Improvements in Apparatus for "Actuating "Points and Signals upon Railways.
Year: 1893

page_text: 'Date of "Application, 10th 'Apr., '1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for "Actuating "Points and Signals
upon Railways.
I, ARTHUR RICHARD MANN SIMKINS, Telegraph Engineer, of 36, Windsor
Road, Ealing, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be. as follows:-―
My-invention relates. more especially to single lines of railway in countries such
as India, where the traffic is not large and where it is advisable that the work of
shifting the points at the junction of two lines.of rail, as for instance at a siding,
and the proper corresponding movement of a signal by which the position of the
pointsuis-indicated, without fail, should be capable of being done with the use of as
little labour nas possible, and. preferably.by one man who may be stationed at a
considerable distance from the points which are to be operated upon the line.
My improved apparatus has for its object novel methods. of constructing,
arranging, and operating mechanism of the kind described, such apparatus being
sufficiently simple and inexpensive, and not liable to get out of order.
In order to putomy-invention in operation, I connect the shifting or moveable
points in the usual way to a rod. by which their position can be altered as required,
and the other end of this rod I connect to the..short. arm of a horizontal lever
sturning upon a vertical pivot.in the frame of cast iron. or other suitable material
firmly fixed in thesground near the side of the railway.
"
The longer arm of the lever is divided into two separate arms at an obtuse angle
to each other, and below them is arranged a longitudinal. guide at right angles to
the rails in which can slide backward and forward a block carrying at its upper.end
al friction'roller which fits in the obtuse.angle-between the two arms described.
Itrisrevident that if..the slide.block be,moved in one.direction it will force one of
the arms out until its edge is parallel with the direction of movement of the block,
andrif in the other direction it will force the other, arm. out, the moveable points
being at the same time shifted into one or other of their positions.
or
The slide block is caused to travel in either direction along its guide, by means
of ropes, cords, chains, or rods, attached to its ends and after passing 'round pulleys
being-attached-to-bell-cranks being conducted to any desired distance to the
-barrel of axwinch round which chains connected to them are wound-in opposite
directions so that by turning the winch in one or other direction, the slide block is
made to traverse and the points are shifted.
Or, instead of a winch a suitable lever may be used.
The two obtuse arms .described are of such length that after either of them has
been brought into a position parallel with the direction of movement of the slide
block, the points being then fully brought to the required position, the friction
roller which actuates them can continue its movement without farther' Effect upon
the points.
Turning preferably upon the same pivot as the Tever described, and 'arranged
either above or below it 'the latter,' I arrange a second fever having'a'slöt in it
through which fits and passes the spindle of the friction roller, or a part of the
said roller itself. This slot is of such shape-that when the lever is in its central
position the slot is parallel to the line of movement: of the guide block; and the
length of this part of the slot is such that the friction roller does not reach-either
end of it until the corresponding arm of the lever which works the points as first
described has 'taken-its full-stroke and has reached a positioniparallel with the line
"of movement of the guide. The slot is then inclined at each end at a considerable

