IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING UPON RAILWAYS OR FROM TRAIN TO TRAIN, AND FOR ASCERTAINING THE PROGRESS OF TRAINS, AND FOR OPERATING MOVING PARTS OF RAILWAYS." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: [t
LETTERS PATENT to Walter King, of Houston, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS
FOR SIGNALLING UPON RAILWAYS OR FROM TRAIN TO TRAIN, AND FOR
ASCERTAINING THE PROGRESS OF TRAINS, AND FOR OPERATING MOVING PARTS
OF RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter King at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th March 1880.
WALTER KING, of Houston, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain.
"
IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING UPON RAILWAYS OR FROM TRAIN TO
TRAIN, AND FOR ASCERTAINING THE PROGRESS OF TRAINS, AND FOR OPERATING
MOVING PARTS OF RAILWAYS."
The said Invention has for its principal object to enable one train to give such
signals to another train upon the engine or other vehicle of the train itself, as
will warn the driver or guard, or both, of their proximity to the first mentioned
train.
According to the said Invention there are set in the permanent way apparatus
at certain distances apart as may be convenient, which apparatus is so acted upon
by a projection upon the engine or other vehicle of each train as to set apparatus,
also situated at convenient distances apart in the permanent way, to act upon
another projection or lever, with which the engine or other vehicle of each train is
provided, and actuate a signal upon the said vehicle to warn the driver or guard,
or both, of the proximity of their train to the other by which the signal-giving
apparatus was set. The apparatus upon which the first mentioned projection on
the trains acts is also so connected by wires, chains, or other connections to signal
giving apparatus at such a distance that another train may safely proceed past the
point at which it is situated as to release from its acting position the said apparatus
situated at a distance as aforesaid. The apparatus for setting and releasing the
signal giving apparatus may consist of a lever on the permanent way standing in
the path of a projection upon the engine of each train, so that as the train passes,
this lever is depressed and gives movement to an axle, so as to exert a pull upon
a chain or wire connecting the said axle with another axle in the rear, so as to
turn this last mentioned axle and raise a lever or projection into the path of the

page_text: second or signal-giving lever or projection with which each engine is provided.
The first mentioned axle will also be connected by chains, wires, or otherwise with
the axle of a signal-giving lever or projection at such a distance in its rear as that
a following train may safely pass the part at which the said signal-giving lever or
projection is situated, that the said chain or other connection turns the said axle
to lower the said signal-giving lever or projection, so that no signal is given thereby
to the driver or guard of a following train, who then knows that he may safely
proceed. When, however, he receives a signal he will know that the preceding
train has not reached a point at such distance ahead as to release the lever or
projection which has caused the signal to be given, and that he must stop his train
or proceed with caution. The apparatus for setting the signal-giving projection
or lever may be connected with such projections or levers ahead of the train as well
as behind, so that when a train has to cross a line, it may set a signal-giving
projection or lover to give a signal of danger on an approaching train travelling
upon the line being crossed, and may release the said projection or lever when the
crossing is effected.
Combined with the signal-giving lever or projection may be a lamp or other
visible signal, which may be operated so as to be obscured or exhibited according
to the position of the said signal giving lever or projection, so that after a train has
passed over such lever and received a signal therefrom, the said visible signal will
inform the driver that the train ahead has reached such a distance as to release the
said signal-giving lever or projection.
By means similar to those herein before described switches may be operated by
the engine-driver or guard from the train itself, an apparatus similar to that for
operating the signal-giving projection or lever being so connected by chains, wires,
or rods with the switch that on lowering a projection from the engine or brake-
van, the apparatus may be operated to move the switch to complete a crossing line
or the like, and thereafter it may act upon similar apparatus to withdraw the
switch into its normal position.
The signal-giving projections or levers may be furnished with hand levers either
directly connected with their operating axles, or at a distance therefrom to raise or
lower the said projections or levers by hand when exceptional circumstances
may render it necessary. The switches also may be provided with similar hand
levers.
