IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC SIGNALS AND LOCKING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1884

page_text: I JEAN AUBINE, Comptroller of Telegraphs at Dijon, Department Côte d'or
France do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AUTOMATIC SIGNALS AND LOCKING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS" to be as follows:-
The object of the invention herein after described is designed with the view of
turning a signal to "Danger" by the passage of a train or engine so that such
train or engine blocks itself without the aid of a signalman or pointsman.
The apparatus consists of a vertical shaft turning in bearings formed in a frame
or case (which boxes in the apparatus) and supporting a crank N° 1 which is keyed
to vertical shaft. Below this crank No 1 a lever N° 3 oscillates vertically around a
pin or axle traversing or passing through the vertical shaft. At the lower part of
this lever No 3 is a spur which is made to fit into a notch formed in and supported
by a flat disc-shaped crank No 2 into and through which the vertical shaft passes;
when the spur is in the notch the crank No 2 is locked to the vertical shaft and
consequently turns with it and at the same time as the crank No 1. The movement
of the crank No 1 is thus communicated to the crank No 2 by the intervention of
the lever N° 3-When on the other hand the lever N° 3 rises (by turning around
the axle passing through the vertical shaft) the spur leaves the notch in crank No 2
and the movement of the crank No 2 becomes independent of the vertical shaft and
of the crank No 1. A pedal is placed alongside the rails balanced by a counter-
poise and by being turned on its axis acts on a part of the lever projecting beyond
the counterpoise weight, the end of which lever is placed below the vertically
oscillating lever N° 3 in such a manner as to cause it to oscillate and to force its
spur from the notch of the crank N° 2.
Supposing the two cranks. Nos 1. and 2 are locked by means of the lever N° 3
and the apparatus connected with a starting signal-if the wire leaving the railway
station be connected to the crank N° 1 and that going to the signal to the
crank No 2 the result will be precisely the same as if the connection had not been
interrupted. The signal may then be worked from the station just the same as if
there were no special apparatus on the line.
The pedal above described is placed close to the rail in such a way that it descenda
when the wheels of the passing train come in contact with it. This movement in
the reverse direction throws the counterpoise lever up. The counterpoise lever by

page_text: pressing on the end of lever N°3 drives the spur from the notch, and unlocks the
crank N° 2 rendering it independent of the other crank N° 1, which can only be
moved by the signal wire. The crank N° 2 is drawn by the counterpoise of the
springing back of the signal which latter is thus placed at stop. The spur of the
lever No 3 being no longer over the notch (in consequence of the partial revolution
of crank N° 2) is kept up by the crown or cam surface on the crank N° 2. The
crown has a projection corresponding to the end of the counterpoise lever.. This
projection is in the outer part of the crank N° 2 and is spiral or screw shaped and
it remains during and after the rotation of the crank N° 2 under the end of the
counterpoise lever which thus prevents it from falling, the result of this arrange-
ment being, that when the first wheel of a train has touched the treadle causing the
locking, the treadle is kept lowered and consequently is protected from the shock
of the other wheels. After locking, the signal is kept at. "Danger" by its lever
and can only be turned off by being worked from the station. In order to do this,
the signalman must work the lever as if he were putting the signal at "danger"
and then it releases the lever in order to pull off the signal. This puts the locking
apparatus ngain in its original position and the pedal again projects on the rails
ready for the next passing train. The locking of the cranks Nos 1 and 2 is accom-
plished in the following manner. The signal wire from the station is fastened to
the extremity of the crank N° 1 to this crank a chain is fixed corresponding to an
ordinary counterpoise of signal placed close to the apparatus. When the signal is
pulled off the counterpoise is raised like that of the signal.
As soon as the signalman wants to block his section, he lowers his lever and by
so doing the wire leading from a compensator to the crank N° 1 is slackened this
being stretched by a drawing back counterpoise makes a quarter of a revolution.
By this displacement the crank N° 1 causes the vertical shaft to move and with it
the lever No 3, and during this rotatory movement the spur falls again into the notch
so that the two cranks Nos 1 and 2 are again locked together. The signals may
then be worked as if no locking apparatus existed, that is to say-the signalman
in working his lever at the same time works the signal itself. If the lever be then
raised to its normal position the signal will then show "Line clear" and the locking
apparatus is again ready to act for a passing train.
The locking apparatus may be placed at any distance from the signal. The
locking apparatus may be applied to any system of signalling.
-
By means of an electric bell the signalman at the station may be informed when
the signal has been put to "danger by the locking apparatus or by means of
a special arrangement only when the pull over lever at the station has been
reversed to effect the operation of putting it to "stop" either that the locking
apparatus has already operated or that it remains in its normal position.
Dated this Twentyninth day of March 1884