page_text: angle to its central part, so that as the movement of the slide block continues the
slotted lever is turned upon its centre, in one or other direction according as the
slide block is at one or the other end of its stroke.
It will be seen therefore that when the points are being moved the slotted lever
remains motionless, whilst when the former have reached the end of their stroke
the slotted lever commences to move.
The slotted lever is provided with an arm to which is jointed an adjustable rod
connected with levers and rods which work an ordinary semaphore signal. This
signal is provided with two pivotted arms counterbalanced so that they stand
normally in the position indicating danger, and the levers and rods described are
connected with a lever or cam pivotted in the post to which the semaphore arms are
suspended and between the inner ends of the latter, in such manner that when the
lever is turned in one direction one of the arms is forced down to the position
indicating safety and vice versa, the alternate arm always being returned by its
counterbalance to the position of danger.
A lamp may be arranged at the top of the signal post pivotted coloured screens
being provided which are carried upon the pivot of the lever or cam which operates
the arms as described, so that the proper coloured screen to indicate danger or
safety is brought in front of the lamp simultaneously with the movement of the
semaphore arms.
If, therefore, the distant pointsman, by means of his winch or lever, moves the
points to one or other position, as soon as this has been completely effected, but not
before, further movement of the winch or lever alters the position of the signal
arms and of the coloured screens, to correspond with the position of the points.
Until the points are fully closed into their proper position, both semaphore arms
remain in the position signifying danger.
A locking bar of the ordinary kind may be arranged in connection with the
moveable points, and actuated by the slotted lever already described, so that when
the points have been fully closed in either position the further movement of the
slotted lever not only alters the signals but also locks the points, so that they
cannot possibly be altered.
By my invention, great efficiency and security are attained, with very little
expenditure of manual power the whole of the operations being performed by a
single man from any convenient position.
I do not confine myself to the precise form and method of operation of the parts
of the apparatus, which may be varied more or less to suit varying circumstances.
Dated this 8th day of April 1893.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.:
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Actuating Points and Signals
upon Railways.
I, ARTHUR RICHARD MANN SIMKINS, Telegraph Engineer, of 36, Windsor Road,
Ealing, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings, that is
to say :-
My invention relates more especially to apparatus to be used on single lines of
railway in countries such as India, where the traffic is not large, and where it is
advisable that the work of shifting the points at the junction of two lines of rail, as
for instance at a siding, and the proper corresponding movement of a signal by
which the position of the points is indicated, without fail, should be capable of
being done with the use of as little labour as possible, and preferably by one man

page_text: who may be stationed at a considerable distance from the points which are to be
operated upon the line.
My improved apparatus has for its object novel methods of constructing,
arranging, and operating mechanism of the kind described, such apparatus being
sufficiently simple and inexpensive, and not liable to get out of order.
The accompanying drawings are in illustration of my invention.
Figure 1 is a plan shewing the apparatus operating the points and signals upon a
single line of rails.
Figure 2 is a front view of the operating levers.
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, shew separate plans of the levers in different positions.
Figures 7, 8, and 9 shew the semaphore signals in different positions.
Figure 10 is a plan of Figure 7, and
Figure 11 shews in plan and upon a smaller scale a somewhat modified arrange-
ment of the apparatus shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures.
In order to put my invention in operation (and referring to Figure 1), I connect
the shifting or moveable points a, a, of the railway in the usual way to a rod b by
which their position can be altered as required, and the other end of this rod b
I connect to the short arm c of a horizontal lever turning upon a vertical pivot d in a
frame e of cast iron or other suitable material firmly fixed in the ground or to a
proper foundation near the side of the railway.
The longer arm of the lever (which is shewn separately in Figures 4 and 6)
is divided into two separate arms g, g', at an obtuse angle to each other, and
below them is arranged a longitudinal guide h at right angles to the rails, in
which guide can slide backward and forward a block i carrying at its upper end
a friction roller k which fits in the obtuse angle between the two arms
described.
9 ܕ9
It is evident that if the slide block be inoved in one direction it will force
one of the arms out until its edge is parallel with the direction of movement of the
block, and if in the other direction it will force the other arm out, the moveable
points being at the same time shifted into one or other of their positions.
The slide block is caused to travel in either direction along its guide, by means
of ropes, cords, chains, or rods, attached to its ends and after passing round pulleys m,
or being attached to bell-cranks, being conducted to any desired distance to the
barrel of a winch (not shewn in the drawings) round which chains connected
to them are wound in opposite directions so that by turning the winch in one or
other direction, the slide block i is made to traverse along the guide / and the
points a, a', are shifted. Or instead of a winch a suitable lever may be used.
The two obtuse arms 9, 9', described are of such length, that after either of them
bas been brought into a position parallel with the direction of movement of the slide
block i in the guide h the points a, a', being then fully brought to the required position,
the friction roller k which actuates them can continue its movement without further
effect upon the points.
Turning upon the same pivot d as the lever described, and arranged either above
or below the latter, I arrange a second lever n having a slot o in it through which
passes and fits the spindle of the friction roller k or a part of the said roller itself.
This slot o is of such shape that when the lever n is in its central position the
central part of the slot is parallel with the line of movement of the slide block i in
the guide h and the length of this part of the slot is such that the friction roller k
does not reach either end of it until the corresponding arm g, or g¹ of the lever
which works the points as first described has taken its full stroke and has reached
a position parallel with the line of movement of the slide i. The slot o is then
inclined at each end at a considerable angle to its central part (as shewn in
Figures 3 and 5) so that as the movement of the slide block i continues the slotted
lever n is turned upon the centre d, in one or other direction according as the slide
block i is at one or other end of its stroke, (as shewn in Figures 1 and 5 respectively,
Figure 3. shewing it at the centre of its stroke).