In order to enable the driver to ascertain at what rate he is travelling at night,
or when surrounding objects are not distinguishable, there may be fixed at certain
intervals on the perinanent way projections to act upon a lever on the engine after
the manner in which the before mentioned signal giving projection acts upon the
lever on the engine, the lever in this case being, however, connected with an index
in view of the driver, so that each projection will cause the actuation of the index,
which will consequently show the number of projections, and therefore the distance
passed over.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Walter King in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th September
1880.
WALTER KING, of Houston, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING UPON RAILWAYS OR FROM TRAIN TO
TRAIN, AND FOR ASCERTAINING THE PROGRESS OF TRAINS, AND FOR OPERATING
MOVING PARTS OF RAILWAYS."
"
My said Invention has for its principal object to provide mechanism, such as will
render practicable the giving of signals by one train to another train upon the
engine or other vehicle of the train itself, such as will warn the driver or guard, or
both, of their proximity to the first mentioned train. According to my said
Invention there are set in the permanent way apparatus (which I will call
'apparatus A") at certain distances apart as may be convenient, which apparatus
is so formed or constructed as to receive its motion from the passing train, or
vehicle of a train, without such sudden blows or concussions as would be liable to
break or damage the said apparatus, which blows or concussions in apparatus as
hitherto designed for this purpose have been the cause of failure in their practical
application. There is also set in the permanent way another apparatus to be set
by the said apparatus A, to actuate a signal upon a following engine or vehicle of a
train (which I will call "apparatus B); this apparatus being set at convenient
distances apart in the permanent way, to act without injurious blow or concussion
upon another apparatus or lever with which the engine or other vehicle of each
train is provided, and actuate a signal upon the said vehicle to warn the driver or
guard, or both, of the proximity of their train to the other by which the
apparatus A was operated to set the signal giving apparatus B. The apparatus A
are connected to signal giving apparatus B at such a distance that another train
may safely proceed past the point at which the said apparatus B is situated, as to
release the said apparatus B situated at this point from the position in which it
acts upon the signal giving projection or lever on the engine or other vehicle.
In order to enable the driver to ascertain at what rate he is travelling at night,
or when surrounding objects are not distinguishable, there may be fixed in the
permanent way projections at certain distances apart to act as the train passes them
upon a lever or rod carried by the engine, and actuate an index within view of the
driver, which will shew the number of these projections and consequently the
distance passed over.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner, in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings and to the letters and Figures marked thereon, that is to
Bay:-
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a diagram representing a plan of a
double line of railway and a siding to which is applied apparatus according to my
Invention, the said Figure illustrating with regard to one of the lines the various
relative positions in which the said apparatus may be placed. The other of the
lines will also be similarly provided with similar apparatus to be acted upon by
and give signals upon trains travelling upon this line, in a manner similar to that
hereinafter described and illustrated with regard to one line, the apparatus being of
course so arranged as to be acted upon by, and to give signals upon, the trains
travelling in the reverse direction from that in which the trains travel upon
the line, with regard to which I describe my Invention; Figures 2 to 7 illustrate
the apparatus separately, as hereinafter explained. The apparatus A. (that is, the
apparatus aeted upon by a projection on a passing train to set and to release
apparatus which causes a signal to be given on another train) is set at distances

page_text: apart as may be convenient or necessary, in order that any train may be warned in
sufficient time of its proximity to another train. In the rear of these apparatus A
are placed the apparatus B, which is the apparatus which is set and released by the
apparatus A, so as to cause a signal to be given or not upon a train passing
thereover. The apparatus A. is shewn in plan in Figure 2, and in elevation in
Figures 3 and 4, which are respectively sections taken on the lines 1, 2, and 3, 4, of
Figure 2.
