaft q*.
Thus when the points are set for the main line, as shown in Fig. 12, the
main line signal is free to be lowered to "all right," but the branch line
signal is retained at "danger," as the arms q¹ on the shaft q come under
the points and prevent the shaft from being escillated, but if the points
are set right for the branch line then the arms q¹ on the shaft q are clear
of the points, and the shaft q is free to oscillate and the branch line
signal to be lowered, in which case the main line signal is retained at
"danger" by the arms q5 coming under the points and preventing the
shaft q* from being oscillated, so that if through any failure or breakage
of the point rods the points are not set in their correct position, although
the point lever in the signal cabin may have been pulled over and have
thus unlocked the signal lever, the arms on the oscillating shafts q
or q (as the case may be) will prevent the signals from being lowered.
I also employ a vibrating bar q³ in connection with each oscillating shaft
q or q' as shown. Each vibrating bar q³ is hinged on levers q³ to move
parallel to the rail (m), and is connected by a rod q' with an arm qª upon
the rocking shaft, so that the flanges of the wheels of a passing engine
or train will prevent the movement of the bars (q³) and their connected
oscillating shafts q and q', and consequently the signals cannot be moved
while a train is passing over the points.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention and
the mode of carrying it into effect, and claim as my Invention,-
Firstly. The combination, arrangement, and construction of mechanism
for holding point and signal levers, and locking and unlocking the same
by a treadle or handle, substantially as herein-before described and illus-
trated by the Drawings.
Secondly. The forming of locking bars and securing the locking studs
or projections therein, substantially as herein-before described and illus-
trated by Fig. 5 of the Drawings.

page_text: Thirdly. The form or section and mode of guiding and supporting rods
for transmitting motion to points and signals, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Fourthly. The form of handles for signal and point levers for both
unlatching or latching and pulling or pushing over point or signal levers,
as herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Fifthly. The combination and arrangement of mechanism for actuating
signals and locking the same, to prevent signals from being given except
the points are right, and the signals from being moved while a train is
passing the points, as herein-before described and illustrated by the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis William Webb, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-