page_text: It will be seen therefore that when the points a, a, are being. moved the slotted
lever n remains motionless, whilst it is only when the former have reached the .end.
of their stroke that. the slotted lever n commences to move.
The slotted lever n is. provided with an arm p to which is jointed an adjustable
rod connected with levers and rods which work an ordinary semaphore signal.
(as shewn in Figures. 7, 8, 9, and 10). This, signal. is provided with. two pivotted
arms. a,.s', counterbalanced so that they stand. normally.in.the position, indicating
danger (as shewn in Figure 7) and the rod ralready described is connected by levers
and rods with a lever or cam u pivotted. in the post-v to which the semaphore
arms s,.s¹, are suspended and-between projections upon the inner ends of the latter, in
such manner that when the lever, u is turned-in one direction, as shewn in Figure 8,
one of the arms & is forced down to the position..indicating safety; whilst when.it.is
turned in, the other direction the other arms! is forced down (as shewn in Figure..9),
the alternate arm always being returned by its. counterbalance to the position of
danger as shewn.in.the figures.
A lamp. may be arranged at the top of the signal, post v. pivotted. coloured
screens & being provided which are carried upon the pivot of the lever. or cam u
which operates the arms as described, so that the proper coloured screen to indicate
danger or, safety is brought in. front of the lamp simultaneously with the movement
of the semaphore arms s, s¹.
If, therefore, the distant pointsman, by means of his winch or lever (first,
described) moves the points a, a, to one or other position, as soon as this has been
completely effected, but not before, further movement of the winch or lever-alters
the position of the signal arms s, sl, and of the coloured screens a, to correspond.
with the position. of the points a, a. Until the points a, a', are fully closed into their
proper position, both semaphore arms a, s', remain in the, position.signifying.danger
as shewn in Figure 7.
A locking bar of the ordinary kind. may be arranged in connection with the move-
able points,. and actuated .by, the, slotted lever already described, so that when the
pointe.have been fully closed in either position the further movement of the slotted
lever not only alters the signals but also, locks, the points, so that. they cannot.
possibly be altered.
=
In Figure 11, the lever c which works the points, and the lever n which works.
the signals are shewn-side, by side, and turning upon separate centres d, d', instead.
of both. turning upon the same centre. By this arrangement the parts are more.
easily accessible, and the slide i is made sufficiently long to carry the friction
roller k which operates the points lever c, and a pink which. operates the signals.
lever n..
By my invention great efficiency and security.. are attained, with very little
expenditure of manual power, the whole of the operations.being performed by a
single man, from any convenient.position..
I do not confine myself. to the precise. form, and arrangement and method of
operation of the parts of the apparatus, which may be varied more.or less: to suit
varying circumstances.
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 I
claim is :-
1. In combination with the moveable points..on railways, the lever a turning
upon a centre. d. and having, arms 9, 9, the slide i working, in a guide. Z and
actuated by devices.such as, m, from a distant point, the friction. roller k operating.
the arms g,g., the lever n turning upon the centre d and baying the angular,slot.o
operated by the pin upon which the roller k .turns,, and, the rod.. connecting
the arm p on the levern with, rods, and levers, t, u, actuating semaphore signal
arms. 8, 8, substantially, in the manner and; for the purposes described, and.
illustrated..
2. The modified method of construction and arrangement of the apparatus

page_text: described and claimed in Claim 1, in which the lever c, 9, 9', and the slotted
lever n, p, o, turn upon separate centres d, d', carried by the slide i, substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 11.
3. The method of shaping the levers and adjusting them relatively to each
other so that the semaphore signals are always brought to the position indicating
danger before the points a, a' are moved, substantially as described and illustrated.
4. In combination with the apparatus constructed and actuated substantially in
the manner described and claimed in Claim 1, the lamp wo and moveable screens x, x,
operating in combination with the semaphore arms, substantially as described and
illustrated.
Ontaho 1902
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.