The apparatus A consists of a lever a having its fulcrum at a², and maintained
in its raised position by the counterbalance weight a³, or the counterbalance
weight, and also the arm projecting beyond the fulcrum A³ may be dispensed with,
and the said lever be maintained in its raised position by a weight, or its
equivalent exerting a sufficient pull upon the wire or rod attached to the arm be
(Figure 4), hereinafter described. Beneath the said lever is an axle 6 having
thereon an arm or projection 62 upon which the underside of the lever a bears, the
said axle being mounted in bearings in the chair b³, and in a support b fastened to
the sleeper b which is extended for the purpose. The said axle b carries at its
outer end an arm or arms, or lever or levers, as at bo, to which are attached the
wires or rods c by which the motion given to the axle by the depression of the
lever a is transmitted to apparatus B, as hereinafter described; Figure 8 represents
in elevation drawn to a larger scale a portion of the lever a with the axle b and
the arm b² keyed to such axle, and provided with an antifriction roller 67 upon
which the underside of the lever a bears. The arm 6° for the connection of the
wires or rods to the apparatus B, which the actuation of the axle b is to set or
release may have its outer part working upon a screw on the other part, as shewn,
so that the length of the lever may be varied to give the necessary length of pull
to the said wires or rods, or to compensate for elongation or contraction of the
said wires or rods. The catch 68 hinged to the one part being placed in one or
other of the holes 6º in the other part, retain the said parts in the position to which
they may have been brought; Figure 9 represents in side elevation drawn to a
larger scale the portion of the lever a acted upon by a passing vehicle, the said part
being that between the free end and the fulcrum, the train passing in the direction
of the arrow, that is to say, towards the fulcrum. The lever a is formed (as shewn
in the Drawing), so as to cause the vehicle to give a gradual depression to the lever
slowly at first, then more rapid, and then to allow it to rise slowly so as to
prevent sudden and injurious blows, concussions, or movements of the parts.
The apparatus B is represented in plan in Figure 5, and in longitudinal sections
(taken respectively on the lines 5, 6, and 7, 8, of Figure 5) in Figures 6 and 7.
Figure 10 represents a back elevation, and Figures 11 and 12 sections respectively
taken on the lines 9, 10, and 11, 12, of Figure 10, the said apparatus B drawn to
a larger scale. The said apparatus B consists of a lever d having its fulcrum
at d², and being supported in position by a counterbalance weight d³, and having
beneath it an axle e turning in bearings similar to those which support the axle b
of the apparatus A. The said axle e is provided at one end with a cut away part
at e and a supporting part es, provided with an antifriction roller e upon which the
lever d bears when the axle e is turned through a quarter revolution, so that the
said lever d is prevented from being depressed, but when the said axle is not so
turned, but is in the position shewn in Figure 6, the said lever d will be depressed
into the cut away part e² by any projection from a vehicle passing thereover.
This part of the apparatus is shewn separately in Figures 13 and 14, which exhibit
respectively the positions of the said part when in the position in which the lever d
will yield under a projection on a passing vehicle and that in which the uncut
away part is brought up so that the lever d is rigidly supported so as to cause
such projection on a passing vehicle to yield and sound a signal on such vehicle.
The axle e has at its other end pulleys f, f2, mounted loosely on the said axle e,
and having formed therein long slots f. A bar eo formed on or fixed to the axle e
by the arms e, engages in these long slots f, so that motion may be given to the
axle c by means of either pulley without moving the other of the pulleys. The

page_text: bar is shewn separately in Figure 15. The arm bo of each apparatus A is
connected by a chain or wire or other connection c with the pulley f of the appa-
ratus B immediately behind it, and the same or another similar arm is connected
by a chain or wire or other connection c* with the pulley f* of an apparatus B at
such a distance in the rear of the said apparatus A that a following train may
safely pass the part at which the said apparatus B is situated when the preceding
train has passed the place at which the said apparatus A is situated. These
connections c, c³, I will hereinafter refer to respectively as the setting connection c
and the releasing connection c³, as they respectively set and release the lever d for
causing a signal to be given upon the engine or other vehicle of a train. The said
connections are or may be enclosed in a long box tube or casing c³. The said
setting and releasing connections c and care attached to the pulleys fand ƒ³, 80
that they respectively pull them in opposite directions. Counterweights ³, ƒ³,
return the said pulleys to their normal positions after they have been actuated.
