IMPROVED APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH SEMAPHORE AND OTHER LIKE SIGNALS UPON RAILWAYS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Waymouth, junior, of 7, Coleridge Road,
Holloway, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH SEMAPHORE AND
OTHER LIKE SIGNALS UPON RAILWAYS."
Sealed the 7th October 1876, and dated the 22nd July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Waymouth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd July 1876.
SAMUEL WAYMOUTH, junior, of 7, Coleridge Road, Holloway, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer. IMPROVED APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH
SEMAPHORE AND OTHER LIKE SIGNALS UPON RAILWAYS."
This Invention relates to improved appliances to be used in connection with
semaphore and other like signals upon railways, and consists in affixing to the
vertical pull rod (which is between the pull-over lever and the semaphore) one armı
of a three-armed lever. The second arm has on its end a roller to ride in a cam-
shaped bracket forming part of the vertical pull rod, which rod is linked at its
lower part to the post, and the upper end to a short arm of the semaphore. The
third arm of the three-armed lever has a roller on its end to take into a curved part
on the top of the bracket to lock the signal at danger should the weight become
disconnected from the lever, the tension of the pull wire first taking signal off the
friction roller, on the third arm rides against or upon the curved part of the bracket
and depresses it until the roller falls into a notch to lock the signal at danger.
The weights on the lower end of the pull-over lever are of slotted shape to be
slid over a thin part of the weight holder whose lower end has a projection to take
against a stop piece and thereby limit its action in the ordinary working of the
signal, but should the weight become disconnected from the lever the tension of the
wire pulls the pull-over lever to a vertical position and forces the signal over to
danger and locks it in that position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Samuel Waymouth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th January
1877.
*5
SAMUEL WAYMOUTH, junior, of 7, Coleridge Road, Holloway, in the County of
Middlesex. IMPROVED APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH SEMAPHORE
AND OTHER LIKE SIGNALS UPON RAILWAYS."
"
This Invention relates to improved appliances to be used in connection with
semaphore and other like signals upon railways, and its object is to prevent a
signal falling to "line clear" or to "caution after it has been set to " danger,"
such as happens through the arın being loaded with snow or the weights attached to
the rock lever becoming disconnected from it.
The Invention consists in affixing to a vertical pull rod (which is between the
rock lever and the semaphore) one arm of a three-armed lever or tumbler. The
second arm of this has on its end a roller to ride in a cam-shaped bracket forming
part of the vertical pull rod, which rod is linked to the post, and the upper end to
a short arm of the semaphore. The third arm of the three-armed lever has in
some cases a roller on its end to take into a curved part on the top of the bracket
to lock the signal at "danger" should the weight become disconnected from the
lover the tension of the pull wire first taking the signal "off" the friction roller
on the third arın, then rides against or upon the curved part of the bracket and
depresses it until the roller falls into a notch to lock the signal at "danger."
The weights on the lower end of the rock lever are of slotted shape to be slid
over a thin part of the weight holder whose lower end has a projection to take
against a stop piece, and thereby limit its action in the ordinary working of the
signal, but should the weight become disconnected from the lever the tension of the
wire pulls the rock lever to a vertical position, and forces the signal over to
danger" and locks it in that position.
"
"
"
My Invention will be clearly understood by reference to the accompanying
Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a semaphore post A with the parts con-
nected, and with the arm B at "danger as put" by the signalman or other
attendant in the ordinary manner. C is a vertical rod of shorter-length than usual,
whose lower end is jointed to the rock lever D which is jointed on the back plate E
furnished with a stop block F, G. The travel of the rock lever when in ordinary
working is limited by the stop F, G, and the lower end of the rod V when acted
upon by the pull chain H which is in connection with the lever in the signal cabin.
The upper end of the vertical pull rod C is jointed to the arm I of the tumbler J
whose other arm K is fitted with a roller or bowl L to ride in an oblique channel M
formed in a bracket or cam piece N which for the purposes of my Invention serves
as a portion of the lower part of the upper vertical pull rod, marked P, and is in
connection with the semaphore or signal arm B. The upper vertical rod P with
the bracket or cam N is suspended or hinged to the post A by links Q, Q, so that
the bracket moves in front of the face of the back plate R describing an are up and
down when acted upon by the roller. S is the third arm upon and forming part
of the tumbler which carries a bowl or roller, or it may be a pin or the end of the
arm itself to fall into the notch T in the top face or edge of the bracket should by any
chance the balance weight U or the rod V become disengaged from the rock lever
such as is represented in Figure 2, where the bolt pin a is supposed to have fallen out.