page_text: "
I JEAN AUBINE Comptroller of Telegraphs at Dijon, Department Côte d'or
France do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AUTOMATIC SIGNALS AND LOCKING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS "o and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of the invention hereinafter described is that of turning a signal to
Danger" by the passage of a train or engine so that such train or engine blocks
itself without the aid of a signalman or pointsman.
The apparatus is composed of a loose vertical shaft having fixed to it a crank
and a vertically oscillating lever or spur. The spur when in its normal position
takes into a notch in a disc-like lever. A pedal placed alongside the rails and
turning on an axis, by train passing, disconnects the cranks by raising the lever.
By counterpoise weights and cords, two levers respectively have a tendency to
revolve in the direction for putting signal to danger." On passing train dis-
connecting the levers one flies round and puts signal to "danger" and when signal-
man wishes to connect them again he does so by allowing one lever to travel in the
direction of the other carrying with it the spur lover which rises to the surface of
cam and falls into notch again.
"
And in order that my invention may be more easily understood and readily
carried into effect I will describe same with reference to the accompanying sheets.
of drawings in which Figure 1 is a general view in side elevation and Figure 2 in
plan of my automatic signalling and locking apparatus for railways constructed
according to my invention Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section (through.
the line A B C D of Figure which is a part plan of same) of the apparatus both
figures being drawn on a larger scale than Figures 1 and 2. Figure 5 is a vertical
cross section through line G H of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a part vertical longi-
tudinal section through line E F. of Figure 4 showing treadle lever. Figures 7
and 8 are respectively vertical longitudinal section and plan (drawn to a larger
scale) of the frame or case. Figure 9 being a side elevation and Figure 10 a
vertical cross section of same Figure 11 is a view in plan. Figure 12 is a vertical
cross section through line A B of Figure 11. Figure 13 is an elevation and
Figure 14 is a vertical cross section Figure 15 is an edge view on line R S.
Figures 16, 17 and 18 are respectively part sections on the lines I, J, K, L and M N
of the flat disc shaped crank.
Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the Figures.
The apparatus consists of a vertical shaft a turning in footstep bearings a¹
formed in a frame or case A which boxes in the apparatus) and supporting a
crank B which is keyed to the vertical shaft a. Below this crank B a. lever C
oscillates vertically around a pin or axle c traversing or passing through the vertical
shaft a.
At the lower part of this lever C is a spur c¹ which is made to fit into a
notch d Figure 11 formed in and supported by what I may term a flat disc-shaped
crank D through which the vertical shaft a passes. When the spur c¹ is in the
notch & best seen at Figures 11 to 18 the crank D is locked to the vertical shaft a
and consequently turns with it and at the same time, as the crank B. The
movement of the crank B is thus communicated to the crank or disc D by the
intervention of the lever C when on the other hand the lever C is caused to rise
(by turning around the axle or pivot c passing through the vertical shaft a)
the spur cleaves the notch d in crank D and the movement of the disc
crank D becomes independent of the vertical shaft a and therefore of the crank B.