The axle e is provided with a weight e' which ensures the said axle being fully
turned over and retained in position.
The levers a and d may be enclosed on either side by plates, as at e and d³,
their ends being inserted in grooves in the sides of the chairs, as shewn in
Figure 25, which is a plan of a part of the lever d and one of the chairs through
which it passes, shewing also portions of the plates d*.
Each engine, brake van, or other vehicle of each train is furnished with a
projection A (Figure 16) in such position that it depresses the levers a in passing
over them. This projection I prefer to be a cylindrical surface or wheel formed at
back of one of the running wheels of the engine, and of a diameter such as to give
the necessary depression of the lever a. Each such vehicle is also furnished with
a lever B (Figures 16 and 17) capable of turning upon a pin or centre carried by a
bracket on the said vehicle, and provided at its outer end with a wheel g which
runs upon the rail and receives motion therefrom. The said wheel is situated at
such an elevation that it is raised as it passes over such of the levers d as are
supported by the uncut away part of the axle e in the position shewn in Figure 14,
but so that when the vehicle passes over such of the levers d as are not so supported,
the said arm of the lever B is unacted upon by the said levers d. To effect this
the weight of the said wheel g and the lever B will be such that when the lever d
is unsupported (as shewn in Figure 13) the said wheel will not be raised by the
said lever d, but will cause the depression of the said lever into the cut away
part of the axle e. The wheel g may be rotated from a band on the running
axle of the engine or vehicle instead of being in contact with the rail. It will be
understood that the lovers a and the levers d are not in the same line, and that the
projection A on the train is in the same line with the levers a of the apparatus A,
and the wheel g of the lever B2 upon the train is in the same line with the levers d
of the apparatus B. To illustrate this the levers a and d are both shewn in
Figure 16 although they are of course situated at a distance apart longitudinally.
The lever B is connected by a rod h (Figures 16 and 17) with the handle i of the
steam whistle upon the engine, or with other means of operating an audible or
visible signal upon the engine, or in the brake van, or in other vehicle of the train
(one or more of them). This connection may be formed by causing the handle i
which actuates the said whistle to engage in a slot in the upper part of the said
rod h so that the whistle is opened by the raising of the handle i by the lower part
of the slot, the said slot allowing of the depression of the handle i to shut off the
steam from the said whistle after the descent of the rod h.
Referring to Figure 1 the apparatus A and B are shewn as situated at 1, 2, 3;
and 4, which may be at any convenient distances apart, as hereinbefore explained.