If the weights attached to the rock lever D become disconnected as stated above,
the tension of the wire will first pull the semaphore arm to "line clear" as if the
signalman had pulled his lever in the signal cabin, but as the rod Vis not connected
with the rock lever D, the further motion of this lever causes the rod C to be
pushed higher, the roller or bowl L then escapes from the slot, and the roller W on
the other arm S forces the top part of the bracket down and falls into the notch T,
remaining there holding the semaphore arm at "danger" as shown in Figure 2.
The same result would be the case should the rock lever D become broken as
shown in Figure 4. The tension of the pull chain would as before explained cause

page_text: the bracket to descend until the bowl W or the end of the arm S found a lodgment
in the recess or notch T, as in Figure 2 to hold the semaphore at "danger."
It will be further seen that if the weights are moved through half their distance
the roller comes to the centre of the slot, but this does not move the cam-shaped
bracket through half its travel since part is lost, owing to the roller having reached
the lowest point in the arc described by it, consequently the semaphore arm does
not move through half its distance. The weights, therefore, upon being raised
cause the semaphore arm to move slowly through the first portion of the distance,
and then quicker, which variable motion of the arm allows the weights to sustain
a greater amount of snow on the arm than is possible with the ordinary semaphore
apparatus, because the full effect of the snow on the arm is felt when at "danger
and lost when the arm is in a vertical position.
"
Should the tension of the wire not be sufficient the movement of the lever in
the signal cabin will pall the signal to "danger" when the weights become dis-
connected.
Figure 3 and 4 represent a modification of the foregoing, and in which the
bracket or cam is dispensed with, and a series of rods substituted in lieu thereof
for the purpose of returning the semaphore arm to danger and for retaining it in
that position should the lever become disconnected from the weights or broken as
before explained.
The lower end of the lower vertical rod C is jointed to the rock lever D, and has
its upper end connected to a short arm c of a bell crank, whose other and longer
arm has attached to it the lower end of a connection rod e, which at its upper
end is fitted to a short arm f of a second bell crank, this having its longer arin g
jointed to a single armed lever / by a strap or rod i, by which the upper vertical
rod P is actuated, and also the semaphore arm B or signal as shown.
The dotted lines, Figure 3, show the position of the lever and rods when the
signal has been acted upon by the signalman when he indicates "line clear," the
semaphore arm being then in the position near the post A.
"
"
As in Figure 1 the variable motion is caused so as to give the weights attached
to the lever a greater force when the arm approaches the danger position than
when the arm is at "line clear."
The full lines, Figure 3, show the position the rods and levers take when the
signal is set at "danger," the quadrant end of the rock lever D being then up and
held at the top of its travel by the point k, bearing on the stop block G; should,
however, the rock lever break, as is shown in Figure 4, or the bolt pin a come out,
or the upper part of the weight rod break, the tension of the pull chain will draw
down the quadrant end of the rock lever D, and put it into contact with the opposite
face of the stop block G, the lower vertical lever than going to a greater height, and
will throw its joint pin centre in line with the path of the rock lever pin centre, and
the centre of the short arın pin of the lower bell crank as indicated by the line X, X.
In approaching this position the long arm & throws the rod e higher up, and this
causes the long arm g of the second bell crank to throw its joint pin, and the lower
end of the rod i which is jointed to it to the opposite side or edge of the face
plate R, bringing the semaphore arm to danger and locked in that position since
the three centres are in the straight line X, X.
The three centres l, m, n, shown in Figure 3, are also in line when the semaphore
arm is set at "danger" by the signalman, and are thus locked, so to speak, which
would prevent the semaphore arm falling or lowering itself should it become
weighted with snow.
The usual lamp discs or glasses and their fittings can be attached to the upper
vertical rod as is now done to cover and uncover the faces of the lamps for night
signalling.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim-
The arrangement of appliances shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed Draw-
ings fitted to signal apparatus, by which appliances the semaphore or other signal
or indicator can be automatically reset and be kept at "danger" as set forth.

page_text: Secondly. I claim the combination of the three-armed lever or tumbler, and the
bracket or cam with oblique channel for one end or arm of the lever to work in
and control its action as a means of varying the power of the weights and serving
as a lock for the semaphore when at "danger," and another arm to serve as a lock
and stop upon the bracket as and for the purposes described, with reference to
Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed Drawings, whether applied to a railway signal post
or to other apparatus used for signalling purposes on railways.
Thirdly. I claim the combination of lever bell cranks and rods between a sema-
phore or signal arm or indicator, and a rock or little lever as explained with
reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the annexed Drawings as a modification and
answering in a similar manner to that described above.
In witness whereof, I, said Samuel Waymouth, junior, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of January, One thousand cight
hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness to the signature of Samuel
Weymouth, junior,
RICHARD GEORGE CLARKE,
29, Medina Road, Holloway,
London.
SAMUEL WAYMOUTH, JUN'. (L.S.)