page_text: A pedale Figures 4, 5 and 6 is placed alongside the rails f balanced by a counter-
poise weight g and by being turned on its shaft or axis h as the train passes acts
on the lever g' carrying the counterpoise weight g at the end of which lever g¹ is
placed below a projecting portion c² of the vertically oscillating lever C in such a
manner as to cause its end to rise and to lift its spur c¹ from the notch d of the
crank D.
Supposing the two cranks B and D are locked together by means of the lever C
and the apparatus connected with a starting signal if the wire w leaving the
railway station be connected to the crank B and the wire w¹ going from the
signal S to the crank D the result will be precisely the same as if the connection
had not been interrupted. The signal S may then be worked from the station just
the same as if there were no special apparatus on the line.
The pedal e before mentioned is placed close to the rail fin such a way that it
(the pedal) descends when the wheels of the passing train come in contact with or
pass over it. This movement namely the depression of the treadle lever e operating
the shaft h throws up the counterpoise lever g' which latter by acting on the end
of lever C lifts the spur c¹ from the notch d, and disconnects the crank D rendering
it independent of the crank B which latter can only be moved by the station
wire w.
The crank or disc D is acted upon by the counterpoise arrangement i¹
Figures 1 and 2 causing the turning of the signal S which latter is thus placed at
stop position. The spur c¹ of the lever C being no longer over the notch d (in
consequence of the partial revolution of crank D) is kept up by the crown d¹ or
cam surface on the crank D. The disc D bas a projection d corresponding to the
end of the counterpoise lever g¹ This projection d is on the outer part of the
crank D'and is helical or screw shaped and it remains during and after the partial
rotation of the crank D under the end of the counterpoise lever g' and thus
prevents the counterpoise lever g¹ from falling the result of this arrangement being
that when the first wheel of a train has touched or operated the treadle e causing
the unlocking, the treadle c is kept down or lowered and consequently is protected
from the shock of the other wheels. After the apparatus has been operated by the
passing train and the line blocked the signal S is kept at "Danger" by its counter-
poise arrangement and can only be altered or put to "line clear" by its being
worked from the Station: In order to do this the signalman must work the
lever L in the direction of the arrow as if he were putting the signal at "danger"
and then it. releases the lever B in order to pull off the signal. This puts the
locking apparatus, vizt the lever C again in its original position and the trendle e
again projects or comes into position by the line ready for the next passing train.
The locking of the cranks B and D is accomplished in the following manner. The
signal wire w from the station is fastened to the extremity of the crank B; to this
crank a chain is fixed and a counterpoise i is placed close to the apparatus.
When the signal is pulled off the counterpoise is raised like that of the signal.
As soon as the signalman wants to block his section he lowers his lever L and by
so doing the wire leading from a compensator W to the crank B is slackened this
being stretched or tightened by a drawing back counterpoise makes a quarter of a
revolution. By this displacement the crank B causes the vertical shaft a to move
and with it the lever C and during this rotatory movement the spur c¹ falls again
into the notch d so that the two cranks B and D are again locked together and the
lever g¹ slides down the inclined plane on disc D thereby raising the treadle e
ready for the next passing train. The signals may then be worked as if no locking
apparatus existed, that is to say:-The signalman in working his lever at the same
time works the signal itself. If the lever be then raised to its normal position the
signal will then shew "Line clear" and the locking apparatus is again ready to act
for a passing train.
The locking apparatus may be placed at any convenient distance from the
signal. The locking apparatus may be applied to any system of signalling, but the
fittings must be adapted to suit the special requirements of the system to which it
may be applied.

page_text: By means of an electric bell the signalman at the station may be informed when
the signal has been put to "danger" by the locking apparatus or by means of a
special arrangement but when the pull over lever at the station has been reversed
to effect the operation of putting it to "stop"; either that the locking apparatus
has already operated or that it remains in its normal position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I do
not claim broadly the putting or turning of railway signals to danger by the
passage of a train over a treadle so that the train blocks the line itself and without
manual aid but I declare that what I Claim is:-
First: In automatic signals and locking apparatus for railways the employment
of apparatus composed of a vertical shaft working loosely in a box or case and
carrying a crank keyed to vertical shaft and carrying a spur or lever together with
a disc-shaped crank which is loose on the vertical shaft the said apparatus being
operated by a treadle at the side of the rail (while the apparatus is locked and can
only be set to "clear" from the signal box) substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Second: In automatic signalling and locking apparatus for railways the employ-
ment of the disc-shaped crank 'marked D constructed and acting as and for the
purposes set forth.
Third: In automatic signalling, and locking apparatus for railways the combi-
nation of machinery or apparatus substantially as set forth whereby the treadle
over which the train passes is depressed by the first wheel of the engine thereby
automatically setting the signal to danger without the said treadle being affected
by any of the other following wheels throughout the train.
Dated this 27th day of December 1884.