The apparatus A are connected with the apparatus B immediately behind by the
setting connections c. The said apparatus A. are also connected by the releasing
connections with other apparatus B at some further distance in their rear, that
is to say, as shewn in Figure 1; the apparatus A at 1 is connected by the setting
connection c with the apparatus-B at 1, and the said apparatus A at 1-is-also-

page_text: connected by the releasing connection c* with the apparatus B at 3; the apparatus A,
at 2 is connected by the setting connection c with the apparatus B at 2, and the
said apparatus A at 2 is also connected by the releasing connection to the
apparatus B at 4, and so on, it being understood that the setting and releasing
connections may be connected in other order to the apparatus A and B than that
shown in Figure 1, as may be found convenient. When a train passes along the
line its projection A will depress the levers a as it passes thereover, and by acting
on the arm 6 of the axle b will turn the said axle, and exert a pull upon the
setting connection c, which is connected with the pulley f of the apparatus B,
which pulley will act upon the rod e, engaging in its slot f, and give a motion of
partial rotation to the axle e, causing its uncut away part e³ to be turned up under
the lever d, as shewn in Figure 14, that is to say, into such position that the said
lever & will be rigidly supported by the said uncut away part e³, so as to act upon
the lever B2 of a following train, and to actuate through the rod h a signal upon
the engine, or on or in other vehicle or vehicles of the train, and thereby warn the
driver or guard, or both, of the proximity of their train with that by which the
axle e was turned to set the lever d. The depression of the lever a at the same
time that it causes the supporting of a signal giving lever & immediately in its rear
will, through the releasing connection c² which connects the arm be with the
pulley of some apparatus B at a safe distance as aforesaid, cause the turning of
the cut away part 2 of the axle e to beneath the lever d, so as to release the
lever d of such apparatus B so far in the rear that a train may safely pass the spot
at which it is situated. This will be effected by the said releasing connection c³
exerting a pull upon the pulley f² and turning it, and through the rod e³ also
turning the axle e, so that the uncut away portion e³ of the said axle is brought
from beneath the lever d (as shewn in Figure 13), and consequently the lever d
will be depressed by the wheel g on a passing train or vehicle without giving a
signal. Thus each train will constantly as it proceeds set apparatus B, which will
give warning on a succeeding train, and will release the apparatus B, which it had
previously set, when the occasion for such warning at the spot at which the last
mentioned apparatus B is situated is no longer necessary. A driver or guard, or
both, will thus be made aware when they are in proximity to another train ahead
by a signal (which may be the sounding of a steam whistle or other convenient
audible or visible signal, or both) given directly on the engine or brake van or
other vehicle of their train. If no such signal be received they will know that
there is no train within a certain distance ahead. Although I have described the
apparatus B as being set in the rear of the apparatus A to give signals to following
trains, yet the apparatus B may be placed to give warning ahead of a train in the
same manner as herein before described; for instance (reference being had to
Figure 1) where a train has to cross a line by a cross over road as at X,
apparatus A, similar to that hereinbefore described, may be situated as at 5,
Figure 1, and connected by a setting connection c with an apparatus B similar to
that herein before described, and situated as at 6, Figure 1, so that as the train
which is crossing the main line approaches such line it acts on the apparatus A at 5,
and sets the apparatus B at 6 so as to give a signal of danger in the manner
herein before described upon a train travelling in the direction of the arrow on the
main line being crossed.
Apparatus A, similar to that bereinbefore described, may also be situated in the
siding as at 5, and connected by a releasing connection c³ with the apparatus B
at 6, so as to release the said apparatus from its acting position when the train has
crossed the main line.
Combined with the apparatus B there may be a lamp or other visible signal,
which may be operated so as to be obscured or exhibited according to the position
of the apparatus B, so that after a train has passed over the said apparatus and
received a signal therefrom the said visible signal will indicate to the driver or
guard that the train ahead has reached the spot at which it releases the said
apparatus B from its signal giving position.

page_text: In Figures 18 and 19 is shewn in front and side elevation respectively a lamp
mounted upon one of the sleepers at the end of the axle e; a projection / from the
axles e is situated between the slotted projection 12 upon the cover ³, which obscures
the light from the lamp, so that when the axle e is turned to support the lever d
the projection k by bearing on the lower part of the projection 13 depresses the
cover of the lamp, and its light is exhibited, and when the axle e is rotated in the
opposite direction the projection lc bears upon the upper part of the projection l³,
and again obscures the light, thus indicating that the lever d has been released
from its acting position. The axles e of the apparatus B may be furnished with
hand levers, either directly connected to the said axles or at a distance therefrom,
and connected by chains or other connections with extra pulleys (as at ƒ³, Figure 10)
on the axles e, so that the apparatus B may be set by hand when exceptional
circumstances may render it necessary, for example, when a train leaves the main
line for a siding, the signal giving levers d, which the said train has left unreleased,
it will be necessary to release by means of the hand levers.
