Improvements in Apparatus for Operating Switches on Railways.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1891-Accepted, 21st July, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Operating Switches on Railways.
I, SAMUEL TELFORD DUTTON, of Marl Bank, in the City and County of
Worcester, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the saine is to be performed, to be particularly described an
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has reference to apparatus for operating switches on railways an.
has for its object arrangements whereby a pair of switches may be operated from a
distance, say by a lever in the signal cabin or on the platform or in any desire l
spot, by either rod or wire, in conjunction with keys by which a shunter on the
ground can disengage the rod connection from the switch point lever on the ground
connected to the switches, and con, after using the key, operate the switches
independent of the lever in the signal cabin or on the platform.
For the purposes of illustration I will describe my invention as of that form in
which the switches are operated by wire.
It is of course understood that the usual home and distant signals are provided
at the block section in addition to the operating lever for the switches, and what is
known in railway signalling as an "Annett's key" is fitted in connection with the
interlocking apparatus operating that the act of withdrawing the key from the
locking apparatus locks the signal levers which would conflict with the switches
and that as long as the key is away from the locking frame such levers operating
signals conflicting with the switches cannot be operated.
The several levers in the interlocking frame and the "Annett's key" are well
known and I do not lay any special claim to these.
The key taken from the interlocking apparatus and brought to my apparatus on
the ground as illustrated in the drawing and upon being inserted and worked crentes
a break in the wire connection from the operating lever to the switch points
thereby allowing the latter to be operated on the ground by the shunter
independent of the action of the operating lever in the signal cabin or on the
platform.
A double tail, or some other equivalent, is provided to the lever in the signal
cabin operating the switch points and a wire is connected to each tail so that a
"pull "is always obtained on one wire for working the switch points and returning
them.
In order that my invention may be better understood and more readily carried
into effect 1 will proceed to describe the drawing hereunto annexed in which similar
numbers refer to like parts in the various figures.
Figure 1 is a plan of my disengaging apparatus showing the cranks and the,
"Annett's box" bolted to the crank, with the cover reinoved.
Figure 2 is a side view of the disengaging cranks with the cover on the
"Annett's box" and the key inserted.
Figure 3 is a side view of the locking slide, spring bolt and key of the "Annett's
|box.'
1 and 2 are the wires from the operating lever in the signal cabin to my apparatus'
fixed adjacent to the switch points; the wire 2 is connected to an arm 3 of a crank
(fulcrumed at 4 to a base plate 5), the said crank is connected by its arm 6 to one
end of a rod 7; the other end of the rod 7 is connected to an arm 8 of a crank 9,
the said crank 9 is fulcrumed at 10 to the base plate 5. To the arm 11 is connected
the wire 1. A third arm or lever 12 is provided fulcrumed at 10 and working
above the arms 8 and 11. Bolted to the arm 11 is a projection 13. In connection

page_text: at one end.
with the arms 8 and 11 is a locking box similar in operation to an "Annett's box,"
and operating through the box in sliding holes is a blade 14 having a projection 15
On the lever 12 jaws 16 and 17 are provided and the other end of the
said lever 12 terminates in an enlarged curved projection 18 in which is provided a
notch 19. 20 and 21 are notches in the locking slide or blade 14, 22 is a raised
curved piece on 14, 23 is the notch between the sides of 22 and in the interlocking
blade 14. 24 is the lever fulcrumed at 25 retained in ita locked position by a
spring 26, 27 is a projection or tooth for engaging the blade 14 in the notches 20
or 21, 28 is the straight edge of 24 on the side next the key, 29 is the tumbler,
30 is the lower projection and 31 the upper, on the tumbler 29, 32, 33 are the
tongues of the switch points, 34 is the weighted ground lever for operating the
same, 35 is the connecting rod from the switch points to the lever 12 of my
apparatus.
The working of my invention is as follows:
"
The apparatus as illustrated in Figure 1 shows the blade 14 normally free and
out of engagement with the jaws 16 and 17 of the lever 12 and the tail piece 15
of the interlocking blade 14 free of the notch 19 in the curved portion of the
blade 12 beyond the fulcrum; in this position, if the operating lever connected
to the wires 1 and 2 is moved no action will be effected on the rod 35 consequently
the switches will not be operated; the arms 3, 6 and 11 will be moved and the
"Annett's box and its contents will be swung round on the fulcrum 10, but
the blade 12 will remain stationary. The illustration shown in the disengaged
position occurs after the signalman or shunter has withdrawn the "Annett's key
from the interlocking apparatus, thereby locked the signals that would conflict
with the switches, taken the key down to my apparatus, operated 29 and the
interlocking slide 14 into the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. If the
switch points are now moved by the weighted lever 34 the rod 18 is moved
and the blade 12 with it and the rounded end of the said blade is moved to
obstruct the passage of the tail piece 15. When the switches aro replaced to
their normal position the key 29 is turned round so that the projections 30
and 31 are brought into operation; 30 operates on the straight surface 28 of
the lever 24, thrusts that back, compresses the spring 24, withdraws the
projection 27 from the notch 21 and operates on the interlocking blade 14
inoving it forward into engagement between the jaws 16 and 17 and also the
tail piece 15 into engagement in the notch 19; the arms 8 and 11 on the lever 12
are now practically rigid and act as a T crank; the moving forward of the inter-
locking blade 24 into engagement allows the withdrawal of the "Aunett's key,"
the connections are now made good, the key is taken back to the interlocking
apparatus in the signal cabin, reinserted in its position and operated to release the
conflicting signals as shown; the movement of any conflicting signal now would
lock the key in its position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
claim is :-
1. In operating switch points from an interlocking apparatus or from a position
distant from the switch points, providing in the operating connections to the said
switch points apparatus whereby the connections may be disengaged allowing the
free movement of the switches, the conflicting signals or switches being locked in
the desired positions through the operation of the said switch points, all substantially
as set forth and for the purposes described.
2. In railway signalling, arrangements whereby switches may be both operated
from a central cabin or interlocking apparatus by either rod or wire, and arrange
ments and apparatus fixed adjacent to the switch points in combination with an
"Annett's key" whereby on the withdrawal of the key from the interlocking
apparatus in the sigual cabin, thereby locking in the desired. manner switches or

page_text: Bignals, and inserting it in apparatus at the switch points the connections may be
disengaged allowing the said switch points to be operated independent of the
apparatus in the signal cabin, all substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
3. In railway signalling, disengaging apparatus operated by an "Annett's key,"
substantially as described and illustrated and for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 19th day of June 1894.
JOHN P. O'DONNELL,
70 & 71, Palace Chambers, Westminster, S.W.,
Agent for the said Applicant.