Any number of pulleys for releasing or setting the apparatus B from any number
of places may be mounted upon the axle e.
.
Connections from the apparatus A may also be led to semaphores or other
signals at the side of the line, or otherwise, to be set or released at the same time
as are the apparatus B; or, for example, the axles e may be continued and provided
with projections to be acted upon to support the semaphore in the safety position
when the lever d is unset, but such as to allow the semaphore to rise to danger
when the lever d is set.
In order to enable the driver to ascertain at what rate he is travelling at night,
or when surrounding objects are indistinguishable, there are fixed at certain
intervals in the permanent way projections which act upon a rod or lever on the
engine and actuate an index within view of the driver, which will shew the
number of these projections passed over and consequently the distance travelled.
In Figure 20 I have shewn in side elevation an engine and a portion of the
permanent way provided with means for indicating the rate of travelling as
aforesaid. The projections p are fixed at any suitable distance (say 2 or 3 miles)
apart, and act upon an arm q with which the engine is provided, so as to raise the
rod q² and cause it through a pawl (or other equivalent and well known means for
actuating index dials) to give a motion of partial rotation to a dial (or its pointer),
upon which will be marked the various divisions of the journey corresponding to
the places at which the projections p are placed, so that as the train passes over the
projections p a portion of the dial will be brought into view or opposite a pointer,
or the pointer moved so as to indicate the place at which the train is at any
particular time. The engine driver may have within view a table of the times at
which he should arrive at the various parts of his journey, and by comparing the
indications of the dial with a timepiece and the aforesaid table he can easily
ascertain at what rate he is travelling.
The projections p in the permanent way are or may be inclined to such an
inclination as will render their action upon the arm q easy and free from jolting
effects, and the arms q on the engine or other vehicles may be furnished with
antifriction rollers to bear on the said projections p in the permanent way. The
said projections in the permanent way may with advantage have their upper
surfaces of the form shewn for the lever a in Figure 9.
Where long lengths of connections are employed I provide them with
arrangements to compensate for contraction and expansion, which may be of any
suitable construction. I have shewn an apparatus for this purpose in side elevation
in different positions in Figures 21 and 22, and in plan in Figure 23. A framing s
is mounted upon trunnions & in any suitable bearings. The said framing has in it
pulleys 8, over and under which pass the connections c². The perpendicular
arm & of the framing & has a wire r connected to it, the said wire being fixed at
one end, and counterweighted as at r² at the other. As the said wire-r-expands-and
contracts with the connections c² when they are expanded the wire r is thereby

page_text: slacked, so that the weight 2 pulls over the framing s towards the position shewn
in Figure 22, and causes the connection c² to take a longer path according to the
degree of expansion. When the wire r and connection c² contract, the framing. s
returns towards the position Figure 21.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the system, mode, or
manner in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not limit myself to the precise
details shewn and described, as the same may be varied without departing from the
nature of my Invention; for example, the lever a instead of being arranged and
counterweighted, as before described, may be arranged and counterweighted as
shewn in Figure 24, but what I consider to be novel and original and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
First. Arranging in or on the permanent way of railways apparatus which is
acted upon by passing trains to set other apparatus, by which mechanism is operated
to sound or exhibit signals upon other trains, the said apparatus being arranged or
constructed essentially as and for the purpose bereinbefore described.
Second. The construction and use of the apparatus hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 2, 3, 4, 8, and 9 of the accompanying Drawings, wherein the
lever a is so constructed or formed and situated in the permanent way that the said
lever is depressed by the passing train acting thereon from the free end of the
said lever towards its fulcrum, and so that the rapid motion of the train is caused
to give a slow depression of the lever a for the purpose of preventing injurious
blows or concussions.
Third. The apparatus B used in combination with the apparatus A, essentially
as herein before described with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The means, essentially as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figure 20, for indicating upon the engine or other vehicle of the train the rate at
which the train is travelling.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter King, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.